Lowdown (Boz Scaggs song)

"Lowdown" is a song originally recorded in 1976 by Boz Scaggs from his album Silk Degrees. The song was co-written by Scaggs and keyboardist David Paich. Paich, along with fellow "Lowdown" session musicians bassist David Hungate and drummer Jeff Porcaro, would later go on to form the band Toto.

"Lowdown"
A US vinyl reissue
Single by Boz Scaggs
from the album Silk Degrees
B-side	"Harbor Lights"
Released	June 1976
Genre	Disco[1] soft rock[2] blue-eyed soul yacht rock[3][4] funk[5] blues
Length	3:14 (single version) 5:16 (album version)
Label	Columbia
Songwriter(s)	Boz Scaggs David Paich
Producer(s)	Joe Wissert
Official Audio
"Lowdown" on YouTube

Release and reaction

Initially, Silk Degrees received a lukewarm commercial response and, similarly, the first single released from the album, "It's Over", barely cracked the top 40 on Billboard Pop Singles, peaking at #38. One day, however, a Cleveland R&B radio DJ began playing "Lowdown" straight off the album; it was a time when DJs had much more say in what was played on their programs.^[6] Public response was very positive and soon Scaggs' record label, Columbia, sent the song to other R&B-oriented radio stations for airplay.

It broke big on Top 40 stations as well, and when it was officially released as a single, it became Scaggs's first major hit, reaching #1 on Cash Box Top 100 and number three on Billboard Pop Singles. It was also successful on the R&B and disco charts, peaking at number five on both. The song was also a major hit in Canada, peaking at number two. It was a minor hit in the UK, topping out at #28.

Scaggs is quoted as saying that the success of "Lowdown" was "an accident" and that, even though it was their favorite from Silk Degrees, he and the others involved in the making of the song thought there "wasn't a chance in hell" that it would be released as a single.^[6] The single was certified gold by the RIAA for sales of one million copies and would go on to win the Grammy Award for Best R&B Song at the 19th Annual Grammy Awards.

Renditions

• In 1996 Scaggs recorded an unplugged jazz version for his Fade into Light album.^[7]
• In 2001 saxophonist Jimmy Sommers recorded a smooth jazz arrangement with rapper Coolio on background vocals. The song was released on his album 360 Urban Groove.^[8][9]
• In 2020 the English band Disclosure sampled "Lowdown" in their track "Expressing What Matters".^[10]

Usage in film

• "Lowdown" plays in a singles bar in the 1977 American crime drama film Looking for Mr. Goodbar.
• "Lowdown" is heard in the David Fincher 2007 American mystery thriller movie Zodiac, in the diner scene depicting real life character Robert "Bob" Graysmith telling Inspector Dave Toschi what he knew about the Zodiac Killer.^[11]
• "Lowdown" plays out the end credits to William Friedkin's 2023 adaptation of The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial.
• John Travolta filmed a scene for Saturday Night Fever with Donna Pescow to the song "Lowdown"; however, Boz Scaggs refused to allow the song to be used (which ultimately cost him millions of dollars in royalties) and a more generic track was dubbed over "Lowdown".

Chart performance

Weekly charts Chart (1976/1977) Peak position Australia (Kent Music Report)[12][13] 54 Canada RPM Top Singles 2 Canada RPM Adult Contemporary[14] 7 New Zealand (RIANZ)[15] 35 UK Singles Chart 28 US Billboard Hot 100 3 US Billboard Easy Listening[16] 11 US Billboard Soul Singles 5 US Cash Box Top 100[17] 1

Year-end charts Chart (1976) Rank Canada RPM Top Singles[18] 43 U.S. Billboard[19] 49

Personnel

• Boz Scaggs – lead vocals, guitar
• David Paich – Fender Rhodes, Moog synthesizer, ARP synthesizer, Minimoog, Hammond organ
• Fred Tackett – guitar
• Louis Shelton – guitar
• David Hungate – bass
• Jeff Porcaro – drums
• Carolyn Willis – backing vocals
• Marty McCall – backing vocals
• Jim Gilstrap – backing vocals
• Augie Johnson – backing vocals
• Joe Wissert – producer

References

1. Pearson, Paul (June 7, 2007). "Boz Scaggs, Silk Degrees (1976)". PopMatters. Retrieved May 18, 2016.
2. "Soft Rock Music - What is Soft Rock? - Oldies Music Songs and Artists". About.com. 2013-07-16. Archived from the original on 2012-01-21. Retrieved 2013-08-01.
3. "Yachtski Sacle".
4. Molanphy, Chris (July 31, 2021). "What a Fool Believes Edition". Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia (Podcast). Slate. Retrieved February 20, 2024.
5. Breithaupt, Don; Breithaupt, Jeff (July 17, 2000). "The Six Million Dollar Tan: West Coast Pop". Night Moves - Pop Music in the Late 70s. St. Martin's Griffin. p. 47. ISBN 978-0-312-19821-3.
6. Stoute, Lenny. "Lucky numbers". The Star. Toronto.
7. "Boz Scaggs - Fade into Light Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic". AllMusic.
8. "360 Urban Groove overview". Allmusic.com.
9. "Jimmy Sommers Bio". JimmySommers.com. Archived from the original on 2010-05-02. Retrieved 2010-07-21.
10. "Disclosure Sample Boz Scaggs on 'Expressing What Matters'". Rolling Stone. 26 February 2020.
11. "Lowdown by Boz Scaggs Songfacts". Songfacts.com. Archived from the original on 2023-04-04. Retrieved 2024-01-23.
12. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 265. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
13. Steffen Hung. "Forum - 1970 (ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts)". Australian-charts.com. Archived from the original on 2016-06-02. Retrieved 2016-10-11.
14. "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. 1976-10-02. Retrieved 2018-11-24.
15. "Flavour of New Zealand, 22 October 1976". Archived from the original on 23 November 2018. Retrieved 23 November 2018.
16. "Adult Contemporary Music Chart". Billboard. 1976-09-18. Retrieved 2016-10-11.
17. "Cash Box Top 100 10/02/76". 2 April 2015. Retrieved 12 August 2018.
18. "Top Singles – Volume 26, No. 14 & 15, January 08 1977". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Archived from the original on March 19, 2016. Retrieved July 31, 2017.
19. "Top 100 Hits of 1976/Top 100 Songs of 1976". Musicoutfitters.com. Retrieved 2016-10-11.

External links

• "Lowdown" (1996 re-recording) on YouTube
• "Lowdown" (live, 1977) on YouTube