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{{Short description|1981 single by The Pointer Sisters}}
{{About|the Pointer Sisters song|the Interpol song|Slow Hands|the Eric Clapton album|Slowhand}}
{{About|the Pointer Sisters song|the Eric Clapton album|Slowhand|other uses}}
{{unreferenced|date=April 2009}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2019}}
{{more citations needed|date=April 2009}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Slow Hand
| cover = Slowhand.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = ]
| album = ]
| B-side = ]
| released = May 1981
| recorded =
| studio =
| venue =
| genre = {{flat list|
* ]<ref>{{Cite podcast|url=https://slate.com/podcasts/hit-parade/2023/06/how-the-pointer-sisters-made-harmonies-exciting|title= Yes We Can Edition|website=Hit Parade {{!}} Music History and Music Trivia|publisher=]|last=Molanphy|first=Chris|date=June 16, 2023|access-date=July 1, 2023}}</ref>
* ]
* ]
}}
| length = 3:53
| label = ]
| writer = {{flat list|
* Michael Clark
* ]
}}
| producer = ]
| prev_title = Where Did the Time Go
| prev_year = 1980
| next_title = What a Surprise
| next_year = 1981
}}
"'''Slow Hand'''" is a song recorded by American ] ] for their eighth studio ] '']'' (1981). The song, written by Michael Clark and ], was released by the ] label in May 1981 as the ] from ''Black & White''.


==Background and impact==
"'''Slow Hand'''" is a ballad written by ] & James Bruce Clark recorded by ] for their 1981 album '']'' album and released in the spring of 1981 as that album's advance single.
Although its sultry style recalls the Pointer Sisters' first American top-ten hit, the 1978 number two hit "]", "Slow Hand" was not written for the group; in fact ] stated that "the Pointer Sisters were the furthest from minds."<ref>''Billboard'' vol. 93 #33 (August 22, 1981) p.</ref> However producer ] said he "knew 'Slow Hand' an instant smash <span style="font-size:50%">...</span>that<span style="font-size:50%">...</span>would recapitulate and expand on the intimacy 'Fire'."<ref>''Daily Sentinel (Grand Junction Colorado)'' 13 November 1981 "The Pointer Sisters' Sound: a musical evolution" by Abe Peck p. 16 (The Entertainer)</ref> Like "Fire"—which also featured ] on lead—"Slow Hand" peaked at number two on the ], for 3 weeks, behind "]" by ] and ]. "Slow Hand" reached that position in August 1981 when it also reached number seven on the ] chart. In September 1981, the single was certified ] by the ].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.riaa.com/gold-platinum/?tab_active=default-award&se=pointer+sisters#search_section|title=RIAA searchable certification database: Pointer Sisters|publisher=Recording Industry Association of America|access-date=December 26, 2020}}</ref> "Slow Hand" also afforded the Pointer Sisters international success, including the first appearance by the group in the top-ten on the ].


== Personnel ==
==Background/ Impact==
'''The Pointer Sisters'''
Although its sultry style recalls the Pointer Sisters' first Top Ten hit: the 1978 #2 hit "]", "Slow Hand" was not written for the group; in fact John Bettis would state "the Pointer Sisters were the furthest from minds."<ref>''Billboard'' vol 93 #33 (22 August 1981) p.</ref> Like "Fire" - which also featured ] on lead - "Slow Hand" peaked at #2 on the ]; "Slow Hand" reached that position in August 1981 when it also reached #7 on the ]. The Pointer Sisters' best Hot 100 showing would remain #2 with a third hit: "]", matching that peak in 1985.
* ] – lead vocals
* ] – backing vocals
* ] – backing vocals


'''Musicians'''
"Slow Hand" also afforded the Pointer Sisters international success, including the first appearance by the group in the UK Top 30 with a #10 peak.
* John Barnes – electric piano
* ] – ]
* ] – guitar
* Tim May – guitar
* ] – bass
* ] – drums
* ] – percussion


==Charts==
The track was ranked in the top 25 best singles of the year by the prestigious Village Voice ] poll, demonstrating music critics' appreciation of the track.
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}


