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Return of the Mack
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Return of the Mack
"Return of the Mack" is a song written and performed by British R&B singer-songwriter Mark Morrison, released by WEA Records as the third single from his debut album, Return of the Mack (1996). Produced by Morrison with Phil Chill and Cutfather & Joe, the song received positive reviews from music critics, appearing on Billboard magazine's "Top Songs of the '90s" and "500 Best Pop Songs of All Time" lists in 2019 and 2023, respectively.
Released in the United Kingdom on 4 March 1996, "Return of the Mack" topped the UK Singles Chart for two weeks the following month. The song then became a hit in Australia and Europe, entering the top 10 in multiple countries. In January 1997, it was released in the United States and reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100 that June, becoming Morrison's highest-charting hit in the US. The accompanying music video was directed by Jake Nava, featuring Morrison performing in an underground club.
The song's beat is sampled from the song "Genius of Love" by American band Tom Tom Club. "Games" by Chuckii Booker was also sampled, as well as fragments from "UFO" by ESG, "Rocket in the Pocket" by Cerrone, and "Feel The Heartbeat" by The Treacherous Three.
Larry Flick from Billboard magazine felt that UK crooner Mark Morrison "energizes a deflated U.S. R&B scene" with the song, noting that he "shows international promise with fresh lyrics and vocals, and classic soul production reminiscent of R&B's '80s heyday." Matt Diehl from Entertainment Weekly remarked that Morrison "comes off more like a funked-up Seal, promising revenge to a deceitful lover in a warbly croon. The end result is an odd but infectious new-jack-swing variation on 'Hey Joe', buoyed by bubbly beats and the insistent title refrain." Another EW editor, Leah Greenblatt, described the track as a "new-jackalicious breakup jam". Tom Ewing of Freaky Trigger noted that "the music certainly has his back – the rubbery basslines cocooning the song, the satisfying crunch of the drums, the light keyboard touches helping Morrison glide along his comeback trail." He added that it "is a pleasure to listen to, a well-tailored suit of sound."
Caroline Sullivan from The Guardian concluded in her album review, "He plays the sunglasses-at-night role to perfection on the album's title (and best) track". A reviewer from Music Week gave it four out of five, adding that the singer "looks to maintain the momentum of his hit 'Crazy' with another assured mix of R&B and ragga." Ralph Tee from the Record Mirror Dance Update gave it a top score of five out of five, writing, "This simply is every bit as good as what you would get from an American r&b act on a major label — and the song's better than most of what's coming out from across the pond of late." He added further, "The urban street production is a perfect vehicle for Mark's Jamaica-style tinged soul vocal on a song that deserves to be a smash, or an anthem at the very least."
"Return of the Mack" reached number one in the United Kingdom during its sixth week on the UK Singles Chart, on 14 April 1996, and spent two weeks at the top. It entered the top 10 in Austria, Belgium (Flanders and Wallonia), Denmark, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland, as well as on the Eurochart Hot 100, on which it peaked at number five. Outside Europe, "Return of the Mack" reached number one in Zimbabwe, number two in Australia, and number three in New Zealand. In North America, it peaked at number two on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 17 on the Canadian RPM 100 Hit Tracks chart. It additionally topped the Billboard Rhythmic Top 40 and RPM Dance charts. The single is certified platinum or higher in Australia, New Zealand, the UK and the US.
The music video for "Return of the Mack" was directed by British director Jake Nava.[citation needed] It begins with Morrison arriving in London by Concorde flight in the evening. In his car (a silver Mercedes-Benz SL-Class) travelling towards the city, he starts singing. He has flashbacks of himself and his girlfriend, now ex. The car then stops in front of his ex and her new boyfriend standing by the street. The singer sings as he watches the new couple. Later he arrives at an underground club and hands the DJ a record which is immediately played. Shortly afterwards, the ex shows up in the club with her new guy. Standing in the crowd of dancing people, Morrison sings towards his ex. Then (in a flashback of the breakup) he sits down at a desk, inside an office. The ex comes in and sits down. They are confronting each other, and she ends up getting up, letting the chair fall as she leaves, looking at Morrison with a regretful face. The video ends with a close-up of Morrison sitting in the office in thoughts, while he smiles to the camera.
The ex-girlfriend is played by then unknown model Suzannah Agrippa miming to a featured vocal performance by Angie Brown. Numerous other extras were friends of the director.
