Push It
By Salt-N-Pepa
““Push It” is one of those tracks everyone knows when they hear it. It is synonymous in Hip Hop and Pop culture. ”
The song by American hip hop group Salt-N-Pepa was actually released as the B-side of the "Tramp" single in 1987. It was even available as a picture disc.
The song topped out at number 19 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in the first part of 1988. Initially, it peaked at number 41 in the UK, then re-entered the charts following a performance at Nelson Mandela's 70th birthday concert. By July 1988, it hit number two in the UK. Rolling Stone's list of 500 Greatest Songs of All Time has it ranked 446. VH1 ranked it nine on their 100 Greatest Songs of Hip Hop.
Salt-N-Pepa was formed in NYC in 1985 with Salt (Cheryl James), Pepa (Sandra Denton), and DJ Spindererella (Deidra Roper). The first to achieve Gold & Platinum status by RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) as a female rap act.
The 7" single contained a "Mixx-It" remix by San Francisco DJ and producer Cameron Paul. This radio version ended up being the group's first mainstream hit. It continued to rise into the US Billboard Top 40 in the last week of December 1987. By February 20, 1988, it would top out at number 19. It is the group's highest-charting UK hit, peaking at number two, held off by "Nothing's Gonna Change My Love For You" by Glenn Medeiros.
At a 1986 concert, police misheard Salt-N-Pepa for singing "pussy real good" rather than "push it real good" and waited for the show to end so they could arrest them. Salt-N-Pepa showed the police the written lyrics to prove them wrong.
The song recites words from "You really got me" by The Kinks. The term "girl" is replaced by "boy." "Boy, you really got me goin'... I don't know what I'm doin'." Ray Davies got a songwriting credit for this "Push It.") The track also quotes the song "I'm a Greedy Man" with the lyrics "Pick up on this" and "There it is" from "There it is," the two written by the godfather of soul James Brown. The whispered "Push it" comes from a 1977 recording called "Keep on Pushin'" from the band Coal Kitchen.
The lyrics to "Push It" are really an afterthought, just there to support the beat and add a lascivious flavor. The song was perfect for club play, where lyrics like, "come here, gimme a kiss, better make it fast... I'm gonna get pissed," can get lost in the groove. The big hook is the "Oooh, baby, baby" section, which complements the percussive production. Another memorable section is the vocal interlude, where Hurby Azor (the producer) implores us to get on the dance floor, but "only the sexy people."
The track runs 4 minutes and 32 seconds long with a G key and a major mode at 127 BPM.
