Fonzi Thornton's 'I Work For A Livin'

[Rodmann2]

I've been curious about Fonzi Thornton for some time because I've seen his name on hundreds of album credits over the years as a session vocalist (particularly on Luther Vandross' albums) but I still had no idea who he was. After a little research I see that he was a backup vocalist for Chic and in 1982 sang lead on 'I Work For A Livin' from Nile Rodgers' "Soup For One" movie soundtrack. Thanks to the magic of filesharing I was able to hear 'I Work For A Livin' today and was blown away by how good that song is! Damn! Fonzi's got a great voice and the groove is wicked.

My question to DM members is if there's an extended version of 'I Work For A Livin' available and was the song ever released as a single. My version clocks in at 3:18. I'm also curious about the whole "Soup For One" soundtrack. How is it? Is it worth trying to track down a copy of this album? If the other tunes are as good as 'I Work For A Livin' I'm sold! I have no idea why I'm just now finding out about this soundtrack!

[K-Bee]

Hi Rod.....good to see you back on the board! :D

I don't know the answer to your question but I love Fonzi Thornthon's voice as well.
About the "Soup For One" soundtrack....it's worth tracking down for sure. Some good stuff on there including teddy Pendergrass led track.
I may be able to help you about that particular album.....remind me next time we chat

[Rodmann2]

Hey KB. It feels good to be back. Shame on you for never mentioning this soundtrack to me before! LOL.

[markydefad]

Fonzi Thornton was a backup vocalist on a slew of recordings in the 1980s including my absolute alltime favorite LP....Avalon by Roxy Music. :D :D :D :D :D (5 Stars!!!)

[Rodmann2]

Thanks Markey.

No one has any info on 'I Work For A Livin'. I assumed that it was a well known track since it was produced by Nile Rodgers.

[markydefad]

I think it was just a track on the soundtrack for "Soup for One"; a minor New York love story movie starring Saul Rubinek & Marcia Strassman; most notable for it's soundtrack. But remember, this was 1982 and Chic had PEAKED . They still produced--but the hits were few and far between.

[Rodmann2]

I think it was just a track on the soundtrack for "Soup for One"; a minor New York love story movie starring Saul Rubinek & Marcia Strassman; most notable for it's soundtrack. But remember, this was 1982 and Chic had PEAKED . They still produced--but the hits were few and far between.

Thanks Marky. It's a shame that this tune (and the entire soundtrack for that matter) isn't more well known. It sure sounds like a hit to me. My only beef is that it's way too short and the breakdown lasts a little too long. It seems as if the song ends before Fonzi and his backup vocalists are allowed to really cut loose. That's why I was hoping that there was an extended remix. :cry:

[whitesockedfunk]

The Soup For One movie actually isn't that bad! Another Fonzi Thornton song called "Riding" can be heard (vaguely) in the movie. Both these tracks were supposed to appear on Fonzi Thornton's solo album that was unfortunately scrapped. It's not known if these were the only two tracks recorded or if there are a few more completed songs.

Here's hoping both Fonzi Thornton songs will appear on te upcoming Chic box set!

[PierreConstantin]

The picture is not good at all and the soundtrack has its highs (A-side basically) and lows (B-side with 3 songs already known). "Soup for one" and "Why" above all (this one not from the picture) are excellent. But the 12" versions are better, both with timings around 8 min. The B-side of "Why" is a nice senza voce version generally labeled as Chic. "I work for a living" is very nice and certainly better than the songs included in the two lp's RCA would release with Thornton (dated 80's sound, clueless production). But no 12" available (no 7" either I think). Pendergrass song and "Tavern on the green" are not memorable IMO.
Thornton wrote at least two excellent songs at the time, Ritchie Family's "I'll do my best" and High Fashion's "Feeling lucky lately" with Mauro Malavasi. Too bad his own album couldn't be released then and he had to wait one more year. Unfortunately the two albums finally issued were more RCA's vision than Thornton's and both seem completely forgettable to me.

SOUP FOR ONE OST

A1 Chic Soup For One (5:33)
A2 Carly Simon Why (4:06)
A3 Teddy Pendergrass Dream Girl (4:08)
A4 Fonzi Thornton I Work For A Livin' (3:31)
B1 Chic I Want Your Love (6:53)
B2 Sister Sledge Let's Go On Vacation (5:08)
B3 Chic Tavern On The Green (2:15)
B4 Deborah Harry Jump, Jump (4:02)

[sosman0]

dont forget his participation in the first bb and q band album , on the beat, time for love, starlette etc and i remember a track called beverly he did, i think there was an album.

sosman0

[boogyjuice]

dont forget his participation in the first bb and q band album , on the beat, time for love, starlette etc and i remember a track called beverly he did, i think there was an album.

sosman0

Yep, he sang on a lot of Petrus-productions, like on the early albums of Change, and the only album of the group Zinc (1982 - Arista Jive Records).
He might've sang as well on albums of Petrus' groups High Fashion, Peter Jaques Band, though i don't have the exact credits in direct reach right now.
He wrote and performed for the rare album called "The New Harlem Funk", by the Italian group Flowchart. The original Italian press was released on Maximus Records,
and an even rarer US-press came out on Street Records, including the extra track "A Little Love, A Little Wine", after which this US-album was named.
Both these albums have been reissued and remastered on CD and LP. The System's Mic Murphy, who was earlier part of the group The Jack Sass Band in the 70's
(the group was renamed Sass around 1982 with one single on 25west Records), and who was also stage-manager for Kleeer during a period, performed on the Flowchart album too.

