What's Up? (song)

"What's Up?"
File:WhatsUpCover.jpg
Single by 4 Non Blondes
from the album Bigger, Better, Faster, More!
B-side	Piano version
Released	October 13, 1992 (album) June 23, 1993 (single)
Format	7" single, cassette, CD single, CD maxi
Recorded	1992
Genre	Alternative rock
Length	4:55 (album version) 4:15 (single edit)
Label	Interscope
Writer(s)	Linda Perry
Producer(s)	David Tickle
4 Non Blondes singles chronology
"Dear Mr. President" (1993) "What's Up?" (1993) "Spaceman" (1993)
Music sample 4 Non Blondes – "What's Up?"

"What's Up?" is a song by American rock group 4 Non Blondes from their 1992 debut album, Bigger, Better, Faster, More!. It was released as the album's second single in 1993. It was very successful in Brazil and in several European countries, peaking at number one in Austria, Belgium, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden and Switzerland.

Background and writing

The title does not appear in the song's lyrics. However, the phrase "what's going on?" is prominently included in the chorus. The title was chosen to avoid confusion with Marvin Gaye's 1971 song "What's Going On." The music video was directed by Morgan Lawley.

Critical reception and chart performances

"What's Up?" ranks number 94 on VH1's 100 Greatest One-Hit Wonders, and ranks 86 on the MuchMore The Top 100 One Hit Wonders.

The recording received considerable airplay success. It reached number 14 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and went gold, but peaked higher in many other countries, reaching number one in Germany and Ireland, while reaching number two in the United Kingdom and Australia.

Track listings

7" single / CD single

1. "What's Up?" – 4:16
2. "What's Up?" (piano version) – 4:09

CD maxi

1. "What's Up?" (edit) – 4:16
2. "What's Up?" (remix) – 4:51
3. "Train" – 3:47
4. "What's Up?" (piano version) – 4:09

Cassette

1. "What's Up?" (LP version)
2. "Train" (LP version)
3. "What's Up?" (LP version)
4. "Train" (LP version)

Personnel

• Written by L. Perry
• Mastered by Stephen Marcussen
• Recorded, mixed and produced by David Tickle

Charts and sales

Peak positions

Chart (1993)	Peak position
Australia (ARIA)	2
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)	1
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)	1
Canada Top Singles (RPM)	33
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)	1
Finland (The Official Finnish Charts)	15
France (SNEP)	3
Germany (Official German Charts)	1
Ireland (IRMA)	1
Italy (FIMI)	2
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)	1
Netherlands (GfK Dutch Chart)	1
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)	2
Norway (VG-lista)	1
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)	1
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)	1
UK Singles (The Official Charts Company)	2
U.S. Billboard Hot 100	14
U.S. Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks	16
U.S. Billboard Modern Rock Tracks	29
U.S. Billboard Top 40 Mainstream	15

Year-end chart

Chart (1993)	Position
Australian Singles Chart	7
Austrian Singles Chart	1
Dutch Top 40	1
Swiss Singles Chart	5
U.S. Billboard Hot 100	50

Certifications

Region	Certification	Sales/shipments
Austria (IFPI Austria)	Platinum	50,000
Germany (BVMI)	2× Platinum	1,000,000
Italy (FIMI)	Gold	25,000
Netherlands (NVPI)	Platinum	75,000
Sweden (GLF)	Gold	25,000
United Kingdom (BPI)	Silver	200,000
United States (RIAA)	Gold	700,000
^shipments figures based on certification alone xunspecified figures based on certification alone sales/streaming figures based on certification alone

