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The Floor (song)

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"The Floor"
Single by Johnny Gill
from the album Provocative
ReleasedMay 4, 1993 (1993-05-04)
Genre
Length5:13
LabelMotown
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis
Johnny Gill singles chronology
"There U Go"
(1992) 		"The Floor"
(1993) 		"I Got You"
(1993)
Audio
"The Floor" on YouTube

"The Floor" is a song by American singer-songwriter Johnny Gill from his fourth studio album, Provocative (1993). The track, a dance and funk song, was written and produced by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis and was released as the lead single from Provocative on May 4, 1993, through the Motown label. American band Mint Condition performs the "floor" chants on the song, with member Stokley providing additional background vocals.

Upon its release, "The Floor" peaked at number 56 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and became a top-40 hit in Australia and New Zealand. In Australia, it was certified gold for shipping over 35,000 copies. The song's music video, directed by English video director Julien Temple, features Gill and his backup dancers on a smoky dance floor built like a trampoline.

Chart performance

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"The Floor" debuted on the US Billboard Hot 100 on May 22, 1993, as that week's "Hot Shot Debut".[3] Four weeks later, on June 19, the song peaked at number 56, becoming Johnny Gill's second-lowest-charting solo single in the US, after "Wrap My Body Tight". It spent 10 weeks on the Hot 100 before leaving the chart.[4] It became a top-20 hit on the Billboard Hot R&B Singles chart, reaching number 11, and also appeared on two other Billboard rankings: the Rhythmic chart (number 32) and the Dance Singles Sales chart (number 49).[5][6][7] On the Canadian RPM Dance chart, the song peaked at number eight for two weeks.[8][9]

Outside North America, "The Floor" charted in Australia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. It spent a single week on the UK Singles Chart at number 53 and reached number 45 in the Netherlands, where it charted for three weeks.[10][11] In New Zealand, the song debuted at number 34 on July 18, 1993, and peaked at number 29 during its fourth of five weeks on the RIANZ Singles Chart.[12] It charted the highest in Australia, where it logged 23 weeks on the ARIA Singles Chart, reaching number six on October 10, 1993.[13] It was Australia's 29th-most-successful single of 1993 and was certified gold by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) for shipping over 35,000 copies.[14]

Music video

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Julien Temple directed the music video for "The Floor" and filmed it in May 1993.[15] It was choreographed by Michael Brown and Taco. The video features Gill and many backup dancers dancing on a foggy, multitiered dance floor with a built-in trampoline. According to Temple, he wanted the video to go along with the songs lyrics by "exploring the floor".[16] Gill, who was 27 at the time of filming, was not in prime condition to perform the acrobatic moves in the video and spent most of his time with a masseuse who tended to his injuries.[16]

Track listings

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Personnel

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Personnel are adapted from the US cassette single sleeve.[17]

Charts

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Certifications

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[14] Gold 35,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Release history

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Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
United States May 4, 1993 Cassette Motown [25]
Japan June 10, 1993 Mini-CD [26]
United Kingdom July 5, 1993
  • 7-inch vinyl
  • 12-inch vinyl
  • CD
  • cassette
 [27]

References

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  1. ^ McAdams, Janine (May 8, 1993). "Taking Care of Business in Atlantic City" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 105, no. 19. p. 20. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
  2. ^ Flicky, Larry, ed. (May 8, 1993). "Single Reviews" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 105, no. 19. p. 62. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
  3. ^ "The Hot 100: Week of May 22, 1993". Billboard. May 22, 1993. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
  4. ^ a b "Johnny Gill Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
  5. ^ a b "Johnny Gill Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
  6. ^ a b "Johnny Gill Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
  7. ^ a b "Johnny Gill Chart History (Dance Singles Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
  8. ^ a b "Top RPM Dance/Urban: Issue 2187." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
  9. ^ "RPM Dance". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. August 7, 1993. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
  10. ^ a b "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
  11. ^ a b "Johnny Gill – The Floor" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
  12. ^ a b "Johnny Gill – The Floor". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
  13. ^ a b "Johnny Gill – The Floor". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
  14. ^ a b c "ARIA Top 50 Singles for 1993". ARIA. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
  15. ^ Russell, Deborah (May 29, 1993). "Vid Show Taps Talent; Fans Hit The Tour Trail" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 105, no. 22. p. 41. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
  16. ^ a b Russell, Deborah (May 8, 1993). "Gill Vid Floors Viewers; BET Has the I.D. on MY" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 105, no. 19. p. 36. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
  17. ^ a b The Floor (US cassette single sleeve). Johnny Gill. Motown. 1993. 374632202-4.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  18. ^ The Floor (Japanese mini-CD single liner notes). Johnny Gill. Motown. 1993. PODT-1016.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  19. ^ The Floor (UK 7-inch single sleeve). Johnny Gill. Motown. 1993. TMG 1416.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  20. ^ The Floor (UK & Australian cassette single sleeve). Johnny Gill. Motown. 1993. TMGCS 1416, 860 112-4.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  21. ^ The Floor (UK & Australian CD single liner notes). Johnny Gill. Motown. 1993. TMGCD 1416, 860 113-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  22. ^ The Floor (UK 12-inch single sleeve). Johnny Gill. Motown. 1993. TMGX 1416, 860 113-1.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  23. ^ "Tipparade-lijst van week 28, 1993" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved March 16, 2023.
  24. ^ "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs – Year-End 1993". Billboard. Retrieved October 22, 2021.
  25. ^ "The Floor". Amazon. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
  26. ^ "フロアー | ジョニー・ギル" [Floor | Johnny Gill] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved September 8, 2023.
  27. ^ "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. July 3, 1993. p. 19. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
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