"Evil Roy" is a single by R&B/funk band Earth, Wind & Fire issued in 1988 by Columbia Records.[1] The song rose to No. 22 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart and No. 38 on the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart.[2][3]
| "Evil Roy" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Earth, Wind & Fire | ||||
| from the album Touch the World | ||||
| B-side | "Evil Roy (Instrumental)" | |||
| Released | 1988 | |||
| Recorded | 1987 | |||
| Genre | R&B | |||
| Length | 4:01 (single version) 4:54 (album version) | |||
| Label | Columbia | |||
| Songwriter(s) |
| |||
| Producer(s) | Maurice White | |||
| Earth, Wind & Fire singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Overview
edit"Evil Roy" was produced by EWF bandleader Maurice White and composed by Philip Bailey, Attala Zane Giles and Allee Willis. The song came off the band's 1987 studio album Touch the World.[1]
A music video was issued in 1988 to accompany the single.[4]
Critical reception
editDavid Emerson of The Boston Globe described "Evil Roy" as having "a menacing bass line".[5] Harry Sumrall of the San Jose Mercury-News stated "Evil Roy, gets down, just as the title cut assumes a loftier tone, lyrically, while funking out."[6]
Personnel
edit- Maurice White: lead vocals, background vocals
- Philip Bailey: songwriter, lead vocals, background vocals
- Allee Willis: songwriter
- Attala Zane Giles: songwriter, producer, synthesized bass, synthesizer, synth arranger, guitar, percussion programming, background vocals
- Sheldon Reynolds: guitar
- Rhett Lawrence: Fairlight CMI programming, sequencing, drum programming
Chart positions
edit| Chart (1988) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Hot Dance Music/Club Play | 38[3] |
| U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks | 22[2] |
References
edit- ^ a b Earth, Wind & Fire: Evil Roy. Columbia Records. 1988.
- ^ a b "Earth, Wind & Fire: Evil Roy (Hot R&B Singles)". billboard.com.
- ^ a b "Earth, Wind & Fire: Evil Roy (Dance Club Play Songs)". billboard.com.
- ^ "Earth, Wind & Fire: Evil Roy". youtube.com.
- ^ Emerson, David (December 3, 1987). "Earth, Wind & Fire: Touch The World". newspapers.com. Boston Globe. p. 106.
- ^ Sumrall, Harry (November 29, 1987). "Michael's heard above screams". newsbank.com.