"Send It On" is a song by American R&B recording artist D'Angelo. It was released by Virgin Records on March 25, 2000, as a radio single in promotion of D'Angelo's second studio album Voodoo (2000). He wrote the song, with his brother Luther Archer and R&B singer Angie Stone, in 1998 at a recording studio in Virginia after the birth of his son. It was produced by D'Angelo at Electric Lady Studios in New York City.
| "Send It On" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by D'Angelo | ||||
| from the album Voodoo | ||||
| B-side | "Send It On" (Album Version) | |||
| Released | March 25, 2000 | |||
| Recorded | 1998 | |||
| Studio | Electric Lady Studios in New York | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 4:39 | |||
| Label | Virgin, EMI | |||
| Songwriter(s) | D'Angelo, Angie Stone, Luther Archer | |||
| Producer(s) | D'Angelo | |||
| D'Angelo singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
As Voodoo's fourth single, "Send It On" peaked at number 33 on the Billboard R&B singles chart.[1] The music video for the song featured footage from the album's supporting tour, "The Voodoo Tour".[2]
Background edit
Following the birth of his son, D'Angelo composed Voodoo's first song, "Send It On", in 1998 at a recording studio in Virginia, which started the album's recording.[3] The song was produced by D'Angelo at Electric Lady Studios in New York City. Official credits for "Send It On" were attributed to R&B singer Angie Stone and D'Angelo's brother Luther Archer.[4]
Music and lyrics edit
The song is about honesty and faith in love, and features classic soul arrangements with trumpeter Roy Hargrove playing flugel horn. It features an interpolation of Kool & the Gang's "Sea of Tranquility" (1969).[5] The song also has an arrangement of live guitar, bass and kick-drum, while D'Angelo's falsetto vocals contain spiritual highs and soulful lows.[5] Mark Anthony Neal of PopMatters wrote that the song "evokes the late '70s sounds of Angela Bofill ('I Try')."[6] Another critic described the song's horn-driven sound as reminiscent of the work of Sam Cooke.[7]
On D'Angelo's vocal style on "Send It On", a Billboard magazine reviewer stated "In this musical setting, he sounds less like Prince (as he did on 'Untitled') and more like he's developing his own unique style-which bears the undeniable influence of Prince, Al Green, and Otis Redding."[5] Entertainment Weekly's Matt Diehl called the song a "stately soul ballad like they just don't make anymore".[8]
Track listing edit
- CD Maxi single
- "Send It On" (Radio Edit) – 4:39
- "Send It On" (Album Version) – 5:56
- "Send It On" (Call Out Hook) – 0:12
Personnel edit
Credits adapted from album booklet liner notes.[4]
- Produced by D'Angelo
- All vocals performed by D'Angelo
- Vocal and musical arrangements by D'Angelo
- Guitar: C. Edward Alford
- Bass: Pino Palladino
- Drums: Ahmir Thompson
- Flugel horn and Trumpet: Roy Hargrove
- All other instruments: D'Angelo
Chart performance edit
| Chart (2000) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Netherlands (Dutch Top 40 Tipparade)[9] | 18 |
| US Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles (Billboard)[10] | 20 |
| US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[11] | 33 |
Notes edit
- ^ Billboard Music Charts - Send It On. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. Retrieved on 2008-08-09.
- ^ Rosen, Craig. D'Angelo's 'Voodoo' Still Casting a Spell. Yahoo! Music. Retrieved on 2008-11-01.
- ^ PR. "Press Release: Voodoo". Virgin Music: January 2000. Archived from the original on 2008-12-20.
- ^ a b Track listing and credits as per liner notes for Voodoo album
- ^ a b c Columnist. "Singles Reviews: 'Send It On'". Billboard. 28. June 3, 2000. Archived from the original on 2008-08-09.
- ^ Neal, Mark Anthony. Review: Voodoo. PopMatters. Retrieved on 2009-04-03.
- ^ Van Dorston, A.S. Review: Voodoo Archived 2009-08-16 at the Wayback Machine. Fast 'n' Bulbous. Retrieved on 2009-04-03.
- ^ Diehl, Matt. Review: Voodoo Archived 2009-08-20 at the Wayback Machine. Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved on 2009-04-03.
- ^ "Tipparade-lijst van week 37, 2000". Dutch Top 40. Retrieved March 12, 2023.
- ^ "D'Angelo Chart History (Bubbling Under Hot 100)". Billboard.
- ^ "D'Angelo Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard.
References edit
- Saul Williams, D'Angelo (2000). Voodoo. (CD liner notes). Virgin Records America, Inc., 338 N. Foothill Road, Beverly Hills, CA 90210.