Delegation (band)
Encyclopedia
Delegation was a British soul
musical group
with a lengthy career, and an amount of international success. They are generally viewed in the U.S.
as a one-hit wonder
, based on the crossover
hit, "Oh Honey" (1978). Their biggest UK
success came in 1977, with the Top 30 hit single
, "Where Is The Love (We Used to Know)".
in 1975 by Ricky Bailey, Len Coley and Roddy Harris. Working with record producer
/songwriter
Ken Gold (who masterminded The Real Thing
), they began releasing a series of moderately successful singles
such as "The Promise of Love" and "Where Is The Love (We Used to Know)". But their fortunes changed for the better in 1977 with the release of "Oh Honey," a mid tempo cut that hit the Top Ten in several countries. The accompanying album
, The Promise of Love, included the ballad
"Mr. Heartbreak", "Where Is The Love (We Used To Know)" and "Someone Oughta Write a Song (About You Baby)," which also charted
.
Coley left the band and Bruce Dunbar took his place. In 1979, Delegation released Eau De Vie, on the Ariola
label
and had international hits with "Heartache #9", "You And I" and the "Put A Little Love On Me". By 1980, Coley and Harris were replaced by Ray Patterson and Bruce Dunbar, and group continued on with lesser success.
They followed with an eponymously titled album in 1981 and Deuces High in 1982. All charted in Europe
but not in the U.S. In 1984 Dunbar quit and was replaced by Kathy Bryant. The act recorded
a couple more singles, and continued to perform through the end of the decade. The record It's Your Turn, on Epic
was successful only in France
, and The Mix on Scorpio Records, a segue
compilation
of five of their greatest hits also sold poorly.
Balley reunited with Gold to form Euro-Jam Records in the mid 1990s, to repackage Delegation's earlier recordings into new compilation album
s, and reformed the group to release Encore in Europe
in 1999, but this was Delegation's final recording.
"Oh Honey" was sampled
on Three Times Dope
's "Funky Dividends", from 1989's Original Stylin' ; Geto Boys
's "Quickie" from We Can't Be Stopped
in 1991; "When Will They Shoot?", which appeared on Ice Cube
's 1992 album, The Predator
; also on "Glow", a track on Jake One
's 2008 album, White Van Music
; and on "Chillin' Wiv da Man Dem", a track on Dizzee Rascal
's 2009 album, Tongue N' Cheek
. Whilst "Heartache #9" was sampled by Phats & Small
on their 1999 album, Now Phats What I Small Music
. It was also sampled in the house music
song, "Back to the Funk" by Klusters.
Bailey was a guest on the 'identity parade' on series 13 of BBC Television
's programme
, Never Mind the Buzzcocks
.
British soul
British soul, Brit soul or the British soul invasion is soul music performed by British artists. Soul has been a major influence on British popular music since the 1960s, and American soul was extremely popular among some youth subcultures, such as mods, skinheads and the northern soul movement...
musical group
Musical ensemble
A musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
with a lengthy career, and an amount of international success. They are generally viewed in the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
as a one-hit wonder
One-hit wonder
A one-hit wonder is a person or act known mainly for only a single success. The term is most often used to describe music performers with only one hit single.-Characteristics:...
, based on the crossover
Crossover (music)
Crossover is a term applied to musical works or performers appearing on two or more of the record charts which track differing musical tastes, or genres...
hit, "Oh Honey" (1978). Their biggest UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
success came in 1977, with the Top 30 hit single
Hit single
A hit single is a recorded song or instrumental released as a single that has become very popular. Although it is sometimes used to describe any widely-played or big-selling song, the term "hit" is usually reserved for a single that has appeared in an official music chart through repeated radio...
, "Where Is The Love (We Used to Know)".
Career
Delegation was formed in the United KingdomUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
in 1975 by Ricky Bailey, Len Coley and Roddy Harris. Working with record producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
/songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
Ken Gold (who masterminded The Real Thing
The Real Thing (group)
-Albums:Studio albums* Real Thing - UK #34* 4 from 8 * Step Into Our World , retitled Can You Feel the Force - UK #73* ....Saints Or Sinners? Live albums* The Real Thing Live Compilation albums...
