Editing Joe Tex

{{Short description|American singer and musician (1935–1982)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2020}}
{{More citations needed|date=January 2010}}
{{Infobox musical artist <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject_Musicians -->
| name                = Joe Tex
| background          = solo_singer
| image               = Joe Tex.png
| image_size          = 250px
| caption             = Tex in 1965
| birth_name          = Joseph Arrington Jr.
| alias               = Yusuf Hazziez
| birth_date          = {{Birth date|1935|08|08}}<ref name="joetexworld">{{cite web|url=http://soultex.webs.com/theearlyyears.htm|title=Bio – The World of Joe Tex|website=Soultex.webs.com|access-date=July 18, 2012|archive-date=November 19, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181119092016/https://soultex.webs.com/theearlyyears.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/farqe |title=ARRINGTON, JOSEPH, JR. [JOE TEX]|website=Tshaonline.org |publisher=Texas State Historical Association|first=Kirven |last=Tillis|date=November 1, 1994|access-date=July 18, 2012}} Updated: September 18, 2023|</ref>
| birth_place         = [[Rogers, Texas]], U.S.
| origin              = [[Baytown, Texas]], U.S.<ref name="The Book of Golden Discs">{{cite book|first=Joseph|last=Murrells|year=1978|title=The Book of Golden Discs|edition=2nd|publisher=[[Barrie and Jenkins]] Ltd|location=London, UK|page=[https://archive.org/details/bookofgoldendisc00murr/page/183 183]|isbn=0-214-20512-6|url=https://archive.org/details/bookofgoldendisc00murr/page/183}}</ref>
| death_date          = {{Death date and age|1982|08|13|1935|08|08}}
| death_place         = [[Navasota, Texas]], United States
| genre               = {{flatlist| 
* [[Rhythm and blues|R&B]]
* [[Soul music|soul]]
* [[southern soul]]
* [[southern soul|deep soul]]
* [[funk]]
* [[disco]]
}}
| occupation          = Singer-songwriter
| instrument          = Vocals, Guitar
| years_active        = 1955–1982
| label               = {{flatlist|
* [[King Records (United States)|King Records]]
* [[Ace Records (United States)|Ace Records]]
* [[Anna Records]]
* [[Dial Records (1964)|Dial Records]]
* [[Atlantic Records]]
* [[Mercury Records]]
* [[Epic Records]]
}}
}}

'''Yusuf Hazziez''' (born '''Joseph Arrington Jr.'''; August 8, 1935<ref name="joetexworld"/> – August 13, 1982), known professionally as '''Joe Tex''', was an American singer and musician who gained success in the 1960s and 1970s with his brand of [[Southern soul]], which mixed the styles of funk, country, gospel, and rhythm and blues.<ref name="joetexworld"/>

His career started after he was signed to [[King Records (USA)|King Records]] in 1955 following four wins at the [[Apollo Theater]]. Between 1955 and 1964, he struggled to find hits, and by the time he finally recorded his first hit, "[[Hold What You've Got]]" in 1964, he had recorded 30 previous singles that were deemed failures on the charts.<ref name="joetexworld"/> He went on to have four million-selling hits: "Hold What You've Got" (1965), "[[Skinny Legs and All (song)|Skinny Legs and All]]" (1967),<ref name="The Book of Golden Discs 2">{{cite book|last=Murrells|year=1978|title=The Book of Golden Discs|edition=2nd|publisher=Barrie & Jenkins|location=|page=[https://archive.org/details/bookofgoldendisc00murr/page/231 231]|isbn=978-0-214-20512-5|url=https://archive.org/details/bookofgoldendisc00murr/page/231}}</ref> "[[I Gotcha (Joe Tex song)|I Gotcha]]" (1972),<ref name="The Book of Golden Discs 3">{{cite book|last=Murrells|year=1978|title=The Book of Golden Discs|edition=2nd|publisher=Barrie & Jenkins|location=|page=[https://archive.org/details/bookofgoldendisc00murr/page/322 322]|isbn=978-0-214-20512-5|url=https://archive.org/details/bookofgoldendisc00murr/page/322}}</ref> and "[[Ain't Gonna Bump No More (With No Big Fat Woman)]]" (1977).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rockpopinfo.com/songs/ain-t-gonna-bump-no-more-with-no-big-fat-woman/display|title=Ain't Gonna Bump No More (With No Big Fat Woman)|website=RockPopInfo.com|access-date=June 29, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150405191850/http://www.rockpopinfo.com/songs/ain-t-gonna-bump-no-more-with-no-big-fat-woman/display|archive-date=April 5, 2015|url-status=usurped}}</ref>

