"Pony" is a song by American singer
Ginuwine, released as the debut single from his first album, Ginuwine...The Bachelor (1996). Ginuwine singed, co-wrote ,and produced the song with
Swing Mob associates
Static Major , Digital Black, Smoke E. Digglera, and
Timbaland; the latter made his breakthrough as a producer with the song. It peaked at number six on the US
Billboard Hot 100 and number one on the BillboardHot R&B Singles chart.
Production
Timbaland revealed during a lecture recorded for online education platform
Masterclass, that the beat for the song was created 1989 which was eight years prior to its 1996 release and the song was written & recorded in 1994 which was two years prior to it's released.
Critical reception
Larry Flick from Billboard wrote, "This sex jam, played out through horse-riding metaphors, is an even-metered gallop through lovely backing vocals and machine-generated music." He added, "While lead vocal elements are indistinguishable from several similar jams receiving heavy play, "Ginuwine" makes up for it with endearing style and
funk. Added vocals run though a synthesizer provide a unique supplemental element to the baseline and act as an interesting refrain."[1] The song received an A− from Matt Diehl for Entertainment Weekly, who said that its "irresistible funk grooves lope at an easy gait, seducing the listener with a velvety
tenor and belching synthesizer hook".[2] Tony Farsides from Music Week's RM Dance Update rated it five out of five, picking it as Tune of the Week. He noted that "given the
downtempo mania that's dominated
R&B in recent years, it's refreshing to hear a solid uptempo track instead. [...] All in all, a great track and hopefully a deserving hit as well."[3]
Commercial performance
The song peaked at number one on the BillboardHot R&B Singles chart for two weeks from November 16, 1996, to November 30, 1996,[4] and reached number six on Billboard's
Hot 100 on November 23, 1996.[5] Internationally, the song reached number three in Australia, peaked at number five in New Zealand, and charted within the top 40 in several European countries.
Music video
The official
music video for the album version of the song, directed by
Michael Lucero and filmed at the Cowboy Palace saloon in Chatsworth, California,[6] depicts Ginuwine and his crew entering a Western bar as strangers and gradually gaining the favor of the cowboy-patrons. The music video for the remix version of the song (the "Ride It" mix) was directed by
Christopher Erskin and shot in a factory.[7]
Live performances
Ginuwine performed the song live on
Soul Train on November 23, 1996.
Legacy
Along with his concurrent work for
Aaliyah's One in a Million album, "Pony" and Ginuwine...the Bachelor marked the emergence of Timbaland as a successful R&B producer.[8] The song experienced a resurgence in popularity after being featured in the 2012 film Magic Mike, its 2015 sequel Magic Mike XXL, and its 2023 sequel Magic Mike's Last Dance.[9][10][11][12] On November 2, 2019, the song was featured in the sketch "Hungry Jury" on Saturday Night Live.[13]
In 2021, the duo Altégo posted a snippet of a
mashup of "Pony" and
Britney Spears's "
Toxic" on
TikTok, that quickly went viral. In January 2022, the mashup was completed and officially released through Sony Music Entertainment under the title "Toxic Pony", being credited to Altégo, Spears and Ginuwine.[14] The mashup reached number 40 on the BillboardPop Airplay chart.[15]
* Sales figures based on certification alone. ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. ‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.
^Farsides, Tony (December 14, 1996).
"Hot Vinyl"(PDF). Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert). p. 7. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
^Pony (Australian CD single liner notes). Ginuwine. 550 Music. 1996. 36K78373.{{
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^Pony (US & Australian cassette single sleeve). Ginuwine. 550 Music. 1996. 36T 78373.{{
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^Pony (European CD single liner notes). Ginuwine. 550 Music,
Epic Records. 1997. 663927 1.{{
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^Pony (UK CD single liner notes). Ginuwine. 550 Music, Epic Records. 1997. 664128 2.{{
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^Pony (UK cassette single sleeve). Ginuwine. 550 Music, Epic Records. 1997. 664128 4.{{
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^Pony (UK 12-inch single sleeve). Ginuwine. 550 Music, Epic Records. 1997. 664128 6.{{
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