Deep, Deep Trouble

Last updated
"Deep, Deep Trouble"
Deepdeeptrouble.jpg
U.S. commercial CD maxi-single
Single by The Simpsons
from the album The Simpsons Sing the Blues
ReleasedMarch 7, 1991
RecordedSeptember 1990
Studio
  • The Warehouse (Philadelphia)
  • Lion Share (Hollywood)
Genre Comedy hip hop
Length
  • 4:28 (album version) [1]
  • 3:34 (music video)
Label Geffen
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
The Simpsons singles chronology
"Do the Bartman"
(1990)		"Deep, Deep Trouble"
(1991)		"God Bless the Child"
(1991)

"Deep, Deep Trouble" is a rap song from the 1990 Simpsons album The Simpsons Sing the Blues , performed by the fictional character Bart Simpson (voiced by Nancy Cartwright) about his trouble-making antics. It was written by Matt Groening and DJ Jazzy Jeff and recorded in September 1990.

Contents

The song was released as the second single from the album in early 1991 and an accompanying music video (directed by Gregg Vanzo) was broadcast on television on March 7, 1991. This video has since been released on DVD as part of the 2002 boxset The Simpsons: The Complete Second Season.

"Deep, Deep Trouble" charted in several countries around the world, including the top ten in Ireland, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. Critical reception of the song was positive, with its humorous lyrics and Cartwright's performance being singled out for praise.

Background

"Deep, Deep Trouble" appeared on the successful 1990 album The Simpsons Sing the Blues that features songs sung by the characters from the American animated television series The Simpsons . [2] It was recorded along with the rest of the album during late 1990, at which point the cast members of The Simpsons were also recording the second season of the series. [3] The song was written by The Simpsons creator Matt Groening and DJ Jazzy Jeff, [2] and produced by DJ Jazzy Jeff and John Boylan. [4] DJ Jazzy Jeff provided the drum programming, keyboards, and scratches on "Deep, Deep Trouble". [5]

The song is a rap performed by the character Bart Simpson about his trouble-making antics. [6] Groening has described it as "the tragic story of Bart Simpson, a bad youth gone worse." [2] The Simpsons cast member Nancy Cartwright, who voices Bart on the show, provided the character's voice in "Deep, Deep Trouble" as well. [7] The characters Homer Simpson and Maggie Simpson are also featured, with Homer (voiced by Dan Castellaneta like on the show) ranting at Bart, and Maggie sucking on her pacifier to the beat of the song. [8]

"Deep, Deep Trouble" was released in early 1991 as the second single from The Simpsons Sing the Blues after "Do the Bartman", which also features Bart rapping. [9] [10] That single achieved much popularity, placing first on the singles charts in Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, Norway, and the United Kingdom, [11] [12] and eventually becoming certified gold in the latter country with 400,000 units sold. [13] In Ireland, "Do the Bartman" spent nine weeks at number one on the Irish Singles Chart—only seven singles have ever managed a longer run at number one there. [14]

Reception

"Alarm was buzzin', I was snoozin',
Supposed to get up now, but I was refusin'
To let reality become an intrusion,
'Cause in dreamy-dream land, I was cruisin'.
But the buzz kept buzzin', my head kept fuzzin',
Gave the radio a throw, and heard an explosion.
( Homer: D'oh!)
Opened up my eyes, and to my surprise,
There stood Homer, and his temperature rise."

— Sample of the song's lyrics, rapped by Bart

The song received a positive response from critics. Sommer Swindell of the Observer-Reporter commented that "after listening to [The Simpsons Sing the Blues] once, no one will forget 'Deep, Deep Trouble' [...] It would be hard not to crack a smile while listening closely to the lyrics, as they are very creative and humorous." [6] Thor Christensen of The Milwaukee Journal wrote that Bart "gets in a few good yuks" in the song, [7] and Walt Belcher of The Tampa Tribune reported that Bart "raps out an amusing story about his misadventures while mowing the lawn". [15] The Orange County Register 's Cary Darling noted that "Bart turning his life into a hip-hop autobiography on 'Deep, Deep Trouble' is an absolute joy." [16] Cartwright's rapping was praised by Tom Hopkins of the Dayton Daily News . [17]

Commercially, the single was not as successful as "Do the Bartman", but it still charted high in a few countries, reaching number one in Ireland, the top 10 in the UK and New Zealand, and the top 20 in Sweden.

