The Run That Back series is a deep dive into some of music’s most popular or underrated projects. Whether it’s been 5 years or 50, there’s never a wrong time to ‘run that back.’
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Summer doesn't officially begin until someone fires up a grill, and no party is complete without Mark Morrison's "Return of the Mack" being played at full volume. It is, arguably, one of the greatest songs of all time and if you don't revere it as such, you need to play it again. The 1996 certified banger peaked No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became one of the most tagged songs on Shazam when it made an appearance on the third episode of Master of None. It also was featured on the popular British soap opera, Eastenders.
Not to mention, the song is certified Platinum and reached the Top 10 charts in several countries. Morrison, a British R&B singer, slid into the scene with this uptempo bop, just as R&B was shifting into the neo-soul era. Morrison explained in an interview (below) that the song was about sexual betrayal on his partner's side and compared it to Marvin Gaye's "I Heard It Through The Grapevine." He explained, "for me, it was a whole complete, different meaning. A lot of people turned their backs on me. I'm gonna come back and I'm gonna come back stronger than before— I'm gonna come back as a mack."
Unlike the heartbreak ballads reigning that era of rhythm and blues, Morrison flipped the script and "Return of the Mack" is a feel-good staple for any occasion.
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