"Stir It Up" by Patti LaBelle

Song#:  2365
Date:  06/15/1985
Debut:  81
Peak:  41
Weeks:  14
Genre:  Dance-Pop, R&B, Soundtrack



Pop Bits:  LaBelle finally got her first significant solo Pop hit with the #17 "New Attitude" (#3 R&B), which was a song she recorded for the soundtrack to the film Beverly Hills Cop. In addition to that one, LaBelle was lucky enough to get pegged to sing a second song for the film and after Harold Faltermeyer's "Axel F" made it to #3, this second LaBelle track was issued out as the LP's fifth single. It nearly became her second Top 40 entry, but just missed that mark when it peaked at the dreaded #41 position. However, it did well at R&B getting to #5 while going to #18 at Dance. The two songs significantly broadened LaBelle's fan base and a new record deal with MCA would bring about her most successful single and album.

ReduxReview:  While this song was not as robust or catchy as "New Attitude," it was another solid effort from LaBelle. This should have been another Top 20 entry for her, but I think by this point the popularity of the Beverly Hills Cop soundtrack was in decline and since a lot of folks had been playing these tracks for so long, there just wasn't a lot of interest generated for this single. Still, it was a worthy addition to LaBelle's hits catalog.

ReduxRating:  7/10

Trivia:  Double Shot!  1) LaBelle would revisit this song years later for another soundtrack. For Disney's 2005 animated film Chicken Little, LaBelle remade this song in duet form with UK soul singer Joss Stone. 2) This song served as the theme song to the 1985 TV sitcom Stir Crazy, a show based on the hit 1980 Gene Wilder/Richard Pryor film. The show was not a hit and was cancelled after nine episodes. It starred Larry Riley and Joe Guzaldo. Riley had better luck later when he scored a regular role on the night time soap Knots Landing. He was on the show from 1988 until his unexpected death in 1992. Guzaldo continued to work on various TV shows and films over the years.

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