Thong Song
Encyclopedia
"Thong Song" is a 2000 song recorded by Sisqó
of Dru Hill
for the Def Soul imprint of Def Jam
. The song was issued as the second single from Sisqó's Unleash the Dragon
LP in February 2000, and was its second biggest hit.
A remixed version featuring Foxy Brown of "Thong Song" was made exclusively for the 2000
film Nutty Professor II: The Klumps
.
The record celebrates, in a playful way, women who wear thong underwear
and bikini
s.
It was covered recently by the cast of Glee, for the TV series Glee
. Sisqó performed it on Celebrity Big Brother and afterward it re-entered the chart at number 97. The song was also recently remixed by electronic music producer Elephantitan.
by Sisqó, Tim Kelley and Bob Robinson and also produced by Tim & Bob
as well. Songwriters Desmond Child and Robi Draco Rosa receive songwriting credit because of the interpolation of part of their composition, "Livin' la Vida Loca
" (Ricky Martin
), in the song's lyrics. The strings heard throughout the song are lifted from Wes Montgomery
's "Eleanor Rigby
".
Inspired after attending his cousin Nelson's baptism, Sisqó set out to write "The Thong Song" shortly after, adding it to the list of singles he had already prepared for his hit album Unleash the Dragon.
The alternate version, the official remix to the original version, "Thong Song Uncensored" (which has no explicit adult language), features a guest rap from Foxy Brown in the spot where Sisqó whispers the main verse for the third time, and is included on the soundtrack for Nutty Professor II: The Klumps
. A second, more urban-themed, video was shot for the remix by Little X
.
party with a large number of young women who are all wearing bikinis and thongs, with the exception of one female who wears a g-string. There are also scenes with Sisqo and the members from Dru Hill driving a Bentley Azure
down the highway and cameos from Method Man
,Redman
,Ja Rule
and LL Cool J
. Sisqó proceeds to perform acrobatic feats atop the crowd that contradict the laws of physics, culminating in a stage performance lit with blacklights and an orchestra in the background. The whole video, being cuts between Sisqó and barely clad women, drew minor criticism for exploiting women as sex objects, and was credited for starting a new wave of "booty" videos. The director of the video, Joseph Kahn
, was quoted as saying, "I listen to 'Thong Song', and I say, 'Well, this song is about asses.' So you can either accept it and do something like I did, or you can go and try and turn the 'Thong Song' into some kind of Chemical Brothers video and make it all pretentious; about some fucking communist upheaval or something. Let's just relax and make a booty video, and let's make a really good one, and make it fun."
, Sisqó escapes from a group of fans with the help of Foxy Brown to a fashion show, where models strut in sexy costumes, which (again) all consist of bikinis just as in the original video, this time for the exception of two females who did sport thongs. The video also features a cameo by professional wrestler Big Show
and Mark Konwinski. The song was done for the soundtrack of Nutty Professor II: The Klumps
.
Sisqó
Mark Durrell Andrews , known by his stage name Sisqó, is an American R&B singer and actor. He is best known as the lead singer of R&B group Dru Hill, and also for "Thong Song", a song from his first solo LP, Unleash the Dragon, that became an international hit. - Biography :Sisqó was born Mark...
of Dru Hill
Dru Hill
Dru Hill is an American singing group, most popular during the late 1990s, whose repertoire included R&B, soul, and gospel music. Founded in Baltimore, Maryland, and active since 1992, Dru Hill recorded seven Top 40 hits, and is best known for the R&B #1 hits "In My Bed", "Never Make a Promise", ...
for the Def Soul imprint of Def Jam
Def Jam Recordings
Def Jam Recordings is an American record label, focused primarily on hip hop and urban music, owned by Universal Music Group, and operates as a part of The Island Def Jam Motown Music Group...
. The song was issued as the second single from Sisqó's Unleash the Dragon
Unleash the Dragon
-Chart and singles history:...
LP in February 2000, and was its second biggest hit.
