The Journey Behind Bachman-Turner Overdrive’s Iconic Hit: ‘Takin’ Care of Buisness’
“That’s my blessing from the songwriting deities,” reflects Randy Bachman.
This blessing is none other than “Takin’ Care of Business,” the 1974 classic from Bachman-Turner Overdrive (BTO), which has become a timeless fixture on classic rock radio. However, as the Canadian guitarist shares with Guitar Player, this gift was not handed to him easily; it was forged through years of dedication, setbacks, and perseverance. Even though it belongs to the BTO repertoire, the roots of the song trace back to Bachman’s earlier band, the Guess Who, where he crafted hits like “Undun” and collaborated on chart-toppers such as ”American Woman” and “These Eyes” alongside keyboardist and vocalist Burton cummings.
The Long Road to ‘Takin’ Care of Business’
Yet,”Takin’ Care of Business” wouldn’t emerge until long after Bachman departed from the Guess Who in May 1970.
“It took me about six or seven years to complete,” he recounts. “I began writing it around 1967 at Scepter Studios in New York, where the Guess Who were recording.” Scepter Studios had gained fame in the early 1960s as the home for artists like the Shirelles, Dionne Warwick, and the isley Brothers. Even though less renowned today, it is indeed remembered as the venue where the Velvet Underground recorded much of their groundbreaking debut album, The Velvet Underground & Nico, in April 1966.
Initially,Bachman aimed to craft a song reminiscent of the Beatles’ “Paperback Writer,” focusing on the daily life of an individual rather than a romantic ballad.
“In fact, I was inspired by Stanley Greenberg, the son of Florence Greenberg, who owned Scepter Records. She managed the Shirelles and Dionne Warwick and penned their 1962 hit ‘Soldier Boy,’” he explains.
“Stanley, who was blind, worked as the engineer and always arrived at the studio dressed in a white button-down shirt, tweed tie, tweed jacket, and tweed pants, complete with brogue shoes-even in the sweltering August heat of New York!”
“I told him, ’I want to write a song about you.’ I considered naming it ‘White Collar Man’ because of his signature attire.”
“We often asked him,’Stanley,why do you dress like that? It’s boiling outside!’ He would reply,’I want to look like George Martin. I no that’s how he dresses.’”
Inspiration Strikes
Bachman decided to accompany Stanley one evening to gather more inspiration for his song.
“We left at 10 PM,” he recalls. “I asked him about his morning routine,and he said,’It’s crowded,and I take the 8:15 train into the city.’”
“As he spoke, I began to think: I wake up in the morning, the alarm clock’s warning, I take the 8:15 into the city. ‘And then what?’ I inquired. He described the scent of makeup and hairspray as women on the train prepared for their jobs. He continued, ‘Then I walk to work and start my grueling job to earn my paycheck.’”
“That’s when it hit me: There’s a song here!”
While the verses Bachman initially crafted closely resembled the final version of the song, the catchy chorus was still absent. He explains, “Originally, when we reached the hook, the song just stopped, and we sang ‘White Collar Man,’ similar to how ‘Paperback Writer’ is sung.”
Challenges and Breakthroughs
Though, the song’s first attempt at success was far from triumphant.
“I played it for Burton Cummings, who absolutely loathed it,” Bachman remembers. “He said, ‘The verses are fantastic, but ‘White collar Man’? Please! I’m not doing this song. We’ll get sued by Lennon and McCartney. let me change the hook.’ I insisted, ‘No, it’s my song. I’ll find the hook!’”
“consequently, that song never made it onto any guess Who album.”
By late 1970,Bachman had parted ways with the Guess Who due to escalating tensions with Cummings. He then formed Bachman-turner Overdrive with his brothers, guitarist Tim and drummer Robbie, along with bassist and lead vocalist C.F. Turner. Yet, Bachman still held onto the idea of “White Collar Man.”
“Burton said, ‘I’m never going to do this song. We’ll get sued by Lennon and McCartney! Let me change the hook.’”
“One night while driving to a gig, I heard a DJ I knew well say, ‘This is Daryl B on CFUN radio, takin’ care of business!’ I thought, what a fantastic title!”
upon arriving at the venue, Bachman discovered that Turner had lost his voice and couldn’t perform. “I had to take over vocal duties for the last set on a Saturday night in a rock club,” he admits. ”And I’m not a singer.”
Faced with a challenging situation, Bachman bravely stepped up to the mic, but his limited vocal range restricted his song choices. After leading the band through improvised renditions of various tracks, including Santana’s “Oye Como Va”-“I don’t know Spanish, but it was popular on the radio, so I sang it phonetically”-Bachman found himself at a loss for what to perform next.
“Then a light bulb went off in my head,” he recalls. “I realized this was my chance to revive ‘White Collar man!’ Combine it with the ‘takin’ care of business’ line I just heard on the radio. The band couldn’t refuse-they were my captive audience.”
“I told them, ‘Just play these three chords and follow my lead!’ I began singing, ‘You get up every morning, the alarm clock’s warning…’ And when I reached the hook, I sang, ‘Takin’ Care of Business.’”
By the next chorus, the band was harmonizing with him.”I responded with ‘Every day!’ and ‘Every way!’”
“And then-boom-it struck me: This is a classic!”
The group recorded the track a few weeks later, with Bachman using his 1957 gretsch 6120 electric guitar and taking the lead vocals for the first time.”Fred told me, ‘You should sing this,’” Bachman recalls. “‘You’ll be like my relief pitcher.’ It felt like a true BTO song.”
A Lasting Legacy
Released on Bachman-Turner Overdrive II, “Takin’ Care of Business” hit the airwaves as a single in january 1974, gradually climbing the charts to reach number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 by August, where it remained for 20 weeks-the longest tenure of any BTO song.
Even though BTO disbanded in 1980, they reunited several times, most recently in 2023, featuring a new lineup that includes Bachman’s son Tal on vocals, guitar, and piano. This reunion was a joyous occasion for Bachman, who was already celebrating the return of his beloved Gretsch 6120, which had been stolen in 1976.
Today, “Takin’ Care of Business” continues to resonate on classic rock radio, in commercials, and across film and television. The phrase has become a part of the everyday vernacular for workers everywhere, a well-deserved testament to Randy Bachman’s relentless dedication and hard work.
