"Do What You Gotta Do" is a song that was written by Jimmy Webb. It was first recorded by Johnny Rivers and released on his 1967 album Rewind. In 1968, it was an R&B hit for Al Wilson. It was also a hit for Nina Simone that year and a local hit for New Zealand band Larry's Rebels.

Al Wilson version "Do What You Gotta Do"

Al Wilson's version was released as a single in December 1967. It was produced by Marc Gordon and arranged by Marty Paich.45Cat - Al Wilson - Discography, USA, Do What You Gotta Do, Soul City USA SCR 761 For the week ending Jan 6, 1968, the single was bubbling under the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 127.Billboard, Jan 6, 1968 - Page 51 Bubbling Under the Hot 100 By February 10, 1968, it was bubbling under at 103.Billboard, February 10, 1968 - Page 48 Bubbling Under the Hot 100 The following week it had only moved up one place to 102,Billboard, February 17, 1968 - Page 56 Bubbling Under the Hot 100 but at the same time, it was at No. 46 in the R&B chart.Billboard, February 17, 1968 - Page 28 Billboard Best Selling R&B Singles It peaked at No. 39 on March 9, 1968, and spent a total of 6 weeks on the R&B chart.Billboard.com - Al Wilson | Chart History, Do What You Gotta Do In Canada it reached No. 85, March 30, 1968.

"Now I Know What Love Is" The B-side to "Do What You Gotta Do" was the composition by Willie Hutch, "Now I Know What Love Is". It was produced by Marc Gordon.45Cat - Al Wilson - Discography, USA, Do What You Gotta Do, Soul City USA SCR 761 It was one of a number of songs that Hutch wrote for Wilson, which included "Who Could Be Lovin' You" and "Getting Ready for Tomorrow". Hutch was also a Soul City label-mate of Wilson.SoulMusic.com, 26 February 2014 - WILLIE HUTCH SEPTEMBER 1973 INTERVIEW It would eventually become a Northern soul hit and enduring favorite on the scene,The Times, June 12, 2008 - Al Wilson: American soul singerSoulbot - Al Wilson, NOW I KNOW WHAT LOVE IS (1967) BBC, 13 November 2014 - Stoke & Staffordshire, Northern soul, Soul & Motown Show Playlist Archive, Playlist for 29 August possibly influencing some record sellers to list the record in auctions with "Now I Know What Love Is" as the A-side instead of its proper allocation as the B-side.Popsike - '"Now I Know What Love Is"' It would appear on compilations such as Northern Soul from the City, released in 2004,Discogs - Various – Northern Soul From The City and the Kev Roberts compiled Mastercuts Northern Soul, released in 2005.Discogs - Various – Mastercuts Northern Soul

Nina Simone version

Nina Simone's version was released in August 1968. The credited producer was Stroud Productions and Enterprises, Inc., and it was arranged and conducted by Horace Ott.45Cat - Artist: Nina Simone, Catalogue: 47-9602 It spent 5 weeks in the Billboard Hot 100 and peaked at No. 83 on October 26, 1968.Billboard.com - Nina Simone | Chart History, Do What You Gotta Do It was released double-sided together with "Ain't Got No, I Got Life" in the UK and reached No. 2 on the chart.

Charts Chart (1968)Peakposition

Larry's Rebels version

Larry's Rebels released a version on the New Zealand Impact label in September 1968 backed with "Looking for a Way" which was composed by John Williams and Larry Morris.Sergent.com.au - Larry's Rebels45Cat - Larry's Rebels - Discography

The song was recorded during the group's Blast Off '68 tour. Their guitar and organ player Terry Rouse couldn't make the session so Brian Henderson played organ on the recording.Sergent.com.au - Larry's Rebels

By October 4, 1968, the single had moved from No. 11 to No. 10 on the NZ listener charts.Flavour of New Zealand - NZ listener charts 1968, 04-Oct-1968 It eventually peaked at No. 6.Pop Archives - LARRY'S REBELS, Do What You Gotta Do Billboard also recorded its entry into the NZ top 10 at No. 10 for October 19, 1968.Billboard, October 19, 1968 - Page 77 Hits Of The World, New Zealand

Other versions It has also been recorded by Bobby Vee, Clarence Carter, Paul Anka, and Ronnie Milsap. All were released in 1968, and Bobby Vee's version reached No. 62 in Canada. Glen Campbell and The Fifth Dimension have also recorded it. The Four Tops released a version in 1969 which was available as a single in the UK and was also included on their album Four Tops Now!. Both B.J. Thomas and Roberta Flack had versions released in 1970 and the following year a version by Tom Jones was released. A version appeared on the Cher and Gregg Allman duet album Two the Hard Way. Linda Ronstadt had a version in 1993. Okkervil River released a version in 2007 on their free downloadable album Golden Opportunities Mixtape. Kanye West sampled Nina Simone's recording on his 2016 album The Life of Pablo, in the controversial track "Famous," with the lyrics being sung/interpolated by Rihanna.

Webb recorded and released his own version of the song on Just Across the River (2010).

References