What's Up? (song)

From HandWiki

"What's Up?" is a song by American rock group 4 Non Blondes from their 1992 debut album, Bigger, Better, Faster, More! It was released as the album's second single in 1993. It was successful in the United States[1] and in several European countries, peaking at number one in Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, and Switzerland.

Background and writing

The title does not appear in the song's lyrics. However, the phrase "what's going on?" is prominently included in the chorus. The title was chosen to avoid confusion with Marvin Gaye's 1971 song "What's Going On".[2] Linda Perry told Rolling Stone that she hated the song's production.[3] Perry revealed on Behind the Music that she hated David Tickle's reworked version (with different lyrics) intended to be used for their album. She had told this to Jimmy Iovine, who agreed, preferring Perry's demo version over Tickle's. Tickle's instrumental (over the original vocals) could be heard on Perry's episode of Behind the Music; Tickle's version was never released. The final version was recorded in one day after Iovine allowed 4 Non Blondes to re-record Perry's demo version. The music video was directed by Morgan Lawley.[4]

Critical reception and chart performances

"What's Up?" ranks number 94 on VH1's 100 Greatest One-Hit Wonders,[5] and ranks 86 on the MuchMore The Top 100 One Hit Wonders.[6]

The recording received considerable airplay success. It reached number 14 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and went gold, but peaked higher in many other countries, reaching number one in Germany and Ireland, while reaching number two in the United Kingdom and Australia.

However, Gawker journalist Brian Moylan included the track in an unranked list of the "10 Party Songs We Never Ever Want to Hear Again".[7]

Track listings

7" single / CD single

  1. "What's Up?" – 4:16
  2. "What's Up?" (piano version) – 4:09

CD maxi

  1. "What's Up?" (edit) – 4:16
  2. "What's Up?" (remix) – 4:51
  3. "Train" – 3:47
  4. "What's Up?" (piano version) – 4:09

Cassette

  1. "What's Up?" (LP version)
  2. "Train" (LP version)
  3. "What's Up?" (LP version)
  4. "Train" (LP version)

Personnel

  • Written by L. Perry
  • Mastered by Stephen Marcussen
  • Recorded, mixed and produced by David Tickle
  • Engineer: Laurent Tardy

Charts and sales

DJ Miko version

"What's Up"
DJMikoWhat'sUp.jpg
Single by DJ Miko
from the album The Last Millennium
Released1993
Format
  • 7" single
  • 12" single
  • CD single
  • CD maxi
  • cassette
Recorded1993
GenreDance
LengthScript error: No such module "hms".
LabelZYX
Songwriter(s)Linda Perry

Italian DJ DJ Miko covered the song as a dance track in 1993 (retitled without the question mark) with vocals provided by British singer Louise Gard. DJ Miko's version was a modest hit in Europe in late 1993 and early 1994, reaching number five in Italy and Spain and number 17 in Sweden. The song was then released worldwide in spring 1994, peaking at number six on the UK Singles Chart, number eight on the Irish Singles Chart, number 58 on the US Billboard Hot 100, and number 19 on the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart. In the Australasia region, "What's Up" was popular in New Zealand, reaching number 23 on the RIANZ Singles Chart chart, but it was a commercial failure in Australia, reaching only number 92 on the ARIA Singles Chart.

Although the song was released as a stand-alone single, it later appeared on DJ Miko's sole album, The Last Millennium, in 1999.

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1993–1994) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[45] 92
Ireland (IRMA)[46] 8
Italy (Hit Parade Italia)[47] 5
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[48] 23
Scotland (Official Charts Company)[49] 2
Spain (AFYVE)[50] 5
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[51] 17
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[52] 6
US Billboard Hot 100[53] 58
US Dance Club Songs (Billboard)[54] 19
US Rhythmic (Billboard)[55] 23

Year-end charts

Chart (1993) Position
Italy (Hit Parade Italia)[47] 40

Minnesota version

German eurodance group Minnesota covered the song as a dance version in late 1993. It reached number one on the dance chart in Canada and charted in Belgium and Switzerland.

