"Car Wash"
Single by Rose Royce from the album Car Wash: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Released	1976
Format	7" vinyl
Genre	Disco/funk
Length	3:20 (LP mix is 5:06)
Label	Whitfield/Warner Bros.
Writer	Norman Whitfield
Producer	Norman Whitfield
Rose Royce singles chronology
"Car Wash" (1976) "I Wanna Get Next to You" (1977)

"Car Wash"
Single by Christina Aguilera featuring Missy Elliott from the album Shark Tale: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack''
Released	September, 2004
Format	Airplay CD Single
Genre	Pop
Label	RCA
Writer	Norman Whitfield Missy Elliott (uncredited)
Producer	Missy Elliott Christina Aguilera Ron Fair T. Herzberg C. Styles Bang Out Silence
Certification	Gold (ARIA)
Christina Aguilera singles chronology
"The Voice Within" (2003)	"Car Wash" (2004)	"Tilt Ya Head Back" (2004)
Missy Elliott singles chronology
"I'm Really Hot" (2004)	"Car Wash" (2004)	"Lose Control" (2005)

"Car Wash" is a 1976 number-one single by Rose Royce for Whitfield Records, the group's debut single and one of the most notable hits of the disco era. Written and produced by the band's main producer Norman Whitfield, "Car Wash", the theme of the 1976 Richard Pryor film Car Wash, was Rose Royce's most successful hit single. The song was later covered in 2004 by Christina Aguilera and Missy Elliott, who released their version as the single for the Shark Tale soundtrack. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... A collection of various CD singles In music, a single is a short recording of one or more separate tracks. ... Rose Royce was a soul, funk, and disco band, formed by Motown writer/producer Norman Whitfield - previously most famous for his work with the Temptations - and featuring singer Rose Norwalt performing under the name Rose Royce. ... For other uses, see Car wash (disambiguation). ... Year 1976 Pick up sticks(MCMLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... This article is about the music genre. ... For other uses, including related musical genres, see Funk (disambiguation). ... In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. ... Whitfield Records (also known as W Records) was a record label, founded in 1975 by former Motown producer and songwriter Norman Whitfield. ... Warner Bros. ... A songwriter is someone who writes the lyrics to songs, the musical composition or melody to songs, or both. ... Norman Whitfield Norman Jesse Whitfield (born in Harlem, New York in 1943) was a songwriter and producer for Berry Gordys Motown label during the 1960s. ... In the music industry, a record producer (or music producer) has many roles, among them controlling the recording sessions, coaching and guiding the musicians, organizing and scheduling production budget and resources, and supervising the recording, mixing and mastering processes. ... Rose Royce was a soul, funk, and disco band, formed by Motown writer/producer Norman Whitfield - previously most famous for his work with the Temptations - and featuring singer Rose Norwalt performing under the name Rose Royce. ... Image File history File links The CD cover of Christina Aguileras 2004 single Car Wash, from the 2004 album, the Shark Tale Soundtrack. ... A collection of various CD singles In music, a single is a short recording of one or more separate tracks. ... This article is about the singer. ... Melissa Arnette Elliott (born July 1, 1971 in Portsmouth, Virginia), better known as Missy Elliott, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, MC, and record producer. ... Shark Tale is an Academy Award-nominated computer-animated film produced by DreamWorks Animation, and released in 2004. ... A CD single is a music single in the form of a compact disc. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... For other uses, see Pop music (disambiguation). ... In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. ... RCA, formerly an acronym for the Radio Corporation of America, is now a trademark owned by Thomson SA through RCA Trademark Management S.A., a company owned by Thomson. ... A songwriter is someone who writes the lyrics to songs, the musical composition or melody to songs, or both. ... Melissa Arnette Elliott (born July 1, 1971 in Portsmouth, Virginia), better known as Missy Elliott, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, MC, and record producer. ... In the music industry, a record producer (or music producer) has many roles, among them controlling the recording sessions, coaching and guiding the musicians, organizing and scheduling production budget and resources, and supervising the recording, mixing and mastering processes. ... Melissa Arnette Elliott (born July 1, 1971 in Portsmouth, Virginia), better known as Missy Elliott, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, MC, and record producer. ... This article is about the singer. ... Ron Fair is an A&R, record producer and songwriter who has written hits for several artists, as well as being a record executive on the major label level, but is best known as a guru/mentor in guiding the career of unknown artists into superstars. ... “Golden record” redirects here. ... The Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) is a trade group representing the Australian recording industry. ... This article is about the singer. ... Alternate cover German pocket single cover Audio sample Info (help· info) The Voice Within is the fifth and final single from Christina Aguileras second album, Stripped. ... Christina Aguilera singles chronology Car Wash (2004) Tilt Ya Head Back (2004) Aint No Other Man (2006) Tilt Ya Head Back is a single by rapper Nelly with pop singer Christina Aguilera, released in 2004, from Nellys album Sweat. ... Melissa Arnette Elliott (born July 1, 1971 in Portsmouth, Virginia), better known as Missy Elliott, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, MC, and record producer. ... Lose Control is a 2005 single by Missy Elliott featuring Ciara and Fatman Scoop, released on Goldmind/Atlantic Records. ... Car Wash may refer to: Car wash, a facility for cleaning automobiles Car Wash (film), a 1976 film Car Wash (album), a soundtrack album to the film Car Wash (song), a song by Rose Royce from the soundtrack (later covered by Christina Aguilera featuring Missy Elliot on the sound track... Year 1976 Pick up sticks(MCMLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Rose Royce was a soul, funk, and disco band, formed by Motown writer/producer Norman Whitfield - previously most famous for his work with the Temptations - and featuring singer Rose Norwalt performing under the name Rose Royce. ... Whitfield Records (also known as W Records) was a record label, founded in 1975 by former Motown producer and songwriter Norman Whitfield. ... This article is about the music genre. ... Norman Whitfield Norman Jesse Whitfield (born in Harlem, New York in 1943) was a songwriter and producer for Berry Gordys Motown label during the 1960s. ... Year 1976 Pick up sticks(MCMLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Richard Franklin Lennox Thomas Pryor III (December 1, 1940 – December 10, 2005) was an American comedian, actor, and writer. ... For other uses, see Car wash (disambiguation). ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the singer. ... Melissa Arnette Elliott (born July 1, 1971 in Portsmouth, Virginia), better known as Missy Elliott, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, MC, and record producer. ... Shark Tale is an Academy Award-nominated computer-animated film produced by DreamWorks Animation, and released in 2004. ...

