Across 110th Street (song) explained

Across 110th Street
Type:	single
Artist:	Bobby Womack & Peace
Album:	Across 110th Street
B-Side:	Hang On In There
Released:	1973
Length:	3:45
Label:	United Artists UA-XW196-W
Producer:	Bobby Womack
Prev Title:	Harry Hippie
Prev Year:	1972
Next Title:	Nobody Wants You When You're Down and Out
Next Year:	1973

"Across 110th Street" is a single by Bobby Womack, from the soundtrack and film of the same name that starred Anthony Quinn and Yaphet Kotto.

Background

The single was released in February 1973 on the United Artists label. Credited to Bobby Womack and Peace, who had a hit previously with "Harry Hippie",^{[1] [2]} it was composed by B. Womack and J. J. Johnson. Its B-side was "Hang On In There", composed by B. Womack.^[3] The March 31 issue of Billboard reported that it was his fourth hit in a year.^[4] For the week ending May 5, 1973 with the single in its sixth week in the charts, the Billboard best selling soul singles chart showed the single was at position 24 with the previous week's position being 19. Meanwhile, the chart showed the album in its 14th week, maintaining its position at 15.^[5]

Personnel

• Unidentified orchestra including
  • Carol Kaye – electric bass^[6]
  • Emil Richards – percussion^[7]

Chart performance

Chart (1973)	Peak position
US Billboard Hot 100^[8]	56
	19

Single releases

• Bobby Womack & Peace - "Across 110th Street" / "Hang On In There" - United Artists XW 196 - 1973^{[9] [10]}

Other versions

• It is covered by Calvin Richardson on his 2009 album Facts of Life – The Soul of Bobby Womack^[11] and by Ania Dąbrowska on her Ania Movie (October 2015).^[12] A version featuring Bobby Womack appears on the Los Lobos album The Ride in a medley with the song "Wicked Rain".

Popular culture

• The song was given a revival when it was prominently featured in Quentin Tarantino's 1997 film Jackie Brown. It was also featured in Ridley Scott's 2007 film American Gangster. 50 Cent told NME that 110th Street was the first song with which "he fell in love...because of how the situation was for black people in America at that time, there were a lot of struggle songs around. It seemed to be something that really moved the people around me. I felt the power of music to raise people up; to make them angry or proud."^[13]

Notes and References

1. 45Cat Record Details, Catalogue: UA-XW196-W
2. Billboard March 3, 1973 Page 107 Billboard Hot 100 For Week ending February 17, 1973
3. 45Cat Record Details, Catalogue: UA-XW196-W
4. Billboard March 31, 1973 Page 77 Across 110th Street
5. Billboard May 5, 1973 Page 31 Billboard Best Selling Soul Singles & LP's, Singles
6. Web site: ACROSS 110TH STREET . Library of Congress . March 31, 2022.
7. Web site: ACROSS 110TH STREET . Library of Congress . March 31, 2022.
8. Book: Whitburn, Joel . Joel Whitburn

   . Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles, 14th Edition: 1955-2012 . Joel Whitburn . 2013 . Record Research . 924.

9. Standard Catalog of American Records By Dave Thompson Page 1406 Womack, Bobby, Singles, UNITED ARTISTS
10. Discogs Bobby Womack – Across 110th Street / Hang On In There
11. Discogs Calvin Richardson – Facts Of Life The Soul Of Bobby Womack
12. Discogs Ania Dąbrowska – Ania Movie
13. Haynes . Gavin . October 1, 2015 . Soundtrack of my life . . 48.