==Chart performance== ===Weekly charts===
{| class="wikitable" {|class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
!Chart !Chart (1981)
!Peak<br>position !Peak<br>position
|- |-
! scope="row"| Australia (])<ref name=aus>{{cite book|last=Kent|first=David|author-link=David Kent (historian)|title=Australian Chart Book 1970–1992|edition=illustrated|publisher=Australian Chart Book|location=St Ives, N.S.W.|year=1993|isbn=0-646-11917-6|page=235}}</ref>
|Australian ]
| 5
|align="center"|5
|- |-
|Canadian '']'' Top Singles ! scope="row"| Canada Top Singles ('']'')
| 2
|align="center"|2
|- |-
! scope="row"| France (])
|]
| 55
|align="center"|33
|- |-
! scope="row"| Ireland (])
|French singles chart
| 2
|align="center"|55
|- |-
! scope="row"| Netherlands (])
|Irish singles chart
| 33
|align="center"|2
|- |-
|New Zealand ] singles ! scope="row"| New Zealand (])
| 6
|align="center"|6
|- |-
! scope="row"| South Africa (])<ref>{{cite web|title=SA Charts 1965–March 1989|url=http://www.rock.co.za/files/springbok_top_20_(P).html|access-date=September 10, 2018}}</ref>
|UK singles chart
|align="center"|10 |align="center"|10
|- |-
! scope="row"| UK Singles (])<ref>{{cite web|title=Slow Hand : The Pointer Sisters|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/17427/pointer-sisters/|website=Officialcharts.com|access-date=January 2, 2023}}</ref>
|US ]
| 10
|align="center"|3
|- |-
|US ''Billboard'' ] ! scope="row"| US ]
| 2
|align="center"|7
|- |-
! scope="row"| US ] (])<ref>{{cite book |title= Top Adult Contemporary: 1961-2001|last=Whitburn |first=Joel |author-link=Joel Whitburn |year=2002 |publisher=Record Research |page=194}}</ref>
|US ''Billboard'' ]
|align="center"|6 |align="center"|6
|-
! scope="row"| US ] (''Billboard'')<ref>{{cite book |title= Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004|last=Whitburn |first=Joel |author-link=Joel Whitburn |year=2004 |publisher=Record Research |page=465}}</ref>
| 7
|-
! scope="row"| US ] Top 100<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://tropicalglen.com/Archives/80s_files/19810905.html |title=Cash Box Top 100 Singles, September 5, 1981 |access-date=January 15, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150603141823/http://tropicalglen.com/Archives/80s_files/19810905.html |archive-date=June 3, 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
|align="center"|2
|} |}
{{col-2}}


===Year-end charts===
==Personnel==
{| class="wikitable sortable"
*Lead vocals by ]
|-
*Background vocals by ] and ]
!align="left"|Chart (1981)
*Produced by ]
! style="text-align:center;"|Rank
*Written by ] & James Bruce Clark (ASCAP listing)
|-
|Australia (Kent Music Report)<ref name="aus81">{{cite web|title= National Top 100 Singles for 1981 |publisher= ] |issue= 393 |page= 7 |via= ] |date= 4 January 1982 |access-date=January 11, 2022 |url= https://i.imgur.com/RgsDOOc.jpg}}</ref>

| style="text-align:center;"|28
|-
|Canada Top Singles (''RPM'')<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?brws_s=1&file_num=nlc008388.4689&type=1&interval=24&PHPSESSID=mhe12pta2k83e08udtq66ot062 |title=Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada |website=www.collectionscanada.gc.ca |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121020235834/http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?brws_s=1&file_num=nlc008388.4689&type=1&interval=24&PHPSESSID=mhe12pta2k83e08udtq66ot062 |archive-date=2012-10-20}} </ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|68
|-
|New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://aotearoamusiccharts.co.nz/archive/annual-singles/1981-12-31|title = The Official New Zealand Music Chart|website=Aotearoamusiccharts.co.nz}}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|20
|-
|UK Singles (Official Charts Company)
| style="text-align:center;"|100
|-
|US ''Billboard'' Hot 100<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.musicoutfitters.com/topsongs/1981.htm|title=Top 100 Hits of 1981/Top 100 Songs of 1981.|website=Musicoutfitters.com|access-date=December 25, 2024}}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|19
|-
|US ''Cash Box'' Top 100<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://tropicalglen.com/Archives/80s_files/1981YESP.html |title=Cash Box YE Pop Singles - 1981 |access-date=January 15, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161022115158/http://tropicalglen.com/Archives/80s_files/1981YESP.html |archive-date=October 22, 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|5
|-
|}
{{col-end}}


