Wild and Peaceful (Kool & the Gang album)

Wild and Peaceful is the fourth studio album, and sixth album of new material released by the funk band Kool & the Gang, and is their commercial breakthrough album. It was released in 1973 and was hugely successful on the Billboard R&B chart, reaching No. 6 and charting for 36 weeks. It also reached No. 33 on the Pop charts, making it the band's first entry into that chart's Top 40.^[6] The album spawned the band's first three Top 10 singles. "Funky Stuff" reached No. 5 R&B/No. 29 Pop. The hugely popular track "Jungle Boogie" soared to No. 2 R&B and No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100, and "Hollywood Swinging" topped the Billboard Hot Soul Singles in June 1974 while reaching No. 6 Pop.^[7] The latter two singles both sold over a million copies and were certified Gold by the RIAA. The album itself was also certified Gold.

Wild and Peaceful
Studio album by Kool & the Gang
Released	September 1973
Recorded	April–May 1973
Studio	Mediasound, New York City
Genre	Funk R&B jazz[1]
Length	37:45
Label	De-Lite
Producer	Kool & the Gang
Kool & the Gang chronology
Good Times (1972) Wild and Peaceful (1973) Light of Worlds (1974)
Singles from Wild and Peaceful
"Funky Stuff" Released: September 1973 "Jungle Boogie" Released: November 24, 1973 "Hollywood Swinging" Released: April 6, 1974

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[2]
BBC	(favourable)[3]
Rolling Stone	(mixed)[1]
Stereo Review	(favourable)[4][5]

Record World said the lead single "Funky Stuff" provides "funk & fun from the gang and includes lotsa percussion and whistles."^[8]

Track listing

Side 1

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Funky Stuff"	Brown, Kool & the Gang	3:00
2.	"More Funky Stuff"	Kool & the Gang	2:50
3.	"Jungle Boogie"	Kool & the Gang	3:03
4.	"Heaven at Once"	Bell, Kool & the Gang	5:01
5.	"Hollywood Swinging"	Kool & the Gang, Westfield	4:36

Side 2

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"This Is You, This Is Me"	Brown, Kool & the Gang	5:23
2.	"Life Is What You Make It"	Kool & the Gang, Thomas	3:53
3.	"Wild and Peaceful"	Bayyan, Kool & the Gang	9:26

Personnel

• Robert "Kool" Bell – bass, vocals
• George "Funky" Brown – drums, percussion, vocals
• Ricky West – electric piano, vocals
• Clay Smith – lead guitar
• Dennis "D.T." Thomas – alto saxophone, flute, congas, vocals
• Ronald Bell – tenor and soprano saxophones, vocals
• Robert "Spike" Mickens – trumpet, vocals

Additional personnel

• Don Boyce – backing vocals (3)
• Rory Bell – backing vocals (4)
• Tomorrow’s Edition (Jerome Gourdine, Aaron Mathis and Wesley Thomas) – backing vocals (6)

Production

• Produced and Arranged by Kool & The Gang
• Engineers – Harvey Goldberg and Jeff Lesser
• Recorded at Mediasound Studios (New York, NY)
• Cover Artwork – Joseph Askew
• Album Design – Richard Askew

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[9]	Gold	500,000^
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.