Word Up! (song) explained

Word Up!
Cover:WordUpCameo.jpg
Type:single
Artist:Cameo
Album:Word Up!
B-Side:Urban Warrior
Released:1986
Genre:
Length:4:21
Label:
Producer:Larry Blackmon
Prev Title:Single Life
Prev Year:1985
Next Title:Candy
Next Year:1986

"Word Up!" is a funk and R&B song originally recorded by American funk band Cameo in 1986. It was released as the first single from their thirteenth album of the same name. The song was written by band members Larry Blackmon and Tomi Jenkins. Its frequent airing on American dance, R&B, and contemporary hit radio, as well as its MTV music video (in which LeVar Burton appears as a police detective trying to arrest the band),[3] helped the single become the band's best known hit.

The song is in A major with a metronome of 112 BPM, but the chorus shifts to F-sharp minor (the relative minor key of A major).[4]

Release and reception

"Word Up!" was Cameo's first US Top 40 hit, peaking at number six on the Billboard Hot 100 and spending three weeks at number one on the Billboard R&B chart[5] and one week at number one on the Billboard Hot Dance Singles chart.

In the United Kingdom, "Word Up!" spent ten weeks in the top 40 of the UK Singles Chart, peaking at number three on September 21, 1986 – for the week ending date September 27, 1986.

Besides being a commercial success, the track also earned critical acclaim from several publications. "Word Up!" won Cameo the Soul Train Music Award for Best R&B/Soul Single as well as the NME Award for Best Dance Record. Like the band's previous single "Single Life", "Word Up!" features a reference to the opening notes of Ennio Morricone's theme to The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.

"Word Up" was a colloquialism, popular in New York City and other US urban areas, that acted as an affirmation of what was said—a kind of a more-hip "You Bet".

Blackmon said of the song:

Impact and legacy

Time Out listed the song number 54 in their The 100 best party songs list in 2018.[6]

"Word Up!" has been covered numerous times by other artists. It is an easy song to sing, being riff-based and having a simple vocal melody.[7]

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1986–1987)Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[8] 6
Belgium (VRT Top 30 Flanders)[9] 8
Europe (European Hot 100 Singles)[10] 14
Italy (Musica e dischi)[11] 5
US Billboard Hot 100[12] 6
US Hot Black Singles (Billboard)1
US Hot Dance Club Play (Billboard)1
US Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales (Billboard)3

Year-end charts

Chart (1986)Position
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[13] 94
UK Dance (Music Week)[14] 1
UK Singles (Gallup)[15] 36
US Pop Singles (Billboard)[16] 68
Chart (1987)Position
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[17] 30
West Germany (Official German Charts)[18] 67

Gun version

Word Up!
Cover:GunWordUp.jpg
Type:single
Artist:Gun
Album:Swagger
Genre:Hard rock
Length:4:13
Label:A&M
Prev Title:Welcome to the Real World
Prev Year:1992
Next Title:Don't Say It's Over
Next Year:1994

In the 1990s, "Word Up!" was first covered by Scottish hard rock band Gun, whose version carried a harder, more rock-oriented sound, including a guitar solo. Taken from their album Swagger, it was released on July 1, 1994, and peaked number eight on the UK Singles Chart. Two versions of the CD single were released in the UK, each carrying different cover art and different tracks.[19]

Charts

Chart (1994–1995)Peak
position
Belgium (VRT Top 30 Flanders)[20] 24
Scotland (OCC)[21] 4
UK on a Pop Tip Club Chart (Music Week)[22] 31

Mel B version

Word Up
Cover:Wordupcover.jpg
Type:single
Artist:Melanie G
Album:Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me: Music from the Motion Picture
B-Side:Sophisticated Lady
Released:[23]
Length:
  • 3:23 (radio edit)
  • 5:23 (single version)
Label:
Producer:Timbaland
Prev Title:I Want You Back
Prev Year:1998
Next Title:Tell Me
Next Year:2000

"Word Up" was covered by British singer Melanie "Mel B" Brown of the Spice Girls—known as Melanie G at that time (and her only single under that name), as she was married to one of the Spice Girls's "Spice Boy" dancers, Jimmy Gulzar—as part of the film soundtrack to Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me. Produced by Timbaland, the song was released in the UK and Europe on 28 June 1999, and peaked at number 13 on the UK Singles Chart. The single was also included on the Japanese edition of Melanie’s album Hot. Static sings uncredited background vocals on the track.[24] Brown's bandmate Emma Bunton sings background vocals on the B-side "Sophisticated Lady", with an uncredited rap by Dexter.

