Motownphilly


"Motownphilly" is Boyz II Men's 1991 debut single for their debut album Cooleyhighharmony. The single was a success, peaking at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100. Michael Bivins, who co-wrote the song, provides a guest rap during the bridge.
The video for the song was filmed in various locations in Philadelphia, the group's home city in December 1990. Two new jack swing groups, Another Bad Creation and Bell Biv DeVoe, are mentioned in the first verse: "Boyz II Men, ABC, BBD, the East Coast Family." Both groups appear briefly in the video, as does Sudden Impact, a short-lived, all-white R&B group organized by Bivins.
The song title etymology involves a combination of two of the group's main musical influences: 1960s Motown and 1970s Philly soul.
The song was featured during the 2016 Democratic National Convention, as the convention took place in Philadelphia, the city that the song is named for. The song was featured in the 1991 Full House episode "Gotta Dance". It was also featured in a 2013 episode of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, "The Gang Gets Quarantined", in which the main characters repeatedly rehearse an acapella version of the song in order to try to win a spot opening for Boyz II Men in concert while an influenza epidemic is sweeping the city of Philadelphia. Kids Incorporated covered "Mowtownphilly" in 1992 in the Season 8 episode "The Commercial". The song made an appearance twice on the show Hangin' with Mr. Cooper: Season 1 episode, Pilot, and Season 4 episode, Talent Show. It is also a featured song in video game radio station CSR on .

Track listing

US Vinyl, 12"
US Maxi-CD
UK Vinyl, 7
UK Vinyl, 12"
Germany Maxi-CD

Weekly charts

Year-end charts