"Whodunit" | ||||
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Single by Tavares | ||||
from the album Love Storm | ||||
B-side | "Fool of the Year" | |||
Released | March 1977 | |||
Format | 45 RPM | |||
Recorded | 1977 | |||
Genre | Pop | |||
Label | Capitol | |||
Writer(s) |
Freddie Perren Keni St. Lewis |
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Producer(s) | Freddie Perren | |||
Tavares singles chronology | ||||
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"Whodunit", written by Keni St. Lewis and Freddie Perren, was a hit song for R&B/disco group Tavares in 1977. Released from their album, Love Storm it spent one week at number one on the R&B singles chart in May 1977, and peaked at number twenty-two on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart and in the UK peaked at number 5 the week ending 7 May 1977, where it stayed for 2 weeks. "Whodunit" was re-released in February 1986.
The lyrical hook to the song was the repeated query "Whodunit? / Who stole my baby?" The singer then appealed to a series of famous fictional detectives to help "solve" the case, including Sherlock Holmes, Charlie Chan, Ellery Queen, McCloud, Kojak, Baretta and Dirty Harry. The gimmick was reminiscent of "Searchin'", a 1957 single by The Coasters which also invoked a series of lawmen to track down a missing love interest.