Tex was nominated for the [[Rock & Roll Hall of Fame]] six times, most recently in 2017.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/rock-and-roll-hall-of-fame-2017/|title=2017 Rock and Roll Hall of fame nominees|website=Cbsnews.com|date=October 18, 2016 |access-date=February 8, 2019}}</ref>

==Early life==
Joe Tex was born Joseph Arrington, Jr. in [[Rogers, Texas]], in [[Bell County, Texas|Bell County]] to Joseph Arrington and Cherie Sue (Jackson) Arrington.<ref name="joetexworld"/> He and his sister Mary Sue were initially raised by their grandmother, Mary Richardson. After their parents divorced, Cheri Arrington moved to [[Baytown, Texas|Baytown]].<ref name="The Book of Golden Discs"/> Tex played [[baritone saxophone]] in the high-school band and sang in a local [[Pentecostal]] church choir. He entered several talent shows, and after an important win in [[Houston]], he won $300 and a trip to New York City.<ref name="joetexworld"/> Joe Tex took part in the amateur portion of the [[Apollo Theater]], winning first place four times, which led to his discovery by [[Henry Glover]], who offered him a contract with [[King Records (United States)|King Records]]. His mother's wish was that he graduate from high school first, and Glover agreed to wait a year before signing him at age 19.<ref name="joetexworld"/>

==Music career==
===Early recordings===
Tex recorded for King Records between 1955 and 1957 with little success. He later claimed he sold musical rights to the composition "[[Fever (Little Willie John song)|Fever]]" to King Records staff to get money to pay his [[Renting|rent]]. The song's credited songwriters, [[Otis Blackwell]] (who used the pseudonym John Davenport) and Joe Cooley, disputed Tex's claims.<ref name="joetexworld"/> Labelmate [[Little Willie John]] had a hit with "Fever", which inspired Tex to write the first of his [[answer song]]s, "Pneumonia".<ref name="joetexworld"/>

In 1958, he signed with [[Ace Records (United States)|Ace]] and continued to have relative failures, but he was starting to build a unique stage reputation, opening for artists such as [[Jackie Wilson]], [[James Brown]], and [[Little Richard]]. He perfected the microphone tricks and dance moves that defined the rest of his career. Many, including Little Richard, claim that Tex's future nemesis James Brown stole Tex's dance moves and microphone tricks.<ref name="joetexworld"/> In 1960, he left Ace and briefly recorded for Detroit's [[Anna Records]] label, scoring a Bubbling Under ''Billboard'' hit with his [[cover version]] of [[Etta James]]' "[[All I Could Do Was Cry]]". By then, Tex's use of rapping over his music was starting to become commonplace.<ref name="joetexworld"/>

In 1961, he recorded his composition "[[Baby You're Right]]" for Anna. Later that year, James Brown recorded a cover version, though with different lyrics and a different musical composition, gaining songwriting credit, making it a hit in 1962, and reaching number two on the R&B chart. During this time, Tex first began working with [[Buddy Killen]], who formed the [[Dial Records (1964)|Dial Records]] label behind Tex. After a number of songs failed to chart, Killen decided to have [[Atlantic Records]] distribute his recordings with Dial in 1964. By the time he signed with Atlantic, Tex had recorded 30 songs, all of which had failed to make an impact on the charts.<ref name="joetexworld2">{{cite web |url=https://soultex.webs.com/builduptobreakthrough.htm |title=Build up to breakthrough - The World of Joe Tex |access-date=July 15, 2020 |archive-date=July 19, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200719115638/https://soultex.webs.com/builduptobreakthrough.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref>

