Song of the Day 4/7: Ohio Players, “Love Rollercoaster”

I was all set to go with “Free Fallin’,” but the stock markets fluctuated wildly this morning, so the Ohio Players it is. “Love Rollercoaster” became their second No. 1 hit in January 1976.

An urban myth arose about the song. At the 2:32 mark you can hear a high-pitched scream, supposedly the sound of a woman being murdered while the tape was rolling. It’s not, of course, but the rumor was mentioned by Casey Kasem on his syndicated show, so it persisted for years.

The Red Hot Chili Peppers covered “Love Rollercoaster” for the 1996 film “Beavis and Butt-Head Do America,” and demonstrated that they’re as funky as that other average white band.