"Pony"
Single by Ginuwine
from the album Ginuwine... the Bachelor
B-side"Hello"
ReleasedJuly 30, 1996 (1996-07-30)
Genre
Length
  • 5:25
  • 4:13 (edit)
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Timbaland
Ginuwine singles chronology
"Pony"
(1996) 		"Tell Me Do U Wanna"
(1997)
Music video
"Pony" on YouTube

"Pony" is a song by American singer Ginuwine, released as the debut single from his first album, Ginuwine...The Bachelor (1996). Ginuwine co-wrote the song with Swing Mob associates Static Major and Timbaland; the latter made his breakthrough as a producer with the song. It peaked at number six on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number one on the Billboard Hot R&B Singles chart.

Production

Timbaland revealed during a lecture recorded for online education platform Masterclass, that the song was created nine years prior to its 1996 release.

Critical reception

Larry Flick from Billboard wrote, "This sex jam, played out through horse-riding metaphors, is an even-metered gallop through lovely backing vocals and machine-generated music." He added, "While lead vocal elements are indistinguishable from several similar jams receiving heavy play, "Ginuwine" makes up for it with endearing style and funk. Added vocals run though a synthesizer provide a unique supplemental element to the baseline and act as an interesting refrain."[1] The song received an A− from Matt Diehl for Entertainment Weekly, who said that its "irresistible funk grooves lope at an easy gait, seducing the listener with a velvety tenor and belching synthesizer hook".[2] Tony Farsides from Music Week's RM Dance Update rated it five out of five, picking it as Tune of the Week. He noted that "given the downtempo mania that's dominated R&B in recent years, it's refreshing to hear a solid uptempo track instead. [...] All in all, a great track and hopefully a deserving hit as well."[3]

Commercial performance

The song peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot R&B Singles chart for two weeks from November 16, 1996, to November 30, 1996,[4] and reached number six on Billboard's Hot 100 on November 23, 1996.[5] Internationally, the song reached number three in Australia, peaked at number five in New Zealand, and charted within the top 40 in several European countries.

Music video

The official music video for the album version of the song, directed by Michael Lucero and filmed at the Cowboy Palace saloon in Chatsworth, California,[6] depicts Ginuwine and his crew entering a Western bar as strangers and gradually gaining the favor of the cowboy-patrons. The music video for the remix version of the song (the "Ride It" mix) was directed by Christopher Erskin and shot in a factory.[7]

Live performances

Ginuwine performed the song live on Soul Train on November 23, 1996.

Legacy

Along with his concurrent work for Aaliyah's One in a Million album, "Pony" and Ginuwine...the Bachelor marked the emergence of Timbaland as a successful R&B producer.[8] The song experienced a resurgence in popularity after being featured in the 2012 film Magic Mike, its 2015 sequel Magic Mike XXL, and its 2023 sequel Magic Mike's Last Dance.[9][10][11][12] On November 2, 2019, the song was featured in the sketch "Hungry Jury" on Saturday Night Live.[13]

In 2021, the duo Altégo posted a snippet of a mashup of "Pony" and Britney Spears's "Toxic" on TikTok, that quickly went viral. In January 2022, the mashup was completed and officially released through Sony Music Entertainment under the title "Toxic Pony", being credited to Altégo, Spears and Ginuwine.[14] The mashup reached number 40 on the Billboard Pop Airplay chart.[15]

Track listings

Charts

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[57] Platinum 70,000^
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[58] Platinum 90,000‡
Germany (BVMI)[59] Gold 250,000‡
New Zealand (RMNZ)[60] Gold 5,000*
United Kingdom (BPI)[61] Platinum 600,000‡
United States (RIAA)[62]
Physical 		Platinum 1,000,000^
United States
Digital 		— 1,301,019[63]

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Region Version Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref(s).
United States Original July 30, 1996 Rhythmic contemporary radio 550 Music [64]
August 20, 1996
  • 12-inch vinyl
  • cassette
 [65][66]
Japan October 21, 1996 CD Epic Japan [67]
United Kingdom January 13, 1997
  • 12-inch vinyl
  • CD
  • cassette
[68]
Various "Toxic Pony" January 21, 2022
Sony Music [69]

"Pony (Jump on It)"

"Pony (Jump on It)"
Single by Tough Love featuring Ginuwine
from the album Past Present Future (Unreleased)
ReleasedAugust 7, 2015 (2015-08-07)
Recorded2015
GenreHouse[70]
Length3:03
LabelIsland
Songwriter(s)
  • Stephen Garrett
  • Elgin Lumpkin
  • Tim Mosley
Producer(s)Tough Love
Tough Love singles chronology
"So Freakin' Tight"
(2015) 		"Pony (Jump on It)"
(2015) 		"Touch"
(2016)
Ginuwine singles chronology
"I Need"
(2013) 		"Pony (Jump on It)"
(2015)
Music video
"Pony (Jump on It)" on YouTube

British house music duo Tough Love collaborated with Ginuwine and revamped the song, which was released on August 7, 2015, as their second single.

