40 Year Itch : Action Speaks Louder Than Words

Magic Show in Times Square, 1975. By Nick DeWolf

Chocolate Milk : Action Speaks Louder Than Words

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  History hasn't been kind to Chocolate Milk, who scored a 1975 Top 20 R and B hit with the funky title track from their RCA debut Action Speaks Louder Than Words. The reason is simple. They came from New Orleans, home of one of the decade's funkiest bands, The Meters. And if you know The Meters, you know New Orleans funk. End of story. 

Except it isn't. 

   In fact, the members of Chocolate Milk became Allen Toussaint's regular studio band, playing on Lee Dorsey's Night People album,  Aaron Neville's "Hercules" and on Paul McCartney and Wings's Venus and Mars sessions. Chocolate Milk, along with The Meters, Ernie K-Doe, Lee Dorsey and Professor Longhair, performed at the Venus and Mars wrap party McCartney hosted in March of 1975 aboard the Queen Mary. 

  The band toured like mad and had a few other hits but eventually broke up, Eric B and Rakim were among the first to sample "Action" on their 1987 platinum album Paid in Full.