Charts

Chart (1993–1994) Peak
position
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[56] 21
Canada Dance/Urban (RPM)[57] 1
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[58] 22

In popular culture

The song has been used in numerous forms of media including films, television, video games and as a sample in other musical works.[59]

In 2005, a group of animators known as "Slackcircus" created a video called "Fabulous Secret Powers", featuring He-Man from Masters of the Universe singing their own cover of the song (and interpolating lyrics from Melissa Manchester's "Don't Cry Out Loud").[60][61] The video has since become an internet meme, with an edited version of the animation (HEYYEYAAEYAAAEYAEYAA) garnering over 143 million views on YouTube as of September 2018.[62] In the 2011, the song appeared in the film Young Adult, starring Charlize Theron[63] and Ariana Grande sampled the song in her debut single, Put Your Hearts Up.

In 2015 it appeared in the fourth episode, "What's Going On?", of the Netflix Original series Sense8.[64] The song also appears in the 5th episode of the second season, "Fear Never Fixed Anything" as a remix performed by Riley. Since its feature on the show, the song has become an anthem for the fandom and is often sung by the fans to welcome the cast and crew of the show.

A master recording version of the song was used in Rock Band 4.[65] A version of the song, sung in Spanish, appeared in the final episode of season one of the television series Zoo.[66] In Brazil, the song was included in the international soundtrack of Olho no Olho telenovela (Rede Globo). Again it was part of a Rede Globo telenovela, titled A Lei do Amor (2016). In the Brooklyn Nine-Nine episode "Hostage Situation", Jake Peralta and Doug Judy (portrayed by Andy Samberg and Craig Robinson respectively) sing the song at a karaoke club.

