Wind It Up (Gwen Stefani song)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| "Wind It Up" | ||
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| Single by Gwen Stefani | ||
| from the album The Sweet Escape | ||
| Released | October 2006 (North America) December 2006 (elsewhere) |
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| Format | Digital download Vinyl single |
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| Genre | Pop | |
| Length | 3:09 | |
| Label | Interscope | |
| Writer(s) | Gwen Stefani, Pharrell Williams, Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein II | |
| Producer(s) | Pharrell Williams | |
| Certification | Gold (ARIA), Gold (RIAA) | |
| Chart positions | ||
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| Gwen Stefani singles chronology | ||
| "Crash" (2006) |
"Wind It Up" (2006) |
"The Sweet Escape" (2007) |
"Wind It Up" is a pop song written by Gwen Stefani and Pharrell Williams originally for inclusion on Stefani's Harajuku Lovers Tour 2005. Because of favorable reception, the song was later recorded for her second solo album The Sweet Escape (2006). "Wind It Up" was released as the album's first single in late 2006 (see 2006 in music) and reached the top forty in most music markets.
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[edit] Background and writing
The lyrics of "Wind It Up" include references to Stefani's clothing line, L.A.M.B., and chronicles Stefani's feelings on how boys are infatuated with staring at her. The song includes yodelling and an interpolation of "The Lonely Goatherd" from The Sound of Music (1965), written by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II.[1]
Stefani considers The Sound of Music her favorite film,[2] and she had wanted to incorporate a beat to one of its songs all her life.[2] "Wind It Up" was originally written for the first L.A.M.B. fashion show[3] and was not intended to appear on The Sweet Escape until Stefani heard the entire composition. "I literally cried, and I'm not exaggerating," she said.[3]
[edit] Critical reception
- "Wind It Up" (file info) — play in browser (beta)
- The song features yodelling and a sample of "The Lonely Goatherd" over a Neptunes hip hop beat.
- Problems playing the files? See media help.
"Wind It Up" received generally negative reviews by contemporary pop music critics, and many criticized the inclusion of the The Sound of Music sample. All Music Guide said that the song's producers (The Neptunes) forced the sampling "into one of their typical minimalist tracks, over which Gwen spouts off clumsy material-minded lyrics touting her fashion line and her shape".[4] Chuck Taylor of Billboard magazine referred to the song as "a musical brain aneurysm",[5] while Bill Lamb of About.com stated that it "gets high marks for entertainment value ... but [it] sounds almost like a retread of old ground".[6] Pitchfork Media on the other hand, praised the track for its strangeness, saying that "the sheer nerviness of the idea ultimately sees it through."[7]
In face of criticism, Stefani has defended the track, saying "I knew some people wouldn't get it but I think I am enough down the line to not care. The people that did get it are Sound Of Music fans and really got a lot of pleasure from it.”
"When Pharrell Williams and I first wrote it, it didn't have the sample in it. Then I went to my first big New York L.A.M.B. fashion show and DJ Jeremy Healy did a mash-up for me with it in. When I first heard it I nearly cried. I still think it's brilliant and I stand by it. Why can't you do something weird for a while? These songs are all about having fun, silly records that are to be enjoyed and not taken too seriously." [8]
[edit] Music video
The song's music video was directed by Sophie Muller and filmed in Los Angeles, California, United States and neighboring towns. Although it does not follow a substantial plot, it features outfits and scenery inspired by The Sound of Music. Stefani and her Harajuku Girls are often dancing in front of fields of flowers and a background of key-like symbols comprised of two G's placed back to back. Throughout the video, Stefani is portrayed as a seamstress and submerged escape artist accompanied by dancers and the Harajuku Girls. In another scene everyone is dressed in pajamas. These scenes are interpretations of famous scenes from "The Sound of Music", Gwen takes the place of Maria in each scene. Said scenes include Maria singing in the fields, sewing the children's playclothes, singing "My Favorite Things" to the children during a rainstorm, and escaping the Nazis at the end of the movie. The song's title is visualized by a colorful sign that reads "wind it up".
