Spotlight on Luv's former label mates: Sheila & B Devotion!!!

In October 1979, Luv' signed an exclusive and lucrative record deal with CNR (a label affiliated with the French company "Carrere"). Prior to this contract, Luv's previous label Philips/Phonogram already licensed the rights for some records (including You're the Greatest Lover, Trojan Horse and With Luv') to Carrere in Germany. 

Among the label mates of the ladies at Carrere was French disco group "Sheila & B. Devotion" whose heyday coincided with Luv's glory years (1977 - 1980). 

Sheila and B. Devotion (also credited as Sheila B. Devotion, Sheila and the Black Devotion or S.B. Devotion) was fronted by French singer Sheila between 1977 and 1980. This formation briefly reached popularity in Europe and to a lesser extent in the US club circuit during the disco era. The group recorded two albums (Love Me Baby and King of the World) before dissolving in 1980 when Sheila returned to her solo career.

Before the group's formation, Sheila (born Annie Chancel in Créteil, France on August 16th, 1945) scored numerous hits in her homeland during the 1960s and the 1970s. Among her chart-toppers were "L'École est Finie" (1963), "Vous les Copains" (the French cover version of Manfred Mann's "Do Wah Diddy Diddy" in 1964), "'Petite Fille de Français Moyens" (1968) and "Les Rois Mages" (the cover of "Tweedle Dee Tweedle Dum" originally performed by Middle of the Road in 1971). Her success helped her producer Claude Carrere to launch his own record company in 1967. The Yé-yé artist was initially presented as a girl next door. 

In 1976, she recorded a French version of "Patrick, Mon Chéri" (originally sung by Kiki & Pearly and produced by Will Hoebee (who later married Luv' singer José) and Peter Koelewijn. Sheila's rendition of this song reached the Top 5 in France, sold 400.000 copies and turned gold. 

In 1977, the songstress completely changed her public image when Sheila & B Devotion was formed. She attempted to convey a more mature style in her music. Three American back-up singers/dancers (Dany Mac Farlane, Freddy Stracham and Arthur Wilkins) known as B. Devotion were hired to accompany her. She updated her bubblegum repertoire by performing disco tracks sung in English.

Because Carrere did not want to shock Sheila's public and the French media, the debut single of the group ("Love Me Baby") was released anonymously in May 1977 in France. The first pressings of the record mentioned the obscure name of S.B Devotion. The song was an instant radio and club hit. The identity of the group was rapidly revealed and the quartet was officially named Sheila B. Devotion. "Love Me Baby" became a mainstream hit in Europe.

Love Me Baby (June 1977)

Chart performance:

#11 on the TROS Europarade (Europe)

#3 on the SNEP Singles Chart (France)

#13 on the Spanish Singles Chart

#3 on the Italian Singles Chart

#9 on the Musikmarkt/Media Control charts (Germany)

#14 on the Ultratop charts (Flanders - Belgium)

#19 on the Nationale Hitparade (Netherlands)

#24 on the Dutch Top 40 (Netherlands)

The follow-up single was a disco version of "Singin' in the Rain" and was more successful. In early 1978, it was licensed to Casablanca Records to be released in the United States where it became a club hit.

Singing In The Rain (October 1977)

Chart performance:

#3 on the Europarade (Europe)

#3 on the SNEP Singles Chart (France)

#11 on the UK Singles Chart

#23 on the Kent Report (Australia)

#14 on the Spanish Singles Chart

#3 on the Italian Singles Chart

#2 on the Topplistan (Sweden)

#2 on the BT Hitlisten (Denmark)

#4 on the Finnish Singles Chart

#6 on the Musikmarkt/Media Control Charts (Germany)

#2 on the Ultratop (Flanders - Belgium)

#4 on the Nationale Hitparade (Netherlands)

#3 on the Dutch Top 40 (Netherlands)

#10 on the Zimbabwean Singles Chart

#11 on the South African Singles Chart

#30 on the Dance Club Songs (Billboard - USA)

In the meantime, the Love Me Baby album (featuring the two above-mentioned hits) came out. The group promoted their records on the same major European TV shows as Luv' (including Musikladen, Disco and Top of the Pops).

