The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (song)

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"Yo Home to Bel-Air", informally known as "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air theme", is a song performed by DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince. It is the theme song to the NBC sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.

Music for the song was written by Quincy Jones (who also served as the TV show's executive producer). Lyrics were composed by Will Smith, performing under his stage name "The Fresh Prince", and the song was produced by Jeffrey Townes under his stage name "DJ Jazzy Jeff".

The song was released in the Netherlands as a single by Jive Records in 1992, with "Parents Just Don't Understand" as its B-side and re-released in 2016 by the record label Enjoy the Ride. The song also appeared on DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince's Greatest Hits album, along with a number of compilation albums.

Video The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (song)

Single track listing

7" vinyl

A-side - Yo Home To Bel-Air (7" Radio Mix) - 3:23

B-side - Parents Just Don't Understand - 5:12

12" vinyl

A-side

1. "Yo Home To Bel Air" (Extended Version) - 5:18
2. "Yo Home To Bel Air" (7" Radio Mix) - 3:23

B-side

1. "Yo Home To Bel Air" (Summertime Mix) - 5:25
2. "The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air" - 2:57

CD single

1. "Yo Home To Bel Air" (7" Radio Mix) - 3:23
2. "Parents Just Don't Understand" - 5:18

Maps The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (song)

Reception

The single was released exclusively in the Netherlands in 1992, and it spent 10 weeks in the top 40 singles chart, peaking at number 3. An article on the MTV.co.uk website stated about the song, "Say what you want, but considering the sitcom wrapped up over 20 years ago and people are still able to start spitting out those lyrics on cue, its lasting appeal is undeniably impressive." Tom Eames of Digital Spy ranked the song 3rd in a list of 25 sitcom theme songs. and Rolling Stone readers ranked the song 6th out of a list of 10 television theme songs.

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Cover versions and spoofs

• The song was covered by Ving Rhames for an Arby's commercial in 2016.
• Ed Sheeran performed an acoustic cover of the song on Capital FM in January 2017.
• Sylvia Jeffreys performed an on-air recitation of Yo Home To Bel-Air during an episode of the Nine Network's show Today.
• Jimmy Fallon performed a shot-for-shot spoof remake of the Fresh Prince of Bel Air introduction during an episode of The Tonight Show in 2015, with DJ Jazzy Jeff as the cab driver.
• One Direction performed the song during a concert in Philadelphia.
• Alessia Cara performed a short version of the song on The Tonight Show while impersonating Nicki Minaj.
• The Lonely Island performed the song as part of a medley of Will Smith's songs at the 2016 MTV Music Awards.
• Alex Trebek performed a short version of the song, as part of a question on the Jeopardy! TV show.
• A caller to C-SPAN, during a segment on nuclear talks with Iran, stated "At some point during the conversation, a couple of guys who were up to no good essentially started causing trouble in my neighborhood. I got in one little fight and my mom got scared and said 'you're moving with your auntie and uncle in Bel-Air.'"
• Welsh comedy rap group Goldie Lookin Chain recorded a parody of the song in 2011 titled "The Fresh Prince of Cwmbran" featuring lyrics praising the South Wales town of the same name.
• In 2017, Hasbro Studios created a new promo for the seventh season of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic where Pinkie Pie (Andrea Libman) parodies the theme song as "The Fresh Princess of Friendship."
• A 2018 Saturday Night Live sketch saw an extended parody version of the song, where the West Philly gang tracked Will (played by Chris Redd) to Bel Air. Following this, an FBI agent (played by Jessica Chastain) helps him fake his death, only to sell him out to the Yakuza. The West Philly gang then turns up and a shootout occurs, where Will is saved by Uncle Phil (played by Kenan Thompson), who dies in the crossfire. The sketch ends with Will living in the woods under an assumed name in New Hampshire.

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Controversy

In 2013, the song put schools in Ambridge, Pennsylvania on lockdown after a student had his voicemail set to play the song. An optometrist assistant calling to leave a reminder for an appointment misheard a lyric as "shooting some people outside of school," instead of "shooting some b-ball."

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References

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External links

• Full version on YouTube
• Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics

Source of the article : Wikipedia