References

  1. ↑ "Linda Perry interview". Guitar Center. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160303235058/http://gc.guitarcenter.com/interview/linda-perry/. Retrieved February 12, 2012. 
  2. ↑ ""What's Up?" entry". Songfacts.com. 1989-10-17. http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=1853. Retrieved 2016-09-12. 
  3. ↑ Greene, Andy (2011-03-30). "Linda Perry Forms New Band, Admits She Never Liked 4 Non Blondes". Rolling Stone. https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/linda-perry-forms-new-band-admits-she-never-liked-4-non-blondes-20110330. Retrieved 2016-09-12. 
  4. ↑ "Watch Music Videos, Artist Playlists | MTV Asia". Mtvmusic.my. 1993-01-12. http://www.mtvmusic.my/artist/four_non_blondes/videos/46181/whats_up. Retrieved 2016-09-12. 
  5. ↑ VH1's "100 Greatest One-Hit Wonders"
  6. ↑ "The Top 100 One Hit Wonders". MuchMore. http://www.muchmore.ca/shows/the-top-100-one-hit-wonders/. Retrieved 2012-11-22. 
  7. ↑ Moylan, Brian (14 July 2010). "10 Party Songs We Never Ever Want to Hear Again". Gawker. Archived from the original on May 6, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160506004121/http://gawker.com/5586057/10-party-songs-we-never-ever-want-to-hear-again. Retrieved 17 May 2016. 
  8. ↑ "Script error: No such module "WLink".&titel=Script error: No such module "WLink".&cat=s Australian-charts.com – What's Up? – 4 Non Blondes". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
  9. ↑ "Script error: No such module "WLink".&titel=Script error: No such module "WLink".&cat=s Austriancharts.at – What's Up? – 4 Non Blondes" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  10. ↑ "Script error: No such module "WLink".&titel=Script error: No such module "WLink".&cat=s Ultratop.be – What's Up? – 4 Non Blondes" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  11. ↑ "Canadian peak". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?brws_s=1&file_num=nlc008388.2186&type=1&interval=24&PHPSESSID=u9874ano8k0c5b6bkp4r8qrbp3. Retrieved 2016-09-12. 
  12. ↑ "Top 10 Denmark". Music & Media. http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Music-and-Media/90s/1993/MM-1993-09-25.pdf. Retrieved 2018-02-26. 
  13. ↑ Pennanen, Timo. Sisältää hitin: levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972. Otava Publishing Company Ltd, 2003. ISBN:951-1-21053-X
  14. ↑ "Script error: No such module "WLink".&titel=Script error: No such module "WLink".&cat=s Lescharts.com – What's Up? – 4 Non Blondes" (in French). Les classement single.
  15. ↑ "Template:Single chart/germanencode/?type=single Musicline.de – What's Up? Single-Chartverfolgung" (in German). Media Control Charts. PhonoNet GmbH.
  16. ↑ "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (05.08.1993 - 11.08.1993)". Dagblaðið Vísir - Tónlist. http://timarit.is/files/11766870.pdf#navpanes=1&view=FitH. Retrieved 2018-02-04. 
  17. ↑ Irish Singles Chart. Irishcharts.ie. Retrieved April 7, 2009. Chart can't be linked directly; you must search for What's Up? or 4 Non Blondes.
  18. ↑ "Hit Parade Italia" (in Italian). http://www.hitparadeitalia.it/hp_weeks/93/hp931023.htm. Retrieved April 30, 2012. 
  19. ↑ "Script error: No such module "WLink". Nederlandse Top 40 – What's Up?" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
  20. ↑ "What's up ? in GfK Dutch Chart". Hung Medien. http://dutchcharts.nl/showitem.asp?interpret=4+Non+Blondes&titel=What%27s+Up%3F&cat=s. Retrieved 18 June 2013. 
  21. ↑ "Script error: No such module "WLink".&titel=Script error: No such module "WLink".&cat=s Charts.nz – What's Up? – 4 Non Blondes". Top 40 Singles.
  22. ↑ "Script error: No such module "WLink".&titel=Script error: No such module "WLink".&cat=s Norwegiancharts.com – What's Up? – 4 Non Blondes". VG-lista.
  23. ↑ "Script error: No such module "WLink".&titel=Script error: No such module "WLink".&cat=s Swedishcharts.com – What's Up? – 4 Non Blondes". Singles Top 100.
  24. ↑ "Script error: No such module "WLink".&titel=Script error: No such module "WLink".&cat=s Swisscharts.com – What's Up? – 4 Non Blondes". Swiss Singles Chart.
  25. ↑ "4 Non Blondes: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 3, 2017.
  26. ↑ Script error: No such module "WLink"./chart-history/HSI "4 Non Blondes Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved June 3, 2017.
  27. ↑ Script error: No such module "WLink"./chart-history/MRT "4 Non Blondes Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved June 3, 2017.
  28. ↑ Script error: No such module "WLink"./chart-history/RTT "4 Non Blondes Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved June 3, 2017.
  29. ↑ Script error: No such module "WLink"./chart-history/TFM "4 Non Blondes Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved June 3, 2017.
  30. ↑ "1993 Australian Singles Chart". aria. http://www.aria.com.au/pages/aria-charts-end-of-year-charts-top-50-singles-1993.htm. Retrieved April 15, 2010. 
  31. ↑ "1993 Austrian Singles Chart" (in German). Austriancharts. Archived from the original on September 24, 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20100924015631/http://www.austriancharts.at/1993_single.asp. Retrieved April 15, 2010. 
  32. ↑ "Single top 100 over 1993" (in Dutch) (PDF). Top40. http://www.top40.nl/pdf/Top%20100/top%20100%20-%201993.pdf. Retrieved April 15, 2010. 
  33. ↑ "End of Year Charts 1993". Recorded Music NZ. https://nztop40.co.nz/index.php/chart/?chart=3882. Retrieved December 3, 2017. 