A remixed version featuring Foxy Brown of "Thong Song" was made exclusively for the 2000
2000 in film
The year 2000 in film involved some significant events.The top grosser worldwide was Mission: Impossible II. Domestically in North America, Gladiator won the Academy Awards for Best Picture and Best Actor ....
film Nutty Professor II: The Klumps
Nutty Professor II: The Klumps
Nutty Professor II: The Klumps is a 2000 comedy film directed by Peter Segal. It is the sequel to the 1996 film The Nutty Professor and stars Eddie Murphy and Janet Jackson. Murphy plays not only the inept but brilliant scientist, Sherman Klump, as in the first film, but also most of Sherman's...
.
The record celebrates, in a playful way, women who wear thong underwear
Thong (clothing)
The thong is a garment generally worn as either underwear or as a swimsuit in many industrialized societies around the world. It may also be worn for traditional ceremonies or competitions such as sumo wrestling...
and bikini
Bikini
The bikini is typically a women's two-piece swimsuit. One part of the attire covers the breasts and the other part covers the crotch and part of or the entire buttocks, leaving an uncovered area between the two. Merriam–Webster describes the bikini as "a woman's scanty two-piece bathing suit" or "a...
s.
It was covered recently by the cast of Glee, for the TV series Glee
Glee (TV series)
Glee is an American musical comedy-drama television series that airs on Fox in the United States, and on GlobalTV in Canada. It focuses on the high school glee club New Directions competing on the show choir competition circuit, while its members deal with relationships, sexuality and social issues...
. Sisqó performed it on Celebrity Big Brother and afterward it re-entered the chart at number 97. The song was also recently remixed by electronic music producer Elephantitan.
Production
The song was writtenSongwriter
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...
by Sisqó, Tim Kelley and Bob Robinson and also produced by Tim & Bob
Tim & Bob
Tim & Bob aka Funktwons, are Grammy Award-winning songwriting musicians and a Hip-hop/R&B pop production duo. Tim & Bob have discovered and or worked on some of the biggest artists in the music industry and has helped develop the Atlanta music scene as it is widely known for today...
as well. Songwriters Desmond Child and Robi Draco Rosa receive songwriting credit because of the interpolation of part of their composition, "Livin' la Vida Loca
Livin' la Vida Loca
"Livin' la Vida Loca" is a song by Puerto Rican singer Ricky Martin. It was released on March 23, 1999 from Martin's self-titled debut English album. The song was composed by Desmond Child and Draco Rosa and topped the charts during 1999...
" (Ricky Martin
Ricky Martin
Enrique "Ricky" Martín Morales , better known as Ricky Martin, is a Puerto Rican and Spanish pop singer and actor who achieved prominence, first as a member of the Latin boy band Menudo, then as a solo artist since 1991.During his career he has sold more than 60 million album copies worldwide...
), in the song's lyrics. The strings heard throughout the song are lifted from Wes Montgomery
Wes Montgomery
John Leslie "Wes" Montgomery was an American jazz guitarist. He is widely considered one of the major jazz guitarists, emerging after such seminal figures as Django Reinhardt and Charlie Christian and influencing countless others, including Pat Martino, George Benson, Russell Malone, Emily...
's "Eleanor Rigby
Eleanor Rigby
"Eleanor Rigby" is a song by The Beatles, simultaneously released on the 1966 album Revolver and on a 45 rpm single. The song was written primarily by Paul McCartney and credited to Lennon–McCartney...
".
Inspired after attending his cousin Nelson's baptism, Sisqó set out to write "The Thong Song" shortly after, adding it to the list of singles he had already prepared for his hit album Unleash the Dragon.
The alternate version, the official remix to the original version, "Thong Song Uncensored" (which has no explicit adult language), features a guest rap from Foxy Brown in the spot where Sisqó whispers the main verse for the third time, and is included on the soundtrack for Nutty Professor II: The Klumps
Nutty Professor II: The Klumps
Nutty Professor II: The Klumps is a 2000 comedy film directed by Peter Segal. It is the sequel to the 1996 film The Nutty Professor and stars Eddie Murphy and Janet Jackson. Murphy plays not only the inept but brilliant scientist, Sherman Klump, as in the first film, but also most of Sherman's...
