| Whodunit | |
| Type: | single |
| Artist: | Tavares |
| Album: | Love Storm |
| B-Side: | Fool of the Year |
| Released: | March 1977 |
| Recorded: | 1977 |
| Genre: | Pop, Soul |
| Label: | Capitol |
| Producer: | Freddie Perren |
| Prev Title: | Don't Take Away the Music |
| Prev Year: | 1976 |
| Next Title: | More Than a Woman |
| Next Year: | 1978 |
"Whodunit", written by Keni St. Lewis and Freddie Perren, was a hit song for American R&B/disco group Tavares in 1977. Released from their album Love Storm.
The lyrical hook to the song was the repeated query "Whodunit? / Who stole my baby?" The singer then appealed to a series of famous fictional detectives to help "solve" the case, including Sherlock Holmes, Charlie Chan, Ellery Queen, McCloud, Kojak, Baretta and Dirty Harry. The gimmick was reminiscent of "Searchin'", a 1957 single by The Coasters which also invoked a series of lawmen to track down a missing love interest.
The song spent one week at number one on the R&B singles chart in May 1977 and peaked at number twenty-two on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart[1] and in the UK peaked at number 5 the week ending 7 May 1977, where it stayed for 2 weeks.[2] "Whodunit" was re-released in February 1986.
| Chart (1977) | Peak position | |
|---|---|---|
| Australia (Kent Music Report)[3] | 32 | |
| Canadian RPM Top 100[4] | 15 | |
| Netherlands [5] | 7 | |
| New Zealand[6] | 3 | |
| 22 | ||
| US Billboard R&B | 1 | |
| US Billboard Adult Contemporary[7] | 31 | |
| US Cash Box Top 100 | 16 | |
| UK Singles Chart | 5 |
| Chart (1977) | Position | |
|---|---|---|
| Canada | 136 | |
| Netherlands | 78 | |
| UK [8] | 64 | |
| US Billboard Hot 100[9] | 141 |