Klassic Kuts: The Groove So Good, Two Bands Claimed It!
There are grooves that sneak up on you, quietly plant themselves in your chest, and then everyone in the room knows they belong there. Two of those grooves — both funky— came from The Whatnauts and the other, Fat Larry’s Band. On paper they live on separate branches of the funk family tree: The Whatnauts, sweet-soul veterans from Baltimore, and Fat Larry’s Band, Philly’s rugged party machine. In practice, both records became staples in the same DJ crates because they speak the same language of pocket, patience, and a bassline that won’t quit.
The Whatnauts’ “Help Is On The Way” (issued in the early ’80s on Harlem International / BC pressings) is textbook boogie—warm keys, vocal harmonies, and a bassline that glides with polite insistence. It’s a record built for slow motion on the floor: long, patient, and confident. Producers and collectors love it because there’s space in the arrangement, and that space becomes the record’s secret weapon — a place for DJs to breathe and for rappers and producers to later borrow.
Then there’s Fat Larry’s “Act Like You Know.” It came out as part of the band’s early-’80s evolution from raw funk into the polished boogie that clubs craved. Slick production, a percussive push, and melodic flourishes made it a crossover hit and a fixture in the era’s party playlists. The tune’s punchy rhythm and confident vocal call make it a natural dancefloor commander — not unlike The Whatnauts’ record, only dressed in a different jacket.
Dig deep into crate-digger chatter and you’ll find a near-universal nod: the bassline and feel of “Help Is On The Way” clearly informed “Act Like You Know.” WhoSampled and vinyl-head forums list The Whatnauts as a source used by Fat Larry’s Band, and collectors have long pointed to the shared pocket as proof that the latter borrowed heavily from the former’s groove. People debate attribution with the same glee they argue who had the better break — but there’s no public record of a lawsuit over it. Mostly, it’s a story of musical cross-pollination. Maybe. Sidenote: it was used by the hip-hop trio, De La Soul for their 1991 hit, “Ring, Ring, Ring (Ha Ha Hey)” and Jaheim sampled the De La Soul hit “Ring, Ring, Ring (Ha Ha Hey)” which contains portions of The Whatnauts’ “Help Is on the Way”for his 2009 classic “Aint’ Leavin Without You.”
Also, check out Jaheim’s “Ain’t Leaving Without You” below.
What this all means is simple: songs travel. A bassline that moves one club will move another; a pocket that makes heads nod in Baltimore will find the same reaction in Philly and New York. Whether you rank the originals higher or crown the polished hit, both songs prove the same thing — great grooves are a communal currency. In the end, DJs, dancers, and producers win. And that’s why both tracks live forever in the Klassic Kuts crate.
Check out my Super Throwback Party every Sunday on Majic 102.1 from 6pm – 8pm where I bless you with some of these gems.
I introduce to you a Klassic Kut – The Whatnauts – Help Is On The Way. Check it out below. You’re Welcome.
Klassic Love,
Madd Hatta
