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"Clean Up Woman" dropped during the period of testimonial soul marked by 1970's "Want Ads" (Honey Cone), 1971's "Mr. Big Stuff", 1971's "Smiling Faces" (Undisputed Truth), 1971's "Respect Yourself" (Staples Singers)- & to a lesser extent 1972's "Backstabbers" (O'Jays).
The subgenre was in part defined by tune such as Betty Wright's, which described either an archetype, or warned of a shady individual. The Soul Children's "Hearsay" exemplified testimonial/cautionary soul. Wright carved out a special niche in that space
The elements which positioned a performer to do well in testimonial soul, included Betty Wright's demonstrative tone. A "listen girls" timbre:
The acts of '70-'71 didn't invent testimonial soul. Joe Tex had trafficked in it for years. But something special kicked off in 1970-71 which made producers & label more receptive to the material, & audiences expectant of it
On Betty Wright's heels, we got Millie Jackson, Shirley Brown & Margie Joseph. They were the stylistic forerunners of 1990's cautionary R & B
Betty Wright also possessed a golden ear, which she used to develop fellow South Florida acts George McRae & Gwen McRae, who became charting disco performers before that genre had a name. When she found both, she was in junior high school
When "Clean Up Woman" dropped, despite the lyrics which imply sage- Wright was 17. By the time she turned 18, it crossed over to # 6 pop- exceptionally high f/ the sub-genre. She was only 20 when she released this gem:
Thus, though Betty Wright had a top 10 single on both the soul & the pop charts 49 years ago- she was only 66 when she died today. Betty Wright discovered Peter Brown of "Do You Want To Get Funky With Me", & "Dance With Me" fame:
Peter Brown, discovered by Betty Wright (who sings backing vocals on Brown's hits). Wright was only 25 here:
These beats, though classified as late disco, helped influence hip hop