===Success===
Tex recorded and finally scored his first hit, "[[Hold What You've Got]]", in November 1964 at [[FAME Studios]] in [[Muscle Shoals, Alabama]].<ref name="joetexworld"/> He was unconvinced the song would be a hit and advised Killen not to release it.<ref name="joetexworld"/> However, Killen felt otherwise and released the song in early 1965. By the time Tex got wind of its release, the song had already sold 200,000 copies.<ref name="joetexworld2"/> The song eventually peaked at number five on the [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]] and became Tex's first number-one hit on the R&B charts, staying on the charts for 11 weeks and selling more than a million copies by 1966.<ref name="The Book of Golden Discs"/>

Tex placed six top-40 charted singles on the R&B charts in 1965 alone, including two more number-one hits, "I Want To (Do Everything For You)" and "[[A Sweet Woman Like You]]".<ref name="joetexworld"/> He followed that with two successive albums, ''Hold On To What You've Got'' and ''The New Boss''. He placed more R&B hits than any artist, including his rival James Brown. In 1966, five more singles entered the top 40 on the R&B charts, including "The Love You Save" and "S.Y.S.L.J.F.M." or "The Letter Song", which was an answer song to [[Wilson Pickett]]'s "[[634-5789 (Soulsville, U.S.A.)]]".<ref name="joetexworld4">{{cite web |url=https://soultex.webs.com/1966ivegottodoal.htm |title=1966: I've got to do a little better|website=Soultex.webs.com |access-date=July 15, 2020}}</ref>

His 1967 hits included "[[Show Me (Joe Tex song)|Show Me]]", which became an often-covered tune for British rock artists and later some country and pop artists, and his second million-selling hit, "[[Skinny Legs and All (song)|Skinny Legs and All]]".<ref name="joetexworld5">{{cite web |url=https://soultex.webs.com/1967skinnylegsandal.htm |title=1967: Skinny legs and all |website=Soultex.webs.com |access-date=July 15, 2020 |archive-date=July 17, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200717090953/https://soultex.webs.com/1967skinnylegsandal.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ct30.com/kgb/1967/671220.txt|title=KGB, San Diego, California – Survey for week of Wednesday December 20, 1967|website=Ct30.com|access-date=November 10, 2012}}</ref> The latter song, released off Tex's pseudo-live album, ''Live and Lively'', stayed on the charts for 15 weeks and was awarded a [[music recording sales certification|gold disc]] by the [[Recording Industry Association of America]] (RIAA) in January 1968.<ref name="The Book of Golden Discs 2"/> After leaving Atlantic for Mercury, Tex had several more R&B hits including "Buying a Book" in 1970 and "Give the Baby Anything the Baby Wants" in 1971. The intro saxophone riffs in his 1969 song, "You're Right, Ray Charles" later influenced [[Funkadelic]]'s "Standing on the Verge of Gettin' It On".<ref name="joetexworld8">{{cite web |url=https://soultex.webs.com/197071thesameolds.htm |title=1970/71: The same old soup |website=Soultex.webs.com|access-date=July 15, 2020}}</ref>

{{quote box|quote="Tex is a [[novelty song|novelty]] artist whose subject is [[morality]] ... all over some very punchy dance tracks by [[James Brown]] out of [[Stax-Volt]]."|source=— ''[[Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies]]'' (1981)<ref name="CG">{{cite book|last=Christgau|first=Robert|author-link=Robert Christgau|year=1981|title=[[Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies]]|publisher=[[Ticknor & Fields]]|isbn=089919026X|chapter=Consumer Guide '70s: T|chapter-url=https://www.robertchristgau.com/get_chap.php?k=T&bk=70|access-date=March 16, 2019}}</ref>|width=23%|align=right|style=padding:8px;}}

Tex recorded his next big hit, "I Gotcha", in December 1971. The song was released in January 1972 and stayed on the charts for 20 weeks, staying at number two on the Hot 100 for two weeks and sold more than 2 million copies, becoming his biggest-selling hit to date.<ref name="The Book of Golden Discs 3"/> Tex was offered a gold disc of the song on March 22, 1972. The parent album reached number 17 on the pop albums chart.<ref name="The Book of Golden Discs 3"/> The song would later be included in director [[Quentin Tarantino]]'s 1992 film debut ''[[Reservoir Dogs]]''. Following this and another album, Tex announced his retirement from show business in September 1972 to pursue life as a minister for [[Islam]].<ref name="joetexworld"/> Tex returned to his music career following the death of [[Elijah Muhammad]] in 1975, releasing the top-40 R&B hit, "Under Your Powerful Love". His last hit, "Ain't Gonna Bump No More (With No Big Fat Woman)", was released in 1977 and peaked at number 12 on the Hot 100 and number 2 in the UK.<ref name="joetexworld"/>

