The 7th Wonder was an American soul-funk band from Tuskegee that released the 1978/79 Parachute albums Words Don’t Say Enough and Climbing Higher, followed by the 1980 Chocolate City title Thunder.
Members: Jerome “Thump” Thornton (bass), Johnnie Hammond (drums, percussion), Marvin Patton (guitar, vocals), Iulus Chislom (keyboards), Allen Williams (percussion, vocals), Wilbert Cox (vocals), Deborah Mathews (vocals)
Background
The 7th Wonder emerged in Tuskegee, Alabama, in 1973 as Seventh Wonder. The album-period lineup comprised bassist Jerome “Thump” Thornton, drummer-percussionist Johnnie Hammond, guitarist-singer Marvin Patton, keyboardist Iulus Chisholm, percussionist-singer Allen Williams, and singers Wilbert Cox and Deborah Mathews.
Seventh Wonder made its recording debut in November 1973 with “For the Good Times,” a two-part Kris Kristofferson song produced by Dan Brantley for Abet Records. Brantley wrote and produced the April 1974 follow-up “Ain’t Nothing Gonna Break Us Up” backed with “Let’s Stop Kidding Ourselves.” Allen O’Neal Williams wrote the 1976 W.G. single “Captain of My Ship” backed with “Pharoah.” William Lloyd Garrison Jr. produced the single, and Seventh Wonder arranged both sides. By 1978, the group used the 7th Wonder billing and worked with songwriter-producer Jerry Weaver at Parachute Records.
Words Don’t Say Enough
7th Wonder released their debut album, Words Don’t Say Enough, in 1978 on Parachute Records.
The album documents the Tuskegee lineup of singers Wilbert Cox and Deborah Mathews, bassist Jerome “Thump” Thornton, drummer-percussionist Johnnie Hammond, guitarist-vocalist Marvin Patton, keyboardist Iulus Chislom, and percussionist-vocalist Allen Williams.
“Words Don’t Say Enough” lingers on a male lead that rises into falsetto. “We Are So in Love” gives Deborah Matthews the lead line and layers close harmonies behind each phrase. The album leaves its clearest musical identity in lead handoffs, close backing parts, and horn-marked ensemble backing.
A1. “My Love Ain’t Never Been This Strong” (4:02) – Weaver
A2. “People In Love” (2:39) – Beckett, Weaver, Jones
A3. “We Are So In Love” (4:46) – Ward, Weaver, Thompson, Gresham
A4. “Back Track” (2:47) – Jackson, Jones
B1. “Words Don’t Say Enough” (3:45) – Wyrick, Adamson
B2. “Absence” (2:55) – Weaver
B3. “I Would Have Loved You Just the Same” (4:00) – Weaver, Scott
B4. “Love Makes You Act Like That” (3:02) – Alexander, Weaver
7th Wonder recorded the album at Muscle Shoals Sound in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, Criteria Recording Studio in Miami, and Future Stars Studio in Atlanta. Weaver produced the album while William Garrison served as executive producer.
Parachute lifted “Words Don’t Say Enough” as a June 1978 single, which reached No. 78 on Billboard R&B. “My Love Ain’t Never Been This Strong” followed in November 1978 and reached No. 51 on Billboard R&B.
Climbing Higher
7th Wonder issued their second album, Climbing Higher, in 1979 on Parachute Records.
Climbing Higher shifts 7th Wonder toward longer dance-side arrangements and slow vocal pieces. Ex-Commodores bassist Ronald LaPread co-produced the album.
“Do It With Your Body” climbs from a long harp intro into chant replies, rattling percussion, horn accents, and string layers. “All I Want” jogs through a quick rhythm and compact vocal refrain. “Something Beautiful” jolts between slow and doubled rhythmic pressure. “Daisy Lady” rides a steady dance pace and opens into the album’s cited break. “Living My Life Just for You” and “Something Inside You Feel” slow the vocal line into plush close-harmony pieces.
A1. “Do It With Your Body” (7:55) – Weaver, Echol
A2. “Living My Life Just for You” (4:03) – Miller, Echol, Sanderson
A3. “All I Want” (4:23)
A4. “Something Inside You Feel” (4:28) – Weaver, Hill
B1. “Climbing Higher” (4:57)
B2. “Daisy Lady” (4:37) – LaPread
B3. “Something Beautiful” (5:26)
B4. “Young Girl” (4:44) – Hudson, LaPread
LaPread and Jerry Weaver produced sides A and B, respectively.