Music video

The music video for the single premiered on the Fox network in the United States on March 7, 1991, together with the Simpsons episode "Bart's Dog Gets an "F" " of the series' second season. [2] When "Do the Bartman" was released it was also accompanied by a music video, which ended up being nominated for Best Special Effects at the 1991 MTV Video Music Awards and becoming the number one music video on the American network MTV. [18] [19] [20] The version of the song used in the video is an edit, containing fewer lyrics than the album version.

The video for "Deep, Deep Trouble", starting with Bart being shoved into what appears to be a jail cell, illustrates in flashback the things Bart raps about in the song, showing how he is forced by Homer to mow the lawn after throwing a buzzing alarm clock at his father in his sleep. When Homer tells Bart to hurry up, Bart accidentally runs over the sprinkler and as a result he has to stay at home when the family goes to see a boat show. After they leave, Bart decides to throw a party and invites his friends. They make a mess in the house and when Homer and Marge return home, Bart realizes he is in deep trouble. Homer later takes Bart to the barber, where his hair is shaved off. [21] Joanne Ostrow of The Denver Post thought the video was not "nearly as clever as the cartoon" and that it had "'promotional gimmick' written all over it." [22] "Then again, I never thought the video of the dance rap 'Do the Bartman' would be a ratings hit when it aired in December. So what do I know?" she added. [22]

The music video features both original animation and old animation from the series and the Simpsons shorts that aired on The Tracey Ullman Show before they were spun off into The Simpsons in 1989. [21] Gregg Vanzo directed the video, which, according to him, features quicker character poses than in episodes of the show to allow the animation to match the hip-hop beat. [21] The music video was later included on the 2002 DVD boxset The Simpsons: The Complete Second Season, with audio commentary from its producers. [23] [24]

Track listing

  1. "Deep, Deep Trouble" (Dance Mix Edit) (remixed by DJ Jazzy Jeff)  – 4:13
  2. "Deep, Deep Trouble" (Full Dance Mix) (remixed by DJ Jazzy Jeff)  – 5:50
  3. "Deep, Deep Trouble" (LP Version) – 4:28
  4. "Sibling Rivalry" (LP Version) – 4:40

Charts

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bart Simpson</span> Fictional character from The Simpsons

Bartholomew Jojo "Bart" Simpson is a fictional character in the American animated television series The Simpsons and part of the Simpson family. He is voiced by Nancy Cartwright and first appeared on television in The Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987. Cartoonist Matt Groening created and designed Bart while waiting in the lobby of James L. Brooks' office. Groening had been called to pitch a series of shorts based on his comic strip, Life in Hell, but instead decided to create a new set of characters. While the rest of the characters were named after Groening's family members, Bart's name is an anagram of the word brat. After appearing on The Tracey Ullman Show for two years, the Simpson family received its own series on Fox, which debuted December 17, 1989. Bart has appeared in every Simpsons episode except "Four Great Women and a Manicure".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince</span> American hip hop duo

DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince were an American hip hop duo from West Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, consisting of rapper Will Smith and disc jockey Jeff Townes. Active full time from 1986 to 1994 and occasionally thereafter, the duo became just the third rap group in recorded history to receive platinum certification, after Run-DMC and the Beastie Boys. The group received the first Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance in 1989 for "Parents Just Don't Understand" (1988), though their most successful single was "Summertime" (1991), which earned the group their second Grammy and peaked at number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100. Will Smith and Jeff Townes have remained close friends and claim they never split up, having made songs together under Smith's solo performer credit. DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince have sold over 5.5 million albums in the US. They performed together as recently as November 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">DJ Jazzy Jeff</span> American DJ, record producer, and actor

Jeffrey Allen Townes, known professionally as DJ Jazzy Jeff, is an American DJ, record producer and actor. He was a member of DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince with Will Smith. He is credited, along with DJs Spinbad and Cash Money, with making the transformer scratch famous.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kid 'n Play</span> American hip hop duo

Kid 'n Play is an American hip-hop duo from New York City who were most popular in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The duo is composed of Christopher Reid ("Kid") and Christopher Martin ("Play") working alongside their DJ, Mark "DJ Wiz" Eastmond. Besides their musical careers, they also branched out into acting.

