Songoftheday 7/31/21 - So we sip a little something lay to rest the spill, me an Charlie at the bar runnin' up a high bill...

 

 

"Miami" - Will Smith

from the album Big Willie Style (1997)

Billboard Hot 100 peak: #17 (one week)

Weeks in the Top-40: 18

 

Today's song of the day comes from Will Smith, who dropped the "Fresh Prince" moniker (as well as Jazzy Jeff for that matter) and saw his first solo album already spin off three big hits with "Just The Two Of Us" and the #1 (one radio one Hot 100) hits "Men In Black" and "Gettin' Jiggy With It". The fourth and final single from the album would be a tribute to the city of "Miami". Written by Smith with Ryan Toby (who eventually would have his own hits as a member of the group City High), was built on a foundation of a sample of  the disco classic "And The Beat Goes On" written by Leon Sylvers, Stephen Shockley, and William Shelby and recorded by the Whispers. It's basically a tourism advertisement aimed at the young party crowd, though mentioning Mardi Gras is an odd choice. All and all it's a harmless and fun record, and Smith knows how to ride a pop groove more than anyone save maybe Flo Rida...

"Miami" became the fourth top-40 pop hit from Big Willie Style in February of 1999. The single was maybe a little too slick for urban radio, as it stalled all the way down at #73 on Billboard magazine's R&B chart. Internationally, the single was even a bigger hit, reaching the top ten in the UK (#3), Switzerland (#4), New Zealand (#4), Sweden (#5), Austria (#5), Hungary (#7), Finland (#8), Ireland (#10), the Netherlands (#10), Norway (#10), and Belgium (#10W/#14F), while just missing that mark in Canada (#11) and Germany (#12). Will will return to the series.

(6/10)

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Here's Smith performing Miami live in concert...

Will showed up in DJ Marshmello's set at the Ultra Music Festival in 2018...

Up tomorrow: R&B group declares the moment.