"Around the Way Girl" is the third single by LL Cool J from his 1990 album Mama Said Knock You Out. The song later appeared on LL Cool J's 1996 greatest hits album, All World: Greatest Hits. "Around the Way Girl" peaked at #9 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming LL Cool J's first top 10 single. It was also a hit on the R&B and dance music charts, where it peaked at #5 and #7, respectively. The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) certified "Around the Way Girl" Gold on January 15, 1991, for sales of over 500,000 copies.
| "Around the Way Girl" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by LL Cool J | ||||
| from the album Mama Said Knock You Out | ||||
| Released | November 20, 1990 | |||
| Recorded | March 1989 – August 1990 | |||
| Genre | Golden age hip hop, East Coast hip hop, new jack swing, R&B,[1] pop[2] | |||
| Length | 4:02 | |||
| Label | ||||
| Songwriter(s) | James Smith, Rick James, Marlon Williams | |||
| Producer(s) | Marley Marl, DJ Eddie F (remix) | |||
| LL Cool J singles chronology | ||||
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The song prominently samples Mary Jane Girls' 1983 breakout hit song, "All Night Long," along with Keni Burke's 1982 hit "Risin' to the Top", from which "All Night Long" had originally taken its bassline. The "All Night Long" sample ("you got me shook up, shook down, shook out on your loving...") is heard during the song's intro and at the end of the choruses, while the melody from "Risin' to the Top" is sampled during the verses.
Music video edit
The music video was filmed in what used to be a warehouse on Borden Avenue in Long Island City, Queens. The clip was directed by Paris Barclay.[3][4]
Single track listing edit
A-side edit
- "Around The Way Girl" (LP Version)- 4:05
- "Around The Way Girl" (Untouchables Remix feat. Chad Jones)- 4:32
B-side edit
- "Around The Way Girl" (Instrumental)- 3:51
- "Murdergram" (LP Version)- 3:52
Official versions edit
- "Around the Way Girl" (Album Version) / (LP Version) - 4:05
- "Around the Way Girl" (Instrumental) - 3:51
- "Around the Way Girl" (Untouchables Remix feat. Chad Jones) - 4:32
Charts edit
Weekly charts edit
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Year-end charts edit
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Certifications edit
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United States (RIAA)[12] | Gold | 500,000^ |
|
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||
References edit
- ^ "Around the Way Girl - LL Cool J | Song Info | AllMusic".
- ^ "Around the Way Girl - LL Cool J | Song Info | AllMusic".
- ^ "Big Lez Revisits Making the "Around The Way Girl" Video". rockthebells.com. Rock The Bells. Retrieved 2023-03-07.
- ^ "LL Cool J: Around the Way Girl". imdb.com. IMDb.com. Retrieved 2023-03-07.
- ^ "L.L. Cool J – Around the Way Girl". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved August 22, 2022.
- ^ "L.L. Cool J – Around the Way Girl". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved August 22, 2022.
- ^ "LL Cool J Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved August 22, 2022.
- ^ "LL Cool J Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved August 22, 2022.
- ^ "LL Cool J Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved August 22, 2022.
- ^ "LL Cool J Chart History (Hot Rap Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved August 22, 2022.
- ^ "Billboard Top 100 - 1991". Archived from the original on 2009-07-07. Retrieved 2009-09-15.
- ^ "American single certifications – L.L. Cool J – Around the Way Girl". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved April 27, 2023.
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