Mama Used to Say

"Mama Used to Say"
Single by Junior
from the album Ji
Released 1982
Format 7" vinyl, 12" vinyl
Recorded 1981
Genre R&B, soul
Length 6:40 (Album Version)
3:35 (American Remix)
Label Mercury
Writer(s) Junior Giscombe, Bob Carter
Producer(s) Bob Carter
Junior singles chronology
"Mama Used to Say"
(1982)		 "Too Late"
(1982)

"Mama Used to Say" is the debut single release from British singer-songwriter Junior, taken from his debut studio album, Ji.

"Mama Used to Say" was released in April 1982 and peaked inside the UK Singles Chart top 10 in June 1982, where it remained at number seven for two weeks.[1] "Mama Used to Say" was also a Top 40 Pop hit and Top 5 R&B in the United States, earning him a "Best Newcomer" award from Billboard magazine.[2]

Formats and track listings

12" vinyl
  1. "Mama Used To Say" - 6:40
  2. "Mama Used To Say" (Instrumental) - 6:05
  3. "Mama Used To Say" (English Party Mix) - 4:56
7" vinyl
  1. "Mama Used To Say" (American Remix) - 3:35
  2. "Mama Used To Say" (American Instrumental Mix) - 4:35

Charts

Chart (1982) Peak
position
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[3] 7
US Billboard Hot 100[4] 30
France (SNEP) 56
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[5] 29
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[6] 49

Beverley Knight version

"Mama Used to Say"
Single by Beverley Knight
from the album Soul UK
Released 24 June 2011
Format Digital download
Recorded 2010
Genre R&B, Soul
Length 3:51 (Album Version)
3:01 (Radio Version)
Label Hurricane Records
Producer(s) Martin Terefe
Beverley Knight singles chronology
"Soul Survivor"
(2010)		 "Mama Used to Say"
(2011)		 "Cuddly Toy"
(2011)

British singer-songwriter Beverley Knight released "Mama Used to Say" on the 27 June 2011[7] as the first single release from her seventh studio album, Soul UK, a tribute to UK soul artists.

Background

Knight said of the song, "I think this was everyone's favourite track at the time and is still played on every "club classics" radio show in the country. It’s still so fresh and just brings a smile whenever I sing it. It was an obvious choice for the album and a no-brainer for the choice of first single."[8]

Track listing

Digital download[9]
  1. "Mama Used to Say" (Radio Version) - 3:01
  2. "Mama Used to Say" (Album Version) - 3:51
  3. "Mama Used to Say" (Dave Doyle Extended Club Mix) - 7:42
  4. "Mama Used to Say" (Cool Million's Boogie Down 12 Mix) - 5:36
  5. "Mama Used to Say" (Cool Million's Boogie Down Mix) - 4:09
  6. "Mama Used to Say" (Live) - 4:36

Music video

The music video for "Mama Used to Say" premiered on Knight's YouTube page on 23 May 2011. The video features both performance and behind the scenes footage from her April 2011 album launch show at West London's Porchester Hall, soundtracked to the album version of the song.[10] The video features cameos from Junior himself, Jaki Graham, Rod Temperton and Jazzie B amongst others.[11]

Release history

Region Date Format
United Kingdom June 27, 2011[7] Digital download

Other uses

British rapper Richard Blackwood, (Junior's nephew) sampled "Mama Used to Say" on his debut single "Mama - Who Da Man", which was produced by Lucas Secon and Mickey P and peaked at number 3 on the UK Singles Chart in 2000.[12][13]

The song's guitar intro was also sampled for Positive K's hit, "I Got a Man."

Rapper Heavy D of Heavy & The Boyz sampled "Mama Used To Say" for their hit song "Is It Good To You" from their album Peaceful Journey.

French Electro duo Jupiter covered "Mama Used To Say".

The song is also featured in the video-game NBA 2K15.

References

  1. ↑ The Official Charts Company (April 24, 1982). "JUNIOR - The Official Charts Company". The Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 24, 2011.
  2. ↑ JuniorGiscombe.co.uk (2010). "Junior Giscombe - Biography". Junior Giscombe. Retrieved May 24, 2011.
  3. ↑ "Archive Chart: 1982-06-04" UK Singles Chart. Retrieved May 2, 2011.
  4. ↑ "Mama Used to Say - Junior". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved May 25, 2011.
  5. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Junior – Mama Used to Say" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  6. ↑ "Charts.org.nz – Junior – Mama Used to Say". Top 40 Singles.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 BeverleyKnight.com (May 24, 2011). "Mama Used To Say – Releases – Beverley Knight". Hurricane Records. Retrieved May 24, 2011.
  8. ↑ BeverleyKnight.com (May 24, 2011). "Biog - Track-by-Track – Beverley Knight". Hurricane Records. Retrieved May 24, 2011.
  9. ↑ Amazon.co.uk (June 26, 2011). "Mama Used To Say: Beverley Knight: Amazon.co.uk: MP3 Downloads". Amazon. Retrieved June 8, 2011.
  10. ↑ Beverley Knight in-depth interview by Pete Lewis, 'Blues & Soul' June 2011
  11. ↑ Hurricane Records (May 23, 2011). "Beverley Knight - Mama Used To Say (Video)". YouTube. Retrieved June 8, 2011.
  12. ↑ "Richard Blackwood's Mama - Who Da Man? sample of Junior's Mama Used to Say". Who Sampled. May 24, 2011. Retrieved May 24, 2011.
  13. ↑ The Official Charts Company (June 17, 2000). "RICHARD BLACKWOOD - The Official Charts Company". The Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 24, 2011.