That's the Way (I Like It)
1975 single by KC and the Sunshine Band
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"That's the Way (I Like It)" is a song by American disco and funk band KC and the Sunshine Band from their self-titled second studio album (1975). The single became the band's second No. 1 hit in the Billboard Hot 100, and it is one of the few chart-toppers in history to hit No. 1 on more than one occasion during a one-month period, as it did between November and December 1975. It topped the US pop chart for one week, and then was replaced by another disco song, "Fly, Robin, Fly" by Silver Convention. "That's the Way (I Like It)" returned to No. 1 for one more week after "Fly, Robin, Fly" completed three weeks at the top. "That's the Way (I Like It)" also spent one week at No. 1 in the soul singles chart.[3] The song is in natural minor.[4]
| "That's the Way (I Like It)" | ||||
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West German CD maxi single (1989 remix) | ||||
| Single by KC and the Sunshine Band | ||||
| from the album KC and the Sunshine Band | ||||
| B-side | "What Makes You Happy" | |||
| Released | June 10, 1975 | |||
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| Label | TK | |||
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| KC and the Sunshine Band singles chronology | ||||
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| Official audio | ||||
| "That's the Way (I Like It)" on YouTube | ||||
The song was also an international chart hit, reaching No. 1 in Canada[5] and the Netherlands and charting in Australia (No. 5), Belgium (No. 2), Ireland (No. 17), New Zealand (No. 12), Norway (No. 5), the United Kingdom (No. 4) and West Germany (No. 20).
Record World said that "A spirited, uplifting sound is based around a theme which should be reverberating across the country in no time!".[6]
It is also featured in the old 2010 Android ads for 'Smart + T'
For release as a single and radio airplay, the song was toned down from the original recording, which would have jeopardized it receiving getting radio airplay at the time. However the sexual overtones may have improved the record's reception at discos, increasing its overall popularity in the charts.[7]
"That's the Way (I Like It)" was referenced by English comedian Joe Lycett in his 2016 live stand-up special That's the Way, A-Ha A-Ha, Joe Lycett.[citation needed]
Charts
Weekly charts
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Year-end charts
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Certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[28] 2004 digital remaster |
Gold | 35,000‡ |
| Canada (Music Canada)[29] | Platinum | 150,000^ |
| New Zealand (RMNZ)[30] | Gold | 15,000‡ |
| United Kingdom (BPI)[31] | Silver | 200,000‡ |
| United States (RIAA)[32] | Platinum | 1,000,000‡ |
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^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||
Dead or Alive version
| "That's the Way (I Like It)" | ||||
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| Single by Dead or Alive | ||||
| from the album Sophisticated Boom Boom | ||||
| B-side | "Keep That Body Strong (That's The Way)" | |||
| Released | March 1984 | |||
| Recorded | 1983 | |||
| Length | 3:38 | |||
| Label | Epic | |||
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| Dead or Alive singles chronology | ||||
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| "That's the Way (I Like It)" on YouTube | ||||
In 1979, singer Pete Burns used the chorus in the song "Black Leather", composed and recorded in the early stages of Dead or Alive (then Nightmares in Wax). In 1984, the group covered the song for their debut studio album, Sophisticated Boom Boom (1984), creating their first UK top 40 single.
Track listings
- 7" single
- "That's the Way (I Like It)" – 3:38
- "Do It" – 3:53
- 7" picture single
- "That's the Way (I Like It)" – 3:37
- "Keep That Body Strong (That's the Way)" – 3:37
- 12" maxi
- "That's the Way (I Like It)" (extended version) – 5:52
- "Keep That Body Strong (That's the Way)" – 3:37
Chart
| Chart (1984) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (Kent Music Report)[8] | 45 |
| Ireland (IRMA)[10] | 23 |
| Luxembourg (Radio Luxembourg)[33] | 16 |
| UK Singles (OCC)[34] | 22 |
| US Hot Dance Club Play (Billboard)[35] | 28 |
Spin Doctors and Biz Markie version
Clock version
| "That's the Way (I Like It)" | ||||
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| Single by Clock | ||||
| from the album Boogie Sound | ||||
| Released | 1997 | |||
| Genre | Eurodance | |||
| Length | 3:45 | |||
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| Clock singles chronology | ||||
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| Music video | ||||
| "That's the Way (I Like It)" on YouTube | ||||
In 1997, British pop/dance act Clock released a cover of the song, which appears on their Japan-only album release Boogie Sound. It was a moderate hit in early 1998, peaking at No. 17 in Ireland, No. 11 in the United Kingdom and No. 66 in France.
Critical reception
A reviewer from Music Week rated Clock's version two out of five, adding, "But with Clock's established grip on the Top 20, no doubt it will sell."[36] The magazine's Alan Jones wrote, "Clock get short shrift from critics, though record buyers can't get enough of them. They will certainly tick up another hit with 'That's the Way (I Like It)', an obvious cover of the old KC & the Sunshine Band track currently doing service as a TV commercial soundtrack. It stays close to the original, and will provide one of the first big hits of 1998."[37]
Track listing
- CD single, CD 1, UK (1998)
- "That's the Way (I Like It)" (radio mix) – 3:45
- "That's the Way (I Like It)" (Ultra Disco radio mix) – 3:19
- "That's the Way (I Like It)" (short stab) – 4:01
- "That's the Way (I Like It)" (video) – 3:12