The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air theme song
| "Yo Home to Bel-Air" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Artwork for Dutch and German releases | ||||
| Single by DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince | ||||
| Released | September 21, 1992 | |||
| Recorded | 1990 | |||
| Genre | East Coast hip hop | |||
| Length | 2:58 | |||
| Label | Jive | |||
| Songwriter(s) | ||||
| Producer(s) | DJ Jazzy Jeff | |||
| DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"Yo Home to Bel-Air", informally known as "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air theme",[1] is a song performed by DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince. It is the theme song to the NBC sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.[2]
Music for the song was written by Quincy Jones (who also served as the TV show's executive producer). Later Smith would change some lyrics to his liking. [3] Lyrics were composed by Will Smith, performing under his stage name "The Fresh Prince", and the song was produced by Jeffrey Townes under his stage name "DJ Jazzy Jeff".[4]
The song was released as a single in the Netherlands and Spain by Jive Records in 1992, with "Parents Just Don't Understand" as its B-side,[4] and it was re-released in 2016 by the record label Enjoy the Ride.[5] It became a hit in these countries, peaking at number three in the Netherlands and number two in Spain, and it received a Silver sales certification in the United Kingdom in February 2018. The song appeared on DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince's Greatest Hits album, along with a number of compilation albums.[6]
Theme
Lyrically, the song is storytelling narrative,[7] describing how its protagonist was "born and raised" in West Philadelphia, but after a violent encounter there was sent to live with family in Bel Air, Los Angeles. As one account maintains, the protagonist "raps about his mother sending him to live with his aunt and uncle because she was afraid that he would fall victim to [his] tough West Philadelphia neighborhood".[8] It has thus been described as an example of the tendency of rappers to "present pathological perspectives of their own communities".[8] The song further "explains how a boy from the ghetto would end up living in Bel-Air", and thereby "ushers in a fantasy" of an implausible scenario in which a poor person escapes to wealth.[9]
Single track listing
7" vinyl
- A-side – "Yo Home to Bel-Air" (7" Radio Mix) – 3:23
- B-side – "Parents Just Don't Understand" – 5:12
12" vinyl
A-side
- "Yo Home to Bel Air" (Extended Version) – 5:18
- "Yo Home to Bel Air" (7" Radio Mix) – 3:23
B-side
- "Yo Home to Bel Air" (Summertime Mix) – 5:25
- "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" – 2:57
CD single
- "Yo Home to Bel Air" (7" Radio Mix) – 3:23
- "Parents Just Don't Understand" – 5:18
Reception
The single was released exclusively in the Netherlands and Spain in 1992. In the former country, it spent 10 weeks on the Dutch Top 40, peaking at number three.[1] In Spain, it debuted at number two, its peak, and stayed in the top 20 for seven weeks.[10] Although it was not released in the United Kingdom, the song earned a Silver sales certification from the British Phonographic Industry in February 2018 for sales and streams of over 200,000.[11]
An article on the MTV.co.uk website stated about the song, "Say what you want, but considering the sitcom wrapped up over 20 years ago and people are still able to start spitting out those lyrics on cue, its lasting appeal is undeniably impressive."[12] Tom Eames of Digital Spy ranked the song 3rd in a list of 25 sitcom theme songs.[13] and Rolling Stone readers ranked the song 6th out of a list of 10 television theme songs.[14]
Charts
Weekly charts
|
Year-end charts
|
Certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom (BPI)[11] | Silver | 200,000‡ |
|
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
Cover versions and spoofs
- The song was covered by Ving Rhames for an Arby's commercial in 2016.[16]
- Ed Sheeran performed an acoustic cover of the song on Capital FM in January 2017.[17]
- Sylvia Jeffreys performed an on-air recitation of Yo Home To Bel-Air during an episode of the Nine Network's show Today.[18]
- Jimmy Fallon performed a shot-for-shot spoof remake of the Fresh Prince of Bel Air introduction during an episode of The Tonight Show in 2015, with DJ Jazzy Jeff as the cab driver.[19]
- One Direction performed the song during a concert in Philadelphia.[20]
- Alessia Cara performed a short version of the song on The Tonight Show while impersonating Nicki Minaj.[21]
- The Lonely Island performed the song as part of a medley of Will Smith's songs at the 2016 MTV Music Awards.[22]
- Alex Trebek performed a short version of the song, as part of a question on the Jeopardy! TV show.[23]
- A caller to C-SPAN, during a segment on nuclear talks with Iran, stated "At some point during the conversation, a couple of guys who were up to no good essentially started causing trouble in my neighborhood. I got in one little fight and my mom got scared and said 'you're moving with your auntie and uncle in Bel-Air.'"[24]
- Welsh comedy rap group Goldie Lookin Chain recorded a parody of the song in 2011 titled "The Fresh Prince of Cwmbran" featuring lyrics praising the South Wales town of the same name.[25]
- In 2017, Hasbro Studios created a new promo for the seventh season of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic where Pinkie Pie (Andrea Libman) parodies the theme song as "The Fresh Princess of Friendship".[26]
- A 2018 Saturday Night Live sketch saw an extended parody version of the song, where the West Philly gang tracked Will (played by Chris Redd) to Bel Air. Following this, an FBI agent (played by Jessica Chastain) helps him fake his death, only to sell him out to the Yakuza. The West Philly gang then turns up and a shootout occurs, where Will is saved by Uncle Phil (played by Kenan Thompson), who dies in the crossfire. The sketch ends with Will living in the woods under an assumed name in New Hampshire.[27][28]
- In 2018, the Sesame Street YouTube channel featured a spoof of the song performed by the characters Bert & Ernie entitled "How They Became Bert & Ernie", detailing how they first met.[29]
- The song was later interpolated in 2019 on the track "Don’t Be Afraid to Be Different" by rapper Logic, also featuring Will Smith, from his fifth album Confessions of a Dangerous Mind.[30]
References
- ^ a b c "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 47, 1992" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
- ^ Bodenner, Chris. "Track of the Day: 'The Fresh Prince of Bel Air'". The Atlantic. Retrieved March 9, 2017.
