Don't Be Cruel (Bobby Brown song)

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This article is about the song by Bobby Brown. For the song by Elvis Presley, see Don't Be Cruel.

"Don't Be Cruel" is a song recorded by American singer Bobby Brown. Taken from his second and most successful album as its title track, the song was written and produced by the songwriting and production duo Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds and Antonio "L.A." Reid, with additional writing by Daryl Simmons.

"Don't Be Cruel"
DontBeCruel - BBrown.jpg
Single by Bobby Brown
from the album Don't Be Cruel
ReleasedMay 16, 1988
RecordedFebruary 1988
StudioSilverlake Recording Studios
Genre
Length
  • 6:48 (album version)
  • 4:15 (single version)
  • 7:22 (EP version)
LabelMCA
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • L.A. Reid
  • Babyface
Bobby Brown singles chronology
"Girl Next Door"
(1987) 		"Don't Be Cruel"
(1988) 		"My Prerogative"
(1988)
Music video
"Don’t Be Cruel" on YouTube

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.[2] 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.[citation needed]

Music video[]

The music video was filmed in Boston in May 1988. It is similar to Michael Jackson's "The Way You Make Me Feel", in which a man eagerly pursues the love of a lady on a blue-lit city street.

Charts[]

Weekly charts[]

Chart (1988-1989) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[3] 72
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[4] 39
Ireland (IRMA)[5] 23
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[6] 18
UK Singles (OCC)[7] 13
US Billboard Hot 100[8] 8
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[9] 1

Year-end charts[]

Chart (1988) Position
United States (Billboard)[10][11] 79

Certifications[]

Region Certification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[12] Gold 500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References[]

  1. ^ Josephs, Brian (July 20, 2012). "The 25 Best New Jack Swing Songs". Complex. Retrieved July 26, 2016.
  2. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 81.
  3. ^ Scott, Gavin. "This Week In 1989: July 2, 1989". Chart Beats: A Journey Through Pop. Retrieved November 17, 2020.
  4. ^ "Ultratop.be – Bobby Brown – Don't Be Cruel" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
  5. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Don't Be Cruel". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved July 29, 2020.
  6. ^ "Charts.nz – Bobby Brown – Don't Be Cruel". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
  7. ^ "Bobby Brown: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
  8. ^ "Bobby Brown Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
  9. ^ "Bobby Brown Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
  10. ^ "1988 The Year in Music & Video: Top Pop Singles". Billboard. 100 (52): Y-20. December 24, 1988.
  11. ^ "Billboard Top 100 – 1988". Retrieved October 3, 2016.
  12. ^ "American single certifications – Bobby Brown – Don't Be Cruel". Recording Industry Association of America.

External links[]



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