Chart successions

Preceded by "What Is Love" by Haddaway	Irish IRMA number-one single July 18, 1993 – August 15, 1993 (5 weeks)	Succeeded by "Living on My Own" by Freddie Mercury
Preceded by "Mr. Vain" by Culture Beat	Norwegian VG-lista number-one single 32/1993 – 42/1993 (11 weeks)
Preceded by "Mr. Vain" by Culture Beat	Dutch Top 40 number-one single August 7, 1993 – October 9, 1993 (10 weeks)	Succeeded by "It Keeps Rainin' (Tears from My Eyes)" by Bitty McLean
Preceded by "(I Can't Help) Falling in Love with You" by UB40	Swedish number-one single August 11, 1993 – September 15, 1993 (4 weeks)	Succeeded by "Life" by Haddaway
Preceded by "(I Can't Help) Falling in Love with You" by UB40 "Life" by Haddaway	Eurochart Hot 100 number-one single August 14, 1993 – August 21, 1993 (2 weeks) October 16, 1993 (1-week)	Succeeded by "Mr. Vain" by Culture Beat "Living on My Own" by Freddie Mercury
Preceded by "Mr. Vain" by Culture Beat	Swiss number-one single August 15, 1993 – November 14, 1993 (14 weeks)	Succeeded by "I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)" by Meat Loaf
Preceded by "(I Can't Help) Falling in Love with You" by UB40	Ö3 Austria Top 40 number-one single August 15, 1993 – November 7, 1993 (13 weeks)
Preceded by "Mr. Vain" by Culture Beat	German number-one single August 20, 1993 – October 22, 1993 (10 weeks)	Succeeded by "Go West" by Pet Shop Boys

Cover versions

Minnesota cover version

• German eurodance group Minnesota covered the song as a dance version in late 1993. It reached number one on the dance chart in Canada and charted in Belgium and Switzerland.

Chart (1993–1994)	Peak position
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)	21
Canada Dance (RPM)	1
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)	22

Other cover versions

• In 1994, another eurodance cover of the song was released by DJ Miko and featuring vocals by British singer Louise Gard.
• In 1999, Aboriginal (Puyuma) Taiwanese pop singer A-mei included a live version of DJ Miko's arrangement on her album 妹力新世紀 ("A-Mei New Century Collection").
• In 2003, American rapper Speech sampled the song under the name "The Hey Song (Live)" on his album Speech's Best.
• In 2008, Brazilian singer Danni Carlos covered the song on her album Maxximum.
• In 2010, John Craigie covered the song on his album Leave the Fire Behind.
• In 2011, Ariana Grande sampled the song in her 2011 single "Put Your Hearts Up".
• In 2015, Kimberly Nichole performed it on The Voice.

Live cover performances

• Pink covered the song on her Party Tour, on select European dates of her Try This Tour, and on her I'm Not Dead Tour. She performed it on select dates of The Funhouse Summer Carnival as well.
• Lady Gaga covered the hit song on the November 2nd 2014 show of her artRAVE: The ARTPOP Ball tour, in Vienna, Austria. Professional footage of the performance was soon after uploaded to her official YouTube channel She also performed it during her acceptance speech at the Songwriter Hall of Hame.

In popular culture

In 2005, a group of animators known as "Slackcircus" created a video called "Fabulous Secret Powers", featuring He-Man from Masters of the Universe singing their own cover of the song. The video has since become an internet meme, with an edited version of the animation garnering over 60 million views on YouTube as of 2016.

The song appeared in the 2011 film Young Adult, starring Charlize Theron.

A cover of the song, performed by Fyfe Monroe, appeared in the ninth episode of the second season of sci-fi television series Defiance in August 2014.

In the official video available on YouTube, Linda Perry plays a Brazilian Giannini's Craviola.

The song appeared in the fourth episode of the Netflix web series Sense8.

A master recording version of the song was used in Rock Band 4.

In the 2014 movie Wild, the song is referenced by a group of male hikers. One of the young men begins singing the song, alluding to it being one of those annoyingly catchy tunes that can get stuck in your head for days while traveling through the wilderness.

A version of the song, sung in Spanish, appeared in the final episode of season one of the television series Zoo

External links

• Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics