Their song "Runnin' from the Devil" inspired the Van Halen song "Runnin' With the Devil".
The group disbanded again in 1970. After again reforming with a line-up including Bonner, Satchell, Middlebrooks, Jones, Webster, trumpeter Bruce Napier, trombonist Marvin Pierce, and keyboardist Walter "Junie" Morrison, the Players had a minor hit on the Detroit-based Westbound label in 1971 with "Pain" which reached the Billboard R&B Top 40. Detroit vocalist Dale Allen shared co-lead vocals on some of the early Westbound material, although not credited on the albums "Pain" and "Pleasure".
The band’s first big hit was "Funky Worm", which hit #1 on the Billboard R&B Charts and made the pop Top 15 in May 1973. The band signed with Mercury Records in 1974. By this time, their lineup had changed again, with keyboardist Billy Beck instead of Morrison and Jimmy "Diamond" Williams on drums instead of Webster. On later album releases, they added second guitarist/vocalist Clarence 'Chet' Willis and conga player Robert "Rumba" Jones to the lineup. Bonner sang lead vocals on most of the band's hits.
The band had seven Top 40 hits between 1973 and 1976, including "Fire" (#1 on both the R&B and pop charts for two weeks and one week respectively in February 1975) and "Love Rollercoaster" (#1 on both the R&B and pop charts for 1 week in January 1976). The group's last big hit was "Who'd She Coo" a #1 R&B hit in August 1976.
The band became widely known not only for their sound, which has been sampled and copied by countless R&B and hip-hop artists since, but for their sexually provocative album covers, including the cover of 1974's Ecstasy, which featured a man and a woman in a pose of arousal wearing chains and leather, and 1975's Honey, which featured a nude woman holding an overflowing jar of honey and dropping some into her mouth with a ladle.
There is an urban legend that has it that a scream on "Love Rollercoaster" that came during the break after the second verse was the sound of someone being murdered in the studio while the track was being recorded. It is widely believed to be the scream of a female model (the nude woman Ester Cordet featured on the image for the Honey album) after being stabbed with a knife by the band's manager. She was complaining that the honey and fibre glass she was sitting on reacted when mixed causing permanent damage to her legs during the image photography, ending her modelling career. She then approached the manager seeking compensation during the recording of "Love Rollercoaster" only to be stabbed and attacked.
The Ohio Players then left the scream in as a sick tribute.[1] The band did not discredit this rumor at the time, because, as one band member put it later, "that makes you sell more records." This is just an urban legend however, as are any other disturbing explanations, including a person murdered outside the recording studio (although recording studios are soundproof and the scream would not have been heard), a band member murdering his girlfriend or a cleaning woman in the recording studio, or a real scream taken from a 911 call or a Psychiatric ward.
Clarence Satchell died in January 1996 after he had a brain aneurysm. Ralph Middlebrooks died in November 1997.
The Red Hot Chili Peppers were one of the bands heavily influenced by the Ohio Players, covering "Love Rollercoaster" for the film Beavis and Butt-head Do America. In the UK, there was a chain of music and DVD stores named after one of their hit songs, "Fopp". "Fopp" was also covered by Soundgarden for an EP called Fopp.
Do Your Thing
Ohio Players Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
whatever it is
i'ma do mine
i'ma do mine
this evening
tonight
It's alight
whatchew say
do your thing
Do it in the morning at night
It's alright
it's outta sight
it's okay
what you sayin
whatever it is
The Ohio Players' song "Do Your Thing" is a celebratory anthem encouraging listeners to let loose and do their own thing. The repeated lyrics "everybody get on the floor and do your thing" encourage the listener to not only embrace their own unique style but also join others in a community of joyful self-expression. The phrase "I'm gonna do mine" reaffirms the importance of holding onto your own individuality and dancing to your own beat, while the repetition of "it's alright, it's outta sight, it's okay" creates a carefree atmosphere. The song suggests that there's no need to conform to societal norms or follow anyone else's lead, but rather that each person should embrace their own creativity and let loose.
The song's upbeat tempo and funky instrumentation also contribute to the overall message of the song. The song's use of horns and percussion create an irresistibly danceable rhythm, which further encourages listeners to let loose and be themselves. The carefree vibe extends to the song's mention of dancing "in the morning and at night," suggesting that there's no specific time or place where one should let their hair down and be themselves.
Line by Line Meaning
everybody get on the floor and do your thing
Everyone should start moving and dancing in their own unique way.
whatever it is
No matter what your personal style of dancing may be.
i'ma do mine
I'll be dancing in my own style too.
i'ma do mine
I'll be dancing in my own style too.
this evening
We're going to have fun tonight.
tonight
The night is young and there's plenty of time to dance.
It's alight
It's totally cool.
it's outta sight
It's amazing and impressive.
whatchew say
What are you saying?
do your thing
Keep doing your unique style of dancing.
Do it in the morning at night
You're free to dance any time of the day or night.
It's alright
You're doing great and everyone can dance in their own way.
it's outta sight
It's impressive to see everyone's unique style of dancing.
it's okay
You can dance however you want and be accepted.
what you sayin
What are you talking about?
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Isaac Hayes
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind