:My Lovin' (You're Never Gonna Get It)

"My Lovin'" contains a sample of the guitar riff from the James Brown song "The Payback" from the album of the same name, which is looped throughout the entire song and forms the basis of the melody.Wilson & Arrow's Review. [http://www.warr.org/jbrown.html#Payback "My Lovin" samples James Brown's "Payback"]. WARR The song features Maxine Jones and Dawn Robinson on lead vocals. In a 1992 article, En Vogue mentioned this was one of the last songs they recorded for Funky Divas, which resulted in its release as a single so close to the album's release date.

Upon the release, Larry Flick from Billboard named it a "slinky pop/funk trinket that wraps its signature harmonies with Chic-style guitars, jazzy flute fills, and a muscular bass line."{{cite magazine|first=Larry|last=Flick|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/90s/1992/Billboard-1992-03-14.pdf|title=Single Reviews|magazine=Billboard|date=March 14, 1992|access-date=January 24, 2018|author-link=Larry Flick}} A reviewer from Cash Box stated that En Vogue "has returned in full thrust", and noted further that "it's needless to say that the vocal arrangements are outstanding, because you should already know that. The musical production is also above average and featured is a catchy James Brown sample."{{cite magazine|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Cash-Box/90s/1992/CB-1992-04-04.pdf|title=Music Reviews: Singles|magazine=Cash Box|date=April 4, 1992|page=6|access-date=February 19, 2018}} Glenn Kenny from Entertainment Weekly remarked that it "has a cool, mantra-like hook."{{cite magazine|first= Glenn |last= Kenny |title= En Vogue: Funky Divas |magazine= Entertainment Weekly |date= September 25, 1992 |access-date= November 11, 2020 |url= https://ew.com/article/1992/09/25/en-vogue-funky-divas/ |author-link= Glenn Kenny}} Dave Sholin from the Gavin Report stated that "this San Francisco Bay Area foursome clearly demonstrates that their dazzling 1990 debut was only a glimmer of their potential. Writers/producers Thomas McElroy and Denzil Foster provide the material and these Funky Divas do the rest. What harmony! What grace! They just don't make them any sweeter."{{cite magazine|first= Dave |last= Sholin |title= Gavin Picks > Singles |magazine= Gavin Report |issue= 1896 |date= March 13, 1992 |page= 56 |access-date= April 16, 2018 |url= http://americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Gavin-Report/90/92/Gavin-1992-03-13.pdf}} Connie Johnson from Los Angeles Times felt "My Lovin'" "owes a debt to the rugged, rhythmic edge of Brown's "The Payback" to underline its sassy message."{{cite magazine|first=Connie|last=Johnson|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-03-29-ca-82-story.html|title=Pop Music : Spring Album Roundup : En Vogue--Funky Divas for the '90s|magazine=Los Angeles Times|date=March 29, 1992|access-date=March 9, 2020}}

Davydd Chong from Music Week's RM Dance Update declared it as "a sassy combination of lubricated basslines, airy flutes and their trademark, close harmonies, and it's just as funky as 'Hold On'."{{cite magazine|first=Davydd|last=Chong|url= https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1992/MW-1992-03-21.pdf |title= DJ Directory: En Vogue |magazine= Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental insert) |date= March 21, 1992 |page= 3 |access-date= October 2, 2020}} Gerald Martinez from New Sunday Times called it "a funky workout featuring swooping harmonies with a dazzling a capella jazz-swing breakdown midway".{{cite magazine|first=Gerald|last=Martinez|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IJoWAAAAIBAJ|title=Top notch hits from Collins|magazine=New Sunday Times|date=November 15, 1998|page=13|access-date=March 12, 2020}} Parry Gettelman from Orlando Sentinel complimented its "glorious, spun-sugar a cappella harmonies". He felt "My Lovin'" "is as assertive and self-assured as it is fast and funky", and noted that the dynamics "are nice and sneaky".Gettelman, Parry (April 24, 1992). "En Vogue". Orlando Sentinel. A reviewer from People Magazine said the track "should shimmy up the charts nicely."{{cite magazine|url=https://people.com/archive/picks-and-pans-review-funky-divas-vol-37-no-16/|title=Picks and Pans Review: Funky Divas|magazine=People|date=April 27, 1992|access-date=March 9, 2020}} Danyel Smith from Rolling Stone viewed songs like "My Lovin'" as "filler made listenable only by the girls' "sweet, strong singing - the songs should never have made the cut."{{cite magazine|first=Danyel|last=Smith|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/artists/envogue/albums/album/113353/review/5942567/funky_divas|title=En Vogue: Funky Divas|magazine=Rolling Stone|date=April 30, 1992|access-date=May 26, 2017|author-link=Danyel Smith|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081012233957/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/envogue/albums/album/113353/review/5942567/funky_divas|archive-date=October 12, 2008}} Adam Higginbotham from Select constated that here, Funky Divas "lives up to its title".{{cite magazine|first=Adam|last=Higginbotham|url=http://selectmagazinescans.monkeon.co.uk/showpage.php?file=wp-content/uploads/2013/05/reissues31.jpg|title=Reviews: New Albums|magazine=Select|date=May 1, 1992|page=66|access-date=March 3, 2020|author-link=Adam Higginbotham}} Cheo H. Coker from Stanford Daily stated that "it's typical (meaning funkee) En Vogue; soulful, impassioned singing matched with a hip-hop groove that won't upset the sensibilities of the hardcore hip-hop fan."{{cite magazine|first= Cheo H. |last= Coker |title= Hip-hop's four funky divas |magazine= Stanford Daily |date= April 16, 1992 |access-date= April 23, 2020 |url= https://archives.stanforddaily.com/1992/04/16 |author-link= Cheo Hodari Coker}}

