" Buddy X" is a song by Swedish musician Neneh Cherry, released in 1993 by Circa Records as the third and final single from her second album, Homebrew (1992). Co-written and co-produced by Cherry, it was a top-40 hit in both the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, peaking at numbers 23 and 35, respectively. The song also charted in the United States, reaching No. 43 on the Billboard Hot 100, and in Canada, where it reached No. 28 on the RPM Top Singles chart. Additionally, it peaked at No. 2 on the European Dance Radio Chart by Music & Media and No. 4 on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart. Its music video was directed by Jean-Baptiste Mondino.
Critical reception
Larry Flick from
Billboard felt the song is "way-hip",
adding that on this "hip-hop-derived romp", Cherry "further proves that her double talent for singing and rhyming comes in mighty handy, as she swerves from sassy street kid-to worldly chanteuse with ease."
Dave Sholin from the
Gavin Report said, "She speaks for all those who've been jacked around by that special someone in their life. Her message really cuts through, thanks to a catchy hook woven into not only the chorus, but the entire track."
Chris Dafoe from
Globe & Mail remarked that the song finds Cherry "tipping towards
Soul music".
[Dafoe, Chris (23 November 1992). "Cherry Mixes A Good Homebrew". Globe & Mail.] In his weekly UK chart commentary,
James Masterton opined, "The latest is unlikely to progress much further either, a far cry from the days of '
Buffalo Stance' and 'Manchild'."
A reviewer from Music & Media wrote that "intrinsically this is a slow song, but it has the drive of a real mean stomper. When Neneh sings " yeah yeah" you automatically join in and your feet start itching."
Music video
A music video was produced to promote the single. It was directed by French fashion photographer and music video director Jean-Baptiste Mondino.
1999 remix
In 1999, "Buddy X" was remixed by
UK garage trio the
Dreem Teem and retitled "
Buddy X 99". This version was a top-twenty hit, peaking at No. 15 on the UK Singles Chart
and No. 1 on the UK Dance Singles Chart.
Other mixes on the single include the Original Dreem Teem Edit, the Dreem Teem Vocal Mix and the Original Dreem Teem Dub Mix.
Track listing
-
CD single
-
"Buddy X 99" (Dreem House Edit) - 3:21
-
"Buddy X 99" (Original Dreem Teem Edit) - 3:33
-
"Buddy X 99" (Dreem Teem Vocal Mix) - 5:02
-
"Buddy X 99" (Original Dreem Teem Dub Mix) - 5:32
Charts
Original version
1999 remix
Release history
