Can't You See
Encyclopedia
"Can't You See" is a song by R&B
girl group Total
, released as their debut single. The track was released from the New Jersey Drive
Soundtrack and also later appeared on their debut album. After making their recording debut on his tracks "Juicy", "One More Chance" and "One More Chance" (Hip Hop Remix)", The Notorious B.I.G.
returned the favour with an intro rap verse to the song. The track was written and arranged by Terri & Monica
's Terri Robinson, produced entirely by Sean "Puffy" Combs with instrumentation provided by associates Rashad Smith, Herb Middleton and Chucky Thompson
and contains a sample from James Brown
's "The Payback". The track was a success both on the mainstream U.S. Billboard Hot 100
chart, reaching number thirteen and the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
chart, where it made number three.
The main edit to the track was the "Bad Boy Remix", which had the girls sing the original lyrics with a different vocal arrangement, The Notorious B.I.G.'s intro rap replaced by one from Keith Murray
and its own music video. The track also had inserts of the girls acting as callers to a request line asking for the song to be played, saying such things as "Hey, can you play that Total Remix?". The vocals from this edit were also used on the "So So Def Remix" by Jermaine Dupri
. The only remixes using the original track were those from funky house
producer E-Smoove.
The original version Filmed on location at Bethesda Terrace in New York City's Central Park
. The video begins with a Bad Boy Entertainment motto of "Besides every Bad Boy, there is a Bad Girl!". The Notorious B.I.G. and Puff Daddy appear in white attire in a large hall where lights flash on and off in the background. Total then appear in the same area wearing leather outfits. (a shot of which was used for the back insert of their album) They are also shown on a flight of stone steps. (see picture) Later the group appear on a podium dressed in white, this time with The Notorious B.I.G. behind them. On a higher podium sits Puff Daddy in a kingly manner. Shots of this scene were used for the single's cover. The video ends with the girls leaving up the steps and a reappearance of the Bad Boy motto from the beginning.
The remix video sees Keith Murray rapping in front of a car upon whose bonnet Puff Daddy sits. The girls are briefly shown sitting on a basketball hoop bobbing their heads as the scene switches back to Murray rapping. Throughout the rest of the video the girls stand on the basketball court in casual attire and perform their vocals and at one point the word "Remix" flashes across the screen. This was one of the groups three single remix videos. (along with "No One Else" & "Kissin' You")
12" vinyl single (UK)
Side 1
Side 2
12" vinyl single (US)
Side 1
Side 2
Rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
girl group Total
Total (band)
Total was an American R&B girl group and one of the signature acts of Sean Combs' Bad Boy Records imprint during the 1990s.-Emergence & Total:...
, released as their debut single. The track was released from the New Jersey Drive
New Jersey Drive
New Jersey Drive is a 1995 film about black youths in Newark, New Jersey, the official "car theft capital of the world". Their favorite pastime is that of everybody in their neighborhood: stealing cars and joyriding. The trouble starts when they steal a police car and the cops launch a violent...
Soundtrack and also later appeared on their debut album. After making their recording debut on his tracks "Juicy", "One More Chance" and "One More Chance" (Hip Hop Remix)", The Notorious B.I.G.
The Notorious B.I.G.
Christopher George Latore Wallace , best known as The Notorious B.I.G., was an American rapper. He was also known as Biggie Smalls , Big Poppa, and The Black Frank White .Wallace was raised in the Brooklyn borough...
returned the favour with an intro rap verse to the song. The track was written and arranged by Terri & Monica
Terri & Monica
Terri & Monica was a R&B duo from the early 1990s which featured Terri Robinson and Monica Payne, who were members of the short-lived late 80s New Jack Swing R&B group The Gyrlz. They released a pair of full-length recordings, 1993's Systa and 1996's Suga, both released via Epic Records...