Two music videos were created for the song: One live-action, which features Verne Troyer (the Mini-Me actor in the Austin Powers films) and was predominantly filmed with the use of green screen, and another that takes places in a black-and-white, highly animated and complex world, entirely digitally animated. In the former, Melanie's character is part evil queen, part dominatrix, her style drawing comparisons to Grace Jones. However, some of the imagery in the video was deemed to be too dark and sexually suggestive, as well as scary, for minors to be exposed to; one scene, for example, portrayed Melanie lying down nude, with a heart covering her private area. Another shows Verne Troyer "polishing" her buttocks like a window-cleaner. Near the end of the video, a child can be seen wearing a dress with the word "Phagocyte" on it. Overall, it was the heavy and potentially scary fantasy imagery that garnered a second version to be made, featuring Melanie in a blue-metallic setting wearing shining, gem-like outfits. The original video was then limited to being played only after-midnight on MTV Europe and MTV UK, among other networks.

Track listing

  1. "Word Up" (radio edit) – 3:23
  2. "Sophisticated Lady" – 2:44[25]
  3. "Word Up" (Tim's dance mix) – 5:32

Charts

Chart (1999)Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[26] 114
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40 Tipparade)[27] 16

Korn version

Word Up!
Cover:Word_Up!.jpg
Type:single
Artist:Korn
Album:Greatest Hits, Vol. 1
Released:2004
Genre:Nu metal[28]
Length:2:53
Label:Epic
Producer:
Prev Title:Everything I've Known
Prev Year:2003
Next Title:Another Brick in the Wall, Pts. 1–3
Next Year:2004

"Word Up!" was covered by American nu metal band Korn. Its musical arrangements are similar to that of the cover version by Gun, except it is played in a lower sounding 7 string guitar tuning instead of the standard E. "Word Up!" was the first track featured on Korn's 2004 retrospective album, Greatest Hits, Volume 1, and was one of two new tracks along with Pink Floyd's "Another Brick in the Wall" that was exclusive to the album (the "Word Up!" CD single also featured a live performance of the latter).

Background and release

It was released as the album's first single in July 2004, and received heavy airplay on alternative radio at its time of release, peaking in the top 20 of both Billboard charts, whilst making a respectable impression on the mainstream charts of other countries, including Australia (where it debuted at number 28), and Germany (number 46).[29] It is the only Korn single to be sent out to Top 40 radio stations, notably receiving airplay on New York City's Z-100, the largest Top 40 station in the US. Lead singer Jonathan Davis has said of the band's decision to include the song on their greatest hits, "We've been doing 'Word Up!' for years as a sound-check song—not the full version, just messing around with the riff."[30]

Charts

Chart (2004–2007)Peak
position
Canada Rock Top 30 (Radio & Records)[31] 28
Finland Download Chart (Suomen virallinen lista)[32] 24
Greece (IFPI)[33] 40
Iceland (Fréttablaðið Top 20)[34] 2
US Mainstream Rock Tracks[35] 16
US Modern Rock Tracks17

Jan Delay version

Türlich Türlich (Word Up)
Cover:Jan delay word up.jpg
Type:single
Artist:Jan Delay
Album:Mercedes-Dance-Live
Length:3:06
Label:
Producer:Jan Delay
Prev Title:Im Arsch
Prev Year:2007
Next Title:Alles bleibt anders
Next Year:2008

In 2007 German singer Jan Delay recorded a mashup of the music from "Word Up!" with the lyrics of Das Bo's "Türlich, Türlich (Sicher, Dicker)". The new song was titled "Türlich Türlich (Word Up)" and was a hit in German-speaking countries.

Charts

Little Mix version

Word Up!
Cover:Little_Mix_Word_Up.png
Border:yes
Type:single
Artist:Little Mix
Genre:Dance-pop
Label:
Producer:
Prev Title:Little Me
Prev Year:2013
Next Title:Salute
Next Year:2014

British girl group Little Mix released a cover version of the song for Sport Relief 2014, through Syco Music and Columbia Records. It was released digitally on March 16, 2014, followed by a physical release the following day, which was only available to purchase from Sainsbury's supermarkets.[36]

"Word Up!" peaked at number six on the UK Singles Chart and reached the top twenty in Ireland. The song also charted in Australia, Austria, Denmark, France, Czech Republic, and Japan. It has been certified gold in Brazil. The single is also included on the expanded edition of the group's second studio album Salute (2013).