), they began releasing a series of moderately successful singles
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
such as "The Promise of Love" and "Where Is The Love (We Used to Know)". But their fortunes changed for the better in 1977 with the release of "Oh Honey," a mid tempo cut that hit the Top Ten in several countries. The accompanying album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
, The Promise of Love, included the ballad
Ballad
A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads were particularly characteristic of British and Irish popular poetry and song from the later medieval period until the 19th century and used extensively across Europe and later the Americas, Australia and North Africa. Many...
"Mr. Heartbreak", "Where Is The Love (We Used To Know)" and "Someone Oughta Write a Song (About You Baby)," which also charted
Record chart
A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
.
Coley left the band and Bruce Dunbar took his place. In 1979, Delegation released Eau De Vie, on the Ariola
Ariola Records
Ariola Records is a German record label. As of the late 1980s, it was a subsidiary label of BMG which in turn has since become a part of the international media conglomerate Sony Music Entertainment...
label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
and had international hits with "Heartache #9", "You And I" and the "Put A Little Love On Me". By 1980, Coley and Harris were replaced by Ray Patterson and Bruce Dunbar, and group continued on with lesser success.
They followed with an eponymously titled album in 1981 and Deuces High in 1982. All charted in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
but not in the U.S. In 1984 Dunbar quit and was replaced by Kathy Bryant. The act recorded
Sound recording and reproduction
Sound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...
a couple more singles, and continued to perform through the end of the decade. The record It's Your Turn, on Epic
Epic Records
Epic Records is an American record label, owned by Sony Music Entertainment. Though it was originally conceived as a jazz imprint, it has since expanded to represent various genres. L.A...
was successful only in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, and The Mix on Scorpio Records, a segue
Segue
A segue is a smooth transition from one topic or section to the next.-In music:In music, segue is a direction to the performer. It means continue without a pause. It comes from the Italian "it follows". The term attacca is also used in classical music.For written music it implies a transition...
compilation
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
of five of their greatest hits also sold poorly.
Balley reunited with Gold to form Euro-Jam Records in the mid 1990s, to repackage Delegation's earlier recordings into new compilation album
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
s, and reformed the group to release Encore in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
in 1999, but this was Delegation's final recording.
"Oh Honey" was sampled
Sampling (music)
In music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or a different sound recording of a song or piece. Sampling was originally developed by experimental musicians working with musique concrète and electroacoustic music, who physically...
on Three Times Dope
Three Times Dope
Three Times Dope is a hip hop trio from Philadelphia consisting of EST , Chuck Nice and Woody Wood . 3xD, as they were called for short, were a part of the Hilltop Hustlers Crew...
's "Funky Dividends", from 1989's Original Stylin' ; Geto Boys
Geto Boys
Geto Boys is a rap group from Houston, Texas, consisting of Scarface, Willie D and Bushwick Bill. The Geto Boys earned notoriety for its lyrics which included misogyny, gore, psychotic experiences, and necrophilia...
's "Quickie" from We Can't Be Stopped
We Can't Be Stopped
We Can't Be Stopped was the 4th studio album by Geto Boys, released in 1991. It was among their most successful records in terms of units sold. The album is broken down track-by-track by Geto Boys in Brian Coleman's book Check the Technique. We Can't Be Stopped was certified Platinum in early...
in 1991; "When Will They Shoot?", which appeared on Ice Cube
Ice Cube
O'Shea Jackson , better known by his stage name Ice Cube, is an American rapper and actor. He began his career as a member of the hip-hop group C.I.A. and later joined the rap group N.W.A. After leaving N.W.A in December 1989, he built a successful solo career in music, and also as a writer,...
's 1992 album, The Predator
The Predator
The Predator is the third studio album by Ice Cube. Released within months of the 1992 Los Angeles riots, many songs comment on the racial tensions. The title is in part reference to the movie Predator 2, and the album itself includes samples from the film...
