Return of the Mack

"Return of the Mack"
Standard UK/European cover art
Single by Mark Morrison
from the album Return of the Mack
Released	4 March 1996
Genre	R&B
Length	4:34 (UK album version) 7:20 (US album version)
Label	WEA
Songwriter(s)	Mark Morrison
Producer(s)	Mark Morrison Phil Chill Cutfather & Joe
Mark Morrison singles chronology
"Let's Get Down" (1995) "Return of the Mack" (1996) "Crazy (remix)" (1996)
Music video
"Return of the Mack" on YouTube
Alternate cover
US single cover

"Return of the Mack" is a song written and recorded by British R&B singer Mark Morrison, released by WEA and Atlantic as the third single from his debut album by the same name (1996). The song topped the UK Singles Chart a month after its release, then became a European and Australian hit. In the United States, it reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100 and went platinum. The music video for the song, directed by Jake Nava, was released in the United Kingdom in March 1996 and in the United States in February 1997. Billboard magazine featured "Return of the Mack" in their lists of "Billboard's Top Songs of the '90s" in 2019 and "500 Best Pop Songs of All Time" in 2023.

Background and composition

The song's beat is sampled from the song "Genius of Love" by American band Tom Tom Club. "Games" by Chuckii Booker was also sampled, as well as fragments from "UFO" by ESG, Cerrone's "Rocket in the Pocket", and "Feel The Heartbeat" by The Treacherous Three.

Critical reception

Larry Flick from Billboard felt that UK crooner Mark Morrison "energizes a deflated U.S. R&B scene" with the song, noting that he "shows international promise with fresh lyrics and vocals, and classic soul production reminiscent of R&B's '80s heyday." Matt Diehl from Entertainment Weekly remarked that Morrison "comes off more like a funked-up Seal, promising revenge to a deceitful lover in a warbly croon. The end result is an odd but infectious new-jack-swing variation on "Hey Joe", buoyed by bubbly beats and the insistent title refrain." Another editor, Leah Greenblatt described the track as a "new-jackalicious breakup jam". Tom Ewing of Freaky Trigger noted that "the music certainly has his back – the rubbery basslines cocooning the song, the satisfying crunch of the drums, the light keyboard touches helping Morrison glide along his comeback trail." He added that it "is a pleasure to listen to, a well-tailored suit of sound."

Caroline Sullivan from The Guardian concluded in her album review, "He plays the sunglasses-at-night role to perfection on the album's title (and best) track". A reviewer from Music Week rated it four out of five, adding that the singer "looks to maintain the momentum of his hit Crazy with another assured mix of R&B and ragga." Ralph Tee from the Record Mirror Dance Update gave it five out of five, writing, "This simply is every bit as good as what you would get from an American r&b act on a major label — and the song's better than most of what's coming out from across the pond of late." He added further, "The urban street production is a perfect vehicle for Mark's Jamaica-style tinged soul vocal on a song that deserves to be a smash, or an anthem at the very least."

Chart performance

"Return of the Mack" was very successful on the charts on several continents, peaking at number-one on both the RPM Dance/Urban chart in Canada and the Billboard Rhythmic chart in the United States. In Europe, it hit number-one in the United Kingdom in its sixth week at the UK Singles Chart, on 14 April 1996. The single spent two weeks at the top position. It entered the top 10 also in Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Ireland (2), the Netherlands, Norway, Scotland, Sweden (2) and Switzerland, as well as on the Eurochart Hot 100. Outside Europe, "Return of the Mack" also reached number-one in Zimbabwe, number two in Australia and on the Billboard Hot 100. In New Zealand, it peaked at number three, while peaking at number 17 on the RPM Top Singles chart in Canada.

The single earned a gold record in France and Germany, and a platinum record in Australia, New Zealand and the US. In the UK, it was awarded with a 2× platinum record.

Music video

The accompanying music video for "Return of the Mack" was directed by British director Jake Nava. It begins with Morrison arriving in London by Concorde flight in the evening. In his car (A silver Mercedes-Benz SL-Class) towards the city, he starts singing. He has flashbacks of himself and his girlfriend, now ex. The car then stops in front of his ex and her new boyfriend standing by the street. The singer sings as he watches the new couple. Later he arrives at an underground club and hands the DJ a record which is immediately played. Shortly afterwards, the ex shows up in the club with her new guy. Standing in the crowd of dancing people, Morrison sings towards his ex. Then he sits down at a desk, inside an office. The ex comes in and sits down. They are confronting each other, and she ends up getting up, letting the chair fall as she leaves, looking at Morrison with a regretful face. The video ends with a close-up of Morrison sitting in the office in thoughts, while he smiles to the camera.

The cheating girlfriend is played by then unknown model Suzannah Agrippa miming to a featured vocal performance by Angie Brown. Numerous other extras were friends of the director.

