Whodunit (song)

"Whodunit"
Single by Tavares
from the album Love Storm
B-side	"Fool of the Year"
Released	March, 1977
Format	45 RPM
Recorded	1977
Genre	Pop
Label	Capitol
Tavares singles chronology
"Don't Take Away the Music" (1976) "Whodunit" (1977) "More Than a Woman" (1978)

"Whodunit", written by Keni St. Lewis and Freddie Perren, was a hit song for R&B/disco group Tavares in 1977. Released from their album, Love Storm it spent one week at number one on the R&B singles chart in May 1977, and peaked at number twenty-two on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart^[1] and in the UK peaked at number 5 the week ending 7 May 1977 where it stayed for 2 weeks [UK release Capitol CL 15914 Whodunit (St. Lewis / Perren) / Fool Of The Year (F Tavares / St. Lewis).] Whodunit was re-released in February 1986.

The lyrical hook to the song was the repeated query "Whodunit? / Who stole my baby?" The singer then appealed to a series of famous fictional detectives to help "solve" the case, including Sherlock Holmes, Charlie Chan, Ellery Queen, McCloud, Kojak, Baretta and Dirty Harry. The gimmick was reminiscent of "Searchin'", a 1957 single by The Coasters which also invoked a series of lawmen to track down a missing love interest.

Chart performance

Weekly singles charts Chart (1977) Peak position U.S. Billboard Hot 100 22 U.S. R&B 1 U.S. Cash Box Top 100 16 Canadian RPM [2] 15 UK 5

Year-end charts Chart (1977) Position Canada[3] 136 UK[4] 64 U.S. Billboard [5] 141

References

1. Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 567.
2. https://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?&file_num=nlc008388.5502b&type=1&interval=50&PHPSESSID=bp28h8sjmej8f7eteut33h36g7
3. https://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?&file_num=nlc008388.5502b&type=1&interval=50&PHPSESSID=bp28h8sjmej8f7eteut33h36g7
4. http://www.uk-charts.top-source.info/top-100-1977.shtml
5. http://www.bullfrogspond.com/whitburn/1977wye.htm