B-side "Yo Yo" Format 7" single Genre R&B, soul | Released September 1976 Recorded 1976 Length 3:37 | |
"I'm Going Down" is a song written and produced by Norman Whitfield, and performed by Rose Royce. The single is from the film Car Wash and is featured on the film's soundtrack.
Contents
Background
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 compliments the screen time of Maureen, a forlorn prostitute who desperately seeks a chance at true love with "Joe," even as she turns tricks.
Mary J. Blige version
In 1994, The song would gain more exposure and popularity when it was covered by R&B artist Mary J. Blige for her second album, My Life. She also changed the title from "I'm Going Down" to "I'm Goin' Down". Due to the heavy airplay that it received, Blige's version peaked at number thirteen on the Hot R&B Songs chart and number twenty-two on the US Billboard Hot 100. It became her fifth consecutive Top 40 hit as a lead artist. This song is also frequently performed at many of her concerts and as well as live sets, and receives much more airplay than the original to this day.
Music video
The 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 singing in a club, and wearing an-all black suit with a matching hat, walking downstairs (being duplicated over and over again).
In popular culture
"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.