Impact and legacy

In 2007, Stylus Magazine ranked it number 40 on its list of the "Top 50 One-Hit Wonders", stating that "over plush keyboards, fake turntable scratches, and a rhythm track that will be around 'til time immemorial, Morrison relates his griefs with an ex who he’s returned to—what? Gloat in her face? Point out he’s still surviving, even thriving? Nope, he’s really returned to show what sleek R&B grooves and odd vocal cadences he’s developed since being dumped."

In 2012, Porcys listed "Return of the Mack" at number 71 in their ranking of "100 Singles 1990-1999".

In 2017, BuzzFeed listed it at number 48 in their list of "The 101 Greatest Dance Songs of the '90s".

In 2019, Billboard magazine placed it at number 102 in their ranking of "Billboard's Top Songs of the '90s" and in October 2023, they placed it at number 318 in their "500 Best Pop Songs of All Time".

Formats and track listings

Charts

Certifications

Release history

Mann version

"The Mack"
Single by Mann featuring Iyaz and Snoop Dogg
from the album Mann's World
Released	23 May 2011
Recorded	2011
Genre	G-funk
Length	3:35
Label	The Island Def Jam Music Group
Songwriter(s)	Mark Morrison Phil Chill Chuckii Booker Gerald Levert C.J. Anthony Adrian Belew Chris Frantz Steven Stanley Tina Weymouth (uncredited)
Producer(s)	J.R. Rotem
Mann singles chronology
"Buzzin'" (2010) "The Mack" (2011) "Music Sounds Better with U" (2011)
Snoop Dogg singles chronology
"If I Was You (OMG)" (2011) "The Mack" (2011) "Young, Wild & Free" (2011)
Iyaz singles chronology
"Gonna Get This" (2010) "The Mack" (2011) "Pretty Girls" (2011)

American rapper Mann released a cover version of the song, featuring vocals from Snoop Dogg and Iyaz. His version is simply titled "The Mack". The single was released in the United Kingdom on 23 May 2011 as a digital download and in the United States on 5 July 2011.

Music video

A music video to accompany the release of "The Mack" was first released onto YouTube on 23 June 2011 at a total length of three minutes and fifty-five seconds. It features Mann, Iyaz and Snoop Dogg, at a pool party that starts off in the day into the night and they are surrounded by women. Mark is also shown entering London Heathrow Airport and then driving a car.

Track listing

Charts

Release history

Nevada version

"The Mack"
Single by Nevada featuring Mark Morrison and Fetty Wap
Released	23 September 2016
Genre	Tropical house
Length	2:47
Label	Straightforward Nourishing Capitol
Songwriter(s)	William Maxwell Mark Morrison Pyramids in Paris Jonathan White
Producer(s)	Nevada
Nevada singles chronology
"The Mack" (2016) "Don’t Call Me" (2018)
Mark Morrison singles chronology
"MYLIFE 2.0" (2016) "The Mack" (2016) "Return of the Mack (SeeB Remix)" (2017)
Fetty Wap singles chronology
"Different Now" (2016) "The Mack" (2016) "With You" (2017)

American DJ Nevada remixed the song and retitled the release "The Mack", 20 years after the release of the original version. Nevada's version features the re-recorded vocals of Mark Morrison, and additional vocals from American rapper Fetty Wap. The song was written by Morrison, William Maxwell, Pyramids in Paris, and Jonathan White. It was released to digital download through Straightforward Music, Nourishing Music, and Capitol Records on 23 September 2016.

Charts

Certifications

Release history

In popular culture

The song has been used in numerous movies and TV shows like Entourage, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, My Mad Fat Diary and Euphoria.

The song was used in the soundtrack for the Volition 2011 action-adventure video game Saints Row: The Third on the in-game radio station The Mix 107.77.

A season 3 episode of Legends of Tomorrow is called "Return of the Mack" and features a fight taking place while the song is playing in the background.

In 2016, it was featured heavily in a Season 5 episode of New Girl, "A Chill Day In."

In 2017, Burger King used the song in a commercial for their menu item Mac 'n' Cheetos.

In 2020, McDonald's New Zealand also used the song in a commercial advertising the return of the Big Mac and other products after its stores were closed for four weeks due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Similarly, McDonald's in the UK used the song in a commercial advertising their branches reopening after having been shut for nearly four months in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In 2021, Donnie Wahlberg sang this song on the fifth season of The Masked Singer as "Cluedle-Doo".

On 5 February 2021, American rapper G-Eazy sampled the song over and named it Provide. It features American singer Chris Brown and Morrison himself from Eazy's fourth studio album These Things Happen Too.

Morrison appears in a Frito-Lay Variety Pack commercial with his song changing the lyrics.

Use in politics

The song figured as the campaign anthem of 2020 Democratic Party presidential candidate Andrew Yang during his presidential campaign, and was played at most of his rallies and speeches.