Creep (TLC song)

"Creep"
Single by TLC
from the album CrazySexyCool
Released	October 31, 1994
Format	CD single, 12-inch single
Recorded	March 1994
Genre	R&B, Hip Hop Soul
Length	4:28
Label	LaFace 24088
Writer(s)	Dallas Austin
Producer	Dallas Austin
Certification	RIAA: Platinum
TLC singles chronology
"Get It Up" (1993) "Creep" (1994) "Red Light Special" (1994)
CrazySexyCool track listing "Intro-Lude" (1) "Creep" (2) "Kick Your Game" (3)

"Creep" is the Grammy-winning first single by American R&B group TLC from their second studio album CrazySexyCool, released on October 31, 1994 by LaFace Records. The single became their first number-one single and fourth top-ten single on the Billboard Hot 100, and remained at number one on the chart for four weeks, eventually becoming the second best-selling single of 1995, behind Madonna's "Take a Bow". TLC won the Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals, and Dallas Austin was nominated for Best R&B Song. It was the 3rd most successful Hot 100 Single of 1995, according to Billboard's Year End Charts. "Creep" was ranked third on Spin's Top 20 Singles of the '90s^[1] & #7 on nuTsie's Top 100 Greatest R&B Songs of the 1990s. It contains a sample of "Hey Young World" by Slick Rick.

Song information

The lyrics are taken from the perspective of a woman who is aware of her boyfriend's infidelity and in turn cheats on him in an effort to appease her need for affection. A cover version of the song was released by alternative rock band The Afghan Whigs. In the documentary "The Last Days of Left Eye", TLC member Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes said she was 100% against the release of Creep as a single, and threatened to wear black tape over her mouth in the music video.

Music video

There were three music videos made for this song between June and August 1994, with the third video being released on September 16, 1994. The video features each girl individually in front of a color background wearing silky pajamas, though it was only Chilli who had two different pajamas that were grey and pink, with T-Boz in blue and Left Eye in red. There are other scenes featuring T-Boz singing into a microphone with Omar Lopez, a previous dancer for Janet Jackson, with an open shirt, playing trumpet behind her and flirting with her. There are also, black and white shots of them rehearsing dance moves, being silly and hanging out. Most of the fashions in the video represent early 1990s fashion, such as flannel shirts, baggy pants and sweatshirts tied around the waist. This video shows TLC becoming more mature compared to their prior album.

Tracklistings and formats

Creep US CD Single[2] "Creep" (L.P. Version) (4:29) "Creep" (Instrumental L.P. Version) (4:47) US 12" vinyl[3] A1. "Creep" (Album Version) (4:27) A2. "Creep" (Jermaine's 'Jeep' Mix) (5:09) B1. "Creep" (Instrumental Album Version) (4:47) B2. "Creep" (Jermaine's Acappella Mix) (5:09) US CD Maxi-Single[4] "Creep" (Album Version) (4:28) "Creep" (Jermaine's Jeep Mix) (5:09) "Creep" (Untouchables Mix) (5:22) "Creep" (Super Smooth Mix) (5:22) "Creep" (DARP Mix) (4:50) "Creep" (Untouchables Instrumental) (5:18)

Creep '96 12" single[5] A1. Creep (Maxx Remix) - 5:12 A2. Creep (Jermaine's Jeep Mix) - 5:13 B1. Creep (Tin Tin Out Remix) - 8:35 B2. Waterfalls (DARP Remix)- 4:32 CD maxi single[6] "Creep (Radio Edit - Original Version) - 4:28 "Waterfalls" (Single Edit) - 4:21 "Creep" (Maxx Remix) - 5:11 "Creep" (Tin Tin Out Remix) - 8:35

Official versions

• Radio Edit
• DARP Mix*
• Jermaine's Jeep Mix
• Smooth Mix*
• Super Smooth Mix*
• Untouchables Mix*
• Untouchables Instrumental
• Maxx Remix
• Tin Tin Out Remix

* - includes a rap by Left Eye.

Creep '96

The second version of the single released in 1996 contained four versions of the song, the original, the Untouchables Remix featuring the late Left Eye's verse, the Maxx Remix and the Tin Tin Out Remix. It also contains the single version of "Waterfalls".

Chart performance

Peak positions Chart (1994–1995) Peak position U.S. Billboard Hot 100 1 U.S. Billboard Hot R&B Singles & Tracks 1 New Zealand Singles Chart 2 UK Singles Chart 6 Australian Singles Chart 9 French Singles Chart 23 Swiss Singles Chart 26 Eurochart Hot 100 Singles 43 Swedish Singles Chart 56 Dutch Top 40 Singles 19 German Singles Chart 39

End of year charts End of year chart (1995) Position U.S. Billboard Hot 100[7] 3 End of decade charts Chart (1990–1999) Position U.S. Billboard Hot 100[8] 21

Preceded by "On Bended Knee" by Boyz II Men

Billboard Hot 100 number-one single January 28, 1995 – February 18, 1995

Succeeded by "Take a Bow" by Madonna

See also

• R&B number-one hits of 1994 (USA)
• R&B number-one hits of 1995 (USA)
• List of Hot 100 number-one singles of 1995 (U.S.)

References

1. ^ http://www.rocklist.net/spin100.html
2. ^ Discogs.com, Creep (CD, Single), Retrieved on December 23, 2008
3. ^ Discogs.com, Creep (12"), Retrieved December 23, 2008
4. ^ Discogs.com, Creep (CD, Maxi), Retrieved on December 23, 2008
5. ^ Discogs.com, Creep '96 (Vinyl, 12", 33 ⅓ RPM), Retrieved on March 31, 2009
6. ^ Discogs.com, Creep '96 (CD, Single), Retrieved on March 31, 2009
7. ^ "Billboard Top 100 - 1995". http://longboredsurfer.com/charts.php?year=1995. Retrieved 2010-08-27. 
8. ^ Geoff Mayfield (December 25, 1999). 1999 The Year in Music Totally '90s: Diary of a Decade - The listing of Top Pop Albums of the '90s & Hot 100 Singles of the '90s. Billboard. http://books.google.co.kr/books?id=9w0EAAAAMBAJ&lpg=PP1&lr&rview=1&pg=RA1-PA4#v=onepage&q&f=false. Retrieved October 15, 2010.