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Humpin' Around

{{Short description|1992 single by Bobby Brown}}

{{Infobox song

| name = Humpin' Around

| cover = BBrownhumpin.jpg

| alt =

| type = single

| artist = Bobby Brown

| album = Bobby

| released = {{start date|1992|7|28}}

| recorded =

| studio =

| genre = New jack swing{{cite news|first= Jon |last= Bream |title= Reunited |date= January 22, 1997 |newspaper= Star-News |url= https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1454&dat=19970122&id=n7FOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=RRUEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6892,3011397 |access-date= August 3, 2016}}

| length =

  • 6:18 (album version)
  • 4:20 (7-inch edit)

| label = MCA

| writer =

| producer =

| prev_title = Word to the Mutha!

| prev_year = 1991

| next_title = Good Enough

| next_year = 1992

| misc = {{Extra chronology

| type = single

| prev_title = Two Can Play That Game

| prev_version = remix

| prev_year = 1995

| title = Humpin' Around

| version = remix

| year = 1995

| next_title = My Prerogative

| next_version = remix

| next_year = 1995

}}

{{External music video|{{YouTube|FWfYF-XwugY&ob|"Humpin' Around"}}}}

}}

"Humpin' Around" is a song by American singer Bobby Brown. The song contains an interpolation of "Dancing Days" by Led Zeppelin.{{citation needed|date=May 2025}} Released in July 1992 by MCA, "Humpin' Around" spent two weeks at number one on the US Billboard Hot R&B Singles chart and reached number three on the Billboard Hot 100. Worldwide, the single reached number one in Australia, number two in New Zealand, number five in Spain and Sweden, and the top 10 in at least seven other countries.

In 1995, British electronic music group K-Klass remixed the song and released it following the success of their remix of Brown's "Two Can Play That Game". This new version saw the song reach the UK top 10 for the first time, peaking at number eight on the UK Singles Chart, and it was also included on Brown's 1995 remix album, Two Can Play That Game.

Critical reception

In 1995, James Hamilton from British magazine Music Week's RM Dance Update described the K-Klass remix as a "three years old hit totally revamped as a superb melodically whined Michael Jackson-ish strider".{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1995/Music-Week-1995-07-01.pdf|title=Dj directory|last=Hamilton|first=James|magazine=Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert)|page=15|date=July 1, 1995|access-date=May 10, 2021|author-link=James Hamilton (DJ and journalist)}} Gina Morris from Smash Hits gave it three out of five, writing, "No worries, you can't go wrong with luminous feel-good pop and thumping breakbeats. Plus there's loads of funky remixes on the CD too, wheeling the whole thing in at over 30 minutes long. Bargain!"{{cite magazine|first=Gina|last=Morris|url=https://sites.google.com/view/smash-hits-remembered-1994-5/home/1995/432-21st-june-4th-july-1995|title=Singles|magazine=Smash Hits|date=June 21, 1995|page=52|access-date=February 14, 2025}}

Music videos

The music video for the song features Brown dancing outside with women in cages, with cut scenes of a girl trying to break in to his phone and personal belongings to find his mistress in NYC. A second video was shot primarily outside for the dance remix, along with random shots and outtakes from the original video.

Track listing

{{tracklist

| headline = "Humpin' Around"

| total_length = 17:33

| title1 = Humpin Around

| length1 = 6:18

| title2 = Humpin' Around

| note2 = Dance mix

| length2 = 6:50

| title3 = Humpin Around

| note3 = video edit

| length3 = 4:25

}}

Personnel

  • Bobby Brown: lead vocals, songwriter, rap
  • Jan C. "Stylz" Styles: songwriter, rap
  • Thomas Keyes: songwriter
  • Babyface: songwriter, producer, arranger, keyboards, synthesized bass, drum programming, background vocals
  • L.A. Reid: songwriter, producer, arranger, drum programming
  • Daryl Simmons: songwriter, producer, arranger, background vocals
  • Donald Parks: drum programming, MIDI and Synclavier programming
  • Emanuel Officer: background vocals

Charts

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

=Weekly charts=

Original version

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

!Chart (1992–1993)

