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I Want to Thank You (song)

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"I Want to Thank You"
Single by Alicia Myers
from the album Alicia and I Fooled You This Time
ReleasedSeptember 18, 1982 (1982-09-18)
Recorded1981
Genre
Length3:47
LabelMCA
Songwriter(s)Kevin McCord
Producer(s)
  • Irene Perkins
  • Kevin McCord
Alicia Myers singles chronology
""Do Your Kind of Dance""
(1981)
"I Want to Thank You"
(1982)
""Is It Really Real""
(1983)

"I Want to Thank You" is a song by American singer Alicia Myers, released in 1981, originally as a track from her debut album, Alicia (1981). The song was later included as a single on her 1982 album, I Fooled You This Time, due to its heavy rotation in clubs by DJs in the United States and United Kingdom.[1] The song was written by Kevin McCord, who also produced it alongside Irene Perkins. It debuted on the Hot Black Singles chart, where it ran for 11 weeks, peaking at number 37 in November 1982.[2]

Charts

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Lawsuit with Mariah Carey

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In June 1994, the song's writer, Kevin McCord, sued singer Mariah Carey and her music team for incorporating significant musical elements from "I Want to Thank You" into her 1991 song "Make It Happen". McCord stated, "If you listen to the chords at the beginning of the song, the similarity is obvious. It's the exact same chords in a different key"; he also noted lyrical similarities.[3] Carey's side initially claimed McCord had no standing to sue, but McCord's attorney showed the song's copyright owners had transferred their legal interest in "I Want to Thank You" to McCord "in an effort to adjudicate their claims".[3] Though a Carey spokesperson maintained the copyright infringement allegations were false, McCord said he had turned down settlement offers from Carey's camp.[3] McCord eventually accepted a settlement offer of about US$500,000.[4]

Robin S. version

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"I Want to Thank You"
Single by Robin S.
from the album Show Me Love
ReleasedMarch 7, 1994 (1994-03-07)[5]
Genre
Length3:48
Label
Songwriter(s)
  • Kevin McCord
Producer(s)
Robin S. singles chronology
"What I Do Best"
(1993)
"I Want to Thank You"
(1994)
"Back It Up"
(1994)

"I Want to Thank You" was later re-recorded as a house track by American singer and songwriter Robin S., released in March 1994 as the fourth single from her debut album, Show Me Love (1993). This version was produced by Allen George, Fred McFarlane, and Junior Vasquez. It was a minor hit in Europe, peaking at number 39 in Belgium and number 48 on the UK Singles Chart. On the US Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart, it reached number three.

Critical reception

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Larry Flick from Billboard wrote, "Thanks in large part to the eternally golden remix hand of David Morales, the voice behind the massive "Show Me Love" is poised to flood dancefloors again. Her solid rendition of this gospel-tinged disco evergreen is enhanced by Morales' savvy blend of groove and slick synths. Junior Vasquez, the track's original co-producer, drops a couple of sturdy versions that are darker and geared more toward underground tastes."[6] British magazine Music Week's RM Dance Update declared it as a "smooth soulful cover version".[7] An editor, James Hamilton, described it as a "incredibly coincidental almost Degrees of Motion ["Shine On"] answering 'thank you Heavenly Father for shining your light on me' inspirational loper".[8] Chuck Arnold from Philadelphia Daily News complimented it as a "spiritual stomper".[9]

Track listings

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  • 12-inch single, UK (1994)
  1. "I Want to Thank You" (Bad Yard Club Mix)
  2. "I Want to Thank You" (Bad Yard Dub)
  3. "I Want to Thank You" (Accapella)
  4. "I Want to Thank You" (Extended Mix)
  5. "I Want to Thank You" (Extended Dub Mix)
  6. "I Want to Thank You" (Africa)
  • CD single, France (1994)
  1. "I Want to Thank You" (Radio Edit) — 3:48
  2. "I Want to Thank You" (L.P Edit) — 3:58
  • CD single, UK (1994)
  1. "I Want to Thank You" (Radio Edit) — 3:50
  2. "I Want to Thank You" (Radio Edit 2) — 3:55
  3. "I Want to Thank You" (Bad Yard Club Mix) — 9:02
  4. "I Want to Thank You" (Bad Yard Dub) — 5:46
  5. "I Want to Thank You" (Accapella) — 0:49
  6. "I Want to Thank You" (Extended Mix) — 5:38
  7. "I Want to Thank You" (Extended Dub) — 4:45
  8. "I Want to Thank You" (Africa) — 5:38
  • CD maxi, Germany (1994)
  1. "I Want to Thank You" (Radio Edit) — 3:48
  2. "I Want to Thank You" (Radio Edit 2) — 3:58
  3. "I Want to Thank You" (Bad Yard Club Mix) — 8:59

Charts

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Chart (1994) Peak
position
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[10] 36
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40 Tipparade)[11] 17
Netherlands (Dutch Single Tip)[12] 5
Scotland (OCC)[13] 51
UK Singles (OCC) 48
UK Dance (Music Week)[14] 8
UK Club Chart (Music Week)[15] 7
US Bubbling Under Hot 100 (Billboard) 3

References

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  1. ^ Beaubien, Sam (July 30, 2019). "Sam's Jams: Alicia Myers "I Want To Thank You"". WDET. Detroit's NPR Station. Retrieved January 29, 2023.
  2. ^ "Rhythm & Blues chart run Alicia Myers I Want To Thank You". Deluxe Music Chart Archive. Records and Charts. Retrieved January 29, 2023.
  3. ^ a b c Atwood, Brett (July 23, 1994). "Carey And Sony Dispute C'right Infringement Claims". Billboard. Vol. 106, no. 30. BPI Communications. pp. 12, 125. ISSN 0006-2510. OCLC 1532948.
  4. ^ Friedman, Roger (August 10, 2004). "Mariah Carey Accused of Plagiarism". FOXNews.com. News Corporation. Archived from the original on August 13, 2011. Retrieved August 1, 2011.
  5. ^ "Single Releases". Music Week. March 5, 1994. p. 21.
  6. ^ Flick, Larry (March 12, 1994). "Single Reviews" (PDF). Billboard. p. 53. Retrieved April 26, 2021.
  7. ^ "Cool Cuts" (PDF). Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert). February 19, 1994. p. 3. Retrieved April 26, 2021.
  8. ^ Hamilton, James (March 12, 1994). "Dj directory" (PDF). Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert). p. 7. Retrieved April 26, 2021.
  9. ^ Arnold, Chuck (August 24, 1993). "'Bobfest' Album Is A Cut Above The Concert". Philadelphia Daily News.
  10. ^ "Robin S. – I Want To Thank You" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved April 26, 2021.
  11. ^ "Robin S – I Want To Thank You". Top40.nl. Retrieved April 26, 2021.
  12. ^ "Robin S. – I Want To Thank You". Dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved April 26, 2021.
  13. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 26, 2021.
  14. ^ "Dance Singles" (PDF). Music Week. March 19, 1994. p. 22. Retrieved April 26, 2021.
  15. ^ "The RM Club Chart" (PDF). Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert). March 5, 1994. p. 4. Retrieved May 15, 2023.