"Be Thankful for What You Got" (also noted in some publications as "Be Thankful For What You've Got") is a soul song written and first performed by William DeVaughn. The record sold nearly two million copies on its release in spring of 1974, reaching #1 on the U.S. R&B charts and #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. In 2021, it was listed at No. 374 on Rolling Stone's "Top 500 Greatest Songs of All Time".^[2]

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Quick Facts Single by William DeVaughn, from the album ...

"Be Thankful for What You Got"
Single by William DeVaughn
from the album Be Thankful for What You Got
B-side	"Be Thankful for What You Got, Part 2"
Released	March 1974[1]
Recorded	1972
Length	7:12 (album version) 3:25 (single edit)
Label	Roxbury Records
Songwriter(s)	William DeVaughn
Producer(s)	Frank Fioravanti, John Davis

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The song is noted for its repeated line: "Diamond in the back, sunroof top, diggin' the scene with a gangsta lean", which has been sampled and interpolated in many songs.

DeVaughn wrote "A Cadillac Don't Come Easy", eventually re-written to become "Be Thankful for What You Got" in 1972, and spent $900 toward it under a development agreement, under which an artist will record a few initial demos or tracks where, if successfully approved, the company may reserve the right to extend the arrangement to Omega Sound, a Philadelphia production house, and release the song.

The session featured members of the MFSB group — guitarist Norman Harris, drummer Earl Young, bassist Rusty Jackman, vibist Vince Montana and conga player Larry Washington — secured by Allan Felder, who also developed the separate ad lib back-up chorus with his sister's vocal choir. John Davis provided the electric Keyboard. Frank Fioravanti then secured the song's release on the Roxbury Records record label, run by producer-songwriter Wes Farrell.

With a sound and content influenced by Curtis Mayfield (and often erroneously attributed to him),^[3] its simple and encouraging lyrics hit home, to the extent that it became featured on gospel radio stations.

The edited version, which is the first part of the song, became a hit. The other half of the song is a longer instrumental with the repeated chords and rhythm before the final chorus comes in. The song is seven minutes long and radio stations preferred the sung portions over the instrumental portions.

In 1980, DeVaughn recorded a remake, on his second album, Figures Can't Calculate, that hit #83 on the dance chart and #44 on the UK singles chart.^[12]

The song is featured in the films Bug (2002), Be Cool (2005) and La Mission (2010).^{[citation needed]}

The song's refrain "Diamond in the back, sunroof top, diggin' the scene with a gangsta lean" has been referenced, sampled and/or interpolated in the following songs:

• "Keep Smiling" by Gabor Szabo (1976)^{[citation needed]}
• "Gangsta Gangsta" by N.W.A (1988)^[13]
• "Keepin' the Faith" by De La Soul, from their 1991 album De La Soul Is Dead ("Diamond in the back, sunroof top, waiting for the credit card so she can go and shop")
• "Brakes" by De La Soul on the 1996 album Stakes Is High
• "West Savannah" by Outkast (1998) ("Nine in my hand, ounce in my crotch, diggin' the scene with a gangsta slouch")
• "Diamond in the Back" by Ludacris (2004)^{[citation needed]}
• "Still Fly" by Big Tymers (2002) ("old-school Caddy with a diamond in the back")^{[citation needed]}
• "Shut Up and Drive" by Rihanna (2007)^{[citation needed]}
• "Shootin' The Gift" by Hip Club Groove ("Moves is in the back, let the beat drop, diggin’ the scene, with Mackenzie and me").^{[citation needed]}
• "Sonate Pacifique" by L'Imperatrice (2014)^{[citation needed]}