Throwback Thursday: Arrested Development – “Tennessee”
It was all a dream about Tennessee.
The nation’s 16th state has been in the news lately for all the wrong reasons, but the racist antics of its state legislators has led to a renewed push for civil rights and introduced two young, new voices to the national stage.
As the events of the last week unfolded, I’ve had Arrested Development’s debut single, “Tennessee,” stuck in my head. Even if the song was named “Vermont” or some other state, its lyrics would still feel appropriate in this moment, but it being named after the state on everyone’s mind makes it the perfect choice for this week’s TBT.
While “Tennessee” is partially a general commentary on the struggles of being Black in America, it is above all a personal song about a man in a state of grief. The group’s lead vocalist, Speech, had visited Tennessee with his brother for their grandmother’s funeral, and just days later, his brother died. “Tennessee” was born out of those losses. In a 2008 interview, Speech said, “That song was probably the first step of me recovering from the loss of two people that are just extremely close and dear to me.”
“Tennessee,” which includes lead vocals from a then-unknown Dionne Farris, is based on a sample of Prince’s “Alphabet Street,” an uncleared sample of “Alphabet Street.” Luckily, Prince chose to be nice and only asked for a one-time payment of $100,000 after the song became a major hit.
“Tennessee” would go on to peak at No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 and earn Arrested Development a Grammy for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group. The group would also win the Grammy for Best New Artist, making it the first hip-hop act to win in that category. Depending on who you ask, it is their signature hit — “People Everyday” said hi — and while that could be debated, what is without dispute is that it is a classic that introduced the world to a dynamic group with an incredibly original sound.
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