Back and Forth (Cameo song)

"Back and Forth"
"Back and Forth"
Single by Cameo
from the album Word Up!
Released	February 24, 1987
Genre	Dance-pop
Length	6:33 (album version); 3:54 (single version);
Label	Atlanta Artists
Songwriter(s)	Larry Blackmon; Tomi Jenkins; Kevin Kendrick; Nathan Leftenant;
Cameo singles chronology
Music video
	"Back and Forth" on YouTube

"Back and Forth" is a song by American funk band Cameo, released on February 24, 1987 as the third single from their 1986 album Word Up!.

Chart performance[edit]

The single was the group's twelfth top 10 soul single peaking at number three for two weeks and peaked at number fifty on the pop charts making it their fourth entry on the Hot 100.^[1] "Back and Forth" was also the group's third top ten on the dance chart, peaking at number six.^[2]

Music video[edit]

Jazz musician Miles Davis makes a cameo in the song's music video.^[3]

Popular culture[edit]

The chorus of the song: "Back, back and forth and forth..." is used on the hip hop group Wu-Tang Clan's single "Gravel Pit".
The song appears in video game Grand Theft Auto V on the Space 103.2 radio station.^[4]

Charts[edit]

Weekly charts[edit]

Chart (1987)	Peak position
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)^[5]	40
UK Singles (OCC)^[6]	11
US Billboard Hot 100^[7]	50
US Dance Club Songs (Billboard)^[8]	6
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)^[9]	3

Year-end charts[edit]

Chart (1987)	Position
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)^[10]	50

References[edit]

^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942–2004. Record Research. p. 98.
^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Hot Dance/Disco: 1974–2003. Record Research. p. 48.
^ "Pat Buchanan (p.5)". Retrieved February 28, 2014. | "Cameo - Back and Forth (Music Video)". YouTube. Retrieved February 28, 2014.
^ Goble, Corban (November 17, 2014). "Grand Theft Auto V Reveals Expanded Radio Station Tracklists for Game Relaunch". Pitchfork. Retrieved October 26, 2016.
^ "Cameo – Back and Forth" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved November 10, 2021.
^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 3, 2024.
^ "Cameo Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved November 10, 2021.
^ "Cameo Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved November 10, 2021.
^ "Cameo Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved November 10, 2021.
^ "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs – Year-End 1987". Billboard. Retrieved November 10, 2021.

[1] Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942–2004. Record Research. p. 98.

[2] Whitburn, Joel (2004). Hot Dance/Disco: 1974–2003. Record Research. p. 48.

[3] "Pat Buchanan (p.5)". Retrieved February 28, 2014. | "Cameo - Back and Forth (Music Video)". YouTube. Retrieved February 28, 2014.

[4] Goble, Corban (November 17, 2014). "Grand Theft Auto V Reveals Expanded Radio Station Tracklists for Game Relaunch". Pitchfork. Retrieved October 26, 2016.

[sc_Flanders_Cameo-5] "Cameo – Back and Forth" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved November 10, 2021.

[sc_UK_-6] "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 3, 2024.

[sc_Billboardhot100_Cameo-7] "Cameo Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved November 10, 2021.

[sc_Billboarddanceclubplay_Cameo-8] "Cameo Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved November 10, 2021.

[sc_Billboardrandbhiphop_Cameo-9] "Cameo Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved November 10, 2021.

[10] "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs – Year-End 1987". Billboard. Retrieved November 10, 2021.

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v t e Cameo
Larry Blackmon Anthony Lockett Aaron Mills Tomi Jenkins Charlie Singleton Jeryl Bright Michael Burnett Thomas Campbell Wayne Cooper Merve de Peyer Gary Dow Eric Durham Gregory Johnson Kurt Jeter John Kellogg Kevin Kendrick Arnett Leftenant Nathan Leftenant Damon Mendes Stephen Moore William Morris Eric Nelson Jeff Nelson William Revis Charles Sampson Robert L. Smith Billy Allen Jr Melvin Wells Gregory B. Johnson
Studio albums	Cardiac Arrest (1977) We All Know Who We Are (1978) Ugly Ego (1978) Secret Omen (1979) Cameosis (1980) Feel Me (1980) Knights of the Sound Table (1981) Alligator Woman (1982) Style (1983) She's Strange (1984) Single Life (1985) Word Up! (1986) Machismo (1988) Real Men... Wear Black (1990) Emotional Violence (1991) In the Face of Funk (1994) Sexy Sweet Thing (2000)
Live albums	Nasty (1996) Live: Word Up (1998) Original Artist Hit List (2003) Nasty, Live & Funky (2007) Word Up! Greatest Hits – Live (2007) Keep It Hot (2007)
Compilation albums	Shake Your Pants (1992) The Best of Cameo (1993) The Best of Cameo, Volume 2 (1996) Best of Cameo (1998) The Ballads Collection (1998) Greatest Hits (1998) 12" Collection and More (1999) Anthology/Gold (2002/2005) Classic Cameo (2003) The Best of Cameo (2004) The Definitive Collection (2006)
Singles	"Rigor Mortis" "Shake Your Pants" "She's Strange" "Attack Me with Your Love" "Word Up!" "Candy" "Back and Forth" "I Want It Now" "Loverboy"
Related	Discography