Released December 1976 Recorded 1975 Length 3:56 | Format 7" single Genre R&B, soul | |
B-side "Sunrise" (US)
"Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is" (International) | ||
"I Wanna Get Next to You" is a 1976 soul single written, composed and produced by American songwriter and producer Norman Whitfield, and most famously sung by American R&B band Rose Royce. It is the third official single from the Car Wash soundtrack. The song has also become a staple on oldies radio and on adult contemporary stations.
Contents
Background
The song talks about how a narrator pleads love for a beautiful woman, except that the young woman is unkind, and does not understand his affection for her, as he wastes his own money calling her, but she does not respond, regardless, he still wants to "get next" to her.
Chart performance
The song became the group's second top 10 single on the US Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 10, and peaking at number 3 on the Hot Soul Singles chart. The song was also successful worldwide, becoming their second Top 40 hit in the United Kingdom, peaking at number 14 on the UK Singles Chart.
In popular culture
The song was sung on the popular sitcom in 1995, Martin, in the season three episode, "All the Players Came", where Martin Lawrence's character, Jerome, the pimp, sings the song to guest star Pam Grier as part of a competition, facing off with Dolemite and Huggy Bear (played by Rudy Ray Moore and Antonio Fargas) for Detroit's "Player of the Year" award, as part of the competition he sings the song poorly which attracts Pam Grier, which he later in the episode wins unanimously. In the same year, the sound was also featured on the soundtrack to the popular movie Friday. In 1997, this song was covered by R&B singer Cherrelle, and the r&b duo Christian. The song was also featured on the movie Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle.