music.wikisort.org - Composition

"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 number one on the U.S. Cash Box Top 100 and was also a major Billboard Pop hit, peaking at number four the week of February 2, 1980.[2] It was a Top Five hit on the Soul chart as well.[3]

"Cruisin'"
Single by Smokey Robinson
from the album Where There's Smoke...
B-side	"Ever Had a Dream"
Released	August 1979 (1979-08)
Recorded	1979
Genre	Soul pop R&B quiet storm[1]
Length	5:53 4:11 (7" edit)
Label	Tamla (Motown)
Songwriter(s)	Smokey Robinson Marv Tarplin
Smokey Robinson singles chronology
"Get Ready" (1979) "Cruisin'" (1979) "Let Me Be the Clock" (1980)

Background

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

Reportedly, Robinson had a cold when he recorded the song. It was originally intended as a B-side for a remake of "Get Ready".

Chart performance

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
New Zealand (RMNZ)[9]	Gold	10,000*
* Sales figures based on certification alone.

D'Angelo version

"Cruisin'"
Single by D'Angelo
from the album Brown Sugar
Released	December 5, 1995
Recorded	1995
Genre	R&B soul
Length	3:58 (radio edit) 6:24 (album version)
Label	Cooltempo
Songwriter(s)	Smokey Robinson, Marv Tarplin
Producer(s)	Bob Power
D'Angelo singles chronology
"Brown Sugar" (1995) "Cruisin'" (1995) "Lady" (1996)
Music video
"Cruisin'" on YouTube

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.[10][11] the album reached sales of 500,000 copies in the United States by October 1995.[12][13] 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.[14] 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.[15] Flutist Lauryn Vivino contributes with piccolo. The track also features steady piano-playing by D'Angelo,[16] with Brooklyn Funk Essentials-member Bob "Bassy" Brockmann playing the trumpet.[17]

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
B-side	"Feeling Alright" "Beginnings / Endings"
Released	September 11, 2000 (2000-09-11)[18]
Recorded	2000
Length	4:52
Label	Hollywood
Songwriter(s)	Smokey Robinson Marv Tarplin
Producer(s)	Larry Klein
Huey Lewis singles chronology
"Cruisin'" (2000) "Workin' for a Livin'" (2008)
Gwyneth Paltrow singles chronology
"Cruisin'" (2000) "Bette Davis Eyes" (2001)

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 and released as a single on September 11, 2000. The duet spent one week at number one on the US Adult Contemporary chart. It was an even bigger hit in Australia and New Zealand, reaching number one on both country's singles charts, and in Iceland, where it climbed to number four in November 2000.

Track listing

Australian and German CD single[19][20]

1. "Cruisin'" (by Paltrow and Lewis) – 4:51
2. "Feeling Alright" (by Lewis) – 4:02
3. "Beginnings / Endings" (by David Newman) – 1:59

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2000–2001)	Peak position
Australia (ARIA)[21]	1
Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)[22]	4
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[23]	1
US Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles (Billboard)[24]	9
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[25]	1

Year-end charts

Chart (2001)	Position
Australia (ARIA)[26]	27
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[27]	12
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[28]	10

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[29]	2× Platinum	140,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[30]	Platinum	10,000*
* Sales figures based on certification alone. ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

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 Foreword.[31] Three years later, the late bassist Wayman Tisdale included a cover of the song on his album Hangtime.[32][33]
• 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 2007 compilation album Best of Best 1000.[34]
• Coolio has also sampled this song. Although the verse lyrics are changed in his song, the chorus is the same.

Popular culture

• In 2009, Essence magazine included the song in their list of the "25 Best Slow Jams of All Time".[35]
• Robinson's version appears in the 2013 videogame Grand Theft Auto V inside the radio station The Lowdown 91.1.[36]
• Robinson's version appears in a 2021 TV commercial for Allstate.[37]

See also

• List of Billboard Adult Contemporary number ones of 2000
• List of Cash Box Top 100 number-one singles of 1980

References

External links

• Lyrics of this song
• Smokey Robinson - Cruisin' on YouTube

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