Willie Hutch - I Choose You

[midnightman]

The song that launched a thousand Three 6 Mafia samples.

[Quinn]

Oh yeah. They have a few other songs that are unissued that features a WH sample. I know "Mark Of The Beast" is one of them. I was surprised at how great of a relationship he had with those guys. Too bad he passed right after "Stay Fly" that features sections of "Tell Me Why Our Love Has Turned Cold". That was a huge record and he never got a chance to enjoy the residuals from it. Willie is an unsung talent and I would like to some of his unreleased tracks if there's more than a few. I often wonder how Willie's career would've turned out if he'd joined Motown in the Detroit era when Smokey Robinson first reached out to him.

[midnightman]

Right.
I'm sure his estate continues to receive royalties.
But yeah to die in the middle of a revival is TOUGH.

[RanRan79]

This song right here is gold. Can you imagine all of the coochie Brothers was getting back in the day with this one?

[midnightman]

^^ HAHA yeah I imagine if a guy was playing this ENTIRE album to their old lady especially songs like this, that was enough to "get it on".

[TomatoTom123]

This is an absolute tune. Love it.

I knew that Willie's music has often been sampled but didn’t know that any of the songs that sampled him were hits! Cool

[TomatoTom123]

Oh yeah. They have a few other songs that are unissued that features a WH sample. I know "Mark Of The Beast" is one of them. I was surprised at how great of a relationship he had with those guys. Too bad he passed right after "Stay Fly" that features sections of "Tell Me Why Our Love Has Turned Cold". That was a huge record and he never got a chance to enjoy the residuals from it. Willie is an unsung talent and I would like to some of his unreleased tracks if there's more than a few. I often wonder how Willie's career would've turned out if he'd joined Motown in the Detroit era when Smokey Robinson first reached out to him.

Hi Quinn, can I ask, did Willie actually collaborate and work with Three 6 Mafia? [[whoever they are lol)

Also I definitely agree on any unreleased tracks, and your last point is an interesting one... in fact recently I bought a CD of his first two [[pre-Motown) albums and I have to say they were fantastic... It would have been interesting to hear what Willie would have done at Motown in its Detroit era and as you say Quinn how his career might have been different!

[Quinn]

Hi Quinn, can I ask, did Willie actually collaborate and work with Three 6 Mafia? [[whoever they are lol)

Also I definitely agree on any unreleased tracks, and your last point is an interesting one... in fact recently I bought a CD of his first two [[pre-Motown) albums and I have to say they were fantastic... It would have been interesting to hear what Willie would have done at Motown in its Detroit era and as you say Quinn how his career might have been different!

Hey Tom, long time since we've traded viewpoints. To answer your question, Willie didn't actually sing on anything or really lend his vocals to anything musically. He did do a short intro on one of the tunes that went something like "Hey folks, this is Willie Hutch the mack. Coming here to do a little something with Three Six". That was basically as far as his contribution went. On a personal level though, they flew him out to Memphis, TN which is their hometown and hung out with him. They gave him some southern hospitality and talked music.They loved him like nearly everyone else who knew him.
Yes, Willie was approached by Smokey to join the production staff years before Motown moved to L.A. He would've moved to Detroit, but because The Friends Of Distinction were great buddies of his he stayed put. Willie still made it up to Smokey and himself by co producing and arranging Smoke's first solo album and arranging" A Tattoo" on the follow up.

.

[midnightman]

^ I know what song it was: Project Pat's I Choose You. I'd post it but I don't think many here are big fans of hip hop.

[MIKEW-UK]

Great song by Willie. Went out and bought the vinyl LP by The Chicago Gangsters for their extended version which is very good
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kcEwC2Gvo3M

[splanky]

Great song by Willie. Went out and bought the vinyl LP by The Chicago Gangsters for their extended version which is very good
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kcEwC2Gvo3M

Willie Hutch remains a severely overlooked artist from our musical past. I Choose You
is the first song I bought online having lost the album many years before the advent
of the internet. I also have that Chicago Gangsters cover along w/ other works from
them, another forgotten act...Blind Over You being a favorite. Willie, anyway, would
benefit from more consideration when anyone is discussing other talents at Motown
besides the usual suspects....

[MIKEW-UK]

Very much in agreement Splanky.
I have many personal favourites, but one that I feel captures his creativity in rhythm, arrangements and guitar work is a 'standard' he didn't even write. I was hooked on the distortion and phasing of the fuzz guitar which comes in at the breakdown. I never did understand why the stylus wasn't flung out of the groove on the album, so much energy, the whole thing rollicks along and Willem is definitely losing himself in the moment.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Tymbw0Bwy1o

[splanky]

Very much in agreement Splanky.
I have many personal favourites, but one that I feel captures his creativity in rhythm, arrangements and guitar work is a 'standard' he didn't even write. I was hooked on the distortion and phasing of the fuzz guitar which comes in at the breakdown. I never did understand why the stylus wasn't flung out of the groove on the album, so much energy, the whole thing rollicks along and Willem is definitely losing himself in the moment.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Tymbw0Bwy1o

Why did I not know Willie covered this standard until today? Stunning. And you are so right about that guitar. I will have this track. Today...

[TomatoTom123]

Hey Tom, long time since we've traded viewpoints. To answer your question, Willie didn't actually sing on anything or really lend his vocals to anything musically. He did do a short intro on one of the tunes that went something like "Hey folks, this is Willie Hutch the mack. Coming here to do a little something with Three Six". That was basically as far as his contribution went. On a personal level though, they flew him out to Memphis, TN which is their hometown and hung out with him. They gave him some southern hospitality and talked music.They loved him like nearly everyone else who knew him.

