This week’s tune follows in the footsteps of another song about liars from the same era and genre, Smiling Faces Sometimes. The lyrics for that song are somewhat opaque whereas those for Back Stabbers are direct and to the point:

(They smile in your face)
All the time they want to take your place
The back stabbers (back stabbers)
(They smile in your face)
All the time they want to take your place
The back stabbers (back stabbers)

Regardless of all the parenthesis, the song wasn’t written by my First Draft colleague, Parenthetical who is NOT a back stabber.

Back Stabbers was written for The O’Jays in 1972 by Leon Huff, Gene McFadden, and John Whitehead. It was a monster hit reaching #1 on the soul charts and #3 on the pop charts. It was a tune for its time and ours as well as an example of Philadelphia soul at its finest.

We begin with at the beginning with The O’Jays:

Let’s travel to Jamaica for a reggae version of this week’s tune:

Tina didn’t get the memo about spelling but her interpretation is solid. One could even say it has legs.

Clarence Carter. Say no more.

Here’s Elvis Costello with a version recorded for the short-lived HBO show, Vinyl.

Finally, Live From Daryl’s House:

What would the Friday Cocktail Hour be without an instrumental version of the week’s tune? This time, guitar genius, Larry Carlton.

That’s it for this week. I’ve had a bellyful of winter, so let’s drink to spring. It’s what Alan Cumming would want. Never argue with the Traitors host.