What Cha' Gonna Do for Me (song) explained

What Cha' Gonna Do for Me
Type:single
Artist:Chaka Khan
Album:What Cha' Gonna Do for Me
B-Side:Lover's Touch
Released:May 1981
Recorded:1980–81
Genre:Synth-funk[1]
Label:Warner Bros.
Prev Title:Get Ready, Get Set
Prev Year:1980
Next Title:We Can Work It Out
Next Year:1981

"What Cha' Gonna Do For Me" is the title track of Chaka Khan's third solo album from 1981.[2] The song was written by Ned Doheny, and Hamish Stuart of the Average White Band. They had recorded the song a year earlier and released it on their LP Shine.

The song was the second of four number-one singles on the R&B chart for Khan and was at the top spot for two weeks. The single was also her second entry on the Billboard Hot 100, reaching number 53.[3] On the Cash Box Top 100, "What Cha' Gonna Do For Me" reached number 49.[4]

In New Zealand, the song peaked at #21.[5]

Chart performance

Weekly charts

Chart (1981)Peak
position
New Zealand 21
U.S. Billboard Hot 10053
U.S. Billboard R&B1
U.S. Billboard Dance22
U.S. Cash Box Top 100[6] 49

Year-end charts

Unreleased demo version

What Cha' Gonna Do for Me
Cover:What_Cha_Gonna_Do_for_Me_demo_cover.jpg -->
Type:demo
Artist:Ned Doheny and Average White Band
A-Side:Get It Up For Love
Released:[7]
Recorded:1980
Genre:Soul, funk, soft rock[8]
Label:The Numero Group
Prev Title:Perish The Thought
Prev Year:1991
Next Title:Labor Of Love (Kenny Dickenson Remix)
Next Year:2017

A demo version of the song by Doheny was released by The Numero Group on April 19, 2014 alongside a reissue of "Get It Up For Love," due to Doheny's popularity in Japan. The demo was recorded in 1980 and was previously unreleased, with the Average White Band as the backing band.[9] [10] [11]

Notes and References

  1. Killing Me Softly Edition. Hit Parade Music History and Music Trivia. Slate. Molanphy. Chris. March 25, 2022. March 24, 2024.
  2. Book: The Billboard Book of Number One Rhythm & Blues Hits. White . Adam . Bronson . Fred . Fred Bronson . 1993 . Billboard Books:Watson-Guptill Publications, New York . 286.
  3. Book: Whitburn, Joel . Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Joel Whitburn . 2004 . Record Research . 321.
  4. Web site: Top 100 1981-06-20 . . 2015-04-02 .
  5. Web site: NZ Top 40 Singles Chart | The Official New Zealand Music Chart . Nztop40.co.nz . 1981-08-02 . 2016-10-25.
  6. Web site: Top 100 1980-03-29 . . 2016-05-07 .
  7. Web site: Ned Doheny. 45cat.
  8. Web site: Ned Doheny – Get It Up For Love. Discogs.
  9. Web site: GET IT UP FOR LOVE B/W WHAT CHA' GONNA DO FOR ME. The Numero Group.
  10. Web site: NED DOHENY. Ameblo. Mickey. Japanese. June 10, 2014.
  11. Web site: 【新譜7インチ情報!!】再入荷!! 在庫確保!!NED DOHENY GET IT UP FOR LOVE 限定7インチ入荷!. Disk Union. September 2, 2014.