. A second, more urban-themed, video was shot for the remix by Little X
Little X
Julien Christian Lutz , better known as Little X, X or Director X, is a Canadian music video director. He also has his own clothing line X Fit...
.
MTV version
Set in Miami, Sisqó goes to the beach from his home to participate in a Spring BreakSpring break
Spring break – also known as March break, Study week or Reading week in the United Kingdom and some parts of Canada – is a recess in early spring at universities and schools in the United States, Canada, mainland China, Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, the United...
party with a large number of young women who are all wearing bikinis and thongs, with the exception of one female who wears a g-string. There are also scenes with Sisqo and the members from Dru Hill driving a Bentley Azure
Bentley Azure
The Bentley Azure is a large, four seater convertible built by Bentley Motors Limited at its factory in Crewe, England. The model debuted in 1995 on the Continental platform and was produced in its original guise until 2003. A completely new version powered by a significantly updated engine and...
down the highway and cameos from Method Man
Method Man
Clifford Smith , better known by his stage name Method Man is an American hip hop artist, record producer, actor and member of the hip hop collective Wu-Tang Clan. He took his stage name from the 1979 film The Fearless Young Boxer, also known as Method Man. He is one half of the rap duo Method Man...
,Redman
Redman
Reginald "Reggie" Noble , better known by his stage name Redman, is an American MC, rapper, DJ, record producer and actor. He came to fame in the early 1990s as an artist on the Def Jam label. He is also well known for his collaborations with Method Man, including their starring roles in films and...
,Ja Rule
Ja Rule
Jeffrey Atkins , better known by his stage name Ja Rule, is an American rapper, singer, and actor.Born in Hollis, Queens, he began his career in the group Cash Money Click and debuted in 1999 with Venni Vetti Vecci and its single "Holla Holla"...
and LL Cool J
LL Cool J
James Todd Smith , better known as LL Cool J , is an American rapper, entrepreneur, and actor...
. Sisqó proceeds to perform acrobatic feats atop the crowd that contradict the laws of physics, culminating in a stage performance lit with blacklights and an orchestra in the background. The whole video, being cuts between Sisqó and barely clad women, drew minor criticism for exploiting women as sex objects, and was credited for starting a new wave of "booty" videos. The director of the video, Joseph Kahn
Joseph Kahn
Joseph Kahn is an American music video, advertising, and feature film director.-Early life:Kahn was born in Jersey Village, Texas, a suburb of Houston. He is of Korean ancestry. He spent part of his childhood growing up in Livorno, Italy until his family moved to Texas...
, was quoted as saying, "I listen to 'Thong Song', and I say, 'Well, this song is about asses.' So you can either accept it and do something like I did, or you can go and try and turn the 'Thong Song' into some kind of Chemical Brothers video and make it all pretentious; about some fucking communist upheaval or something. Let's just relax and make a booty video, and let's make a really good one, and make it fun."
Alternate version with Foxy Brown
After giving a radio interview in his home town of BaltimoreBaltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
, Sisqó escapes from a group of fans with the help of Foxy Brown to a fashion show, where models strut in sexy costumes, which (again) all consist of bikinis just as in the original video, this time for the exception of two females who did sport thongs. The video also features a cameo by professional wrestler Big Show
Paul Wight
Paul Donald Wight, Jr. , better known by his ring name, Big Show, is an American professional wrestler and actor, currently signed to WWE on its Raw brand....
and Mark Konwinski. The song was done for the soundtrack of Nutty Professor II: The Klumps
Nutty Professor II: The Klumps
Nutty Professor II: The Klumps is a 2000 comedy film directed by Peter Segal. It is the sequel to the 1996 film The Nutty Professor and stars Eddie Murphy and Janet Jackson. Murphy plays not only the inept but brilliant scientist, Sherman Klump, as in the first film, but also most of Sherman's...
.
Charts
| End of year chart (2000) | Position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 14 |