"Beverly" is indeed from his official debut-album, "The Leader" , partly produced by Nile & Nard and released around 1983, on RCA.
The album "Pumpin" followed the year after, on the same label. Producer Robert Wright was involved in this production. Robert and Fonzi co-worked
as a team for 2 other RCA-albums in 1983 which i know of, released by The Jones Girls ("On Target") and Glenn Jones ("I Am Somebody").

[sosman0]

Thanks for your reply, yes i remember that flowchart record .I thought it was crap. I loved that Zinc track . Im living a life of love , similar to changes searching .I thought Zincs album was around 1984 . I used to like the Louder and the b side mighty fine ,by the Peter Jacques band , Both great valve for money at the tome . Do you remember the R,C.A. 12 inches being Two pounds twenty , 30p more than alot of other labels . I am somebody by Glenn Jones ,a great track , then that great album by him where all the tracks were good. finesse , i think was the album title , Great ballard on it, forgot the title.I loved this sound although i thought some of the tracks a bit weird at times,
I bought a track by BRAVO or something like that , iThink malavasi produced it
Its was not very good to say the least, never got a Btitish realease . Thers a track by a band im after As you seem very knowledgable by Weeks and co
It does not seem to exist by most peoples opinion online that is .Its called SATURDAY NIGHT by Weeks and co, Its very Funky , do you know this song . and what label it was on , Then i will be able to track it down. Good to hear here from a fellow souly , CHEERS SOSMAN0.:icon_biggrin:

[DonaldCleveland]

Sometimes you think that you are the ONLY person who likes a record. I am happy that the people here brought this fond memory back for me. I wish that I were in a position to do MORE but look here and you may be happy: Funky Town Grooves | Mirage Records - Mirage Soul & Funk Collection Volume 1

Sometimes people here listen and when we get LUCKY we are in a position to actually do something. So THANK YOU for talking about this great song that I thought NOBODY LIKED.
(There are fellow professionals who come on.....do not respond or participate much, but want to suck every idea from everyone on the board because they really do NOT know how to do their job and they are void of ideas. For those with long memories this was my shot at a certain Canadian label.)

I work for a livin'. That's MY motto.

[boogyjuice]

Thanks for your reply, yes i remember that flowchart record .I thought it was crap. I loved that Zinc track . Im living a life of love , similar to changes searching .I thought Zincs album was around 1984 . I used to like the Louder and the b side mighty fine ,by the Peter Jacques band , Both great valve for money at the tome . Do you remember the R,C.A. 12 inches being Two pounds twenty , 30p more than alot of other labels . I am somebody by Glenn Jones ,a great track , then that great album by him where all the tracks were good. finesse , i think was the album title , Great ballard on it, forgot the title.I loved this sound although i thought some of the tracks a bit weird at times,
I bought a track by BRAVO or something like that , iThink malavasi produced it
Its was not very good to say the least, never got a Btitish realease . Thers a track by a band im after As you seem very knowledgable by Weeks and co
It does not seem to exist by most peoples opinion online that is .Its called SATURDAY NIGHT by Weeks and co, Its very Funky , do you know this song . and what label it was on , Then i will be able to track it down. Good to hear here from a fellow souly , CHEERS SOSMAN0.:icon_biggrin:

You're welcome Sosman0 :icon_exclaim:
Yeah, sometimes i've bumped into sale-lots where 12-inches were quite cheap.
Zinc is defenitely from around 1982. There's a great review about the story behind that album-production :

Zinc - www.jacquespetrus.com

I'll check for that Weeks & Co. track, and also your purchase of Bravo sounds interesting.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts.



Hey Donald, good to see ya around !


Peace & keep on keepin on yall,
BJ

[boogyjuice]

Thers a track by a band im after ... by Weeks and co. It does not seem to exist by most peoples opinion online that is.
Its called SATURDAY NIGHT by Weeks and co, Its very Funky , do you know this song . and what label it was on , Then i will be able to track it down.

Did you ever tape the track from a radioshow or otherwise :icon_question:
So far, i can't find anything about this recording ..., lol.