==Del Reeves version== ==Del Reeves version==
Line 57: Line 131:


==Conway Twitty version== ==Conway Twitty version==
{{Infobox song
{{Infobox single <!-- See Misplaced Pages:WikiProject_Songs -->
| Name = Slow Hand | name = Slow Hand
| Cover = | cover =
| Cover size = | alt =
| Caption = | type = single
| Artist = ] | artist = ]
| Album = Southern Comfort | album = ]
| Released = 1982 | B-side = When Love Was Something Else
| Format = | released = April 24, 1982
| Recorded = | recorded =
| studio =
| Genre = ]
| Length = 2:56 | venue =
| Label = ] | genre = ]
| length = 2:56
| Writer = ], Michael Clark
| Producer = ], Conway Twitty | label = ]
| writer = Michael Clark, ]
| Certification =
| producer = ], Conway Twitty
| Last single = "The Clown"<br />(1981)
| prev_title = ]
| This single = "'''Slow Hand'''"<br />(1982)
| prev_year = 1981
| Next single = "Over Thirty (Not Over the Hill)"<br />(1982)
| next_title = Over Thirty (Not Over the Hill)
| next_year = 1982
}} }}
The song was covered in 1982 by country singer ]. His version, on ], topped the '']'' ] chart for two weeks that June, and was his last multi-week number-one song. The song was covered in April 1982 by country singer ] with minor lyric changes to accommodate a male singer. His version, on ], topped the '']'' ] chart for two weeks that June, and was his last multi-week number-one song, and his last gold record.<ref>{{cite book |title= The Billboard Book Of Top 40 Country Hits: 1944-2006, Second edition|last=Whitburn |first=Joel |author-link=Joel Whitburn |year=2004 |publisher=Record Research |page=362}}</ref>


===Chart performance=== ===Weekly charts===
{|class="wikitable sortable" {|class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
!align="left"|Chart (1982) !align="left"|Chart (1982)
!align="center"|Peak<br />position !align="center"|Peak<br />position
|- |-
|{{singlechart|Billboardcountrysongs|1|artist=Conway Twitty}}
|align="left"|U.S. ''Billboard'' Hot Country Singles
|align="center"|1
|- |-
|align="left"|Canadian ''RPM'' Country Tracks |align="left"|Canadian ''RPM'' Country Tracks
| 6
|align="center"|6
|} |}


===Year-end charts===
{{start box}}
{|class="wikitable"
{{s-bef | before= "]"<br />by ]}}
!Chart (1982)
{{s-ttl | title='']'' ]<br />number-one single
!Position
| years=June 19-June 26, 1982}}
|-
{{s-aft | after= "]"<br />by ]}}
|US Hot Country Songs (''Billboard'')<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/1982/hot-country-songs|title=Hot Country Songs – Year-End 1982|magazine=Billboard|access-date=June 23, 2021}}</ref>
{{end box}}
|align="center"|20
|}


==References==
{{The Pointer Sisters}}
{{Reflist}}


{{The Pointer Sisters}}
{{reflist}}
{{Conway Twitty}}
{{Authority control}}


] ]
] ]
] ]
] ]
] ]
] ]
]
]
]
]
]
]

Revision as of 12:34, 28 December 2024

1981 single by The Pointer Sisters This article is about the Pointer Sisters song. For the Eric Clapton album, see Slowhand. For other uses, see Slow Hand (disambiguation).

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
Find sources: "Slow Hand" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (April 2009) (Learn how and when to remove this message)
"Slow Hand"
Single by The Pointer Sisters
from the album Black & White
B-side"Holdin' Out for Love"
ReleasedMay 1981
Genre
Length3:53
LabelPlanet
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Richard Perry
The Pointer Sisters singles chronology
"Where Did the Time Go"
(1980) 		"Slow Hand"
(1981) 		"What a Surprise"
(1981)

"Slow Hand" is a song recorded by American vocal group The Pointer Sisters for their eighth studio album Black & White (1981). The song, written by Michael Clark and John Bettis, was released by the Planet label in May 1981 as the lead single from Black & White.

