title: Pick of the Litter (The Spinners album)
text: # Pick of the Litter (The Spinners album)
  
  Professional ratings :
  
  | Review scores ||
  | - | - |
  | Source | Rating |
  | AllMusic | |
  | Christgau's Record Guide | A− |
  | Tom Hull – on the Web | B+ |
  
  Pick of the Litter is the sixth studio album by American R&B group The Spinners, released in August 1975 on the Atlantic label. The album was produced by Thom Bell and recorded at Sigma Sound Studios in Philadelphia.
  
  ## History
  
  Pick of the Litter is generally considered the last of the quartet of classic Bell-produced studio albums the Spinners released between 1973 and 1975, and to mark the end of the most creative phase of the group’s career – while future releases would have memorable moments, contemporary critical opinion is that none of the group’s later material matches the enduring quality and top-notch consistency of these four albums.
  
  Pick of the Litter became the Spinners’ highest placing album on the Billboard 200, reaching number eight; however it was the group’s first Atlantic album to miss the top of the R&B albums chart, peaking at number two. The album includes the distinctive "Games People Play", one of the group’s signature songs, which became their fifth single to top the R&B chart and a top 5 hit on the Billboard singles chart. The second single "Love or Leave" also made the R&B top 10.
  
  Although not credited on the album sleeve, "Just as Long as We Have Love" includes vocal contributions from Dionne Warwick.
  
  ## Personnel
  
  * Billy Henderson, Bobby Smith, Philippé Wynne, Henry Fambrough, Pervis Jackson – vocals
  * Barbara Ingram, Carla Benson, Evette Benton – backing vocals
  * MFSB – strings, horns
  * Tony Bell, Bobby Eli, Don Murray – guitars
  * Thom Bell – keyboards
  * Bob Babbitt – bass guitar
  * Andrew Smith – drums
  * Larry Washington – congas, bongos
  * Dionne Warwick – vocals on "Just as Long as We Have Love" (uncredited)
  
  ## Charts
  
  | Chart (1975) | Peak |
  | - | - |
  | U.S. Billboard Top LPs | 8 |
  | U.S. Billboard Top Soul LPs | 2 |
  
  ### Singles
  
  | Year | Single | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions |
  | - | - | - | - | - |
  | Year | Single | US | US R&B | US A/C |
  | 1975 | "Games People Play" | 5 | 1 | 2 |
  | 1975 | "Love or Leave" | 36 | 8 | — |
  