Don't Be Cruel (Bobby Brown song)

"Don't Be Cruel"
Single by Bobby Brown
from the album Don't Be Cruel
Released	May 16, 1988
Format	Cassette single 7" single 12" single CD single
Recorded	1987-1988
Genre	New jack swing
Length	6:52 (album version) 4:54 (radio edit) 4:07 (7" version)
Label	MCA
Writer(s)	Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds Antonio "L.A." Reid Daryl Simmons
Producer(s)	L.A. & Babyface (Antonio "L.A." Reid, Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds) for LaFace Inc
Certification	Gold (RIAA)
Bobby Brown singles chronology
"Girl Next Door" (1987) "Don't Be Cruel" (1988) "My Prerogative" (1989)

"Don't Be Cruel" is a song performed by R&B artist Bobby Brown. Taken from his second and most successful album as its title track, the song was written and produced by the R&B production duo Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds and Antonio "L.A." Reid.

Chart performance

"Don't Be Cruel" was Brown's second single to reach the top position of the R&B chart where it remained for two weeks. As a pop crossover, it rose from number 59 to number 49, on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, the week of August 13, 1988 but it took two months to finally peak at number eight the week of October 15, 1988.^[1] In October 2004, Don't Be Cruel appeared in popular video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, playing on fictional new jack swing radio station CSR 103.9. The song was released as the first single from the album, and it proved a breakthrough. The single shot to #1 on the R&B chart, where Brown had been before with a track from his first album ("Girlfriend"), and four times as a member of New Edition. It also went to #8 on the Hot 100, harkening his emergence as a crossover artist. His next single, "My Prerogative," hit #1 on both the Hot 100 and R&B chart. - Songfacts

Background

"The title track to Bobby Brown's second solo album, "Don't Be Cruel" was written by the team of Babyface (aka Kenneth Edmonds), L.A. Reid, and Daryl Simmons. Babyface and Reid, who were the producers of the track, keyed into late '80s new jack swing, blending hip-hop with R&B. Brown was a great fit for this sound, since he could sing or rap, allowing for lots of little hooks in a song." - Song Facts

Music video

http://www.vevo.com/watch/bobby-brown/dont-be-cruel/USUV70500400

The music video was filmed in Boston in May 1988. The music video is very literal, with Brown confronting the girl on the street (kinda like Michael Jackson's video for "The Way You Make Me Feel). It was directed by Alek Keshishian, who took a different tack when he did Brown's videos for "Every Little Step" and "My Prerogative" - those abandoned storyline in favor of dancing. Keshishian later directed Madonna's Truth or Dare documentary.

Charts

Chart (1988)	Peak position
UK Singles Chart[2]	13
US Billboard Hot 100[3]	8
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks[4]	3

References

1. Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 81.
2. "Bobby Brown". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 5, 2013.
3. Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 81.
4. Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 81.

External links

• Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics