When The World's At Peace/Back Stabbers/Who Am I/(They Call Me (Mr Lucky)/Time To Get Down/992 Arguments/Listen To The Clock On The Wall/Shiftless Shady Jealous Kind Of People/Sunshine/Love Train
Backstabbers was the breakthrough album for the Philadelphia soul group O’Jays thanks to the creative input from new producers Gamble & Huff. Love Train topped the US singles charts with the title track reaching No.3, both also being UK top twenty hits. (US:10)
“One of the quintessential Philly soul albums, bolstered by two famous singles, the multi-layered paranoia of Back Stabbers and the TV commercial favourite Love Train. Those two aside there's nothing really to complain about as they spin tales of love, hope, devotion, as well as deceit and despair with equal grace and skill.”
“As far as Philly soul goes, this was probably the most consistently good group of them all. This album is really their true debut. It's when Gamble and Huff first started producing them and they gained an identity as a group.”
“The excessive strings do make this feel a little too saccharine at time. But is there a single dud on this record? No, just impeccable harmonies and creative arrangements that make this one a real winner.”
“Gamble and Huff took a risk by going for this sound in the early 70s. The popular sound was funk, and there would have seemed to be no room for their clean soul sound. There obviously was though as Philly International grew to become one of the most successful soul labels. We are certainly lucky that they took the risk though, as the label provided so many great albums, this one perhaps being the best.”
“Although they had been enjoying minor hits since the early sixties, the O’Jays’ true breakthrough was with the album Back Stabbers, their first with the production and song writing team of Gamble and Huff. It features the hit title track as well as the No.1 hit Love Train, and is considered one of their best efforts. Although the entire album is listenable, there really isn’t much that can compete with the two hits which are easily the most wonderful tracks here, both being the kind of classic pop that imprints itself indelibly on the listener’s mind, and are almost too easy to enjoy.”
“This is Philly soul at its finest, crafted with love, passion, and feeling. The title track is among the most influential songs ever, and it remains as one of the most nerve-hitting tales of betrayal and hypocrisy.”
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