William DeVaughn - "Be Thankful For What You Got"

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Though you may not drive a great big Cadillac
Gangsta whitewalls
TV antennas in the back
You may not have a car at all
But remember brothers and sisters
You can still stand tall
Just be thankful for what you've got
Though you may not drive a great big Cadillac
Diamond in the back, sunroof top
Diggin' the scene
With a gangsta lean
Gangsta whitewalls
TV antennas in the back
You may not have a car at all
But remember brothers and sisters
You can still stand tall
Just be thankful for what you've got
Diamond in the back, sunroof top
Diggin the scene
With a gangsta lean, wooh-ooh-ooh
Diamond in the back, sunroof top
Diggin the scene
With a gangsta lean, wooh-ooh-ooh
Diamond in the back, sunroof top
Diggin' the scene
With a gangsta lean, wooh-ooh-ooh
Though you may not drive a great big Cadillac
Gangsta whitewalls
TV antennas in the back
You may not have a car at all
But remember brothers and sisters
You can still stand tall
Diamond in the back, sunroof top
Diggin' the scene
With a gangsta lean, wooh-ooh-ooh
Diamond in the back, sunroof top
Diggin' the scene
With a gangsta lean, wooh-ooh-ooh
[Instrumental Interlude]

Diamond in the back, sunroof top
Diggin' the scene
With a gangsta lean, wooh-ooh-ooh
Diamond in the back, sunroof top
Diggin' the scene
With a gangsta lean, wooh-ooh-ooh
Diamond in the back, sunroof top
Diggin' the scene
With a gangsta lean, wooh-ooh-ooh
Diamond in the back, sunroof top
Diggin' the scene
With a gangsta lean, wooh-ooh-ooh
Diamond in the back, sunroof top
Diggin' the scene
With a gangsta lean, wooh-ooh-ooh
Diamond in the back, sunroof top
Diggin' the scene
With a gangsta lean, wooh-ooh-ooh

Discuss! The best "one-hit wonder" tune ever?

― Gear! (can Jung shill it, Mu?) (Gear!), Wednesday, 25 May 2005 08:13 (twenty-one years ago)

Great song. Matos and I tonight were discussing the fact that he cut it twice; there's also a 1980 disco version after the '74 smash.

― Rickey Wright (Rrrickey), Wednesday, 25 May 2005 08:17 (twenty-one years ago)

Said a bit about it here innit.

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Wednesday, 25 May 2005 08:19 (twenty-one years ago)

I love the connection between this and Timmy Thomas! I was listening to both of these on Monday.

― Rickey Wright (Rrrickey), Wednesday, 25 May 2005 08:20 (twenty-one years ago)

Not to derail, but Marcello, you must also be a fan of Thomas' completely wild "Live Together" instrumental B-side "Funky Me."

― Rickey Wright (Rrrickey), Wednesday, 25 May 2005 08:21 (twenty-one years ago)

Funny you should mention that, but given the use of the drum machine and the general grey glow of "Funky Me," there's a fairly straight line that can be drawn between Timmy Thomas and early Scritti. Unfortunate that people now associate him as having been "rehabilitated" by Joss Stone, because his '70s stuff really was bizarre.

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Wednesday, 25 May 2005 08:31 (twenty-one years ago)

I thought it was 'TV angels in the back', referring to 'Charlie's Angels'. I always thought it was a bit strange.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller), Wednesday, 25 May 2005 08:33 (twenty-one years ago)

MC, good points -- the Scritti thing wouldn't have occurred to me.

― Rickey Wright (Rrrickey), Wednesday, 25 May 2005 08:53 (twenty-one years ago)

Timmy Thomas, yes~!

Of course, this excellent William DeVaughn song should really be considered the best Curtis Mayfield tune not actually written or performed by the man himself. I once ordered a British-released 2 albums on 1 CD release by William DeVaughn that never showed up - when I wrote to ask, I was told it had been deleted! Anyone who has a copy of that, I'd love to do a trade (I've got roughly 10K CDs). Let me know!

