"Burn Rubber on Me" is a song originally performed by The Gap Band

Gap Band

The Gap Band was an American funk band, who rose to fame during the 1970s and 1980s. Comprising brothers Charlie, Ronnie and Robert Wilson, the band first formed as the Greenwood, Archer and Pine Street Band in 1967 in their hometown of Tulsa, Oklahoma. The group shortened its name to The Gap Band...

 and written by member Charlie Wilson

Charlie Wilson (musician)

Charles Kent "Charlie" Wilson is an American R&B singer-songwriter-producer and the former lead vocalist for the Gap Band. As a solo artist he has been nominated for four Grammy awards, received a 2009 Soul Train Icon Award, and a recipient of a BMI Icon Award in 2005...

 and producer Lonnie Simmons

Lonnie Simmons

Lonnie Simmons is an American record producer from Los Angeles, California. He is founder and president of the now-defunct Total Experience Records. As a composer, he wrote several #1 R&B songs for his label's major acts, The Gap Band and Yarbrough and Peoples....

. In 1981, it peaked at number eighty-four on the Hot 100 but it was a number one hit on the R&B charts. Billboard magazine ranked it as the 12th biggest R&B single of 1981.

The song's lyrics refer to abandonment by an unspecified lover. The phrase "Burn Rubber on Me" itself refers to said woman driving off while her lover is away. The narrative is continued in "Early in the Morning".

A later single released, featuring "Humpin'

Humpin'

"Humpin'" is a 1980 song by The Gap Band, from their fifth album The Gap Band III released as a single in 1981. The original B-side, "No Hiding Place", was originally released on The Gap Band II. The song had mixed chart success, only peaking at #60 R&B, but busting into the top-20 on the dance...

" on the B-side, scored a #19 appearance on the dance charts.

Pop singer George Michael

George Michael

George Michael is a British musician, singer, songwriter and record producer who rose to fame in the 1980s when he formed the pop duo Wham! with his school friend, Andrew Ridgeley...

 sampled the song for his 1997 single "Star People '97

Star People '97

"Star People '97" is a single by pop singer George Michael, which was released as the fifth single from his album Older. It was written and performed by George Michael and was released by Virgin Records in the UK and Dreamworks Records in the U.S. in 1997. "Star People '97" peaked at number 2 in...

"

Releases

All releases are in the U.S. unless indicated:

• 7" single
• 12" single
• 7" with "Nothing Comes to Sleepers" on the B-side
• 7" with "Baby Baba Boogie" from 1979's The Gap Band on the B-side
• 7" with "Yearning for Your Love
  Yearning for Your Love
  "Yearning for Your Love" is a quiet storm ballad recorded and released by The Gap Band on Mercury Records. The single was the third release off the Tulsa, Oklahoma-based group's fifth album, The Gap Band III...
  
  " on the A-side

All the releases can be checked at Discogs