Tower of Power (album)

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Tower of Power is the third album release for the Oakland-based band, Tower of Power. This is their most successful album to date, which was released in May 1973.

The album peaked at No. 15 on the Billboard Top LPs chart in 1973 and received a gold record award for sales in excess of 500,000. The album spawned their most successful single, "So Very Hard to Go". The single peaked at No. 17 on the Billboard Hot 100. Two other singles from the album also charted on the Billboard Hot 100: "This Time It's Real" and "What Is Hip?". It marked the debut of Lenny Williams being the lead vocalist (though Williams had a solo career prior to joining T.O.P., plus he co-penned the song "You Strike My Main Nerve" from the previous album Bump City). Tower of Power also introduced the world to saxophonist and future Saturday Night Live band leader, Lenny Pickett, who was the youngest member of the band at the time, replacing original lead sax player Skip Mesquite. Also joining the lineup was organist/keyboardist Chester Thompson and guitarist Bruce Conte, who replaced original guitarist Willie James Fulton.

Track listing

All songs written by Emilio Castillo and Stephen "Doc" Kupka except when noted.

1. "What Is Hip?" (Castillo, Kupka, Garibaldi) - 5:08
2. "Clever Girl" (Castillo, Kupka, Fulton) - 2:56
3. "This Time It's Real" (Castillo, Kupka, Bartlett) - 2:54
4. "Will I Ever Find a Love?" – 3:51
5. "Get Yo' Feet Back on the Ground" (Fulton) - 4:52
6. "So Very Hard to Go" – 3:41
7. "Soul Vaccination" – 5:13
8. "Both Sorry Over Nothin" (Castillo, Kupka, Williams) - 3:25
9. "Clean Slate" (Castillo, Kupka, Fulton) - 3:22
10. "Just Another Day" (Conte) - 4:34

Personnel

• Greg Adams – Strings, Trumpet, Arranger, Conductor, Flugelhorn, Horn, Vocals, String Arrangements
• Brent Byars – Bongos, Conga
• Emilio Castillo – Saxophone (Tenor), Vocals, Production Supervisor
• Bruce Conte – Guitar, Vocals
• David Garibaldi – Drums
• Mic Gillette – Trombone, Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Horn, Baritone, Vocals
• Stephen "Doc" Kupka – Oboe, Saxophone (Baritone), Vocals
• Lenny Pickett – Clarinet, Flute, Saxophone (Tenor), Vocals
• Francis "Rocco" Prestia – Bass
• Jay Spell – Piano
• Bruce Steinberg – Harmonica, Art Direction, Design, Photography, Illustrations, Cover Design
• Chester Thompson – Organ, Keyboards, Vocals
• Lenny Williams – Vocals

Charts

Year	Album	Chart positions
		US	US R&B
1973	Tower of Power	15	11

Singles

Year	Single	Chart positions
		US	US R&B	US Dance
1973	"So Very Hard to Go"	17	11	—
	"This Time It's Real"	—	65	27
1974	"What Is Hip?"	91	39	—

External links

• Tower Of Power-Tower Of Power at Discogs