Released November 1, 1994 Genre R&B Label Motown | Recorded 1994 Length 5:29 | |
Writer(s) James Harris III, Terry Lewis | ||
"On Bended Knee" is a 1994 number-one hit single by Boyz II Men for the Motown label. It is the second single from their second album, II. Written and produced by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, the song reached #1 on the Hot 100 Airplay and #2 on the Hot Singles Sales on December 3, 1994. "On Bended Knee" stayed at number one for a total of six weeks.
Contents
The single is notable for having replaced the previous Boyz II Men single, "I'll Make Love to You", as the top song on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States. This was the first time that an act had replaced itself at number one since the Beatles, when "I Want to Hold Your Hand", "She Loves You", and "Can't Buy Me Love" monopolized the top of the chart for a total of 14 weeks.
In the lyrics, the speaker begs "on bended knee" for his ex-lover to come back to him, and apologizes for his wrongdoing.
Music video
The music video featured the band members and their breakup and eventual reconciliation with four famous actresses: Kim Fields, Renée Jones, Lark Voorhies, and Victoria Rowell. The video begins with Wanya's girlfriend (Voorhies) in the car with him, accusing him of looking at another woman at the grocery store, and she gets out of the car, leaving Wanya alone.
He eventually finds her sitting on bleachers where they make up. Shawn meets a girl (Rowell) with a dog at the park and falls in love with her after just meeting her. Michael gets into a fight with his girlfriend (Jones) on his birthday and he's shown alone, drawing a picture of her, but then she comes back to him.
Nathan is shown concentrating more on writing music than spending time with his girlfriend (Fields), which frustrates her so she writes a breakup note on his mirror and leaves him, but she eventually returns to him. The band appears singing on the subway and in the rain.
The music video was filmed in New Orleans, Louisiana. It includes footage from Audubon Park, the streetcar, and the French Quarter.
Track listing
US Maxi-CD
- On Bended Knee (Human Rhythm Remix) 5:29
- On Bended Knee (Swingamix) 5:26
- On Bended Knee (LP Version) 5:29
- On Bended Knee (Human Rhythm Remix Instrumental) 5:29
- I'll Make Love To You (Remix - Sexy Version) 4:33
US Vinyl, 12", Promo
France Vinyl, 12", Promo
Germany Single
- On Bended Knee (Radio Edit) 4:33
- End Of The Road (Pop Edit) 3:39
Europe Maxi-CD
- On Bended Knee (Radio Edit) 4:33
- On Bended Knee (LP Version) 5:29
- End Of The Road (Pop Edit) 3:39
- Final Del Camino (End Of The Road, Spanish Version) 5:50