"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.
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]
* 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.
