Leon Haywood
Encyclopedia
Otha Leon Haywood is an American
funk
and soul singer, songwriter
and record producer
. He is best known for his 1975 hit single
"I Want'a Do Something Freaky To You", which has been much sampled
by Dr. Dre
and others.
as a child and started playing piano at the age of three. In his teens
, he performed with a local group and worked as an accompanist to blues musician, Guitar Slim
. In the early 1960s, he moved to Los Angeles
, California
, where he worked with saxophonist
Big Jay McNeely
. McNeely arranged for him to record
his first single, "Without A Love", an instrumental
on the small Swingin' record label
. After that, he joined Sam Cooke
's band as keyboardist
until the singer's death. Haywood next recorded two singles for Fantasy Records
, and subsequently moved to Imperial Records
, where he recorded the single "She's With Her Other Love", which made the R&B charts in 1965. He was also part of two session
bands
organized by Los Angeles disc jockey
Magnificent Montague
which issued the instrumental hits "Hole In The Wall" (R&B #5/Pop
#50, 1965) under the name of The Packers
, and "Precious Memories" (R&B number 31, 1967) as the Romeos. In 1967, Haywood secured his first solo
hit with "It's Got To Be Mellow" (R&B #21 and Pop #63) on Decca Records
. He played on further recording sessions with the Packers and Dyke & the Blazers
, then returned to recording under his own name. He also established in 1967 a production company, Evejim, named after his parents.
He found only sporadic success as a singer, most notably with "It's Got To Be Mellow" and "Keep It In The Family". After recording for Columbia Records
, he moved over to MCA Records
. He emerged as a star
in the 1970s by modifying his style to incorporate the emerging funk
and disco
idioms. Haywood joined 20th Century Records
in 1974 and was immediately successful, notably with "I Want'a Do Something Freaky To You" (R&B #7/Pop #15, 1975), "Strokin' (Pt. II)" (R&B #13, 1976) and "Party" (R&B #24, 1978). In 1980, Haywood revived the shuffle beat of 1950s rock and roll
with "Don't Push It Don't Force It" (R&B #2 and Pop #49). This single also reached #12 in the in the UK, where he is considered a one-hit wonder
..
Haywood is credited with writing
the 1981 hit "She's a Bad Mama Jama" by Carl Carlton
, which he produced in his own studio. His last R&B chart record was "Tenderoni" (#22) in 1984. After a few more chart singles, for Casablanca Records
and Modern Records
, Haywood disappeared from the charts. In the late 1980s he became associated in an executive/production capacity with the Los Angeles based Edge Records. Since the 1980s, he has produced blues albums by Jimmy McCracklin
, Clay Hammond, Ronnie Lovejoy, Buddy Ace
and others on his own Evejim Records
label.
on two of Dr. Dre
's single
s, "Nuthin' But a "G" Thang" and "The Wash," although his name was improperly cited on The Chronic
album as "L. Hayward." The song was also sampled on the song "Shuda Beena B-Dog" on Bangin' on Wax & "G's & Loc's" on Bangin' on Wax 2... The Saga Continues
, Redman track "Rockafella
", on Redman's Dare Iz a Darkside
album
, and on the track "Mobster's Anthem", from Twista's
Adrenaline Rush
. Mariah Carey
also sampled the song for her 2002 album Charmbracelet
for the song "You Had Your Chance
", putting Haywood as one collaborator.
Basement Jaxx
also used the bass line from "Don't Push It, Don't Force It" in 1999 for the song "Red Alert" for the "Remedy" album.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
funk
Funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground...
and soul singer, songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
and record producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
. He is best known for his 1975 hit single
Hit single
A hit single is a recorded song or instrumental released as a single that has become very popular. Although it is sometimes used to describe any widely-played or big-selling song, the term "hit" is usually reserved for a single that has appeared in an official music chart through repeated radio...
