| "TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia)" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single byMFSB featuringThe Three Degrees | ||||
| from the albumLove is the Message | ||||
| B-side | "Something for Nothing" | |||
| Released | February 6, 1974 (U.S.) March 29, 1974 (UK) | |||
| Recorded | 1973 | |||
| Studio | Sigma Sound, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 3:43 (album cut) 3:29 (single version) 5:48 (12" version) | |||
| Label | Philadelphia International Records | |||
| Songwriter | Gamble and Huff | |||
| Producers | Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff | |||
| MFSB featuringThe Three Degrees singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia)" is a 1974 recording byMFSB featuring vocals byThe Three Degrees. It was written byGamble and Huff as the theme for the American musical television programSoul Train, which specialized inAfrican American musical performers. The single was released on thePhiladelphia International Records label. It was the first television theme song to reach No. 1 on theBillboard Hot 100.[2]
At the 17th Annual Grammy Awards in 1975, the song won the Grammy for Best R&B Instrumental Performance.[3]
The song is aninstrumental, featuring a blend ofstring instruments and ahorn section. There are two vocal parts: a passage where The Three Degrees sing "People all over the world" and "Let's get it on. It's time to get down". The words "People all over the world" are not heard in the original version. The version heard onSoul Train, released on a 1975 Three Degrees album,International, had the series title sung over the first four notes of the melody, "Soul Train, Soul Train".
"TSOP" hit No. 1 on the U.S.Billboard Hot 100 in 1974 and remained there for two weeks, the first television theme song to do so.[2][4]
Don Cornelius, the creator and host ofSoul Train, refused to allow any references to the name of the television series when the single was released, leading Gamble and Huff to adopt the alternate title for the release.[5]
Although it was rerecorded for future versions of the show and different themes were used during the 1970s and 1980s, "TSOP" returned in the 1980s and remained the theme song forSoul Train.
"TSOP" wascovered byDexys Midnight Runners and released as aB-side on the 12" version of the "Jackie Wilson Said" single, and was issued on the remastered version of the albumToo-Rye-Ay.
In 1978, the song was covered byreggae bandInner Circle.
George Duke covered the song in 1986 and Sampson covered it in 1999.
In 1998, German act BMR featuring Dutch singer Felicia Uwaje sampled the single in their songCheck It Out.
A similar melody is used in the anime seriesHaré+Guu.
The song is played atCitizens Bank Park in Philadelphia prior to everyPhiladelphia Phillies home game. It was played afterVancouver Whitecaps (1974–1984) NASL home games at Empire Stadium in the 1970s and 1980s, and afterVancouver Whitecaps (1986–2010) CSL home games in the 1980s and 1990s.
Game Ka Na Ba?, aPhilippines game show hosted by actor/politicianEdu Manzano, used an adaptation of "TSOP" called "Papayo Yowza" as its theme. The opening was sampled as program identification forPhiladelphia 76ers games broadcast onWPHT in the 1970s and during timeouts and before commercial breaks forNBA on CBS games in the1975 NBA playoffs until the1976 NBA Finals.
Weekly charts[edit]
| Year-end charts[edit]
|
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United States (RIAA)[27] | Gold | 1,000,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||