Parachute issued “Do It With Your Body” in August 1979, and the single reached No. 49 on Billboard R&B. The album also produced single releases of “Daisy Lady” and “Living My Life Just for You.”
Thunder
7th Wonder released their third album, Thunder, in 1980 on Chocolate City, a Casablanca subsidiary.
The album contains eight tracks and adds outside production by Leon Sylvers III on “The Tilt” and Lakeside on “Stop Before You Break My Heart.” Jerry Weaver produced the remaining tracks. L.A. Connection served as the horn section.
“I Enjoy Ya” sways on a soft beat and group-vocal phrasing. “Missin’ Out” skips through a lighter dance refrain. “Stop Before You Break My Heart” and “I Enjoy Ya” carry the album’s faster side. “Don’t Let Me Down So Easy,” “All the Love I Thought I Had,” and “All and All” slow the lead lines into easier vocal movement. “Busy Man” fills the second side between the slow pieces and the closing “I Enjoy Ya.”
A1. “The Tilt” (6:00) – Beard, Stokes
A2. “Missin’ Out” (2:37)
A3. “Stop Before You Break My Heart” (5:56) – Stokes
A4. “Don’t Let Me Down So Easy” (4:25) – Sanderson
B1. “All the Love I Thought I Had” (3:33)
B2. “Busy Man” (4:58) – Williams
B3. “All In All” (4:59)
B4. “I Enjoy Ya” (4:42) – Beck, Willis, Williams
7th Wonder recorded Thunder at studios in Jackson, Miss. (Malaco Studios), Louisiana (River Studio), and Hollywood (KSR Recording Studio).
Chocolate City issued “I Enjoy Ya” in June 1980, and the single reached No. 33 on Billboard R&B and No. 68 on Billboard Dance. “The Tilt” followed in August 1980 and reached No. 39 on Billboard R&B. “Stop Before You Break My Heart” also appeared as a Chocolate City single backed with “I Enjoy Ya.”
Thunder reached No. 74 on Billboard R&B Albums.
Discography:
- Words Don’t Say Enough (1978)
- Climbing Higher (1979)
- Thunder (1980)
Sources:
Artist/Album Pages:
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My name is Michael Gilbert. I am the original bass guitar player with the Commodores. I knew Jerome Thornton and family back 1966-69. If this is the Jerome with the Joyettes&Jays connection. Call me
May 2020 draft
The band originally recorded as Seventh Wonder, issuing two singles on Abet in 1973/74: the two-parter “For the Good Times” (a Kris Kristofferson composition) and “Ain’t Nothing Gonna Break Us Up” (b/w “Let’s Stop Kidding Ourselves”). The first of those was included on two mid-’70s multi-artist compilations issued by Contempo. The band’s third single, “Captain of Your Ship” (not the Reparata and the Delrons song), was issued on small-press W.G. in 1976 with “Pharoah” on the flipside.
As 7th Wonder, the band released Words Don’t Say Enough in 1978 on Parachute Records. It was produced by Jerry Weaver, who co-wrote seven of the eight songs. It generated three singles: “My Love Ain’t Never Been This Strong,” “Words Don’t Say Enough,” and “People In Love Do The Strangest Things” (titled “People In Love” on the album).
In 1979, 7th Wonder issued its second Parachute album, Climbing Higher. It features eight songs, including “Young Girl,” “Something Inside You Feel,” “Something Beautiful,” and the title-track. It was co-produce by Weaver and ex-Commodores bassist Ronald LaPread. The songs “Daisy Lady, “Do It With Your Body,” and “Living My Life Just For You” were released as singles.
The third and final 7th Wonder album, Thunder, appeared in 1980 on Casablanca-subsidiary Chocolate City. Weaver produced six of the eight tracks, two with direct input from the band. The album’s first single, “The Tilt,” was produced by Leon Sylvers III. The other singles were “I Enjoy Ya” (#33 R&B) and “Stop Before You Break My Heart” (produced by Lakeside). LA. Connection served as the horn section on this recording.
Weaver later co-produced the debut album by Janet Jackson.