"I Want'a Do Something Freaky To You", which has been much sampled
Sampling
Sampling may refer to:*Sampling , converting a continuous signal into a discrete signal*Sampling , converting continuous colors into discrete color components*Sampling , re-using portions of sound recordings in a piece...
by Dr. Dre
Dr. Dre
Andre Romelle Young , primarily known by his stage name Dr. Dre, is an American record producer, rapper, record executive, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is the founder and current CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and a former co-owner and artist of Death Row Records...
and others.
Career
Born in Houston, he listened to the bluesBlues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
as a child and started playing piano at the age of three. In his teens
Adolescence
Adolescence is a transitional stage of physical and mental human development generally occurring between puberty and legal adulthood , but largely characterized as beginning and ending with the teenage stage...
, he performed with a local group and worked as an accompanist to blues musician, Guitar Slim
Guitar Slim
Eddie Jones , better known as Guitar Slim, was a New Orleans blues guitarist, from the 1940s and 1950s, best known for the million-selling song, produced by Johnny Vincent at Specialty Records, "The Things That I Used to Do"...
. In the early 1960s, he moved to Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, where he worked with saxophonist
Saxophone
The saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
Big Jay McNeely
Big Jay McNeely
Big Jay McNeely is an American rhythm and blues saxophonist.-Biography:...
. McNeely arranged for him to record
Sound recording and reproduction
Sound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...
his first single, "Without A Love", an instrumental
Instrumental
An instrumental is a musical composition or recording without lyrics or singing, although it might include some non-articulate vocal input; the music is primarily or exclusively produced by musical instruments....
on the small Swingin' record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
. After that, he joined Sam Cooke
Sam Cooke
Samuel Cook, , better known under the stage name Sam Cooke, was an American gospel, R&B, soul, and pop singer, songwriter, and entrepreneur. He is considered to be one of the pioneers and founders of soul music. He is commonly known as the King of Soul for his distinctive vocal abilities and...
's band as keyboardist
Keyboardist
A keyboardist is a musician who plays keyboard instruments. Until the early 1960s musicians who played keyboards were generally classified as either pianists or organists. Since the mid-1960s, a plethora of new musical instruments with keyboards have come into common usage, requiring a more...
until the singer's death. Haywood next recorded two singles for Fantasy Records
Fantasy Records
Fantasy Records is a United States-based record label that was founded by Max and Sol Weiss in 1949 in San Francisco, California. They had previously operated a record-pressing plant called Circle Record Company before forming the Fantasy label...
, and subsequently moved to Imperial Records
Imperial Records
Imperial Records is a United States based label started in 1947 by Lew Chudd and reactivated in 2006 by label owner EMI.- The independent and Liberty Records years :...
, where he recorded the single "She's With Her Other Love", which made the R&B charts in 1965. He was also part of two session
Session musician
Session musicians are instrumental and vocal performers, musicians, who are available to work with others at live performances or recording sessions. Usually such musicians are not permanent members of a musical ensemble and often do not achieve fame in their own right as soloists or bandleaders...
bands
Band (music)
In music, a musical ensemble or band is a group of musicians that works together to perform music. The following articles concern types of musical bands:* All-female band* Big band* Boy band* Christian band* Church band* Concert band* Cover band...
organized by Los Angeles disc jockey
Disc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
Magnificent Montague
Magnificent Montague
Nathaniel "Magnificent" Montague , is an American R&B disc jockey notable not only for the soul music records he helped promote on KGFJ Los Angeles and WWRL New York City, but whose trademark catch-phrase, "Burn, baby! Burn!" became the rallying cry of the 1965 Watts riots.Semi-retired by the...
which issued the instrumental hits "Hole In The Wall" (R&B #5/Pop
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
#50, 1965) under the name of The Packers
The Packers
The Packers were an American soul group formed by tenor saxophonist Charles "Packy" Axton, who was the son of Stax Records part-owner Estelle Axton. Axton was a former member of the Mar-Keys; Leon Haywood was among those who played on the group's records...
