"Whatzupwitu" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Eddie Murphy featuring Michael Jackson | ||||
from the album Love's Alright | ||||
B-side | "I Was a King" | |||
Released | March 30, 1993 | |||
Recorded | January 1992 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 3:21 | |||
Label | Motown | |||
Songwriter(s) |
| |||
Producer(s) |
| |||
Eddie Murphy singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Michael Jackson singles chronology | ||||
|
"Whatzupwitu" (pronounced "what's up with you") is a 1993 R&B song by Eddie Murphy, featuring Michael Jackson. It is included as the sixth track on Murphy's third studio album Love's Alright . Jackson decided to participate in the song and video since he thought the lyrics had a positive message. [1]
AllMusic editor Steven McDonald wrote that despite being a featured artist, Jackson "steals 'Whatzupwitu' outright." [2]
"Whatzupwitu" has been noted for its music video, directed by Wayne Isham and Klasky Csupo, [3] [4] which was inspired by the album's cover art and also uses computer graphics. [5] This followed Murphy's guest appearance in Jackson's music video for "Remember the Time". It was voted by MTV viewers in 1999 as the third worst music video of all time, and permanently retired on the channel from being aired in its entirety on the MTV special 25 Lame. [6] The beginning of the video features Murphy looking through a puddle of water. In the puddle, there is a sad clown that says, "The elephant is dying." Then, there is an animated scene of three elephants standing on top of a sea turtle while holding the Earth on their backs. The scene changes to Murphy singing over various special effects over a blue sky, before Jackson appears and begins to sing along with him. The music video also features the Harlem Boys Choir singing and dancing around them.
CD maxi single (Netherlands) [7]
12" promo (US) [8]
12" single (US) [9]
| CD promo (US) [10]
CD single (France) [11]
|
Chart (1993) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australia (ARIA) [12] | 88 |
France (SNEP) [13] | 36 |
Netherlands (Single Top 100) [14] | 50 |
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs ( Billboard ) [15] | 74 |
"The Hand That Feeds" is a song by American industrial rock band Nine Inch Nails, released as the lead single from their fourth studio album, With Teeth (2005).
"1979" is a song by American alternative rock band the Smashing Pumpkins. It was released in 1996 as the second single from their third studio album, Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness. "1979" was written by frontman Billy Corgan, and features loops and samples uncharacteristic of previous Smashing Pumpkins songs. The song foreshadows the synth-pop sound the band would embrace more openly on Adore and its tracks "Ava Adore" and "Perfect". The song was written as a nostalgic coming-of-age story by Corgan. In the year 1979, Corgan was twelve, and this is what he considered his transition into adolescence.
"The Pleasure Principle" is a song recorded by American singer Janet Jackson for her third studio album, Control (1986). A&M Records released it as the sixth single from Control on May 12, 1987. Written and produced by Monte Moir, with co-production by Jackson and Steve Wiese, the song is an "independent woman" anthem about taking control of a personal relationship by refusing to settle for loveless materialism. Musically, "The Pleasure Principle" is an R&B song built around a dance-pop beat. The photograph for the single cover was shot by David LaChapelle. The song has been included in two of Jackson's greatest hits albums, Design of a Decade: 1986–1996 (1995) and Number Ones (2009).
"Alright" is a song by American singer-songwriter Janet Jackson from her fourth studio album, Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814 (1989). Written by Jackson and Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, the song was released on March 4, 1990, by A&M Records as the fourth single from Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814. In the United Kingdom, it was issued as the album's fifth single in June 1990.
"Love Will Never Do (Without You)" is a song by American singer Janet Jackson and was composed by songwriters and record producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. Janet recorded the song for her fourth studio album, Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814 (1989). It was released as the seventh commercial single from the album by A&M Records on October 2, 1990. In 1991 it topped the US Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, becoming the fifth number-one hit of her career and the fourth number-one single from Rhythm Nation 1814. On both the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and Dance Club Songs charts, the single peaked in the top five. It also peaked within the top 40 in several countries. It is certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), denoting sales of 500,000 units in the US alone.
It's Alright (I See Rainbows) is the sixth solo album by Yoko Ono, and her second release after the murder of husband John Lennon. As a variation of a theme concerning its predecessor, the back cover features a transparent image of Lennon in a then-contemporary photo of Yoko and Sean, depicted in Central Park. Released in 1982, all songs were written, composed, arranged, produced, and sung by Ono. It charted at #98 in the US.
"The Kids Aren't Alright" is a song by the Offspring. It is the fifth track from the band's fifth studio album, Americana (1998), and was released as its third single. It became another top 10 hit on the US Modern Rock Tracks chart.
"Nothing" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Janet Jackson. It was released on March 23, 2010 by A&M Records and So So Def Recordings as a soundtrack single from the film Why Did I Get Married Too?, which starred Jackson. The song was later included on Jackson's compilation album Icon: Number Ones. It was written by Jackson, Johntá Austin, Bryan-Michael Cox and Jermaine Dupri and produced by Jackson, Cox, and Dupri. Initially titled "Trust in Me", the song was written about the different character's personas and emotions in the film.
