Riddle (song)

"Riddle" is a song recorded by American R&B group En Vogue. It was written by Denzil Foster and Thomas McElroy, along with band members Cindy Herron, Maxine Jones, and Terry Ellis, for their fourth studio album Masterpiece Theater (2000), while production was helmed by Foster & McElroy. An angry mid-tempo song about a sneaking, cheating lover, "Riddle" is built around a clapping game motif, and interpolates the band's 1992 song "My Lovin' (You're Never Gonna Get It)." Lyrically, it has the protagonist revealing her feelings about discovering that her love interest is having an affair with someone else over the course of the week.

"Riddle"
Single by En Vogue
from the album Masterpiece Theatre
ReleasedMarch 22, 2000
Genre
Length4:04
LabelElektra
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Foster & McElroy
En Vogue singles chronology
"No Fool No More"
(1998)		 "Riddle"
(2000)		 "Losin' My Mind"
(2004)

En Vogue performed "Riddle" on several shows, including The Rosie O'Donnell Show and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. "Riddle" was the last single to feature Maxine Jones before she left to make more time for her family. In 2008, all four original members reunited to perform at a music award show. The group also performed it at several shows during their "20th Anniversary Tour" in 2009, with Dawn Robinson reuniting with Cindy, Terry and Maxine with Dawn performing the second half of Maxine's verse.

Reception

Upon its release, "Riddle" received a mixed to positive reception from music critics. In his reviews of parent album Masterpiece Theater, Michael Paoletta from Billboard declared the song a "percolating single which unfolds like a direct descendant of the trio's past hits.[1] His colleague Chuck Taylor felt that "Riddle" was another smash track from the band, thought he noted that while it "does have the group's signature sound, it also seems dated." He compared "Riddle" with the band's 1992 single "My Lovin' (You're Never Gonna Get It)" whose instrumentation is interpolated near the end of the song.[2]

Norwegian record producing and songwriting team Stargate, composed of Tor Erik Hermansen and Mikkel Storleer Eriksen, was consulted to produce a radio edit of "Riddle," which contains even more elements of "My Lovin' (You're Never Gonna Get It)".[2] Additional remixes were provided by Tricky Stewart and Maurice Joshua.[3] Commercially, though, the song failed to become a hit in the United States. "Riddle" was more popular overseas, reaching top 30 in the United Kingdom, while entering the top thirty in the Benelux states.

Music video

An accompanying music video was directed by Len Wiseman.[4]

Formats and track listings
Sample credits

Charts
Chart (2000) Peak
position
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[5] 15
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[6] 24
France (SNEP)[7] 22
Germany (Official German Charts)[8] 62
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[9] 28
Scotland (OCC)[10] 63
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[11] 56
UK Singles (OCC)[12] 33
UK R&B (OCC)[13] 8
US Billboard Hot 100[14] 92
US Adult R&B Songs (Billboard)[15] 28
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[16] 92

References
  1. Paoletta, Michael (2000-05-27). "Albums". Billboard. Retrieved 2018-02-03.
  2. Taylor, Chuck (2000-03-22). "Reviews & Previews". Billboard. Retrieved 2018-02-03.
  3. En Vogue - "Riddle" UK Single at Discogs
  4. "Len Wiseman | TV Guide". TVGuide.com.
  5. "Ultratop.be – En Vogue – Riddle" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 2018-02-03.
  6. "Ultratop.be – En Vogue – Riddle" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 2018-02-03.
  7. "Lescharts.com – En Vogue – Riddle" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 2018-02-03.
  8. "Offiziellecharts.de – En Vogue – Riddle". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 2018-02-03.
  9. "Dutchcharts.nl – En Vogue – Riddle" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 2018-02-03.
  10. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2018-02-03.
  11. "Swisscharts.com – En Vogue – Riddle". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 2018-02-03.
  12. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2018-02-03.
  13. "Official R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2018-02-03.
  14. "En Vogue Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 02-03.
  15. "En Vogue Chart History (Adult R&B Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 02-03.
  16. "En Vogue Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 02-03.
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