Word Up!

Album: Word Up! (1986)
Charted: 3 6
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • "Word Up" is a saying that was popular in New York and other urban areas in the US that acted as an affirmation of what was said, kind of a hipper "you bet." Cameo developed a character around the saying and wrote the lyrics about what he would say. They called the character "Vicious" and had him take out his frustrations on rappers who delve into psychodrama when they should be creating music you can dance to: "Give us music, we can that, we need to dance. We don't need that type of psychological romance."
  • Cameo was a popular funk band in the '70s and '80s. This hit fused their funk background with elements of rap, giving them a big hit.
  • Cameo leader Larry Blackmon got the idea for the guttural vocal from Sly Stone, who is one of his heroes.
  • Korn and Melanie Brown have both recorded this song. It was also part of a popular mash-up with Gwen Stefani's "Hollaback Girl." The Korn version cracked the US chart at #123.
  • In the movie The 40-year-old virgin, Steve Carell sings a karaoke version of this alone in his apartment.

Comments: 11

  • Markantney from BiloxiNov 20,
    Since the site is primarily about "Pop" hits, it goes with the more Pop popular "Word Up" but club/R&B "Candy" beats it by a hair. Both hits were huge though
  • Michelle from California, UsaThe Gun cover is on the "Barb Wire" soundtrack.
  • Jo from Huntly, New ZealandThis song is GREAT! But I think I like KoRn's Version better as it sounds more like a party.
  • John from Nashville, Tn"Word Up" was Cameo's first of two top 40 pop hits (the followup "Candy" was the other one). It served as the title tune to the group's first platinum album. Before this massive success, Cameo collected seven gold albums and several top 10 r&b hits.
  • Don from Indianapolis, InAnother note, Cameo might have been calling out a rap group called "UTFO". They are most famous for starting the "Roxanne, Roxanne" rap battles that by the end, had a couple of dozen "answer-counter answer" records that involved those known and unknown. UTFO's follow-up hit, was a song called "Split Personality" in which they rap-sample some of the words to Cameo's title track hit, "Single Life." It could have been a little Cameo-style commentary there...
  • Don from Indianapolis, InOne of the BEST dance/funk songs to come out of the '80's. The group has the same claim in my opinion. They put Atlanta on the "musical map" long before LaFace Records did, along with all these rappers who constantly lay claim to it being home.
  • David from Baden-baden, GermanyGun did a very awesome rock version!
  • Constance from Dallas, TxCameo did the best version period! Hands down! LOL!
    Constance Dallas, TX
  • Theo from Johannesburg, South Africathe korn version is awesome!!!jon davis rules!
  • Joel from Columbia, ScI like the Korn version better lol
  • Linda from OudenaardeRock band Gun did a magnificent cover version of this song.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

How "A Rolling Stone Gathers No Moss" Became Rock's Top Proverb

How "A Rolling Stone Gathers No Moss" Became Rock's Top ProverbSong Writing

How a country weeper and a blues number made "rolling stone" the most popular phrase in rock.

Donny Osmond

Donny OsmondSongwriter Interviews

Donny Osmond talks about his biggest hits, his Vegas show, and the fan who taught him to take "Puppy Love" seriously.

Peter Lord

Peter LordSongwriter Interviews

You may not recognize his name, but you will certainly recognize Peter Lord's songs. He wrote the bevy of hits from Paula Abdul's second album, Spellbound.

Little Big Town

Little Big TownSongwriter Interviews

"When seeds that you sow grow by the wicked moon/Be sure your sins will find you out/Your past will hunt you down and turn to tell on you."

Chris Rea

Chris ReaSongwriter Interviews

It took him seven years to recover from his American hit "Fool (If You Think It's Over)," but Chris Rea became one of the top singer-songwriters in his native UK.

Steven Tyler of Aerosmith

Steven Tyler of AerosmithSongwriter Interviews

Tyler talks about his true love: songwriting. How he identifies the beauty in a melody and turns sorrow into art.