Ah I see, that’s cool. Thanks Quinn

Yes, Willie was approached by Smokey to join the production staff years before Motown moved to L.A. He would've moved to Detroit, but because The Friends Of Distinction were great buddies of his he stayed put. Willie still made it up to Smokey and himself by co producing and arranging Smoke's first solo album and arranging" A Tattoo" on the follow up.

Yea Willie got to Motown in the end! And of course he also wrote and produced at MoWest

Just listening to "A Tattoo" now and it’s fantatsic!

[TomatoTom123]

Willie Hutch remains a severely overlooked artist from our musical past. I Choose You
is the first song I bought online having lost the album many years before the advent
of the internet. I also have that Chicago Gangsters cover along w/ other works from
them, another forgotten act...Blind Over You being a favorite. Willie, anyway, would
benefit from more consideration when anyone is discussing other talents at Motown
besides the usual suspects....

Totally agree splanky. I shall have to check out that Chicago Gangsters cover too.

[TomatoTom123]

From the Concert In Blues album, Willie's rendition of the standard "Stormy Weather"... absolutely fantatsic



In fact I had never heard this song before Willie. But after hearing Willie's cover I’m not sure I’d wanna hear any other version

[midnightman]

^ This is from the same album.



Lil' Kim and Ghostface Killah had hit songs that sampled it.

[TomatoTom123]

^ I know what song it was: Project Pat's I Choose You. I'd post it but I don't think many here are big fans of hip hop.

lol I just listened to it midnight and I agree it might not be well received here

It's cool to see Willie's music being sampled but I don't really understand the whole thang. It's literally the chorus of "I Choose You" in the background with someone talking over it, erm, rhythmically

[midnightman]

^ Lol well that's how hip-hop was formed: rhyming over a repeated riff lol

[marv2]

The is one of Motown's best releases in the mid-70s!

[marv2]

^^ HAHA yeah I imagine if a guy was playing this ENTIRE album to their old lady especially songs like this, that was enough to "get it on".

What was the name of the album this song "I Choose You" is from?

[midnightman]

What was the name of the album this song "I Choose You" is from?

The Mack soundtrack.

[marv2]

The Mack soundtrack.

Ok thanks. I remember the movie and this song. Just not the album it was from.

[midnightman]

Ok thanks. I remember the movie and this song. Just not the album it was from.

No prob.

IIRC, I remembered first hearing this song when Max Julien was on Def Jam's How to Be a Player... I think anyway lol

[marv2]

No prob.

IIRC, I remembered first hearing this song when Max Julien was on Def Jam's How to Be a Player... I think anyway lol

Max Julien was my brother's ex girlfriend first cousin.

[MIKEW-UK]

Got this version of I Choose You by Donald Height on the CD We're A Lover compilation BRUNSWICK / DAKAR. Chicago treatment in the Tyrone Davis mode....

[MIKEW-UK]

An overlooked album Funk Machine By Street Corner Symphony on ABC was produced by Willie Hutch. He composed a number of songs, as did his his brothers. When I listen to the album, I can hear Willie's phasing and delivery, so much so I wondered if Willie did more than a guide vocal...... by the way, James Jamerson is the bassist on the album!!!!

[TomatoTom123]

I had no idea Willie was producing other acts outside of Motown! Wow. I enjoyed that song too. It does sound like a Willie song but I thought the lead voice was quite different. Anyway, thanks for sharing Mike, I shall have to check that group out.

Also, I listened to The Chicago Gangsters' version of "I Choose You", turns out I was a bit ‘meh’ about it. IMO, their version is good but not as good as Willie's

[midnightman]

I wonder how much money Willie was earning from writing and producing during that period. Dude was PRETTY PROLIFIC!

[TomatoTom123]

Good question midnight. In the '70s Willie certainly was prolific!!! I'm not sure how well his albums sold though, I know he didn’t get a lot of chart success with his singles. I think the wonderful "Love Power" [[as posted by Marv ) was his biggest hit, around Top 40. Shoulda been bigger of course, but then I would say that

[TomatoTom123]

The is one of Motown's best releases in the mid-70s!

Just relistened to this and forgot how much I loved it. And I totally agree Marv.

[midnightman]

Good question midnight. In the '70s Willie certainly was prolific!!! I'm not sure how well his albums sold though, I know he didn’t get a lot of chart success with his singles. I think the wonderful "Love Power" [[as posted by Marv ) was his biggest hit, around Top 40. Shoulda been bigger of course, but then I would say that

Yeah I know. But if he owned his recordings [[or co-owned), I'm sure he saw a good penny. Especially in later years. But like mentioned, he didn't get to see bigger rewards until people mostly sampled his work after his death.

[TomatoTom123]

Yeah I know. But if he owned his recordings [[or co-owned), I'm sure he saw a good penny. Especially in later years. But like mentioned, he didn't get to see bigger rewards until people mostly sampled his work after his death.

True midnight. I hope Willie saw a good penny anyway.

[marv2]

Just relistened to this and forgot how much I loved it. And I totally agree Marv.

It is a great song. Reminds me of Summertime.

[midnightman]

True midnight. I hope Willie saw a good penny anyway.

He lived in a comfortable house in Dallas when he died so I think that's a good answer. Plus I'll Be There royalties [[and stuff he did with the 5th Dimension) didn't hurt.