Rocket 2 U

Last updated
"Rocket 2 U"
JetsRocket2U.jpg
Single by The Jets
from the album Magic
B-side "Our Only Chance"
ReleasedJanuary 1, 1988
Genre
Length3:41
Label MCA
Songwriter(s) Bobby Nunn
Producer(s) Bobby Nunn
The Jets singles chronology
"I Do You"
(1987)
"Rocket 2 U"
(1988)
"Make It Real"
(1988)

"Rocket 2 U" is a song by the American sibling group, The Jets. It was written and produced by Bobby Nunn. The single, featuring lead vocals by Haini Wolfgramm, [1] received a nomination for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals at the 31st Grammy Awards in 1989. [2]

Contents

Released as the third single from their album Magic in 1988, the song was the second most successful single released from the album, peaking at number six on the Billboard Hot 100 and number five on the R&B chart.

In July 2022, Nunn sued the NFL and NBC for using "Rocket 2 U" during football games on NBC without a license. [3] The case was settled in April 2023 for an undisclosed amount. [4]

Background

Nunn originally offered "Rocket 2 U" to Earth, Wind & Fire for inclusion on their 1987 album, Touch the World . During that time, Nunn was talking to Bobby Brown, who introduced him to MCA Records executive Louil Silas Jr. Nunn played Silas several demos - one of which was "Rocket 2 U". Silas then wanted to give the song to The Jets. Nunn insisted on Earth, Wind & Fire recording the song, but the group was taking too long to start recording it. After the long wait, Philip Bailey suggested letting The Jets record it, to which Nunn agreed. [5]

Music video

The music video for the song depicts the band performing the song while wearing colorful clothes in front of a grey background, and comedic shots of a woman who has things going wrong all around her house, representing some of the song lyrics.

Chart performance

Chart (1988)Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report) [6] 92
Netherlands (Single Top 100) [7] 90
US Billboard Hot 100 [8] 6
US Dance Club Songs ( Billboard ) [9] 3
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs ( Billboard ) [10] 5
U.S. Billboard Hot Crossover 30[ citation needed ]2
UK Singles (OCC) [11] 69
U.S. Cash Box Top 1005

Year-end charts

Chart (1988)Position
United States (Billboard) [12] [13] 68

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Take My Breath Away</span> 1986 single by Berlin

"Take My Breath Away" is a song written by Giorgio Moroder and Tom Whitlock for the 1986 film Top Gun, performed by American new wave band Berlin. It won the Academy Award for Best Original Song as well as the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song in 1986.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Don't Worry, Be Happy</span> 1988 single by Bobby McFerrin

"Don't Worry, Be Happy" is a 1988 song by Bobby McFerrin, released as the first single from his album Simple Pleasures (1988). It was the first a cappella song to reach number-one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, a position it held for two weeks. Originally released in conjunction with the film Cocktail, the song peaked at number-one on September 24, 1988, displacing "Sweet Child o' Mine" by Guns N' Roses.

The Jets are a Tongan American pop and R&B family band from Robbinsdale, a suburb of Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Jets are composed of brothers and sisters LeRoy, Eddie, Eugene, Haini, Rudy, Kathi, Elizabeth, and Moana Wolfgramm, who perform pop, R&B, and dance music. They started performing as a family band in 1977. The group enjoyed worldwide success in 1985–1990, performing three world tours, and producing five top-10 hits on the US Billboard Hot 100.

<i>Dont Be Cruel</i> (album) 1988 studio album by Bobby Brown

Don't Be Cruel is the second studio album by American singer Bobby Brown. It was released in the United States on June 20, 1988, by MCA Records. MCA changed producers for this album and had Brown work with hit-making songwriting and production duo Babyface and L.A. Reid. Brown dedicated the album to his deceased best friend James "Jimbo" Flint who was stabbed to death when Brown was aged 11. Don't Be Cruel incorporates new jack swing, R&B, funk, dance and soul.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chubb Rock</span> Jamaican rapper

Richard Anthony Simpson, also known as Chubb Rock, is a Jamaican-American rapper who released several successful hip hop albums in the late 1980s and early 1990s. A National Merit Scholar, Chubb Rock dropped out of Brown University to pursue his musical career.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elton John singles discography</span>

The singles discography of British singer, songwriter and pianist Elton John consists of 140 official singles as main artist, 22 as a featured artist, as well as 56 other non-single guest appearances, 2 charity singles, and 3 other charted songs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crush on You (The Jets song)</span> 1986 single by The Jets

"Crush on You" is the second single released in 1986 from the Jets' debut album The Jets. The song reached number three on the Billboard Hot 100 and number five on the UK Singles Chart. Jerry Knight and Aaron Zigman co-wrote the hit single which put the Jets on the charts. The record was also given away in the UK in Flexi Disc format by being attached to the cover of Smash Hits magazine.

