Learn Chinese (song)
Encyclopedia
"Learn Chinese" is the first single released from Jin's debut album The Rest Is History
. The song features Wyclef Jean
, who produced and co-wrote the track. At the first, the song was a buzz song. But, later, it turned into the first single for Jin's debut album due to its success. This single has been said to be Jin's signature song. To date the single is still Jin's most successful song and single in his music career. The single was featured on an episode of The Andy Milonakis Show
. The single went gold in China and was high at one point in the US but never achieved gold success there.
"Learn Chinese" contains samples from Das EFX
's "They Want EFX," Yellowman
's "Mr. Chin," and James Brown
's "Blind Man Can See It." The song has background vocals from Ayeesha.
, using the Friendship gate as a backdrop. The video featured Wyclef Jean
and Ayeesha. The video also had a cameo appearance by rapper Yung Mac. In the video Jin plays two characters: one who looks like a mob boss; the other, a normal Chinese food delivery employee. It starts with a man tired of delivering Chinese food who is then hit by a car. A woman then helps him up but at the same time, a mob boss is seen on his way to a restaurant. The guy notices an Asian woman getting kidnapped, the same woman who helped him up after he got hit by the car. He chases the mob boss and his crew, but is caught by the mob boss' body guards. He then is confronted by the mob boss. He manages to get away and is led to a karate
lesson. He gets through them and gets the Asian woman out of there. They get out of the restaurant and are confronted again with the mob boss and his crew. Knowing he is out matched, he still begins to fight them. Just before the fighting begins, the video switches to a "To be continued.." screen.
The Rest Is History
The Rest Is History is Jin's debut album. It was released on October 18, 2004.-Background:Originally titled Almost Famous, the album was delayed for over a year. Originally slated for a Summer 2003 release it was pushed back to an October 2003 date. After plans did not materialize, the album's...
. The song features Wyclef Jean
Wyclef Jean
Wyclef Jean is a Haitian musician, record producer, and politician. At age nine, Jean moved to the United States with his family and has spent much of his life in the country...
, who produced and co-wrote the track. At the first, the song was a buzz song. But, later, it turned into the first single for Jin's debut album due to its success. This single has been said to be Jin's signature song. To date the single is still Jin's most successful song and single in his music career. The single was featured on an episode of The Andy Milonakis Show
The Andy Milonakis Show
The Andy Milonakis Show is an American sketch comedy television show starring Andy Milonakis, which aired on MTV2, the first season having aired on MTV...
. The single went gold in China and was high at one point in the US but never achieved gold success there.
"Learn Chinese" contains samples from Das EFX
Das EFX
Das EFX is an American hip hop duo. It consists of emcees Skoob and Dray...
's "They Want EFX," Yellowman
Yellowman
Yellowman is a Jamaican reggae and dancehall deejay, widely known as King Yellowman...
's "Mr. Chin," and James Brown
James Brown
James Joseph Brown was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and recording artist. He is the originator of Funk and is recognized as a major figure in the 20th century popular music for both his vocals and dancing. He has been referred to as "The Godfather of Soul," "Mr...
's "Blind Man Can See It." The song has background vocals from Ayeesha.
CD
- "Learn Chinese" (4:06)
- "Little Hungry" (3:52)
- "Check the Clock" (5:43)
- "Learn Chinese" (Video)
5-inch Single
- "Learn Chinese" (4:06)
- "Little Hungry" (3:52)
- "Check the Clock" (5:43)
- "Learn Chinese" [Multimedia Track]
Music video
The music video for "Learn Chinese" was shot in Washington DC's ChinatownChinatown
A Chinatown is an ethnic enclave of overseas Chinese people, although it is often generalized to include various Southeast Asian people. Chinatowns exist throughout the world, including East Asia, Southeast Asia, the Americas, Australasia, and Europe. Binondo's Chinatown located in Manila,...
, using the Friendship gate as a backdrop. The video featured Wyclef Jean
Wyclef Jean
Wyclef Jean is a Haitian musician, record producer, and politician. At age nine, Jean moved to the United States with his family and has spent much of his life in the country...
and Ayeesha. The video also had a cameo appearance by rapper Yung Mac. In the video Jin plays two characters: one who looks like a mob boss; the other, a normal Chinese food delivery employee. It starts with a man tired of delivering Chinese food who is then hit by a car. A woman then helps him up but at the same time, a mob boss is seen on his way to a restaurant. The guy notices an Asian woman getting kidnapped, the same woman who helped him up after he got hit by the car. He chases the mob boss and his crew, but is caught by the mob boss' body guards. He then is confronted by the mob boss. He manages to get away and is led to a karate
Karate
is a martial art developed in the Ryukyu Islands in what is now Okinawa, Japan. It was developed from indigenous fighting methods called and Chinese kenpō. Karate is a striking art using punching, kicking, knee and elbow strikes, and open-handed techniques such as knife-hands. Grappling, locks,...
lesson. He gets through them and gets the Asian woman out of there. They get out of the restaurant and are confronted again with the mob boss and his crew. Knowing he is out matched, he still begins to fight them. Just before the fighting begins, the video switches to a "To be continued.." screen.
Chart position
| Chart (2007) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,... |
74 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles Sales Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles Sales The Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles Sales chart is the sales component chart of Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. It is not the R&B subset of The Hot 100 Singles Sales, but rather a separate panel of sales of commercial singles in the urban market... |
29 |
| UK Singles Top 75 | 59 |
| Australia Singles Top 50 | 40 |