ogy , ▁the ▁song ▁was ▁written ▁for ▁the ▁African - American ▁market ▁and ▁touch es ▁on ▁the ▁matters ▁of ▁self - identity , ▁family , ▁and ▁soul ▁ful fill ment . ▁It ▁has ▁appeared ▁on ▁ass orted ▁compilation ▁albums . ▁ ▁Background ▁The ▁song ▁was ▁written ▁and ▁first ▁recorded ▁by ▁Lam ont ▁Do z ier ▁for ▁his ▁ 1 9 7 7 ▁LP ▁Ped d lin ' ▁Music ▁on ▁the ▁Side . ▁It ▁was ▁produced ▁by ▁Stewart ▁Lev ine ▁and ▁features ▁additional ▁production ▁from ▁Hugh ▁M ase k ela ▁and ▁R ik ▁P ek kon en . ▁ ▁Cover ▁versions ▁ ▁Rich ie ▁Hav ens ▁An ▁early ▁cover ▁version ▁was ▁recorded ▁by ▁Rich ie ▁Hav ens ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 0 . ▁Un us ually ▁for ▁folk ▁music ian ▁Hav ens , ▁it ▁incorpor ated ▁disco ▁influ ences ; ▁this ▁version ▁was ▁later ▁sample d ▁in ▁F PI ▁Project ' s ▁version ▁of ▁the ▁song ▁and ▁in ▁" Dest iny ▁and ▁Ten acity " ▁on ▁The ▁Kle pt ones ' ▁ 2 0 1 0 ▁album ▁U pt ime ▁/ ▁Dow nt ime . ▁ ▁Od ys sey ▁ ▁The ▁New ▁York ▁City ▁disco ▁group ▁Od ys sey ▁released ▁a ▁cover ▁version ▁of ▁this ▁song ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 1 . ▁It ▁chart ed ▁at ▁# 4 ▁on ▁the ▁UK ▁Singles ▁Chart , ▁sp ending ▁six ▁weeks ▁in ▁the ▁top ▁ten ▁and ▁another ▁six ▁on ▁the ▁chart . ▁It ▁also ▁g rac ed ▁the ▁US ▁Billboard ▁R & B ▁Singles ▁at