Mr. Wendal

"Mr. Wendal" is a song by American rap group Arrested Development from their debut album, 3 Years, 5 Months and 2 Days in the Life Of... (1992). In Europe and Australia, it was issued as a double A-side with their following single, "Revolution" and released in December 1992 by EMI and Chrysalis. In the United States, the song peaked at number six on the Billboard Hot 100, selling 500,000 copies and earning a gold certification. Worldwide, it reached the top 10 in Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. The song's music video was directed by Keith Ward and received a nomination at the 1994 Soul Train Music Awards.

"Mr. Wendal"
Single by Arrested Development
from the album 3 Years, 5 Months and 2 Days in the Life Of...
Released	December 7, 1992
Genre	Hip hop
Length	4:06
Label	EMI Chrysalis
Songwriter(s)	Todd Thomas Sylvester Stewart
Producer(s)	Speech
Arrested Development singles chronology
"People Everyday" (1992) "Mr. Wendal" (1992) "Revolution" (1992)
Music video
"Mr. Wendal" on YouTube

Critical reception

Larry Flick from Billboard described "Mr. Wendal" as "another gem". He added, "Once again, lyrics that realistically reflect the strife and struggle of survival during these racially tense times are woven into an easy-going pop/hip hop groove. Icing on the cake are rich and soulful vocals at the chorus."^[1] Dave Sholin from the Gavin Report found that the song is "entertaining, thought-provoking and cutting-edge".^[2] Sharon O'Connell from Melody Maker wrote, "Rap taken off the streets and made new and rural. Arrested Development are tribal, lightly pulsing proof that it's possible to deliver a punchy message and hang mellow all the while, and this is mainman Speech's social concern for the homeless couched in the funkiest earthiest tones imaginable."^[3]

A reviewer from Music Week stated that the follow-up to "People Everyday" is "a wordy, worthy successor", adding, "There's no familiar tune to latch on to this time, just a doodling instrumental in which they leave — for a rap groove, at least — some sizable gaps, giving the track room to breathe." The magazine also wrote that the song "will be a considerable hit."^[4] Barbara Ellen from NME named it Single of the Week, commenting, "'Mr Wendal' is a dry, nuclear cool, non-hectoring rap concerned with highlighting the street smart sagacity of your average bin-perusing tramp. Almost Cowardian in its delivery, the song's appeal has little to do with bluster or glitter and a lot to do with an elegant storytelling stance that shines like pure gold in rap's hype-infested waters."^[5] Another NME editor, Angus Batey, felt it "is spoilt by being an exact copy" of De La Soul's "Eye Know".^[6] Mark Sutherland from Smash Hits gave it five out of five and named it Best New Single, calling it a "deliciously laidback rap number".^[7]

Music video

The song's accompanying music video was directed by Keith Ward.^{[citation needed]} It was nominated in the category for Best R&B Music Video at the 1994 Soul Train Music Awards.^[8]

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1992–1993) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[9] 7 Canada Top Singles (RPM)[10] 34 Canada Dance/Urban (RPM)[11] 1 Canada (The Record)[12] 4 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[13] 15 Europe (European Dance Radio)[14] 1 Europe (European Hit Radio)[15] 20 France (SNEP)[16] 30 Germany (GfK)[17] 31 Ireland (IRMA)[18] 9 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40 Tipparade)[19] 5 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[20] 42 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[21] 2 UK Singles (OCC)[22] 4 UK Club Chart (Music Week)[23] 2 US Billboard Hot 100[24] 6 US Dance Club Songs (Billboard)[25] 1 US Dance Singles Sales (Billboard)[26] 27 US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[27] 6 US Hot Rap Songs (Billboard)[28] 4 US Pop Airplay (Billboard)[29] 10 US Rhythmic (Billboard)[30] 5 US Cash Box Top 100[31] 5

Year-end charts Chart (1993) Position Australia (ARIA)[32] 59 Canada Dance/Urban (RPM)[33] 18 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[34] 14 UK Singles (OCC)[35] 87 UK Club Chart (Music Week)[36] 48 US Billboard Hot 100[37] 31 US Hot R&B Singles (Billboard)[38] 25

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[39]	Gold	35,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[40]	Gold	5,000*
United States (RIAA)[41]	Gold	500,000[42]
* Sales figures based on certification alone. ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

In popular culture

• This song was played during the first-season finale episode of the American primetime television soap opera Melrose Place on May 26, 1993.
• The song and Arrested Development as a whole are heavily referenced in a 2010 episode of the animated series The Venture Bros., where the character Henchman 21 talks to what he believes to be the ghost of his deceased friend Henchman 24 and a figure referred to as "Mr. Wendal" who looks like Arrested Development's spiritual advisor Baba Oje. When 21 learns that Baba Oje is still alive, he realizes that the "ghost" of 24 is merely a hallucination.

