“Blind Alley” is a soul song by family trio The Emotions from their Stax-period in the early 70’s. Though the song was a B-Side of their single “My Honey & Me,” it took on a life of its own once it became a prominent sample in Big Daddy Kane’s biggest hit “Ain’t No Half Steppin” in 1988.

Since then, its sunny organ-bass-and-drum combo has anchored over a hundred songs including 90’s R&B and hip-hop megahits like Mariah Carey’s “Dreamlover” and Wreckx-N-Effect’s “Rump Shaker”.

Lyrically, the song is a polite but solid rebuff of the advances of a smooth-talking guy who isn’t taking the hint from an uninterested woman who’s already in a faithful relationship.