Cruisin' (Smokey Robinson song) explained

Cruisin'
Type:	single
Artist:	Smokey Robinson
Album:	Where There's Smoke...
B-Side:	Ever Had a Dream
Length:	4:11 (7-inch edit)
Label:	Tamla (Motown)
Prev Title:	Get Ready
Prev Year:	1979
Next Title:	Let Me Be the Clock
Next Year:	1980

"Cruisin'" is a 1979 single written, produced, and performed by American singer-songwriter Smokey Robinson for Motown Records' Tamla label. One of Robinson's most successful singles outside of his work with the Miracles, "Cruisin'" hit number one on the U.S. Cash Box Top 100 and was also a Billboard Hot 100 hit, peaking at number four the week of February 2, 1980.^[1] It was a top-five hit on the Soul chart as well.^[2]

Background

The song was co-written by fellow Miracle Marv Tarplin. "Cruisin'" was an even bigger hit in New Zealand, hitting number one on that country's chart. It is included on Robinson's ninth studio album, Where There's Smoke.... Reportedly, Robinson had a cold when he recorded the song. It was originally intended as a B-side for a remake of "Get Ready".

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1979–1980)	Peak position
Australia	70
Canada Top Singles (RPM) ^[3]	66
New Zealand	1
U.S. Billboard Hot 100	4
U.S. Billboard Hot Soul Singles	4
U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary^[4]	34
U.S. Cash Box Top 100 ^[5]	1

Year-end charts

Chart (1980)	Rank
New Zealand ^[6]	3
US Top Pop Singles (Billboard)^[7]	13
U.S. Cash Box	23

D'Angelo version

Cruisin'
Type:	single
Artist:	D'Angelo
Album:	Brown Sugar
Released:	December 5, 1995
Length:	6:24 (album version) 3:58 (radio edit)
Label:	Cooltempo
Producer:	Bob Power
Prev Title:	Brown Sugar
Prev Year:	1995
Next Title:	Lady
Next Year:	1996

Neo soul musician D'Angelo recorded a cover of the song for his 1995 album Brown Sugar. The cover was released as the album's second single on October 12, 1995, and was commercially successful charting within the top ten of the US R&B charts.^{[8] [9]} the album reached sales of 500,000 copies in the United States by October 1995.^{[10] [11]} This version appeared in the third episode of the UPN sitcom, Moesha in 1996.

Composition and arrangement

"Cruisin", a cover of Smokey Robinson's 1979 hit of the same name, here features a predominant string section.^[12] The longest track on the album, it employs violin, viola and cello, as well as shakers and light percussion, while sleigh bells are featured in the chorus.^[13] Flautist Lauryn Vivino contributes with piccolo. The track also features steady piano-playing by D'Angelo,^[14] with Brooklyn Funk Essentials-member Bob "Bassy" Brockmann playing the trumpet.^[15]

Track listing

1. "Cruisin'"
2. "Brown Sugar"

Weekly charts

Gwyneth Paltrow and Huey Lewis version

Cruisin'
Cover:	Cruisin'_-_Gwyneth_Paltrow_and_Huey_Lewis.jpg
Type:	single
Artist:	Gwyneth Paltrow and Huey Lewis
Album:	Duets: Original Soundtrack
B-Side:	"Feeling Alright" "Beginnings / Endings"
Length:	4:52
Label:	Hollywood
Producer:	Larry Klein
Chronology:	Huey Lewis
Next Title:	Workin' for a Livin'
Next Year:	2008

Gwyneth Paltrow and Huey Lewis performed a cover of the song in the 2000 film Duets. The song is included on the soundtrack of the film and released as a single on September 11, 2000. The duet spent one week at number one on the US Adult Contemporary chart. It was an even bigger hit in Australia and New Zealand, reaching number one on both country's singles charts, and in Iceland, where it climbed to number four in November 2000.

Track listing

Australian and German CD single^{[16] [17]}

1. "Cruisin'" (by Paltrow and Lewis) – 4:51
2. "Feeling Alright" (by Lewis) – 4:02
3. "Beginnings / Endings" (by David Newman) – 1:59

Charts

Year-end charts

Chart (2001)	Position
Australia (ARIA)^[20]	27
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)^[21]	12
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)^[22]	10

Release history

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)
United States	September 11, 2000	Adult contemporary radio	Hollywood	^[23]
New Zealand	November 27, 2000	CD		^[24]

Other covers

• In 1988, crossover thrash band Beowülf covered the song on their album Lost My Head... But I'm Back on the Right Track.
• Holly Cole, a Canadian jazz singer, covered "Cruisin'" on her 1990 album Girl Talk.
• In 2001, saxophonist Jaared covered this song on his album Foreword.^[25] Three years later, the late bassist Wayman Tisdale included a cover of the song on his album Hangtime.^{[26] [27]}
• Filipino acoustic band MYMP released their version on the album The Unreleased Acoustic Collection and again on Back to Acoustic in 2013.
• Japanese singer Maki Ohguro (大黒 摩季 Ōguro Maki) released her version on the 2007 compilation album Best of Best 1000.^[28]
• Coolio has also sampled this song. Although the verse lyrics are changed in his song, the chorus is the same.