American singer Janet Jackson has released fifty-two music videos, in addition to eight video albums and two concert tour videos. Upon the debut of Control, she became a dominant figure in entertainment, establishing herself as one of the pioneers of the video era. Her videography is considered among the most influential in popular culture by critics, who have lauded their elaborate sets, intricate dance routines, fashion, and meticulous detail. Her story-telling videos display various concepts, ranging from large production pieces to socially conscious themes and controversial depictions of intimacy. Throughout her work, Jackson was a preeminent influence in establishing the art of performance and choreography within music video. Her videos have been described as the entertainment industry's highest standard, which Rolling Stone observed to create templates for numerous artists. VH1 ranked her among the greatest women in music video, while MTV honored her with the Video Vanguard Award and inaugural Icon tribute for her impact within entertainment.
Divinyls is the fourth studio album by Australian band Divinyls, released on 29 January 1991 by Virgin Records. The album was the band's most successful, peaking at number 5 in Australia and number 15 on the US Billboard 200. It also contains the band's biggest-selling single, "I Touch Myself", which reached number one in Australia, number four in the US and number 10 in the UK.
"Dance Commander" is a song by American rock band Electric Six. It was released as the third single from their debut studio album Fire on October 13, 2003, but only in the United Kingdom. The song peaked at number 40 on the UK Singles Chart.
"Cryin'" is a power ballad by American hard rock band Aerosmith. It was written by Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, and Taylor Rhodes, and released by Geffen Records on June 29, 1993, as the second US single from their 11th studio album, Get a Grip (1993). The single reached numbers 12 and 11 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and Cash Box Top 100, ending the year at number 60 overall. It is one of their most successful hits in Europe, reaching number one in Norway, number three in Iceland, Portugal, and Sweden, and number 17 on the UK Singles Chart. The song went gold in the United States for selling over 500,000 copies. Its music video, directed by Marty Callner, features Alicia Silverstone, Stephen Dorff and Josh Holloway.
"Signal Fire" is a song by Northern Irish–Scottish alternative rock band Snow Patrol, appearing on the soundtrack of the film Spider-Man 3, released on 24 April, 30 April, 2 May and 14 May 2007, depending on the region. It was the only single released from the soundtrack. It was recorded at Grouse Lodge and was produced by long-time Snow Patrol producer Jacknife Lee. The song was also initially offered to Shrek the Third.
Love's Alright is the third musical studio album by comedian and singer Eddie Murphy. The album was released on February 23, 1993, by Motown Records, and was produced by Murphy, David Allen Jones and Ralph Hawkins. It was a critical and commercial failure, only making it to number 80 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. Two singles were released: "Whatzupwitu", whose music video is patterned after the album cover and features Michael Jackson, and "I Was a King", featuring Shabba Ranks. The album did not chart well on the Billboard charts.
"Free" is a song by American singer Mýa. It served as the third and final single from her second studio album, Fear of Flying (2000), in December 2000. Originally featured on the soundtrack to the 2000 film Bait, the song was one of the two tracks added to the re-release edition of Fear of Flying on November 7, 2000. It was written and composed by Jimmy Jam, Harrison, Terry Lewis, Alexander Richbourg, and Tony Tolbert. Lyrically, "Free" addresses on independence.
"Movin' On" is a song by American singer Mya, released in July 1998 as the second single from her self-titled debut studio album. It was written and composed by Harrison, Mark Andrews and Darryl Pearson. Musically, the album version is a funk and pop song, while the single remix version is a hip hop song. Lyrically, the record speaks of a woman leaving her cheating ex-boyfriend.
"Snake" is a song by the American recording artist R. Kelly, featuring Big Tigger, from his fifth studio album, Chocolate Factory. The remix features Cam'ron. It was released on February 25, 2003, by Jive Records as the second single from the album. The R&B song with Latin music inspiration was written and produced by R. Kelly, and co-written by Darian Morgan, as a tribute to Stevie Wonder's musical experimentation. The song also inspired the dancehall reggae riddim called Baghdad.
"Pray" is a song performed by Canadian singer Justin Bieber. The song was written by Bieber along with Omar Martinez, and Adam Messinger and Nasri of The Messengers, with the latter duo producing the track. The song is taken as a single in several European countries from his first compilation album, My Worlds: The Collection. In the United States and Canada, the song is included on My Worlds Acoustic. According to Bieber, he was inspired by Michael Jackson's "Man in the Mirror" (1988) when writing the song. The song is a contemporary Christian song, using a world music backdrop. It primarily features acoustic instruments, but it does make minor usage of electronic sounds.
"Shake Me Down" is the first single and fourth track on Cage the Elephant's second album Thank You, Happy Birthday. A music video for the single was released on January 11, 2011. Both the song and the video gained much critical acclaim, and earned a nomination for Best Rock Video at the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards
"Take Away" is a song by American rapper Missy Elliott. It was written by Elliott and Timbaland for her third studio album, Miss E... So Addictive (2001), while production was helmed by the latter, with Elliott and Craig Brockman served as co-producers. The downtempo track features guest vocals from R&B singer Ginuwine. While the album version of "Take Away" credits background vocals by 702 member, Kameelah Williams, the single version replaces Williams's vocals with then-newcomer, Elliott's former protégée Tweet.