View source for Do What You Gotta Do (Jimmy Webb song)

"'''Do What You Gotta Do'''" is a song that was written by [[Jimmy Webb]]. It was first recorded by [[Johnny Rivers]] and released on his 1967 album ''[[Rewind (Johnny Rivers album)|Rewind]]''. In 1968, it was an R&B hit for [[Al Wilson (singer)|Al Wilson]]. It was also a hit for [[Nina Simone]] that year and a local hit for New Zealand band [[Larry's Rebels]].
==Al Wilson version==
==="Do What You Gotta Do"===
{{Infobox song
| name       = Do What You Gotta Do
| cover      =
| alt        =
| type       = single
| artist     = [[Al Wilson (singer)|Al Wilson]]
| album      =
| A-side     = Do What You Gotta Do
| B-side     = Now I Know What Love Is
| released   = December 1967
| recorded   =
| studio     =
| venue      =
| genre      = [[Soul music|Soul]], [[Pop music|pop]]
| length     = 3:20
| label      = Soul City SCR-761
| writer     = [[Jimmy Webb]]
| producer   = Johnny Rivers
| prev_title = The Snake
| prev_year  = 1973
| next_title = I Stand Accused
| next_year  = 1974
}}
Al Wilson's version was released as a single in December 1967. It was produced by Marc Gordon and arranged by Marty Paich.<ref>45Cat - [http://www.45cat.com/artist/al-wilson Al Wilson - Discography, USA,  Do What You Gotta Do, Soul City USA SCR 761]</ref>
For the week ending Jan 6, 1968, the single was bubbling under the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 at No. 127.<ref>''Billboard'', Jan 6, 1968 - [https://books.google.com/books?id=wAoEAAAAMBAJ&dq=%22%22Do+What+You+Gotta+Do%22Al+Wilson%22&pg=PA51 Page 51 Bubbling Under the Hot 100]</ref> By February 10, 1968, it was bubbling under at 103.<ref>''Billboard'', February 10, 1968 - [https://books.google.com/books?id=ugcEAAAAMBAJ&dq=%22%22Do+What+You+Gotta+Do%22Al+Wilson%22Billboard&pg=PA48 Page 48 Bubbling Under the Hot 100]</ref> The following week it had only moved up one place to 102,<ref>''Billboard'', February 17, 1968 - [https://books.google.com/books?id=s0UEAAAAMBAJ&dq=%22%22Do+What+You+Gotta+Do%22Al+Wilson%22Billboard&pg=PA28 Page 56 Bubbling Under the Hot 100]</ref> but at the same time, it was at No. 46 in the R&B chart.<ref>''Billboard'', February 17, 1968 - [https://books.google.com/books?id=s0UEAAAAMBAJ&dq=%22%22Do+What+You+Gotta+Do%22Al+Wilson%22Billboard&pg=PA28 Page 28 Billboard Best Selling R&B Singles]</ref> It peaked at No. 39 on March 9, 1968, and spent a total of 6 weeks on the R&B chart.<ref>Billboard.com - [https://www.billboard.com/artist/al-wilson/chart-history/bsi/ Al Wilson | Chart History, Do What You Gotta Do]</ref> In [[RPM (magazine)|Canada]] it reached No. 85, March 30, 1968.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/028020/f2/nlc008388.100183.pdf| title=RPM Top 100 Singles - March 30, 1968}}</ref>
==="Now I Know What Love Is"===
The B-side to "Do What You Gotta Do" was the composition by [[Willie Hutch]], "Now I Know What Love Is". It was produced by Marc Gordon.<ref>45Cat - [http://www.45cat.com/artist/al-wilson Al Wilson - Discography, USA,  Do What You Gotta Do, Soul City USA SCR 761]</ref> It was one of a number of songs that Hutch wrote for Wilson, which included "Who Could Be Lovin' You" and "Getting Ready for Tomorrow". Hutch was also a Soul City label-mate of Wilson.<ref>SoulMusic.com, 26 February 2014 - [http://www.soulmusic.info/index.asp?S=3&T=3&ART=3105 WILLIE HUTCH SEPTEMBER 1973 INTERVIEW] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107212731/http://www.soulmusic.info/index.asp?S=3&T=3&ART=3105 |date=2017-11-07 }}</ref> It would eventually become a [[Northern soul]] hit and enduring favorite on the scene,<ref>''[[The Times]]'', June 12, 2008 - [https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/al-wilson-american-soul-singer-vrhvsm8pvkp Al Wilson: American soul singer]</ref><ref>Soulbot - [http://soulbot.com/al-wilson-4.htm/ Al Wilson, NOW I KNOW WHAT LOVE IS (1967)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107170308/http://soulbot.com/al-wilson-4.htm/ |date=2017-11-07 }}</ref><ref>BBC, 13 November 2014 - [http://www.bbc.co.uk/stoke/content/articles/2009/08/24/soul_playlists_archive_feature.shtml Stoke &  Staffordshire, Northern soul, Soul & Motown Show Playlist Archive, Playlist for 29 August]</ref> possibly influencing some record sellers to list the record in auctions with "Now I Know What Love Is" as the A-side instead of its proper allocation as the B-side.<ref>Popsike - [https://www.popsike.com/php/quicksearch.php?searchtext=Al+Wilson%22Now+I+Know+What+Love+Is%22&thumbs=&currsel=&sortord=dprice&endfrom=&endthru=&ipp=&sdc=&x=0&y=05 '"Now I Know What Love Is"']</ref> It would appear on compilations such as ''Northern Soul from the City'', released in 2004,<ref>Discogs - [https://www.discogs.com/Various-Northern-Soul-From-The-City/release/3505758 Various  – Northern Soul From The City]</ref> and the Kev Roberts compiled ''Mastercuts Northern Soul'', released in 2005.<ref>Discogs - [https://www.discogs.com/Various-Mastercuts-Northern-Soul/release/953821 Various  – Mastercuts Northern Soul]</ref>
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==Nina Simone version==
{{Infobox song
| name       = Do What You Gotta Do
| cover      =
| alt        =
| type       = single
| artist     = [[Nina Simone]]
| album      =
| A-side     = Do What You Gotta Do
| B-side     = Peace of Mind
| released   = 1968
| recorded   =
| studio     =
| venue      =
| genre      =
| length     =
| label      = [[RCA Victor]] 47-9602
| writer     = Jimmy Webb
| producer   = Stroud Productions, Inc.
