"Mr. Loverman" is a song by Jamaican dancehall artist

Shabba Ranks Shabba Ranks (born Rexton Rawlston Fernando Gordon; 17 January 1966) is a Jamaican dancehall musician. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, he was one of the most popular Jamaican musicians in the world. Throughout his prominence in his home cou ...

. It was written by Ranks, Mikey Bennett and Hopeton Lindon. The song was released in 1992 and 1993 as a single, reaching number 40 on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and number three on the

UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...

, as well as the top 20 in France, Germany and Ireland. ''

Q Magazine ''Q'' was a popular music magazine published monthly in the United Kingdom. It was founded in 1986 by broadcast journalists Mark Ellen and David Hepworth, who were presenters of the BBC television music series '' The Old Grey Whistle Test''. ...

'' ranked "Mr. Loverman" at number 866 in their list of the "1001 Best Songs Ever" in 2003.

Origin of song

The song first appeared as "Champion Lover" by

Deborahe Glasgow Deborahe Elizabeth Glasgow (19 January 1966 – 25 January 1994) was an English lovers rock singer of Guyanese parentage, who was active from the late 1970s to the beginning of the 1990s. Though Glasgow released only one album in her lifetime, 19 ...

. Ranks then versioned "Champion Lover" under the new title "Mr. Lover Man", with Deborahe Glasgow the featured female lead. This version appeared on his ''

Rappin' with the Ladies ''Rappin' with the Ladies'' is the first album by dancehall artist and DJ Shabba Ranks, released in 1988. The album contains collaborations with J.C. Lodge and Deborahe Glasgow Deborahe Elizabeth Glasgow (19 January 1966 – 25 January 1994) wa ...

'' album in 1988. Glasgow's illness and subsequent early death led to the song being re-recorded for release as a single, this time with Chevelle Franklyn as the featured singer. The version featuring Chevelle Franklyn was originally released in 1992 with the

David Morales David Morales (; born August 21, 1962) is an American disc jockey (DJ) and record producer. In addition to his production and DJ work, Morales is also a remixer. David Morales has remixed and produced over 500 releases for artists including ...

remix promoted as the main version, when it charted in a modest position on the

, but after being re-released in 1993, when dancehall music was starting to enjoy mainstream popularity, the track rose to number three on the UK Singles Chart and remains his biggest hit single to date. This track also features the first time he used his trademark cry "Shabba!", using the sampled vocals of

Maxi Priest Max Alfred "Maxi" Elliott (born 10 June 1961), known by his stage name Maxi Priest, is a British reggae vocalist of Jamaican descent. He is best known for singing reggae music with an R&B influence, otherwise known as reggae fusion. He was one ...

from the track "Housecall" on Ranks' 1991 album ''

As Raw As Ever ''As Raw As Ever'' is a studio album released by Shabba Ranks, his first to be well received by critics and the public. Track listing *All Songs Published By Aunt Hilda Music. # Trailor Load a Girls - 3:58 (Cleveland "Clevie" Browne, Wycliffe J ...

''.

Critical reception

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databa ...

editor Ron Wynn felt that the artist "kept the slack dancehall", noting "his thick, patois-laced delivery" on the song, that "basically defined" the

album An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on compact disc (CD), vinyl, audio tape, or another medium such as digital distribution. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early 20th century as individual 78 rpm records co ...

. Larry Flick from '' Billboard'' wrote that "the Shabba Ranks success story will have yet another glowing chapter added once radio programmers get their hands on this deliciously sexy R&B/dancehall gem. A languid, shuffling groove is enhanced by easygoing toasting and sultry femme backing vocals. Yummmm." John Martinucci from the '' Gavin Report'' stated that the song has hit written all over it". In his UK chart commentary, James Masterton declared it "a strong contender for No. 1", and "a far cry from the days when he was merely the added novelty on Scritti Politti's version of the Beatles' "

She's A Woman "She's a Woman" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles, written primarily by Paul McCartney and credited to Lennon–McCartney. It was released on a non-album single in November 1964 as the B-side to "I Feel Fine", except in North Ame ...

