Mama Used to Say

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"Mama Used to Say"
Single by Junior
from the album Ji
Released1981
Recorded1981
Genre
Length6:40 (Album Version)
3:35 (American Remix)
LabelMercury
Songwriter(s)Junior Giscombe, Bob Carter[2]
Producer(s)Bob Carter
Junior singles chronology
"Get Up and Dance"
(1981) 		"Mama Used to Say"
(1981) 		"Too Late"
(1982)

"Mama Used to Say" is the debut single release by the British R&B recording artist Junior, taken from his debut studio album Ji.

Formats and track listings[edit]

12" vinyl
  1. "Mama Used to Say" – 6:40
  2. "Mama Used to Say" (Instrumental) – 6:05
  3. "Mama Used to Say" (English Party Mix) – 4:56
7" vinyl
  1. "Mama Used to Say" (American Remix) – 3:35
  2. "Mama Used to Say" (American Instrumental Mix) – 4:35

Charts[edit]

"Mama Used to Say" was released in 1981 and reached the UK Singles Chart top 10 in June 1982, where it remained at #7 for two weeks.[3] It was also a Top 40 hit and in the United States, earning Junior a Best Newcomer award from Billboard magazine.[4] The song was ranked at #6 among the top 10 tracks of the year for 1981 by NME.[5]

Weekly charts[edit]

Chart (1982) Peak
position
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[6] 29
Canada[7] 48
France (SNEP) 56
Ireland (IRMA)[8] 15
South Africa (Springbok Radio)[9] 11
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[10] 49
UK Singles (OCC)[11] 7
US Billboard Hot 100[12] 30
U.S. Billboard Disco Top 80[13] 4
U.S. Billboard Hot Soul Singles[14] 2

Beverley Knight version[edit]

"Mama Used to Say"
Single by Beverley Knight
from the album Soul UK
Released27 June 2011
Recorded2010
GenreR&B, soul
Length3:51 (Album Version)
3:01 (Radio Version)
LabelHurricane Records
Songwriter(s)Junior Giscombe, Bob Carter
Producer(s)Martin Terefe
Beverley Knight singles chronology
"Soul Survivor"
(2010) 		"Mama Used to Say"
(2011) 		"Cuddly Toy"
(2011)

British singer-songwriter Beverley Knight released "Mama Used to Say" on 27 June 2011[15] as the first single release from her seventh studio album, Soul UK, a tribute to UK soul artists.

Background[edit]

Knight said of the song, "I think this was everyone's favourite track at the time and is still played on every 'club classics' radio show in the country. It's still so fresh and just brings a smile whenever I sing it. It was an obvious choice for the album and a no-brainer for the choice of first single."[16]

Track listing[edit]

Digital download[17]
  1. "Mama Used to Say" (Radio Version) – 3:01
  2. "Mama Used to Say" (Album Version) – 3:51
  3. "Mama Used to Say" (Dave Doyle Extended Club Mix) – 7:42
  4. "Mama Used to Say" (Cool Million's Boogie Down 12 Mix) – 5:36
  5. "Mama Used to Say" (Cool Million's Boogie Down Mix) – 4:09
  6. "Mama Used to Say" (Live) – 4:36

Music video[edit]

The music video for "Mama Used to Say" premiered on Knight's YouTube page on 23 May 2011. The video features both performance and behind-the-scenes footage from her April 2011 album launch show at London's Porchester Hall, soundtracked to the album version of the song.[18] The video features cameos by Junior, Jaki Graham, Rod Temperton and Jazzie B.[19]

Release history[edit]

Region Date Format
United Kingdom 27 June 2011[15] Digital download

Other uses[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Sheffield, Rob (27 September 2022). "100 Best Songs of 1982". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 9 September 2023. ...a London kid catching the world's ear with the effervescent soul electro-zip of "Mama Used to Say
  2. ^ "secondhandsongs.com". secondhandsongs.com. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
  3. ^ "JUNIOR – The Official Charts Company". The Official Charts Company. 24 April 1982. Retrieved 24 May 2011.
  4. ^ "Junior Giscombe – Biography". Junior Giscombe. 2010. Retrieved 24 May 2011.
  5. ^ "Albums and Tracks of the Year". NME. 2016. Retrieved 13 February 2018.
  6. ^ "Junior – Mama Used to Say" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  7. ^ "Item Display – RPM – Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved 5 November 2016.
  8. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Mama Used to Say". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved September 6, 2018.
  9. ^ "SA Charts 1965 – March 1989". Retrieved 5 September 2018.
  10. ^ "Junior – Mama Used to Say". Top 40 Singles.
  11. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 2, 2011.
  12. ^ "Mama Used to Say – Junior". Billboard. Retrieved 25 May 2011.
  13. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Hot Dance/Disco: 1974-2003. Record Research. p. 141.
  14. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 312.
  15. ^ a b "Mama Used To Say – Releases – Beverley Knight". Hurricane Records. 24 May 2011. Archived from the original on 31 May 2011. Retrieved 24 May 2011.
  16. ^ "Biog – Track-by-Track – Beverley Knight". Hurricane Records. 24 May 2011. Archived from the original on 30 May 2011. Retrieved 24 May 2011.
  17. ^ "Mama Used To Say: Beverley Knight: Amazon.co.uk: MP3 Downloads". 26 June 2011. Retrieved 8 June 2011.
  18. ^ "Beverley Knight: UK's finest". Bluesandsoul.com. Retrieved 5 November 2016.
  19. ^ "Beverley Knight – Mama Used To Say (Video)". 23 May 2011. Retrieved 8 June 2011 – via YouTube.
  20. ^ "Richard Blackwood's Mama – Who Da Man? sample of Junior's Mama Used to Say". Who Sampled. 24 May 2011. Retrieved 24 May 2011.
  21. ^ "RICHARD BLACKWOOD – The Official Charts Company". The Official Charts Company. 17 June 2000. Retrieved 24 May 2011.
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