I Wanna Get Next to You
Encyclopedia
"I Wanna Get Next to You" is a 1976
soul
single
written
and produced
by legendary American songwriter
Norman Whitfield
, and most famously sung by American R&B
band Rose Royce
. It is the second official single off of the Car Wash soundtrack
, and it became the group's second top ten single on the US Billboard Hot 100
, peaking at number ten, and peaking at number three on the Hot Soul Singles
chart. The song was also successful worldwide, becoming their second Top 40 hit in the United Kingdom
, peaking at number fourteen on the UK Singles Chart
. The song has also became a staple on oldies radio and on adult contemporary stations.
pleads love for a beautiful woman, except that the young woman is unkind, and does not understand his affection for her, as he wastes his own money calling her, but she does not respond, regardless, he still wants to "get next" to her.
, winning neither.
in 1995, Martin
, in the season three episode, "All the Players Came", where Martin Lawrence
's character, Jerome, the pimp, sings the song to guest star Pam Grier
as part of a competition, facing off with Dolemite
and Huggy Bear
(played by Rudy Ray Moore
and Antonio Fargas
) for Detroit's "Player of the Year" award, as part of the competition he sings the song poorly which attracts Pam Grier
, which he later in the episode wins unanimously. In the same year, the sound was also featured on the soundtrack to the popular movie Friday
. In 1997, this song was covered by R&B singer Cherrelle
.
1976 in music
-January–February:*January 5 – Former Beatles road manager Mal Evans is shot dead by Los Angeles police after refusing to drop what police only later determine is an air rifle....
soul
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
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...
written
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
and produced
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
by legendary American songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
Norman Whitfield
Norman Whitfield
Norman Jesse Whitfield was an American songwriter and producer, best known for his work with Berry Gordy's Motown label during the 1960s...
, and most famously sung by American R&B
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...
band Rose Royce
Rose Royce
Rose Royce is an American soul and R&B band. The group is best known for several hit singles including "Car Wash," "I Wanna Get Next to You," "Wishing on a Star", "Love Don't Live Here Anymore" and "I'm Going Down".-Career:...
. It is the second official single off of the Car Wash soundtrack
Car Wash: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Car Wash is a soundtrack double album by the Funk band Rose Royce. It is the soundtrack/film score to the 1976 hit comedy Car Wash starring Richard Pryor and George Carlin and also the debut album for Rose Royce...
, and it became the group's second top ten single on the US 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...
, peaking at number ten, and peaking at number three on the Hot Soul Singles
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. The song was also successful worldwide, becoming their second Top 40 hit in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, peaking at number fourteen on the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
. The song has also became a staple on oldies radio and on adult contemporary stations.
About the song
The song talks about how a narratorNarrator
A narrator is, within any story , the fictional or non-fictional, personal or impersonal entity who tells the story to the audience. When the narrator is also a character within the story, he or she is sometimes known as the viewpoint character. The narrator is one of three entities responsible for...
pleads love for a beautiful woman, except that the young woman is unkind, and does not understand his affection for her, as he wastes his own money calling her, but she does not respond, regardless, he still wants to "get next" to her.
Nominations and accolades
The song was nominated for two Grammy Awards, one for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal and Best R&B SongGrammy Award for Best R&B Song
The Grammy Award for Best R&B Song has been awarded since 1959. From 1969 to 2000 it was known as the Grammy Award for Best Rhythm & Blues Song, from 1962 to 1968 it was known as Best Rhythm & Blues Recording, and from 1959-1961 as Best Rhythm & Blues Performance...
, winning neither.
In popular culture
The song was sung on the popular sitcomSituation comedy
A situation comedy, often shortened to sitcom, is a genre of comedy that features characters sharing the same common environment, such as a home or workplace, accompanied with jokes as part of the dialogue...
in 1995, Martin
Martin (TV series)
Martin is an American sitcom produced by HBO Independent Productions that aired for five seasons, from August 27, 1992 to May 1, 1997 on Fox...
, in the season three episode, "All the Players Came", where Martin Lawrence
Martin Lawrence
Martin Fitzgerald Lawrence is an American actor, film director, film producer, screenwriter, and stand up comedian. He came to fame during the 1990s, establishing a Hollywood career as a leading actor, most notably the films Bad Boys, Blue Streak, and Big Momma's House...
's character, Jerome, the pimp, sings the song to guest star Pam Grier
Pam Grier
Pamela Suzette "Pam" Grier is an American actress. She became famous in the early 1970s, after starring in a string of moderately successful women in prison and blaxploitation films such as 1974's Foxy Brown. Her career was revitalized in 1997 after her appearance in Quentin Tarantino's film...
as part of a competition, facing off with Dolemite
Dolemite
Dolemite is a 1975 blaxploitation feature film, and is also the name of its principal character, played by Rudy Ray Moore, who co-wrote the film and its soundtrack...
and Huggy Bear
Huggy Bear
Huggy Bear were an English riot grrrl band, formed in 1991 in London, and based in Brighton.-History:Rising up in tandem with the Olympia, Washington-based riot grrrl movement led by feminist bands such as Bikini Kill, Huggy Bear called themselves "boy-girl revolutionaries," both in reference to...
(played by Rudy Ray Moore
Rudy Ray Moore
Rudy Ray Moore was an American comedian, musician, singer, film actor, and film producer. He was perhaps best known as Dolemite , the uniquely articulate pimp from the 1975 film Dolemite, and its sequel, The Human Tornado...
and Antonio Fargas
Antonio Fargas
Antonio Juan Fargas is an American actor famous for his roles in 1970s blaxploitation movies, as well as his portrayal of Huggy Bear in the 1970s TV series Starsky and Hutch.-Biography:...
) for Detroit's "Player of the Year" award, as part of the competition he sings the song poorly which attracts Pam Grier
Pam Grier
Pamela Suzette "Pam" Grier is an American actress. She became famous in the early 1970s, after starring in a string of moderately successful women in prison and blaxploitation films such as 1974's Foxy Brown. Her career was revitalized in 1997 after her appearance in Quentin Tarantino's film...
, which he later in the episode wins unanimously. In the same year, the sound was also featured on the soundtrack to the popular movie Friday
Friday (soundtrack)
Friday is a soundtrack album for the 1995 comedy film Friday. It was released on April 11, 1995 through Priority Records and consisted of hip hop and R&B music. The soundtrack peaked at #1 on the Billboard 200, where it held the position for two weeks, and the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums for six weeks....
. In 1997, this song was covered by R&B singer Cherrelle
Cherrelle
Cheryl Anne Norton, better known by her stage name, Cherrelle , is an American R&B singer who gained fame in the 1980s...
.