The Undisputed Truth 1422743 224183977 2008-07-07T18:29:43Z 75.3.82.89 /* History */ {{redirect|The Undisputed Truth|the album by hip hop artist [[Brother Ali]]|The Undisputed Truth (album)}} [[Image:Undisputed-truth-motown.jpg|thumb|right|200px|The Undisputed Truth, on the cover of their first LP, [[1971]]'s ''The Undisputed Truth'', which contains their only hit single, "[[Smiling Faces Sometimes]]".]] '''The Undisputed Truth''' was a 1970s [[Motown]] recording act, assembled by [[record producer]] [[Norman Whitfield]] as a means for being able to experiment with his [[psychedelic soul]] production techniques. '''Joe Harris''' served as main lead singer, with '''Billie Rae Calvin''' and '''Brenda Joyce''', formerly of The Delicates, on additional leads and background vocals. ==History== The group's music and unusual costuming (large [[Afro]]s and white makeup) typified the then-popular trend of "[[psychedelic soul]]". A number of their singles became minor hits, and many of them were also songs for Whitfield's main act [[The Temptations]], among them "You Make Your Own Heaven and Hell Right Here on Earth" and "[[Papa Was a Rollin' Stone]]". Their [[one-hit wonder|single Top 40 hit in the United States]] was the ominous "[[Smiling Faces Sometimes]]", originally recorded by The Temptations, which hit #3 on the US pop charts in 1971. The Undisputed Truth, along with [[Rose Royce]] and [[Willie Hutch]], followed Whitfield during his exodus from Motown to set up [[Whitfield Records]] in 1975. At this time, Calvin and Joyce left the group, and Harris was joined by new members '''Virginia "V" McDonald, Tyrone"Big Ty" Douglas''', '''Tyrone "Lil Ty" Barkley''', and '''Calvin "Dhaak" Stephenson'''. The group's costuming and style changed as well, becoming even more unusual and [[Funkadelic]]-influenced. However, the group had little success at the new label, and faded into obscurity after two more albums, although they charted in the UK in 1977 (#43) with the [[disco]] single "You + Me = Love" from the album ''Method to the Madness''. Lead singer on the single "You + Me = Love" was Taka Boom who is Chaka Khan's younger sister. ==Discography== ===Albums=== ;[[Motown|Gordy]] releases: * 1971: ''The Undisputed Truth'' * 1972: ''Face to Face with the Truth'' * 1973: ''Law of the Land'' * 1974: ''Down To Earth'' * 1975: ''Cosmic Truth'' * 1976: ''Higher Than High'' ;[[Whitfield Records|Whitfield]] releases: *1977: ''Method To The Madness'' *1979: ''Smokin''' ===Singles=== ;[[Motown|Gordy]] releases: * 1971: "Save My Love For A Rainy Day" (R&B #43) * 1971: "[[Smiling Faces Sometimes]]" (US #3, R&B #2) * 1971: "Girl You're Alright" (R&B #43) * 1972: "[[Papa Was a Rollin' Stone]]" (US #63, R&B #24) * 1972: "What It Is" (US #71, R&B #35) * 1972: "You Make Your Own Heaven And Hell Right Here On Earth" (US #72, R&B #24) * 1973: "Law of the Land" (R&B #40) * 1973: "Mama I Got A Brand New Thing (Don't Say No)" (US #46) * 1973: "Help Yourself" (US #63, R&B #19) * 1974: "I'm A Fool For You" (R&B #39) * 1975: "Higher Than High" (R&B #77) * 1975: "Spaced Out" * 1975: "UFO's" (R&B #62) ;[[Whitfield Records|Whitfield]] releases: * 1976: "You + Me = Love" * 1976: "Let's Go Down To The Disco" ==Trivia== {{Trivia|date=May 2008}} *The truth serum in [[Quentin Tarantino]]'s ''[[Kill Bill: Vol. 2]]'' is titled "The Undisputed Truth." *Hip-hop artist [[Brother Ali]]'s latest record is entitled "The Undisputed Truth". ==External links== * [http://www.the-undisputed-truth.com/start.html Unofficial fan page for The Undisputed Truth] {{DEFAULTSORT:Undisputed Truth, The}} [[Category:Soul musical groups]] [[Category:Motown Records artists]] [[Category:American soul musical groups]] [[Category:Funk musical groups]] [[de:The Undisputed Truth]]