"My Lovin'" was the group's fourth number-one on the Hot R&B Singles charts, occupying the position for two weeks. It debuted on the US Billboard Hot 100 singles chart at number 71 on the week of March 21, 1992, and jumped to number 47 the following week. The single peaked at number two on the week of May 16, 1992, where it remained for three consecutive weeks. It remained in the top 10 for 13 weeks and in the top 40 for 22 weeks.

"My Lovin'" reached number four on the UK Singles Chart due to a performance of the single by En Vogue on the UK music show Top Of The Pops,{{citation needed|date=August 2019}} becoming the group's highest-charting single there. In addition, it reached number nine in Ireland, number 10 in Canada and the Netherlands, and number 11 in New Zealand.

In a 2017 retrospective review, Quentin Harrison from Albumism noted the "soul sass" of the song.{{cite web|first1= Quentin |last1= Harrison |title= Never Gonna Get It: Celebrating 25 Years of En Vogue's 'Funky Divas' |publisher= Albumism |date= March 22, 2017 |access-date= April 3, 2020 |url= https://www.albumism.com/features/tribute-celebrating-25-years-of-en-vogue-funky-divas}} AllMusic editor Jose F. Promis felt that it "combined perfect harmonies, street sass, and 1990s female assertion to create one of the biggest hits of 1992, as well as a catch phrase which became ubiquitous in popular culture."{{cite web|first=Jose F.|last=Promis|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/funky-divas-mw0000082287|title=En Vogue - Funky Divas|publisher=AllMusic|access-date=February 15, 2020}} Another AllMusic editor, Stephen Thomas Erlewine, described it as "swaggering".{{cite web|first=Stephen Thomas|last=Erlewine|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-very-best-of-en-vogue-mw0000011510|title=En Vogue - The Very Best of En Vogue|publisher=AllMusic|access-date=March 23, 2020|author-link=Stephen Thomas Erlewine}} Daryl Easlea for BBC in 2009 noted its "pop sensibility".{{cite web|first=Daryl|last=Easlea|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/8wd3/|title=En Vogue Funky Divas Review|publisher=BBC|date=2009|access-date=April 7, 2020}} Christine Werthman from Complex said the song "isn’t some polite rejection; it’s a hope-the-door-hits-your-ass-on-your-way-out tell-off. Maybe next time, you'll give your woman a little respect, Robinson taunts. That just as well may have been an 'R-E-S-P-E-C-T' as the four divas say everything the Chiffons never could."{{cite magazine|first1= Christine |last1= Werthman |title= The Best 90s R&B Songs |magazine= Complex |date= October 8, 2019 |access-date= April 8, 2020 |url= https://www.complex.com/music/best-90s-r-b-songs/}} In a 2020 retrospective review, Pop Rescue named it "a masterpiece!"{{cite web|url=https://poprescue.com/2020/05/01/review-funky-divas-by-en-vogue-cd-1992/|title=Review: "Funky Divas" by En Vogue (CD, 1992)|publisher=Pop Rescue|date=May 1, 2020|access-date=October 4, 2020}} Laura Checkoway from Vibe wrote that on the song, En Vogue was "sassy" and "assertive".{{cite magazine|first=Laura|last=Checkoway|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qyYEAAAAMBAJ|title=Essential En Vogue|magazine=Vibe|date=June 1, 2007|page=134|access-date=March 17, 2020|author-link=Laura Checkoway}}

The accompanying music video for the song was directed by Matthew Rolston in February 1992. The video features the group singing the song, intercut with footage of two male backup dancers, clad in zentai, dancing. The video was inspired by the "Big Spender" number from the musical Sweet Charity. It was nominated in six categories at the 1992 MTV Video Music Awards including Best Group Video, Best Dance Video, Best Direction in a Video, Best Editing in a Video and Best Cinematography in a Video, and won in the category for Best Choreography with choreographers Frank Gatson Jr., Travis Payne and LaVelle Smith Jr. receiving the award.

NME ranked "My Lovin'" No. 8 in their list of "Singles of the Year" in December 1992.

