Gladys Knight & the Pips - Claudine (CD)

All Music Guide

The Claudine movie soundtrack sported the jammin' million-selling single "On and On" by Gladys Knight the Pips. Written and produced by Curtis Mayfield and featured in the classic 1974 family drama starring Diahann Carroll, James Earl Jones, and Lawrence Hilton Jacobs (Welcome Back Kotter, Alien Nation, Cooley High), it parked at number two RB for four weeks, going to number five Pop on ~Billboard's charts in 1974. Claudine is the least celebrated of songwriter/producer Mayfield's soundtrack albums (Superfly, Sparkle), though it's the most poignant of them. "Mr. Welfare Man" lays out the dehumanizing effect of being on welfare, while still being enticing and majestic in its dynamic arrangement. As much airplay as the track garnered, oddly it was never released as a single. "To Be Invisible" spoke to a child character's need to escape her depressing surroundings. Originally recorded by Mayfield on his Curtis LP, "The Makings of You" is a heart-tugging, strings-cushioned ballad that Kni...ght sings wonderfully. Other LP tracks that received airplay are the upbeat, beautiful title track and the sweet "Make Yours a Happy Home," which curiously wasn't issued as a single until 1976. Claudine went gold, hitting number one on the RB charts in summer 1974. It was reissued on CD by Capitol on June 8, 1999. - Ed Hogan, All Music Guide Read more Less