The Mack is the first soundtrack and fourth album by singer Willie Hutch released on the Motown label. It is the soundtrack of the 1973 film The Mack.

The Mack
Soundtrack album by
Released1973
StudioMoWest Studios (Hollywood, California)
GenreSoul, funk
Length37:10
LabelMotown
ProducerWillie Hutch
Willie Hutch chronology
Fully Exposed
(1973)
The Mack
(1973)
Foxy Brown
(1974)
Singles from The Mack
  1. "Brother's Gonna Work It Out"
    Released: 1973
  2. "Slick"
    Released: 1973

Reception edit

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic     [1]

Ron Wynn from AllMusic gave the album 4.5 out of 5 stars stating, When an act called Sisters Love were offered a cameo in the blaxploitation film The Mack, their manager suggested that Willie Hutch do the soundtrack. It came to be one of the great '70s film scores, including a pair of classic funk tunes, "Brothers Gonna Work It Out" and the title cut. The results proved to be another soundtrack that far surpassed the quality of its film.[1]

On May 5, 1973, the song from the soundtrack, Brother's Gonna Work It Out, first appeared at No. 47 on the Hot Soul Singles chart.[2] It peaked at No. 18, on June 21, 1973, as reported from Jet.[3] On September 15, 1973, Slick, appeared at No. 65 on the same chart,[4] as it did on August 25, 1973,[5] at No. 81, and on September 1, 1973, at the same position.[6] On September 22, 1973, it peaked at No. 23 on the same chart the next week shortly after peaking at No. 65.[7]

Track listing edit

Side one
No.TitleLength
1."Vampin'"2:45
2."Theme of the Mack"5:36
3."I Choose You"3:42
4."Mack's Stroll / The Getaway (Chase Scene)"3:08
Side two
No.TitleLength
5."Slick"3:36
6."Mack Man (Got to Get Over)"5:10
7."Mother's Theme (Mama)"3:56
8."Now That It's All Over"4:31
9."Brother's Gonna Work It Out"4:46

Personnel edit

Adapted from Discogs.com.

  • Arranged By – Willie Hutch
  • Backing Vocals – Carolyn Willis, Julia Waters Tillman, Maxine Waters Willard
  • Bass – Wilton Felder
  • Congas – Bobye Hall
  • Drums – Edward Green
  • Engineer – Arthur Stewart, Calvin Harris
  • Guitar – David T. Walker, Weldon Dean Parks, Louie Shaldon, Willie Hutch
  • Horns – A.D. Brisbois, George Bohanon, Joseph Kelson Jr., Keneth Shruyer, Paul Hubinon, Plass Johnson, William Green
  • Horns, Strings – Ernest Watts
  • Percussion – Jene Estes
  • Performer – Willie Hutch
  • Photography By – Jim Britt
  • Piano, Clavinet, Organ – Clarence McDonald
  • Producer – Willie Hutch
  • Strings – Arnold Belnick, Assa Drori, Denzil Lauchton, Douglas Davis, Frederic Seykora, Gareth Nuttycolbe, Gail Vevant, Jerald Vinci*, Israel Baker, Jack Shulman, Jacob Krachmalnick, Lou Raderman, Myron Sandler, Paul Bergstrom, Paul Shure, Henry Ruth, Samuel Boghossian

Charts edit

Year Album Chart positions
US[8] US
R&B
[8]
1973 The Mack 114 17

Singles edit

Year Single Chart positions
US[9] US
R&B
[9]
1973 "Brother's Gonna Work It Out" 67 18[3]
"Slick" 65 18

References edit

  1. ^ a b Wynn, Ron. "The Mack [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack] review". AllMusic. Retrieved 26 December 2023.
  2. ^ "Billboard". May 5, 1973 – via Google Books.
  3. ^ a b "Jet". June 21, 1973 – via Google Books.
  4. ^ "Billboard". September 15, 1973 – via Google Books.
  5. ^ "Billboard". August 25, 1973 – via Google Books.
  6. ^ "Billboard". September 1, 1973.
  7. ^ "Billboard". September 22, 1973 – via Google Books.
  8. ^ a b "Willie Hutch Chart History (Top R&B/Hip–Hop albums)". Billboard. Retrieved December 26, 2023.
  9. ^ a b "Willie Hutch". Billboard. Retrieved December 29, 2023.

External links edit