Push It (Salt-n-Pepa song)

"Push It" is a song by the hip hop group Salt-N-Pepa. It was released as the B-side of the "Tramp" single in 1987, and as its own single in 1988. It peaked at number 19 on the Billboard Hot 100 in early 1988 and, after initially peaking at number 41 in the UK, it re-entered the charts after the group performed the track at Nelson Mandela's 70th birthday concert, eventually peaking at number two that summer. The song has also been certified Platinum by the RIAA. The song is ranked number 446 on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time and was ranked number nine on VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of Hip Hop.[2]

"Push It"
Single by Salt-N-Pepa
from the album Hot, Cool & Vicious
Released	March 8, 1987
Genre	Hip hop pop rap[1]
Length	3:28 (UK radio edit) 4:30 (album version)
Label	Next Plateau London
Songwriter(s)	Hurby Azor Ray Davies
Producer(s)	Hurby Azor
Salt-N-Pepa singles chronology
"Tramp" (1987) "Push It" (1987) "Chick on the Side" (1987)
Audio sample
file help
Music video
"Push It" on YouTube
Alternative cover

Release history

The original version of "Push It" was first released as the B-side to the 12" single "Tramp" in 1987. The corresponding 7" single contained a "Mixx-It" remix by San Francisco DJ and producer Cameron Paul; this was the radio version that gave the group its first mainstream hit. It advanced into the Billboard Top 40 the week of December 26, 1987, eventually reaching its peak of number 19 the week of February 20, 1988. It also ties with "Let's Talk About Sex" as the group's highest-charting UK hit, with both peaking at number two in that country.

The original 1986 editions of the album Hot, Cool & Vicious did not contain "Push It". When the Cameron Paul remix of "Push It" became a radio hit, the album was reissued with the "Push It" remix added, along with the original versions of "Tramp" and "Chick on the Side" replaced by remixes.

Lyrics

The song quotes a line from "You Really Got Me" by The Kinks, with the word "girl" replaced with "boy": "Boy, you really got me goin'/You got me so I don't know what I'm doin'." (For this, Ray Davies received a songwriting credit for "Push It.") It also quotes "Pick up on this" from "I'm a Greedy Man" and "There it is" from "There It Is", both by James Brown. The whispered "Push it" is sampled from a 1977 recording called "Keep on Pushin'" by the band Coal Kitchen.

Recognition and sales

"Push It" was nominated for a Grammy Award, and the strength of that single catapulted the reissued Hot, Cool and Vicious album to platinum sales in the US with one million sold, making Salt-N-Pepa the first female rap act (group or solo) to go gold or platinum. The album ultimately sold 1.3 million copies worldwide.

Usage in media

In 2009, The song was covered on the musical television show Glee's first season episode "Showmance" sung by Rachel Berry (Lea Michele), Finn Hudson (Cory Monteith), Artie Abrams (Kevin McHale) and other glee club members.

In 2011, the song was featured in a season 4 episode of Chuck called Chuck Versus the Push Mix in a scene where the characters Lester Patel and Jeffrey Barnes portrayed by Vik Sahay and Scott Krinsky play the song while Ellie Bartowski portrayed by Sarah Lancaster, the sister of the title character is seen giving birth to her first child named Clara Woodcomb. Additionally, both of the characters wear the jackets of Salt-N-Pepa while singing.

In 2014, the song was featured in a commercial for the GEICO auto insurance company with a featured cameo appearance by Salt-N-Pepa themselves as part of the "It's What You Do" campaign.[3]

In 2016, the song was featured in a season 9 episode of The Big Bang Theory called The Positive Negative Reaction in a scene where the characters Leonard Hofstadter and Raj Koothrappali portrayed by Johnny Galecki and Kunal Nayyar cover the song in a karaoke party.

In 2018, the song was used in episode 4 of the series, Deutschland 86, a cook is listening to it on a Walkman while he grills food.

In 2020, the song was featured as the theme song of the ABC U.S. revival of TV game show Supermarket Sweep hosted by actress and comedian Leslie Jones.

Music video

The music video for "Push It" features a concert performance of the song, along with DJ Spinderella and Hurby "Luv Bug" Azor on keyboards and backing vocals. It was directed by Ted Demme and edited by Glenn Lazzaro.

