Parents Just Don't Understand

"Parents Just Don't Understand" is the second single from DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince's second studio album, He's the DJ, I'm the Rapper. The song won a Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance at the 1989 Grammy Awards, one of the two songs to do so before the award was discontinued in 1991. It peaked at number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100.[1] The song was released as a single in spring 1988. The song was referenced several times in the television show The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air. The song was ranked number 96 on VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of Hip Hop, and the music video was featured in the 2003 film Malibu's Most Wanted.

"Parents Just Don't Understand"
Single by DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince
from the album He's the DJ, I'm the Rapper
ReleasedFebruary 17, 1988
Recorded1987
GenreGolden age hip hop
Length
  • 4:13 (Radio edit)
  • 5:35 (Album version)
LabelJive
Songwriter(s)Harris, Smith, Townes
Producer(s)Harris, Smith, Townes, New
DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince singles chronology
"Brand New Funk"
(1987)		 "Parents Just Don't Understand"
(1988)		 "A Nightmare on My Street"
(1988)
Audio sample
  • file
  • help

Composition

The song's two major verses involve The Fresh Prince's problems with his own parents, who he feels don't understand the difficulties of being a teenager. The first verse is a recollection of when he went school-shopping with his whole family, including his brother and their younger sister, at the Gallery Mall. The Prince's mother bought him a whole wardrobe that was way against his style, getting "Zips" shoes instead of Adidas...along with bell-bottoms, reversible slacks, a plaid shirt with a butterfly collar, and the like. Forced to wear such uncool clothes, The Fresh Prince suffers inevitable embarrassment on his first day at school.

The second verse explains what happens when he takes the family Porsche out for a spin - despite having no driver's license - while his parents were on a long vacation. He picks up a beautiful girl and takes her to McDonald's. When the Prince floors the car to show how fast it can go, he gets pulled over for speeding...and discovers the beauty he picked up is a tween runaway. The cop arrests him for driving without a license, and the Porsche is impounded. His parents are forced to come home early from vacation to bail him out, and angrily administer severe physical discipline on the drive home. Nevertheless, the Fresh Prince tells his audience that "parents just don't understand".

Notable cover versions

Lil' Romeo, 3LW, and Nick Cannon recorded a cover for the Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius soundtrack. T-Squad covered the song on their only album T-Squad.[2]

Track listing
7" Vinyl
  1. "Parents Just Don't Understand" – 4:13
  2. "Parents Just Don't Understand" (Instrumental) – 4:06
12" Vinyl
  1. "Parents Just Don't Understand" (Danny D Mix) – 6:20
  2. "Parents Just Don't Understand" (Original 7" Version) – 5:13
  3. "Live At Union Square, November 1986" – 4:03
American 12" Vinyl
  1. "Parents Just Don't Understand" (Extended Mix) – 5:27
  2. "Parents Just Don't Understand" (Single Edit) – 4:13
  3. "Parents Just Don't Understand" (Instrumental) – 4:06
  4. "Live At Union Square, November 1986" – 4:03

Charts
Chart (1988) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[3] 49
Canada Top Singles (RPM) 28
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[4] 13
UK Singles (The Official Charts Company) 87
US Billboard Hot 100 12
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard) 10

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[5] Gold 500,000^

^shipments figures based on certification alone

References
  1. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/dj-jazzy-jeff-the-fresh-prince-mn0000948022/awards
  2. T-Squad - Parents Just Don't Understand
  3. "Australian-charts.com – DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince – Parents Just Don't Understand". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
  4. "Charts.nz – DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince – Parents Just Don't Understand". Top 40 Singles.
  5. "American single certifications – DJ Jazzy Jeff & Fresh Prince – Parents Just Don't Understand". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH. 
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