| "Rub You The Right Way" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
) | ||||
| Single by Johnny Gill | ||||
| from the album Johnny Gill | ||||
| Released | March 13, 1990 | |||
| Recorded | September 1989 | |||
| Studio | Flyte Tyme Studios (Edina, Minnesota) | |||
| Genre | New jack swing[1] | |||
| Length | 5:31 (album version) 4:07 (single version) 4:23 (remix) 4:03 (7" remix) | |||
| Label | Motown | |||
| Songwriter(s) | James Harris III & Terry Lewis | |||
| Producer(s) |
| |||
| Johnny Gill singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"Rub You the Right Way" is a song by Johnny Gill. Taken as the first single from the artist's debut album under the Motown label. The single was written and produced by James Harris III & Terry Lewis. A remixed version of the song exists with a rap verse from CL Smooth.
Composition
According to Billboard, the song is about sex, more specifically a "man who offers to use his hands wisely during a night of lovin'."[2]
Chart Performance
"Rub You the Right Way" spent one week in May 1990 at number-one on the US R&B chart, and made it to number three on the Billboard Hot 100 charts in August of that year.[3] The single also peaked at number sixteen on the dance charts[4] and was Gill's first single upon the breakup of New Edition and his biggest hit to date.
Weekly charts
| Chart (1990) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[5] | 59 |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100)[6] | 27 |
| New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[7] | 41 |
| UK (Official Charts Company)[8] | 77 |
| US Billboard Hot 100[9] | 3 |
| US Billboard Hot R&B Singles[10] | 1 |
| US Billboard Dance Music/Club Play Singles[11] | 16 |
Year-end charts
| Chart (1990) | Position |
|---|---|
| US Top Pop Singles (Billboard)[12] | 23 |
Popular Culture
- The remixed version of the song appeared in the popular video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, playing on fictional new jack swing radio station CSR 103.9.
See also
References
- ^ Josephs, Brian (July 20, 2012). "The 25 Best New Jack Swing Songs". Complex. Retrieved July 26, 2016.
- ^ M. Tye Comer, Mariel Concepcion, Monica Herrera, Jessica Letkemann, Evie Nagy and David J. Prince (February 11, 2010). "The 50 Sexiest Songs Of All Time". Billboard. Retrieved October 13, 2016.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 229.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Hot Dance/Disco: 1974-2003. Record Research. p. 110.
- ^ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (pdf ed.). Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 113.
- ^ "dutchcharts.nl > Johnny Gill in Dutch Charts" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved May 29, 2019.
- ^ "charts.nz > Johnny Gill in New Zealand Charts". Hung Medien. Retrieved May 29, 2019.
- ^ "Official Charts > Johnny Gill". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 29, 2019.
- ^ "Johnny Gill Chart History > Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved May 29, 2019.
- ^ "Johnny Gill Chart History > Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs". Billboard. Retrieved May 29, 2019.
- ^ "Johnny Gill Chart History > Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs". Billboard. Retrieved May 29, 2019.
- ^ Nielsen Business Media, Inc (December 22, 1990). "1990 The Year in Music & Video: Top Pop Singles". Billboard. 102 (51): YE-14.