Background and impact

Although its sultry style recalls the Pointer Sisters' first American top-ten hit, the 1978 number two hit "Fire", "Slow Hand" was not written for the group; in fact John Bettis stated that "the Pointer Sisters were the furthest from minds." However producer Richard Perry said he "knew 'Slow Hand' an instant smash ...that...would recapitulate and expand on the intimacy 'Fire'." Like "Fire"—which also featured Anita Pointer on lead—"Slow Hand" peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100, for 3 weeks, behind "Endless Love" by Diana Ross and Lionel Richie. "Slow Hand" reached that position in August 1981 when it also reached number seven on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. In September 1981, the single was certified Gold by the RIAA. "Slow Hand" also afforded the Pointer Sisters international success, including the first appearance by the group in the top-ten on the UK Singles Chart.

Personnel

The Pointer Sisters

Musicians

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1981) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report) 5
Canada Top Singles (RPM) 2
France (SNEP) 55
Ireland (Irish Singles Chart) 2
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) 33
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) 6
South Africa (Springbok Radio) 10
UK Singles (Official Charts Company) 10
US Billboard Hot 100 2
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard) 6
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard) 7
US Cash Box Top 100 2

Year-end charts

Chart (1981) Rank
Australia (Kent Music Report) 28
Canada Top Singles (RPM) 68
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) 20
UK Singles (Official Charts Company) 100
US Billboard Hot 100 19
US Cash Box Top 100 5

Del Reeves version

The song was covered in 1981 by country singer Del Reeves, whose version peaked at #53 on the Hot Country Singles chart.

Conway Twitty version

"Slow Hand"
Single by Conway Twitty
from the album Southern Comfort
B-side"When Love Was Something Else"
ReleasedApril 24, 1982
GenreCountry
Length2:56
LabelElektra
Songwriter(s)Michael Clark, John Bettis
Producer(s)Jimmy Bowen, Conway Twitty
Conway Twitty singles chronology
"The Clown"
(1981) 		"Slow Hand"
(1982) 		"Over Thirty (Not Over the Hill)"
(1982)

The song was covered in April 1982 by country singer Conway Twitty with minor lyric changes to accommodate a male singer. His version, on Elektra Records, topped the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart for two weeks that June, and was his last multi-week number-one song, and his last gold record.

Weekly charts

Chart (1982) Peak
position
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard) 1
Canadian RPM Country Tracks 6

Year-end charts

Chart (1982) Position
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard) 20

References

  1. Molanphy, Chris (June 16, 2023). "Yes We Can Edition". Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia (Podcast). Slate. Retrieved July 1, 2023.
  2. Billboard vol. 93 #33 (August 22, 1981) p.
  3. Daily Sentinel (Grand Junction Colorado) 13 November 1981 "The Pointer Sisters' Sound: a musical evolution" by Abe Peck p. 16 (The Entertainer)
  4. "RIAA searchable certification database: Pointer Sisters". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved December 26, 2020.
  5. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 235. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  6. "SA Charts 1965–March 1989". Retrieved September 10, 2018.
  7. "Slow Hand : The Pointer Sisters". Officialcharts.com. Retrieved January 2, 2023.
  8. Whitburn, Joel (2002). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961-2001. Record Research. p. 194.
  9. Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 465.
  10. "Cash Box Top 100 Singles, September 5, 1981". Archived from the original on June 3, 2015. Retrieved January 15, 2017.
  11. "National Top 100 Singles for 1981". Kent Music Report. January 4, 1982. p. 7. Retrieved January 11, 2022 – via Imgur.
  12. "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". www.collectionscanada.gc.ca. Archived from the original on October 20, 2012.
  13. "The Official New Zealand Music Chart". Aotearoamusiccharts.co.nz.
  14. "Top 100 Hits of 1981/Top 100 Songs of 1981". Musicoutfitters.com. Retrieved December 25, 2024.
  15. "Cash Box YE Pop Singles - 1981". Archived from the original on October 22, 2016. Retrieved January 15, 2017.
  16. Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book Of Top 40 Country Hits: 1944-2006, Second edition. Record Research. p. 362.
  17. "Conway Twitty Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.
  18. "Hot Country Songs – Year-End 1982". Billboard. Retrieved June 23, 2021.
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