His last public appearances were as part of a revised 1980s version of the Soul Clan in 1981. After that, Tex withdrew from public life, settling at his ranch in [[Navasota, Texas]], and watching football games by his favorite team, the [[Houston Oilers]].<ref name="joetexworld9">{{cite web |url=https://soultex.webs.com/197882howdoyouspe.htm |title=1978-82: How do you spell relief? |website=Soultex.webs.com |access-date=July 15, 2020 |archive-date=July 16, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200716041759/https://soultex.webs.com/197882howdoyouspe.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref>

===Rivalry with James Brown===
The feud between Tex and fellow label mate James Brown allegedly originated sometime in the mid-1950s, when both artists were signed to associated imprints of King Records, when Brown reportedly called out on Tex for a "battle" during a dance at a local [[juke joint]]. In 1960, Tex left King and recorded a few songs for Detroit-based Anna Records; one of the songs he recorded was the ballad "Baby, You're Right". A year later, Brown recorded the song and released it in 1961, changing the lyrics and the musical composition, earning Brown co-songwriting credits along with Tex. By then, Brown had recruited singer Bea Ford, who had been married to Tex but had divorced him in 1959. In 1960, Brown and Ford recorded the song, "You've Got the Power". Shortly afterward, Tex got a personal letter from Brown telling him that he was through with Ford and if Tex wanted her back, he could have her. Tex responded by recording the [[diss record]] "You Keep Her" in 1962.

In 1963, their feud escalated when Tex and Brown performed a concert in [[Macon, Georgia]]. Tex, who opened the show, imitated Brown by appearing in a torn, tattered cape and rolling around on the floor screaming, "Please—somebody help get me out of this cape!" Brown, already angry with Tex over the song "You Keep Her", left the club and returned with guns. Tex had left the club before the shooting commenced.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pghcitypaper.com/pittsburgh/pittsburgh-based-author-celebrates-the-often-overlooked-career-of-soul-legend-joe-tex/Content?oid=15581851|title=Pittsburgh-based author celebrates the often overlooked career of soul legend Joe Tex|last=Gordon|first=Alex|date=August 7, 2019|website=Pittsburgh City Paper}}</ref> The incident led to multiple people being shot and stabbed.<ref name="post-gazette.com">{{Cite web |url=https://www.post-gazette.com/ae/books/2019/08/03/Jason-Martinko-Hold-What-You-ve-Got-Joe-Tex-Story/stories/201908040002|title='Hold What You've Got': A local writer pulls Joe Tex's story into the light |date=August 3, 2019|website=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette|access-date=2020-02-14}}</ref><ref name="Martinko 2018 21">{{Cite book |last=Martinko|first=Jason|year=2018|title=Hold What You've Got: The Joe Tex Story|isbn=978-1-387-93286-3 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OvHCDwAAQBAJ&q=Macon+joe+tex+james+brown&pg=PA21 |page=21|publisher=Lulu.com }}</ref> Since Brown was still on parole at the time, he relied on his agent Clint Brantley "and a few thousand dollars to make the situation disappear".<ref name="post-gazette.com"/><ref name="Martinko 2018 21"/> According to fellow performer [[Johnny Jenkins]], "seven people got shot", and after the shootout ended, a man appeared and gave "each one of the injured a hundred dollars apiece not to carry it no further and not to talk to the press".<ref name="post-gazette.com"/><ref name="Martinko 2018 21"/> Brown was never charged for the incident. Tex later claimed that Brown stole his dance moves and his microphone stand tricks.