<i>The Simpsons Sing the Blues</i> 1990 album by The Simpsons

The Simpsons Sing the Blues is the first album released as an offshoot of The Simpsons. The album contains originally recorded music not featured in the series save for the first verse of the track "Moaning Lisa Blues" which was first featured in the episode "Moaning Lisa", which aired in the United States on February 11, 1990. The album was released on December 4, 1990, and peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard 200.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Do the Bartman</span> 1990 single by The Simpsons

"Do the Bartman" is a song from the 1990 album The Simpsons Sing the Blues, featuring the voice cast of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It was performed by The Simpsons cast member Nancy Cartwright, with backing vocals from American singer Michael Jackson, alongside additional vocals from Dan Castellaneta. Jackson also produced the song, which was written by American recording artist Bryan Loren, and Geffen Records released it as a single on November 20, 1990.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Girls Ain't Nothing but Trouble</span> Single by DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince

"Girls Ain't Nothing but Trouble" is the debut single by DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince, from their 1987 debut album Rock the House released on Philadelphia-based Word Records. It was released in 1986. The music is built around a sample from the theme tune of the 1960s television series I Dream of Jeannie. It was featured in the eighth episode of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air where Will and Carlton were battling over a girl. The lyrics "nothing but trouble" were rerecorded by Jazzy Jeff in "Deep, Deep, Trouble" from The Simpsons Sing the Blues. In the song, Will Smith warns his crew to stay away from young women and recounts some unfortunate experiences with them. In the end of the 1988 version, DJ Jazzy Jeff references two of the duo's further singles, "Parents Just Don't Understand" and "Nightmare on My Street." The song was only released on vinyl. The music video was released in 1986.

<i>Homebase</i> (album) 1991 studio album by DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince

Homebase is the fourth studio album released by hip-hop duo DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince. The album was released on July 23, 1991, reaching number 12 on the Billboard 200 charts and number 5 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. It received generally favorable reviews from critics. The album was certified Platinum and won an American Music Award for Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop Album in 1992.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boom! Shake the Room</span> 1993 single by DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince

"Boom! Shake the Room" is a song by American hip hop duo DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince. The track samples the 1973 song "Funky Worm" by the Ohio Players. Released on July 16, 1993 by Jive, as the second single from the duo's fifth studio album, Code Red (1993), the single peaked at number 13 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and topped the charts of Australia, Ireland, Spain, and the United Kingdom. Its music video was directed by Scott Kalvert.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)</span> 1990 single by C+C Music Factory

"Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)" is a song by American dance music group C+C Music Factory, released by Columbia in late 1990 as the debut and lead single from their first album, Gonna Make You Sweat (1990). The song is sung by singer Martha Wash and rapper Freedom Williams. It charted internationally and achieved great success in the United States, Austria, Germany, and Sweden, where it reached number one on the charts. The music video for the song was directed by Marcus Nispel. Billboard magazine ranked "Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)" among the "500 Best Pop Songs of All Time" in 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Summertime (DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince song)</span> 1991 single by DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince

"Summertime" is a song by American hip-hop duo DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince, released in May 1991 as the lead single from their fourth studio album, Homebase (1991). The song was produced by Chicago-based producers Hula and K. Fingers, and it won a Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group at the 1992 Grammy Awards. It spent a week at number #1 on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Chart, as well as reaching #4 on the Billboard Hot 100. It also became the duo's first single to enter the top ten of the UK Singles Chart, peaking at #8.

<i>The Simpsons</i> discography

The Simpsons is an American animated television sitcom created by Matt Groening that has aired on the Fox Broadcasting Company since December 1989. It is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its eponymous family, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie. The show is set in the fictional town of Springfield, and lampoons American culture, society, and many aspects of the human condition. The popularity of The Simpsons led to the release of the 1990 double platinum album The Simpsons Sing the Blues, which contains original songs performed by the cast members of the show as their characters. The album spawned two hit singles—"Do the Bartman" and "Deep, Deep Trouble". A less successful sequel, The Yellow Album, was released in 1998.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Will Smith discography</span>

