The Rapper
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| "The Rapper" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Single by The Jaggerz | ||||
| from the album We Went to Different Schools Together | ||||
| B-side | "Born Poor" | |||
| Released | January 1970[1] | |||
| Genre | Rock, pop | |||
| Length | 2:41 | |||
| Label | Kama Sutra KA 502 | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Dominic Ierace | |||
| Producer(s) | Sixuvus Productions | |||
| The Jaggerz singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| 45 RPM colored vinyl | ||||
 Limited edition release | ||||
"The Rapper" is a song by The Jaggerz, written by band member Dominic Ierace, better known as Donnie Iris. Released as a single, it reached No. 2 on the Billboard Pop Singles chart, behind Simon & Garfunkel's smash "Bridge Over Troubled Water" and it was certified Gold by the RIAA in 1970 (see 1970 in music) for selling over a million copies.[2] (Iris later launched a solo career; his biggest such hit was "Ah! Leah!")
The song is addressed to a girl, or girls in general; it describes the method of a man who seduces women with untruths ("rapping".) The singer says, "You know what he's after"; he concludes by saying there comes a point at which the man has his target where he wants her. The girl has to "face reality." The record ends with a small group of applause heard in the studio.
The "rapper" of the title and "rappin'" in the lyrics have only some coincidental resemblance to the musical genre of rapping.[3]
Covers
"The Rapper" has been covered by two Jaggerz members. Since beginning his solo career, Donnie Iris has covered the song numerous times in concert. Additionally, live recordings of the song have appeared on his compilation albums.
Also, "The Rapper" was covered by Jimmie Ross during the time period when The Jaggerz weren't together. Additionally, the single was covered by Wolfman Jack. Canadian hard rock trio Santers recorded the song for their 1981 debut album Shot Down In Flames.
Album appearances
- We Went to Different Schools Together, 1970 (The Jaggerz)
- Live! At Nick's Fat City, 1998 (Donnie Iris)
- 20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection: The Best of Donnie Iris, 2001 (Donnie Iris)
- Re-Rapped by Request, 2001 (The Jaggerz)
- Ah! Live!, 2009 (Donnie Iris)
- Full Circle, 2010 (Jimmie Ross)
Chart performance
Weekly charts
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Year-end charts
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References
- ^ Popoff, Martin (2009). Goldmine Price Guide to 45 RPM Records. Krause Publications. p. 357. ISBN 0-89689-958-6.
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2015-09-24. Retrieved 2008-03-16.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "The Rapper by The Jaggerz". Retrieved 2019-05-27.
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2015-11-26. Retrieved 2015-11-26.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". collectionscanada.gc.ca.
- ^ "Top 100 Hits of 1970/Top 100 Songs of 1970". Musicoutfitters.com. Retrieved 2016-10-03.
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2016-07-07.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
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