"Return of the Mack" is a song written and recorded by British R&B singer Mark Morrison, released by WEA and Atlantic as the third single from his debut album by the same name (1996). The song topped the UK Singles Chart a month after its release, then became a European and Australian hit. In the United States, it reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100 and went platinum.[1] The music video for the song, directed by Jake Nava, was released in the United Kingdom in March 1996 and in the United States in February 1997. Billboard magazine featured "Return of the Mack" in their lists of "Billboard's Top Songs of the '90s" in 2019[2] and "500 Best Pop Songs of All Time" in 2023.[3]
Larry Flick from Billboard felt that UK crooner Mark Morrison "energizes a deflated U.S. R&B scene" with the song,[7] noting that he "shows international promise with fresh lyrics and vocals, and classic soul production reminiscent of R&B's '80s heyday."[8] Matt Diehl from Entertainment Weekly remarked that Morrison "comes off more like a funked-up Seal, promising revenge to a deceitful lover in a warbly croon. The end result is an odd but infectious new-jack-swing variation on "Hey Joe", buoyed by bubbly beats and the insistent title refrain."[9] Another editor, Leah Greenblatt described the track as a "new-jackalicious breakup jam".[10] Tom Ewing of Freaky Trigger noted that "the music certainly has his back – the rubbery basslines cocooning the song, the satisfying crunch of the drums, the light keyboard touches helping Morrison glide along his comeback trail." He added that it "is a pleasure to listen to, a well-tailored suit of sound."[11]
Caroline Sullivan from The Guardian concluded in her album review, "He plays the sunglasses-at-night role to perfection on the album's title (and best) track".[12] A reviewer from Music Week rated it four out of five, adding that the singer "looks to maintain the momentum of his hit Crazy with another assured mix of R&B and ragga."[13] Ralph Tee from the Record Mirror Dance Update gave it five out of five, writing, "This simply is every bit as good as what you would get from an American r&b act on a major label — and the song's better than most of what's coming out from across the pond of late." He added further, "The urban street production is a perfect vehicle for Mark's Jamaica-style tinged soul vocal on a song that deserves to be a smash, or an anthem at the very least."[14]
Chart performanceedit
"Return of the Mack" was very successful on the charts on several continents, peaking at number-one on both the RPM Dance/Urban chart in Canada and the BillboardRhythmic chart in the United States. In Europe, it hit number-one in the United Kingdom in its sixth week at the UK Singles Chart, on 14 April 1996.[15] The single spent two weeks at the top position. It entered the top 10 also in Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Ireland (2), the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden (2) and Switzerland, as well as on the Eurochart Hot 100. Outside Europe, "Return of the Mack" also reached number-one in Zimbabwe, number two in Australia and on the BillboardHot 100. In New Zealand, it peaked at number three, while peaking at number 17 on the RPM Top Singles chart in Canada.
The accompanying music video for "Return of the Mack" was directed by British director Jake Nava.[16] It begins with Morrison arriving in London by Concorde flight in the evening. In his car (A silver Mercedes-Benz SL-Class) towards the city, he starts singing. He has flashbacks of himself and his girlfriend, now ex. The car then stops in front of his ex and her new boyfriend standing by the street. The singer sings as he watches the new couple. Later he arrives at an underground club and hands the DJ a record which is immediately played. Shortly afterwards, the ex shows up in the club with her new guy. Standing in the crowd of dancing people, Morrison sings towards his ex. Then he sits down at a desk, inside an office. The ex comes in and sits down. They are confronting each other, and she ends up getting up, letting the chair fall as she leaves, looking at Morrison with a regretful face. The video ends with a close-up of Morrison sitting in the office in thoughts, while he smiles to the camera.[17]
The cheating girlfriend is played by then unknown model Suzannah Agrippa miming to a featured vocal performance by Angie Brown.[18] Numerous other extras were friends of the director.[19]
Impact and legacyedit
In 2007, Stylus Magazine ranked it number 40 on its list of the "Top 50 One-Hit Wonders", stating that "over plush keyboards, fake turntable scratches, and a rhythm track that will be around 'til time immemorial, Morrison relates his griefs with an ex who he’s returned to—what? Gloat in her face? Point out he’s still surviving, even thriving? Nope, he’s really returned to show what sleek R&B grooves and odd vocal cadences he’s developed since being dumped."[20]
In 2012, Porcys listed "Return of the Mack" at number 71 in their ranking of "100 Singles 1990-1999".[21]
In 2017, BuzzFeed listed it at number 48 in their list of "The 101 Greatest Dance Songs of the '90s".[22]
In 2019, Billboard magazine placed it at number 102 in their ranking of "Billboard's Top Songs of the '90s"[2] and in October 2023, they placed it at number 318 in their "500 Best Pop Songs of All Time".[3]
Formats and track listingsedit
CD maxi and 12-inch maxi – US
"Return of the Mack" (C&J X-Tended Radio Edit/US Album Version) – 7:20
"Return of the Mack" (Da Beatminerz Remix) - 4:32
"Return of the Mack" (Accappella of the Mack) - 2:56
"Trippin'" (C&J Street Mix) – 4:19
"Trippin'" (Salaam Remi Mix) – 4:22
"Return of the Mack" (Instrumental) – 5:49
CD single – US
"Return of the Mack" (C&J Edit) - 3:32
"Return of the Mack" (Da Beatminerz Remix) - 4:32
CD single – Europe
"Return of the Mack" (C&J Radio Edit) – 3:32
"Return of the Mack" (Joe T. Vannelli Light Radio Edit) – 3:57
"Return of the Mack" (C&J Street Mix/UK Album Version) – 4:34
"Return of the Mack" (Terence Dackombe Mind Tricks Mix) – 3:46
* Sales figures based on certification alone. ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. ‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.