, and "Precious Memories" (R&B number 31, 1967) as the Romeos. In 1967, Haywood secured his first solo
Solo (music)
In music, a solo is a piece or a section of a piece played or sung by a single performer...
hit with "It's Got To Be Mellow" (R&B #21 and Pop #63) on Decca Records
Decca Records
Decca Records began as a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934; however, owing to World War II, the link with the British company was broken for several decades....
. He played on further recording sessions with the Packers and Dyke & the Blazers
Dyke & the Blazers
Dyke and the Blazers was an influential American funk band led by Arlester Christian . The band was formed in 1965 and recorded until 1971, when Christian was shot dead...
, then returned to recording under his own name. He also established in 1967 a production company, Evejim, named after his parents.
He found only sporadic success as a singer, most notably with "It's Got To Be Mellow" and "Keep It In The Family". After recording for Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
, he moved over to MCA Records
MCA Records
MCA Records was an American-based record company owned by MCA Inc., which later gave way to the larger MCA Music Entertainment Group , of which MCA Records was still part. MCA Records was absorbed by Geffen Records in 2003...
. He emerged as a star
Celebrity
A celebrity, also referred to as a celeb in popular culture, is a person who has a prominent profile and commands a great degree of public fascination and influence in day-to-day media...
in the 1970s by modifying his style to incorporate the emerging funk
Funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground...
and disco
Disco
Disco is a genre of dance music. Disco acts charted high during the mid-1970s, and the genre's popularity peaked during the late 1970s. It had its roots in clubs that catered to African American, gay, psychedelic, and other communities in New York City and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and...
idioms. Haywood joined 20th Century Records
20th Century Records
20th Century Fox Records, also known as 20th Fox Records and 20th Century Records, was a subsidiary of film studio 20th Century Fox.-History:It began in 1958 as 20th Fox Records. In 1963, 20th Fox Records became 20th Century-Fox Records...
in 1974 and was immediately successful, notably with "I Want'a Do Something Freaky To You" (R&B #7/Pop #15, 1975), "Strokin' (Pt. II)" (R&B #13, 1976) and "Party" (R&B #24, 1978). In 1980, Haywood revived the shuffle beat of 1950s rock and roll
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
with "Don't Push It Don't Force It" (R&B #2 and Pop #49). This single also reached #12 in the in the UK, where he is considered a one-hit wonder
One-hit wonder
A one-hit wonder is a person or act known mainly for only a single success. The term is most often used to describe music performers with only one hit single.-Characteristics:...
..
Haywood is credited with writing
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
the 1981 hit "She's a Bad Mama Jama" by Carl Carlton
Carl Carlton
Carl Carlton is an American R&B, soul, and funk singer and songwriter, best known for his hits "Everlasting Love" and "She's a Bad Mama Jama ".-Career:...
, which he produced in his own studio. His last R&B chart record was "Tenderoni" (#22) in 1984. After a few more chart singles, for Casablanca Records
Casablanca Records
Casablanca Records was an American record label started by Neil Bogart, who partnered with Cecil Holmes, Larry Harris, and Buck Reingold in 1973, and based in Los Angeles. The label was formed after all of them had left Buddah Records and secured financing by Warner Bros. Records to start the venture...
and Modern Records
Modern Records
Modern Records was an American record label formed in 1945 in Los Angeles by the Bihari brothers. In the 1960s, Modern Records went bankrupt and ceased operations, but the catalogue went with the management into what became Kent Records. This back catalogue was eventually licensed to the UK label...
, Haywood disappeared from the charts. In the late 1980s he became associated in an executive/production capacity with the Los Angeles based Edge Records. Since the 1980s, he has produced blues albums by Jimmy McCracklin
Jimmy McCracklin
Jimmy McCracklin is an American pianist, vocalist, and songwriter. His style contains West Coast blues, Jump blues, and R&B. Over a career that has spanned seven decades, he says he has written almost a thousand songs and has recorded hundreds of them...
