Gravel Pit

"Gravel Pit"
Single by Wu-Tang Clan
featuring Paulissa Moorman
from the album The W
ReleasedDecember 5, 2000
Recorded1999–2000
GenreEast coast hip hop
Length
  • 4:51 (album version)
  • 4:35 (single version)
  • 3:54 (radio edit)
Label
Producer(s)RZA
Wu-Tang Clan singles chronology
"Protect Ya Neck (The Jump Off)"
(2000)
"Gravel Pit"
(2000)
"Careful (Click, Click)"
(2001)

"Gravel Pit" is a single released by the Wu-Tang Clan featuring Paulissa Moorman and Dave Pendlebury for their album The W. It was not as popular in the U.S. as other Wu-Tang Clan singles like "C.R.E.A.M." and "Uzi (Pinky Ring)".[citation needed] It did, however, receive major radio play, and topped the music video show 106 and Park for two weeks straight. It is also the Wu-Tang's only Top 40 hit in the UK, peaking at number six. In October 2011, NME placed it at number 116 on its list "150 Best Tracks of the Past 15 Years".[1]

The chorus of the song: "Back, back and forth and forth..." is taken from the funk group Cameo's single "Back And Forth". The hook of the song: "Check out my gravel pit..." is sung by Paulissa Moorman. According to The Wu-Tang Manual the beat for the track was sampled from Antoine Duhamel's soundtrack to a French TV miniseries entitled Belphegor.

RZA has stated that he originally wanted Aaliyah to record the song, but was unable to arrange it before her death, leading to the Wu Tang Clan recording it.[2] The song features verses from three of the Wu-Tang Clan's MCs, Method Man, Ghostface Killah and U-God, as well as spoken bits from RZA and Raekwon.

  1. ^ "150 Best Tracks Of The Past 15 Years". NME.
  2. ^ "Wu-Tang Clan Wanted to Work with Aaliyah". CLASH. 14 August 2013.