Men in Black (song)
Encyclopedia
"Men in Black" is a song by Will Smith
(featuring singer Coko
from group SWV
) from the movie Men in Black
, in which he also starred. The song plays during the movie's closing credits
. Will Smith raps about how the MiBs "Walk in shadow, move in silence" and play the role of "first, last and only line of defense, against the worst scum of the universe", while Coko adds her soulful soprano vocals in the background. The song won Smith a Grammy in 1998
for Best Rap Solo Performance.
of and a re-sung chorus from "Forget Me Nots
" by Patrice Rushen
. In a twist, the line "I want you to remember" is changed to "They won't let you remember", in reference to memory-erasing devices used in the Men in Black movie.
Aside from appearing on the movie's soundtrack, the song also appears on Will Smith's Columbia Records
album Big Willie Style
and reached number one on charts in Australia
, France
, Germany
and the United Kingdom
. The song did not chart on the Billboard Hot 100
because it was not released as a commercial single in the US; at the time, only songs that were commercially released as singles were eligible, but it did however top the airplay chart. The music video for the song also appears on the DVD The Will Smith Collection. It was also included in the album All Time Greatest Movie Songs
, released by Sony
in 1999. It was also featured after the end credits of the VHS release of "Men in Black". It was also covered by Forever the Sickest Kids
for the compilation album Punk Goes Crunk
& by Alvin and the Chipmunks
for the album The A-Files: Alien Songs
. An instrumental version plays over the end credits in Men in Black: The Series
.
directed the video. The video starts with a dark hallway lighting up. Tommy Lee Jones
enters from around the corner and begins to explain in a voiceover the purpose of the Men in Black. Will Smith
enters with the line: "And we dress in black." There is then a cut to what appears to be an alleyway, a steel box which looks a bit like a commercial refrigerator in the middle. The surface begins to deform and show a glowing light from within. The video then cuts to several scenes of Agents experimenting on alien organisms and technology, with Will rapping into further detail of the operations of the Men in Black. It soon has him surrounded by MIB agents in a warehouse. In the middle of the dance routine, an alien (Mikey from the film) comes in and screams at Will. Will Smith then leads the agents and the alien to do a modified Electric Slide
, where the alien slips out in the middle.
After dancing along with the agents, he goes after the alien. The same glowing light from the beginning of the video is then seen in the drivers seat of an SUV, the two female Agents who were with Will in the vehicle, which speeds off just as Will reaches it. Disappointed, he puts on his glasses and takes out a Neuralyzer, pointing it to the camera (neuralyzing the viewers so that they do not remember what they saw in the video). The flash takes the viewer back to the empty hallway from the opening scene, effectively erasing the video's contents entirely. Just before the flash, he says, somewhat regretfully, "Sorry".
Europe
UK
U.S.
Australia
Will Smith
Willard Christopher "Will" Smith, Jr. , also known by his stage name The Fresh Prince, is an American actor, producer, and rapper. He has enjoyed success in television, film and music. In April 2007, Newsweek called him the most powerful actor in Hollywood...
(featuring singer Coko
Coko
Cheryl Elizabeth "Coko" Clemons is an American gospel and R&B singer, and lead singer of R&B group Sisters With Voices .-Musical career:...
from group SWV
SWV
Sisters with Voices, better known as SWV, is an American female R&B trio from New York. Formed in 1990 as a gospel group, SWV became one of the most successful R&B groups of the 1990s. They had a series of hits, including "Weak", "Right Here/Human Nature", "I'm So Into You", and "You're the One"....
) from the movie Men in Black
Men in Black (film)
Men in Black is a 1997 science fiction comedy film directed by Barry Sonnenfeld, starring Tommy Lee Jones, Will Smith and Vincent D'Onofrio. The film was based on the Men in Black comic book series by Lowell Cunningham, originally published by Marvel Comics. The film featured the creature effects...
, in which he also starred. The song plays during the movie's closing credits
Closing credits
Closing credits or end credits are added at the end of a motion picture, television program, or video game to list the cast and crew involved in the production. They usually appear as a list of names in small type, which either flip very quickly from page to page, or move smoothly across the...
. Will Smith raps about how the MiBs "Walk in shadow, move in silence" and play the role of "first, last and only line of defense, against the worst scum of the universe", while Coko adds her soulful soprano vocals in the background. The song won Smith a Grammy in 1998
Grammy Awards of 1998
The 40th Grammy Awards were held on February 25, 1998. They recognized accomplishments by musicians from the previous year. Rock icon Bob Dylan, Alison Krauss, and R...
for Best Rap Solo Performance.
Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance
The Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance was awarded from 1991 to 2011, alongside the Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group. Previously a single award was presented for Best Rap Performance....
Release and success
"Men In Black" features a sampleSampling (music)
In music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or a different sound recording of a song or piece. Sampling was originally developed by experimental musicians working with musique concrète and electroacoustic music, who physically...
of and a re-sung chorus from "Forget Me Nots
Forget Me Nots
"Forget Me Nots" is a 1982 hit recording by R&B singer songwriter Patrice Rushen.Originally deemed by record label executives as a "flop", Rushen released the song and the song became a Top 40 pop, Top 5 R&B, and Top 5 dance hit on the Billboard charts and is the hit she's most notable for...
