"Poor Georgie" is the second single from hip-hop artist MC Lyte's third album Act Like You Know (1991). The song was produced by Ivan 'Doc' Rodriguez, and released on December 12, 1991.[1] The song seeks to convey an anti-addiction message, through the story of George and the dysfunctional relationship MC Lyte has with this individual with self-destructive behaviors.[3][4] It features a sample of "Georgy Porgy" by rock band Toto.
"Poor Georgie" become Lyte's first appearance on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at No. 83 in March 1992.[5] It also reached No. 11 on the Billboard Hot R&B Singles chart,[6] and became her second chart topping single on the Hot Rap Singles chart.[7] The accompanying music video featured an appearance by a then 16-year-old Lauryn Hill.
Conception and composition
During an interview with Vibe in 2011 Lyte stated on the composition of the song:
“‘Poor Georgie’ was straight up storytelling. I just put every possible bad thing that could happen to someone in one song [laughs]. That was in itself humorous. With that song, I just wanted to paint a picture and have it hit people on all fronts. So if you don’t drink, well what about if you smoke? You don’t smoke, what about if you drink? This is what you stand to face if you do harmful things to your body.”[8]
During another interview in 2013 she says:
“So there are times with songs like “Poor Georgie” that when I heard it, it made me feel like oh my god this is a story about a man who has some deep problems and deep issues(...) To a large degree I knew I needed to talk about drugs and the effect it had on people. In Brooklyn there were weed smokers, dope dealers and people dying. In Harlem, where I would spend my weekends, there was heroin and you’d see people nodding out in the middle of the damn street. You would see people with holes in their arms or their legs because they couldn’t find anymore veins to put something into. In Queens there was crack and in Harlem as well. I just knew my mission would be to try to educate my generation about the usage of drugs, selling it or being the drug dealer’s girlfriend and you wind up shot or in jail because of it. So I did make a conscious effort of that at a very young age.”[9]
The song was produced by Ivan 'Doc' Rodríguez, who had previously worked remixed other songs by MC Lyte, including Cappucino.[10]
The music video for "Poor Georgie" was released in September 1991 and features an appearance by 16-year-old Lauryn Hill.[11]
"Poor Georgie" was included the compilation albums The Very Best of MC Lyte (2001), The Shit I Never Dropped (2003),[12]Rhyme Masters (2005),[13]Rhino Hi-Five: MC Lyte (2007),[14] and Cold Rock a Party - Best Of MC Lyte (2019).[15]
In February 1992, Lyte performed the song on the dance and music show Soul Train. In May 1992, she performed the song on In Living Color.[16]
Reception and influence
Gil Griffin of The Washington Post highlighted the song in the album review, commenting that it "brilliantly incorporates an old Toto sample."[17] In 1999, Ego Trip's editors ranked "Poor Georgie" at No. 22 in their list of Hip Hop's 40 Greatest Singles by Year 1991 in Ego Trip's Book of Rap Lists.[18] In April 2015, the song was ranked No. 3 on VH1's list "The 25 Dopest Female Rap Tracks Of The Last 25 Years", noting that "Lyte’s cautionary tale of drunk driving once again proved that you could make folks dance and think at the same damn time."[19]
In a conversation about her influences, Grammy-nominated rapper Rapsody mentioned Poor Georgie as "the first song that made me wanna be a part of it."[20]