" which represented his first ever chart appearance in this country." A reviewer from '' Music & Media'' commented that "the top man in the ranks of

raggamuffin Ragamuffin or Raggamuffin may refer to: Film * ''The Ragamuffin'', a 1916 American silent film by William C. deMille * ''Ragamuffin'', a 2014 film directed by David Schultz about Rich Mullins Music * Raggamuffin music, or ragga, a reggae and dan ...

artists knows the tricks to break a relatively unknown musical genre. He keeps it simple and accessible with a very high sing-along factor." James Hamilton from ''

Music Week ''Music Week'' is a trade publication for the UK record industry distributed via a website and a monthly print magazine. It is published by Future. History Founded in 1959 as '' Record Retailer'', it relaunched on 18 March 1972 as ''Music W ...

s ''RM'' Dance Update described the song as a "huskily ragga rapped swayer."

Music video

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 promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a music marketing device ...

was produced to promote the single, directed by American visual artist, filmmaker, and hip hop pioneer

Fab 5 Freddy Fred Brathwaite (born August 31, 1959), more popularly known as Fab 5 Freddy, is an American visual artist, filmmaker, and hip hop pioneer. He is considered one of the architects of the street art movement. Freddy emerged in New York's downtown ...

Track listings

* 7-inch single # "Mr. Loverman" (radio mix) — 3:36 # "Mr. Loverman" (twin city crew mix) — 4:05 * 12-inch maxi # "Mr. Loverman" (D.M. ragga hop mix) — 6:05 # "Mr. Loverman" (twin city crew mix) — 4:05 # "Mr. Loverman" (new world mix) — 4:22 # "Mr. Loverman" (raggamental mix) — 4:24 * CD maxi # "Mr. Loverman" (radio mix) — 3:36 # "Mr. Loverman" ( D.M. ragga hop mix) — 6:05 # "Mr. Loverman" (twin city crew mix) — 4:05 # "Mr. Loverman" (raggamental mix) — 4:24 # "Ca'an Dunn" — 5:23 # "The Jam" (back to the bridge) — 4:30 * CD maxi - Remixes # "Mr Loverman" (D.M. ragga hop mix) — 6:05 # "Mr Loverman" (radio mix) — 3:36 # "Mr Loverman" (twin city crew mix) — 4:05 # "Mr Loverman" (new world mix) — 4:22 # "Mr Loverman" (raggamental mix) — 4:24

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

In popular culture

The song was used briefly in an episode of ''

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air ''The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air'' is an American television sitcom created by Andy and Susan Borowitz for NBC. It aired from September 10, 1990, to May 20, 1996. The series stars Will Smith as a fictionalized version of himself, a street-smart ...

''. It was also featured in the soundtrack of 1992's motion-picture ''

Deep Cover ''Deep Cover'' is a 1992 American action thriller film starring Laurence Fishburne, Jeff Goldblum and Charles Martin Smith, and directed by veteran actor Bill Duke in his third directorial outing. The screenplay was written by Henry Bean and Ac ...

''. The song was parodied in an episode of ''

In Living Color ''In Living Color'' is an American sketch comedy television series that originally ran on Fox from April 15, 1990 to May 19, 1994. Keenen Ivory Wayans created, wrote and starred in the program. The show was produced by Ivory Way Productions in ...

'' titled "Mr. Ugly Man", where it was performed by actor/comedian Marlon Wayans. English football club

Birmingham City Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football, football club based in Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, it was renamed Small Heath in 1888, Birmingham in 1905, and Birmingham City in 1943. Sin ...

used to sing this song about their striker Peter Lovenkrands until his retirement in November 2014. The British TV show ''

Total Wipeout ''Total Wipeout'' is a British game show, hosted by Richard Hammond and Amanda Byram, which first aired on the BBC on 3 January 2009. In each episode, contestants competed in a series of challenges in an attempt to win £10,000. These challen ...

'' used the song for a contestant named Shabba.

Samples and covers

The drum pattern was sampled by Alanis Morissette on "

You Learn "You Learn" is a song by Canadian singer-songwriter Alanis Morissette from her third studio album, ''Jagged Little Pill'' (1995). It was written by Morissette and Glen Ballard, the album's producer. Maverick and Warner Bros. Records released th ...

" from her multiplatinum album ''

Jagged Little Pill ''Jagged Little Pill'' is the third studio album by Canadian singer Alanis Morissette, released on June 13, 1995, through Maverick. It was her first album to be released worldwide. It marked a stylistic departure from the dance-pop sound of he ...

'' (1995).

References

{{authority control 1992 singles 1993 singles Shabba Ranks songs 1991 songs Epic Records singles Reggae fusion songs