In a few interviews he gave in the 1960s, Tex dismissed the notion of Brown being called "Soul Brother No. 1", insisting that [[Little Willie John]] was the original "Soul Brother No. 1".<ref name="joetexworld7">{{cite web |url=https://soultex.webs.com/1968newsoulbrother.htm |title=1968: New Soul Brother|website=Soultex.webs.com |access-date=July 15, 2020}}</ref> Tex even claimed Brown stopped some radio disc jockeys from playing his hit "Skinny Legs and All", which Tex claimed prevented Tex from taking down one of Brown's number-one songs at the time.<ref name="joetexworld7"/> During a 1968 tour, Tex had the words "The New Soul Brother No. 1" on his tour bus, but eventually took the name off the bus and had it repainted.<ref name="joetexworld" /> Tex challenged Brown to contest who "the real soul brother" was. Brown reportedly refused the challenge, telling the ''[[Afro-American (newspaper)|Afro-American]]'', "I will not fight a black man. You need too much help."<ref name="joetexworld7"/> While Tex moved on from his initial feud with Brown, Brown reportedly joked, "Who?" in his [[Bobby Byrd]] and [[Hank Ballard]] duet "Funky Side of Town" from his ''[[Get on the Good Foot]]'' album when Ballard mentioned Tex's name as one of the stars of soul music.

==Personal life and death==
A convert to the [[Nation of Islam]] in 1966, he changed his name to Yusuf Hazziez, and toured as a spiritual lecturer.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.austinweeklynews.com/2009/02/18/soul-singers-life-filled-with-music-and-faith/|title=Soul singer's life filled with music and faith|date=February 10, 2021|newspaper=[[Austin Weekly News]]|first=La Risa |last=Lynch|access-date=June 15, 2021}}</ref> He had two daughters, Eartha Doucet and Leslie Arrington, and four sons, Joseph Arrington III, Ramadan Hazziez, Jwaade Hazziez, and Joseph Hazziez.

Though he lived most of his life free of drugs and alcohol, according to his longtime producer [[Buddy Killen]], Tex suffered from addiction during the last four years of his life.<ref name="joetexworld9"/> In his final performances as part of the Soul Clan, he appeared gaunt and unwell, and Killen claimed that Tex had "lost his will to live".<ref name="joetexworld9"/>

In early August 1982, Tex was found at the bottom of a swimming pool at his home in Navasota, after which he was revived in hospital and sent home.<ref name="joetexworld9"/> Just a few days later, on August 13, five days after his 47th birthday, he died at Grimes Memorial Hospital in Navasota, following a heart attack.<ref name="joetexworld9"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1982/08/14/Soul-singer-dies-at-47/8313398145600/|title=Soul singer dies at 47|website=Upi.com|date=August 14, 1982|access-date=June 15, 2021}}</ref>

==Cover versions==
Several other artists have [[cover version|covered]] Tex's work. [[The Foundations]] covered "Show Me".<ref>[https://secondhandsongs.com/artist/1723/covers  Joe Tex Cover] retrieved 26 October 2021</ref> US R&B group [[The Raelettes]] and UK hard rock band [[Nazareth (band)|Nazareth]] covered "[[I Want To (Do Everything for You)]]", and [[Phish]] performed "You Better Believe It Baby".<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://phish.net/song/you-better-believe-it-baby/history|title=You Better Believe It Baby History - Phish.net|website=Phish.net}}</ref>

==Selected discography==
{{main|Joe Tex discography}}

===Chart albums===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! rowspan="2"| Year
! rowspan="2"| Album
! colspan="2"| Chart positions
! rowspan="2"| Label
|- style="font-size:small;"
! width="40"|[[Billboard 200|US Pop]]<br><ref name="Awards">{{cite web|title=Joe Tex - Awards|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/joe-tex-mn0000210323/awards|publisher=AllMusic|access-date=August 14, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121103033754/https://www.allmusic.com/artist/joe-tex-mn0000210323/awards|archive-date=November 3, 2012}}</ref>
! width="40"|[[Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums|US R&B]]<br><ref name="Awards"/>
|-
| rowspan="2"| 1965
| align="left"| ''[[Hold What You've Got (album)|Hold What You've Got]]''
| 124
| 2
| Dial Records 8106
|-
| align="left"| ''The New Boss''
| 142
| 3
| Dial/Atlantic 8115
|-
| rowspan="1"| 1966
| align="left"| ''The Love You Save''
| 108
| 3
| Dial/Atlantic 8124
|-
| rowspan="2"| 1967
| align="left"| ''The Best of Joe Tex''
| 168
| 23
| Dial/Atlantic 8144
|-
| align="left"| ''I've Got to Do a Little Better''
| –
| 24
| Dial/Atlantic 8133
|-
| rowspan="2"| 1968
| align="left"| ''Live and Lively''
| 84
| 13
| Dial/Atlantic 8156
|-
| align="left"| ''Soul Country''
| 154
| 45
| Dial/Atlantic 8187
|-
| rowspan="1"| 1969
| align="left"| ''Buying a Book''
| 190
| –
| Dial/Atlantic 8231
|-
| rowspan="1"| 1972
| align="left"| ''I Gotcha''
| 17
| 5
| Dial 6002
|-
| rowspan="1"| 1973
| align="left"| ''Spill the Beans''
| –
| 42
| Dial 6004
|-
| rowspan="1"| 1977
| align="left"| ''[[Bumps & Bruises (Joe Tex album)|Bumps & Bruises]]''
| 108
| 32
| [[Epic Records|Epic]] 34666
|-
| colspan="6" style="text-align:center; font-size:9pt;"| "–" denotes releases that did not chart.
|}

