I Didn't Mean to Turn You On

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"I Didn't Mean to Turn You On"
Single by Cherrelle
from the album Fragile
B-side"I Didn't Mean to Turn You On (Instrumental)"
ReleasedApril 1984
Genre
Length
  • 7:03 (album version)
  • 6:21 (12-inch version)
  • 3:58 (single edit)
LabelTabu
Songwriter(s)
  • James Harris III
  • Terry Lewis
Producer(s)Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis
Cherrelle singles chronology
"I Didn't Mean to Turn You On"
(1984) 		"Fragile… Handle with Care"
(1984)

"I Didn't Mean to Turn You On" is the debut single originally performed by American singer Cherrelle and written by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis in 1984. In the song, the singer is attempting to rebuff unwanted sexual advances following a date, including pressure to have a one-night stand.[3] In 1986, "I Didn't Mean to Turn You On" was covered by English singer Robert Palmer. Palmer's cover fared better on the pop chart while Cherrelle's version was a hit on the R&B chart.

Original Cherrelle version

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The song was released as Cherrelle's debut single and was her first hit, peaking at number 8 on the soul chart and number 79 on the Hot 100.[4] On the US dance chart, "I Didn't Mean to Turn You On" went to number 6.[5] A slightly altered version of the song is featured in the 2015 N.W.A biopic Straight Outta Compton.[6]

The music video pays homage to King Kong, featuring characters Cherrelle (as the protagonist) and the beast (presumably King Kong) in various scenes.[7][8] In the end, the whole video turns out to be the singer's dream as she wakes up with a King Kong comic book around her arm.

Charts

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Chart (1984–1985) Peak
position
US Billboard Hot 100[9] 79
US Dance/Disco Top 80 (Billboard) 6
US Hot Black Singles (Billboard) 8

Robert Palmer version

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"I Didn't Mean to Turn You On"
UK vinyl single
Single by Robert Palmer
from the album Riptide
B-side"Get It Through Your Heart"
ReleasedJuly 7, 1986 (1986-07-07)[10]
Length3:43
LabelIsland
Songwriter(s)
  • James Harris III
  • Terry Lewis
Producer(s)Bernard Edwards
Robert Palmer singles chronology
"Hyperactive"
(1986) 		"I Didn't Mean to Turn You On"
(1986) 		"Discipline of Love" (re-issue)
(1986)
Music video
"I Didn't Mean To Turn You On" on YouTube

English rock singer Robert Palmer recorded a cover version of "I Didn't Mean to Turn You On" one year later, and it was released as the fifth single from his eighth studio album, Riptide (1985). The single reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1986. Palmer loved the song musically, but he found the lyrics distasteful and sexist because they were written by older men to be sung by a young woman.[11] Palmer recorded it in part as a joke, thinking it would be an ironic role reversal to have the lyrics coming from a nearly 40-year-old man.[12][13] The music video which was directed by Terence Donovan and storyboarded by concept developer Andrew Trovaioli, featured women like the ones featured in "Addicted to Love"; it reached No. 1 on MTV on October 17, 1986.[14]

Charts

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Weekly charts

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Chart (1986) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[15] 26
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[16] 13
Europe (European Hot 100 Singles)[17] 48
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[18] 23
UK Singles (OCC)[19] 9
US Billboard Hot 100[20] 2
US Dance Club Songs (Billboard)[21]
Remix 		26
US Dance Singles Sales (Billboard)[22]
Remix 		14
US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[23] 41
US Cash Box Top 100[24] 4

Year end charts

[edit]
Chart (1986) Position
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[25] 75
US Billboard Hot 100[26] 46

Other cover versions

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References

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  1. ^ a b Leight, Elias; Johnston, Maura (April 22, 2016). "18 Awesome Prince Rip-Offs". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on February 4, 2017. Retrieved February 4, 2017.
  2. ^ DeMain, Bill (September 30, 2004). In Their Own Words: Songwriters Talk About the Creative Process. Greenwood Publishing Group. pp. 131–132. ISBN 978-0275984021.
  3. ^ Cherrelle – I Didn't Mean to Turn You On, retrieved October 6, 2024
  4. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942–2004. Record Research. p. 115.
  5. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Hot Dance/Disco: 1974–2003. Record Research. p. 56.
  6. ^ Roberts, Randall (August 13, 2015). "'Straight Outta Compton's' music tracks sample culture's infancy". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 4, 2017.
  7. ^ "The Evolution of Cherrelle". BET. Retrieved April 15, 2025.
  8. ^ "Cherrelle in Concert: Guild Theater". St. Hope. Retrieved April 15, 2025.
  9. ^ "Music: Top 100 Songs". Billboard. August 4, 1984. Retrieved February 24, 2017.
  10. ^ "New Singles" (PDF). Music Week. July 5, 1986. p. 8.
  11. ^ olivier (May 23, 2012). "Questionnaires". ROBERT PALMER : Music & Style (in French). Retrieved October 6, 2024.
  12. ^ olivier (January 9, 2006). "I Didn't Mean To Turn You On". ROBERT PALMER : Music & Style (in French). Retrieved October 6, 2024.
  13. ^ "Robert Palmer – I Didn't Mean To Turn You On Lyrics & Meanings". SongMeanings. January 8, 2015. Retrieved October 6, 2024.
  14. ^ Strong, Martin C. (2000). The Great Rock Discography (5th ed.). Edinburgh: Mojo Books. pp. 2–3. ISBN 1-84195-017-3.
  15. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  16. ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 0701." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved August 18, 2025.
  17. ^ "European Hot 100 Singles". Music & Media. Vol. 3, no. 31. August 9, 1986. p. 4.
  18. ^ "Robert Palmer – I Didn't Mean to Turn You On". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved August 18, 2025.
  19. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 18, 2025.
  20. ^ "Robert Palmer Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved August 18, 2025.
  21. ^ "Robert Palmer Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved August 18, 2025.
  22. ^ "Robert Palmer Chart History (Dance Singles Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved August 18, 2025.
  23. ^ "Robert Palmer Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved August 18, 2025.
  24. ^ "CASH BOX Top 100 Singles – Week ending November 1, 1986". February 4, 2017.[permanent dead link] Cash Box magazine
  25. ^ "Top 100 Singles of '86". RPM. Retrieved August 18, 2025 – via Library and Archives Canada.
  26. ^ "Number One Awards: Top Pop Singles". Billboard. Vol. 98, no. 52. December 27, 1986. p. Y-21.
  27. ^ "Brandy matures; Queen Latifah full of filler". Newspapers.com. June 26, 1998. Retrieved February 24, 2017.
  28. ^ Mason, Kerri (August 11, 2007). "Dance-Pop Divas". Nielsen Business Media, Inc. Retrieved February 24, 2017.
  29. ^ "X". X.com.