Back to My Roots

Single infobox
Name = Back to My Roots


Artist = RuPaul
from Album = Supermodel of the World
Released = 1993
Format = CD and 12" vinyl
Genre = Dance, House, Pop
Length = 3:32 (album version)
Label = Tommy Boy Records
Writer = RuPaul
NoReviews = yes
Last single = "Supermodel (You Better Work)"
This single = "Back to My Roots"
Next single = "House of Love"

"Back to My Roots" is a song by Ru Paul, released as the fourth single from his album "Supermodel of the World", released in 1993. Although the single failed to chart on the "Billboard" Hot 100, it reached #1 on the Hot Dance Club Play chart in July of 1993 and helped to further establish RuPaul's popularity, particularly with both the dance music and LGBT audiences in the United States.

The house/dance track is a tribute to black women's hairstyles as well as to the tradition of community often found in urban hair salons. Within the song RuPaul name-checks a variety of hairstyle such as braids, hair extensions, afro-puffs and cornrows. She also names several of her relatives including her mother Ernestine Charles, who at the time owned a hair salon in Atlanta, Georgia.

The single was released primarily as a CD but with various 12" versions. It also featured a new remix of the hit single "Supermodel (You Better Work)", as well as a pastiche of the track called "Strudelmodel" which changed the theme of the original to a "model for der veinerschnitzel corporation".

An accompanying video showcased extreme drag-versions of all of these hairstyles. Though it was played occasionally on MTV it received far more play in dance clubs.

Tracks

(Tracks vary according to release; this listing reflects the tracks on the American CD version, which sold the most copies.)

# "Back to My Roots" (7" Version)
# "Back to My Roots" (Jheri Curl Juice Mix)
# "Back to My Roots" (Murk's Curl Activator Mix)
# "Supermodel (You Better Work)" (Work it' Mr. DJ Tribal Mix)
# "Back to My Roots" (Oscar G's Dope Dub)
# "Back to My Roots" (Jheri Curl Juice Dub)
# "Strudelmodel"

ee also

*List of number-one dance hits (United States)