Reception

Released in Fall 1974 on Epic Records

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...

. Virtually ignored upon release, it found a new life when it was re-released on David Byrne

David Byrne

David Byrne may refer to:*David Byrne , musician and former Talking Heads frontman**David Byrne , his eponymous album*David Byrne , Irish footballer*David Byrne , English footballer...

's independent label, Luaka Bop

Luaka Bop

Luaka Bop is a world music-oriented record label established by David Byrne, former guitarist, singer-songwriter and producer of the art rock/new wave band Talking Heads. It has been a wholly independent label since leaving V2 in 2006. Previous distribution relationships included Warner and Virgin...

 Records on April 3, 2001. This version included the original album as well as four songs taken from Otis

Shuggie Otis

Shuggie Otis is an American singer-songwriter, recording artist, and multi-instrumentalist....

' 1971 album Freedom Flight

Freedom Flight (Shuggie Otis album)

Freedom Flight , released in the fall of 1971 on Epic Records, is the third album by Shuggie Otis. The album contains the original version of "Strawberry Letter 23", a 1977 hit for The Brothers Johnson.-Track listing:...

, one of them being Shuggie's biggest hit "Strawberry Letter 23

Strawberry Letter 23

"Strawberry Letter 23" is a song written by Shuggie Otis, although known most prominently by the version recorded by The Brothers Johnson. Otis wrote the song for a girlfriend who used strawberry-scented paper when she wrote letters to him. George Johnson of The Brothers Johnson was dating one of...

", which gave a commercial boost to the release.

Track listing

All tracks composed by Shuggie Otis

Shuggie Otis

Shuggie Otis is an American singer-songwriter, recording artist, and multi-instrumentalist....

1. "Inspiration Information" - 4:07
2. "Island Letter" - 4:40
3. "Sparkle City" - 5:55
4. "Aht Uh Mi Hed"- 4:14
5. "Happy House" - 1:08
6. "Rainy Day" - 2:39
7. "XL-30" - 2:05
8. "Pling!" - 4:24
9. "Not Available" - 2:26

Personnel

• Shuggie Otis
  Shuggie Otis
  Shuggie Otis is an American singer-songwriter, recording artist, and multi-instrumentalist....
  
   - Lead Vocals, Guitar, Bass, Organ, Piano, Vibraphone, Percussion
• Jack Kelso - Saxophone, Flute
• Jeff Martinez - French Horn
• Carol Robbins - Harp
• Doug Wintz, Jim Prindle - Trombone
• Curt Sleeten, Ron Robbins - Trumpet
• Barbara Porter, B. Asher, D. Jones, J. Parker, L. Rosen, Marcia Zeavin, N. Roth, S. Boone, T. Ziegler - Strings

Charts

Chart (1975)	Peak position
Billboard Pop Albums Billboard 200 The 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...	181

Singles

Year	Single	Chart positions
		US R&B Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Hot 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,...
1975	"Inspiration Information"	56

External links

• Shuggie Otis-Inspiration Information at Discogs