― Dee Xtrovert (dee dee), Wednesday, 25 May 2005 09:11 (twenty-one years ago)

theres been some decent covers - one by portrait, another by the intruders.

― blahbariantheoriginal, Wednesday, 25 May 2005 09:12 (twenty-one years ago)

and and - o go on, say it - massive attack.

― mullygrubbr (bulbs), Wednesday, 25 May 2005 09:15 (twenty-one years ago)

Really? DIdn't know that. ;) I got the DeVaughn one on a cheap disco boxset.

Yo La Tengo also covered this, no?

― nathalie's baby (stevie nixed), Wednesday, 25 May 2005 09:18 (twenty-one years ago)

Those thumps behind the snere hits...

― Nic de Teardrop (Nicholas), Wednesday, 25 May 2005 09:43 (twenty-one years ago)

Love (as in Arthur Lee's group) did a horrendous version on their final album, REEL TO REAL.

As for DeVaughn, the BE THANKFUL album is surprisingly good. It's been reissued in the US on the Collectables label, and holds up well from start to finish. Includes his soundalike followup, "Blood Is Thicker Than Water."

― Rev. Hoodoo (Rev. Hoodoo), Wednesday, 25 May 2005 10:23 (twenty-one years ago)

Years ago in a thrift store, I found a whole stack of "Be Thankful" LP's, still shrinkwrapped, 25 cents apiece. I bought the lot and gave them to all my soul-loving friends for Christmas. It is a quite solid record.

― Daniel Peterson (polkaholic), Wednesday, 25 May 2005 18:45 (twenty-one years ago)

Yes, nathalie, Yo La Tengo did cover it. I haven't even heard the other covers!

― jaymc (jaymc), Wednesday, 25 May 2005 19:01 (twenty-one years ago)

I adore both the original and the Massive Attack versions. Not so crazy about the YLT though.

― Hutlock (Hutlock), Wednesday, 25 May 2005 19:22 (twenty-one years ago)

With the "Diamond in the back, sun-roof top"
Diggin' the scene with the gangsta lean
Cause I'm the E, I don't slang or bang
I just smoke motherfuckers like it ain't no thang

― PappaWheelie (PappaWheelie), Wednesday, 25 May 2005 19:34 (twenty-one years ago)

I still only know the Massive Attack version. Eviscerate me if you must.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 25 May 2005 19:35 (twenty-one years ago)

You seem to eviscerate yourself quite well with little outside help.

― bahtology, Wednesday, 25 May 2005 21:13 (twenty-one years ago)

Hooray!

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 25 May 2005 21:19 (twenty-one years ago)

google image search for "gangsta lean"

― jed_ (jed), Wednesday, 25 May 2005 21:24 (twenty-one years ago)

Massive Attack: Be Thankful For What You Got (the video) C/D?

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Wednesday, 25 May 2005 23:03 (twenty-one years ago)

they sure did good videos (up til "teardrop"). Classic.

― jed_ (jed), Wednesday, 25 May 2005 23:16 (twenty-one years ago)

seven years pass...

Tune that couldn't get any more classic. Supposedly the original title was 'A Cadillac Don't Come Easy'

― Popture, Sunday, 21 October 2012 09:52 (thirteen years ago)

Saw old-school soul group the Winstons cover this recently

― curmudgeon, Wednesday, 24 October 2012 03:43 (thirteen years ago)

I always think he's saying

"Gangsta whiteboys / TV interns in the back"

― Knut Horowitz, Able-Bodied Investment Banker and Ladies Man (Hurting 2), Wednesday, 24 October 2012 20:42 (thirteen years ago)

one year passes...

cmon, ned. cmon.