Popular culture

• In 2009, Essence magazine included the song in their list of the "25 Best Slow Jams of All Time".^[29]
• Robinson's version appears in the 2013 videogame Grand Theft Auto V inside the radio station The Lowdown 91.1.^[30]
• Robinson's version appears in a 2021 TV commercial for Allstate.^[31]

See also

• List of Billboard Adult Contemporary number ones of 2000
• List of Cash Box Top 100 number-one singles of 1980

External links

• Lyrics of this song

Notes and References

1. Web site: Smokey Robinson. Billboard.com. April 23, 2021.
2. Book: Whitburn, Joel . Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Joel Whitburn . 2004 . Record Research . 497.
3. Web site: Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada . Collectionscanada.gc.ca . October 14, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20161019075734/http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php . October 19, 2016 . dead .
4. Book: Whitburn, Joel . Joel Whitburn . 1993 . Top Adult Contemporary: 1961–1993 . Record Research . 202.
5. Web site: Top 100 1980-02-16 . . January 3, 2015 .
6. Web site: Top Selling Singles of 1980 | The Official New Zealand Music Chart . Nztop40.co.nz . December 31, 1980 . October 14, 2016.
7. December 20, 1980 . 1980 Talent in Action – Year End Charts : Pop Singles . TIA-10 . Billboard . 92 . 51. April 5, 2020.
8. Billboard Singles: Brown Sugar
9. Web site: RIAA - Gold & Platinum Searchable Database - September 24, 2015 . . March 21, 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20150924151606/http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?resultpage=1 . September 24, 2015 .
10. Web site: RIAA - Gold & Platinum Searchable Database - October 18, 2015 . . May 9, 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20151019022802/http://riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?resultpage=1&table=SEARCH_RESULTS&action=&title=Brown%20Sugar&artist=&format=&debutLP=&category=&sex=&releaseDate=&requestNo=&type=&level=&label=&company=&certificationDate=&awardDescription=&catalogNo=&aSex=&rec_id=&charField=&gold=&platinum=&multiPlat=&level2=&certDate=&album=&id=&after=&before=&startMonth=1&endMonth=1&startYear=1958&endYear=2010&sort=Artist&perPage=25 . October 19, 2015 .
11. Ayers, Anne. "D'Angelo Cruisin' Through His First Tour. USA Today: 14.D. November 1, 1995.
12. Shapiro (2006), p. 104.
13. http://metallungies.com/2008/07/remix-fridays-dangelo-part-4/ Metal Lungies: Remix Tuesdays - D’Angelo Part 4
14. http://www.warr.org/dangelo.html W & A's Record Reviews: D'Angelo
15. http://www.discogs.com/artist/Bassy+Bob+Brockmann?anv=Bob+%22Bassy%22+Brockmann Discogs: Bob "Bassy" Brockmann Discography
16. Cruisin'. Gwyneth Paltrow, Huey Lewis. 2000. Australian CD single liner notes. Hollywood Records, Festival Mushroom Records. 019892.
17. Cruisin'. Gwyneth Paltrow, Huey Lewis. 2000. German CD single liner notes. Hollywood Records. 0122175HWR.
18. News: Íslenski Listinn Topp 20 (24.11–1.12 2000). Dagblaðið Vísir. is. 10. November 24, 2000. October 7, 2019.
19. The Best of 2000: Most Played Adult Contemporary Songs. Airplay Monitor. 8. 51. 50. December 22, 2000.
20. Web site: ARIA Top 100 Singles for 2001. ARIA. May 29, 2021.
21. Web site: End of Year Charts 2001. Recorded Music NZ. October 7, 2019.
22. [{{Google books|sBIEAAAAMBAJ|pg=RA1-PA39-IA20|plainurl=yes}} The Year in Music 2001: Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks]. Billboard. 113. 52. YE-81. December 29, 2001. 0006-2510. September 4, 2021.
23. Huey Lewis Gwyneth Paltrow: Cruisin'. Radio & Records. 1367. 39. September 8, 2000. May 29, 2021.
24. Web site: New Releases. netcd.co.nz. November 27, 2000. https://web.archive.org/web/20001201202300/http://www.netcd.co.nz/NewReleases.html. December 1, 2000. November 8, 2023.
25. Web site: Foreward: Album. Answers.com.
26. Web site: An Interview with Wayman Tisdale. SmoothViews.com.
27. Web site: Jazz Albums: Hang Time Wayman Tisdale. JazzTimes.com.
28. Web site: Amazon.com. Amazon.
29. Web site: 25 Best Slow Jams of All Time. Essence.com. April 23, 2021.
30. Web site: The Low Down 91.1 (GTAV) by Rockstar Games .
31. Web site: iSpot.tv | TV Ad Measurement and Attribution Platform. Ispot.tv. April 23, 2021.