"Black Pearl" is a song written by Phil Spector, Toni Wine, and Irwin Levine, and performed by Sonny Charles and the Checkmates, Ltd. It was inspired by the 1968 Sidney Poitier film For Love of Ivy, about Ivy Moore, a maid who, after nine years of service, leaves to go to secretarial school. The song reached No. 8 on the U.S. R&B chart, No. 13 on the Billboard pop chart, and No. 31 in Australia in 1969.Checkmates, Ltd., "Black Pearl" chart positions Retrieved January 26, 2016. The song was featured on the group's 1969 album, Love Is All We Have to Give.Checkmates, Ltd., Love Is All We Have to Give Retrieved January 26, 2016.
The song was produced by Phil Spector and arranged by Perry Botkin, Jr.Checkmates, Ltd., "Black Pearl" single release Retrieved January 26, 2016. AllMusic described it as "one of the great Phil Spector productions, a phenomenal song with his extraordinary sound."
The single ranked No. 66 on Billboard's Year-End Hot 100 singles of 1969.
Chart history
Weekly charts Chart (1969)PeakpositionAustralia (Go-Set) Go-Set National Top 40, 6 September 196923Australia (Kent Music Report)31Canada RPM Top Singles8New Zealand (Listener)Flavour of New Zealand, 15 August 19695US Billboard Hot 100Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-1990 - 13US Billboard R&BBillboard Hot R&B songs, June 21, 19698US Cash Box Top 100Cash Box Top 100 Singles, July 19, 196910
Year-end charts Chart (1969)RankCanada Top Singles (RPM)74US Billboard Hot 100Musicoutfitters.com66US Cash Box 76
Other versions Horace Faith released a version of the song as a single in 1970 which reached No. 13 on the UK Singles Chart.Horace Faith, "Black Pearl" chart position Retrieved January 26, 2016. New Zealand group Moana and the Moahunters covered the song for their debut album, Tahi. It peaked at No. 2 on the New Zealand music charts in 1991.
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