Sheila & B. Devotion scored other songs on the charts: 

I Don't Need A Doctor / Hôtel de la Plage (February 1978)

Chart performance:

#7 on the SNEP Singles Chart (France)

#20 on the Ultratop (Flanders - Belgium)

You Light My Fire (July 1978)

Chart performance:

#16 on the TROS Europarade (Europe)

#44 on the UK Singles Chart

#13 on the Irish Singles Chart

#12 on the SNEP Singles Chart (France)

#31 on the Italian Singles Chart

#36 on the Musikmarkt/Media Control Charts (Germany)

Seven Lonely Days (March 1979)

Chart performance:

#10 on the SNEP Singles Chart (France)

#16 on the Topplistan (Sweden)

#50 on the Musikmarkt/Media Control Charts (Germany)

In 1979, Sheila collaborated with Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards of Chic on the "King of the World" album which featured the classic hit "Spacer".

 Spacer (November 1979)

Chart performance:

#18 on the UK Singles Chart

#8 on the Irish Singles Chart

#5 on the SNEP Singles Chart (France)

#6 on the Italian Singles Chart

#9 on the Musikmarkt/Media Control Chart (Germany)

#20 on the BT Hitlisten (Denmark)

#14 on the Ultratop (Flanders - Belgium)

#22 on the Nationale Hitparade (Netherlands)

#19 on the Dutch Top 40 (Netherlands)

#19 on the South African Singles Chart

#28 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard - USA)

#44 on the Dance Club Songs (Billboard - USA)

Sheila's LP with Chic included two other groovy singles:

King Of The World (July 1980)

Chart performance:

#11 on the SNEP chart (France)

Your Love Is Good (1980)

Chart performance:

#75 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard - USA)

Source of the record charts: TROS Europarade (European charts), Dutch charts (Single Top 100 & Album Top 100), Dutch Top 40 (Netherlands), BRT Top 30 + Billboard Benelux (Belgium), Ultratop (Belgium), Musikmarkt/Media Control Charts (Germany), Ö3 Austria Top 40 / Ö3-Hitparade (Austrian singles chart), Schweizer Hitparade (Swiss singles chart), BT Hitlisten (Denmark), Topplistan (Sweden), Finnish singles chart, SNEP chart (France), UK Singles Chart, Irish Singles Chart, Kent Music Report (Australian charts), New Zealand singles chart, South African singles chart, Zimbabwean singles chart, RPM Top Singles (Canada), Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard - USA), Dance Club Songs (Billboard - USA)

Shortly after the release of the "King Of The World" single, Sheila & B. Devotion disbanded. Due to the disco backlash, Sheila chose a pop-rock style and recorded in 1981 an album entitled Little Darlin' (produced by Keith Olsen and featuring a single of the same name which peaked at #49 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the USA). It was her last successful international project. 

In 1992, Spacer was remixed by the renowned DJ Dimitri From Paris and released as a single. In early 1998, Sheila's re-recording of Spacer (in a Eurodance style) reached #86 on the French SNEP chart. 

On February 28th, 2018, Sheila and Nile Rodgers caused a sensation when they were invited to a prestigious dinner at the French consulate in New York. They announced on that occasion that they cut a track entitled "Law Of Attraction" which would appear on Sheila's new album in October. 

Nile Rodgers & Sheila

Sheila & B. Devotion's discography 

Albums

Singin' in the Rain or Love Me Baby (in certain countries) (1977 - reissued in 2006 and 2016)

King of the World (1980 - reissued in 1996, 2006, 2008 and 2016)

Soundtrack album

Hôtel de la Plage (1978)

Compilations

Disque d'Or (1979)

The Disco Singles (2007)

Singles

"Love Me Baby" (1977)

"Singin' in the Rain" (1977)

"I Don't Need a Doctor" (1978)

"Hôtel De La Plage" (OST) (1978)

"You Light My Fire" (1978)

"Seven Lonely Days" (1979)

"No No No No" (1979)

"Spacer" (1979)

"King of the World" (1980)

"Your Love Is Good" (US promo - 1980)
"Spacer Remix 92" (1992)

Source: Wikipedia, Discogs.com, YouTube