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| "Just a Friend" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Single by Biz Markie | ||||
| from the album The Biz Never Sleeps | ||||
| Released | 1989 | |||
| Format | 7", cassette single, CD single | |||
| Recorded | 1989 | |||
| Genre | Hip hop | |||
| Length | 4:00 | |||
| Label | Cold Chillin'/Warner Bros. | |||
| Writer(s) | Biz Markie, Freddie Scott | |||
| Producer | Biz Markie | |||
| Certification | Platinum (RIAA) | |||
| Biz Markie singles chronology | ||||
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| Problems listening to this file? See media help. | |
"Just a Friend" is a 1989 comedic hip hop song by rapper Biz Markie, in which he alternates between rap and singing. It is Markie's most successful Pop single, reaching the #9 position on the Billboard charts.
The song interpolates the 1968 song "You Got What I Need" (1968) by the late singer/songwriter Freddie Scott, whose basic chord and melody provided the base for the song's chorus and made it famous. Due to the widespread popularity of the song and its influence on Pop culture, Biz was classified by VH1 as a one-hit wonder, and "Just A Friend" was ranked 81st on VH1's 100 Greatest One-Hit Wonders in 2000, and later as number 100 on VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of Hip Hop in 2008.[1] Karma, a staff record producer for Cold Chillin' Records, told Vibe magazine in 2005 that he produced the single, but never received credit.[2]
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[edit] Music video
The music video, directed by Lionel C. Martin, chronicles the rapper/singer's woman problems.[3][4] At the climax of the video, Biz Markie's character stumbles upon his girlfriend kissing another man she had previously referred to as "just a friend". It also includes a memorable scene of Biz Markie singing the chorus dressed as Mozart in 18th-century clothing with a powdered wig in a candlelit room while playing the piano. This scene was likely inspired by the video for the 1986 hit "Rock Me Amadeus" which was in turn inspired by the 1984 film Amadeus.
A clip of the music video was played in an episode of Beavis and Butt-head, with Butt-head imitating the singing of the refrain.
[edit] Charts
| Chart (1989/1990) | Position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 9 |
| End of year chart (1990) | Position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100[5] | 94 |
[edit] Cover versions and use in samples
Jeff Goldblum, Jimmy Fallon, and Biz Markie sang the song on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, and were backed up by Jimmy's house band, The Roots. The episode aired on Thursday, November 11, 2010, Veteran's Day. [6]
It was later interpolated by Mario as "Just a Friend 2002", whose video Biz Markie made a cameo in as well as appearing on the alternate version (remix). Mario's version is quite different, as the story is changed from a man who discovers his girlfriend has been cheating on him, to a story about unrequited love.
"Just A Friend" was also covered by Kidz Bop, by progressive-jam band Umphrey's McGee, and by Tally Hall who play "Just a Friend" at nearly all of their concerts.
The Malay hip hop duo Too Phat used the chorus and the piano in the their song "Just a Friend" found on their 2001 album Plan B.
50 Cent's song "Best Friend" contains re-sung quotes from "Just a Friend".
A cover of the song appears on the October 2009 re-release of Lissy Trullie's EP Self-Taught Learner, recorded with Adam Green.
Big B covered "Just a Friend" on the Subnoize Souljaz 2009 album Blast From the Past.
Futuristic Sex Robotz covered "Just a Friend" in the song "Checking Out" on their debut album Hotel Coral Essex.
Pharrell of The Neptunes and N.E.R.D. samples the line 'let me tell you a story of my situation' (which appears in the first verse of "Just a Friend"), at the end of his song 'You Can Do It To' on his album In My Mind.
Ghost Mall uses the chorus as an interlude in their song, "Balloon Ideas" which was produced by DJ Teenwolf of Ninjasonik.
It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia made use of the song in the episode "Dennis and Dee Go On Welfare".
It is the walk-up music for Boston Red Sox first baseman, Kevin Youkilis.[1] Occasionally, in the Fenway Park bleachers fans will break out singing the chorus over and over again, inserting "Youuuuuuuk" for the "You", in "You've got what I need." A television advertisement for Herb Chambers Companies, an auto dealership group in the Boston area, features Biz Markie (in his Mozart attire from the original music video) performing the song with Youkilis and Herb Chambers.[7]
Reema Major sampled the song on her mixtape, 15 Going On 25.
Justin Timberlake and Jimmy Fallon incorporated the song into a rap duet. [8].
Markie came up with a Facebook-themed rendition of the song for Jimmy Kimmel Live. [9]
[edit] References
- ^ http://stereogum.com/archives/vh1s-100-greatest-hiphop-songs_024391.html
- ^ Kondo, Toshitaka (May 2005). "Karma". Vibe. p. 56.
- ^ http://www.videostatic.com/vs/2006/week19/index.html#entry-10259599
- ^ http://www.mvdbase.com/video.php?id=3237
- ^ "Billboard Top 100 - 1990". http://longboredsurfer.com/charts.php?year=1990. Retrieved 2009-09-15.
- ^ http://www.latenightwithjimmyfallon.com/blogs/2010/11/jeff-goldblum-biz-markie-perform-just-a-friend-with-jimmy-the-roots/
- ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkNm3aitctY
- ^ http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/justin-timberlake-jimmy-fallon-get-213164
- ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kI62XFynbIk&feature=player_embedded