!Peak
position

{{single chart|Australia|1|artist=Bobby Brown|song=Humpin' Around|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart|Austria|7|artist=Bobby Brown|song=Humpin' Around|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart|Flanders|10|artist=Bobby Brown|song=Humpin' Around|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart|Wallonia|38|artist=Bobby Brown|song=Humpin' Around|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart|Canadatopsingles|6|chartid=1905|rowheader=true|access-date=September 24, 2018}}
{{single chart|Canadadance|2|chartid=1894|rowheader=true|access-date=September 24, 2018}}
scope="row"|Europe (Eurochart Hot 100){{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1992/MM-1992-09-19.pdf|title=Eurochart Hot 100 Singles|magazine=Music & Media|volume=9|issue=38|page=21|date=September 19, 1992|access-date=January 31, 2020}}

| 13

scope="row"|Europe (European Dance Radio){{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1992/MM-1992-09-05.pdf|title=European Dance Radio|magazine=Music & Media|volume=9|issue=36|date=September 5, 1992|page=20|accessdate=October 24, 2021}}

| 1

scope="row"|Finland (Suomen virallinen lista){{cite book|first=Jake|last=Nyman|year=2005|title=Suomi soi 4: Suuri suomalainen listakirja|edition=1st|publisher=Tammi|location=Helsinki|isbn=951-31-2503-3|language=fi}}

| 11

{{single chart|Germany|10|artist=Bobby Brown|song=Humpin' Around|songid=2502|rowheader=true|access-date=July 13, 2019}}
{{single chart|Ireland2|26|song=Humpin' Around|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart|Dutch40|8|year=1992|week=38|rowheader=true|access-date=September 24, 2018}}
{{single chart|Dutch100|8|artist=Bobby Brown|song=Humpin' Around|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart|New Zealand|2|artist=Bobby Brown|song=Humpin' Around|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart|Norway|7|artist=Bobby Brown|song=Humpin' Around|rowheader=true}}
scope="row"|Portugal (AFP){{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1993/MM-1993-05-15.pdf|title=Top 10 Sales in Europe|magazine=Music & Media|volume=10|issue=20|page=24|date=May 15, 1993|access-date=March 20, 2018}}

| 8

scope="row"|Spain (AFYVE){{cite book|last=Salaverri|first=Fernando|title=Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002|edition=1st|date=September 2005|publisher=Fundación Autor-SGAE|location=Spain|isbn=84-8048-639-2}}

| 5

{{single chart|Sweden|5|artist=Bobby Brown|song=Humpin' Around|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart|Switzerland|21|artist=Bobby Brown|song=Humpin' Around|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart|UK|19|date=19920829|rowheader=true|access-date=September 24, 2018}}
scope="row"|UK Dance (Music Week){{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1992/MW-1992-08-22.pdf|title=Top 60 Dance Singles|magazine=Music Week|page=20|date=August 22, 1992|access-date=September 29, 2020}}

| 7

{{single chart|Billboardhot100|3|artist=Bobby Brown|rowheader=true|access-date=July 13, 2019}}
{{single chart|Billboarddanceclubplay|15|artist=Bobby Brown|rowheader=true|access-date=July 13, 2019}}
{{single chart|Billboardrandbhiphop|1|artist=Bobby Brown|rowheader=true|access-date=July 13, 2019}}
{{single chart|Billboardpopsongs|6|artist=Bobby Brown|rowheader=true|access-date=July 13, 2019}}
{{single chart|Billboardrhythmic|6|artist=Bobby Brown|rowheader=true|access-date=July 13, 2019}}

1995 K-Klass remix

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

!Chart (1995)