"Wind It Up" premiered on MTV's top-ten chart program Total Request Live on November 10, 2006, where it reached number two.[9] After its November 17 debut on MuchMusic's Countdown, it reached number one for the week of February 2, 2007. On VH1's Top 20 Video Countdown, it reached number ten. In a review of the music video, Guardian Unlimited poked fun at the number of personas that appear in the video, referring to some of them as "Nunzilla", "Gweninatrix", and "CinderGwennie", and stated that "your speakers have a mute setting for good reason."[10]
[edit] Chart performance
"Wind It Up" was released to Canadian and U.S. radio on October 31, 2006. It debuted on the U.S. Hot 100 at number forty, Stefani's career-highest debut (with and without No Doubt) and peaking at number six. In Canada "Wind It Up" debuted at number eighty-eight on the BDS Airplay Chart and managed to climb to number 18. The song has reached #1 in New Zealand, the Australian and UK top five, and the Irish & U.S. top ten.
[edit] Charts
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| Preceded by "My Love" by Justin Timberlake |
RIANZ New Zealand number one single December 25, 2006 (2 weeks) |
Succeeded by "Smack That" by Akon feat. Eminem |
| Preceded by "Put Your Hands Up 4 Detroit" by Fedde Le Grand |
Bulgarian Airplay Chart January 29, 2007 (1 week) |
Succeeded by "I Don't Feel Like Dancing" by Scissor Sisters |
| Preceded by "All Good Things (Come to an End)" by Nelly Furtado |
Croatian Singles Chart January 20, 2007 - January 27, 2007 (2 weeks) |
Succeeded by "Io Canto" by Laura Pausini |
[edit] Formats and track listings
- North American 12" Vinyl
- "Wind It Up"
- "Wind It Up" - original Neptunes mix
- "Wind It Up" - instrumental
- UK/Europe 12" Vinyl
- "Wind It Up"
- "Wind It Up" - original Neptunes mix
- "Wind It Up" - instrumental
- "Wind It Up" - original Neptunes instrumental
- UK/Europe CD Single
- "Wind It Up"
- "Wind It Up" - original Neptunes mix
[edit] Remixes
- Album Version (3:09)
- Instrumental (3:09)
- Acappella (3:09)
- 12" Mix (5:02)
- Neptunes Remix (3:11)
- Neptunes Instrumental (3:10)
- Neptunes Dub (Unreleased)
- Peoples Mad Remix (Unreleased)
- Peoples Dub (Unreleased)
- Fresh Mix (Unreleased)
- Fresh Dub (Unreleased)
- DB Mix (Unreleased)
- Robots to Mars remix (Released on the Sweet Escape AU single)
[edit] Notes
- ^ Collis, Clark. "Holla Back". Entertainment Weekly. November 22, 2006. Retrieved January 22, 2007.
- ^ a b Infantry, Ashante. "Stefani has it all, baby". Toronto Star. A27. Retrieved December 6, 2006.
- ^ a b Vineyard, Jennifer. MTV.com. "Gwen Stefani's New LP, The Sweet Escape, Set for December". Retrieved November 29, 2006.
- ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "The Sweet Escape". All Music Guide. Retrieved December 7, 2006.
- ^ Taylor, Chuck. [1] Billboard. Retrieved November 6, 2006.
- ^ About.com
- ^ Pithforkmedia.com
- ^ Starpulse.com
- ^ "The TRL Archive - Recap - November 2006". Popfusion. Retrieved March 17, 2007.
- ^ Pickard, Anna. Wind it up". Guardian Unlimited. Retrieved February 12, 2007.
- ^ Denmark Top 100 Singles
- ^ Mexican Top 100
[edit] References
- "Billboard". Billboard Hot 100 airplay and sales charts. Retrieved November 29, 2006.
- "Jam Canoe". Canadian airplay and sales charts. Retrieved November 29, 2006.
- Vineyard, Jennifer. MTV.com. "Gwen Stefani's New LP, The Sweet Escape, Set for December". Retrieved November 29, 2006.
- "SwedishCharts". Swedish sales chart. Retrieved December 4, 2006.
- "Australian Recording Industry Association". Australian airplay and sales charts. Retrieved October 19, 2005.
- Infantry, Ashante. "Stefani has it all, baby". Toronto Star. A27. Retrieved December 6, 2006.
- "MusicSquare - Gwen Stefani - Wind It Up" Retrieved January 10, 2007.
[edit] External link
- Gwen Stefani music videos — watch "Wind It Up" at LAUNCHcast
| Gwen Stefani |
|---|
| Discography |
| Studio albums: Love. Angel. Music. Baby. (2004) · The Sweet Escape (2006) |
| Solo singles: "What You Waiting For?" • "Rich Girl" • "Hollaback Girl" • "Cool" • "Luxurious" • "Crash" • "Wind It Up" • "The Sweet Escape" • "4 in the Morning" |
| Related articles |
| No Doubt • L.A.M.B. • Harajuku Lovers |