===Chart singles===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! rowspan="2"| Year
! rowspan="2"| Single
! colspan="4"| Chart positions
! rowspan="2"| [[Music recording sales certification|Certifications]]
|- style="font-size:small;"
! width="40"| [[Billboard Hot 100|US Pop]]<br><ref>{{cite book|first=Joel|last=Whitburn|year=2003|title=Top Pop Singles 1955–2002|edition=1st|publisher=Record Research Inc.|location=Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin|isbn=0-89820-155-1|page=[https://archive.org/details/joelwhitburnstop00whitbur/page/705 705]|url=https://archive.org/details/joelwhitburnstop00whitbur/page/705}}</ref>
! width="40"| [[Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs|US<br />R&B]]<br><ref name="whitburnr&b">{{cite book |title=Top R&B Singles: 1942–1995 |last=Whitburn |first=Joel |author-link=Joel Whitburn |year=1996 |publisher=Record Research Inc. |location=Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin |isbn=0-89820-115-2 |page=[https://archive.org/details/joelwhitburnstopr00whit/page/440 440] |url=https://archive.org/details/joelwhitburnstopr00whit/page/440 }}</ref>
! width="40"| [[Kent Music Report|AUS]]<br><ref name=aus>{{cite book|last=Kent|first=David|author-link=David Kent (historian)|title=Australian Chart Book 1970–1992|edition=illustrated|publisher=Australian Chart Book|location=St Ives, N.S.W.|year=1993|isbn=0-646-11917-6|page=307}}</ref>
! width="40"| [[UK Singles Chart|UK]]<br><ref name="betts">{{cite book| first= Graham| last= Betts| year=2004| title= Complete UK Hit Singles 1952–2004| edition= 1st|publisher= Collins| location= London| isbn= 0-00-717931-6| page=779}}</ref>
|-
| rowspan="1"| 1960
| align="left"| "[[All I Could Do Was Cry]]"
| 102
| –
| –
| –
|
|-
| rowspan="2"| 1964
| align="left"| "I'd Rather Have You"
| –
| 44
| –
| –
|
|-
| align="left"| "[[Hold What You've Got]]"
| 5
| 1
| –
| –
|
|-
| rowspan="6"| 1965
| align="left"| "You Got What It Takes" /<br />"You Better Get It"
| 51<br />46
| 10<br />15
| –
| –
|
|-
| align="left"| "A Woman Can Change a Man"
| 56
| 12
| –
| –
|
|-
| align="left"| "Don't Let Your Left Hand Know"
| 95
| –
| –
| –
|
|-
| align="left"| "[[One Monkey Don't Stop No Show (song)|One Monkey Don't Stop No Show]]"
| 65
| 20
| –
| –
|
|-
| align="left"| "[[I Want To (Do Everything for You)]]"
| 23
| 1
| –
| –
|
|-
| align="left"| "[[A Sweet Woman Like You]]"
| 29
| 1
| –
| –
|
|-
| rowspan="5"| 1966
| align="left"| "The Love You Save (May Be Your Own)"
| 56
| 2
| –
| –
|
|-
| align="left"| "S.Y.S.L.J.F.M. (The Letter Song)"
| 39
| 9
| –
| –
|
|-
| align="left"| "I Believe I'm Gonna Make It"
| 67
| 8
| –
| –
|
|-
| align="left"| "I've Got to Do a Little Bit Better"
| 64
| 20
| –
| –
|
|-
| align="left"| "Papa Was Too"
| 44
| 15
| –
| –
|
|-
| rowspan="4"| 1967
| align="left"| "[[Show Me (Joe Tex song)|Show Me]]"