!Peak
position

scope="row"|Europe (Eurochart Hot 100){{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1995/MM-1995-07-22.pdf|title=Eurochart Hot 100 Singles|magazine=Music & Media|volume=12|issue=29|page=12|date=July 22, 1995|access-date=January 31, 2020}}

| 32

scope="row"|Europe (European Dance Radio){{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1995/MM-1995-08-05.pdf|title=European Dance Radio Top 25|magazine=Music & Media|volume=12|issue=31|page=12|date=August 5, 1995|access-date=April 24, 2023}}

| 14

{{single chart|Germany|34|artist=Bobby Brown|song=Humpin' Around (The K Klass Mixes)|songid=24805|rowheader=true|access-date=July 13, 2019|refname="ger1995"}}
{{single chart|Dutch40|26|year=1995|week=30|rowheader=true|access-date=July 13, 2019|refname="d401995"}}
{{single chart|Dutch100|34|artist=Bobby Brown|song=Humpin' Around (The K Klass Mixes)|rowheader=true|access-date=July 13, 2019|refname="d1001995"}}
{{single chart|Scotland|17|date=19950715|rowheader=true|access-date=September 4, 2023}}
{{single chart|UK|8|date=19950708|rowheader=true|access-date=September 4, 2023|refname="uk1995"}}
{{single chart|UKdance|2|date=19950708|rowheader=true|access-date=September 4, 2023}}

{{col-2}}

=Year-end charts=

Original version

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

!Chart (1992)

!Position

scope="row"|Australia (ARIA){{cite web|url=https://www.aria.com.au/charts/1992/singles-chart|title=ARIA Top 100 Singles for 1992|publisher=ARIA|access-date=March 30, 2025}}

| 25

scope="row"|Belgium (Ultratop){{cite web|url=https://www.ultratop.be/nl/annual.asp?year=1992|title=Jaaroverzichten 1992|publisher=Ultratop|language=nl|access-date=July 14, 2020}}

| 73

scope="row"|Canada Top Singles (RPM){{cite magazine|url=http://rpmimages.3345.ca/pdfs/Volume+56-No.+25-December+19%2C+1992.pdf|title=The RPM Top 100 Hit Tracks of 1992|magazine=RPM|volume=56|issue=25|page=8|date=December 19, 1992|access-date=March 23, 2019}}

| 70

scope="row"|Canada Dance/Urban (RPM){{cite magazine|url=http://rpmimages.3345.ca/pdfs/Volume+56-No.+25-December+19%2C+1992.pdf|title=The RPM Top 50 Dance Tracks of 1992|magazine=RPM|volume=56|issue=25|page=25|date=December 19, 1992|access-date=July 13, 2019}}

| 18

scope="row"|Europe (Eurochart Hot 100){{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1992/MM-1992-12-19.pdf|title=1992 Year-End Sales Charts|magazine=Music & Media|volume=9|issue=51/52|page=17|date=December 19, 1992|access-date=January 31, 2020}}

| 82

scope="row"|Europe (European Dance Radio){{cite magazine|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1992/MM-1992-12-19.pdf|title=1992 Year-End Airplay Charts: European Dance Radio|magazine=Music & Media|volume=9|issue=51/52|page=20|date=December 19, 1992|access-date=February 25, 2024}}

| 3

scope="row"|Germany (Media Control){{cite web|url=https://www.offiziellecharts.de/charts/single-jahr/for-date-1992|title=Top 100 Singles – Jahrescharts 1992|publisher=GfK Entertainment|language=de|access-date=July 13, 2019}}

| 72

scope="row"|Netherlands (Dutch Top 40){{cite web|url=https://www.top40.nl/bijzondere-lijsten/top-100-jaaroverzichten/1992|title=Top 100–Jaaroverzicht van 1992|publisher=Dutch Top 40|access-date=February 7, 2021}}

| 74

scope="row"|Netherlands (Single Top 100){{cite web|url=https://dutchcharts.nl/jaaroverzichten.asp?year=1992&cat=s|title=Jaaroverzichten – Single 1992|publisher=MegaCharts|language=nl|access-date=July 13, 2019}}

| 73

scope="row"|New Zealand (RIANZ){{cite web|url=https://aotearoamusiccharts.co.nz/archive/annual-singles/1992-12-31|title=End of Year Charts 1992|publisher=Recorded Music NZ|access-date=December 3, 2017}}

| 22

scope="row"|Sweden (Topplistan){{cite web|url=http://www.grammotex.se/topp92singlar.htm|title=Årstopplistan 1992, Singlar|publisher=Grammotex|language=sv|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010225021610/http://www.grammotex.se/topp92singlar.htm|archive-date=February 25, 2001|access-date=April 7, 2025}}

