Rufus Featuring Chaka Khan - "You Got The Love" (1974)

Rufus was an American funk band, from Chicago, Illinois; best known for launching the career of their lead singer Chaka Khan. They had several hits throughout their career, including "Tell Me Something Good," "Sweet Thing," and "Ain't Nobody."

The origins of Rufus came from two Chicago-area bands The Circus and The American Breed. Formed in 1969 by Kevin Murphy, the original members of the group included trombonist/trumpeter Vern Pilder, bassist Chuck Colbert, drummer Lee Graziano and vocalists James Stella and Paulette McWilliams, who was the original frontwoman of the group. Influenced by the psychedelic soul group Sly & the Family Stone, they originally called themselves Smoke. After their original management switched to Bob Monaco and Bill Trout, they changed their name to Ask Rufus. Pilder was then replaced by Al Ciner and bassist Willie Weeks was added to the lineup. After that, the band's name shortened to just Rufus. After signing with Epic Records in 1970, the group recorded their first album, which wasn't released. In 1971, Weeks was replaced by Dennis Belfield while Stella was replaced by Ron Stockert, Andre Fischer replaced Graziano, and Chaka Khan (nee Yvette Stevens), replaced McWilliams as a request from McWilliams. Khan was originally a session vocalist for the band before becoming a full-fledged leader in 1972. When the group signed with ABC in 1973, Ron Stockert became the group's driving force while Khan became the front woman. Khan was barely 20 when the group's debut album, Rufus, was released. The album featured the modest charted hits "Whoever's Thrilling You (Is Killing Me)" and "Feel Good" as well as a cover of Stevie Wonder's "Maybe Your Baby". Despite modest sales, the album gave Rufus recognition in the music industry. Not too long after its release, the group quickly went back to the studio to record their follow-up. One night, Stevie Wonder, who admired the group's rendition of "Maybe Your Baby", showed up unannounced at the studio and worked on a composition for the group. The song, "Tell Me Something Good", turned out to be a breakthrough hit for the group after their second album, Rags to Rufus, was released in 1974.

Boosted by "Tell Me Something Good", which hit number-one R&B and number-three pop and later won the group their first Grammy Award, Rags to Rufus went platinum and featured the follow-up hit, "You Got the Love", which Khan herself co-wrote with Ray Parker, Jr. Shortly after the release of Rags to Rufus, Stockert, Belfield and Ciner left the band and were replaced by bassist Bobby Watson, guitarist Tony Maiden and keyboardist Nate Morgan. This lineup produced the successful follow-up, Rufusized, in late 1974, which spawned the hits "Once You Get Started" and "Please Pardon Me (You Remind Me of a Friend)". After the release of 1975's Rufus Featuring Chaka Khan, Khan became more of the focal point of the group and helped to co-write and co-produce one of the group's biggest hits, the ballad "Sweet Thing". By this point, Khan had emerged as one of the most important female vocalists in the soul era and had also emerged in the press as funk music's "wild child". Following the release of 1977's Ask Rufus, Fischer, who had a difficult relationship with Khan, left the group and was replaced by William "Moon" Calhoun while keyboardist Dave "Hawk" Wolinski joined the group.

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• 1974
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[TheBacmaster]

If this song don't move your soul, you don't have one...

[recordguy4321]

didn't know Ray Parker co wrote this and played the great guitar riff. Just watched a show called Unsung. he played on so many great R and B tunes.

[Meela234]

First heard this song watching Ray Parker Jr's Unsung episode. Nice discovery for me :)

[voncraig67]

@kingbrinston Ray parker Jr...you know "Ghostbusters"...I know right..

[skierpage]

The 30 seconds from 1:35 on contrasting the uplifting chorus and the heavy-as-Led-Zeppelin break blew my fragile little mind. Al Ciner's guitar solo is incredible. The production on Rufus and Chaka Khan puts so much dry treble energy behind her voice, it's completely different from Motown. Go buy Rags to Rufus on CD, it's a classic album and sounds better than this.

[genefury75]

you speak the truth 

[genefury75]

man this song is tuff i love it

[ENYPolyglot]

@TheBacmaster I know that's right!

[GregoryMRD]

@JeffmChicago

I did not dispute that it was a hit single.

I merely speculated that I suspect that it might have been an even bigger hit single

(along with much of the CK & Ruf catalogue) had they adjusted some of the arrangements of their singles and made them more radio friendly. Many of my contemporaries who know CK only know her work post-Rufus, except "Sweet Thing." I think the Rufus period is brilliant, but too "gamey" (i.e.:"artsy" funk) for folks who like to get right to the meat.

[JeffmChicago]

@GregoryMRD What are you talking about might have been a greater HIT SINGLE? YGTL went to nr. 1 on the soul charts back in 1974. I know this because I was in the 6th grade back then grooving to this song with a lot other newfound Chakaholics. You dig?