Mama Used to Say explained

Mama Used to Say
Cover:	Junior_-_Mama_Used_To_Say.jpg
Type:	single
Artist:	Junior
Album:	Ji
Released:	July 27 1981https://ukvibe.org/revibe/interviews/2016-interviews/junior-giscombe-pt-1/
Recorded:	February 1981
Genre:	Soul^[1] electro^[2]
Length:	6:40 (Album Version) 3:35 (American Remix)
Label:	Mercury
Producer:	Bob Carter
Prev Title:	Get Up and Dance
Prev Year:	1981
Next Title:	Too Late
Next Year:	1982

"Mama Used to Say" is the debut single release by the British R&B recording artist Junior, taken from his debut studio album Ji.

Formats and track listings

12" vinyl

1. "Mama Used to Say" – 6:40
2. "Mama Used to Say" (Instrumental) – 6:05
3. "Mama Used to Say" (English Party Mix) – 4:56

7" vinyl

1. "Mama Used to Say" (American Remix) – 3:35
2. "Mama Used to Say" (American Instrumental Mix) – 4:35

Charts

"Mama Used to Say" was released in 1981 and reached the UK Singles Chart top 10 in June 1982, where it remained at #7 for two weeks.^[3] It was also a Top 40 hit and in the United States, earning Junior a Best Newcomer award from Billboard magazine.^[4] The song was ranked at #6 among the top 10 tracks of the year for 1981 by NME.^[5]

Weekly charts

Chart (1982)	Peak position
Canada^[6]	48
France (SNEP)	56
South Africa (Springbok Radio)^[7]	11
US Billboard Hot 100^[8]	30
U.S. Billboard Disco Top 80^[9]	4
U.S. Billboard Hot Soul Singles^[10]	2

Beverley Knight version

Mama Used to Say
Cover:	Beverley_Knight_-_Mama_Used_To_Say.jpg
Type:	single
Artist:	Beverley Knight
Album:	Soul UK
Released:	27 June 2011
Recorded:	2010
Genre:	R&B, soul
Length:	3:51 (Album Version) 3:01 (Radio Version)
Label:	Hurricane Records
Producer:	Martin Terefe
Prev Title:	Soul Survivor
Prev Year:	2010
Next Title:	Cuddly Toy
Next Year:	2011

British singer-songwriter Beverley Knight released "Mama Used to Say" on 27 June 2011^[11] as the first single release from her seventh studio album, Soul UK, a tribute to UK soul artists.

Background

Knight said of the song, "I think this was everyone's favourite track at the time and is still played on every 'club classics' radio show in the country. It's still so fresh and just brings a smile whenever I sing it. It was an obvious choice for the album and a no-brainer for the choice of first single."^[12]

Track listing

Digital download^[13]

1. "Mama Used to Say" (Radio Version) – 3:01
2. "Mama Used to Say" (Album Version) – 3:51
3. "Mama Used to Say" (Dave Doyle Extended Club Mix) – 7:42
4. "Mama Used to Say" (Cool Million's Boogie Down 12 Mix) – 5:36
5. "Mama Used to Say" (Cool Million's Boogie Down Mix) – 4:09
6. "Mama Used to Say" (Live) – 4:36

Music video

The music video for "Mama Used to Say" premiered on Knight's YouTube page on 23 May 2011. The video features both performance and behind-the-scenes footage from her April 2011 album launch show at London's Porchester Hall, soundtracked to the album version of the song.^[14] The video features cameos by Junior, Jaki Graham, Rod Temperton and Jazzie B.^[15]

Release history

Other uses

• British comedian and rapper Richard Blackwood (Junior's nephew) sampled "Mama Used to Say" on his debut single "Mama – Who Da Man", which peaked at #3 on the UK Singles Chart in 2000.^{[16] [17]}
• The song's guitar intro was sampled for Positive K's hit "I Got a Man".
• Rapper Mac sampled the song on "Slow Ya Roll" from his album Shell Shocked.
• Rapper Heavy D of Heavy D & the Boyz sampled "Mama Used to Say" for the song "Is It Good to You" from the album Peaceful Journey.
• Rapper Warren G sampled the song for his "Do You See" single from his "Regulate... G Funk Era" album released in late 1994.
• The rap group Bone Thugs-n-Harmony sampled the song for their single "Thuggish Ruggish Bone" from their 1994 debut EP Creepin on ah Come Up.
• The song is featured in the video game NBA 2K15.

Notes and References

1. Sheffield. Rob. September 27, 2022. 100 Best Songs of 1982. September 9, 2023. Rolling Stone. ...a London kid catching the world’s ear with the effervescent soul electro-zip of “Mama Used to Say.
2. Sheffield. Rob. September 27, 2022. 100 Best Songs of 1982. September 9, 2023. Rolling Stone. ...a London kid catching the world’s ear with the effervescent soul electro-zip of “Mama Used to Say.
3. Web site: JUNIOR – The Official Charts Company . 24 April 1982 . The Official Charts Company. 24 May 2011.
4. Web site: Junior Giscombe – Biography . 2010 . Junior Giscombe. 24 May 2011.
5. Web site: Albums and Tracks of the Year . 2016 . . 13 February 2018 .
6. Web site: Item Display – RPM – Library and Archives Canada . Collectionscanada.gc.ca . 5 November 2016.
7. Web site: SA Charts 1965 – March 1989. 5 September 2018.
8. Web site: [{{BillboardURLbyName|artist=junior|chart=all}} Mama Used to Say – Junior ]. Billboard. 25 May 2011.
9. Book: Whitburn, Joel . Joel Whitburn

   . Hot Dance/Disco: 1974-2003. Joel Whitburn . 2004 . Record Research . 141.

10. Book: Whitburn, Joel . Joel Whitburn

    . Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Joel Whitburn . 2004 . Record Research . 312.

11. Web site: Mama Used To Say – Releases – Beverley Knight . 24 May 2011 . Hurricane Records . 24 May 2011 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110531034556/http://www.beverleyknight.com/releases.php?id=7 . 31 May 2011 .
12. Web site: Biog – Track-by-Track – Beverley Knight . 24 May 2011 . Hurricane Records . 24 May 2011 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110530031535/http://www.beverleyknight.com/biog.php . 30 May 2011 .
13. Web site: Mama Used To Say: Beverley Knight: Amazon.co.uk: MP3 Downloads. 26 June 2011 . 8 June 2011.
14. Web site: Beverley Knight: UK's finest . Bluesandsoul.com . 5 November 2016.
15. Web site: Beverley Knight – Mama Used To Say (Video). 23 May 2011 . YouTube . 8 June 2011.
16. Web site: Richard Blackwood's Mama – Who Da Man? sample of Junior's Mama Used to Say . 24 May 2011 . Who Sampled. 24 May 2011.
17. Web site: RICHARD BLACKWOOD – The Official Charts Company . 17 June 2000 . The Official Charts Company. 24 May 2011.