[sosman0]

Great link, its seems i missed Zincs best tracks, STREET LEVEL and PUNKULATION, will have to try a get the album. interesting about im living a life of love was supposed to be on the bbandq band album, ALL NIGHT DANCING, This album was excellent,I love Children of the night, That cameo voice DONT YOU EVER STOP, at the beginning. I thought every track was good, maybe a little too electroish for some people ,ie IMAGINATION, but it was their best selling track, the b side i loved as well ITS SO HARD TO GET AROUND,I bet those unknown tracks are hard to get by zinc, by the way , the weeks and co track was from 1980 , it was not on their greatest hits, everyone raves about rock your world , its seems this track that was earlier and forgotten. SOSMAN0

[sosman0]

Great link, its seems i missed Zincs best tracks, STREET LEVEL and PUNKULATION, will have to try a get the album. interesting about im living a life of love was supposed to be on the bbandq band album, ALL NIGHT DANCING, This album was excellent,I love Children of the night, That cameo voice DONT YOU EVER STOP, at the beginning. I thought every track was good, maybe a little too electroish for some people ,ie IMAGINATION, but it was their best selling track, the b side i loved as well ITS SO HARD TO GET AROUND,I bet those unknown tracks are hard to get by zinc, by the way , the weeks and co track was from 1980 , it was not on their greatest hits, everyone raves about rock your world , its seems this track that was earlier and forgotten. SOSMAN0

[boogyjuice]

Great link, its seems i missed Zincs best tracks, STREET LEVEL and PUNKULATION, will have to try a get the album. interesting about im living a life of love was supposed to be on the bbandq band album, ALL NIGHT DANCING, This album was excellent,I love Children of the night, That cameo voice DONT YOU EVER STOP, at the beginning. I thought every track was good, maybe a little too electroish for some people ,ie IMAGINATION, but it was their best selling track, the b side i loved as well ITS SO HARD TO GET AROUND,I bet those unknown tracks are hard to get by zinc, by the way , the weeks and co track was from 1980 , it was not on their greatest hits, everyone raves about rock your world , its seems this track that was earlier and forgotten. SOSMAN0

Yeah, that site-owner did a good job on getting his info together. Imo the best reference online about Petrus' company.
A great BB&Q album indeed. It was one of the first of their albums which i uploaded to my iTunes. And i've spinned the
12-inch versions of "Imagination" and "All Night" frequently. Still wanna transfer those vinyls to digital one day, because
i dig the dynamic sound of a 12". Would be great if those unknown Zinc-tracks were released. Only can hope they will be someday, lol.
Very curious also how that Weeks & Co. track sounds, by reading your description. "Rock Your World" has become very standard for me.
I can rock my groove more to "What Have You Got To Lose" by his side-project The Jammers, which you mentioned in another topic.

[discodjinn]

Thornton can be seen, not just heard, in a role singing backup and one solo in Chic's second concert DVD (2006), complete with fan waving his lp in the crowd.

[boogyjuice]

Great that Fonzi toured with them. Thanks for that info discodjinn !
One of his earliest live-appearances which i've seen is on a concert-release of Bryan Ferry's Roxy Music, from a tour around 1982.

[sosman0]

Hey, thanks for trying, you know there are some beautiful tracks out there from especially the year 1980 , most of them were only imports , its my hobby to try and hunt them down, i talked about the track with one of Martin Collins helpers, i think it does exist .I remember in my youth seeing it , i think on a black label, You would have to be one of those top boys that used to work in bluebird records to know it, Anyway thanks again.SOSMAN0,:icon_biggrin:

[wall6545]

UPDATE: A tracklisting for the unreleased Fonzi Thornton album "Don't Throw My Love Away"
produced by The CHIC Organization Ltd in 1981 has recently come to light courtesy of
CHIC fan Wouter Heijke (thanks Wouter!) who very cleverly obtained this information
from the US Copyright Office. The tracklisting is as follows:

1) Don't Throw My Love Away
2) Frostbite
3) Hold It
4) I Can Love
5) I'll Change My Game
6) I Work For A Livin'
7) Riding
8) Who Me?
Apart from "I Work For A Livin'" (which featured on the "Soup For One" soundtrack),
these songs/demo's remain unreleased. Thanks also to Simon Parr for this info.

THE WHOLE SOUP FOR ONE SOUNDTRACK WOULD CONTAIN THE FOLLOWING SONGS:
01) Chic - Soup For One
02) Carly Simon - Why
03) Teddy Pendergrass - Dream Girl
04) Fonzi Thorton - I Work For A Livin'
05) Chic - I Want Your Love
06) Sister Sledge - Let's Go On Vacation
07) Chic - Tavern On The Green (Instrumental)
08) Debbie Harry - Jump, Jump
09) Chic - Open Up (Instrumental)
10) Fonzi Thorton - Riding UNRELEASED
I OWN ALL BUT TRACK 10) :icon_confused:

[davidhooper]

Extended mix is on the new Chic Organization box set. Great song.