Released March 24, 1992 Label EMI/Chrysalis Records | Genre Alternative hip hop | |
Format 7-inch single, 12-inch single, CD, Vinyl Writer(s) Thomas Todd, Aerle Taree "Tennessee"
(1992) "People Everyday"
(1992) | ||
"Tennessee" is the title of a number-one R&B single by alternative hip hop group, Arrested Development, from their album 3 Years, 5 Months & 2 Days in the Life Of.... The song contains a sample of Prince's "Alphabet St.". The music video for the song was directed by Milcho Manchevski and shot in Georgia, with friends of the group and people from the local area appearing in the clip. The song won the Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group in 1993. A recent poll of VH1 viewers placed the song at number 71 on the list of the "Greatest Songs of the 90s" and is listed as one of the 500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. It was ranked number 78 on VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of Hip Hop. The song also served as the theme to the short-lived Malcolm-Jamal Warner sitcom Here and Now.
Contents
Background
Speech was inspired to write the song after meeting up with his brother at his grandmother's funeral in Tennessee. Shortly afterwards, his brother died suddenly from a bad asthma attack, and Speech wrote the song about the experience of losing two loved ones so close together The song uses a sample from Prince's "Alphabet Street" which was not cleared ahead of time. Prince's lawyers waited until after the song sold well and then charged the group $100,000 for the use of said sample. Speech later said he felt Prince gave him "a break" by demanding a single payment instead of co-writing credit on the song, which would have entitled Prince to a share of all royalties in the future.
Track listings
US Maxi-CD
- Tennessee (The Mix) 4:33
- Tennessee (Remix) 4:40
- Tennessee (For DJs Only) 2:15
- Tennessee (Dubb Mix) 4:40
- Natural 4:19
UK CD
- Tennessee (Edit)
- Tennessee (Remix)
- Fishin 4 Religion (Live)
- Mama's Always On Stage
Australia Maxi-CD
- Tennessee (Remix) 4:48
- Tennessee (For DJs Only) 2:18
- Tennessee (Dubb Mix) 4:45
- Natural 4:19
Chart performance
"Tennessee" topped the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks for one week and peaked at number six on the Billboard Hot 100.
In the United Kingdom, the song spent a seven-week run on the UK Singles Chart, peaking at number forty six, but after the top ten successes of both "People Everyday" and "Mr. Wendal" on the chart, it was re-released in 1993, charting for a further six weeks and peaking at number eighteen.