American rapper Mann released a cover version of the song, featuring vocals from Snoop Dogg and Iyaz. His version is simply titled "The Mack". The single was released in the United Kingdom on 23 May 2011 as a digital download and in the United States on 5 July 2011.
Music videoedit
A music video to accompany the release of "The Mack" was first released onto YouTube on 23 June 2011 at a total length of three minutes and fifty-five seconds. It features Mann, Iyaz and Snoop Dogg, at a pool party that starts off in the day into the night and they are surrounded by women. Mark is also shown entering London Heathrow Airport and then driving a car.[84]
American DJ Nevada remixed the song and retitled the release "The Mack", 20 years after the release of the original version.[91][92][93][94] Nevada's version features the re-recorded vocals of Mark Morrison, and additional vocals from American rapper Fetty Wap.[95] The song was written by Morrison, William Maxwell, Pyramids in Paris, and Jonathan White.[96] It was released to digital download through Straightforward Music, Nourishing Music, and Capitol Records on 23 September 2016.[97]
A season 3 episode of Legends of Tomorrow is called "Return of the Mack" and features a fight taking place while the song is playing in the background.
In 2016, it was featured heavily in a Season 5 episode of New Girl, "A Chill Day In."
In 2017, Burger King used the song in a commercial for their menu item Mac 'n' Cheetos.[129]
In 2020, McDonald's New Zealand also used the song in a commercial advertising the return of the Big Mac and other products after its stores were closed for four weeks due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[130] Similarly, McDonald's in the UK used the song in a commercial advertising their branches reopening after having been shut for nearly four months in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.[131]
On 5 February 2021, American rapper G-Eazy sampled the song over and named it Provide. It features American singer Chris Brown and Morrison himself from Eazy's fourth studio album These Things Happen Too.
Morrison appears in a Frito-Lay Variety Pack commercial with his song changing the lyrics.[132]
UFC Light heavyweight Anthony Smith uses Return of The Mack as his walkout theme song.[133]
^"Hits of the World: Denmark (IFPI/Nielsen Marketing Research) 07/04/96". Billboard. Vol. 108, no. 29. Nielsen Business Media. 20 July 1996. p. 41. ISSN 0006-2510.
^"Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 13, no. 19. 11 May 1996. p. 22. Retrieved 25 June 2018.
^ ab"Årslistor > Year End Charts > Swedish Dance Chart 1996" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 14, no. 11. 15 March 1997. p. 30 (see appendix to the magazine). Retrieved 8 December 2020.
^"Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 13 April 2020.
^"Billboard Hot 100". Billboard. 7 June 1997. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
^"Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs". Billboard. 7 June 1997. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
^"Dance Singles Sales". Billboard. 24 May 1997. Retrieved 14 December 2023.
^"Rhythmic Airplay". Billboard. 29 March 1997. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
^"Pop Airplay". Billboard. 2 July 1997. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
^* Zimbabwe. Kimberley, C. Zimbabwe: singles chart book. Harare: C. Kimberley, 2000
^"Malta – Radio Airplay Chart – Settimana 25.2023 – dal 16/06/2023 al 22/06/2023". Radiomonitor (in Italian). 23 June 2023. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
^"ARIA Top 50 Singles for 1996". ARIA. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
^"Jaaroverzichten 1996" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 31 March 2014.