<i>The Best of The Jets</i> 1990 greatest hits album by The Jets

The Best of The Jets is the first greatest hits album by Tongan-American family band The Jets, released on July 13, 1990, by MCA Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Do for Love</span> 1998 single by 2Pac featuring Eric Williams

"Do for Love" was the second and final posthumously released single by Tupac Shakur from his second posthumous album R U Still Down? .

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cool It Now</span> 1984 single by New Edition

"Cool It Now" is a 1984 hit single by American group New Edition, is the first single from their eponymous second album, New Edition. In the US, the song entered the Hot Black Singles chart on September 1, 1984 and reached number 1. In January 1985 the song peaked at number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song was Produced by Vincent Brantley and Rick Timas. The lyrics depict a guy professing his love for a girl, despite growing concerns from his friends.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Don't Be Cruel (Bobby Brown song)</span> 1988 single by Bobby Brown

"Don't Be Cruel" is a song by American singer Bobby Brown. Taken from his second studio album of the same name, the song was written and produced by the songwriting and production duo Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds and Antonio "L.A." Reid, with additional writing by Daryl Simmons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">A Lighter Shade of Brown</span> American hip hop duo

A Lighter Shade of Brown (LSOB) is an American hip hop duo from Riverside, California. The duo consisted of rappers Robert "Don't Try To Xerox (DTTX)" Ramirez (September 26, 1969 – July 13, 2016) and Robert "One Dope Mexican (ODM)" Gutierrez (born August 22, 1969). They are best known for their 1990 hit single "On a Sunday Afternoon" which had great success in both the U.S., and New Zealand.

<i>Magic</i> (The Jets album) 1987 studio album by the Jets

Magic is the third studio album by Tongan-American family band the Jets, released in 1987 by MCA Records. It was the first album without Eugene Wolfgramm, who left the group to form Boys Club.

<i>The Jets</i> (album) 1985 studio album by the Jets

The Jets is the debut studio album by Tongan-American family band The Jets, released on October 14, 1985, by MCA Records. The Jets gained airplay on MTV, VH1 and BET with the release of their first single "Curiosity". The song reached number 8 on the Billboard R&B singles chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">You Got It All</span> 1986 single

"You Got It All" is a song recorded by American band the Jets. It was released in 1986 as the fourth single from their debut studio album The Jets (1985). It was written by Rupert Holmes, most famous for the 1979 hit "Escape ", and produced by Don Powell and David Rivkin. Holmes wrote it for his 10-year-old daughter Wendy but she never got to hear it become a hit, as prior to its release she died suddenly of an undiagnosed brain tumour. The song features the second youngest member of the group, then-13-year-old Elizabeth Wolfgramm, on lead vocals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Make It Real</span> 1988 single by The Jets

"Make It Real" is a song by the American sibling group the Jets, released as a single from their album, Magic in April 1988.

<i>Then & Now</i> (The Jets album) 1998 studio album by The Jets

Then & Now is the seventh studio album by Tongan-American family band The Jets, released on August 25, 1998, by Cold Front.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bobby Nunn (R&B musician)</span> American music producer, songwriter and vocalist

Bobby Nunn is an American R&B music producer, songwriter and vocalist, best known for his top 15 US Billboard R&B chart hit single, "She's Just a Groupie" and for writing and producing the Grammy nominated hit single "Rocket 2U" for "the Jets".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bobby Shmurda</span> American rapper (born 1994)

Ackquille Jean Pollard, known professionally as Bobby Shmurda, is an American rapper. Along with Rowdy Rebel, Shmurda is considered a pioneer of Brooklyn drill music. He rose to international fame in 2014 when his single, "Hot Nigga", peaked at number six on the Billboard Hot 100. Its success led him to sign with Epic Records to release his debut extended play (EP), Shmurda She Wrote, (2014).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rocket Man (song)</span> 1972 single, music by Elton John, lyrics by Bernie Taupin

"Rocket Man(I Think It's Going to Be a Long, Long Time)" is a song written by English musician Elton John and songwriter Bernie Taupin and performed by John. It was originally released on 17 April 1972 in the US, as the lead single to John's album Honky Château. The song first charted in the UK on 22 April, rising to No. 2 in the UK Singles Chart and No. 6 in the US Billboard Hot 100, becoming a major hit single for John.

References

  1. "Moana Wolfgramm". WBSSmedia. Retrieved 2020-01-19.
  2. "Jets". Recording Academy. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  3. "TMZ – Bobby Nunn". United States: TMZ. 13 July 2022.
  4. "Bobby Nunn - Bloomberg Law". United States: bloomberglaw.com.
  5. "Exclusive interview with Bobby Nunn". boogie80.com. Boogie 80. Retrieved 2023-02-15.
  6. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 155. ISBN   0-646-11917-6.
  7. "The Jets %5BUS%5D – Rocket 2 U" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
  8. "The Jets Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  9. "The Jets Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  10. "The Jets Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  11. "Jets {US}: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  12. "1988 The Year in Music & Video: Top Pop Singles". Billboard. Vol. 100, no. 52. December 24, 1988. p. Y-20.
  13. "Billboard Top 100 – 1988" . Retrieved October 3, 2016.