Sunday 22 June 2008

Xavier - Work That Sucker To Death 1982

Liberty Records 12UP 651


Xavier were an 8 piece group formed by Ernest 'Xavier' Smith (guitar/bass & vocals), Ayanna Little (vocals), Tim Williams (drums), Ralph Hunt Jnr (bass), Jeffrey Mitchell (guitar), Lyburn Downing (percussion), Emonie Branch and Chuck Hughes (vocals). Smith had played with The Coasters in the mid 60s as bass player prior to joining Wilson Pickett's Midnight Movers. He later worked with Isaac Hayes and the Temptations. In the late 70s he joined Shades Of Directions and turned them into Xavier and LUV (Life's Universal Vibration). The group joined Liberty Records, shortened their name and released this single. Produced and arranged by Rahni Harris (Six Million Steps 1978) this double A Sided single features the funky Work That Sucker To Death and the beautiful 80's Groove dancer Love Is On The One.

Taken from the album Point Of Pleasure, which narrowly missed the Top 100, Work That Sucker To Death featured Smith's old friend Bootsy Collins, and George Clinton (the credits only give special thanks George, no mention of him actually performing?) The record went into the R&B Top 10 and made the UK charts in 1982.


  • Work That Sucker To Death
  • Love Is On The One
The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: Xavier.rar Filesize: 23.97 MB



9 comments:

  1. thanx. i like xavier

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  2. I'm just doing some research on this group to see if I could find info about it. My dad is Jeffrey Mitchell who played the guitar. Thanks for putting up this information.

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  3. just to add from my previous comment you posted this on my bday.. what a coincidence.

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  4. Now that, my friend, is serendipity.

    ;-)

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  5. hi! this ayanna Little, nice to know we still have people who remember us....thanks

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    1. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  6. Hello! This is Ralph Hunt jr., the bass player and writer of the hit song, Work that sucker, I now have a group called (Soulful Passion) in Connecticut.

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    1. Ralph Hunt Jr.....my friend from Hartford Jai Alai.
      "Work Dat Sucka to Death...to Death."

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  7. I live on Hebron street in Hartford cr were the song was rumored to have been recorded. The drummer Tim is an old friend. I used to live going down to his studio on Cornwall street. A young rapper from Hebron Street named Gino Beats is putting together a shout out CD to Hartfords legends and artist of the past. And I mentioned you guys to him. So I'm doing a lil research for him.

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Shout outs