https://modestwalrus.com/tags/right-on-time/Recent content in Right on Time on Modest WalrusHugoen-usThu, 25 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000https://modestwalrus.com/music/strawberry-letter-23-by-the-brothers-johnson/Thu, 25 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000https://modestwalrus.com/music/strawberry-letter-23-by-the-brothers-johnson/<h2 id="why-i-reacted-to-this-song">Why I Reacted To This Song</h2> <p>That was a freakin&rsquo; vibe. The bassline was unheard of, very &ldquo;slap the bass,&rdquo; and it demanded a reaction the moment it kicked in.</p> <h2 id="original-by-artist">Original by Artist</h2> <div style="position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden;"> <iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share; fullscreen" loading="eager" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/NRVA2YBhrrQ?autoplay=0&amp;controls=1&amp;end=0&amp;loop=0&amp;mute=0&amp;start=0" style="position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; border:0;" title="YouTube video"></iframe> </div> <h2 id="about-this-song">About This Song</h2> <p>&ldquo;Strawberry Letter 23&rdquo; was originally written and recorded by Shuggie Otis in 1971, but it&rsquo;s The Brothers Johnson&rsquo;s 1977 version, produced by Quincy Jones for their album <em>Right on Time</em>, that became the definitive take. Louis Johnson&rsquo;s bass playing turned the song into a showcase for the slap-bass technique he helped popularize, and it became the duo&rsquo;s biggest hit, topping the Billboard Soul singles chart.</p>