Back to My Roots
Encyclopedia
"Back to My Roots" is a song by RuPaul
, released as the fourth single
from his album Supermodel of the World
, released in 1993. Although the single failed to chart on the Billboard Hot 100
, it reached #1 on the Hot Dance Club Play
chart in July of 1993 and helped to further establish RuPaul's popularity, particularly with both the dance music
and LGBT
audiences in the United States.
The house
/dance track is a tribute to black women's hairstyle
s as well as to the tradition of community often found in urban hair salons. The song was originally entitled "Black To My Roots", but the record company changed it fearing controversy. Within the song RuPaul name-checks a variety of hairstyles such as braid
s, hair extensions, afro-puffs and cornrow
s. She also names several of her relatives including her mother Ernestine Charles, who at the time owned a hair salon in Atlanta
, Georgia
.
The single was released primarily as a CD but with various 12" versions. It also featured a new remix
of the hit single "Supermodel (You Better Work)
", as well as a pastiche
of the track called "Strudelmodel", which changed the theme of the original to a "model for the Der Weinerschnitzel Corporation".
An accompanying music video
showcased extreme drag versions of all of these hairstyles. Though it was played occasionally on MTV
, it received far more play in dance clubs. It also featured noted comedienne LaWanda Page
as Ms. Ernestine Charles.
RuPaul
RuPaul Andre Charles , best known as simply RuPaul, is an American actor, drag queen, model, author, and singer-songwriter, who first became widely known in the 1990s when he appeared in a wide variety of television programs, films, and musical albums. Previously, he was a fixture on the Atlanta...
, released as the fourth single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
from his album Supermodel of the World
Supermodel of the World
Supermodel of the World is the debut studio album by American drag queen RuPaul, released on June 8, 1993 by Tommy Boy Records.-Album information:...
, released in 1993. Although the single failed to chart on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
, it reached #1 on the Hot Dance Club Play
Hot Dance Club Play
The Hot Dance Club Songs chart is a weekly national survey of the songs that are most popular in U.S. dance clubs...
chart in July of 1993 and helped to further establish RuPaul's popularity, particularly with both the dance music
Dance music
Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement...
and LGBT
LGBT
LGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
audiences in the United States.
The house
House music
House music is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in Chicago, Illinois, United States in the early 1980s. It was initially popularized in mid-1980s discothèques catering to the African-American, Latino American, and gay communities; first in Chicago circa 1984, then in other...
/dance track is a tribute to black women's hairstyle
Hairstyle
A hairstyle, hairdo, or haircut refers to the styling of hair, usually on the human head. The fashioning of hair can be considered an aspect of personal grooming, fashion, and cosmetics, although practical, cultural, and popular considerations also influence some hairstyles.-History of...
s as well as to the tradition of community often found in urban hair salons. The song was originally entitled "Black To My Roots", but the record company changed it fearing controversy. Within the song RuPaul name-checks a variety of hairstyles such as braid
Braid
A braid is a complex structure or pattern formed by intertwining three or more strands of flexible material such as textile fibres, wire, or human hair...
s, hair extensions, afro-puffs and cornrow
Cornrow
Cornrows, also known as braids, are a traditional African style of hair grooming where the hair is braided very close to the scalp, using an underhand, upward motion to produce a continuous, raised row...
s. She also names several of her relatives including her mother Ernestine Charles, who at the time owned a hair salon in Atlanta
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
.
The single was released primarily as a CD but with various 12" versions. It also featured a new remix
Remix
A remix is an alternative version of a recorded song, made from an original version. This term is also used for any alterations of media other than song ....
of the hit single "Supermodel (You Better Work)
Supermodel (You Better Work)
"Supermodel " is the title of a 1992 song by the dance music singer and drag queen RuPaul. It was the third single from his album Supermodel of the World...
", as well as a pastiche
Pastiche
A pastiche is a literary or other artistic genre or technique that is a "hodge-podge" or imitation. The word is also a linguistic term used to describe an early stage in the development of a pidgin language.-Hodge-podge:...
of the track called "Strudelmodel", which changed the theme of the original to a "model for the Der Weinerschnitzel Corporation".
An accompanying music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
showcased extreme drag versions of all of these hairstyles. Though it was played occasionally on MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
, it received far more play in dance clubs. It also featured noted comedienne LaWanda Page
LaWanda Page
LaWanda Page , born Alberta Peal, was an American actress and comedienne best known for her portrayal of Aunt Esther in the 1970s TV sitcom Sanford and Son.-Early life and career:...
as Ms. Ernestine Charles.
Track listing
(Tracks vary according to release; this listing reflects the tracks on the American CD version, which sold the most copies.)- "Back to My Roots" (7" Version)
- "Back to My Roots" (Jheri CurlJheri curlThe Jheri curl is a hairstyle that was common and popular in the African American community especially during the 1970s and 1980s . Invented by and named for Jheri Redding, the Jheri curl gave the wearer a glossy, loosely curled look...
Juice Mix) - "Back to My Roots" (Murk's Curl Activator Mix)
- "Supermodel (You Better Work)" (Work it' Mr. DJ Tribal Mix)
- "Back to My Roots" (Oscar G's Dope Dub)
- "Back to My Roots" (Jheri Curl Juice Dub)
- "Strudelmodel"
Chart performance
| Chart (1993) | Peak position |
|---|---|