Background and release

Little Mix first announced the single on January 16, 2014, through their official Twitter.[36] [37] The song was first played on BBC Radio 1 on January 20, 2014, during Nick Grimshaw's Breakfast show.[38]

The cover art of the single was revealed on January 24, 2014.[39]

Critical reception

The song received mostly positive reviews with Popjustice ranking it as third for the best version of the song and third for the best Sport Relief single and gave the song 7 out of 10 stars.[40] Kevin Kevinpod of DirectLyrics said that "[Little Mix's] harmonies are spot-on, and the whole record is pure fire." and that the song is a chance of the band getting a number one hit.[41] Its production was also likened to Janet Jackson's single "Black Cat."[42]

Music video

The shooting for the music video started in early February 2014. The band posted an exclusive picture from the video on February 25, 2014.[43] The video was first shown on the Chart Show TV on February 28, 2014 and was posted on Vevo on March 3, 2014.[44] It features celebrity cameos from Nick Grimshaw, Louie Spence, Louis Smith, Arlene Phillips, Melanie C and Chris Barrie.[45]

The video starts off with the band in a changing room of a gym. As they walk out of the changing room, Jade tries to pick up a barbell pretending that she cannot lift it but then she lifts it up and walks away carrying it. Perrie then walks along four women who are working out while Jade is on a stationary bicycle among three other women, following the instructions of a trainer. With the bicycle, Jade starts going forward with the rest following her at the back.

The scene then switches to a court with the band exercising and dancing the same time along with other people while singing the chorus of the song. Afterwards, Leigh-Anne is stood in front of some athletes with one using her as a barbell at the end of her part. Jesy continues with her part while dancing in front of two men working out on treadmills and fall off them after some time. During the chorus, the scene changes again to the court with the owner (Barrie, who had previously played leisure centre manager Gordon Brittas in BBC sitcom The Brittas Empire) of the gym seeing the girls and the rest dancing and runs upset out of his office. As he is going down to the court, he sees the athletes in the swimming pool shaping out the title of the song. When he reaches the court, he starts dancing with them.

Track listing

Digital download[46]
  1. "Word Up!" – 3:26
Digital remixes[47]
  1. "Word Up!" (The Alias radio edit) – 3:33
  2. "Word Up!" (extended mix) – 4:59
  3. "Word Up!" (instrumental) – 3:05
CD single[48]
  1. "Word Up!" – 3:26
  2. "Word Up!" (The Alias radio edit) – 3:33
  3. "Word Up!" (extended mix) – 4:59
  4. "Word Up!" (instrumental) – 3:05

Release history

RegionDateFormatLabel
United KingdomMarch 16, 2014Digital downloadSyco
March 17, 2014CD single (Exclusive to Sainsbury's)

