Album: McFadden & Whitehead (1979)

Charted: 5 13

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Songfacts®:

• Gene McFadden and John Whitehead were songwriters and producers at Philadelphia International Records, where they worked on many of the tracks that helped define the Philadelphia Soul sound. In 1972, they wrote the O'Jays hit "Back Stabbers" with Leon Huff, who co-owned the label with Kenny Gamble. Subsequent hits the pair penned include "I'll Always Love My Mama" by The Intruders (1973) and "Bad Luck" by Harold Melvin.
  
  By the late '70s, McFadden and Whitehead were hankering to record their own material and convinced Gamble and Huff to let them try. Exhilarated by the opportunity, they thought, "ain't no stopping us now!" and wrote this motivational song. It was inspired by their personal experience, but resonated with anyone looking forward to a challenge. The song went to #1 on the R&B charts and also found a home on Top 40 radio. It has aged well, and is still played on a variety of formats.
• McFadden & Whitehead wrote and produced this song with their keyboard player Jerry Cohen. Recorded at Sigma Sound Studios in Philadelphia, other musicians on the track include guitarists Dennis Harris and Bobby Eli, bass player James Williams, and drummer Keith Benson. The backing vocals were done by the female trio of Barbara Ingram, Carla Benson and Evette Benton, who sang on many of the recordings that came out of Sigma. They had various appellations, including The Sweeties, The Philadelphia Angels, and The Girls.
• This was the only hit for McFadden & Whitehead. They released two more albums: I Heard It In A Love Song (1980) and Movin' On (1983).
  
  Whitehead's sons Johnny and Kenny had some success in the '90s as part of an R&B group called the Whitehead Brothers.
• John Whitehead claimed that he made up the lyrics on the spot in the studio, and did his vocal in just one take.
• On May 11, 2004, John Whitehead, 55, was shot to death while he was working on a car outside his home in Philadelphia. His killer was never caught.
• Wayman Tisdale recorded an instrumental version for his 2004 album Hang Time that was a hit on American smooth jazz radio stations. >>

  Suggestion credit:
  Beau - Phoenix, AZ
• Movie appearances of this song include The Associate (1996 - performed by Kate Pierson and Cindy Wilson of The B-52), Boogie Nights (1997), Shrek 2 (2004), Soul Men (2008), You Don't Mess with the Zohan (2008), and Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked (2011).

Comments: 14

• AnonymousYeah, he wasn’t working on his vehicle. He was watching someone work on his disabled vehicle. not that there’s any shame in that but someone put that out there to make it seem as if he fell from Grace and had to fix his broken down car. That’s bull and I wish people would stop saying it. Fkn Wiki
• Stephanie Miller-williams from New JerseyThis is not true, My late husband James “Jimmie” William came up with concept of “Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now while in Sigma Sound Studios. Jimmie along with the bandmates where playing around in the studio with beats while warming up their instruments and Jimmie started playing the baseline to what’s know as “Ain’t No Stoppin Us Now” off of a dance call “The Rock” that he loved to do. While the band settled into the groove of this new song, McFadden and Whitehead ran in the studio hollering “Turn on the tape, Turn on The tape!!! And that’s how what is known now as “Ain’t No Stoppin Us Now” became a song. This song was stolen from my husband Jimmie Williams and the rest of the bandmates who play on the finish product. A witness that was there in the studio named “Rena Sinakin” owner of “HitLady” studios, a Musician/Producer/Artist out of Hatboro Pennsylvania says that she was there in the studio when my husband came up with the concept and she would testify in court that this song is indeed my husband’s song!
• Lisa from Philadelphia, PaI was the police dispatcher that handled the shooting of Whitehead, and I still remember that day. He was working on his car at his house when he was approached and shot...it was mistaken identity.
• Bruce from San Jose, Calif.MY high school graduation was in 1979...this was one of the songs they played at the graduation ceremony...There wasn’t anyone stopping us now that we graduated and were set loose on the world! (Smile)
• Melvin from Miami FloridaYour information is incorrect, this this song originally appeared on at LTD album this second album togetherness. But for some reason you cannot find a record of this I had the album I know
• Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn June 23rd 1979, McFadden and Whitehead performed "Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now" on the ABC-TV program 'American Bandstand'...
  Two months earlier on April 22nd it entered Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart at position #80; and on July 15th it peaked at #13 (for 2 weeks) and spent 18 weeks on the Top 100...
  And on May 27th it reached #1 (for 1 week) on Billboard's R&B Singles chart...
  The duo composed the O'Jays' "Back Stabbers"; and on September 3rd, 1972 it peaked at #1 (for 1 week) on the R&B chart...
  Sadly, both gentlemen have passed away; Gene McFadden (1948 - 2006) and John Whitehead (1948 - 2004)...
  May they both R.I.P.
• Barry from Sauquoit, NyJust wondering if there's any connection in the fact that this song peaked at #13 and it was the only record by McFadden & Whitehead to make the Top 100!!!
• Tom from Souderton, PaI had the pleasure of working a little bit with Jerry Cohen in the early 1980's. He carried an electronic keyboard with him that was in a black music case. He had layed it down as you would if you were going to open the case. Using stencils, he carefully painted his name JERRY COHEN on the side of the case. Unfortunatly, he did it from the same side as you would when you open the case. What that means is when he carried the keyboard, his name was upside down. (P.S., no lie, this song came on the radio as I wrote this)
• John from Nashville, TnThis song and the Jones Girls "You Gonna Make Me Love Somebody Else" were the last two million-sellers on Gamble and Huff's legendary Philadelphia International Records label.
• Jeff from Liverpool, Englandthis song was also a hit in 1988 for a relatively unknown singer called steve walsh who also had a hit with a cover of the fatback bands 1984 hit 'i found lovin'
• Doug from Oakland, CaThis song,a huge disco hit,was also a metaphor for what the authors hoped would be a resurgence of the old civil rights movement.
  It was also sampled in Jocko Henderson's rap song,Rhythm Talk from 1982.
• Jack from Philadelphia, PaMcFadden & Whitehead recorded a modified version of this song for the 1980 World Series Champion Philadelphia Phillies. They also did a version for the Philadelphia 76ers, who used it as a promotional song during the 1999-2000 season.
• John-martin from Silver Creek, MsMcFadden died this year (2006) after suffering from cancer in Philadephia, PA. He was 56-years old. - John, Silver Creek, MS
• Reed Coss from Los Angeles, CaI've heard that the lyrics to this song were written in the back of a limo on the way to the recording studio. Apparently, the duo had put the task off and instead partied the previous night. In a hangover-ridden writing frenzy, either McFadden or Whitehead (or both) completed the lyrics in the car, arrived at the studio and laid the song down. I have no idea if this is true, but, damn, I hope it is.

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