Songoftheday 8/4/20 - Well it's the M - I - crooked letter ain't no one better, and when I'm on the microphone you best to wear your sweater...

"ATLiens" / "Wheelz of Steel" - Outkast

from the album ATLiens (1996)

Billboard Hot 100 peak: #35 (one week)

Weeks in the Top-40: 3

Today's song of the day comes from the hip-hop duo Outkast, whose sophomore album ATLiens had already scored their second top 40 pop hit with "Elevators (Me & You)" in the summer of 1996. The second single from the record would be the title cut "ATLiens". Written and produced by the pair (Andre 3000 and Big Boi), the song name checks a whole bunch of records and culture references in a stream of consciousness over a spaced out beat that was revolutionary at that time...

"Atliens" became the second top-40 pop hit from the album in January of 1997. The song also climbed to #23 on Billboard magazine's R&B chart, with the "B-side" single track "Wheelz Of Steel" getting enough urban radio airplay to be listed for most of the chart run. Internationally, the single was a minor hit in Germany at #93. The third single from the record, "Jazzy Belle" got to #25 on the R&B chart, while making it halfway up the pop Hot 100 at #52.

(Click below to see the rest of the post)

Here's the "B-side" "Wheelz Of Steel" that was played on urban stations enough to place on the chart..

and lastly, the duo appearing live for perform "ATLiens" at Showtime At The Apollo...

Up tomorrow: SC barband and their Friends can't see.