" by Patrice Rushen
Patrice Rushen
Patrice Rushen is a Grammy Award-winning African American R&B and jazz vocalist, composer and pianist.-Biography:...
. In a twist, the line "I want you to remember" is changed to "They won't let you remember", in reference to memory-erasing devices used in the Men in Black movie.
Aside from appearing on the movie's soundtrack, the song also appears on Will Smith's Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
album Big Willie Style
Big Willie Style
Big Willie Style is the first solo studio album recorded by Will Smith, after spending most of his career as the latter half of DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince...
and reached number one on charts in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. The song did not chart on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
because it was not released as a commercial single in the US; at the time, only songs that were commercially released as singles were eligible, but it did however top the airplay chart. The music video for the song also appears on the DVD The Will Smith Collection. It was also included in the album All Time Greatest Movie Songs
All Time Greatest Movie Songs (Album)
All Time Greatest Movie Songs is a joint effort with Columbia Records of Sony Music UK to released movie compilations in 1999.-Track listing:#"My Heart Will Go On" - Celine Dion#"Men in Black" - Will Smith...
, released by Sony
Sony
, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
in 1999. It was also featured after the end credits of the VHS release of "Men in Black". It was also covered by Forever the Sickest Kids
Forever the Sickest Kids
Forever the Sickest Kids is an American pop punk band from Dallas, Texas, who have yet to be signed to a new label after the closure of Universal Motown Records. In issue 228 of Alternative Press, the group was named the number one underground band in the "22 Best Underground Bands". Their first...
for the compilation album Punk Goes Crunk
Punk Goes Crunk
Punk Goes Crunk is the seventh compilation album in the Punk Goes... series released by Fearless Records. The album is composed of popular hip hop songs performed by various emo, pop punk and metalcore bands.-Track listing:...
& by Alvin and the Chipmunks
Alvin and the Chipmunks
Alvin and the Chipmunks is an American animated music group created by Ross Bagdasarian, Sr. in 1958. The group consists of three singing animated anthropomorphic chipmunks: Alvin, the mischievous troublemaker, who quickly became the star of the group; Simon, the tall, bespectacled intellectual;...
for the album The A-Files: Alien Songs
The A-Files: Alien Songs
The A-Files: Alien Songs is a 1998 music album by Alvin and the Chipmunks, released by Sony Wonder. The album's concept parodied the 1993–2002 FOX series The X-Files.-Track listing:# "Purple People Eater" – 3:35# "Men in Black Movie Theme" – 3:46...
. An instrumental version plays over the end credits in Men in Black: The Series
Men in Black: The Series
Men in Black: The Series also known as Men in Black: The Animated Series is an American animated television series that aired during The WB's Kids' WB programming block for four seasons from 1997 through 2001.The show features characters from 1997's science fiction film Men in Black, which was...
.
Music video
Robert CarusoRobert Caruso
Robert Caruso is a director of commercials, music video, film, and online content.Caruso grew up in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, where he attended the School on Magnolia, an early Cleveland-area alternative high school. He was active as a musician, and was one of the founding members of the band the...
directed the video. The video starts with a dark hallway lighting up. Tommy Lee Jones
Tommy Lee Jones
Tommy Lee Jones is an American actor and film director. He has received three Academy Award nominations, winning one as Best Supporting Actor for the 1993 thriller film The Fugitive....
enters from around the corner and begins to explain in a voiceover the purpose of the Men in Black. Will Smith
Will Smith
Willard Christopher "Will" Smith, Jr. , also known by his stage name The Fresh Prince, is an American actor, producer, and rapper. He has enjoyed success in television, film and music. In April 2007, Newsweek called him the most powerful actor in Hollywood...
enters with the line: "And we dress in black." There is then a cut to what appears to be an alleyway, a steel box which looks a bit like a commercial refrigerator in the middle. The surface begins to deform and show a glowing light from within. The video then cuts to several scenes of Agents experimenting on alien organisms and technology, with Will rapping into further detail of the operations of the Men in Black. It soon has him surrounded by MIB agents in a warehouse. In the middle of the dance routine, an alien (Mikey from the film) comes in and screams at Will. Will Smith then leads the agents and the alien to do a modified Electric Slide
Electric Slide
The Electric aka The Electric Slide is a four wall line dance set to the Marcia Griffiths' song Electric Boogie. Choreographer Ric Silver created the dance in 1976.- Controversy :...
, where the alien slips out in the middle.
After dancing along with the agents, he goes after the alien. The same glowing light from the beginning of the video is then seen in the drivers seat of an SUV, the two female Agents who were with Will in the vehicle, which speeds off just as Will reaches it. Disappointed, he puts on his glasses and takes out a Neuralyzer, pointing it to the camera (neuralyzing the viewers so that they do not remember what they saw in the video). The flash takes the viewer back to the empty hallway from the opening scene, effectively erasing the video's contents entirely. Just before the flash, he says, somewhat regretfully, "Sorry".
