Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get

Album: Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get (1971)
Charted: 9
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Songfacts®:

  • In the breakthrough single from the Detroit-based vocal group The Dramatics, second tenor-baritone William "Wee Gee" Howard admits there are plenty of phonies out there, but he's the real deal. Breaking hearts just ain't his game, he sings on the rhythmic track. Local songwriter Tony Hester wrote and produced much of the album, including the title hit and the popular ballad "In The Rain."
  • "What you see is what you get" was a popular catchphrase at the time thanks to comedian Flip Wilson, whose outspoken character Geraldine Jones often said it on The Flip Wilson Show.
  • This was the group's first single through the Stax Records imprint Volt. They were previously signed to the Wingate division of Detroit's Golden World Records until Motown decided to buy out the rival company. According to Banks, they had a chance to become Motown artists, but declined due to the amount of acts on the roster. "They had 70 artists already signed to Motown," he told NPR. "What did we want to become, 71?"
  • This was a #3 hit on the R&B chart.
  • RuPaul sang this for the 1993 soundtrack to Addams Family Values.
  • Hall & Oates covered this on their 2004 soul-inspired album, Our Kind of Soul.
  • The Dramatics' version was used in the 1975 action comedy Darktown Strutters, starring Trina Parks and Otis Day. It was also featured on Season 2 of Fargo in the episode "The Gift of the Magi."
  • Public Enemy sampled the "chuck chuck" exclamation in their 1989 hit "Fight The Power" to reference the rap group's Chuck D.

Comments: 1

  • Diane Ecker from Henrico, VaFantastic groovy music from the 60s and 70,s
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