Song information

Norman Whitfield, a former producer for Motown Records, had been commissioned to record the soundtrack album for Car Wash by director Michael Schultz. Although Whitfield did not want to take on the project, he did so because of both the money involved and the chance to give Rose Royce, a disco/funk band who left Motown with Whitfield in 1975, the exposure they needed to break into the mainstream. Unable to come up with a theme song for the film, inspiration finally struck Whitfield while playing a game of basketball, and he wrote his first draft of "Car Wash" on a bag of fried chicken he'd bought. Motown Records, also known as Tamla-Motown outside of the United States, is a record label originally based out of Detroit, Michigan (Motor City, hence mo(tor)town), from where it achieved widespread international success. ... Michael Schultz (born November 10, 1938 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin) is an African American director and film producer. ... This article is about the music genre. ... For other uses, including related musical genres, see Funk (disambiguation). ... Year 1975 (MCMLXXV) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the sport. ...

The resulting song set the mood and tone for the blaxploitation comedy film it was commissioned for. Rose Royce lead singer Rose Norwalt, with brief assistance from guitarist Kanji Brown, paints a picture of a fun and easy-going car washing business, where everything is "always cool/and the boss don't mind sometimes if you act a fool." Shaft (1971) Blaxploitation is a film genre that emerged in the United States in the early 1970s when many exploitation films were made that targeted the urban black audience; the word itself is a portmanteau of the words “black” and “exploitation. ... Comedy film is genre of film in which the main emphasis is on humor. ... For other uses, see Car wash (disambiguation). ...

Car Wash's soundtrack, a double album, was Rose Royce's debut LP, and the title track was their debut single. "Car Wash" sold two million copies, and was a number one hit on both the Billboard pop and R&B charts in the United States and a top ten hit in the United Kingdom. The song held the number-one spot on the Billboard Hot 100 for one week, from January 22, 1977 to January 29, replacing "I Wish" by Stevie Wonder, and replaced by "Torn Between Two Lovers" by Mary MacGregor. The Car Wash soundtrack album, entirely recorded by Rose Royce and Whitfield, spawned two more hit singles: "I Wanna Get Next to You" and "I'm Going Down" (later covered in 1994 by Mary J. Blige). A double album is an audio album of sufficient length that two units of the medium in which it is sold (especially records and compact discs) are necessary to contain the entirety of it. ... “Hot 100” redirects here. ... is the 22nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also: 1977 (album) by Ash. ... is the 29th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Songs in the Key of Life track listing I Wish (1976) is a hit funk song by Stevie Wonder. ... Stevie Wonder (born Stevland Hardaway Judkins on May 13, 1950, name later changed to Stevland Hardaway Morris),[1] is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer. ... Mary MacGregor (born 6 May 1948, St. ... Year 1994 (MCMXCIV) The year 1994 was designated as the International Year of the Family and the International Year of the Sport and the Olympic Ideal by the United Nations. ... Mary Jane Blige (born January 11, 1971) is an American R&B, soul, and hip hop soul singer, songwriter, occasional rapper, record producer, and actress who has sold over twenty one million records in the United State alone. ...

Covers and other uses

In 2004, pop singer Christina Aguilera and rapper/singer Missy Elliott recorded a cover version of "Car Wash", giving the disco song a more modern pop feel and adding rapped verses from Elliott. In an interview Aguilera said, "...we had to change the key to be a little bit higher for my range. So we couldn't take the exact samples, but we brought in all these live instruments to recreate kind of this old, old classic, soulful feel and sound...." Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the singer. ... Melissa Arnette Elliott (born July 1, 1971 in Portsmouth, Virginia), better known as Missy Elliott, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, MC, and record producer. ...

