"Back Stabbers" is a 1972 song by
the O'Jays. Released from
the hit album of the same name, it spent one week at number 1 on the
Hot Soul Singles chart. It was also successful on the pop chart, peaking at number 3 on the
Billboard Hot 100 in October 1972.[1] The narrator in "Back Stabbers" warns men about their male "friends" who smile to their faces, but are secretly planning to steal their wives or girlfriends.[2] It was inspired by an earlier hit with a similar theme,
the Undisputed Truth's "
Smiling Faces Sometimes", the chorus of which is quoted at the end of this song. It was part of the soundtrack for the 1977 movie, Looking for Mr. Goodbar. In 2002, the song was sampled by R&B artist
Angie Stone for her single "
Wish I Didn't Miss You".
In 1983 Australian singer-songwriter
Stephen Cummings released Backstabbers in December 1983 through the
Regular Records label as the third single from the album
Senso. Cummings version peaked at number 40 on the
Kent Music Report.
^Whitburn, Joel (2004). Joel Whitburn Presents Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles, 1942-2004. Menomonee Falls, WI: Record Research. p. 438.
ISBN978-0-89820-160-4.
^Kent, David (1984). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives: Australian Chart Book. p. 94.
ISBN0-646-11917-6. N.B. The Kent Report chart was licensed by
ARIA between mid-1983 and 19 June 1988.