^"Rapports annuels 1996" (in French). Ultratop. Retrieved 31 March 2014.
^"1996 Year-End Sales Charts: Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 13, no. 51/52. 21 December 1996. p. 12. Retrieved 18 December 2019.
^"Tops de L'année | Top Singles 1996" (in French). SNEP. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
^"Top 100 Single–Jahrescharts 1996" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
^"Single top 100 over 1996" (PDF) (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 19 April 2010.
^"Jaaroverzichten – Single 1997" (in Dutch). MegaCharts. Retrieved 23 August 2019.
^"Spotify – Nevada". open.spotify.com. Retrieved 19 March 2022.
^Songfacts. "The Mack by Nevada - Songfacts". www.songfacts.com. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
^Média, Bell. "INTERVIEW: Nevada Says Fetty Wap Added 'A Fresh Twist' To 'The Mack'". www.iheartradio.ca. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
^"Nevada – The Mack". EDM Sauce. 25 September 2016. Retrieved 24 October 2016.
^"Mark Morrison and Fetty Wap team up for Return of the Mack 20th anniversary revamp". Xposé Entertainment. TV3 Group. 29 September 2016. Retrieved 24 October 2016.
^"The Mack – Nevada". AllMusic. Retrieved 24 October 2016.
^"The Mack (feat. Mark Morrison & Fetty Wap) – Single by Nevada on Apple Music". iTunes. Apple Music. Retrieved 24 October 2016.
^"Nevada feat. Mark Morrison & Fetty Wap – The Mack". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
^"Nevada feat. Mark Morrison & Fetty Wap – The Mack" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 2 February 2017.
^"Nevada feat. Mark Morrison & Fetty Wap – The Mack" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved 10 December 2016.
^"Nevada feat. Mark Morrison & Fetty Wap – The Mack" (in French). Ultratip. Retrieved 10 December 2016.
^"Nevada Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 29 November 2016.
^"ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Digital Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Change the chart to CZ – SINGLES DIGITAL – TOP 100 and insert 201648 into search. Retrieved 6 December 2016.
^"Nevada feat. Mark Morrison & Fetty Wap – The Mack" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 27 January 2017.
^"Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Single (track) Top 40 lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved 28 January 2017.
^"The Irish Charts – Search Results – The Mack". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 26 January 2020.
^"Nevada feat. Mark Morrison & Fetty Wap – The Mack" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 24 December 2016.
^"Nevada feat. Mark Morrison & Fetty Wap – The Mack". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
^"Nevada feat. Mark Morrison & Fetty Wap – The Mack". AFP Top 100 Singles. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
^"Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 3 December 2016.
^"ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Singles Digital Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select SINGLES DIGITAL - TOP 100 and insert 201646 into search. Retrieved 24 November 2016.
^"Nevada feat. Mark Morrison & Fetty Wap – The Mack". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
^"Nevada feat. Mark Morrison & Fetty Wap – The Mack". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
^"Danish single certifications – Nevada – The Mack". IFPI Danmark. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
^"Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Nevada feat. Mark Morrison & Fetty Wap; 'The Mack')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved 14 September 2020.
^"Italian single certifications – Nevada feat. Mark Morrison & Fetty Wap – The Mack" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
^"New Zealand single certifications – Nevada feat. Mark Morrison and Fetty Wap – The Mack". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 23 December 2016.
^"British single certifications – Nevada/Mark Morrison/Fetty Wap – The Mack". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 25 May 2021.
^Worldwide releases for digital single of "The Mack":
For Brazil: "The Mack (feat. Mark Morrison & Fetty Wap) – Single by Nevada on Apple Music". iTunes Store (BR) (in Portuguese). Apple Inc. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
For Japan: "The Mack (feat. Mark Morrison & Fetty Wap) – Single by Nevada on Apple Music". iTunes Store (JP) (in Japanese). Apple Inc. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
For New Zealand: "The Mack (feat. Mark Morrison & Fetty Wap) – Single by Nevada on Apple Music". iTunes Store (NZ). Apple Inc. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
For the UK: "The Mack (feat. Mark Morrison & Fetty Wap) – Single by Nevada on Apple Music". iTunes Store (UK). Apple Inc. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
For the US: "The Mack (feat. Mark Morrison & Fetty Wap) – Single by Nevada on Apple Music". iTunes Store (US). Apple Inc. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
^"NEVADA "The Mack" (Radio Date: 28/10/2016)". radiodate.it. Radio Airplay S.R.L. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
^"The Mack Remixes Apple Music". Apple Music. 25 November 2016. Retrieved 23 December 2019.