| 35
| 24
| –
| –
|
|-
| align="left"| "Woman Like That, Yeah"
| 54
| 24
| –
| –
|
|-
| align="left"| "A Woman's Hands"
| 63
| 24
| –
| –
|
|-
| align="left"| "[[Skinny Legs and All (song)|Skinny Legs and All]]"
| 10
| 2
| –
| –
|
|-
| rowspan="4"| 1968
| align="left"| "Men Are Gettin' Scarce"
| 33
| 7
| –
| –
|
|-
| align="left"| "I'll Never Do You Wrong"
| 59
| 26
| –
| –
|
|-
| align="left"| "Keep the One You Got"
| 52
| 13
| –
| –
|
|-
| align="left"| "You Need Me, Baby"
| 81
| 29
| –
| –
|
|-
| rowspan="5"| 1969
| align="left"| "That's Your Baby"
| 88
| –
| –
| –
|
|-
| align="left"| "Buying a Book"
| 47
| 10
| –
| –
|
|-
| align="left"| "That's the Way"
| 94
| 46
| –
| –
|
|-
| align="left"| "It Ain't Sanitary"
| 117
| –
| –
| –
|
|-
| align="left"| "I Can't See You No More"
| 105
| –
| –
| –
|
|-
| 1971
| align="left"| "Give the Baby Anything the Baby Wants"
| 102
| 20
| –
| –
|
|-
| rowspan="2"| 1972
| align="left"| "[[I Gotcha (Joe Tex song)|I Gotcha]]" /<br />"A Mother's Prayer"
| 2<br />–
| 1<br />41
| –
| –<br />–
|
|-
| align="left"| "You Said a Bad Word"
| 41
| 12
| –
| –
|
|-
| 1973
| align="left"| "Woman Stealer"
| 103
| 41
| –
| –
|
|-
| 1975
| align="left"| "Under Your Powerful Love"
| –
| 27
| –
| –
|
|-
| 1976
| align="left"| "Have You Ever"
| –
| 74
| –
| –
|
|-
| rowspan="2"| 1977
| align="left"| "[[Ain't Gonna Bump No More (With No Big Fat Woman)]]"
| 12
| 7
| 2
| 2
|
* [[British Phonographic Industry|BPI]]: Silver<ref>{{cite web|title=Joe Tex - Ain't Gonna Bump No More|url=https://www.bpi.co.uk/award/340-2877-1|website=bpi.co.uk|access-date=14 August 2022}}</ref>
|-
| align="left"| "Hungry for Your Love"
| –
| 84
| –
| –
|
|-
| rowspan="2"| 1978
| align="left"| "Rub Down"
| –
| 70
| –
| –
|
|-
| align="left"| "Loose Caboose"
| –
| 48
| –
| –
|
|-
| colspan="7" style="text-align:center; font-size:9pt;"| "–" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.
|}

==See also==
*[[Blues]]
*[[Southern soul]]
*[[Atlantic Records]]

==Notes==
{{Reflist}}

==References==
* ''The New Musical Express Book of Rock'', 1975, Star Books, {{ISBN|0-352-30074-4}}

==External links==
* {{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p5624}}
* {{discogs artist}}
* {{IMDb name|id=0856722}}
* [http://www.superseventies.com/1972_5singles.html Joe Tex – I Gotcha] at superseventies.com
* [http://keepkey.yochanan.net/joetex Joe Tex – The New Boss: Dial Sessions And Dates] at keepkey.yochanan.net
* [http://raresoul.com/2012/07/27/joe-tex-becomes-muslim-minister-gives-it-all-up Joe Tex becomes Muslim] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150410060515/http://raresoul.com/2012/07/27/joe-tex-becomes-muslim-minister-gives-it-all-up/ |date=April 10, 2015 }} at Raresoul.com

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tex, Joe}}
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