| 36

scope="row"|US Billboard Hot 100{{cite web|url=http://longboredsurfer.com/charts.php?year=1992|title=Billboard Top 100 – 1992|access-date=July 30, 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090708050630/http://longboredsurfer.com/charts.php?year=1992|archive-date=July 8, 2009}}

| 33

scope="row"|US Hot R&B Singles (Billboard){{cite magazine|title=The Year in Music: Hot R&B Singles|magazine=Billboard|volume=104|issue=52|page=YE-28|date=December 26, 1992}}

| 38

scope="row"|US Maxi-Singles Sales (Billboard){{cite magazine|title=The Year in Music: Hot Dance Music Maxi-Singles Sales|magazine=Billboard|volume=104|issue=52|page=YE-48|date=December 26, 1992}}

| 24

=Decade-end charts=

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

!Chart (1990–1999)

!Position

scope="row"|Canada (Nielsen SoundScan){{cite web|url=http://www.jamshowbiz.com/JamMusicCharts/100_1990.html|title=Top 100 singles of the 1990s|last=Lwin|first=Nanda|publisher=Jam!|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000829070927/http://www.jamshowbiz.com/JamMusicCharts/100_1990.html|archive-date=August 29, 2000|access-date=March 26, 2022}}

| 85

{{col-end}}

Certifications

{{Certification Table Top}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Australia|type=single|award=Gold|relyear=1992|certyear=1992|certref=|access-date=July 13, 2019}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=New Zealand|type=single|artist=Bobby Brown|title=Humpin' Around|award=Gold|relyear=1992|id=1992-09-11|source=newchart|access-date=2024-11-20|certyear=1992}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|type=single|artist=Bobby Brown|title=Humpin' Around|award=Gold|relyear=1992|certyear=1992|access-date=July 13, 2019}}

{{Certification Table Bottom}}

Release history

class="wikitable plainrowheaders"

!scope="col"|Region

!scope="col"|Version

!scope="col"|Date

!scope="col"|Format(s)

!scope="col"|Label(s)

!scope="col"|{{abbr|Ref.|Reference}}

scope="row"|United States

|rowspan="5"|Original

|July 28, 1992

|Cassette

|rowspan="6"|MCA

|{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.com/Humpin-Around-Bobby-Brown/dp/B000002POF|title=Humpin' Around|publisher=Amazon|access-date=July 16, 2021}}

scope="row"|United Kingdom

|August 10, 1992

|{{hlist|7-inch vinyl|12-inch vinyl|CD|cassette}}

|{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1992/MW-1992-08-08.pdf|title=New Releases: Singles|magazine=Music Week|page=19|date=August 8, 1992|access-date=July 16, 2021}}

scope="row"|United States

|August 11, 1992

|CD

|{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.com/Humpin-Around-Bobby-Brown/dp/B000002POH|title=Humpin Around|publisher=Amazon|access-date=July 16, 2021}}

scope="row"|Japan

|August 26, 1992

|Mini-CD

|{{cite web|url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/155479/products/163626/1/|title=ハンピン・アラウンド {{!}} ボビー・ブラウン|trans-title=Humpin' Around {{!}} Bobby Brown|publisher=Oricon|language=ja|access-date=September 4, 2023}}

scope="row"|United States

|September 28, 1992

|VHS

|{{cite book|title=Humpin Around [VHS]|asin=6302555205}}

scope="row"|United Kingdom

|K-Klass remix

|June 26, 1995

|{{hlist|12-inch vinyl|CD|cassette}}

|{{cite magazine|title=New Releases: Singles|magazine=Music Week|page=43|date=June 24, 1995}}

See also

References

{{Reflist}}

{{Bobby Brown}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:1992 singles

Category:1992 songs

Category:1995 singles

Category:Bobby Brown songs

Category:MCA Records singles

Category:Number-one singles in Australia

Category:Song recordings produced by Babyface (musician)

Category:Song recordings produced by Daryl Simmons

Category:Song recordings produced by L.A. Reid

Category:Songs written by Babyface (musician)

Category:Songs written by Daryl Simmons

Category:Songs written by L.A. Reid