Things That Make You Go Hmmm...

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"Things That Make You Go Hmmm..."
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Template:Infobox song/link by C+C Music Factory featuring Freedom Williams
from the album Gonna Make You Sweat
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Genre
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LabelColumbia
[[Songwriter|SongwriterTemplate:Pluralize from text]]
[[Record producer|ProducerTemplate:Pluralize from text]]
  • Robert Clivillés
  • David Cole
C+C Music Factory singles chronology
"Here We Go (Let's Rock & Roll)"
(1991) 		"Things That Make You Go Hmmm..."
(589) 		"Just a Touch of Love"
(1991)
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"Things That Make You Go Hmmm..." is a song by American dance group C+C Music Factory. It was released in June 1991 by Columbia Records as the third single from their debut album, Gonna Make You Sweat (1990). The single version features Freedom Williams and Zelma Davis who also appear in the accompanying music video, directed by Marcus Nispel, while female vocals are provided by Deborah Cooper instead of Davis on the original album version. The song was inspired by a running gag on The Arsenio Hall Show, where Arsenio, while allegedly on a long drive, pondered certain thoughts and referred to them as "things that make you go hmmm...."

The C+C song was a success in the United States, reaching number four on the Billboard Hot 100, number 31 on the Billboard Hot R&B Singles chart, and number one on the 12-inch Singles Sales and Dance Club Play charts. It also reached number four on the UK Singles Chart and number two in New Zealand. The song was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for shipments of over 500,000 copies.

Critical reception

AllMusic editor Jose F. Promis remarked that the song took a phrase popularized by Arsenio Hall and made it into "another cleverly infectious Top Ten smash."[2] Larry Flick from Billboard magazine wrote, "After forging a guitar-driven pop/hiphop sound that is being heavily copied by others, groove clique deftly sidesteps into James Brown-style funk territory. Rapper Freedom Williams tells amusing tales amid retro-horns and percussion."[3] Penelope Layland from The Canberra Times named it the best track on the album, "with its clever, catchy lyrics and smooth beat."[4]

Dave Sholin from the Gavin Report stated that writers/producers Cole and Clivillés "have successfully crossbred a unique brand of rap and melody that's taken them on back-to-back trips into the Top Ten. This third entry maintains their infectious rhythm, strengthened by a title that will keep audiences hummmmin'."[5] A reviewer from Music & Media wrote that "the secret behind the success of these dance/pop providers is the good hook in their songs. This time it's the saxophone part, which is repeated after each line."[6] David Quantick from NME said, "The old C&Cs have blown it this time with a very ordinary sort of tune indeed that doesn't so much fail to stay in the memory as break the doors down, steal the car and drive to Birmingham."[7]

Chart performance

"Things That Make You Go Hmmm..." peaked at number one on the Billboard 12-inch Singles Sales and Dance Club Play charts in the United States and on the RPM Dance chart in Canada. On the Billboard Hot 100, it peaked at number four. In Europe, the single entered the top 10 in Finland, Ireland, and the United Kingdom. In the latter country, it peaked at number four during its fourth week on the UK Singles Chart, on July 21, 1991.[8] Additionally, it was a top-20 hit on the UK Dance Singles Chart, as well as in the Netherlands, Sweden, and Switzerland. In Oceania, "Things That Make You Go Hmmm..." reached numbers two and six in New Zealand and Australia, respectively. The single was awarded with a gold record in the US, after 500,000 singles were shipped there.

Music video

The music video for "Things That Make You Go Hmmm...." was directed by German director Marcus Nispel. It features silhouetted animation of dancers jumping and dancing in front of a white background, with a stage visible, but also in silhouette. The story of the song is also interpreted with black and gold cut-out animation.[9]

Impact and legacy

Australian music channel Max included "Things That Make You Go Hmmm..." in their list of "1000 Greatest Songs of All Time" in 2013.[10]

Track listings

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Charts

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Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[19] Gold 35,000 
New Zealand (RMNZ)[28] Gold 0 
United States (RIAA)[29] Gold 500,000 

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
United States June 12, 1991 Page Template:Hlist/styles.css has no content.
  • 7-inch vinyl
  • 12-inch vinyl
  • CD
  • cassette
 Columbia [29]
Australia June 24, 1991 Page Template:Hlist/styles.css has no content.
  • CD
  • cassette
 [30]
United Kingdom Page Template:Hlist/styles.css has no content.
  • 7-inch vinyl
  • 12-inch vinyl
  • CD
  • cassette
 [31]
Japan July 11, 1991 CD Sony [32]
Australia July 15, 1991 Page Template:Hlist/styles.css has no content.
  • 12-inch vinyl
  • CD
  • cassette
 Columbia [33]

British girl group Stooshe covered the song and released it in 2013 as a B-side to their single "Black Heart", under the title "Things That Make You Go Mmm". The single reached number three in the UK and number four in Scotland.

