Reminisce (song)

Last updated

"Reminisce"
Mary J. Blige - Reminisce.jpg
Single by Mary J. Blige
from the album What's the 411?
B-side "Leave a Message"
ReleasedOctober 13, 1992 (1992-10-13)
Genre
Length5:24
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s) Dave "Jam" Hall
Mary J. Blige singles chronology
"Real Love"
(1992)
"Reminisce"
(1992)
"Sweet Thing"
(1992)
Music video
"Reminisce" on YouTube

"Reminisce" is a song by American singer and songwriter Mary J. Blige from her debut album, What's the 411? (1992). It was co-written by Kenny Greene and Dave "Jam" Hall, who also produced it. Described as a new jack swing song inspired by 1970s soul music, [1] [2] it contains a sample of "Stop, Look, Listen" (1989) by American rapper MC Lyte. The single was released in October 1992, by Uptown and MCA Records, peaking at number fifty-seven on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number six on the Hot R&B Singles chart. A more uptempo and hip hop-inspired remix of the song, featuring duo Pete Rock & CL Smooth, later appeared on Blige's 1993 remix album of the same name. [3] The accompanying music video for "Reminisce" was directed by Marcus Raboy.

Contents

Critical reception

In a retrospective review, Daryl McIntosh from Albumism said that the song followed what seemed to be Combs' formula for the Yonkers, "by revolving around another '80s hip-hop sample, this time from Audio Two's close associate and femcee rhyme titan MC Lyte's "Stop, Look, and Listen". [4] The Daily Vault's Mark Millan described it as "a slick, Whitney-esque R&B track that gives Blige a chance to prove she can sing just as well as rap." [5] In his weekly UK chart commentary, James Masterton commented, "All of a sudden soul is making a comeback, helped in part perhaps by a new show on Radio 1 on Wednesday nights devoted to the music. "Reminisce" thus becomes another in a long line of New Jack Swing tracks to chart in this region although none have gone on to major success." [6] Andy Beevers from Music Week gave the song a score of four out of five. [7] The RM Dance Update complimented it as "superb". [8] An editor from The Observer remarked that it hinted at "the loss and melancholy behind much of hip hop's aggression". [9] Jonathan Bernstein from Spin praised its "irresistible bounce". [10]

Music video

A music video was produced to promote the single, directed by American film and music video director Marcus Raboy. [11] It opens with Mary J. Blige struggling to sleep in a bed during a storm. She later performs in the doorway of a large room with gray walls. Throughout the video, a man sometimes appears. "Reminisce" was later made available by Vevo on YouTube in 2009, and had generated more than 9.1 million views as of May 2025. [12]

Legacy

In June 1994, "Reminisce" won one of ASCAP's R&B Music Awards. [13]

Tracklisting

Personnel

Personnel are adapted from the What's the 411? liner notes. [24]

Charts

References

  1. Myrie, Russell (June 21, 2006). "Mary J Blige, Wembley Arena, London". The Independent . Independent News & Media . Retrieved August 18, 2009.
  2. MASSIMO, Rick (May 21, 2006). "Geiger, Blige highlights at KISS concert". The Providence Journal . A. H. Belo. Archived from the original on June 4, 2011. Retrieved August 18, 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  3. Bogdanov, Woodstra & Erlewine 2002, p. 109
  4. McIntosh, Daryl (July 28, 2017). "Mary J. Blige's Debut Album 'What's the 411?' Turns 25: Anniversary Retrospective". Albumism. Retrieved November 17, 2020.
  5. Millan, Mark (July 5, 2010). "What's The 411? – Mary J. Blige". The Daily Vault. Retrieved November 20, 2020.
  6. Masterton, James (February 21, 1993). "Week Ending February 27th 1993". Chart Watch UK. Retrieved September 9, 2021.
  7. Beevers, Andy (February 6, 1993). "Market Preview: Dance" (PDF). Music Week . p. 10. Retrieved January 30, 2023.
  8. "&" (PDF). Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert). March 20, 1993. p. 8. Retrieved March 24, 2021.
  9. "Mary J Blige, Rose Hall, New York 16 October". The Observer . Guardian Media Group. November 20, 2005. Retrieved August 18, 2009.
  10. Bernstein, Jonathan (February 1995). "Spins". Spin . p. 76. Retrieved January 28, 2023.
  11. "Mary J. Blige: Reminisce". IMDb . Retrieved September 10, 2021.
  12. "Mary J. Blige - Reminisce (Official Video)". YouTube. June 16, 2009. Retrieved January 28, 2023.
  13. "ASCAP's R&B Music Celebration!" (PDF). Billboard . June 18, 1994. p. 8. Retrieved May 20, 2025.
  14. Reminisce (US Cassette single liner notes). MCA Records. 1992. UPTCS-54526.
  15. Reminisce (US 7" single liner notes). MCA Records. 1992. UPTS7-54526.
  16. Reminisce (US Cassette Maxi single liner notes). MCA Records. 1992. UPTM 54525.
  17. Reminisce (US CD single liner notes). MCA Records. 1992. UPTDM-54525.
  18. Reminisce (US 12" single liner notes). MCA Records. 1992. UPT12 54525.
  19. Reminisce (European CD single liner notes). MCA Records. 1993. MCD 30278.
  20. Reminisce (U.K. Cassette single liner notes). MCA Records. 1993. MCSC 1731.
  21. Reminisce (U.K. CD single liner notes). MCA Records. 1993. MCSTD 1731.
  22. Reminisce (U.K. 12" single liner notes). MCA Records. 1993. MCST 1731.
  23. Reminisce (Remix) (U.K. 12" single liner notes). MCA Records. 1993. MCSX 1731.
  24. Blige, Mary J. (1992). What's the 411? (Liner Notes) (Compact Disc). Mary J. Blige. Uptown Records.
  25. "Mary J. Blige ARIA Chart History complete to 2024". ARIA. Retrieved July 26, 2024 via Imgur.com. N.B. The High Point number in the NAT column represents the release's peak on the national chart.
  26. "European Dance Radio Top 25" (PDF). Music & Media . Vol. 10, no. 9. February 27, 1993. p. 10. Retrieved November 3, 2021.
  27. "Mary J Blige: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2017-03-31.
  28. "Top 50 Airplay Chart" (PDF). Music Week . March 13, 1993. p. 12. Retrieved April 27, 2024.
  29. "Top 60 Dance Singles" (PDF). Music Week . February 27, 1993. p. 20. Retrieved April 8, 2021.
  30. "Mary J. Blige Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 2017-03-31.
  31. "Mary J. Blige Chart History (Dance Singles Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved April 30, 2022.
  32. "Mary J. Blige Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 2017-03-31.
  33. "Mary J. Blige Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved April 30, 2022.
  34. "R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: Year End 1993". Billboard . Retrieved March 31, 2017.