Cruisin' (Smokey Robinson song)

"Cruisin'"
Single by Smokey Robinson
from the album Where There's Smoke...
B-side "Ever Had a Dream"
Released August, 1979 (August, 1979) (Debuted on Billboard's Soul chart on September 1, 1979)
Format 45 RPM
Recorded 1979
Genre Soul, R&B, Adult contemporary
Length 5:53
4:11 (7" edit)
Label Motown/Tamla
Writer(s) Smokey Robinson, Marv Tarplin
Smokey Robinson singles chronology
"Get Ready"
(1979)		 "Cruisin'"
(1979)		 "Let Me Be the Clock"
(1980)

"Cruisin'" is a 1979 single written, produced, and recorded by Smokey Robinson for Motown Records' Tamla label. One of Robinson's most successful singles outside of his work with The Miracles, "Cruisin'" hit #1 on the U.S. Cash Box Top 100 and was also a major Billboard Pop hit, peaking at #4. It was a Top Five hit on the Soul chart as well.[1]

The song was co-written by fellow Miracle Marv Tarplin . "Cruisin'" was an even bigger hit in New Zealand, hitting #1 on that country's chart. It is included on Robinson's ninth studio album, Where There's Smoke....

Chart performance

Weekly singles charts

Chart (1979–80) Peak
position
Australia 70
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[2] 66
New Zealand 1
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 4
U.S. Billboard Hot Soul Singles 4
U.S. Cash Box Top 100 [3] 1

Year-end charts

Chart (1980) Peak
position
Australia 141
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 13
U.S. Cash Box[4] 23

D'Angelo version

"Cruisin'"
Single by D'Angelo
from the album Brown Sugar
Released December 5, 1995
Format CD Single, Cassette
Recorded 1995
Genre R&B, Soul
Length 3:58 (radio edit)
6:24 (album version)
Label Cooltempo
D'Angelo singles chronology
"Brown Sugar"
(1995)		 "Cruisin'"
(1995)		 "Lady"
(1996)

Neo soul musician D'Angelo recorded a cover of the song for his 1995 album Brown Sugar. The cover was released as the album's second single on October 12, 1995 and was commercially successful charting within the top ten of the US R&B charts.[5][6] the album reached sales of 500,000 copies in the United States by October 1995.[7][8] This version appeared in the third episode of the UPN sitcom, Moesha in 1996.

Composition and arrangement

"Cruisin", a cover of Smokey Robinson's 1979 hit of the same name, here features a predominant string section.[9] The longest track on the album, it employs violin, viola and cello, as well as shakers and light percussion, while sleigh bells are featured in the chorus.[10] Flutist Lauryn Vivino contributes with piccolo. The track also features steady piano-playing by D'Angelo,[11] with Brooklyn Funk Essentials-member Bob "Bassy" Brockmann playing the trumpet.[12]

Track listing

  1. "Cruisin'"
  2. "Brown Sugar"

Charts

Chart (1995) Peak
position
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 53
U.S. Billboard Hot R&B Singles 10

Gwyneth Paltrow and Huey Lewis version

"Cruisin'"
Single by Gwyneth Paltrow and Huey Lewis
from the album Duets: Original Soundtrack
Released September 11, 2000
Format CD single, Cassette, Vinyl (7" 45rpm), Maxi Vinyl (33rpm/45rpm)
Recorded 2000
Genre Pop, adult contemporary
Length 4:52
Label Hollywood Records

Gwyneth Paltrow and Huey Lewis performed a cover of the song in the 2000 film Duets. The song is included on the soundtrack of the film. The duet spent one week at number one on the Adult Contemporary chart.[13]

The song was an even bigger hit in both Australia and New Zealand, reaching number one on each country's singles charts.

Track listing

  1. "Cruisin'"
  2. "Feeling Alright"
  3. "Beginnings/Endings"

Charts

Chart (2000) Peak
position
Australian Singles Chart 1
New Zealand Singles Chart 1
Polish Singles Chart[14] 29
U.S. Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks[15] 1
U.S. Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles 9

Other covers

In 1988, crossover thrash band Beowülf covered the song on their album Lost My Head... But I'm Back on the Right Track. Canadian jazz singer Holly Cole included a cover of Cruisin' on her 1990 album Girl Talk. In 2001, saxophonist Jaared covered this song on his album Foreward.[16] Three years later, the late bassist Wayman Tisdale included a cover of the song on his album Hangtime.[17][18] In 2011, former Jackson 5 member Tito Jackson recorded a cover of the song, and Filipino acoustic band MYMP released their version on the album The Unreleased Acoustic Collection and again on Back to Acoustic in 2013. Japanese singer Maki Ohguro (大黒 摩季 Ōguro Maki) released her version on the album Best of the Best.[19]

References

Preceded by
"Back Here" by BBMak		 Billboard Adult Contemporary number-one single
December 16, 2000 		Succeeded by
"Back Here" by BBMak
Preceded by
"Teenage Dirtbag" by Wheatus		 Australian ARIA Singles Chart number-one single
(Gwyneth Paltrow and Huey Lewis version)
January 14, 2001 - January 21, 2001 		Succeeded by
"Can't Fight the Moonlight" by LeAnn Rimes

External links

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