Around the Way Girl

"Around The Way Girl"
Single by LL Cool J
from the album Mama Said Knock You Out
Released November 20, 1990
Format CD
Recorded March 1990-August 1990
Genre Hip hop
Length 4:02
Label Def Jam Recordings
Writer(s) James Smith, Rick James, Marlon Williams
Producer(s) Marley Marl, DJ Eddie F (remix)
Certification Gold (RIAA)
LL Cool J singles chronology
"The Boomin' System"
(1990)
"Around the Way Girl"
(1990)
"Mama Said Knock You Out"
(1991)

"Around the Way Girl" is a hit single by LL Cool J from his 1990 album Mama Said Knock You Out.

The song is about LL searching for a girl who is streetwise. The single samples Mary Jane Girls' "All Night Long", Keni Burke's "Risin' To the Top", and The Honey Drippers' "Impeach the President", which is used as the main instrumental element of the song. It is also noted that this song is an early example of the high pitched sample rap. Around the Way Girl 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 his first top 10 single. It also was a hit on the R&B and dance music charts, where it peaked at #5 and #7 respectively. The RIAA certified "Around the Way Girl" Gold on January 15, 1991 for sales of over 500,000 copies.

Music video

The video was shot in NYC.

Single track listing

A-Side

  1. "Around The Way Girl" (LP Version)- 4:05
  2. "Around The Way Girl" (Untouchables Remix feat. Chad Jones)- 4:32

B-Side

  1. "Around The Way Girl" (Instrumental)- 3:51
  2. "Murdergram" (LP Version)- 3:52

Official Versions

Charts

Peak positions

Chart (1991)[1] Peak
position
Billboard Hot 100 9
Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks 5
Billboard Hot Rap Singles 1
Billboard Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales 7
Billboard Dance Music/Club Play Singles 7

End of year charts

End of year chart (1991) Position
U.S. Billboard Hot 100[2] 64

References

  1. "Around the Way Girl - LL Cool J Song Information". billboard.com. Billboard. Retrieved 16 July 2012.
  2. "Billboard Top 100 - 1991". Retrieved 2009-09-15.