Things That Make You Go Hmmm...

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"Things That Make You Go Hmmm..."
Single by C+C Music Factory featuring Freedom Williams
from the album Gonna Make You Sweat
ReleasedJune 12, 1991 (1991-06-12)
Genre
Length5:23
LabelColumbia
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Robert Clivillés
  • David Cole
C+C Music Factory singles chronology
"Here We Go (Let's Rock & Roll)"
(1991) 		"Things That Make You Go Hmmm..."
(1991) 		"Just a Touch of Love"
(1991)
Music video
"Things That Make You Go Hmmmm..." on YouTube

"Things That Make You Go Hmmm..." is a song by American dance group C+C Music Factory. It was released in June 1991 as the third single from their debut album, Gonna Make You Sweat (1990). The single version features Freedom Williams and Zelma Davis who also appear in the accompanying music video, while female vocals are provided by Deborah Cooper instead of Davis on the original album version. The song was inspired by a running gag on The Arsenio Hall Show, where Arsenio, while allegedly on a long drive, pondered certain thoughts and referred to them as "things that make you go hmmm...."

The C+C song was a success in the US, reaching number four on the Billboard Hot 100, number 31 on the Billboard Hot R&B Singles chart, and number 20 on the Top 40 Radio Monitor. It also reached number four on the UK Singles Chart. The song was certified gold by the RIAA on August 13, 1991, for sales of over 500,000 copies.

Critical reception[edit]

AllMusic editor Jose F. Promis remarked that the song took a phrase popularized by Arsenio Hall and made it into "another cleverly infectious Top Ten smash."[2] Larry Flick from Billboard wrote, "After forging a guitar-driven pop/hiphop sound that is being heavily copied by others, groove clique deftly sidesteps into James Brown-style funk territory. Rapper Freedom Williams tells amusing tales amid retro-horns and percussion."[3] Penelope Layland from The Canberra Times named it the best track on the album, "with its clever, catchy lyrics and smooth beat."[4]

Dave Sholin from the Gavin Report stated that writers/producers Cole and Clivillés "have successfully crossbred a unique brand of rap and melody that's taken them on back-to-back trips into the Top Ten. This third entry maintains their infectious rhythm, strengthened by a title that will keep audiences hummmmin'."[5] A reviewer from Music & Media wrote that "the secret behind the success of these dance/pop providers is the good hook in their songs. This time it's the saxophone part, which is repeated after each line."[6] David Quantick from NME said, "The old C&Cs have blown it this time with a very ordinary sort of tune indeed that doesn't so much fail to stay in the memory as break the doors down, steal the car and drive to Birmingham."[7]

Chart performance[edit]

"Things That Make You Go Hmmm..." proved to be a major hit on several continents and remains one of the group's most successful songs. It soared to the number-one position on both the Billboard Hot Dance/Club Play chart in the United States and the RPM Dance/Urban chart in Canada. In Europe, the single entered the top 10 in Finland (10), Ireland (9) and the United Kingdom. In the latter, it peaked at number four in its fourth week at the UK Singles Chart, on July 21, 1991.[8] Additionally, it was a top 20 hit on the UK Dance Singles Chart, as well as in the Netherlands (19), Sweden (14) and Switzerland (15). In Oceania, "Things That Make You Go Hmmm..." hit number two and six in New Zealand and Australia, respectively. On the US Billboard Hot 100, it peaked at number four. The single was awarded with a gold record in the US, after 500,000 singles were sold there.

Music video[edit]

The accompanying music video for the song was directed by German director Marcus Nispel. It features silhouetted animation of dancers jumping and dancing in front of a white background, with a stage visible, but also in silhouette. The story of the song is also interpreted with black and gold cut-out animation.[9]

Impact and legacy[edit]

Australian music channel Max included "Things That Make You Go Hmmm..." in their list of "1000 Greatest Songs of All Time" in 2013.[10]

Track listings[edit]

Charts and certifications[edit]

Release history[edit]

Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
United States June 12, 1991
  • 7-inch vinyl
  • 12-inch vinyl
  • CD
  • cassette
 Columbia [35]
United Kingdom June 24, 1991 [36]

In popular culture[edit]

British girl group Stooshe covered the song and released it in 2013 as a B-side to their single "Black Heart", under the title "Things That Make You Go Mmm". The single reached number three in the UK and number four in Scotland.

