Let's Go All The Way

Album: Let's Go All The Way (1985)
Charted: 3 7
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Songfacts®:

  • The only song by Sly Fox that achieved any popularity, this is often construed to be about consummating a sexual relationship. However its writer Sly Fox vocalist Gary "Mudbone" Cooper says this is not the case. He explained the song's meaning is, "Whatever your goal, dream or vision, you should go all the way to get it."
  • Sly Fox was the brainchild of a British producer named Ted Currier. He teamed up the black musician Gary Cooper (dubbed "Sly") with the white singer Michael Camacho ("Fox"), creating an intentionally diverse duo established for both musical and marketing purposes. Cooper was an established session pro in the funk landscape, having drummed for Sly Stone, George Clinton and Bootsy Collins. Camacho had been performing in jazz/acapella groups.

    The duo was purely a studio production, and lasted just one album. In interviews to promote this song, they played up their diversity and held to a relentlessly positive message.
  • Musically, this song merged funk stylings with dance music. It's writer Gary Cooper was trying to re-create factory sounds - compressors and presses - to generate the rhythm.

Comments: 9

  • Wayneo from FloridaI thought it was about The Beatles. As there are a lot of clues ,,,if you listen closely you will find them all through out the song
  • Cricket from OklahomaLoved it when it came out. I was a DJ in a club then, another DJ and I made a mix with it, Fly Girl and Fly guy, It was awesome, it was an awesome song alone and the mix was great
  • James G Falor from Camp LejeuneI was stationed with Charlie Co, 3rd BTN, and this song was ALWAYS playing at the E-Club at Cherry Point. We'd run/hike all the way there just because the club on Geiger was a Quonset-hut with warm Bud and a crappy radio! lol
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn this day in 1986 {May 17th} a video of Sly Fox's "Let's Go All The Way" was aired on the nationally syndicated television program, 'Soul Train'...
    At the time the song was at position #35 on Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart, five weeks earlier it had peaked at #7 {for 2 weeks} and it spent almost a half-year on the Top 100 {25 weeks}...
    And on May 10th, 1986 it reached #1 {for 1 week} on the Canadian RPM Magazine Top Singles chart...
    One month later in June of 1986 the American duo charted with their only other record to make the Top 100, "Stay True", it stayed on the Top 100 for two weeks, and for both those weeks it was at position #94...
    R.I.P. Don Cornelius {1936 - 2012}...
  • Clay from UsaName origin: According to a story told to me by Michael Camacho (they came to the club I was DJing at for a track date), they'd come up with the rhythm track and the Boogie Boys, in the same studio, heard it and said "Y'all is sly as foxes!" - and nicked it for "Fly Girl" (easy enough to do since Ted Currier was producing both). Whether it's actually true or not is anyone's guess. They were riding their 15 minutes at the time. No disrespect to Mudbone, who has had a solid career.
  • Dave from Wheaton, IlIt was based on the same groove 'Fly girl' by the Boogie Boys. Both songs were produced by Englishman, Ted Currier.
  • Teressa from Seguin, TxThis song was the in the background during many a Jr. High track meet, back in the day. Hearing it now, I can still smell sweaty pre-teens, gatorade and Ben-gay. Great memories of the 80s!!
  • Jos from Helden, NetherlandsMy interpretation: drop the atom bomb.
    gr.

    Jos
  • Carlos from Brooklyn, Nycleverly combines techno-dance with a hard rock sensibility.
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