Studio Album · No. 5
Electric Circus Songwriting Credits by Common
Produced by Questlove, Common (exec., Derek Dudley (exec., James Poyser, J Dilla, Pino Palladino, The Neptunes, Karriem Riggins, Jeff Lee Johnson · Engineered by Anthony Bell, Jim Bottari, Jeff Chestek, Jon Adler
MCA
Alternative Hip HopNeo SoulPsychedelic Soul
100%
Authorship
Holds writing credit on 13 of 13 tracks
Authorship Breakdown 13 / 13 documented
Who wrote the songs?
Scored across the 13 tracks with documented writers, by whether Common carries a lyricist or composer credit.
13 trackswritten by Common
0 tracksoutside writers
Common's roles on this album
Share of the 13 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.
Lyricist100%
Composer100%
Producer0%
Performer100%
By the Numbers
13
Tracks
19
Lyricists
7
Producers
2002
Released
Data Insight
The record that lost him the audience Like Water for Chocolate had won, and the credits show why: rock, psychedelia and electronica pull in writers from outside hip hop entirely. He is on all 13 tracks and alone on none. It was the last album before Kanye West signed him.
Electric Circus came out on MCA in December 2002 and reached number 47 on the Billboard 200. Prince, Erykah Badu, Cee-Lo Green, Laetitia Sadier and Jill Scott all appear on it.
Track Listing & Credits 13 tracks
Written by the artist
Written by outside writers
| # | Title | Lyricist(s) | Composer(s) | Producer(s) | Performers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Ferris Wheel
|
CommonQuestloveJames PoyserVinia MojicaMarie Daulne | Lonnie Rashid LynnAhmir ThompsonJames PoyserVinia MojicaMarie Daulne | QuestloveJames Poyser | Common (Performer)Vinia Mojica (Featured Vocals)Marie Daulne (Featured Vocals) |
| 2 |
Soul Power
|
CommonJ DillaQuestloveJames Poyser | Lonnie Rashid LynnJames YanceyAhmir ThompsonJames Poyser | J DillaQuestloveJames Poyser | Common (Performer) |
| 3 |
Aquarius
|
CommonQuestloveJames PoyserJ DillaPino PalladinoErykah Badu | Lonnie Rashid LynnAhmir ThompsonJames PoyserJames YanceyPino PalladinoErykah Badu | QuestloveJames PoyserJ DillaPino Palladino | Common (Performer)Bilal (Featured Vocals) |
| 4 |
Electric Wire Hustler Flower
|
CommonJames PoyserJ Dilla | Lonnie Rashid LynnJames PoyserJames Yancey | James PoyserJ Dilla | Common (Performer)Sonny Sandoval (Featured Vocals) |
| 5 |
The Hustle
|
CommonKarriem RigginsOmar Lye-FookDartanian Donaldson | Lonnie Rashid LynnKarriem RigginsOmar Lye-FookDartanian Donaldson | Karriem Riggins | Common (Performer)Omar (Featured Vocals)Dart Chillz (Featured Vocals) |
| 6 |
Come Close
#65
|
CommonPharrell WilliamsChad Hugo | Lonnie Rashid LynnPharrell WilliamsChad Hugo | The Neptunes | Common (Performer)Mary J. Blige (Featured Vocals) |
| 7 |
New Wave
|
CommonQuestloveJames PoyserJ DillaLætitia Sadier | Lonnie Rashid LynnAhmir ThompsonJames PoyserJames YanceyLætitia Sadier | QuestloveJames PoyserJ Dilla | Common (Performer)Lætitia Sadier (Featured Vocals) |
| 8 |
Star *69 (PS With Love)
|
CommonQuestloveJames PoyserJ Dilla | Lonnie Rashid LynnAhmir ThompsonJames PoyserJames Yancey | QuestloveJames PoyserJ Dilla | Common (Performer)Bilal (Featured Vocals) |
| 9 |
I Got a Right Ta
|
CommonPharrell WilliamsChad Hugo | Lonnie Rashid LynnPharrell WilliamsChad Hugo | The Neptunes | Common (Performer)Pharrell Williams (Featured Vocals) |
| 10 |
Between Me, You and Liberation
|
CommonQuestloveJames PoyserJ DillaPino PalladinoCee Lo Green | Lonnie Rashid LynnAhmir ThompsonJames PoyserJames YanceyPino PalladinoThomas Callaway | QuestloveJames PoyserJ DillaPino Palladino | Common (Performer)Cee Lo Green (Featured Vocals) |
| 11 |
I Am Music
|
CommonQuestloveJames PoyserJ DillaPino PalladinoJeff Lee JohnsonJill Scott | Lonnie Rashid LynnAhmir ThompsonJames PoyserJames YanceyPino PalladinoJeff Lee JohnsonJill Scott | QuestloveJames PoyserJ DillaPino PalladinoJeff Lee Johnson | Common (Performer)Jill Scott (Featured Vocals) |
| 12 |
Jimi Was a Rock Star
|
CommonQuestloveJames PoyserJ DillaPino PalladinoJeff Lee JohnsonErykah Badu | Lonnie Rashid LynnAhmir ThompsonJames PoyserJames YanceyPino PalladinoJeff Lee JohnsonErykah Badu | QuestloveJames PoyserJ DillaPino PalladinoJeff Lee Johnson | Common (Performer)Erykah Badu (Featured Vocals) |
| 13 |
Heaven Somewhere
|
CommonQuestloveJames PoyserPino PalladinoOmar Lye-FookBilalJill ScottMary J. BligeErykah Badu | Lonnie Rashid LynnAhmir ThompsonJames PoyserPino PalladinoOmar Lye-FookBilal OliverJill ScottMary J. BligeErykah Badu | QuestloveJames PoyserPino Palladino | Common (Performer)Omar (Featured Vocals)Cee Lo Green (Featured Vocals)Bilal (Featured Vocals)Jill Scott (Featured Vocals)Mary J. Blige (Featured Vocals)Erykah Badu (Featured Vocals)Lonnie "Pops" Lynn (Featured Vocals) |
Songwriter & Credit Spotlight 29 contributors
C
Common
Writer · Performer
LR
Lonnie Rashid Lynn
Writer
JP
James Poyser
Writer · Producer
Q
Questlove
Writer · Producer
AT
Ahmir Thompson
Writer
JD
J Dilla
Writer · Producer
JY
James Yancey
Writer
PP
Pino Palladino
Writer · Producer
EB
Erykah Badu
Writer · Vocals
JL
Jeff Lee Johnson
Writer · Producer
CH
Chad Hugo
Writer
JS
Jill Scott
Writer · Vocals
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Frequently Asked Questions Electric Circus
Who wrote Electric Circus?
Common is credited on all 13 tracks, always with a co-writer.
Who produced it?
J Dilla, James Poyser, Questlove and the Soulquarians circle again, with Common himself on several tracks.
Which single charted?
"Come Close" with Mary J. Blige reached number 65 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Why is it so different?
It leans on rock and psychedelic soul rather than the neo soul of the album before, and the guest list runs from Prince to Stereolab's Laetitia Sadier.
How did it sell?
The discography's certification column is blank for this album and no sales figure is published.
Who engineered it?
Anthony Bell, Jim Bottari, Jeff Chestek and Jon Adler.
How long is the album?
73:26 across 13 tracks.