Bibliography

Notes and References

  1. Book: Rock: The Rough Guide. Jonathan Buckley. Mark Ellingham. Rough Guides Ltd. 1996. Rough Guides . 978-1858282015. "Word Up" was funk's last stand before it was completely swallowed up by hip-hop culture..
  2. Book: Third Coast: Outkast, Timbaland, and How Hip-Hop Became a Southern Thing. Roni Sarig. Da Capo Press. 2007. 978-0306814303. 100. Hachette Books . "With number-one R&B singles like 1984's "She's Strange" and 1986's "Word Up"—released on Cameo's Atlanta Artists label—the city found its first major urban act of the hip-hop era."
  3. Web site: Cameo's Got The Word. September 28, 2011. grammy.com. September 2, 2017. December 3, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201203142727/https://www.grammy.com/grammys/news/cameos-got-word. live.
  4. Web site: Word Up. October 14, 2002. www.musicnotes.com.
  5. Book: Whitburn, Joel . Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942–2004 . Joel Whitburn . 2004 . Record Research . 98.
  6. The 100 best party songs. Time Out. October 4, 2018. October 4, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20181004185647/https://www.timeout.com/london/music/best-party-songs. live.
  7. [#Green2008|Green (2008). ''Music, Informal Learning and the School'']
  8. Book: Kent, David . David Kent (historian) . Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 . 53 . Australian Chart Books . St Ives, New South Wales, Australia . 1993 . 0-646-11917-6.
  9. Web site: Word Up – CAMEO . VRT . Top30-2.radio2.be . nl . July 31, 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120409063716/http://top30-2.radio2.be/#/song-info/1279 . April 9, 2012 . mdy-all . Hoogste notering in de top 30 : 8
  10. Billboard 15 November 1986 . Billboard . Danyel Smith . Nielsen Business Media, Inc. . 1986 . 0006-2510 . July 31, 2013 . April 20, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210420124937/https://books.google.com/books?id=UCQEAAAAMBAJ&q=%22word+up+cameo%22+%22pan+european+charts%22&pg=RA1-PA77 . live .
  11. Web site: Classifiche. Musica e dischi. it. June 6, 2022. Set "Tipo" on "Singoli". Then, in the "Artista" field, search "Cameo".
  12. Web site: Word Up! awards at Allmusic . . . July 31, 2013 . December 22, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20151222193741/http://www.allmusic.com/album/word-up%21-mw0000193157/awards . live.
  13. Web site: Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1986. Dutch Top 40. June 11, 2020. October 1, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201001225628/https://www.top40.nl/bijzondere-lijsten/top-100-jaaroverzichten/1986. live.
  14. Year-End 1986: Top Dance Singles. Music Week. January 10, 1987. 19. May 13, 2022. World Radio History.
  15. Top 100 Singles . . 24 . January 24, 1987.
  16. Top Pop Singles . . December 27, 1986. ("1986: The Year in Music and Video" supplement, p. Y-21)
  17. Web site: END OF YEAR CHARTS 1987. Official New Zealand Music Chart. April 22, 2021.
  18. Web site: Top 100 Single – Jahrescharts 1987 . October 4, 2018 . November 9, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201109103917/https://www.offiziellecharts.de/charts/single-jahr/for-date-1987 . live .
  19. Web site: Gun – Word Up CD 1 . Matt's CD Singles . February 1, 2011 . March 7, 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120307052455/http://www.mattscdsingles.com/acatalog/Online_Catalogue_Gun_112.html#a20594 . live .
  20. Web site: Word Up – GUN . VRT . Top30-2.radio2.be . nl . July 31, 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120409063716/http://top30-2.radio2.be/#/song-info/3322 . April 9, 2012 . mdy-all .
  21. Web site: Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100 03 July 1994 - 09 July 1994. Official Charts Company. October 13, 2021.
  22. The RM on a Pop Tip Club Chart . Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert) . January 28, 1995 . 8 . September 2, 2021.
  23. New Releases – For Week Starting 28 June, 1999: Singles. Music Week. 25. June 26, 1999.
  24. Web site: Word Up – EP by Melanie G. January 1999 . iTunes. January 18, 2014. June 5, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140605144219/https://itunes.apple.com/in/album/word-up-single/id724858089. live.
  25. Web site: Melanie G / Word Up - CD single . June 23, 2020 . June 26, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200626114124/https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Melanie-G-Word-Up/133172024916?hash=item1f01abd654:g:TekAAOSwusNbjW4s . live .
  26. Web site: Mel B ARIA chart history complete. ARIA. Imgur.com. 20 July 2024. N.B. The High Point number in the NAT column represents the release's peak on the national chart.
  27. Web site: Tipparade-lijst van week 31, 1999. Dutch Top 40. July 7, 2023.
  28. Web site: 20 Nu-Metal Covers of Popular Songs . . April 20, 2020 . April 20, 2020 . April 21, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200421071412/https://loudwire.com/nu-metal-covers-popular-songs/ . live .
  29. Web site: Korn - Word Up. GfK Entertainment charts. de. February 5, 2023.