 "Car Wash" was the only single from the soundtrack to DreamWorks' computer animated film Shark Tale. Their version was supported with a music video, featuring Aguilera and Elliott as animated fish similar to those in the film. Aguilera and Elliott's cover of "Car Wash" missed the U.S. Billboard Top 40, peaking at number sixty-three, while becoming a top five hit in the United Kingdom. 

In the UK it was released competetively against other acts including Usher & Alicia Keys' My Boo (#5), rival Britney Spears' own cover of My Prerogative (#3), Destiny's Child's Lose My Breath (#2) and Eminem's controversial Just Lose It at #1. It gained considerable attention as it was the first instance where all top 5 positions were new entries, and all American artists. While the single came out on the losing end in its debut week, it ended up having much longer longevity than Britney and Destinys Childs singles, and in the end outsold them. This article is about the film studio. ... Computer animation is the art of creating moving images via the use of computers. ... Shark Tale is an Academy Award-nominated computer-animated film produced by DreamWorks Animation, and released in 2004. ... A music video is a short film or video that accompanies a complete piece of music, most commonly a song. ... For other uses, see Fish (disambiguation). ... Usher may refer to: Look up usher in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Alicia Keys (born Alicia J. Augello-Cook on January 25, 1980[1][2]) is an American R&B and soul singer, songwriter, pianist, record producer, actress, philanthropist, and author who has sold over twenty-five million records worldwide and has won numerous awards, including nine Grammy Awards, eleven Billboard Music... My Boo is the name of two popular R&B songs. ... Britney Jean Spears (born December 2, 1981) is a Grammy Award-winning[1] American pop singer, dancer, actress, author and songwriter. ... My Prerogative is a 1988 single by R&B singer Bobby Brown (see 1988 in music). ... Destinys Child was an American R&B group. ... Lose My Breath is an R&B/dance-pop song written by Beyonce Knowles, Kelly Rowland, Michelle Williams, Rodney Darkchild Jerkins, LaShawn Daniels, Fred Jerkins III, Sean Garrett, and Jay-Z for Destinys Childs fourth studio album, Destiny Fulfilled (2004). ... Marshall Bruce Mathers III (born October 17, 1972), better known as Eminem or Slim Shady, is a Grammy and Academy Award-winning American rapper, record producer and actor from the Detroit, Michigan area. ... Just Lose It is a song by American rapper Eminem, released in 2004. ...

The original Rose Royce version of "Car Wash" is one of the most sampled songs in history, not for its main instrumentation, but for its introductory section. The song opens with a series of hand claps, which have been sampled many times for both hip hop and R&B songs from the 1980s on. This article is about reusing existing sound recordings in creating new works. ... Hip hop music is a style of music which came into existence in the United States during the mid-1970s, and became a large part of modern pop culture during the 1980s. ... Rhythm and blues (or R & B) is a musical marketing term introduced in the United States in the late 1940s by Billboard magazine. ... The 1980s refers to the years from 1980 to 1989. ...

Charts

Songs in the Key of Life track listing I Wish (1976) is a hit funk song by Stevie Wonder. ... Stevie Wonder (born Stevland Hardaway Judkins on May 13, 1950, name later changed to Stevland Hardaway Morris),[1] is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer. ... “Hot 100” redirects here. ... This is a list of number-one hits in the United States by year from the Billboard Hot 100. ... is the 29th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also: 1977 (album) by Ash. ... Torn Between Two Lovers is the title of a song written by Peter Yarrow and Philip Jarrell. ... Mary MacGregor (born 6 May 1948, St. ... Dazz was a hit song by R&B/funk band Brick. ... Brick was an Atlanta band that created a successful merger of funk and jazz in the 70s they called dazz. ... Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, formerly known by various names including Hot Soul Singles, Hot Black Singles, and Hot R&B Singles (before the hip-hop term was added in the late 1990s), is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States. ... This article needs to be wikified. ... is the 359th day of the year (360th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1976 Pick up sticks(MCMLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 1st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also: 1977 (album) by Ash. ... Darlin Darlin Baby (Sweet Tender Love) was a hit song by R&B vocal trio The OJays released in late 1976. ... The OJays is a popular Philadelphia soul group, originally consisting of Walter Williams (born August 25, 1942), Bill Isles, Bobby Massey, William Powell (January 20, 1942 - May 26, 1977) and Eddie Levert (born June 16, 1942). ... Songs in the Key of Life track listing I Wish (1976) is a hit funk song by Stevie Wonder. ... Stevie Wonder (born Stevland Hardaway Judkins on May 13, 1950, name later changed to Stevland Hardaway Morris),[1] is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer. ... The United World Chart is a worldwide chart issued every week by Media Traffic, using both sales (digital and physical) and airplay to determine the most popular albums and singles in the world. The United World Chart uses the same system as the Billboard Hot 100, in which the tracking... This is a list of the United World Chart number-ones of 1977. ... is the 43rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also: 1977 (album) by Ash. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Smokie is an English glam rock band from Bradford who found success in Europe in the 1970s. ...

See also

• Hot 100 No. 1 Hits of 1977 (USA)