All mixes

• "Push It" (UK Radio Edit) – 3:28 – Edited version of the 7" Remix. Is usually the version played on radio stations in the UK. Also known as the U.S. Remix in America.
• "Push It" – 4:12 – B-side of "Tramp" 12" single
• "Push It (Instrumental)" – 4:12 – B-side of "Tramp" 12" single
• "Push It (Mixx-It Remix)" – 4:28 – B-side of "Tramp" 7" single; also known as Album Version, Remix, 7" Remix, Full-Length Remix, Radio Edit
• "Push It (U.S. Remix)" – 3:29 – 1988 Europe/Australasia-only edited version of Mixx-It Remix
• "Push It (The Shuv'd Mix)" – 5:06 – 1988 UK-only remix; also known as UK Mix

Charts and certifications

Weekly charts Chart (1987–1988) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[4] 3 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[5] 9 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[6] 1 Canada Top Singles (RPM)[7] 7 Denmark (IFPI)[8] 14 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[9] 3 Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[10] 16 Germany (Official German Charts)[11] 9 Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 10)[12] 7 Ireland (IRMA)[13] 6 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[14] 1 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[15] 1 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[16] 4 Norway (VG-lista)[17] 4 Spain (AFYVE)[18] 6 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[19] 2 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[20] 6 UK Singles (OCC)[21] 2 US Billboard Hot 100[22] 19 US Dance Club Songs (Billboard)[23] Double A-side with "Tramp" 18 US Hot Dance Singles Sales (Billboard)[24] Double A-side with "Tramp" 1 US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[25] 28 West Germany (Official German Charts)[26] 9

Year-end charts Chart (1988) Position Australia (ARIA)[27] 29 Belgium (Ultratop)[28] 12 Canada Top Singles (RPM)[29] 56 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[30] 24 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[31] 5 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[32] 5 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[33] 42 UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[34] 15 West Germany (Official German Charts)[35] 9 Certifications Region Certification Certified units/sales Canada (Music Canada)[36] Gold 50,000^^ Sweden (GLF)[37] Gold 25,000^^ United Kingdom (BPI)[38] Silver 250,000^^ United States (RIAA)[39] Platinum 1,000,000^^ ^^shipments figures based on certification alone

References

1. "Salt-n-Pepa 'Push It' Real Good on 'American Idol'". Spin. March 27, 2015.
2. Stone, Rolling (April 7, 2011). "500 Greatest Songs of All Time".
3. GEICO Super Bowl 2015 TV Commercial, 'Push It: It's What You Do' Ft. Salt-N-Pepa - iSpot.tv
4. "Australian-charts.com – Salt-N-Pepa – Push It". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
5. "Austriancharts.at – Salt-N-Pepa – Push It" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
6. "Ultratop.be – Salt-N-Pepa – Push It" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
7. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 8939." RPM. Library and Archives Canada.
8. Danish Singles Chart 23 September 1988
9. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 5 no. 31. July 30, 1988. p. 11. Retrieved March 11, 2020.
10. Nyman, Jake (2005). Suomi soi 4: Suuri suomalainen listakirja (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN 951-31-2503-3.
11. "Offiziellecharts.de – Sakt-N-Pepa – Push It". GfK Entertainment Charts.
12. "Íslenski Listinn Topp 10 (4. nóvember 1988)" (PDF) (in Icelandic). Dagblaðið Vísir. Retrieved 23 July 2018. Cite magazine requires |magazine= (help)
13. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Push It". Irish Singles Chart.
14. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 30, 1988" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40
15. "Dutchcharts.nl – Salt-N-Pepa – Push It" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
16. "Charts.nz – Salt-N-Pepa – Push It". Top 40 Singles.
17. "Norwegiancharts.com – Salt-N-Pepa – Push It". VG-lista.
18. Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
19. "Swedishcharts.com – Salt-N-Pepa – Push It". Singles Top 100.
20. "Swisscharts.com – Salt-N-Pepa – Push It". Swiss Singles Chart.
21. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
22. "Salt-N-Pepa Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
23. "Salt-N-Pepa Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard.
24. "Salt-N-Pepa Chart History (Dance Singles Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved March 11, 2020.
25. "Salt-N-Pepa Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard.
26. "Offiziellecharts.de – Salt-N-Pepa – Push It". GfK Entertainment Charts.
27. "ARIA Charts – End Of Year Charts – Top 50 Singles 1988". ARIA. Retrieved October 29, 2018.
28. "Jaaroverzichten 1988" (in Dutch). Retrieved April 7, 2018.
29. "Top 100 Singles of '88" (PDF). RPM. Vol. 49 no. 10. December 24, 1988. p. 9. Retrieved March 24, 2019.
30. "1988 Year End Eurocharts – Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 6 no. 52/1. January 1, 1989. p. 17. Retrieved March 11, 2020.
31. "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1988". Dutch Top 40. Retrieved March 3, 2020.
32. "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1988" (in Dutch). Retrieved April 7, 2018.
33. "End of Year Charts 1988". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
34. Scaping, Peter, ed. (1991). "Top 100 Singles: 1988". BPI YearBook 1989/90. London, England: British Phonographic Industry. pp. 64–65. ISBN 978-0-9061-5410-6.
35. "Top 100 Singles–Jahrescharts 1988" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved October 29, 2018.
36. "Canadian single certifications – Salt 'N Pepa – Push It". Music Canada. Retrieved September 26, 2019.
37. "Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 1987−1998" (PDF) (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden. Retrieved March 14, 2019.
38. "British single certifications – Salt N Pepa – Push It". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved March 14, 2019.
39. "American single certifications – Salt 'N Pepa – Push It". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved March 14, 2019. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH.