Redbone (song)

"Redbone" is a song recorded by American rapper and singer Childish Gambino, the stage name of Donald Glover. It was released on November 17, 2016, and serves as the second single from his third studio album "Awaken, My Love!"[1] The song received three Grammy Award nominations including Record of the Year at the 60th Annual Grammy Awards, eventually winning the award for Best Traditional R&B Performance.[2]

## Contents

* 1 Background
* 2 Recording and production
* 3 Commercial performance
* 4 Usage in media
* 5 Personnel
* 6 Charts
* 6.1 Weekly charts
* 6.2 Year-end charts
* 7 Certifications
* 8 References
* 9 External links

## Background

Following the release of "Me and Your Mama", Gambino released the song on November 17, 2016 premiering on Annie Mac's Hottest Record on BBC Radio 1, with the DJ describing it as "oozing with soul".[3][4]

## Recording and production

"Redbone" was written by Donald Glover and produced by Ludwig Göransson. When Glover was doing an interview with Triple J about the album he said:

“  | There wasn't a ton of vocal stuff done ... I think people hear "Redbone" and are like, "Oh, he pitched up his vocals," but there was no vocal pitching on the album—I just sang differently.[5] | ”

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Göransson recorded all the instruments starting out from a drum beat that Donald Glover was playing. The intro of the song is dominated by a recurrent slap bass line and the Maestro G-2 wah of a vintage Telecaster that plays the melody while a synth organ makes the counterpoint. An old Rhodes conduct the base chords in D minor as other instruments get in, like a clavinet, a mellotron, a glockenspiel and the Juno-106 synthesizer. The outro part ends with several fuzz guitar harmony licks, a doubled distored acoustic guitar and some classic piano arrangements.[6] The melody used in the song was first heard in Jaco Pastorius' "Portrait of Tracy". The song also contains elements from "I'd Rather Be with You" by Bootsy's Rubber Band.[7]

## Commercial performance

"Redbone" was a sleeper hit in the United States, debuting at number 75 on Billboard Hot 100 for the chart dated December 10, 2016.[8] The song then re-entered and peaked at number 12 on the chart for the week of August 19, 2017,[9] making it Gambino's highest-charting single at the time (since surpassed by “This Is America”) and his first top 20 single. The song became Childish Gambino's first ever number-one single on the Adult R&B chart.

The track was voted into fifth place in Australian radio station Triple J's Hottest 100 of 2016.[10]

## Usage in media

The 2017 film Get Out, directed by Jordan Peele, features the song during the film's opening scene.[11]

Since its re-entry to the Billboard charts, the song has become a popular internet meme consisting of various remixes of the song to fit a certain theme. During a concert in June 2017, Glover acknowledged the meme onstage before leading into a performance of the song.[12]

During the 2018 Grammy Awards, an Apple ad showing off iPhone X's Animoji effect aired, in which the song was used, with an animated alien head singing the song.[13]

## Personnel

* Childish Gambino – lead and backing vocals, drums, glockenspiel
* Ludwig Göransson – Fender Rhodes, synthesizers, mellotron, clavinet, bass guitar, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, additional vocals

## Charts

### Weekly charts

| Chart (2016–17)  | Peak
position

|

Australia (ARIA)[14] | 27
Australia Urban (ARIA)[15] | 3
Belgium (Ultratip Flanders)[16] | 15
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[17] | 30
Canada Rock (Billboard)[18] | 36
Czech Republic (Singles Digitál Top 100)[19] | 63
France (SNEP)[20] | 142
Ireland (IRMA)[21] | 45
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[22] | 22
Portugal (AFP)[23] | 34
Scotland (Official Charts Company)[24] | 79
Slovakia (Singles Digitál Top 100)[25] | 66
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[26] | 92
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[27] | 51
UK R&B (Official Charts Company)[28] | 12
US Billboard Hot 100[29] | 12
US Adult Alternative Songs (Billboard)[30] | 30
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[31] | 6
US Adult R&B Songs (Billboard)[32] | 1
US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)[33] | 16
US Rhythmic (Billboard)[34] | 2

### Year-end charts

| Chart (2017)  | Position

|

Australia (ARIA)[35] | 49
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[36] | 58
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[37] | 40
US Billboard Hot 100[38] | 25

## Certifications

Region  | Certification | Certified units/sales

|
|

Australia (ARIA)[14] | 2× Platinum  | 140,000
Canada (Music Canada)[39] | 3× Platinum  | 0*
Denmark (IFPI Denmark)[40] | Gold  | 45,000
France (SNEP)[41] | Gold  | 75,000*
New Zealand (RMNZ)[42] | Platinum  | 30,000*
United Kingdom (BPI)[43] | Gold  | 400,000
United States (RIAA)[44] | 4× Platinum  | 4,000,000

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone
sales+streaming figures based on certification alone

## References

1. ↑ "Childish Gambino Gets Smooth & Soulful on New Track 'Redbone'". Billboard. http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/hip-hop/7581222/childish-gambino-redbone. Retrieved December 13, 2016.
2. ↑ Kreps, Daniel (November 28, 2017). "Jay-Z, Kendrick Lamar, Bruno Mars Lead 2018 Grammy Nominees". Rolling Stone. https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/jay-z-kendrick-lamar-bruno-mars-lead-2018-grammy-nominees-w512734. Retrieved November 28, 2017.
3. ↑ "Childish Gambino – Redbone". BBC Radio 1. 2016-11-17. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p04gs6ss.
4. ↑ "Childish Gambino's "Redbone" will help fill the Prince-shaped hole in your heart". https://mic.com/articles/159814/childish-gambino-s-redbone-will-help-fill-the-prince-shaped-hole-in-your-heart#.o8zlL8yVy. Retrieved December 13, 2016.
5. ↑ "Childish Gambino: "There Was No Vocal Pitching on the Album"". http://pigeonsandplanes.com/news/2016/12/childish-gambino-vocal-pitching. Retrieved December 13, 2016.
6. ↑ "The Making of Childish Gambino's "Redbone" with Ludwig Göransson". May 10, 2017. https://genius.com/a/the-making-of-childish-gambino-s-redbone-with-ludwig-goransson.
7. ↑ "Childish Gambino’s “Redbone” Takes Fans On A Groovy Ride". The Verge. November 17, 2016. https://www.vibe.com/2016/11/childish-gambino-redbone-song/.
8. ↑ "Top 100 Songs - Billboard Hot 100 Chart". http://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-100/2016-12-10.
9. ↑ "Top 100 Songs - Billboard Hot 100 Chart". http://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-100/2017-08-19.
10. ↑ "Flume Wins Triple J Hottest 100 Of 2016". http://themusic.com.au/news/all/2017/01/26/flume-wins-triple-j-hottest-100-of-2016/. Retrieved January 26, 2017.
11. ↑ "Jordan Peele Explains Why Childish Gambino's "Redbone" Was Perfect For "Get Out"". http://hiphopdx.com/news/id.42476/title.jordan-peele-explains-why-childish-gambinos-redbone-was-perfect-for-get-out. Retrieved February 23, 2017.
12. ↑ "Donald Glover Hints at Final Childish Gambino Album During Governor’s Ball Set". http://www.complex.com/music/2017/06/donald-glover-hints-at-final-childish-gambino-album-during-governors-ball-set.
13. ↑ "Apple’s Grammy ads feature Animoji lip-syncing to Childish Gambino and Migos". The Verge. January 28, 2018. https://www.theverge.com/2018/1/28/16943430/grammys-apple-animoji-karaoke-redbone-childish-gambino-migos-stir-fry. Retrieved January 29, 2018.
14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 "ARIA Australian Top 50 Singles". Australian Recording Industry Association. August 21, 2017. http://www.ariacharts.com.au/charts/singles-chart. Retrieved August 19, 2017.
15. ↑ "ARIA Urban Singles Chart". ARIA. http://www.ariacharts.com.au/charts/urban-singles-chart. Retrieved February 4, 2017.
16. ↑ "Script error: No such module "WLink".&titel=Script error: No such module "WLink".&cat=s Ultratop.be – Childish Gambino – Redbone" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved February 18, 2017.
17. ↑ Script error: No such module "WLink"./chart-history/CAN "Childish Gambino Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved June 27, 2017.
18. ↑ Script error: No such module "WLink"./chart-history/CAR "Childish Gambino Chart History (Canada Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved August 14, 2017.
19. ↑ "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Digital Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Change the chart to CZ – SINGLES DIGITAL – TOP 100 and insert 201727 into search. Retrieved July 11, 2017.
20. ↑ "Le Top de la semaine : Top Singles Téléchargés – SNEP (Week 32, 2017)" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. http://www.snepmusique.com/tops-semaine/top-singles-telecharges/?ye=2017&we=32. Retrieved August 12, 2017.
21. ↑ "IRMA – Irish Charts". Irish Recorded Music Association. http://irma.ie/index.cfm?page=irish-charts&chart=Singles. Retrieved June 17, 2017.
22. ↑ "NZ Top 40 Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. August 21, 2017. http://nztop40.co.nz/chart/singles?chart=4389. Retrieved August 18, 2017.
23. ↑ "Script error: No such module "WLink".&titel=Script error: No such module "WLink".&cat=s Portuguesecharts.com – Childish Gambino – Redbone". AFP Top 100 Singles. Retrieved July 5, 2017.
24. ↑ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 21, 2017.
25. ↑ "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Singles Digital Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select SINGLES DIGITAL - TOP 100 and insert 201732 into search. Retrieved August 16, 2017.
26. ↑ "Sverigetopplistan – Sveriges Officiella Topplista". Sverigetopplistan. http://www.sverigetopplistan.se/. Retrieved July 14, 2017.
27. ↑ "Childish Gambino: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 8, 2017.
28. ↑ "Official R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 13, 2016.
29. ↑ Script error: No such module "WLink"./chart-history/HSI "Childish Gambino Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved August 8, 2017.
30. ↑ Script error: No such module "WLink"./chart-history/AAA "Childish Gambino Chart History (Adult Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved February 23, 2017.
31. ↑ Script error: No such module "WLink"./chart-history/BSI "Childish Gambino Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved August 8, 2017.
32. ↑ Script error: No such module "WLink"./chart-history/RBA "Childish Gambino Chart History (Adult R&B Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved May 16, 2017.
33. ↑ Script error: No such module "WLink"./chart-history/TFM "Childish Gambino Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved August 15, 2017.
34. ↑ Script error: No such module "WLink"./chart-history/TFC "Childish Gambino Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved July 5, 2017.
35. ↑ "ARIA End of Year Singles 2017". Australian Recording Industry Association. https://www.ariacharts.com.au/annual-charts/2017/singles-chart. Retrieved January 5, 2018.
36. ↑ "Canadian Hot 100 – Year-End 2017". Billboard. http://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2017/canadian-hot-100. Retrieved December 17, 2017.
37. ↑ "Top Selling Singles of 2017". Recorded Music NZ. https://nztop40.co.nz/chart/singles?chart=4435. Retrieved December 22, 2017.
38. ↑ "Hot 100 Songs – Year-End 2017". Billboard. https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2017/hot-100-songs. Retrieved December 12, 2017.
39. ↑ "Canadian single certifications – Childish Gambino – Redbone". Music Canada. https://musiccanada.com/gold-platinum/?_gp_search=Redbone Childish+Gambino.
40. ↑ "Childish Gambino "Redbone"". IFPI Denmark. January 3, 2018. http://www.ifpi.dk/?q=content/childish-gambino-redbone. Retrieved January 9, 2018.
41. ↑ "French single certifications – Childish Gambino – Redbone" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. http://snepmusique.com/les-certifications/?categorie=Singles&interprete=Childish+Gambino&titre=Redbone.
42. ↑ "New Zealand single certifications – Childish Gambino – Redbone". Recorded Music NZ. https://nztop40.co.nz/chart/singles?chart=4387.
43. ↑ "British single certifications – Childish Gambino – Redbone". British Phonographic Industry. https://www.bpi.co.uk/brit-certified/. Select singles in the Format field. Select Gold in the Certification field. Type Redbone in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
44. ↑ "American single certifications – Childish Gambino – Redbone". Recording Industry Association of America. https://www.riaa.com/gold-platinum/?tab_active=default-award&ar=Childish+Gambino&ti=Redbone#search_section. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH.

## External links

* Audio on YouTube
* Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics

Template:Childish Gambino

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