I'm Going Down (Rose Royce song)

"I'm Going Down"
Single by Rose Royce
from the album Car Wash: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Released	1977
Format	7" single
Recorded	1976
Genre	R&B, soul
Length	3:37
Label	Whitfield Records
Writer(s)	Norman Whitfield
Producer	Norman Whitfield
Certification	Gold
Rose Royce singles chronology
"Car Wash" (1976) "I'm Going Down" (1977) "I Wanna Get Next to You" (1978)

"I'm Going Down" is a song written and produced by Norman Whitfield, and performed by Rose Royce, the single is from the film, Car Wash and is featured on the film's soundtrack. The Rose Royce (original) version, received moderate success. It peaked at number seventy on the US Billboard Hot 100 and reached number ten on the Hot Soul Singles Chart.

"Oh Boy" off of Cam'ron's third album Come Home with Me samples the original Rose Royce song. Mariah Carey also sampled the song in her 2002 album Charmbracelet for the song "Boy (I Need You)". Both songs were composed by hip-hop producer Justin "Just Blaze" Smith and are almost identical.

On the episode season 3 finale of Sister, Sister, Tamera (Tamera Mowry) covered the song for a talent show, winning a bet that her sister Tia (Tia Mowry) had with her enemy—and Tamera's opponent, Marva.

"I'm Goin' Down"
Single by Mary J. Blige
from the album My Life
Released	January 18, 1995
Format	CD single Maxi single Promotional recording
Recorded	1994
Genre	R&B, soul
Length	3:44
Label	Uptown/MCA
Writer(s)	Norman Whitfield
Producer	Sean "Puffy" Combs and Chucky Thompson for The Hitmen
Mary J. Blige singles chronology
"Be Happy" (1994) "I'm Goin' Down" (1995) "Mary Jane (All Night Long)" (1995)

Mary J. Blige version

In 1994, The song would gain more exposure and popularity when it was covered by R&B artist Mary J. Blige for her second album, My Life. She also changed the title from "I'm Going Down" to "I'm Goin' Down". Due to the heavy airplay that it received, Blige's version went to the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, reaching number thirteen and on the US Billboard Hot 100, where it peaked at number twenty-two, making this her second single (after "Be Happy") to reach the Top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100 chart. This song is also frequently performed at many of her concerts and as well as live sets, and receives much airplay than the original to this day.

Music video

The music video for Blige's "I'm Goin' Down" was directed by Matthew Rolston and features the video in black and white-form, with Blige singing in a club, and wearing an-all black suit with a matching hat, walking downstairs (being duplicated over and over again).

In popular culture

• Marcus Canty performed this song on season one of The X Factor (U.S.) during "Movie Week" and the elimination.

Chart

Chart (1995)	Peak position
UK Singles Chart	12
U.S. Billboard Hot 100	22
U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs	13