Peak
7
Weeks
12
Score
2,069
Chart Year
1973
"Mr. T is Cold Hard Steel!" said the tagline for the 1972 Soul Cinema Classic film, Trouble Man. The movie, however, is not remembered for the streetwise detective played by Robert Hooks but for the stellar soundtrack composed and produced by Marvin Gaye. The bluesy title track peaked at #7 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1973 and later inspired the biography title Trouble Man: The Life and Death of Marvin Gaye by Steve Turner. When Charles Pettigrew first met Eddie Chacon on a New York subway train, the latter was clutching a copy of Marvin Gaye's Trouble Man. Impressed, Pettigrew struck up a conversation with Chacon and the pair later started performing together. As Charles & Eddie, the pair enjoyed a worldwide hit in 1992 with "Would I Lie To You?" This song plays a part in the 2014 movie Captain America: The Winter Soldier, where the character Falcon recommends the Trouble Man soundtrack to Captain America so he can catch up on what he's missed in the world. The song plays in the final scene. The song also appears in the films Se7en (1995) and Roman J. Israel, Esq. (2017).
I've come up hard baby, but now I'm cool I didn't make it sugar, playin' by the rules I've come up hard baby, but now I'm fine I'm checkin' trouble sugar, movin' down the line I've come up hard baby, but that's okay 'Cause Trouble Man, don't get in my way I've come up hard baby, I've been for real, baby Gonna keep movin', gonna go to town I've come up hard, I come up gettin' down There's only three things that's for sure Taxes, death and trouble, oh This I know, baby, this I know, sugar Girl, ain't gon' let it sweat me, babe Got me singin', yeah, yeah Woo Come up hard, baby, I had to fight Took care my business with all my might I've come off har- come-off-hard, I had to win Then start all over and win again I've come up hard but that's okay 'Cause Trouble Man don't get in my way, hey, hey I know some places and I've seen some faces I got good connections, they take my directions What people say, that's okay, they don't bother me, no I'm ready to make it, don't care what the weather Don't care 'bout no trouble, got myself together I feel the kind of protection that's all around me I've come up hard, baby, I've been for real, baby With the trouble mind, I'm movin', goin' to town I come up hard, I come up gettin' down There's only three things for sure Taxes, death and trouble, oh This I know, baby, ooh, this I've known, baby Ain't gon' let it sweat me, baby Woo Oh Lord, baby Ooh, I've come up hard, but now I'm cool I didn't make it, baby, playin' by the rules Come up hard, baby, now I'm fine Checkin' trouble, sugar, hey, movin' down the line, oh
| Week | Chart Date | Position | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dec 16, 1972 | 81 | 45 |
| 2 | Dec 23, 1972 | 50 | 76 |
| 3 | Dec 30, 1972 | 33 | 93 |
| 4 | Jan 6, 1973 | 26 | 100 |
| 5 | Jan 13, 1973 | 17 | 109 |
| 6 | Jan 20, 1973 | 13 | 113 |
| 7 | Jan 27, 1973 | 8 | 118 |
| 8 | Feb 3, 1973 | 7 | 119 |
| 9 | Feb 10, 1973 | 8 | 118 |
| 10 | Feb 17, 1973 | 17 | 109 |
| 11 | Feb 24, 1973 | 25 | 101 |
| 12 | Mar 3, 1973 | 62 | 64 |