Show and Tell (song)

This article is about the 1972 popular song. For other songs with the same title, see Show and tell (disambiguation).

"Show And Tell"
File:Show And Tell - Al Wilson.jpg
Single by Al Wilson
from the album Show and Tell
B-side	"Listen to Me"
Released	October 1973
Format	45 RPM
Recorded	1973
Genre	Soul, pop
Length	3:28
Label	Rocky Road
Writer(s)	Jerry Fuller
Certification	Gold (U.S.)
Al Wilson singles chronology
"Lodi" (1969) "Show And Tell" (1973) "Touch And Go" (1974)

"Show and Tell" is a popular song written by Jerry Fuller and first recorded by Johnny Mathis in 1972. This original version made it to #36 on the Easy Listening chart.

Al Wilson version

• A 1973 recording of the song by Al Wilson reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for one week on January 19, 1974; it sold over two million copies and was named a Cash Box Number One Single of the Year. Billboard ranked it as the No. 15 song for 1974. Wilson's version also made No. 10 on the Hot Soul Singles chart.

Chart performance

Weekly singles charts

Chart (1973-74) Al Wilson version	Peak position
U.S. Billboard Hot 100	1
U.S. Billboard Easy Listening chart	3
U.S. Billboard Hot Soul Singles	10
U.S. Cash Box Top 100	1

Year-end charts

Chart (1974)	Position
Canada	58
U.S. Billboard Hot 100	15
U.S. Cash Box	1

Other cover versions

• Peabo Bryson had a No. 1 R&B hit with his version of the song in 1989. Bryson's version did not chart on the Hot 100.
• American singer/actress Vanessa Williams covered the song for her 2005 studio album Everlasting Love.

In popular culture

• The song was often played by Paul Schaffer and The CBS Orchestra on the Late Show with David Letterman for the segment "Show & Tell".
• Wilson's version can be heard on TV show Malcolm in the Middle's episode Forbidden Girlfriend.

References

Preceded by "The Joker" by Steve Miller Band	Billboard Hot 100 number one single (Al Wilson version) January 19, 1974 (one week)	Succeeded by "You're Sixteen" by Ringo Starr
Preceded by "Have You Had Your Love Today" by The O'Jays	Billboard's Hot Black Singles number-one single (Peabo Bryson version) July 1, 1989 (one week)	Succeeded by "Keep On Movin'" by Soul II Soul