  34. ↑ "1993 Swiss Singles Chart" (in German). Swisscharts. http://www.swisscharts.com/year.asp?key=1993. Retrieved April 15, 2010. 
  35. ↑ "Billboard Top 100 – 1993". Archived from the original on November 10, 2006. https://web.archive.org/web/20061110095203/http://longboredsurfer.com/charts.php?year=1993. Retrieved August 27, 2010. 
  36. ↑ "The ARIA Australian Top 100 Singles Chart – Week Ending 13 Feb 1994". ARIA. http://i.imgur.com/tuR8boA.jpg. Retrieved 27 February 2016. 
  37. ↑ Austrian certifications. ifpi.at . Retrieved April 4, 2009. Chart can't be linked directly; you must search for What's Up or 4 Non Blondes.
  38. ↑ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank ('What's Up')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. http://www.musikindustrie.de/markt-bestseller/gold-/platin-und-diamond-auszeichnung/datenbank/?action=suche&strTitel=What%27s+Up&strInterpret=&strTtArt=alle&strAwards=checked. 
  39. ↑ "Italian single certifications – 4 Non Blondes – What's Up?" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. https://www.fimi.it/top-of-the-music/certificazioni/certificazioni.kl#/certifications.  Select "2018" in the "Anno" drop-down menu. Select "What's Up?" in the "Filtra" field. Select "Singoli online" under "Sezione".
  40. ↑ Dutch certifications. nvpi.nl. Retrieved April 4, 2009.
  41. ↑ Swedish certifications . Ifpi.se. Retrieved April 4, 2009.
  42. ↑ "British single certifications – 4 Non Blondes – What's Up?". British Phonographic Industry. https://www.bpi.co.uk/brit-certified/.  Select singles in the Format field. Type What's Up? in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
  43. ↑ "Best-Selling Records of 1993". Billboard (BPI Communications) 106 (3): 73. 15 January 1994. ISSN 0006-2510. https://books.google.com/books?id=FwgEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA73. Retrieved 4 May 2015. 
  44. ↑ "American single certifications – 4 Non Blondes – What's Up". Recording Industry Association of America. https://www.riaa.com/gold-platinum/?tab_active=default-award&ar=4+Non+Blondes&ti=What%27s+Up#search_section.  If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH. 
  45. ↑ "The ARIA Australian Top 100 Singles Chart – Week Ending 10 Apr 1994". ARIA. http://i.imgur.com/2Vwddrs.jpg. Retrieved September 26, 2018. 
  46. ↑ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – What's Up". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved September 26, 2018.
  47. ↑ 47.0 47.1 "I singoli più venduti del 1993" (in Italian). Hit Parade Italia. http://www.hitparadeitalia.it/hp_yends/hpe1993.htm. Retrieved September 26, 2018. 
  48. ↑ "Script error: No such module "WLink".&titel=Script error: No such module "WLink".&cat=s Charts.nz – DJ Miko – What's Up?". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved September 26, 2018.
  49. ↑ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 26, 2018.
  50. ↑ Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2. 
  51. ↑ "Script error: No such module "WLink".&titel=Script error: No such module "WLink".&cat=s Swedishcharts.com – DJ Miko – What's Up?". Singles Top 100. Retrieved September 26, 2018.
  52. ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 26, 2018.
  53. ↑ Script error: No such module "WLink"./chart-history/HSI "DJ Miko Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved September 26, 2018.
  54. ↑ Script error: No such module "WLink"./chart-history/DSI "DJ Miko Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved September 26, 2018.
  55. ↑ Script error: No such module "WLink"./chart-history/TFC "DJ Miko Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved September 26, 2018.
  56. ↑ "Script error: No such module "WLink".&titel=Script error: No such module "WLink".&cat=s Ultratop.be – What's Up – Dance Version – Minnesota" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  57. ↑ "Top RPM Dance/Urban: Issue 2452." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved June 6, 2017.
  58. ↑ "Script error: No such module "WLink".&titel=Script error: No such module "WLink".&cat=s Swisscharts.com – What's Up – Dance Version – Minnesota". Swiss Singles Chart.
  59. ↑ https://www.whosampled.com/Ariana-Grande/Put-Your-Hearts-Up/
  60. ↑ "Prince Adams' Fabulous Secret Journal". Archived from the original on 2013-05-20. https://web.archive.org/web/20130520082710/http://199.204.248.107/~scadmin/~fabadam/. Retrieved 2016-01-07. 
  61. ↑ "Prince Adam in "Fabulous Secret Powers"". Archived from the original on 2013-09-18. https://web.archive.org/web/20130918040103/http://www.slackcircus.com/storage/reddit/fsp/fsp_history.html. Retrieved 2016-01-07. 
  62. ↑ "HEYYEYAAEYAAAEYAEYAA". https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZ5LpwO-An4. Retrieved 2017-04-07. 
  63. ↑ "Young Adult (2011) : Soundtracks". https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1625346/soundtrack?ref_=tt_trv_snd. Retrieved 2017-03-18. 
  64. ↑ What to Stream Now. "Sense8 Episodes 4–6 Recap: Let's Have an Orgy!". Vulture. http://www.vulture.com/2015/06/sense8-recap-season-1-episode-4-5-6.html. Retrieved 2016-09-12. 
  65. ↑ "Rock Band 4 Setlist". RockBandAide. http://www.rockbandaide.com/rock-band-4-setlist/. Retrieved 2016-09-12. 
  66. ↑ "Zoo Music - S1E13: "That Great Big Hill…"". TuneFind. http://www.tunefind.com/show/zoo/season-1/24353. Retrieved 2016-09-12. 

External links

Template:4 Non Blondes




Retrieved from "https://handwiki.org/wiki/index.php?title=What%27s_Up%3F_(song)&oldid=109672"