Released 1983 Label Epic | Recorded 1982 Writer(s) James Mtume | |
Format 7-inch single, 12-inch single Length 6:00 (album version)
4:32 (UK album edit)
3:44 (7-inch edit)
5:55 (12-inch vocal version)
7:03 (12-inch "fruity instrumental mix") | ||
"Juicy Fruit" is a song written by James Mtume and released as the lead-off single from Mtume's third album, also titled Juicy Fruit. It features keyboards by legendary Parliament-Funkadelic keyboardist/arranger Bernie Worrell. The mid-tempo song is arguably Mtume's most well-known, proving enormously successful on R&B radio stations and (to a lesser extent) nightclubs when first released. The song reached number one on the Billboard Hot Black Singles chart on June 4, 1983 and remained there for eight weeks. Its success on the Billboard Pop Singles chart, however, was more modest, reaching number 45. The single remarkably became a certified one million seller on July 25, 1983 without even becoming a Top 40 hit. The song's video had different lyrics, where they replaced "You can lick me everywhere" with "Candy kisses everywhere" so it wouldn't be censored or banned from being seen on TV.
Contents
"Juicy Fruit" has been prominently sampled by hip-hop and R&B artists throughout the years, most notably by The Notorious B.I.G. on his debut solo single "Juicy", Keyshia Cole on her single "Let It Go", and Tamar Braxton on her hit single "The One".
The single itself would become the inspiration for another act that would take the name from the song, Juicy, whose single "Sugar Free" was considered an answer to "Juicy Fruit" and itself the basis for being used as sampled backgrounds on numerous songs.
Samples
The song "Juicy Fruit" is a staple hip hop sample. It is sampled in the following songs:
Cover versions
The song was covered in 2011 by American R&B singer-songwriter and recording artist Mashonda which samples the instrumental beat of the original song with recreated background music.
Instrumental remixes
A remix of the song was made in 1983 titled the "Fruity Instrumental Mix". It was produced by Tony Humphries. This version of the song runs over seven minutes containing mostly instrumental beats featuring the singing vocals of "Juicy Fruit", minus its starting chorus. This is the version sampled for the Notorious B.I.G. song "Juicy", the remix of Montell Jordan's "Supa Star", and the Urban Noize remix of Nicki Minaj's song "Your Love".
The other instrumental remix titled "The After 6 Mix" runs about three and a half minutes featuring background effects and added instrument sounds. This remix also features vocals from the lead singers of "Juicy Fruit" but to a much lesser extent than in the Fruity Instrumental mix. This version is sampled in the Ant Banks song "It's Going On".
A heavily filtered disco-edit recut of "Juicy Fruit" by Adana Twins & Doctor Dru was included on Black Jukebox 01, released August 2011.