  30. http://v4.korn-locker.com/modules.php?name=Lyrics&file=show&album=7&lyric=0701
  31. Web site: RR Canada Rock Top 30. 58. October 8, 2019. April 20, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210420124937/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/2000s/2004/RR-2004-11-19.pdf. live.
  32. Web site: Korn: Word Up – Latauslista. Musiikkituottajat. fi. November 25, 2022.
  33. Web site: Top 50 Singles Εβδομάδα 18-25/12. IFPI. el. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20041229123853/http://www.ifpi.gr:80/chart03.htm. December 29, 2004. March 13, 2023. See Best Position column.
  34. News: Íslenski Listinn (18.09. 2004). Dagblaðið Vísir. is. 10. September 18, 2004. October 5, 2019.
  35. Web site: Greatest Hits, Vol. 1 awards at Allmusic . . . July 31, 2013 . January 20, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160120015045/http://www.allmusic.com/album/greatest-hits-vol-1-mw0000301944/awards . live .
  36. Web site: Little Mix to release 2014 Sport Relief single 'Word Up' . Digital Spy . January 16, 2014 . January 20, 2014 . September 24, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150924160354/http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/music/news/a544605/little-mix-to-release-2014-sport-relief-single-word-up.html . live .
  37. Web site: Little Mix to cover Word Up as Sport Relief single. The Daily Tuelegraph. January 17, 2014. Charlotte. Runcie. January 17, 2014 . January 20, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140120204332/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/music-news/10578772/Little-Mix-to-cover-Word-Up-as-Sport-Relief-single.html. live.
  38. Web site: Little Mix premiere Sport Relief single 'Word Up' – listen. Digital Spy. January 21, 2014. Lewis Corner. January 21, 2014 . January 22, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140122054111/http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/music/news/a545467/little-mix-premiere-sport-relief-single-word-up-listen.html. live.
  39. Web site: Little Mix reveal Sport Relief single 'Word Up' artwork. Digital Spy. January 24, 2014. Robert. Copsey. January 24, 2014 . January 25, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140125200414/http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/music/news/a546330/little-mix-reveal-sport-relief-single-word-up-artwork.html. live.
  40. Web site: Little Mix – 'Word Up!'. Popjustice. March 3, 2014 . March 16, 2014. March 28, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140328003005/http://www.popjustice.com/songs/little-mix-word-up/. live.
  41. Web site: New Music: Little Mix – "Word Up" [Full Audio + Review]]. DirectLyrics. January 21, 2014. Kevinpod. Kevin. January 22, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140122053039/http://www.directlyrics.com/new-music-little-mix-word-up-full-audio-review-news.html. live.
  42. Web site: Renowned for Sound – Single Review: Little Mix – 'Word Up'. Lee, Andrew. Renowned for Sound. March 16, 2014. April 24, 2014. April 29, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140429045119/http://renownedforsound.com/index.php/single-review-little-mix-word-up/. live.
  43. Web site: EXCLUSIVE pic from the video. February 25, 2014. Facebook. January 20, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160120015045/https://www.facebook.com/LittleMixOfficial/photos/a.131494490285598.18956.126963587405355/461866543915056/?type=1&theater. live.
  44. Web site: Little Mix unveil star-studded video for Sport Relief single 'Word Up'. Digital Spy. March 3, 2014. Copsey. Robert. March 3, 2014 . March 5, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140305093034/http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/music/news/a554994/little-mix-unveil-star-studded-video-for-sport-relief-single-word-up.html. live.
  45. Web site: Little Mix Joined By Famous Faces In 'Word Up' Sport Relief Video. MTV. March 3, 2014. March 18, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140318095919/http://www.mtv.co.uk/little-mix/news/little-mix-joined-by-famous-faces-in-word-up-sport-relief-video. live.
  46. Web site: Word Up! – Single. March 14, 2014. iTunes. June 7, 2014. September 21, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140921220249/https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/word-up!-single/id795609578. live.
  47. Web site: Word Up! (Remixes): Little Mix: Amazon.co.uk: MP3 Downloads . Amazon.co.uk . September 18, 2017 . April 20, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210420124946/https://www.amazon.co.uk/Word-Up-Remixes-Little-Mix/dp/B00IK5AG7O/ref=sr_1_2?s=dmusic&ie=UTF8&qid=1394923563&sr=1-2&keywords=little+mix+word+up . live .
  48. Web site: Word Up! [CD single]

    Amazon.co.uk: Music]

    . Amazon.co.uk. September 18, 2017. April 20, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210420124939/https://www.amazon.co.uk/Word-Up-Single-Little-Mix/dp/B00J1TK600/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1395070624&sr=8-5&keywords=Little+mix+word+up. live.