Released August 1981 Genre Funk, Soul | Format 7" single | |
B-side "All the Things I Love" Writer(s) Lisa Peters, William Jeffrey | ||
"Very Special" is a song by Debra Laws from 1981. It is the title track of her first album, and features her brother Ronnie on vocals. The song reached #90 on the US Billboard Hot 100 during the summer of the year. It peaked at number 11 on the R&B chart. On that chart, it ranks as the 64th biggest hit of 1981.
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"Very Special" has been most notably covered and/or sampled by Big Daddy Kane and Jennifer Lopez, and has been the subject of lawsuits in this regard.
Big Daddy Kane cover
"Very Special" was covered by Big Daddy Kane in 1993. It was the second single released from his fifth studio album, Looks Like a Job For.... Produced by Kane himself, this song is based on -- and thus musically incorporates "Very Special". It is a duet with Salt-n-Pepa member DJ Spinderella. The chorus was performed by vocalists Karen Anderson and Laree Williams.
The song became a crossover hit, becoming Big Daddy Kane's first and only single to reach the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 31.
A-side
- "Very Special" (Album Version) – 5:05
- "Very Special" (Underground Mix) – 3:03
- "Very Special" (Edit Without Female Rap) – 3:53
B-side
- "Stop Shammin'" (Album Version) – 3:57
- "Stop Shammin'" (Instrumental Version) – 3:57