Track listings
These are the formats and track listings of major single releases of "Men in Black".Europe
- CD maxi
- "Men in Black" (album/video version) — 3:48
- "Men in Black" (MIB Master mix) — 3:40
- "Men in Black" (track masters instrumental) — 3:48
- CD single
- "Men in Black" (album version) — 3:48
- "Men in Black" (MIB master mix) — 3:40
UK
- CD maxi
- "Men in Black" (album version)
- "Men in Black" (instrumental)
- "Men in Black main theme"
- "Men in Black the Snippets"
- CD single
- "Men in Black" (album version) — 3:49
- "Men in Black" (MIB master lix) — 3:41
- "Men in Black" (alternate lix) — 3:42
- "Dah Dee Dah" (sexy thing) (by Alicia KeysAlicia KeysAlicia Augello Cook , better known by her stage name Alicia Keys, is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and occasional actress. She was raised by a single mother in the Hell's Kitchen area of Manhattan in New York City. At age seven, Keys began playing the piano...
) — 4:12
U.S.
- 12" maxi
- "Men in Black" — 3:48
- "Men in Black" (track masters instrumental) — 3:48
- "Men in Black" (track masters a cappella ) — 3:29
- "Men in Black" (MIB master mix) — 3:40
- "Men in Black" (MIB alternate mix) — 3:40
- "Men in Black" (MIB instrumental) — 3:40
Australia
- CD single
- "Men in Black" — 3:48
- "Men in Black" (track masters instrumental) — 3:48
- "Men in Black" (track masters a cappella) — 3:29
- "Some Cow Fonque (More Tea, Vicar ?)" (by Buckshot LeFonqueBuckshot LeFonqueBuckshot LeFonque was a musical group project of Branford Marsalis. The name Buckshot LeFonque was a pseudonym used by jazz saxophonist Julian "Cannonball" Adderley for contractual reasons on the album Here Comes Louis Smith...
) — 5:10
Personnel
- Patrice Rushen, Terry McFadden, Will Smith - writers, composers
- Coko - backing vocals
- Matthew Wishart - Clarinet, Trombone
- Poke and Tone - drum programming, producer
- Commissioner Gordon, Tony Maserati - mixing
- John Shriver - recording
Peak positions
| Chart (1997) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian ARIA Singles Chart | 1 |
| Austrian Singles Chart | 2 |
| Belgian (Flanders) Singles Chart | 3 |
| Belgian (Wallonia) Singles Chart | 1 |
| Canadian RPM RPM (magazine) RPM was a Canadian music industry publication that featured song and album charts for Canada. The publication was founded by Walt Grealis in February 1964, supported through its existence by record label owner Stan Klees. RPM ceased publication in November 2000.RPM stood for "Records, Promotion,... Singles Chart Canadian Singles Chart The Canadian Singles Chart is currently compiled by the U.S.-based music sales tracking company, Nielsen SoundScan . The chart is compiled every Wednesday, and is published by Jam! Canoe on Thursdays.... |
2 |
| Dutch Top 40 Dutch Top 40 The Dutch Top 40 is a weekly music chart, which started as the "Veronica Top 40", because the offshore radio station Radio Veronica was the first to introduce it. It remained "The Veronica Top 40" until 1974, when the station was forced to stop broadcasting... |
2 |
| Eurochart Hot 100 | 1 |
| Finnish Singles Chart | 2 |
| French SNEP Singles Chart | 1 |
| German Singles Chart | 1 |
| Irish Singles Chart | 1 |
| New Zealand RIANZ Singles Chart | 1 |
| Norwegian Singles Chart | 3 |
| Swedish Singles Chart | 2 |
| Swiss Singles Chart | 1 |
| UK Singles Chart | 1 |
| U.S. Billboard Latin Pop Airplay | 7 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Airplay | 1 |
| U.S. Billboard Top 40 Mainstream | 2 |
| U.S. Billboard Rhythmic Top 40 | 1 |
End of year charts
| End of year chart (1997) | Position |
|---|---|
| Australian Singles Chart | 6 |
| Austrian Singles Chart | 12 |
| Belgian (Flanders) Singles Chart | 16 |
| Belgian (Wallonia) Singles Chart | 11 |
| Canadian RPM Singles Chart | 23 |
| Dutch Top 40 | 23 |
| French Singles Chart | 7 |
| Swiss Singles Chart | 16 |
Certifications
| Country | Certification | Date | Sales certified |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | 2 x Platinum | 1997 | 140,000 |
| France | Diamond | December 17, 1997 | 750,000 |
| Germany | Platinum | 1997 | 500,000 |
| Netherlands | Gold | 1997 ? | 40,000 |
| Norway | Platinum | 1997 | 10,000 |
| Sweden | Platinum | September 16, 1997 | 20,000 |
| Switzerland | Gold | 1997 | 15,000 |
| UK | Silver | August 1, 1997 | 200,000 |