The Village Voice ranked the song No. 37 in their list of "Top Singles of the 90's" in 1999.{{cite web|url=http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/vvpage2.html#90s|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060520220802/http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/vvpage2.html#90s|url-status=usurped|archive-date=May 20, 2006|website=www.rocklistmusic.co.uk|title=Village Voice Top Albums & Singles Of The 80's & 90's|access-date=March 31, 2021}}

Blender ranked it No. 148 on their list of "500 Greatest Songs Since You Were Born" in 2005. They wrote: "Before En Vogue, girl-group harmonies hadn't been heard in such force on the pop charts for three decades. With Maxine Jones and Dawn Robinson singing lead, this was a female-empowerment anthem that would have done Lilith Fair proud-the repeated harmonized chanting of "You're never gonna get it" was a kiss-off par excellence. The song-and the group-were anachronisms. It was unprocessed feistiness and sass, just before hip-hop took out a monopoly on swagger."{{cite magazine|url=http://www.blender.com:80/guide/articles.aspx?ID=1770|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071213170351/http://www.blender.com/guide/articles.aspx?ID=1770|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 13, 2007|title=The 500 Greatest Songs Since You Were Born|magazine=Blender|access-date=June 20, 2018}}

Pitchfork Media ranked it the 166th best track of the 1990s, commenting that "With simmering (not shimmering) James Brown guitars, fidgety new-jack beats, and tightly harmonized "ooh BOP"s, funky divas Cindy Herron, Maxine Jones, Terry Ellis, and Dawn Robinson gave the Sister Act era its "Respect"."{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/features/lists-and-guides/7854-the-top-200-tracks-of-the-1990s-200-151/?page=4|title=The Top 200 Tracks of the 1990s|publisher=Pitchfork Media|access-date=July 11, 2018}}

Slant Magazine ranked the song No. 39 in its "The 100 Best Singles of the 1990s"-list in 2011.{{cite journal |title=The 100 Best Singles of the 1990s |url=http://www.slantmagazine.com/features/article/best-singles-of-the-1990s/P5|journal=Slant Magazine |date=9 January 2011 |access-date=February 3, 2017}} Billboard named the song No. 6 on their list of "100 Greatest Girl Group Songs of All Time"{{cite magazine|title=100 Greatest Girl Group Songs of All Time: Critics' Picks|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/7857816/100-greatest-girl-group-songs|magazine=Billboard|access-date=July 11, 2017}} and No. 471 in their "Best Pop Songs of All Time" list in October 2023. The magazine praised its "magic moment"; "The a cappella breakdown that hits about 3:30 in is a showstopping demonstration of the foursome’s butter-smooth vocal harmonies."

The song appeared in the movies The To Do List and Central Intelligence. The song was also featured in numerous TV series such as Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Derry Girls, Euphoria, and Mayor of Kingstown. It also appeared in the 2004 video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, where it can be heard on a fictional radio station CSR 103.9.{{cite web |title=Radio Stations and Song List |url=https://www.ign.com/wikis/grand-theft-auto-san-andreas/Radio_Stations_and_Song_List#CSR_103.9 |website=IGN |access-date=6 June 2023}}

The song was featured in the second season of RuPaul's Drag Race, being performed by contestants Nicole Paige Brooks and Raven in a "lipsync for your life".

• US 12-inch single

1. "My Lovin'" (Theo's Cheaptrick remix) – 6:46
2. "My Lovin'" (Radio Active)  – 4:50
3. "My Lovin'" (The Morning After dub) – 5:37
4. "My Lovin'" (Hyperradio)  – 5:13

• UK CD single

1. "My Lovin'" (radio edit) – 4:16
2. "My Lovin'" (extended) – 5:03
3. "My Lovin'" (LP version) – 4:44
4. "My Lovin'" (extended edit) – 4:11

• US CD single

1. "My Lovin'" (Radio Active #2) – 4:41
2. "My Lovin'" (Hyper radio mix)  – 5:12
3. "My Lovin'" (Theo's Cheaptrick remix)  – 4:41

• Production – Denzil Foster, Thomas McElroy
• Remixing – Theo Mizuhara
• Executive production – Denzil Foster, Thomas McElroy

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{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|type=single|artist=En Vogue|title=My Lovin'|award=Gold|relyear=1992|certyear=1992|access-date=September 2, 2022|refname="riaa"}}

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• List of number-one R&B singles of 1992 (U.S.)

{{Reflist}}

• [https://www.amazon.com/My-Lovin-En-Vogue/dp/B000091N57/ref=tmm_acd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1476475406&sr=1-2 "My Lovin' (You're Never Gonna Get It)" - amazon]
• [https://www.discogs.com/En-Vogue-My-Lovin-Youre-Never-Gonna-Get-It/release/885691 "My Lovin'" - US Cassette Single - Discogs]

{{En Vogue}}

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Category:1992 singles

Category:1992 songs

Category:East West Records singles

Category:En Vogue songs

Category:Music videos directed by Matthew Rolston

Category:Songs written by Denzil Foster

Category:Songs written by Thomas McElroy