- ^ Trex, Ethan (March 12, 2010). "5 Things You Didn't Know About Quincy Jones". Mental_floss. Retrieved March 10, 2017.
- ^ a b c "DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince – Yo Home to Bel-Air" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
- ^ "Yo Home to Bel Air/Parents Just Don't Understand – DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince | Releases | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved March 9, 2017.
- ^ "AllMusic | Record Reviews, Streaming Songs, Genres & Bands". AllMusic. Retrieved March 10, 2017.
- ^ Jeremy Orlebar, Jonathan Bignell, The Television Handbook (2007), p. 90.
- ^ a b Jennifer A. Sandlin, Brian D. Schultz, Jake Burdick, Handbook of Public Pedagogy: Education and Learning Beyond Schooling (2010), p. 225.
- ^ Rinaldo Walcott, "'It's My Nature': The Discourse of Experience and Black Canadian Music", in Joan Nicks and Jeannette Sloniowski, eds., Slippery Pastimes: Reading the Popular in Canadian Culture (2002), p. 271.
- ^ a b Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
- ^ a b "British single certifications – Dj Jazzy Jeff & Fresh Prince – The Fresh Prince of Bel Air". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
- ^ "What You Missed In Music: Sky Axes Controversial Michael Jackson Comedy, Ed Sheeran Covers Fresh Prince | MTV UK". MTV.co.uk. Retrieved March 9, 2017.
- ^ Eames, Tom (October 5, 2016). "Ranking the top 25 TV sitcom themes EVER". Digital Spy. Retrieved March 9, 2017.
- ^ "Readers Poll: The Best TV Theme Songs". Rolling Stone. Retrieved March 9, 2017.
- ^ "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1992" (in Dutch). MegaCharts. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
- ^ "Arby's Channels 'Fresh Prince' to Sell Philly-Style Sandwich". Retrieved March 9, 2017.
- ^ "Ed Sheeran Covers The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Theme Song". Retrieved March 9, 2017.
- ^ "Sylvia Jeffreys shows off her rap skills with Fresh Prince tribute". 9news. Retrieved March 9, 2017.
- ^ Dawn, Randee. "Jimmy Fallon brings 'Tonight' to LA with spot-on 'Fresh Prince' spoof". TODAY.com. Retrieved March 9, 2017.
- ^ Metro.co.uk, Ann Lee for (September 2, 2015). "One Direction just did the Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air rap and it wasn't terrible". Metro. Retrieved March 9, 2017.
- ^ "See Alessia Cara Impersonate Nicki Minaj, Lorde on 'Fallon'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved March 9, 2017.
- ^ "Watch Andy Samberg Cover the "Fresh Prince" Theme Song". Cosmopolitan. April 11, 2016. Retrieved March 9, 2017.
- ^ "SEE IT: Alex Trebek raps 'Fresh Prince' theme on 'Jeopardy!'". NY Daily News. Retrieved March 9, 2017.
- ^ Murray, Matt. "Caller pranks C-Span by reciting lines from 'Fresh Prince'". TODAY.com. Retrieved March 9, 2017.
- ^ Sanders, Alison (July 29, 2011). "GLC join our Buy Local campaign with rap in praise of Cwmbran". South Wales Argus. Retrieved April 4, 2017.
- ^ Heldman, Breanne L. (April 12, 2017). "My Little Pony just got the Fresh Prince treatment". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved April 12, 2017.
- ^ Kreps, Daniel. "'SNL': Watch Twisted 'Fresh Prince of Bel-Air' Parody". Rolling Stone. Retrieved April 29, 2018.
- ^ Thompson, Luke (January 21, 2018). "THE FRESH PRINCE OF BEL-AIR Escalates Quickly in SNL Parody | Nerdist". Nerdist. Retrieved April 29, 2018.
- ^ "Sesame Street: How They Became Bert & Ernie (Fresh Prince of Bel Air Parody)". YouTube.
- ^ Fu, Eddie. "Will Smith Drops References To 'The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air' On Logic's "Don't Be Afraid To Be Different"". Genius. Retrieved May 10, 2019.