I'll Take You There (1972)

"I'll Take You There" is a song written by Al Bell (using his full name Alvertis Isbell), and originally performed by American soul/gospel family band the Staple Singers. The Staple Singers version, produced by Bell, was released on Stax Records in February 1972, and spent a total of 15 weeks on the charts and reached number 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100. By December 1972, it had sold 2 million units and is ranked as the 19th biggest American hit of 1972. It remains one of the best-selling gospel songs of all time.

The song was also a significant chart hit in two later cover versions. A 1991 cover version by BeBe & CeCe Winans, with Mavis Staples featured as a guest artist, made it to number 1 on the R&B chart, and also reached number 90 on the Hot 100. In 1994, the British band General Public released a cover of "I'll Take You There" which peaked at number 22 on the Hot 100. Rap trio Salt-N-Pepa sampled "I'll Take You There" in their 1991 hit "Let's Talk About Sex". In 1997, the song was used by automobile manufacturer Chevrolet in its commercials for the revival of their Chevy Malibu.

Original Staple Singers version

Included on the group's 1972 album Be Altitude: Respect Yourself, "I'll Take You There" features lead singer Mavis Staples inviting her listeners to seek Heaven. The song is almost completely a call-and-response chorus, with the introduction and bassline being lifted—uncredited—from "The Liquidator", a 1969 reggae hit written by Harry Johnson and performed by the Harry J Allstars. The entire song, written in the key of C, contains but two chords, C and F.

A large portion of the song is set aside for Mavis' sisters Cleotha and Yvonne and their father "Pops" to seemingly perform solos on their respective instruments. In actuality, these solos (and all music in the song) were recorded by the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section. When Mavis Staples says "Daddy, now, Daddy, Daddy" (referring to "Pop's" guitar solo), it is actually Eddie Hinton who performs the solo on the record. Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section bass player David Hood performs the song's bassline. Terry Manning added harmonica and lead electric guitar. Roger Hawkins played drums, Barry Beckett was on Wurlitzer electronic piano, and Jimmy Johnson and Raymond Banks contributed guitar parts.

The horn and string parts were arranged by Detroit arranger Johnny Allen. The horns and strings were recorded at Artie Fields Recording Studios in Detroit Michigan. It was recorded in Sheffield, Alabama, at the famous Muscle Shoals Sound Studios, and overdubbed and mixed at Ardent Studios in Memphis by Engineer Terry Manning.

Reception

Rolling Stone editor David Fricke described this song as the "epitome of the Muscle Shoals Sound".

Bolstered by a "feel-good" vibe, "I'll Take You There" peaked at number 1 on the Billboard R&B Singles chart for four weeks May 1972. In June, "I'll Take You There" reached the top of the Billboard Hot 100 for one week. Billboard ranked it as the number 19 song for 1972. The song, ranked number 276 on the Rolling Stone list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time and inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999, remains the most successful and recognizable single of the Staples' half-century-long career.

Personnel

Partial credits from Richard Buskin and Terry Manning.

• The Staple Singers
• Mavis Staples – vocals
• Pops Staples – vocals
• Cleotha Staples – harmony and backing vocals
• Yvonne Staples – harmony and backing vocals
• Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section
• Jimmy Johnson – guitar
• David Hood – bass
• Barry Beckett – keyboards, Wurlitzer electric piano
• Roger Hawkins – drums
• Additional musicians
• Staple Sisters – harmony and backing vocals
• Terry Manning – lead guitar, guitars, fuzz guitar, Moog synthesizer, harmonica
• Eddie Hinton – lead guitar
• Raymond Banks – guitar

The Memphis Horns (including Wayne Jackson and Andrew Love – horns (saxophones, trumpets, baritone saxophone, trombone)

• Ben Cauley – horns
• Production and technical staff
• Al Bell – arranger, producer
• Johnny Allen – arranger

Terry Manning – engineer, additional production (uncredited), additional arrangements (uncredited)

• Jerry Masters – engineer
• Ralph Rhodes – engineer