And The Beat Goes On

Album: The Whispers Greatest Hits (1980)
Charted: 2 19
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Songfacts®:

  • In this song, the singer retains a positive outlook as he gets over a broken relationship, reminding himself that there are many more out there. It's quite a contrast to Soul songs like Since I Lost My Baby and The Tracks Of My Tears, where the narrator faces intense pain over the loss of his loved one.
  • Formed in 1964, Whispers had to wait until 1980 before this became their first Top 20 hit in the UK and US. This remained their biggest hit in the UK but in the US 1987's "Rock Steady" had a better chart placing peaking at #7.
  • Assigned to work with the veteran vocal group, songwriter/producer Leon F. Sylvers III chose for The Whispers a song he had co-written with Stephen Shockley and William Shelby called "And the Beat Goes On." When he played the group the song they recognized it straight away as a hit, but Sylvers had little belief that it would be their chart breakthrough. Leon F. Sylvers III also wrote and produced for label mates Shalamar, including their hits "Take That To The Bank," "Second Time Around" and "Night To Remember." >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Edward Pearce - Ashford, Kent, England, for above 2
  • Will Smith sampled this on his 1998 hit "Miami."

Comments: 7

  • Shaun Coxall from Wolverhampton Who played Bass on Beat goes on ?
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn this day in 1979 {November 24th} The Whispers performed "And The Beat Goes On" on the nationally syndicated television program, 'Soul Train'...
    And on February 23rd, 1980 "And The Beats Goes On" peaked at #1 {for 5 weeks} on Billboard's Hot Soul Singles chart...
    "And The Beat Goes On" reached #2 on the United Kingdom's Singles chart and #19 on Billboard's Top 100 chart...
    Between 1969 and 1997 the Los Angeles quintet had forty records on the Hot R&B/Soul Singles chart, fifteen made the Top 10 with two* reaching #1, "Rock Steady" for one week in 1987 and the above "And The Beats Goes On"...
    Original member Nicholas Caldwell passed away at the age of 71 on January 5th, 2016...
    May both Mr. Caldwell and Don Cornelius {1936 - 2012} R.I.P.
    * They just missed having a third #1 record when their "It's A Love Thing" in 1981...
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyNicholas Caldwell of the Whispers died January 5th, 2016 at the age of 71. On February 24th, 1980 "And the Beat Goes On" reached #1 {for 5 weeks} on Billboard's R&B Singles chart.
  • Dave from Wheaton, IlThis was the Whispers' 1st POP hit. They'd been chartin' in the '70s, on the soul chart, for quite some time.
  • Pam3000 from Los Angeles, CaMost of the lyrics posted online for this song are incorrect. Here are the corrections (in caps):

    Just like fishing in the ocean
    There'll always be someone new
    WHO'LL LOVE ME BETTER
    You did me wrong
    BUT I've been through stormy weather

    Like the sweet sound of HIT music
    There'll always be something new
    To keep the tables turning
    HATE THIS SILVER SONG
    BUT there'll never be an ending

    Get down playing that FIELD AND SHOW the beat is real
  • John from Nashville, TnThis record was SOLAR's first million-seller(the second was Shalamar's "The Second Time Around).
  • Matt from Raleigh, NcSOLAR, the Sound of Los Angeles Records (brainchild of Leon F. Sylers III and Don Cornelius) had some greats tunes including "Fantanstic Voyage" by Lakeside and "Rock Steady" by the Whispers in 1987, which put Babyface and L.A. Reid on the map. This is probably the best example of their infectious grooves.
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