American rapper Will Smith has released four studio albums, one compilation album, 18 singles, one video album and 20 music videos. After working in the late 1980s and early 1990s with Jeff Townes as DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince, Smith began his solo career in 1997 with the release of "Men in Black", the theme song for the film of the same name, which topped singles charts in several regions across the world, including the UK. "Men in Black" was later included on Smith's debut solo album Big Willie Style, which reached the top ten of the US Billboard 200 and was certified nine times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). The third single from the album, "Gettin' Jiggy wit It", became Smith's first Billboard Hot 100 number one when it was released in 1998.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">(I Wanna Give You) Devotion</span> 1990 single by Nomad featuring MC Mikee Freedom

"(I Wanna Give You) Devotion" is a song by English electronic group Nomad, released in 1990 (UK/Europe) and 1991 (US). It was the second single from their only album, Changing Cabins, released later in 1991. It was a number-one hit in Greece and a top 5 hit in the UK, where it reached number two. In the US, it peaked at number-one on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart in June 1991 and stayed there for one week. MTV Dance ranked the song number 32 in their list of "The 100 Biggest 90s Dance Anthems of All Time" in November 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Staying Alive (song)</span> 2022 single by DJ Khaled featuring Drake and Lil Baby

"Staying Alive" is a song by American record producer DJ Khaled featuring Canadian rapper Drake and American rapper Lil Baby, released on August 5, 2022 as the lead single from the former's thirteenth studio album God Did (2022). The song contains an interpolation of "Stayin' Alive" by the Bee Gees.

<i>The Simpsons</i> (franchise) American animated comedy franchise

The Simpsons is an American animated comedy franchise whose eponymous family consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie. The Simpsons were created by cartoonist Matt Groening for a series of animated shorts that debuted on The Tracey Ullman Show on Fox on April 19, 1987. After a three-season run, the sketch was developed into The Simpsons, a half-hour prime time show that was an early hit for Fox, becoming the first Fox series to land in the Top 30 ratings in a season (1989–1990). The popularity of The Simpsons has made it a billion-dollar merchandising and media franchise. Alongside the television series, the characters of the show have been featured in a variety of media, including books, comic books, a magazine, musical releases, and video games.

The discography of DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince consists of five studio albums, four compilations and 18 singles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ring My Bell (DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince song)</span> 1991 single by DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince

"Ring My Bell" is the second single released from American hip hop duo DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince's fourth studio album, Homebase (1991). The song sampled and shared the same name as Anita Ward's 1979 hit, "Ring My Bell", though the original lyrics were replaced by those written by the Fresh Prince. Nevertheless, The song's original writer, Fredrick Knight was sole writer who received writing credits. The song appears on Smith's series, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air in the closing credits from "The Mother of All Battles" off the season 2 episode.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ass Back Home</span> 2011 single by Gym Class Heroes

"Ass Back Home" is a song by American group Gym Class Heroes featuring British singer-songwriter Neon Hitch. The song was first released on October 31, 2011, as the second single from the group's fifth studio album, The Papercut Chronicles II. The track was co-written and produced by Benny Blanco, who also produced previous hit "Stereo Hearts". "Ass Back Home" became the group's third biggest hit on the Billboard Hot 100 when it peaked at number 12, also reaching number one in Australia, 11 in New Zealand and number 10 in Ireland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I'm the One (DJ Khaled song)</span> 2017 single by DJ Khaled featuring Justin Bieber, Quavo, Chance the Rapper, and Lil Wayne

"I'm the One" is a song by American musician DJ Khaled featuring Canadian singer Justin Bieber and American rappers Quavo, Chance the Rapper, and Lil Wayne. The song was released on April 28, 2017, by We the Best and Epic Records as the second single from Khaled's tenth studio album Grateful. On July 27, 2018, all artists, with the exception of Lil Wayne, were featured on Khaled's "No Brainer" from his eleventh studio album, Father of Asahd (2019). On October 19, 2020, the song surpassed one billion streams on Spotify.

