Wild and Peaceful (Kool & the Gang album)
1973 studio album by Kool & the Gang
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Wild and Peaceful is the fourth studio album released by the funk band Kool & the Gang. It was their commercial breakthrough. It was released in 1973 and was hugely successful on the Billboard R&B chart, reaching No. 6 and charting for 36 weeks. It also reached No. 33 on the Pop charts, making it the band's first entry into that chart's Top 40.[6] The album spawned the band's first three Top 10 singles. "Funky Stuff" reached No. 5 R&B/No. 29 Pop. The hugely popular track "Jungle Boogie" soared to No. 2 R&B and No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100, and "Hollywood Swinging" topped the Billboard Hot Soul Singles in June 1974 while reaching No. 6 Pop.[7] The latter two singles both sold over a million copies and were certified Gold by the RIAA. The album was certified Gold.
| Wild and Peaceful | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | September 1973 | |||
| Recorded | April–May 1973 | |||
| Studio | Mediasound, New York City | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 37:45 | |||
| Label | De-Lite | |||
| Producer | Kool & the Gang | |||
| Kool & the Gang chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Wild and Peaceful | ||||
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| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [2] |
| BBC | (favourable)[3] |
| Rolling Stone | (mixed)[1] |
| Stereo Review | (favourable)[4][5] |
Record World said the lead single "Funky Stuff" provides "funk & fun from the gang and includes lotsa percussion and whistles."[8]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Funky Stuff" | Brown, Kool & the Gang | 3:00 |
| 2. | "More Funky Stuff" | Kool & the Gang | 2:50 |
| 3. | "Jungle Boogie" | Kool & the Gang | 3:03 |
| 4. | "Heaven at Once" | Bell, Kool & the Gang | 5:01 |
| 5. | "Hollywood Swinging" | Kool & the Gang, Westfield | 4:36 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "This Is You, This Is Me" | Brown, Kool & the Gang | 5:23 |
| 2. | "Life Is What You Make It" | Kool & the Gang, Thomas | 3:53 |
| 3. | "Wild and Peaceful" | Bayyan, Kool & the Gang | 9:26 |
Personnel
- Robert "Kool" Bell – bass, vocals
- George "Funky" Brown – drums, percussion, vocals
- Ricky West – electric piano, vocals
- Clay Smith – lead guitar
- Dennis "Dee Tee" Thomas – alto saxophone, flute, congas, vocals
- Ronald Bell – tenor and soprano saxophones, vocals
- Robert "Spike" Mickens – trumpet, vocals
- Additional personnel
- Don Boyce – backing vocals (3)
- Rory Bell – backing vocals (4)
- Tomorrow’s Edition (Jerome Gourdine, Aaron Mathis and Wesley Thomas) – backing vocals (6)
- Production
- Produced and Arranged by Kool & the Gang
- Engineers – Harvey Goldberg and Jeff Lesser
- Recorded at Mediasound Studios (New York, NY)
- Cover Artwork – Joseph Askew
- Album Design – Richard Askew
Certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United States (RIAA)[9] | Gold | 500,000^ |
|
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||
