The Pointer Sisters is an American band formed in Oakland and made up of sisters June, Bonnie, Anita and Ruth Pointer. Group that can boast of having had 13 titles ranked in the US Top20 and won 3 Grammy Awards. Originally, in 1969, the band consisted only of June and Bonnie and went by the name Pointers, a Pair. It was the Atlantic Records label that signed them first in 1971. In a trio version because Ruth would not join the group until 1972. A first contract that did not give anything concrete. It's with the Blue Thumb Records label that things are going to gain height. The start of notoriety came with the recording of the credits of an educational cartoon better known as the "Pinball number count". Then came out in 1973 the first eponymous album, album with certain success and which offered them their first global hit thanks to the title "Yes we can can". A success amplified by the very particular style of the girls, in particular dress, which begins to be all the rage with their fans. The album "That’s a plenty" which was released later in 1974 confirmed the public interest in girls despite lower sales scores. As paradoxical as it may seem, it is the track "Fairytale", on a country sound basis, which will be the best extract. The performance is so remarkable and noticed that the girls are invited to Nashville, the Mecca of Country music, to perform on the flagship radio show of The Grand Ole Opry. Making the group the first African American group achieved this feat. A year later in 1975 the album "Steppin" was released. The girls are regaining significant sales levels but still fail to produce the mega-hit that will finally take them to the top of their game. The title "How long (Betcha 'got a chick on the side" nevertheless knows a not insignificant success in all North America. The album "Having a party" which leaves, him, in 1977 does not do much better. If not worse, not to mention the premature departure of June and Bonnie which only makes matters worse. Then came 1978. A change of label, sound evolution more in keeping with the times and June's return. And there, everything will accelerate in a dizzying way. The album "Energy" which came out that year made a real worldwide hit and the group will finally produce the long-awaited mega hit "Fire". It is a real planetary tidal wave. The title "Happiness" which came out in 1979, still taken from the same album, also knows a most honorable course. The year 1979 also saw the release of the album "Priority", with a distinctly more rock-oriented sound, which despite excellent reviews met with only limited success. The 1970s revealed them, the 1980s saw them explode. Starting with the album "Special things" released in 1980. The album will not be extracted mainly from the mega hit "He’s so shy". And to a lesser extent “Could I be dreaming”. A worldwide success which amplified the release of the album "Black & White" which came out a year later in 1981. This time, it was the track "Slow Hand" which obtained remarkable sales scores. But also "Should I do it" which was released the following year in 1982. Another decline in sales in this year 82 when the album "So excited !", album which will nevertheless produce one of their most emblematic hits, namely "I'm so excited". An awesome title, which came out in its first version that year and which paradoxically had only limited success in the Charts. Dazzling re-acceleration in 1983 with the release of the album "Break out", a flagship album that will remain as their best-selling album of all their discography. The album will produce an incredible number of hits with no less than 4 mega global hits, including the remix version of "I'm so excited". Remix version which, this time, is a real hit and literally sets fire to all the Dancefloor on the planet. Mega hits that loop on MTV, considerably boosting their impact on the public. No album release in 1984, unnecessary given the amount of singles to sell that year, all from the album "Break out". Their new album "Contact" was released in 1985 and even if it could not compete with its predecessor, it obtained more than impressive global sales scores. In particular thanks to the flagship single “Dare me”. “Dare me” which will be the last global mega hit. The Pointermania is running out of steam and after 3 completely euphoric years the bellows are starting to fall. The album "Hot Together", which was released in 1986, was the girls' last major album. Just like "Goldmine", their last single released the same year and the main single from the album.
Several albums will be released subsequently but will not know the level of success of their predecessors. Either way, the girls can always boast of having produced several pieces of anthology and which continue to make a large part of the planet dance every weekend.
To discover or rediscover.