| prev_title = Why? (The King of Love Is Dead) - Pt. 1
| prev_year  = 1968
| next_title = Ain't Got No; I Got Life
| next_year  = 1968
}}
Nina Simone's version was released in August 1968. The credited producer was Stroud Productions and Enterprises, Inc., and it was arranged and conducted by [[Horace Ott]].<ref>45Cat - [http://www.45cat.com/record/479602 Artist: Nina Simone, Catalogue: 47-9602]</ref> It spent 5 weeks in the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and peaked at No. 83 on October 26, 1968.<ref>Billboard.com - [https://www.billboard.com/artist/nina-simone/chart-history/hsi/ Nina Simone | Chart History, Do What You Gotta Do]</ref> It was released double-sided together with "[[Ain't Got No, I Got Life]]" in the UK and reached No. 2 on the chart.<ref name=ukcharts />
===Charts===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!Chart (1968)
!Peak<br />position
|-
{{Single chart|UKsinglesbyname|2|artistid=28085|artist=Nina Simone |refname=ukcharts}}
|-
{{Single chart|Billboardhot100|83|artist=Nina Simone}}
|-
{{Single chart|Billboardrandbhiphop|43|artist=Nina Simone}}
|}
==Larry's Rebels version==
{{Infobox song
| name       = Do What You Gotta Do
| cover      =
| alt        =
| type       = single
| artist     = [[Larry's Rebels]]
| album      =
| A-side     = Do What You Gotta Do
| released   = 1968
| recorded   =
| studio     =
| venue      =
| genre      =
| length     =
| label      = [[Impact (record label)|Impact]] IR-1039
| writer     = Jimmy Webb
| producer   =
| prev_title = Halloween
| prev_year  =
| next_title = Party Time
| next_year  =
}}
[[Larry's Rebels]] released a version on the New Zealand [[Impact (record label)|Impact label]] in September 1968 backed with "Looking for a Way" which was composed by John Williams and [[Larry Morris (singer)|Larry Morris]].<ref>Sergent.com.au - [http://www.sergent.com.au/music/larrysrebels.html Larry's Rebels]</ref><ref>45Cat - [http://www.45cat.com/artist/larrys-rebels Larry's Rebels - Discography]</ref>
The song was recorded during the group's Blast Off '68 tour. Their guitar and organ player Terry Rouse couldn't make the session so Brian Henderson played organ on the recording.<ref>Sergent.com.au - [http://www.sergent.com.au/music/larrysrebels.html Larry's Rebels]</ref>
By October 4, 1968, the single had moved from No. 11 to No. 10 on the NZ listener charts.<ref>Flavour of New Zealand - [http://www.flavourofnz.co.nz/index.php?qpageID=NZ%20listener%20charts&qyear=1968&qmonth=Oct&qweek=04-Oct-1968#n_view_location NZ listener charts 1968, 04-Oct-1968]</ref> It eventually peaked at No. 6.<ref>Pop Archives - [http://www.poparchives.com.au/feature.php?id=539 LARRY'S REBELS, Do What You Gotta Do]</ref> ''Billboard'' also recorded its entry into the NZ top 10 at No. 10 for October 19, 1968.<ref>''Billboard'', October 19, 1968 - [https://books.google.com/books?id=MEUEAAAAMBAJ&dq=%22Do+What+You+Gotta+Do%22Larrys+Rebels&pg=PA77 Page 77 Hits Of The World, New Zealand]</ref>
==Other versions==
It has also been recorded by [[Bobby Vee]], [[Clarence Carter]], [[Paul Anka]], and [[Ronnie Milsap]]. All were released in 1968, and Bobby Vee's version reached No. 62 in Canada.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/028020/f2/nlc008388.5865.pdf |title= The RPM 100 |date=9 September 1968 }}</ref> [[Glen Campbell]] and [[The Fifth Dimension]] have also recorded it. The [[Four Tops]] released a version in 1969 which was available as a single in the UK and was also included on their album ''Four Tops Now!''. [[B.J. Thomas]] and [[Roberta Flack]] had versions released in 1970 and the following year a version by [[Tom Jones (singer)|Tom Jones]] was released. A version appeared on the [[Cher]] and [[Gregg Allman]] duet album ''Two the Hard Way''. [[Linda Ronstadt]] had a version in 1993.[[Okkervil River]] released a version in 2007 on their free downloadable album [[Golden Opportunities Mixtape]]. [[Kanye West]] sampled Nina Simone's recording on his 2016 album ''[[The Life of Pablo]]'', in the controversial track "[[Famous (Kanye West song)|Famous]]," with the lyrics being sung/interpolated by [[Rihanna]].
Webb recorded and released his own version of the song on ''[[Just Across the River]]'' (2010).
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{authority control}}
[[Category:Songs written by Jimmy Webb]]
[[Category:Al Wilson (singer) songs]]
[[Category:Nina Simone songs]]
[[Category:Ronnie Milsap songs]]
[[Category:1968 singles]]
[[Category:1967 songs]]