How 'Bout Us

"How 'Bout Us"
Single by Champaign
from the album How 'Bout Us
B-side	"Lighten Up"
Released	January 18, 1981
Genre	R&B, soul
Label	Columbia
Writer(s)	Dana Walden
Champaign singles chronology
""How 'Bout Us"" (1981) "Try Again" (1983)

"How 'Bout Us" is a 1981 hit single recorded by R&B music group Champaign and composed by band keyboardist Dana Walden. Originally released on the band's debut album of the same name, the title track peaked at #12 on the Hot 100. Of Champaign's seven charting singles, the song remains the group's most successful.

Song information

The song was originally released in 1975 by an earlier incarnation of the group, named the Water Brothers Band.^[1] It was re-recorded by Champaign, and it was Champaign's version that became a hit single. "How 'Bout Us" peaked at #4 on the soul chart and was one of three releases to make the top 10 on the soul chart.^[2] The song was on the Hot 100 chart for 23 weeks, peaking at #12 on 6 June 1981, and also reached the top of the Adult Contemporary chart for two weeks.^[3] The title track of Champaign's debut album and their first single, the tune combines instrumentals, traditional background vocals repeated multiple times, and poetic verses performed by Champaign's lead vocalist Pauli Carman to create a sound similar to other ballads released during the time.

Reception

Both the song and the album it debuted on were acclaimed retrospectively by Allmusic who called it "smooth, well-crafted pop-R&B topped by the creamy vocals of Pauli Carman and Rena Jones. This debut is a pop hybrid that sounds very promising, although the group never followed through adequately."

Chart performance

Weekly charts Chart (1981) Peak position Australia KMR [4] 24 Belgium 1 Canada RPM Top Singles [5] 19 Canada RPM Adult Contemporary [6] 3 Netherlands 1 New Zealand [7] 2 UK Singles Chart 5 US Billboard Hot 100 12 US Adult Contemporary 1 US Hot Soul Singles 4 US Cash Box Top 100 [8] 10

Year-end charts Chart (1981) Rank Australia [9] 144 New Zealand [10] 4 UK [11] 47 US Billboard Hot 100 [12] 45 US Cash Box [13] 69

Cover versions

The song has been covered as a duet between established blue-eyed soul singer/musician Grayson Hugh and noted R&B superstar, Betty Wright; their version, from the soundtrack of the 1989 film True Love, peaked at #67 on the American pop charts, crossing over to #30 R&B.

A cover by American country music group Girls Next Door peaked at number 71 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart in 1990.^[14]

Versions have also been released by Johnny Logan in 1991 and Lulu in 1993.

See also

• List of number-one adult contemporary singles of 1981 (U.S.)

References

1. American Top 40, June 6, 1981
2. Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 109.
3. Whitburn, Joel (2002). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961-2001. Record Research. p. 51.
4. "Australian Chart Book". Austchartbook.com.au. Retrieved 2016-10-19.
5. "Image : RPM Weekly - Library and Archives Canada". Bac-lac.gc.ca. Retrieved 2016-10-19.
6. "Image : RPM Weekly - Library and Archives Canada". Bac-lac.gc.ca. Retrieved 2016-10-19.
7. "NZ Top 40 Singles Chart | The Official New Zealand Music Chart". Nztop40.co.nz. 1981-07-26. Retrieved 2016-10-19.
8. "Cash Box Top 100 6/13/81". Tropicalglen.com. 1981-06-13. Retrieved 2016-10-19.
9. Steffen Hung. "Forum - Top 100 End of Year AMR Charts - 1980s (ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts)". Australian-charts.com. Retrieved 2016-10-19.
10. "Top Selling Singles of 1981 | The Official New Zealand Music Chart". Nztop40.co.nz. 1981-12-31. Retrieved 2016-10-19.
11. "Top 100 1981 - UK Music Charts". Uk-charts.top-source.info. Retrieved 2016-10-19.
12. "Top 100 Hits of 1981/Top 100 Songs of 1981". Musicoutfitters.com. Retrieved 2016-10-19.
13. "Cash Box YE Pop Singles - 1981". Tropicalglen.com. 1981-12-26. Retrieved 2016-10-19.
14. Whitburn, Joel (2013). Hot Country Songs 1944–2012. Record Research, Inc. p. 131. ISBN 978-0-89820-203-8.

External links

• Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics