Joanna (Kool & the Gang song)

"Joanna" is a song by Kool & the Gang from their 1983 album, In the Heart. It was released as a single in November 1983.

"Joanna"
Single by Kool & the Gang
from the album In the Heart
B-side"Place For Us"
ReleasedNovember 5, 1983
GenreR&B, pop
Length4:20 (Album)
4:02 (Single)
LabelDe-Lite/Polygram
Songwriter(s)Robert Earl Bell, Ronald Nathan Bell, James Bonneford, George Melvin Brown, James "J.T." Taylor, Claydes Charles Smith, Clifford Adams and Curtis "Fitz" Williams
Kool & the Gang singles chronology
"Get Down on It"
(1981)		 "Joanna"
(1983)		 "Tonight"
(1984)
Alternative cover
French single sleeve

Background

A romantic ballad similar to many of Kool & The Gang's later releases, the song features as its main subject the eponymous girl named "Joanna". In the group's music video, "Joanna" is portrayed as the current owner of a small, roadside café named "Joanna's Diner" (Filmed at the Colonial Diner in Lyndhurst, N.J. The Colonial sign can be seen briefly outside in the opening seconds of the video). Throughout the video, she serves the band members as both cook and waitress as they serenade her with the video occasionally flashing back to her younger days as a dancer at Harlem's famous Cotton Club in New York City and in love with the character portrayed by the group's lead singer, James "J.T." Taylor.

Chart performance

The song was an immediate hit, peaking at #2 in the US for one week, behind "Karma Chameleon" by Culture Club.[1] Additionally, the track reached #2 in the UK, as well as #1 on the US R&B chart.[2]

Weekly charts
Chart (1983–84) Peak
position
Australia 45
Canada RPM Top Singles 15
Canada RPM Adult Contemporary[3] 1
Ireland (IRMA)[4] 4
New Zealand (RMNZ)[5][6] 7
Poland (LP3)[7] 27
South Africa (Springbok)[8] 21
UK Singles Chart 2
US Billboard Hot 100 2
US Billboard Adult Contemporary 2
US Billboard Hot Black Singles 1
US Cash Box Top 100 3

Year-end charts
Chart (1984) Rank
UK Singles[9] 23
US Billboard Hot 100[10] 24

Cover Versions
  • In 1989, Japanese singing duo Wink covered the song in the Japanese language with custom lyrics focusing on friendship.

Samples
  • Around 2013, this song was also known for being sampled by British music producer glue70 in his single "Casin" with some of the lyrics and the song itself being sampled in, and later, others had added lyrics taken out of "Shake That" by Eminem.

See also

References
  1. "Billboard Hot 100". February 11, 1984. Retrieved July 4, 2014.
  2. Dean, Maury (2003). Rock N' Roll Gold Rush. Algora. p. 287. ISBN 0-87586-207-1.
  3. "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. March 10, 1984. Retrieved November 5, 2018.
  4. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Joanna". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved November 5, 2018.
  5. "NZ Top 40 Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. 1984-04-08.
  6. "Kool & the Gang - Joanna". Charts.nz.
  7. "Notowanie nr 97" (in Polish). 25 February 1984. Retrieved 18 January 2021.
  8. "SA Charts 1965–March 1989". Retrieved September 5, 2018.
  9. "Top 100 1984". uk-charts.top-source.info. Retrieved December 30, 2015.
  10. "Top 100 Hits of 1984/Top 100 Songs of 1984". Music Outfitters. Retrieved December 30, 2015.


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