, Clay Hammond, Ronnie Lovejoy, Buddy Ace
Buddy Ace
Buddy Ace was an American blues singer, known as the "Silver Fox of the Blues." His best known tracks were "Root Doctor" and "Pouring Water on a Drowning Man"....
and others on his own Evejim Records
Evejim Records
Evejim Records was an American independent record label founded in the 1980s by Leon Haywood and based in Los Angeles, California. The label released various soul, blues, hip hop and electro recordings, as well as rerecordings of some of Leon Haywood's earlier work.The company developed out of a...
label.
Use in samples
"I Want'a Do Something Freaky To You" was sampledSampling (music)
In music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or a different sound recording of a song or piece. Sampling was originally developed by experimental musicians working with musique concrète and electroacoustic music, who physically...
on two of Dr. Dre
Dr. Dre
Andre Romelle Young , primarily known by his stage name Dr. Dre, is an American record producer, rapper, record executive, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is the founder and current CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and a former co-owner and artist of Death Row Records...
's single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
s, "Nuthin' But a "G" Thang" and "The Wash," although his name was improperly cited on The Chronic
The Chronic
The Chronic is the solo debut album of American hip hop artist Dr. Dre, released December 15, 1992, on his own record label Death Row Records, and distributed by Priority Records. Recording sessions for the album took place in June 1992 at Death Row Studios in Los Angeles and at Bernie Grundman...
album as "L. Hayward." The song was also sampled on the song "Shuda Beena B-Dog" on Bangin' on Wax & "G's & Loc's" on Bangin' on Wax 2... The Saga Continues
Bangin' on Wax 2... The Saga Continues
Bangin' on Wax 2... The Saga Continues is the second and last album by the Bloods & Crips. Music videos were made for G's & Locs and Wish You Were Here.-Track listing:-Samples:*"G's and Locs"**"I Wanna Do Something Freaky to You" by Leon Haywood...
, Redman track "Rockafella
Rockafella (song)
"Rockafella" is the first single found on Redman's second album, Dare Iz a Darkside. It is produced by Redman and contains samples from "I Wanna Do Something Freaky to You" by Leon Haywood and "Flashlight" by Parliament. It can be found on the compilation, Hip Hop Factory: The Bomb Hip Hop, Vol...
", on Redman's Dare Iz a Darkside
Dare Iz a Darkside
-Album:-Singles:"—" denotes releases that did not chart.-Personnel:Information taken from Allmusic.*engineering – Mike Bona, Bob Fudjinski, Dave Greenberg, Bob Morse*executive production – Erick Sermon*mastering – Tony Dawsey...
album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
, and on the track "Mobster's Anthem", from Twista's
Twista
Carl Terrell Mitchell , better known by his stage name Twista, is an American rapper. He is known for once holding the title of fastest rapper in the world according to Guinness World Records in 1992, being able to pronounce 598 syllables in 55 seconds...
Adrenaline Rush
Adrenaline Rush (album)
Adrenaline Rush, released in 1997, is the third studio album by rap artist Twista. It was his second album nationally released, after his previous effort Resurrection was shelved outside of Chicago. The album had guest artists: Johnny P, Liffy Stokes, Miss Kane, Malif, Mayze, and Turtle Banxx...
. Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. She made her recording debut with the release of her eponymous studio album in 1990, under the guidance of Columbia Records executive Tommy Mottola, whom she later married in 1993...
also sampled the song for her 2002 album Charmbracelet
Charmbracelet
Charmbracelet is the ninth studio album by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey, released on December 3, 2002 through Island Records and MonarC Entertainment. The album was her first release since facing a breakdown following the release of her film Glitter and its accompanying...
for the song "You Had Your Chance
Charmbracelet
Charmbracelet is the ninth studio album by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey, released on December 3, 2002 through Island Records and MonarC Entertainment. The album was her first release since facing a breakdown following the release of her film Glitter and its accompanying...
