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Fu-Gee-La

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"Fu-Gee-La"
Single by Fugees
from the album The Score
ReleasedDecember 13, 1995
Recorded1995
GenreHip hop
Length4:20
LabelRuffhouse
Songwriter(s)Wyclef Jean, Samuel Michel, Lauryn Hill, Allen McGrier, Teena Marie, Salaam Remi
Producer(s)Salaam Remi
Fugees singles chronology
"Refugees on the Mic"
(1994) 		"Fu-Gee-La"
(1995) 		"Killing Me Softly"
(1996)

"Fu-Gee-La" is a song by the Fugees. It was released on December 13, 1995, as the lead single from their second album, The Score. The song, which was produced by Salaam Remi, contains a sample of "If Loving You Is Wrong, I Don't Want To Be Right" by Ramsey Lewis, and its chorus is based on "Ooo La La La" by Teena Marie. Immediately following this is an interpolation of "Shakiyla [JRH]" by Poor Righteous Teachers. Several remixes of the song, including the "Refugee Camp Remix" and the "Sly & Robbie Remix", which features a young Akon, also appear on The Score. It is the highest-selling single from the Fugees, and has been certified gold by the RIAA.[1]

Background

Producer Salaam Remi discussed the song's conception: "We actually were working on a song for Spike Lee’s Clockers movie that actually, that song never came out. So we had a song that we did for Clockers, and then during that session, Wyclef was like, 'Yo, play that beat you did for Fat Joe!' And Lauryn was like, 'Yo, play the Fat Joe beat' and then when I played it, Clef jumped up and spit the first verse to 'Fu-Gee-La.' He had the verse, but it just fell all together and then we worked on it. That song was actually done prior to The Score, so a lot of The Score’s vibe was based around what that song was."[2]

Music video

The music video for Fu-Gee-La was filmed in Jamaica. They wanted to recreate Jimmy Cliff's film The Harder They Come (1972).[3] It follows a robbery-related concept, with each band member taking on a particular role.

Track listing

UK CD1

  1. "Fu-Gee-La" (Album Version) – 4:15
  2. "Fu-Gee-La" (North Side Mix) – 4:15
  3. "Fu-Gee-La" (Refugee Camp Remix) – 4:24
  4. "Fu-Gee-La" (Sly & Robbie Mix) – 5:33
  5. "Fu-Gee-La" (Wyclef's Global Acoustic Mix) – 4:18
  6. "Fu-Gee-La" (Fugi Acapella) – 4:08

UK CD2

  1. "Fu-Gee-La" (Album Version) – 4:15
  2. "Fu-Gee-La" (Album Instrumental) – 4:15
  3. "Fu-Gee-La" (Refugee Camp Remix) – 4:24
  4. "Fu-Gee-La" (Refugee Camp Instrumental) – 4:22
  5. "Fu-Gee-La" (North Side Mix) – 4:15
  6. "Fu-Gee-La" (Sly & Robbie Mix) – 5:33
  7. "How Many Mics" – 4:22

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1996) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[4] 43
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[5] 14
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[6] 14
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[7] 8
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[8] 14
France (SNEP)[9] 22
songid field is MANDATORY FOR GERMAN CHARTS 6
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[10] 7
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[11] 11
Scotland (OCC)[12] 38
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[13] 10
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[14] 9
UK Singles (OCC)[15] 21
US Billboard Hot 100[16] 29
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[17] 13

Year-end charts

Chart (1996) Position
Germany (Official German Charts)[18] 41

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Germany (BVMI)[19] Gold 250,000^
United States (RIAA)[20] Gold 500,000^

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ^ "Searchable Database - Search: Fugees". RIAA. Retrieved 2013-12-10.
  2. ^ "The Fugees & Salaam Remi - The Inspiration Behind "Fu-Gee-La"". HipHopDX. February 13, 2014. Retrieved August 9, 2016.
  3. ^ Coleman, Brian (March 12, 2009). Check the Technique: Liner Notes for Hip-Hop Junkies. New York: Random House Publishing Group. p. 218. Retrieved August 9, 2016.
  4. ^ "Fugees – Fu-Gee-La". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
  5. ^ "Fugees – Fu-Gee-La" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  6. ^ "Fugees – Fu-Gee-la" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  7. ^ "Fugees – Fu-Gee-La" (in French). Ultratop 50.
  8. ^ "Fugees: Fu-Gee-La" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat.
  9. ^ "Fugees – Fu-Gee-La" (in French). Les classement single.
  10. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Fugees" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
  11. ^ "Fugees – Fu-Gee-La". Top 40 Singles.
  12. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  13. ^ "Fugees – Fu-Gee-La". Singles Top 100.
  14. ^ "Fugees – Fu-Gee-La". Swiss Singles Chart.
  15. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  16. ^ "Fugees Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  17. ^ "Fugees Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard.
  18. ^ "Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved April 17, 2018.
  19. ^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Fugees; 'Fu-Gee-La')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
  20. ^ "American single certifications – Fugees – Fu-Gee-La". Recording Industry Association of America.
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