"Around the Way Girl" is the third single by

LL Cool J James Todd Smith (born January 14, 1968), known professionally as LL Cool J (short for Ladies Love Cool James), is an American rapper, songwriter, record producer, and actor. He is one of the earliest rappers to achieve commercial success, along ...

from his 1990 album ''

Mama Said Knock You Out ''Mama Said Knock You Out'' is the fourth studio album by American rapper LL Cool J. It was produced mostly by Marley Marl and recorded at his "House of Hits" home studio in Chestnut Ridge and at Chung King House of Metal in New York City. Afte ...

''. The song later appeared on LL Cool J's 1996 greatest hits album, '' All World: Greatest Hits''. "Around the Way Girl" peaked at #9 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, becoming LL Cool J's first top 10 single. It was also a hit on the R&B and dance music charts, where it peaked at #5 and #7, respectively. The

Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...

(RIAA) certified "Around the Way Girl" Gold on January 15, 1991, for sales of over 500,000 copies. The song prominently samples

Mary Jane Girls The Mary Jane Girls were an American girl group formed in 1983, best known for their songs " In My House", " All Night Long", "Candy Man", and their cover version of " Walk Like a Man". They were protégées of musician Rick James and disbanded ...

' 1983 breakout hit song, " All Night Long," along with Keni Burke's 1982 hit "

Risin' to the Top "Risin' to the Top" is a song by former Five Stairsteps member Keni Burke. Released in 1982 from the ''Changes'' album, it became his most successful hit as a solo artist, peaking at number 63 on the ''Billboard'' R&B charts'' and is considered ...

", from which "All Night Long" had originally taken its bassline. The "All Night Long" sample ("you got me shook up, shook down, shook out on your loving...") is heard during the song's intro and at the end of the choruses, while the melody from "Risin' to the Top" is sampled during the verses.

Music video

The

music video A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotion (marketing), promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a m ...

was filmed in what used to be a warehouse on Borden Avenue in

Long Island City Long Island City (LIC) is a residential and commercial neighborhood on the extreme western tip of Queens, a borough in New York City. It is bordered by Astoria to the north; the East River to the west; New Calvary Cemetery in Sunnyside to the ...

Queens Queens is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Queens County, in the U.S. state of New York. Located on Long Island, it is the largest New York City borough by area. It is bordered by the borough of Brooklyn at the western tip of Long ...

Single track listing

A-side

#"Around The Way Girl" (LP Version)- 4:05 #"Around The Way Girl" (Untouchables Remix feat. Chad Jones)- 4:32

B-side

#"Around The Way Girl" (Instrumental)- 3:51 #"Murdergram" (LP Version)- 3:52

Official versions

* "Around the Way Girl" (Album Version) / (LP Version) - 4:05 * "Around the Way Girl" (Instrumental) - 3:51 * "Around the Way Girl" (Untouchables Remix feat. Chad Jones) - 4:32

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

References

1990 songs 1990 singles LL Cool J songs Songs written by LL Cool J Songs written by Rick James Songs written by Marley Marl Def Jam Recordings singles Song recordings produced by Marley Marl New jack swing songs American pop songs {{1990s-hiphop-song-stub