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"634-5789 (Soulsville, U.S.A.)" is a soul song written by Eddie Floyd and Steve Cropper. It was first recorded by Wilson Pickett on December 20, 1965 and included on his 1966 Atlantic Records album The Exciting Wilson Pickett with backing vocals by Patti LaBelle and the Blue Belles. The single reached number 1 on the Billboard Hot Rhythm & Blues Singles chart and number 13 on the Hot 100 singles chart.

Background

The phone number 634-5789 is a reference to the Marvelettes' 1962 hit "Beechwood 4-5789".

Personnel

• Charles "Packy" Axton – tenor saxophone
• Steve Cropper – guitar
• Donald "Duck" Dunn – bass
• Isaac Hayes – keyboards
• Al Jackson Jr. – drums
• Wayne Jackson – trumpet
• Andrew Love – tenor saxophone
• Floyd Newman – baritone saxophone
• Wilson Pickett – vocals

Chart performance

Tina Turner version

"634-5789"
Single by Tina Turner & Robert Cray
from the album Tina Live in Europe
B-side	"Help!" (Live)
Released	1989
Recorded	1986
Genre	Pop, Soul, Rock, R&B
Length	3:05
Label	Capitol
Songwriter(s)	Eddie Floyd Steve Cropper
Producer(s)	John Hudson
Tina Turner singles chronology
"Tonight (Live)" (1988) "634-5789 (live)" (1989) "The Best" (1989)

Tina Turner recorded a live version of the track in 1986 as part of a segment in her Break Every Rule TV special, in which she interpreted classic soul songs with guitarist and singer Robert Cray, including "634-5789", Sam Cooke's "A Change Is Gonna Come" and Wilson Pickett's "Land of a Thousand Dances" and "In the Midnight Hour". The four tracks were later included on her 1988 album Tina Live in Europe and "634-5789", sung as a duet with Cray, was also issued as a single in certain territories, reaching number 14 on the Dutch singles chart. The B-sides were "Private Dancer" and "Help!", both taken from the Tina Live in Europe album.

Chart performance

Other recordings

The song has also been recorded by: Otis Redding, Ry Cooder, Bon Jovi, Johnny Van Zant, Tower of Power, Trace Adkins, The Elgins, Rare Earth, and Sam & Dave.

Popular culture

• Eddie Floyd and Wilson Pickett performed "634-5789" in the 1998 movie Blues Brothers 2000, appearing as the proprietors of "Ed's Love Exchange" which, according to the storyline in the movie, could be reached at 1-900-634-5789 (a reference to phone sex lines).

See also

• "853-5937"
• "867-5309/Jenny"
• Fictitious telephone number

References

1. Second Hand Songs website
2. Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942–2004. Record Research. p. 461.
3. "Single Stories: Wilson Pickett, "634-5789"". Rhino. Retrieved 5 January 2020.
4. Pickett, Wilson, The Exciting Wilson Pickett, Atlantic #8129, released 1966. Notes from Atlantic CD released 1993
5. "officialcharts.com". officialcharts.com. Retrieved December 25, 2021.
6. Whitburn, Joel (2013). Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles, 14th Edition: 1955-2012. Record Research. p. 115.
7. Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 84.
8. "Tina Turner & Robert Cray – 634-5789" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved September 28, 2015.
9. "Nederlandse Top 40 – Tina Turner" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
10. "Tina Turner & Robert Cray – 634-5789" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved September 28, 2015.

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• 1966 songs
• 1966 singles
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• Wilson Pickett songs
• Tina Turner songs
• Songs about telephone calls
• Songs written by Steve Cropper
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• Atlantic Records singles
• The Blues Brothers songs
• 1960s rhythm and blues song stubs