| "Motownphilly" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 US 12-inch vinyl single | ||||
| Single by Boyz II Men | ||||
| from the album Cooleyhighharmony | ||||
| Released | April 30, 1991 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 3:56 | |||
| Label | Motown | |||
| Songwriter(s) | ||||
| Producer(s) | Dallas Austin | |||
| Boyz II Men singles chronology | ||||
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| Music video | ||||
| "Motownphilly" on YouTube | ||||
"Motownphilly" is a song by American vocal harmony group Boyz II Men, released in April 1991 by Motown as the first single from their debut album, Cooleyhighharmony (1991). Co-written and produced by Dallas Austin, the song was a success, peaking at number three on the US Billboard Hot 100. Michael Bivins, who co-wrote the song, provides a guest rap during the bridge. The song's title is a portmanteau of two of the group's main musical influences: 1960s Motown and 1970s Philly soul.
The accompanying music video for the song was filmed in various locations in the group's hometown of Philadelphia. Two new jack swing groups, Another Bad Creation and Bell Biv DeVoe, are mentioned in the lyrics. They appear briefly in the video, as does Sudden Impact, a short-lived R&B group organized by Bivins. Additionally, Questlove appears briefly as a drummer, due to his previous relationship with the group from high school.
- ^ a b c Pitchfork Staff (September 27, 2022). "The 250 Best Songs of the 1990s". Pitchfork. Retrieved October 21, 2022.
...the track, which features classic soul harmonies over a new jack swing beat, as well as a totally gratuitous doo-wop showcase at the end.