Mc Hammer - Can't Touch This; Flip Machine Vs. Mc Hammer - You Can't Touch This (mana-mana) Mc Hammer - You Can't Touch This - Remix; Mc Hammer - U Can't Touch This; Mc Hammer - Have You Seen Her; Rick Ross - Mc Hammer Ft. Gucci Mane (produced By Lex Luger). Serato DJ, World Leading DJ and Music software. Serato provides award-winning DJ software used by the leading touring and club DJs. Blend, mix and scratch your tracks with Serato DJ.
'U Can't Touch This' | ||||
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Single by MC Hammer | ||||
from the album Please Hammer, Don't Hurt 'Em | ||||
B-side | 'Dancin' Machine' | |||
Released | January 13, 1990[1] | |||
Format | ||||
Recorded | 1989[1] | |||
Genre |
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Length | 4:16 | |||
Label | Capitol (US) | |||
Songwriter(s) | ||||
Producer(s) | MC Hammer | |||
MC Hammer singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
'U Can't Touch This' on YouTube |
'U Can't Touch This' is a song co-written, produced and performed by MC Hammer from his 1990 albumPlease Hammer, Don't Hurt 'Em. The track is considered to be Hammer's signature song and is his most successful single.
Along with Hammer, Rick James shares songwriting credits with Alonzo Miller because the song samples the prominent opening riff of 'Super Freak'. The song has been used or referenced in multiple television shows, films, commercials and other forms of media. It has also received numerous awards and recognitions.
The song is notable as the winner of the Best R&B Song and a Best Rap Solo Performance and the first rap song to be nominated for Record of the Year at the 33rd Annual Grammy Awards in 1991 as well as the Best Rap Video and Best Dance Video at the 1990 MTV Video Music Awards. It peaked at No. 1 in the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks and on the charts in several countries.
The song samples the prominent opening riff of the Rick James song 'Super Freak', which is repeated throughout the recording. The lyrics describe Hammer as having 'toured around the world, from London to the Bay' and as being 'magic on the mic', which Hammer says coincides with James' 'beat that you can't touch'. Additionally, the song lyrics 'You can't touch this' and 'Stop! Hammer time!' became pop culturecatchphrases. Hammertime was later used as the title of a reality show starring Hammer on the A&E Network in the summer of 2009.[4]
The sample of 'Super Freak' that forms the basis of the song led Rick James and other performers on the original record to file a lawsuit for infringement of copyright. The suit was settled out of court when Hammer agreed to credit James as a songwriter, effectively granting James millions of dollars in royalties.[5]
The song was first performed publicly on a late 1989 episode of The Arsenio Hall Show.[6]
Because the song was not initially released as a single, listeners had to purchase the album, which as a result, went on to sell more than 18 million copies,[7] gaining multi-platinum certifications from the RIAA, as well as in other countries.
Directed by Rupert Wainwright, a music video was produced to promote the single, showing Hammer doing some of his signature dances, such as 'The Running Man' and the 'Hammer Dance'.[8]
In April 1990 'U Can't Touch This' hit the Top 40. The song also secured a Best R&B Song and a Best Rap Solo Performance in 1991, a new category at the time and the first rap song to be nominated for Record of the Year. The single was a major success, reaching #1 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks and no. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100.[9] The track also performed successfully in other parts of the world, peaking at no. 1 in Australia, Netherlands, New Zealand and Sweden, and no. 3 on the UK Singles Chart.[10]
In September 1990, the video for 'U Can't Touch This' won an MTV Video Music Award for Best Rap Video and Best Dance Video and was nominated for Best Male Video, Best Editing, and Best Choreography. In 1991, Kids Incorporated covered 'U Can't Touch This' in the Season 7 episode 'Pipe Dreams'.
In 1999, MTV's 100 Greatest Videos Ever Made included 'U Can't Touch This' at No. 71. In October 2000, VH1's '100 Greatest Dance Songs' included 'U Can't Touch This' at No. 88. In May 2001, VH1's 100 Greatest Videos included 'U Can't Touch This' at No. 59.
In August 2005, 'U Can't Touch This' was certified gold. In December 2007, VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of the 90s included the song at No. 16.[11] During 2008, the song ranked as No. 26 on VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of Hip Hop.
The song is used comically in various films of the 2000s and 2010s such as Bubble Boy, Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle, The Master of Disguise, Kung Pow! Enter the Fist, Shark Tale, White Chicks, Racing Stripes, Transformers: Age of Extinction and Transformers: The Last Knight, among others.
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In 1991, a parody entitled 'I Can't Watch This' was released by 'Weird Al' Yankovic for his album Off the Deep End, with lyrics complaining about bad TV shows overlaid on the song's music track and featuring samples of various commercials during the breakdowns. A groove metal cover of the song was performed by the Austrian NDH band Stahlhammer, infused with death growls and heavy guitar riffs.
Before the 1990NFL season started, the Miami Dolphins parodied the song as 'U Can't Touch Us'.[50]
Peter Griffin parodies this song as 'Can't Touch Me' in the Family Guy episode, 'E. Peterbus Unum', giving examples of flaunting his diplomatic immunity, including telling MC Hammer that he cannot sue for plagiarism and walking on the grass.
Grup Vitamin, Turkish parody group, parodies this song as 'Dokundur' in 'Bol Vitamin' album in 1990 and as 'Sürtündürt' in 'Grup Vitamin' one in 1991.
The TV sitcom Mrs. Brown's Boys performed 'U Can't Touch This' as a dance routine at the end of the 2015 Christmas episode. It is also played by Agnes Brown's Christmas tree, that punches anyone who gets too close; the tree says the opening 'U Can't Touch This!', then boxing gloves extend, punching the would-be thief.
The Annoying Orange parodies the song as 'Can't Squash This'.
The theme song for the British children comedy talk TV show Hacker Time is a parody of the song, but the lyrics ended with 'Sorted Hacker Time'.
The YouTube channel 'How It Should Have Ended' created a parody, titled 'Not Worthy', featuring various clips of Thor within the Marvel Cinematic Universe.