References

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  1. ^ a b Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Deggans, Eric (January 1, 1998). "C+C Music Factory". In Graff, Gary; du Lac, Josh; McFarlin, Jim (eds.). MusicHound R&B: The Essential Album Guide. Detroit: Visible Ink Press. p. 88.
  2. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Promis, Jose F. "C+C Music Factory - Gonna Make You Sweat". AllMusic. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
  3. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Flick, Larry (July 13, 1991). "Single Reviews" (PDF). Billboard. p. 77. Retrieved October 24, 2020.
  4. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Layland, Penelope (February 7, 1991). "Sound of the future with a tribute to the past". The Canberra Times. p. 15. Retrieved April 23, 2020.
  5. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Sholin, Dave (July 5, 1991). "Gavin Picks > Singles" (PDF). Gavin Report. No. 1863. p. 52. Retrieved April 17, 2018.
  6. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 8, no. 30. July 27, 1991. p. 11. Retrieved February 22, 2018.
  7. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Quantick, David (June 29, 1991). "Singles". NME. p. 18. Retrieved April 29, 2023.
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference uk was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."C+C Music Factory - Things That Make You Go Hmmmm.... (Video Version) ft. Freedom Williams". October 25, 2009. Retrieved September 12, 2020 – via YouTube.
  10. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."The Top 1,000 Greatest Songs Of All Time – 2013". Max. 2013. Retrieved April 26, 2020.
  11. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 8, no. 32. August 10, 1991. p. 21. Retrieved May 2, 2021.
  12. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."European Hit Radio" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 8, no. 36. September 7, 1991. p. 31. Retrieved November 17, 2025. See LW column.
  13. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in suomi) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN 978-951-1-21053-5.
  14. ^ Radio Luxembourg Singles. July 21, 1991.
  15. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Playlist Chart" (PDF). Music Week. August 17, 1991. p. 14. Retrieved October 14, 2025.
  16. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Top 60 Dance Singles" (PDF). Music Week. July 13, 1991. p. 20. Retrieved September 28, 2020.
  17. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."The Record Mirror Club Chart" (PDF). Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert). July 27, 1991. p. 8. Retrieved September 7, 2025.
  18. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Cash Box Chart Entries 1990-1996" (PDF). popmusichistory.co.uk. Retrieved November 20, 2025.
  19. ^ a b Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."ARIA Top 50 Singles for 1991". ARIA. Retrieved May 2, 2021.
  20. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."RPM Dance Tracks of 1991". RPM. Retrieved May 2, 2021 – via Library and Archives Canada.
  21. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."End of Year Top 50 Singles 1991". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved March 27, 2025.
  22. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Årstopplistan 1991, Singlar" (in svenska). Grammotex. Archived from the original on February 25, 2001. Retrieved April 7, 2025.
  23. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."1991 Top 100 Singles". Music Week. January 11, 1992. p. 20.
  24. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."The Year in Music 1991: Top Pop Singles". Billboard. Vol. 103, no. 51. December 21, 1991. p. YE-14.
  25. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."The Record Mirror Club Chart 1991" (PDF). Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert). January 4, 1992. p. 8. Retrieved September 2, 2025.
  26. ^ a b Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."The Year in Music 1991". Billboard. Vol. 103, no. 51. December 21, 1991. p. YE-32.
  27. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Awards: Top 50 Pop Singles" (PDF). Cash Box. Vol. LV, no. 20. December 28, 1991. p. 8. Retrieved November 21, 2025.
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  29. ^ a b Script error: No such module "cite".
  30. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."New Release Summary – Product Available from : 24/06/91: Singles". The ARIA Report. No. 74. June 23, 1991. p. 18.
  31. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."New Releases: Singles". Music Week. June 22, 1991. p. 19.
  32. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."C+Cミュージック・ファクトリー | ゴーHmm…" [C+C Music Factory | Go Hmm...] (in 日本語). Oricon. Retrieved March 27, 2025.
  33. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."New Release Summary – Product Available from : 15/07/91: Singles". The ARIA Report. No. 77. July 14, 1991. p. 18.

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