― j., Thursday, 7 November 2013 22:48 (twelve years ago)

Love (as in Arthur Lee's group) did a horrendous version on their final album, REEL TO REAL.
i don't think this is really horrendous. if anything it sticks a little too close to the script.

― tylerw, Thursday, 7 November 2013 22:53 (twelve years ago)

I was just thinking about this song yesterday, namely after reading an apt tweet about the difficulty of exercising self-restraint when old friends post youtube links to "Curtis Mayfield - Diamond in the Back". (That youtube video has > 1000000 hits, I think. Seriously, someone can't just change the title?!?)

― Fiddler on a hot tin roof (ed.b), Friday, 8 November 2013 04:00 (twelve years ago)

timely revive, as was just listening to the incredible craig peyton version earlier tonight:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybEoPKg4KNo

― reckless woo (Z S), Friday, 8 November 2013 04:02 (twelve years ago)

That cover is really good! This is my favorite DeVaughn version:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0KFpaWVy-Ac

― bamcquern, Friday, 8 November 2013 04:54 (twelve years ago)

uuuugh, this is so good!

― reckless woo (Z S), Friday, 8 November 2013 04:57 (twelve years ago)

It's the version on the Devaughn/Captain Sky twofer promo 12". Has the "Figures Can't Calculate" cover on one side and Captain Sky looking afrofuturistic on the other. I think there's a 12" reissue, too, but I can't remember the label. I'll be on the lookout for that Craig Peyton!

― bamcquern, Friday, 8 November 2013 05:01 (twelve years ago)

yeah, it's usually on discogs for around $12-15 but i'm always hoping i'll just come across it in a shop someday

― reckless woo (Z S), Friday, 8 November 2013 05:14 (twelve years ago)

That Craig Peyton version is awesome.

Massive Attack's version is an extension of Winston Curtis' 1984 reggae cover, particularly the bassline:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AhcASGSHSt8

― Plasmon, Saturday, 9 November 2013 06:00 (twelve years ago)

three years pass...

just listened to like 5 different versions of this song for about an hour

― black covfefe in bed (voodoo chili), Wednesday, 21 June 2017 20:01 (nine years ago)

for a long time i thought this was by yo la tengo. what a phantastic groove. super classic.

― Ich bin kein Berliner (alex in mainhattan), Thursday, 22 June 2017 15:08 (eight years ago)

This song is still so impressive to my ears, it always sounds fresh. It's one of those 'playlist for eternity' songs for me.

― dance cum rituals (Moka), Friday, 23 June 2017 18:57 (eight years ago)

The 8-minute Tom Moulton mix is arguably in my all-time top 10.

― insidious assymetrical weapons (Eric H.), Friday, 23 June 2017 18:58 (eight years ago)

Can't see it mentioned upthread but the One Blood cover is great too

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=meiNMQTgjfw

― groovypanda, Friday, 23 June 2017 20:12 (eight years ago)

five years pass...

The 8-minute Tom Moulton mix is arguably in my all-time top 10 1.

― ex-McKinsey wonk who looks like a human version of a rat (Eric H.), Saturday, 5 November 2022 05:00 (three years ago)

moulton is my favorite version, those vibes, dammmmn. i've played it for like an hour at a time before.

― i'm right back on my shit (Hunt3r), Thursday, 10 November 2022 04:27 (three years ago)

It is one of those songs that you just want to go on forever.

― Daniel_Rf, Thursday, 10 November 2022 10:50 (three years ago)

And it feels like it's supposed to (in a good way)!

― ex-McKinsey wonk who looks like a human version of a rat (Eric H.), Thursday, 10 November 2022 15:09 (three years ago)

The Love version ain’t as bad as someone said upthread!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WopoFAZwdBw

― kurt schwitterz, Thursday, 10 November 2022 15:49 (three years ago)

Such a good song. Co-sign on the moulton rmx as one of the best songs of all time.

― ✖✖✖ (Moka), Thursday, 10 November 2022 22:47 (three years ago)

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