Slow Hand

"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.

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

"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)

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 would state "the Pointer Sisters were the furthest [act] from [the composers'] minds."[1] However producer Richard Perry (Richard Perry quote:)"knew 'Slow Hand' [would be] an instant smash [hit]...that...would recapitulate and expand on the intimacy [of] 'Fire'."[2] 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.[3] "Slow Hand" was ranked in the top 25 best singles of the year by The Village Voice Pazz & Jop poll.

"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.

"Slow Hand" was not the first song recorded by the sisters to have a country feel. In 1974, the group wrote and recorded their second US top 20 hit "Fairytale".

Credits and personnel

Charts

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 heterosexual 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.[13]

Charts
Chart (1982) Peak
position
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[14] 1
Canadian RPM Country Tracks 6

References
  1. Billboard vol. 93 #33 (August 22, 1981) p.
  2. Daily Sentinel (Grand Junction Colorado) 13 November 1981 "The Pointer Sisters' Sound: a musical evolution" by Abe Peck p. 16 (The Entertainer)
  3. "RIAA searchable certification database: Pointer Sisters". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved December 26, 2020.
  4. 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.
  5. "SA Charts 1965–March 1989". Retrieved September 10, 2018.
  6. Whitburn, Joel (2002). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961-2001. Record Research. p. 194.
  7. Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 465.
  8. "Cash Box Top 100 Singles, September 5, 1981". Archived from the original on June 3, 2015. Retrieved January 15, 2017.
  9. http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?brws_s=1&file_num=nlc008388.4689&type=1&interval=24&PHPSESSID=mhe12pta2k83e08udtq66ot062
  10. http://nztop40.co.nz/chart/?chart=3870
  11. Musicoutfitters.com
  12. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on October 22, 2016. Retrieved January 15, 2017.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  13. Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book Of Top 40 Country Hits: 1944-2006, Second edition. Record Research. p. 362.
  14. "Conway Twitty Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.
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