Express Yourself (Charles Wright & the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band song)

"Express Yourself"
Single by Charles Wright & the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band
from the album Express Yourself
B-side	"Living on Borrowed Time"
Released	August 1970
Format	Single
Recorded	1970
Genre	R&B, Funk
Length	3:51
Label	Warner Bros.
Writer(s)	Charles Wright
Producer(s)	Charles Wright
Charles Wright & the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band singles chronology
"Love Land" (1970) "Express Yourself" (1970) "Solution for Pollution" (1970)

"Express Yourself" is a song written by Charles Wright and performed by Charles Wright & the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band. It was released in 1970 as the title song of their 1970 album, Express Yourself,^[1] and is their signature song. It reached #12 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was also their biggest hit on the U.S. R&B chart, reaching #3.^[2][3]

The song was produced by Wright.^[4]

The single was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals in 1971, losing to The Delfonics song "Didn't I (Blow Your Mind This Time)" and ranked #57 on Billboard's Year-End Hot 100 singles of 1970.^[5]

Chart performance

Chart (1970)	Peak position
U.S. Billboard Hot 100	12
U.S. R&B	3
U.S. Cash Box Top 100	17

Covers and samples

• Idris Muhammad released a version of the song on his 1971 album, Black Rhythm Revolution!^[6]
• N.W.A sampled this song in their 1989 song also titled "Express Yourself". A member of N.W.A., Eazy-E, is a nephew of Wright.^[3] The song reached #40 on the U.S. R&B chart and #50 on the UK Singles Chart.^[7] It was featured on their 1988 album, Straight Outta Compton.^[8]
• Saccharine Trust released a version of the song on their 1989 album, Past Lives.^[9]
• The House Jacks recorded a version for Tommy Boy Records that appears on their 1997 album, Funkwich.^[10]
• Francis Rocco Prestia recorded a version that appears on his 1999 album, ...Everybody on the Bus with vocals by Tamara Champlin.^[11]
• Snooks Eaglin covered the song on his 2002 album The Way It Is with Jon Cleary.^[12]
• Tinchy Stryder sampled the song on his 2009 album, Catch 22 on the song "Express Urself".^[13]
• Labrinth sampled the song on his 2012 album, Electronic Earth. His version was also being titled "Express Yourself".^[14] The song reached #12 on the UK Singles Chart.^[15]

In popular culture

• It was featured in an iPad commercial.
• A version of the song by Fu-Schnickens was featured at the end credits of the 1993 film Addams Family Values.^[16]
• The song appears in the 2000 film Remember the Titans.^[17]
• The Mocean Worker Remix of the song was featured during the end credits of the 2005 film Guess Who.^[18]
• The song appears during the fight scene in the 2005 film Mr. & Mrs. Smith.^[19]
• The song is featured in the video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas on radio station Master Sounds 98.3.
• The song is also featured in the video game Driver: Parallel Lines where it plays in the 1978 era.

References

1. Charles Wright & the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band, Express Yourself Retrieved July 2, 2016.
2. Weiss, Jeff (2014-12-17). "Watts Soul Legend Charles Wright's "Mistake" Turned Into "Express Yourself"". L.A. Weekly. Retrieved 2015-08-19.
3. Hudak, Joseph. "Charles Wright and the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band, 'You're So Beautiful' - 20 R&B Albums Rolling Stone Loved in the 1970s You Never Heard". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2015-08-19.
4. Charles Wright & the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band, "Express Yourself" single release Retrieved July 2, 2016.
5. "Billboard Top 100 - 1970". Retrieved July 2, 2016.
6. Idris Muhammad, Black Rhythm Revolution! Retrieved July 2, 2016.
7. N.W.A., "Express Yourself" chart positions Retrieved July 2, 2016.
8. N.W.A., Straight Outta Compton Retrieved July 2, 2016.
9. Saccharine Trust, Past Lives Retrieved July 2, 2016.
10. The House Jacks, Funkwich Retrieved July 2, 2016.
11. Francis Rocco Prestia, ...Everybody on the Bus Retrieved July 2, 2016.
12. Snooks Eaglin, The Way It Is Retrieved July 2, 2016.
13. Tinchy Stryder, Catch 22 Retrieved July 2, 2016.
14. Labrinth, Electronic Earth Retrieved July 2, 2016.
15. Labrinth, "Express Yourself" chart position Retrieved July 2, 2016.
16. Addams Family Values soundtrack Retrieved July 2, 2016.
17. Remember the Titans soundtrack Retrieved July 2, 2016.
18. Guess Who soundtrack Retrieved July 2, 2016.
19. Mr. & Mrs. Smith soundtrack Retrieved July 2, 2016.