Who Can I Run To

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"Who Can I Run To"
Song by The Jones Girls
from the album The Jones Girls
A-side"You Gonna Make Me Love Somebody Else"
Released1979
GenreR&B, Philadelphia soul, soul
Length3:25
LabelPhiladelphia International
Songwriter(s)Alstin, Roebuck, Simmons


"Who Can I Run To" is a song written by Charles B. Simmons, Frank Alstin Jr, and Richard Roebuck, first released by the Jones Girls in 1979. The song was the B-side to "You Gonna Make Me Love Somebody Else". After Xscape took the song to number 1 in 1995, Billboard named the song number 58 on their list of 100 Greatest Girl Group Songs of All Time.[1]

Xscape version[edit]

"Who Can I Run To"
Single by Xscape
from the album Off the Hook
ReleasedOctober 3, 1995
GenreR&B[2]
Length3:34
LabelSo So Def
Songwriter(s)Alstin, Roebuck, Simmons
Producer(s)Jermaine Dupri
Xscape singles chronology
"Feels So Good"
(1995) 		"Who Can I Run To"
(1995) 		"Do You Want To/Can't Hang"
(1996)

"Who Can I Run To?" was recorded by American girl group Xscape for their second album Off the Hook (1995). The song released as the album's second single on October 3, 1995 in the United States, by So So Def Recordings.[3] The song features lead vocals by LaTocha Scott and Tamika Scott.

"Who Can I Run To?" became Xscape's third top-ten single on the US Billboard Hot 100 as well as third single number-one single on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. Internationally, it charted in New Zealand, Scotland, and the United Kingdom. The accompanying music video for "Who Can I Run To?", directed by Allan Grip Smith, was filmed in a restaurant.

Background and composition[edit]

During the recording of the group's second album Off the Hook, Jermaine Dupri and Xscape member LaTocha Scott heard "Who Can I Run To?" by The Jones Girls.[4] She later suggested to the group that they record their own version for the album.[4] Initially rejecting the idea, the group recorded the song at Scott's insistance.[4] Her younger sister and fellow group member Tamika Scott shared lead vocals with LaTocha on the song. Xscape's version was produced by Jermaine Dupri.

Commercial performance[edit]

In the United States, "Who Can I Run To?" debuted at number 27 Billboard Hot 100 chart on October 14, 1995.[5] After a total of six weeks, it peaked at number eight on November 18, 1995.[5] The song held that position for one week before dropping to number twelve.[5] In its final week, "Who Can I Run To?" fell to number 78 before falling off the chart after a total of twenty weeks. On the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, the song peaked at number one on November 11, 1995, and held the top position for one week.[5] The single sold over one million copies in the United States, earning a platinum-certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).[6]

In the United Kingdom, "Who Can I Run?" spent a total of three week on the UK Singles Chart, ultimately peaking at number 31.[7] The single was more successful on the UK's Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart, where it spent nine weeks on the chart and peaked at number six.[7] On UK's Dance Singles Chart, the song peaked at number eleven, only spending two weeks on the chart.[7]

Track listing[edit]

Sampling[edit]

  • American singer and rapper Anderson .Paak sampled the Xscape version for his song "Might Be" from the album Venice (2014).
  • DJ Luke Nasty also sampled Xscape's version for the song "Might Be" (2015), a cover version of Anderson .Paak's song.
  • American rapper Joyner Lucas samples the record on track 8 "When I Need Love" of his sophomore album, "Not Now I'm Busy".

Charts[edit]

Certifications[edit]

Region Certification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[17] Platinum 1,000,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Other versions[edit]

  • In 1995, R&B group Sista sampled the original version on "Good Thang" on their album 4 All the Sistas Around da World.
  • In 1996, Ricky Dillard and the New Generation Chorale released the album, Worked It Out. It included a version of "Who Can I Run To?" that answered the question with "I need the Lord."[18]
  • At the end of 2008, this song was reworked into a house music track with vocals from Dawn Tallman, released on Thick Recordings.
  • Juvenile sampled the original version of the song in 2007 for a song also called "Who Can I Run To?" featuring Mannie Fresh and Soulja Slim. It was on an album entitled "Diary of a Soulja" that was never released.[19]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "100 Greatest Girl Group Songs of All Time: Critics' Picks". Billboard. Retrieved July 11, 2017.
  2. ^ Billboard Staff (July 10, 2017). "100 Greatest Girl Group Songs of All Time: Critics' Picks". Billboard. Retrieved May 17, 2024. ..."Who Can I Run To?" found new life in the mid-'90s thanks to the vocal prowess of hitmakers Xscape, rightly turning the syrupy slow jam into one of the defining R&B hits in his era.
  3. ^ Xscape - Who Can I Run To. AllMusic. Retrieved on June 1, 2024
  4. ^ a b c Xscape Remade This Hit Song By a 1970s Girl Group. TV One. Retrieved on June 1, 2024
  5. ^ a b c d Xscape Billboard Chart History. Billboard. Retrieved on May 24, 2024
  6. ^ Xscape Gold & Platinum Certifications. Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved on May 24, 2024
  7. ^ a b c Xscape Official Chart History. Official Charts Company. Retrieved on June 1, 2024
  8. ^ "Xscape – Who Can I Run To?". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved November 22, 2019.
  9. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 22, 2019.
  10. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 22, 2019.
  11. ^ "Official Dance Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 22, 2019.
  12. ^ "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 22, 2019.
  13. ^ "Xscape Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved November 22, 2019.
  14. ^ "Xscape Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved November 22, 2019.
  15. ^ "Xscape Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved November 22, 2019.
  16. ^ "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs – Year-End 1995". Billboard. Retrieved July 12, 2021.
  17. ^ "American single certifications – Xscape – Who Can I Run To". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved March 13, 2023.
  18. ^ "Amazon.com". Amazon. Retrieved 24 April 2021.
  19. ^ "Cash Money Degreez". Cmdegreez.com. Retrieved 11 July 2017.
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