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Return of the Mack
"Return of the Mack" is a song written and performed by British R&B singer-songwriter Mark Morrison, released by WEA Records as the third single from his debut album, Return of the Mack (1996). Produced by Morrison with Phil Chill and Cutfather & Joe, the song received positive reviews from music critics, appearing on Billboard magazine's "Top Songs of the '90s" and "500 Best Pop Songs of All Time" lists in 2019 and 2023, respectively.
Released in the United Kingdom on 4 March 1996, "Return of the Mack" topped the UK Singles Chart for two weeks the following month. The song then became a hit in Australia and Europe, entering the top 10 in multiple countries. In January 1997, it was released in the United States and reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100 that June, becoming Morrison's highest-charting hit in the US. The accompanying music video was directed by Jake Nava, featuring Morrison performing in an underground club.
The song's beat is sampled from the song "Genius of Love" by American band Tom Tom Club. "Games" by Chuckii Booker was also sampled, as well as fragments from "UFO" by ESG, "Rocket in the Pocket" by Cerrone, and "Feel The Heartbeat" by The Treacherous Three.
Larry Flick from Billboard magazine felt that UK crooner Mark Morrison "energizes a deflated U.S. R&B scene" with the song, noting that he "shows international promise with fresh lyrics and vocals, and classic soul production reminiscent of R&B's '80s heyday." Matt Diehl from Entertainment Weekly remarked that Morrison "comes off more like a funked-up Seal, promising revenge to a deceitful lover in a warbly croon. The end result is an odd but infectious new-jack-swing variation on 'Hey Joe', buoyed by bubbly beats and the insistent title refrain." Another EW editor, Leah Greenblatt, described the track as a "new-jackalicious breakup jam". Tom Ewing of Freaky Trigger noted that "the music certainly has his back – the rubbery basslines cocooning the song, the satisfying crunch of the drums, the light keyboard touches helping Morrison glide along his comeback trail." He added that it "is a pleasure to listen to, a well-tailored suit of sound."
Caroline Sullivan from The Guardian concluded in her album review, "He plays the sunglasses-at-night role to perfection on the album's title (and best) track". A reviewer from Music Week gave it four out of five, adding that the singer "looks to maintain the momentum of his hit 'Crazy' with another assured mix of R&B and ragga." Ralph Tee from the Record Mirror Dance Update gave it a top score of five out of five, writing, "This simply is every bit as good as what you would get from an American r&b act on a major label — and the song's better than most of what's coming out from across the pond of late." He added further, "The urban street production is a perfect vehicle for Mark's Jamaica-style tinged soul vocal on a song that deserves to be a smash, or an anthem at the very least."
"Return of the Mack" reached number one in the United Kingdom during its sixth week on the UK Singles Chart, on 14 April 1996, and spent two weeks at the top. It entered the top 10 in Austria, Belgium (Flanders and Wallonia), Denmark, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland, as well as on the Eurochart Hot 100, on which it peaked at number five. Outside Europe, "Return of the Mack" reached number one in Zimbabwe, number two in Australia, and number three in New Zealand. In North America, it peaked at number two on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 17 on the Canadian RPM 100 Hit Tracks chart. It additionally topped the Billboard Rhythmic Top 40 and RPM Dance charts. The single is certified platinum or higher in Australia, New Zealand, the UK and the US.
The music video for "Return of the Mack" was directed by British director Jake Nava.[citation needed] It begins with Morrison arriving in London by Concorde flight in the evening. In his car (a silver Mercedes-Benz SL-Class) travelling towards the city, he starts singing. He has flashbacks of himself and his girlfriend, now ex. The car then stops in front of his ex and her new boyfriend standing by the street. The singer sings as he watches the new couple. Later he arrives at an underground club and hands the DJ a record which is immediately played. Shortly afterwards, the ex shows up in the club with her new guy. Standing in the crowd of dancing people, Morrison sings towards his ex. Then (in a flashback of the breakup) he sits down at a desk, inside an office. The ex comes in and sits down. They are confronting each other, and she ends up getting up, letting the chair fall as she leaves, looking at Morrison with a regretful face. The video ends with a close-up of Morrison sitting in the office in thoughts, while he smiles to the camera.
The ex-girlfriend is played by then unknown model Suzannah Agrippa miming to a featured vocal performance by Angie Brown. Numerous other extras were friends of the director.