| Pony | |
| Cover: | Ginuwine - Pony.JPG |
| Type: | single |
| Artist: | Ginuwine |
| Album: | Ginuwine... the Bachelor |
| B-Side: | Hello |
| Genre: |
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| Length: |
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| Label: | |
| Producer: | Timbaland |
| Next Title: | Tell Me Do U Wanna |
| Next Year: | 1997 |
"Pony" is a song by American singer Ginuwine, released as the debut single from his first album, Ginuwine...The Bachelor (1996). Ginuwine sung, co-wrote, and produced the song with Swing Mob associates Static Major, Digital Black, Smoke E. Digglera, and Timbaland; the latter made his breakthrough as a producer with the song. It peaked at number six on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number one on the Billboard Hot R&B Singles chart.
Timbaland, the song's producer, revealed in a MasterClass lecture that the song's instrumental was created in 1989, and that the song was written and recorded in 1994, two years prior to its release.
"Pony" was met with critical acclaim. Larry Flick from Billboard wrote, "This sex jam, played out through horse-riding metaphors, is an even-metered gallop through lovely backing vocals and machine-generated music." He added, "While lead vocal elements are indistinguishable from several similar jams receiving heavy play, "Ginuwine" makes up for it with endearing style and funk. Added vocals run though a synthesizer provide a unique supplemental element to the baseline and act as an interesting refrain."[1] The song received an A− from Matt Diehl for Entertainment Weekly, who said that its "irresistible funk grooves lope at an easy gait, seducing the listener with a velvety tenor and belching synthesizer hook".[2] Tony Farsides from Music Weeks RM Dance Update rated it five out of five, picking it as Tune of the Week. He noted that "given the downtempo mania that's dominated R&B in recent years, it's refreshing to hear a solid uptempo track instead. [...] All in all, a great track and hopefully a deserving hit as well."[3]
The song peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot R&B Singles chart for two weeks from November 16, 1996, to November 30, 1996,[4] and reached number six on Billboard
The official music video for the album version of the song, directed by Michael Lucero and filmed at the Cowboy Palace saloon in Chatsworth, California,[6] depicts Ginuwine and his crew entering a Western bar as strangers and gradually gaining the favor of the cowboy-patrons. The music video for the remix version of the song (the "Ride It" mix) was directed by Christopher Erskin and shot in a factory.[7]
Ginuwine performed the song live on Soul Train on November 23, 1996.
Along with his concurrent work for Aaliyah's One in a Million album, "Pony" and Ginuwine...the Bachelor marked the emergence of Timbaland as a successful R&B producer.[8] The song experienced a resurgence in popularity after being featured in the 2012 film Magic Mike, its 2015 sequel Magic Mike XXL, and its 2023 sequel Magic Mike's Last Dance.[9] [10] [11] [12] On November 2, 2019, the song was featured in the sketch "Hungry Jury" on Saturday Night Live.[13]
In 2021, the duo Altégo posted a snippet of a mashup of "Pony" and Britney Spears's "Toxic" on TikTok, that quickly went viral. In January 2022, the mashup was completed and officially released through Sony Music Entertainment under the title "Toxic Pony", being credited to Altégo, Spears and Ginuwine.[14] The mashup reached number 40 on the Billboard Pop Airplay chart.
A1. "Pony" (extended mix) – 5:20
A2. "Pony" (Ride It mix) – 5:05
A3. "Pony" (Mad Love club mix) – 4:32
B1. "Pony" (Ronin mix) – 4:14
B2. "Pony" (Mad Love beat mix) – 4:29
B3. "Pony" (Black Market Slowride mix) – 4:31
| Chart (1996–1997) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canada (Nielsen SoundScan)[22] | 20 |
| Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[23] | 28 |
| France Radio (SNEP)[24] | 52 |
| Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)[25] | 28 |
| Poland (Music & Media)[26] | 10 |
| Chart (1996) | Position | |
|---|---|---|
| US Billboard Hot 100[27] | 72 | |
| US Hot R&B Singles (Billboard)[28] | 32 | |
| US Top 40/Rhythm-Crossover (Billboard)[29] | 34 |
| Chart (1997) | Position | |
|---|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[30] | 22 | |
| Germany (Official German Charts)[31] | 85 | |
| Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[32] | 70 | |
| US Billboard Hot 100[33] | 62 | |
| US Hot R&B Singles (Billboard)[34] | 30 | |
| US Rhythmic Top 40 (Billboard)[35] | 26 | |
| US Top 40/Mainstream (Billboard)[36] | 81 |
| Region | Version | Date | Format(s) | Label(s) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | Original | July 30, 1996 | Rhythmic contemporary radio | 550 Music | [37] | |
| August 20, 1996 | [38] [39] | |||||
| Japan | October 21, 1996 | CD | Epic Japan | [40] | ||
| United Kingdom | January 13, 1997 | [41] | ||||
| Various | "Toxic Pony" | January 21, 2022 | Sony Music | [42] |
| Pony (Jump on It) | |
| Cover: | Tough Love - Pony (Jump on It).png |
| Type: | single |
| Artist: | Tough Love featuring Ginuwine |
| Album: | Past Present Future (Unreleased) |
| Recorded: | 2015 |
| Genre: | House[43] |
| Label: | Island |
| Producer: | Tough Love |
| Chronology: | Tough Love |
| Prev Title: | So Freakin' Tight |
| Prev Year: | 2015 |
| Next Title: | Touch |
| Next Year: | 2016 |
British house music duo Tough Love collaborated with Ginuwine and revamped the song, which was released on August 7, 2015, as their second single.
| Country | Date | Format | Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ireland | August 7, 2015 | Digital download | Island |
| United Kingdom[44] |