Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now

"Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now"
Single by McFadden & Whitehead
from the album McFadden & Whitehead
B-side	"I Got the Love"
Released	April 1979
Format	7", 12"
Recorded	Sigma Sound Studios, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Genre	Funk, disco
Length	7:02 (album version) 3:38 (single edit) 10:45 (12" version)
Label	Philadelphia International
Writer(s)	Jerry Cohen, Gene McFadden, John Whitehead
Producer(s)	Jerry Cohen, Gene McFadden, John Whitehead
Certification	Platinum (RIAA)
McFadden & Whitehead singles chronology
"Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now" (1979) "I've Been Pushed Aside" (1979)

"Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now" is a 1979 disco song performed by R&B duo McFadden & Whitehead, from their debut album McFadden & Whitehead. They wrote and produced the song along with keyboard player Jerry Cohen.^[1] Released as the lead single from the album, the song spent a week at number one on the R&B singles chart. It also proved to be a successful crossover hit, peaking at number thirteen on the Billboard Hot 100, and reached number 5 in the UK.^[2] The single also made it to number ten on the disco charts.^[3] It eventually went double platinum, selling over 2 million copies.

"Ain't No Stopping Us Now" is about succeeding despite having faced previous disadvantages ("so many things that held us down"). It was widely interpreted to be about the experience of the African American community, and after attaining popularity, became referred to as "the new black national anthem"^[4][5] (the original being the 1900 song "Lift Every Voice and Sing").

McFadden & Whitehead would revisit the song in their 1984 single "Ain't No Stoppin' (Ain't No Way)."

Production

Despite being seen as social commentary, in an interview conducted by Philadelphia video producer Bob Lott, John and Gene revealed that the song was actually about their frustration with Philadelphia International Records owners Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, who for many years preferred that they remain as house songwriters and not performers. Gamble has confirmed that upon first hearing "Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now", he tried unsuccessfully to convince McFadden and Whitehead to give the song to The O'Jays, as he felt it was better to write and produce for the prominent recording artists of the day than to try to compete with them as on-stage performers.^[6]

The bass hook was played by Philadelphia International Records house musician Jimmy Williams.

Chart performance

Cover versions

• UK dance group Undercover released their own version of the song, naming their third album after the song in 1994.
• Luther Vandross did a cover version of this song for his 1994 cover album Songs.^[13] His version of the song was also performed as a duet with British girl group the Spice Girls for their An Audience With... special on the UK's ITV in 1997, and later appeared as a B-Side to their single "Stop".
• In 1996, the jazz fusion/contemporary jazz group The Rippingtons recorded a cover version for their album Brave New World.
• Kate Pierson and Cindy Wilson of The B-52's recorded the song for the 1996 soundtrack The Associate.^[14]
• Smooth jazz artist Ben Tankard did a gospel/jazz rendition of the song on his 2004 album Piano Prophet.
• Wayman Tisdale recorded a cover version for his album Hang Time.^[15][16]
• George Michael covered the song during his Cover to Cover tour in 1991. He also recorded a demo version, released on Trojan Souls in 1993.
• The Chipmunks and The Chipettes covered this song for the album in the 2011 film Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked, sung alongside Lady Gaga's "Born This Way" and Katy Perry's "Firework". This mashup also appeared in the film's soundtrack album.
• Venezuelan boys' group Los Chamos had a Spanish cover of this song, entitled "No Nos Pararán", based in a previous recording of the ensemble "Charanga '76", in 1979.

Soundtrack appearances

• The song was featured in the movie Boogie Nights and its accompanying soundtrack album.

Other appearances

• In 1979, New York radio station WBLS 107.5 FM used this song as their summer anthem, when the station became number one in Arbitron ratings that year.
• The song served as the 1980 theme song for the Philadelphia Phillies, 1980-81 Philadelphia Eagles and 2000-2001 Philadelphia 76ers. (McFadden and Whitehead sung a Phillies, Eagles and Sixers version of "Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now". For example, the line in the chorus would instead mention the team: "Ain't no stoppin' us now, the Phillies got the groove").
• The song is played at the end of Detroit Red Wings games after a victory.
• The song served as the theme song for former heavyweight champion of the world and boxing hall-of-fame Larry Holmes.
• This song is also the ring walk song of former WBA Heavyweight title holder and former The Ring WBA, WBC & WBO Cruiserweight champion, David Haye.
• "Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now" was played at the 2008 Democratic National Convention on the night Barack Obama accepted the Democratic Party nomination for President of the United States.
• "Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now" is the theme song for the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Marching Band, known As "The Marching Musical Machine of the Mid-South" or "M4". The band performed the song as they marched by the viewing stand for President Obama's Inaugural Parade.
• The song served as the theme song for the Baltimore Orioles during the 1979 World Series against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
• The song was also considered the unofficial theme song for the Los Angeles Rams' 1979 regular season as they reached Super Bowl XIV versus the Pittsburgh Steelers.
• The song was used in Only Fools and Horses episode Go West Young Man when it was played in a club Del and Rodney visited.

References