References

  1. 1 2 "Deep Deep Trouble (CD – Geffen #21633)". Allmusic . Retrieved 2012-07-02.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Kubasik, Ben (1991-03-07). "TV Spots". Newsday . Archived from the original on 2012-11-07. Retrieved 2011-09-11.
  3. ↑ Hastings, Deborah (Associated Press) (1990-09-28). "'The Simpsons' sing the blues". The Deseret News . p. D11. Retrieved 2012-07-04.
  4. ↑ "Deep Deep Trouble". Allmusic . Retrieved 2011-09-11.
  5. ↑ Crouse, Richard (2000). Big Bang, Baby: Rock Trivia. Dundurn Press Ltd. p. 265. ISBN   978-0-88882-219-2.
  6. 1 2 Swindell, Sommer (1991-01-17). "'Simpsons Sing' is a surprise chart topper". Observer-Reporter . Retrieved 2011-09-11.
  7. 1 2 Christensen, Thor (1990-12-11). "'Simpsons' recording is just an earful". The Milwaukee Journal .
  8. ↑ Johnson, Peter (1991-03-06). "CNN's Peter Arnett has filed his last report from Baghdad for a while". USA Today .
  9. ↑ Graham, Jefferson (1991-01-31). "Simpsons' Homer get more attention". USA Today . p. 3D.
  10. ↑ Miller, Andrew (2005-06-01). "Chartbitz: Wednesday, June 1, 2005". Scoop . Retrieved 2011-09-11.
  11. ↑ "The Simpsons - Do The Bartman (song)". Irish-Charts.com (Hung Medien). Retrieved 2012-01-25.
  12. ↑ "The Simpsons - Do The Bartman (song)". charts.nz (Hung Medien). Retrieved 2012-01-25.
  13. ↑ "Certified Awards Search". British Phonographic Industry. Archived from the original on 2011-06-04. Retrieved 2012-07-04.
  14. ↑ "Facts and Figures Most Weeks at No.1". IrishCharts.ie (Irish Recorded Music Association). Archived from the original on 2012-09-07. Retrieved 2012-07-04.
  15. ↑ Belcher, Walt (1990-12-04). "'The Simpsons' go on record - A new album, to be released today, taps the angst that made the animated TV series a hit". The Tampa Tribune . p. 1F.
  16. ↑ Darling, Cary (1990-11-30). "'Simpsons' gimmicky but good". The Orange County Register .
  17. ↑ Hopkins, Tom (1991-03-05). "Channel hopping". Dayton Daily News . p. 10B.
  18. ↑ "1991 Video Music Awards". MTV . Retrieved 2012-01-25.
  19. ↑ Hastings, Deborah (1991-07-29). "R.E.M. leads nominations for Video Music Awards". The Deseret News .
  20. ↑ Barney, Chuck (2007-07-23). "The evolution of 'The Simpsons'". PopMatters . Retrieved 2012-01-25.
  21. 1 2 3 The Simpsons: The Complete Second Season DVD commentary for the music video "Deep, Deep Trouble".
  22. 1 2 Ostrow, Joanne (1991-03-06). "Savvy 'Simpsons' slips in a plug for latest music video". The Denver Post . p. 1F.
  23. ↑ "Video & DVD". Now . August 8–15, 2002. Retrieved 2011-09-11.
  24. ↑ "The Simpsons - The Complete 2nd Season". TVShowsOnDVD.com. Archived from the original on 2012-08-06. Retrieved 2011-09-11.
  25. ↑ "The Simpsons feat. Bart & Homer – Deep, Deep Trouble". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved March 24, 2018.
  26. ↑ "The Simpsons feat. Bart & Homer – Deep, Deep Trouble" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved March 24, 2018.
  27. ↑ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media . Vol. 8, no. 18. May 4, 1991. p. 25. Retrieved September 18, 2020.
  28. ↑ Nyman, Jake (2005). Suomi soi 4: Suuri suomalainen listakirja (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN   951-31-2503-3.
  29. ↑ "The Simpsons feat. Bart & Homer – Deep, Deep Trouble" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved March 24, 2018.
  30. ↑ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Deep Deep Trouble". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved March 24, 2018.
  31. ↑ "Tipparade-lijst van week 23, 1991" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40 . Retrieved March 16, 2023.
  32. ↑ "The Simpsons feat. Bart & Homer – Deep, Deep Trouble" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved March 24, 2018.
  33. ↑ "The Simpsons feat. Bart & Homer – Deep, Deep Trouble". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved March 24, 2018.
  34. ↑ "The Simpsons feat. Bart & Homer – Deep, Deep Trouble". Singles Top 100. Retrieved March 24, 2018.
  35. ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 24, 2018.
  36. ↑ "The Simpsons Featuring Bart Homer Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved March 24, 2018.
  37. ↑ "USA Cashbox Charts Summaries". popmusichistory. Retrieved December 14, 2022.
  38. ↑ "1991 Top 100 Singles". Music Week . January 11, 1992. p. 20.

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.