", putting Haywood as one collaborator.
Basement Jaxx
Basement Jaxx
Basement Jaxx are a British electronic dance music duo from London, England consisting of Felix Buxton born 1971 and Simon Ratcliffe born 1 December 1969. They first rose to popularity in the late 1990s...
also used the bass line from "Don't Push It, Don't Force It" in 1999 for the song "Red Alert" for the "Remedy" album.
Chart singles
| Year | Single | Chart Positions | Record label | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Pop Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
US R&B Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,... |
UK UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
|||
| 1965 | "She's With Her Other Love" Leon Hayward |
92 | 13 | - | Imperial Imperial Records Imperial Records is a United States based label started in 1947 by Lew Chudd and reactivated in 2006 by label owner EMI.- The independent and Liberty Records years :... |
| 1967 | "It's Got To Be Mellow" | 63 | 21 | - | Decca Decca Records Decca Records began as a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934; however, owing to World War II, the link with the British company was broken for several decades.... |
| 1968 | "Mellow Moonlight" | 92 | 35 | - | |
| 1974 | "Keep It In The Family" | 50 | 11 | - | 20th Century |
| "Long As There's You (I Got Love)" | - | 63 | - | ||
| "Sugar Lump" | 108 | 35 | - | ||
| "Believe Half Of What You See (And None Of What You Hear)" |
94 | 21 | - | ||
| 1975 | "Come An' Get Yourself Some" | 83 | 19 | - | |
| "I Want'a Do Something Freaky To You" | 15 | 7 | - | ||
| 1976 | "Just Your Fool" | 102 | 26 | - | |
| "Strokin' (Pt. II)" | 101 | 13 | - | ||
| "The Streets Will Love You To Death - Part 1" | 107 | 63 | - | Columbia Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company... |
|
| 1977 | "Super Sexy" | - | 54 | - | MCA MCA Records MCA Records was an American-based record company owned by MCA Inc., which later gave way to the larger MCA Music Entertainment Group , of which MCA Records was still part. MCA Records was absorbed by Geffen Records in 2003... |
| 1978 | "Double My Pleasure" | - | 91 | - | |
| "Fine And Healthy Thing" | - | 84 | - | ||
| "Party" | - | 24 | - | ||
| 1980 | "Don't Push It Don't Force It" | 49 | 2 | 12 | 20th Century |
| "If You're Lookin' For A Night Of Fun (Look Past Me, I'm Not The One)" |
- | 67 | - | ||
| 1983 | "I'm Out To Catch" Leon Haywood featuring Karen Roberts |
- | 27 | - | Casablanca Casablanca Records Casablanca Records was an American record label started by Neil Bogart, who partnered with Cecil Holmes, Larry Harris, and Buck Reingold in 1973, and based in Los Angeles. The label was formed after all of them had left Buddah Records and secured financing by Warner Bros. Records to start the venture... |
| "T. V. Mama" | - | 83 | - | ||
| 1984 | "Tenderoni" | - | 22 | - | Modern Modern Records Modern Records was an American record label formed in 1945 in Los Angeles by the Bihari brothers. In the 1960s, Modern Records went bankrupt and ceased operations, but the catalogue went with the management into what became Kent Records. This back catalogue was eventually licensed to the UK label... |
Albums
- Soul Cargo (Fat Fish, 1966)
- It's Got To Be Mellow (Decca, 1968)
- Back To Stay (20th Century, 1973)
- Keep It In The Family (20th Century, 1974)
- Come And Get Yourself Some (20th Century, 1975)
- Intimate (Columbia, 1976)
- Double My Pleasure (MCA, 1978)
- Energy (MCA, 1979)
- Naturally (20th Century, 1980)
- It's Me Again (Casablanca, 1983)
- Freaky Man (Evejim, 1994)