I'm Going Down (Rose Royce song)

Last updated
"I'm Going Down"
Rose-royce-im-going-down-mca.jpg
Side A of US vinyl single
Single by Rose Royce
from the album Car Wash: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
B-side "Yo Yo"
ReleasedSeptember 1976
Recorded1976
Genre
Length3:37
Label Whitfield/MCA
Songwriter(s) Norman Whitfield
Producer(s) Norman Whitfield
Rose Royce singles chronology
"I Wanna Get Next to You"
(1977)
"I'm Going Down"
(1976)
"Do Your Dance"
(1977)

"I'm Going Down" is a song written and produced by Norman Whitfield, and performed by American soul and R&B group Rose Royce in 1976. It is from the film Car Wash and is featured on its soundtrack. In 1994, it was covered by American singer Mary J. Blige.

Contents

Rose Royce version

The Rose Royce (original) version received moderate success. It peaked at number seventy on the US Billboard Hot 100 and reached number ten on the R&B singles chart. In the film Car Wash , the song serves as a double entendre, as it complements the screen time of Maureen, a forlorn prostitute who desperately seeks a chance at true love with Joe, even as she turns tricks.

Charts

Charts (1977)Peak
position
Canada Top Singles ( RPM ) [1] 58
France (SNEP) 5
Italy (FIMI)13
US Billboard Hot 100 [2] 70
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs ( Billboard ) [3] 10

Mary J. Blige version

"I'm Goin' Down"
I'm Goin' Down by Mary J Blige US commercial cassette.jpg
US retail cassette variant of standard artwork
Single by Mary J. Blige
from the album My Life
ReleasedJanuary 18, 1995 (1995-01-18)
Genre
Length3:44
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Mary J. Blige singles chronology
"Be Happy"
(1994)
"I'm Goin' Down"
(1995)
"Mary Jane (All Night Long)"
(1995)
Music video
"I'm Goin' Down" on YouTube

In 1994, American R&B singer-songwriter Mary J. Blige covered "I'm Going Down", titled "I'm Goin' Down", for her second studio album, My Life (1994). Her version was produced by Sean "Puffy" Combs and Chucky Thompson. Released as the album's second single, Blige's version peaked at number thirteen on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and number twenty-two on the US Billboard Hot 100. In mid-1995, Blige released a remix featuring Mr. Cheeks of The Lost Boyz featuring co-production from "Prince" Charles Alexander and Mark "Led" Ledford, and contains portions of "The What" (1994) by American rappers The Notorious B.I.G. and Method Man. "I'm Going Down" is frequently performed at many of Blige's concerts and as well as live sets.

Critical reception

Dave Sholin from the Gavin Report felt that "I'm Goin' Down" "offers this awesome vocalist a chance to give one of her most soulful performances. It sounds great anywhere, but it's even more incredible on the air." [4] In his weekly UK chart commentary, James Masterton remarked that Blige "sparkles" on "a rather fabulous cover" of the old Rose Royce song. [5] James Hamilton from the RM Dance Update described it as an "exceptional ultra soulful sparse dramatic 61.7bpm Rose Royce remake in authentic mid-Sixties slow Stax/Volt type". [6] Jonathan Bernstein from Spin declared it as "a storming slice of down-on-my-knees, stop-start soul originally found on the Car Wash soundtrack, and you realize any previous praise for the record has been barely felt because you know the difference between the proficient material that went before and a great song. And this is a great song." [7]

Music video

The accompanying music video for Blige's "I'm Goin' Down" was directed from January 14–15, 1995, by Matthew Rolston and was shot in black and white, with Blige as a lounge singer performing the song in a club, and wearing an-all black suit with a matching hat, walking downstairs (being duplicated over and over again). In the end, the bar patrons applaud her as she drops the microphone and walks offstage. [8]

Track listings

  1. "I'm Goin' Down" (Album version) – 3:43
  2. "I'm Goin' Down" (Remix) – 3:48
  1. "I'm Goin' Down" (album version) – 3:43
  2. "You Bring Me Joy" (Smoove's soul mix) – 5:24
  3. "You Bring Me Joy" (E-Smoove's Joyous club mix) – 10:12
  4. "You Bring Me Joy" (Smoove Funk mix) – 4:38
  1. "I'm Goin' Down" (album version) – 3:43
  2. "You Bring Me Joy" (Smoove's soul mix) – 5:24
  1. "I'm Goin' Down" (album version) – 3:43
  2. "You Bring Me Joy" (E-Smoove's Joyous club mix) – 10:12
  3. "You Bring Me Joy" (Smoove Funk mix) – 4:38

Credits and personnel

Credits are adapted from the My Life liner notes. [14]

  • Mary J. Blige – vocals
  • "Prince" Charles Alexander – tenor saxophone, piccolo flute, additional flute, recording engineer, mixing
  • Mark "Led" Ledford – trumpet
  • Bruce Purse – trumpet
  • Vincent Henry – alto saxophone
  • Paul Pesco – guitar
  • Lenny Underwood – piano
  • Fred McFarlane – additional keyboards
  • Regina Carter – violin
  • Diane Monroe – violin
  • Lesa Terry – violin
  • Eileen Folson – cello
  • Victor Bailey – bass played by
  • Gloria Agostini – harp
  • Kevin "K-Dog" Johnson – drums
  • Frank Colon – percussion

Charts

Release history

RegionDateFormat(s)Label(s)Ref.
United StatesJanuary 18, 1995[ citation needed ]
United KingdomApril 3, 1995
  • 12-inch vinyl
  • CD
  • cassette
[24]

"Oh, Boy" off of Cam'ron's third album Come Home with Me samples the original Rose Royce song. Mariah Carey also sampled the song in her 2002 album Charmbracelet for the song "Boy (I Need You)". Both songs were composed by hip-hop producer Justin "Just Blaze" Smith and are almost identical.

On the episode season 3 finale of Sister, Sister, Tamera (Tamera Mowry) covered the song for a talent show, winning a bet that her sister Tia (Tia Mowry) had with her enemy—and Tamera's opponent, Marva.

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References

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  2. "Rose Royce Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  3. "Rose Royce Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard.
  4. Sholin, Dave (February 24, 1995). "Gavin Picks: Singles" (PDF). Gavin Report . p. 54. Retrieved January 20, 2023.
  5. Masterton, James (April 9, 1995). "Week Ending April 15th 1995". Chart Watch UK. Retrieved September 19, 2021.
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  10. I'm Goin' Down (UK CD single liner notes). Mary J. Blige. MCA Records. 1995. MCSTD 2053.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  11. I'm Goin' Down (UK 12-inch single liner notes). Mary J. Blige. MCA Records. 1995. MCST 2053.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  12. I'm Goin' Down (UK Cassette single liner notes). Mary J. Blige. MCA Records. 1995. MCSC 2053.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  13. I'm Goin' Down (Australia CD single liner notes). Mary J. Blige. MCA Records. 1995. MCD 32545.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
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