A landmark film starring Diahann Carroll and James Earl Jones, Claudine, addresses the conundrums of the welfare system and challenges the notions of the ‘welfare queen’.
Claudine (Carroll) supports herself and her six children by working secretly as a maid, whilst garbage collector Roop attempts to win her affections and earn the trust of her children.
Curtis Mayfield wrote and produced the film’s score and soundtrack, the vocals for which are performed by Gladys Knight & the Pips. The soundtrack for Claudine was released on Buddah Records, the group’s record label, and “On & On”, the film’s theme song, was a #5 hit for Knight and the Pips on the Billboard Pop Singles Chart in 1974.