It was a success on the soul and pop charts, spending a week at number one on the Hot Soul Singles chart in early 1974 and peaking at number four on the Billboard Hot 100.
[1] It became one of the band's highest charting songs and eventually sold more than one million copies.
On the television series A Different World, Whitley, Jaleesa and another classmate perform the song to audition to sing backup for Gladys Knight (who made a special guest appearance on the show).
The song has been covered by such artists as Joan Osborne, Professor RJ Ross, Bobby Bland, Joe Cocker and The Rides.
Ian Moss recorded a version for his sixth studio album, Soul on West 53rd (2009).