"Slow Hand" is a song recorded by American vocal group The Pointer Sisters for their eighth studio album Black & White (1981). The song, written by Michael Clark and John Bettis, was released by the Planet label in May 1981 as the lead single from Black & White.

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"Slow Hand"
Single by The Pointer Sisters
from the album Black & White
B-side	"Holdin' Out for Love"
Released	May 1981
Genre	R&B pop soul
Length	3:53
Label	Planet
Songwriter(s)	Michael Clark John Bettis
Producer(s)	Richard Perry
The Pointer Sisters singles chronology
"Where Did the Time Go" (1980) "Slow Hand" (1981) "What a Surprise" (1981)

Background and impact

Although its sultry style recalls the Pointer Sisters' first American top-ten hit, the 1978 number two hit "Fire", "Slow Hand" was not written for the group; in fact John Bettis would state "the Pointer Sisters were the furthest [act] from [the composers'] minds."[1] However producer Richard Perry (Richard Perry quote:)"knew 'Slow Hand' [would be] an instant smash [hit]...that...would recapitulate and expand on the intimacy [of] 'Fire'."[2] Like "Fire"—which also featured Anita Pointer on lead—"Slow Hand" peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100, for 3 weeks, behind "Endless Love" by Diana Ross and Lionel Richie. "Slow Hand" reached that position in August 1981 when it also reached number seven on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. In September 1981, the single was certified Gold by the RIAA.[3] "Slow Hand" was ranked in the top 25 best singles of the year by The Village Voice Pazz & Jop poll.^{[citation needed]}

"Slow Hand" also afforded the Pointer Sisters international success, including the first appearance by the group in the top-ten on the UK Singles Chart.

Personnel

The Pointer Sisters

• Anita Pointer – lead vocals
• June Pointer – backing vocals
• Ruth Pointer – backing vocals

Musicians

• John Barnes – electric piano
• William "Smitty" Smith – organ
• Paul Jackson Jr. – guitar
• Tim May – guitar
• Nathan Watts – bass
• John Robinson – drums
• Paulinho da Costa – percussion

Charts

Del Reeves version

The song was covered in 1981 by country singer Del Reeves, whose version peaked at #53 on the Hot Country Singles chart.

Conway Twitty version

The song was covered in April 1982 by country singer Conway Twitty with minor lyric changes to accommodate a heterosexual male singer. His version, on Elektra Records, topped the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart for two weeks that June, and was his last multi-week number-one song.[13]

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

References