's Terri Robinson, produced entirely by Sean "Puffy" Combs with instrumentation provided by associates Rashad Smith, Herb Middleton and Chucky Thompson
Chucky Thompson
Carl E. "Chucky" Thompson is a hip hop/R&B record producer. Thompson was a member of Bad Boy Entertainment's "Hitmen" team of in-house producers during the 1990s, and worked with Bad Boy mogul Sean Combs on material for artists such as The Notorious B.I.G. and Mase. He was responsible for album...
and contains a sample from James Brown
James Brown
James Joseph Brown was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and recording artist. He is the originator of Funk and is recognized as a major figure in the 20th century popular music for both his vocals and dancing. He has been referred to as "The Godfather of Soul," "Mr...
's "The Payback". The track was a success both on the mainstream U.S. 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...
chart, reaching number thirteen and the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,...
chart, where it made number three.
The main edit to the track was the "Bad Boy Remix", which had the girls sing the original lyrics with a different vocal arrangement, The Notorious B.I.G.'s intro rap replaced by one from Keith Murray
Keith Murray (rapper)
Keith Murray is an American rapper and a member of the rap trio Def Squad, which includes fellow rappers Redman and Erick Sermon.-Music career:...
and its own music video. The track also had inserts of the girls acting as callers to a request line asking for the song to be played, saying such things as "Hey, can you play that Total Remix?". The vocals from this edit were also used on the "So So Def Remix" by Jermaine Dupri
Jermaine Dupri
Jermaine Dupri Mauldin , known as Jermaine Dupri or JD, is an American record producer, songwriter and rapper.- Early life and career :...
. The only remixes using the original track were those from funky house
Funky house
Funky house is a loose definition for a commercially oriented, disco-influenced subgenre of house music. Like most variants of house, the genre follows a traditional four to the floor house beat, and makes heavy use of synthesizers, samples and soulful vocals, although unlike in more...
producer E-Smoove.
Music video
There were videos filmed for both "Can't You See" and its "Bad Boy Remix":The original version Filmed on location at Bethesda Terrace in New York City's Central Park
Central Park
Central Park is a public park in the center of Manhattan in New York City, United States. The park initially opened in 1857, on of city-owned land. In 1858, Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux won a design competition to improve and expand the park with a plan they entitled the Greensward Plan...
. The video begins with a Bad Boy Entertainment motto of "Besides every Bad Boy, there is a Bad Girl!". The Notorious B.I.G. and Puff Daddy appear in white attire in a large hall where lights flash on and off in the background. Total then appear in the same area wearing leather outfits. (a shot of which was used for the back insert of their album) They are also shown on a flight of stone steps. (see picture) Later the group appear on a podium dressed in white, this time with The Notorious B.I.G. behind them. On a higher podium sits Puff Daddy in a kingly manner. Shots of this scene were used for the single's cover. The video ends with the girls leaving up the steps and a reappearance of the Bad Boy motto from the beginning.
The remix video sees Keith Murray rapping in front of a car upon whose bonnet Puff Daddy sits. The girls are briefly shown sitting on a basketball hoop bobbing their heads as the scene switches back to Murray rapping. Throughout the rest of the video the girls stand on the basketball court in casual attire and perform their vocals and at one point the word "Remix" flashes across the screen. This was one of the groups three single remix videos. (along with "No One Else" & "Kissin' You")
Track listings
CD single- Original Version
- Bad Boy Remix - Radio Edit
- So So Def Remix
- Bad Boy Remix Extended - Clean
- So So Def Remix Instrumental
- E-Smoove's Funky Piano Edit
- E-Smoove's Funky Piano Dub
12" vinyl single (UK)
Side 1
- Vocal
- Instrumental
Side 2
- No Rap Vocal
- TV Track
12" vinyl single (US)
Side 1
- Bad Boy Remix
- So So Def Remix
- Bad Boy Remix Instrumental
- So So Def Remix Instrumental
Side 2
- Original Version
- Hard House Vocal Mix
- Funky Piano Dub Mix
Charts
| End of year chart (1995) | Position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 66 |