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Deggans, Eric (January 1, 1998). "C+C Music Factory". In Graff, Gary; du Lac, Josh; McFarlin, Jim (eds.). MusicHound R&B: The Essential Album Guide. Detroit: Visible Ink Press. p. 88.
  2. ^ Promis, Jose F. "C+C Music Factory - Gonna Make You Sweat". AllMusic. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
  3. ^ Flick, Larry (July 13, 1991). "Single Reviews" (PDF). Billboard. p. 77. Retrieved October 24, 2020.
  4. ^ Layland, Penelope (February 7, 1991). "Sound of the future with a tribute to the past". The Canberra Times. p. 15. Retrieved April 23, 2020.
  5. ^ Sholin, Dave (July 5, 1991). "Gavin Picks > Singles" (PDF). Gavin Report. No. 1863. p. 52. Retrieved April 17, 2018.
  6. ^ "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. July 27, 1991. p. 11. Retrieved February 22, 2018.
  7. ^ Quantick, David (June 29, 1991). "Singles". NME. p. 18. Retrieved April 29, 2023.
  8. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 75 21 July 1991 - 27 July 1991". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 18, 2020.
  9. ^ "C+C Music Factory - Things That Make You Go Hmmmm.... (Video Version) ft. Freedom Williams". October 25, 2009. Retrieved September 12, 2020 – via YouTube.
  10. ^ "THE TOP 1,000 GREATEST SONGS OF ALL TIME – 2013". Max. 2013. Retrieved April 26, 2020.
  11. ^ "C & C Music Factory feat. Freedom Williams – Things That Make You Go Hmmm....". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved May 2, 2021.
  12. ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 1642." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved May 2, 2021.
  13. ^ "Top RPM Dance/Urban: Issue 1608." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved May 2, 2021.
  14. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 8, no. 32. August 10, 1991. p. 21. Retrieved May 2, 2021.
  15. ^ Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN 978-951-1-21053-5.
  16. ^ "C & C Music Factory feat. Freedom Williams – Things That Make You Go Hmmm...." (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved May 2, 2021.
  17. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Things That Make You Go Hmmm". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved May 2, 2021.
  18. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 35, 1992" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved May 2, 2021.
  19. ^ "C & C Music Factory feat. Freedom Williams – Things That Make You Go Hmmm...." (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved May 2, 2021.
  20. ^ "C & C Music Factory feat. Freedom Williams – Things That Make You Go Hmmm....". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved May 2, 2021.
  21. ^ "C & C Music Factory feat. Freedom Williams – Things That Make You Go Hmmm....". Singles Top 100. Retrieved May 2, 2021.
  22. ^ "C & C Music Factory feat. Freedom Williams – Things That Make You Go Hmmm....". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved May 2, 2021.
  23. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 2, 2021.
  24. ^ "Top 60 Dance Singles" (PDF). Music Week. July 13, 1991. p. 20. Retrieved September 28, 2020.
  25. ^ "Freedom Williams Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved May 2, 2021.
  26. ^ "Freedom Williams Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved May 2, 2021.
  27. ^ "Freedom Williams Chart History (Dance Singles Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved March 21, 2022.
  28. ^ "Freedom Williams Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved May 2, 2021.
  29. ^ a b "ARIA Top 50 Singles for 1991". ARIA. Retrieved May 2, 2021.
  30. ^ "RPM Dance Tracks of 1991". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved May 2, 2021.
  31. ^ "End of Year Charts 1991". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved December 3, 2017.
  32. ^ "1991 Top 100 Singles". Music Week. January 11, 1992. p. 20.
  33. ^ "1991 The Year in Music & Video: Top Pop Singles". Billboard. Vol. 103, no. 51. December 21, 1991. p. YE-14.
  34. ^ "New Zealand single certifications – C & C Music Factory – Things That Make You Go Hmmm". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved May 2, 2021.
  35. ^ a b "American single certifications – Music Factory – Things That Make You Go Hmmmm ..." Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved May 2, 2021.
  36. ^ "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. June 22, 1991. p. 19.
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