Discography (among others ...) :
Yes we can 1973
Wand dang doodle 1973
Fairytale 1974
How long (Betcha' got a chick on the side) 1975
Going down slowly 1975
Fire 1978
Happiness 1979
He’s so shy 1980
Could I be dreaming 1980
Slow hand 1981
Should I do it 1982
American music 1982
I’m so excited 1982
I need you 1983
Automatic 1984
Jump (for my love) 1984
Neutron dance 1984
Baby come and get it 1985
Dare me 1985
Freedom 1985
Twist in my arms 1986
Back in my arms 1986
Goldmine 1986
All I know is the way I feel 1987
Be there 1987
He turned me out 1988
I'm in love 1988
Insanity 1990
Clips :
1973 ... after 2 years of running in, here comes the first classified title for girls. Mainly in the Anglo-Saxon planetary sphere but hey, it's already a start !
1973 ... no need to be a diviner to guess the sequence of events : it's going to pulse ! The girls are already showing an extraordinary energy that will explode in the years to come
1974 ... then comes this title, in total opposition to the previous one. On a Country basis moreover. But what happens to them...? And as surprising as it may seem, it's top hit !
1975 ... for the year 1975, the top hit will be this one. On a hot boiling track and in which the girls give the best of themselves, it's clear
1975 ... it grooves seriously in this year 1975. In a musical style so recognizable from this mid-decade. A model of its kind !
1978 ... then nothing more interesting until THIS title. A pivotal title that opens a new era for girls. The era of planetary mega hits starting with this one ! HU-GE !
1979 ... and here came the time of the first Dance mega hits. A running-in phase in this area, an area which will quickly become their business and which will quickly produce exceptional titles !
1980 ... a new decade which starts off under the best auspices with this new global mega hit. Mega hit which positions them as one of the biggest phenomena of the moment. MAS-TER-FUL !
1980 ... a dance dynamic which does not weaken and which gains in quality year after year. We can imagine the rest ...
1981 ... each year its mega hit. For the year 1981, it will be this one. A title glamorous at will and which shows all their versatility ! MAG-NI-FI-CENT !
1982 ... and here comes a HUGE year with no less than 3 mega hits including 1 legendary. We start with a 'normal' mega hit ...
1982 ... a 2nd mega hit but which is still not that of legend despite an obvious quality. It will therefore necessarily be the next !
1982 ... and here comes what will surely stay as one of the biggest dance hits of all time. A legendary title which, as paradoxical as it may seem, will not stay in history as the biggest success of their entire discography. Incredible but true ! Anyway, MO-NU-MEN-TAL !
1983 ... 'small' year 1983 with only 2 major hits. But how can you compete with such a brilliant previous year ? Almost impossible !
1984 ... 1982 was an incredible year, 1984 is going to be an exceptionally exceptional year ! Starting with this first global top mega hit which undoubtedly confirms girls as one of the biggest phenomena of the moment !
1984 ... they signed a first anthology Dance hit. Here is a second ! Yes Yes, it's possible. Everything they touch now immediately turns to gold ! PHE-NO-ME-NAL !
1984 ... they will sign no less than 4 intergalactic hits that year with the 2 previous tracks, the remix version of "I'm so excited" and this last track. Totally A-MA-ZING !
1985 ... a new year that started off with a bang and allowed the girls to add a new top hit to their prize list. One more !
1985 ... for the year 1985, the mega hit, it will be this one. The girls are literally walking on water and nothing and no one can stop them. The competition had better watch out !
1985 ... after an incredible wave of dance mega hits, it's time for the sweet break. The girls sign here a beautiful Ultimate Slow which once again shows all their versatility. MA-GIC !
1986 ... return of pure and hard Dance with a track that spins at the speed of light. But the girls start to mix speed and haste ...
1986 ... quality is still the order of the day but brilliant inspiration is running out. The decline is now underway ...
1986 ... the last notorious hit, after 4 totally euphoric years, and 15 years of career on the clock. It had to happen one day ...
1987 ... but the girls are not discouraged, far from it. And continue to produce titles of more than certain quality. The proof !
1987 ... yet another title that spins at 200 km/h. A brand that will undeniably remain one of the major features of this decidedly extraordinary group
1988 ... the years go by and the girls are still there. Even if the level of success has nothing to do with the previous years, they hang on and it continues to pay off !
1988 ... new Intimist parenthesis which comes to flesh out an absolutely amazing discography and which never ends. What talent !
1990 ... this time, it's definitely the end. They will still have reached the 90s starting from the early 70s, only the best will have done so. What a career !
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Official Website :
Greatest Hits :
Discography :