; also on "Glow", a track on Jake One
Jake One
Jacob Dutton, better known as Jake One, is an American hip hop record producer from Seattle, Washington.-Biography:Dutton grew up in Capitol Hill and moved to the North End of Seattle when he was 15. He started making music on a Casio keyboard in 1992. He attended the University of Washington and...
's 2008 album, White Van Music
White Van Music
White Van Music is the debut album of hip-hop producer Jake One. The album is entirely produced by Jake One and features appearances by rappers such as Freeway, DOOM, Brother Ali, Young Buck, and co-executive producer and label head Slug.-Track listing:...
; and on "Chillin' Wiv da Man Dem", a track on Dizzee Rascal
Dizzee Rascal
Dylan Kwabena Mills , better known by his stage name Dizzee Rascal, is a Ghanaian British rapper, songwriter and record producer. His music is a blend of garage, hip hop, grime, ragga, pop and electronic music, with eclectic samples and more exotic styles...
's 2009 album, Tongue N' Cheek
Tongue N' Cheek
Tongue n' Cheek is the fourth studio album by British rapper Dizzee Rascal. The album was released on 20 September 2009 and includes the number one singles, "Dance wiv Me", "Bonkers", "Holiday" and "Dirtee Disco"...
. Whilst "Heartache #9" was sampled by Phats & Small
Phats & Small
Phats & Small are a dance music duo from the UK. The duo consists of Jason "Phats" Hayward and Russell Small, they are best known for their 1998 hit "Turn Around"-Career:...
on their 1999 album, Now Phats What I Small Music
Now Phats What I Small Music
Now Phats What I Small Music is the first album by Phats & Small, a house music production team from Brighton, England. It was released in 1999, and contains ten songs...
. It was also sampled in the house music
House music
House music is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in Chicago, Illinois, United States in the early 1980s. It was initially popularized in mid-1980s discothèques catering to the African-American, Latino American, and gay communities; first in Chicago circa 1984, then in other...
song, "Back to the Funk" by Klusters.
Bailey was a guest on the 'identity parade' on series 13 of BBC Television
BBC Television
BBC Television is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation. The corporation, which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a Royal Charter since 1927, has produced television programmes from its own studios since 1932, although the start of its regular service of television...
's programme
Television program
A television program , also called television show, is a segment of content which is intended to be broadcast on television. It may be a one-time production or part of a periodically recurring series...
, Never Mind the Buzzcocks
Never Mind the Buzzcocks
Never Mind the Buzzcocks is a comedy panel game television show with a pop music theme, currently without a permanent presenter. It stars Phill Jupitus and Noel Fielding as team captains. The show is produced by Talkback Thames for the BBC, and is usually aired on BBC Two...
.
Singles
- "Where Is The Love (We Used to Know)" (1977) – UKUK Singles ChartThe UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
#22 - "You've Been Doing Me Wrong" (1977) – UK #49
- "Oh Honey" (1978) – U.S.United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
R&BHot R&B/Hip-Hop SongsHot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,...
#6, U.S. PopBillboard Hot 100The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
#45 - "Put a Little Love on Me" (1979)
- "Someone Oughta Write a Song (About You Baby)" (1979) – U.S. R&B #45, (1980) – U.S. R&B #66, U.S. DanceHot Dance Club PlayThe Hot Dance Club Songs chart is a weekly national survey of the songs that are most popular in U.S. dance clubs...
#57 - "Welcome To My World" (1980) – U.S. R&B #50
- "Singing/Twelfth House" (1981) – UK
- "In Love's Time" (1981) – U.S. R&B #54
Albums
- The Promise of Love (1978) – U.S.United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
R&BTop R&B/Hip-Hop AlbumsTop R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a chart published by Billboard magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The name of the chart was changed from Top R&B Albums in 1999...
#8, PopBillboard 200The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
#84 - Eau De Vie (1979)
- Delegation (1980) – U.S. R&B #69
- Delegation II (1981)
- Dueces High (1982)