References

1. Flick, Larry (December 19, 1992). "Single Reviews" (PDF). Billboard. p. 71. Retrieved October 25, 2020.
2. Sholin, Dave (December 4, 1992). "Singles" (PDF). Gavin Report. p. 60. Retrieved October 17, 2020.
3. O'Connell, Sharon (January 2, 1993). "Singles". Melody Maker. p. 29. Retrieved May 4, 2023.
4. "Mainstream: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. December 19, 1992. p. 9. Retrieved October 2, 2020.
5. Ellen, Barbara (January 2, 1993). "Singles". NME. p. 21. Retrieved May 4, 2023.
6. Batey, Angus (May 30, 1992). "Long Play". NME. p. 32. Retrieved February 21, 2023.
7. Sutherland, Mark (January 6, 1993). "New Singles: Best New Single". Smash Hits. p. 45. Retrieved October 6, 2020.
8. "Reviews/News — Soul Train Music Awards Nominees Announced" (PDF). Cash Box. February 12, 1994. Retrieved February 27, 2022.
9. "Arrested Development – Mr. Wendal / Revolution". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
10. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 100235." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
11. "Top RPM Dance/Urban: Issue 1714." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
12. "Hits of the World". Billboard. 6 March 1993. Retrieved December 31, 2018.
13. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 10, no. 5. January 30, 1993. p. 43. Retrieved May 8, 2020.
14. "European Dance Radio Top 25" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 10, no. 7. February 13, 1993. p. 8. Retrieved November 1, 2021.
15. "EHR Top 40" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 10, no. 8. February 20, 1993. p. 26. Retrieved April 7, 2024.
16. "Arrested Development – Mr. Wendal / Revolution" (in French). Les classement single.
17. "Arrested Development – Mr. Wendal / Revolution" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved August 13, 2019.
18. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Mr Wendal / Revolution". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
19. "Arrested Development — Mr. Wendal" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved November 1, 2021.
20. "Arrested Development – Mr. Wendal / Revolution" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
21. "Arrested Development – Mr. Wendal / Revolution". Top 40 Singles.
22. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
23. "The RM Club Chart" (PDF). Music Week. January 16, 1993. p. 4. Retrieved October 30, 2021 – via Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental insert).
24. "Arrested Development Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
25. "Arrested Development Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
26. "Arrested Development Chart History (Dance Singles Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved November 24, 2021.
27. "Arrested Development Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
28. "Arrested Development Chart History (Hot Rap Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
29. "Arrested Development Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
30. "Arrested Development Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
31. "Top 100 Pop Singles" (PDF). Cash Box. Vol. LVI, no. 25. February 27, 1993. p. 4. Retrieved April 20, 2024.
32. Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010. Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.
33. "The RPM Top 50 Dance Tracks of 1993". RPM. Retrieved November 14, 2019 – via Library and Archives Canada.
34. "End of Year Charts 1993". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
35. "Top 100 Singles 1993". Music Week. January 15, 1994. p. 24.
36. "The RM Club Chart 93" (PDF). Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental insert). December 25, 1993. p. 4. Retrieved February 3, 2023.
37. "Billboard Top 100 – 1993". Billboardtop100of.com. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
38. "The Year in Music: Hot R&B Singles". Billboard. Vol. 105, no. 52. December 25, 1993. p. YE-29.
39. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 1993 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved July 25, 2022.
40. "New Zealand single certifications – Arrested Development – Mr Wendal". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
41. "American single certifications – Arrested Development – Mr. Wendal". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved May 7, 2018.
42. "Best-Selling Records of 1993". Billboard. Vol. 106, no. 3. January 15, 1994. p. 73. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved May 4, 2015.

External links

• "Mr. Wendal" Music video on YouTube