Track listings

Digital download – single[71]
No.TitleLength
1."Pony (Jump on It)" (featuring Ginuwine) (Radio Mix)3:03
Digital download – EP[72]
No.TitleLength
1."Pony (Jump on It)" (Extended Mix)4:10
2."Pony (Jump on It)" (Cause & Affect Remix)4:39
3."Pony (Jump on It)" (VIP Mix)5:17
4."Pony (Jump on It)" (Kove Remix)4:13
5."Pony (Jump on It)" (Sick Individuals Remix)5:06
6."Pony (Jump on It)" (DJ Q Remix)5:09

Charts

Chart (2015) Peak
position
Scotland (OCC)[73] 36
UK Singles (OCC)[74] 39
UK Dance (OCC)[75] 12

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[76] Silver 200,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Country Date Format Label
Ireland August 7, 2015 Digital download Island
United Kingdom[77]

See also

References

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  2. ^ Diehl, Matt (November 8, 1996). "Music Single Review: 'Pony'". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on January 7, 2018.
  3. ^ Farsides, Tony (December 14, 1996). "Hot Vinyl" (PDF). Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert). p. 7. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
  4. ^ "R&B/Hip-Hop songs: Pony". Billboard. Retrieved December 16, 2018.
  5. ^ "Hot 100 songs: Pony". Billboard. Retrieved December 16, 2018.
  6. ^ "mvdbase.com - Ginuwine - "Pony [version 1]"". Music Video DataBase. Retrieved August 19, 2014.
  7. ^ Garcia, Alex S. "mvdbase.com - Ginuwine - "Pony [version 2: remix]"". Music Video DataBase. Retrieved August 19, 2014.
  8. ^ "Pony". Hotnewhiphop.com. November 17, 2016. Retrieved August 24, 2018.
  9. ^ Simon, Rachel. "Ginuwine's "Pony" Is Back In A Big Way". Bustle.com. Retrieved August 24, 2018.
  10. ^ "Who is Ginuwine? The R&B star made famous by hit song Pony". Metro.co.uk. January 5, 2018. Retrieved August 24, 2018.
  11. ^ Spanos, Brittany (June 22, 2015). "Ginuwine Takes Sexual Innuendo to Absurd Lengths". Rolling Stone. Retrieved August 24, 2018.
  12. ^ "Magic Mike's Last Dance soundtrack: Songs and track list explored". hitc.com. Retrieved February 16, 2023.
  13. ^ "Unlike These 'SNL' Idiots, You Probably Can't Play 'Pony' With Your Hungry Belly". Thrillist.com. Retrieved November 6, 2019.
  14. ^ Havens, Lyndsey; Lipshutz, Jason; Lynch, Joe; Bowenbank, Starr; Hassan, Ammal (January 24, 2022). "10 Cool New Pop Songs to Get You Through the Week: Purple Disco Machine, Years & Years, Joy Oladokun & More". Billboard. Retrieved February 2, 2022.
  15. ^ a b "Ginuwine Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved June 24, 2022.
  16. ^ Pony (US 12-inch single sleeve). Ginuwine. 550 Music. 1996. 46 78354.((cite AV media notes)): CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  17. ^ Pony (Australian CD single liner notes). Ginuwine. 550 Music. 1996. 36K78373.((cite AV media notes)): CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  18. ^ Pony (US & Australian cassette single sleeve). Ginuwine. 550 Music. 1996. 36T 78373.((cite AV media notes)): CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  19. ^ Pony (European CD single liner notes). Ginuwine. 550 Music, Epic Records. 1997. 663927 1.((cite AV media notes)): CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  20. ^ Pony (UK CD single liner notes). Ginuwine. 550 Music, Epic Records. 1997. 664128 2.((cite AV media notes)): CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  21. ^ Pony (UK cassette single sleeve). Ginuwine. 550 Music, Epic Records. 1997. 664128 4.((cite AV media notes)): CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  22. ^ Pony (UK 12-inch single sleeve). Ginuwine. 550 Music, Epic Records. 1997. 664128 6.((cite AV media notes)): CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
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  28. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 14, no. 6. February 8, 1997. p. 21. Retrieved October 17, 2020.
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  63. ^ "Chart: Digital Songs" (PDF). Nielsen Soundscan. June 23, 2016. Retrieved November 8, 2021.
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  66. ^ "Pony". Amazon. Retrieved August 19, 2021.
  67. ^ "(僕の)わんぱくポニー | ジェニュウィン" [(My) Naughty Pony | Ginuwine] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved September 27, 2023.
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  69. ^ "Toxic Pony – Single". Apple Music. January 22, 2022. Retrieved January 23, 2022.
  70. ^ Klemow, David (July 11, 2015). "Genuwine and Tough Love's 'Pony' reboot gets four new remixes". Dancing Astronaut. Retrieved June 5, 2018.
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  72. ^ "Pony (Jump On It) [Remixes] [feat. Ginuwine] – EP by Tough Love on Apple Music". Itunes.apple.com. August 7, 2015.
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  74. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
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  77. ^ "Pony (Jump On It) [Radio Mix] [feat. Ginuwine] - Single by Tough Love on iTunes". Itunes.apple.com. August 7, 2015.

External links


Ginuwine
Timbaland
Authority control databases
Categories