Released February 13, 1965 Genre Soul Label Soul Records (Motown) | Format 7" single Length 2:53 | |
Recorded Hitsville, USA (Studio A), Detroit, Michigan, 1964 | ||
"Shotgun" is a 1965 single by Junior Walker & the All Stars, which was written and composed by Walker and produced by Berry Gordy Jr. and Lawrence Horn. It reached number one on the U.S. R&B Singles chart for four non-consecutive weeks and peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100 on the week ending 3 April 1965. Guitarist Jimi Hendrix performed the song live with the All Stars.
Contents
Shotgun uses only one chord throughout the entire song -- A-flat seventh. Other songs featuring this same structure (or non-structure) are Chain of Fools and Land of 1000 Dances.
Personnel
Shotgun in film
It was used in Martin Scorsese's debut feature film, Who's That Knocking At My Door? (1967).
The song has been used in the films Misery (1990), Malcolm X (1992), and How Stella Got Her Groove Back (1998).
The song was also used as the theme song for "Ain't Nothin' But a Woman". A sketch-comedy segment previously featured on BET's ComicView
It was likewise referenced in Sister Act 2 during the opening number, "The Greatest Medley Ever Told."
The song was performed by Public Enemies in the Norwegian film Hurra for Andersens in 1966. Public Enemies brought Shotgun to the seventh position on the Radio Luxembourg's Top 20 Chart. The film Glory Road (2006) by Disney, in the after party.
Cover versions
In 1965, by:
The Wailers, with slightly modified lyrics, as a ska song Sam The Sham and the Pharaohs, on their Wooly Bully album The Kingsmen, on The Kingsmen On Campus albumIn 1969, by Vanilla Fudge in a heavily psychedelic version, on Near the Beginning
In 1988, by Vanity with Kareem and Dave Koz, for the soundtrack of Action Jackson
In 2001, by saxophonist Richard Elliot, as an instrumental on Crush
In 2006, by Yo La Tengo, on Yo La Tengo Is Murdering the Classics