Buttons (song)

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“Buttons”
“Buttons” cover
Single by Pussycat Dolls featuring Big Snoop Dogg
from the album PCD
B-side "Flirt"
Released May 2006 (U.S.)
June 2006 (UK)
Format 12" single, digital download, CD single
Recorded September 20 – September 24, 2005 in Phoenix, Arizona
Genre Dance-pop, R&B, hip hop
Length 3:46 (Album Version)
3:52 (Main Mix)
Label A&M
Writer(s) Sean Garrett, Jamal Jones, Jason Perry, Nicole Scherzinger, Calvin Broadus (remix)
Producer Sean Garrett, Ron Fair, Polow Da Don
Certification Platinum (U.S.)
Pussycat Dolls singles chronology
"Beep"
(2006)		 "Buttons"
(2006)		 "I Don't Need a Man"
(2006)


Bigg Snoop Dogg singles chronology
"Say Somethin'"
(2006)		 "Buttons"
(2006)		 "Cali Iz Active"
(2006)
Alternative cover
Alternative cover
Audio sample
Info "Buttons" (help·info)

"Buttons" is a pop-R&B song written by Sean Garrett, Jamal Jones, Jason Perry, and Nicole Scherzinger for the Pussycat Dolls' debut album PCD (2005). Released as the album's fourth single, the song became one of their biggest hits. It is their fourth top-three single on the UK Singles Chart and their second top-three single on the Billboard Hot 100.

The Pussycat Dolls collaborated with Snoop Dogg (credited as "Big Snoop Dogg") on this release. The song was altered slightly from the album version, adding in two rap verses. For the final release of the single, the version featuring Snoop Dogg is described as the main mix.

Contents

[edit] Lyrics and music

Like "Don't Cha" and "Beep", the song has a strong sexual undertone; a lady teases her intended male subject to help her take her clothes off (hence the main chorus line "I'm telling you to loosen up my buttons"). However, she accuses him of being intimidated, leading her to believe he's "all talk and no show". She claims that she's "heard what he's sayin' what he was going to do to her, but she's seen nothing". However, where most listeners would assume that the protagonist has finally become disinterested, the song ends with the impression that she's still teasing the man to unbutton her clothes.

The lyrics were slightly altered after the final release in the rap verse performed by Snoop Dogg. The lyric "Yeah, I thought I saw a puddycat" (catchphrase of the Looney Tunes character Tweety) was changed to "Yeah, I thought I saw a pussycat". This version was not used due to copy right issues with Warner. The song is later credited as the "Main Mix - Final Edit" (a similar lyric was also used in the Ying Yang Twins' song "Badd" and Akon's song "Smack That").

The B-side is "Flirt" written by Nicole Scherzinger, Kara DioGuardi, and Greg Wells.

[edit] Music video

The Dolls in the opening sequence of the video.
The Dolls in the opening sequence of the video.

The video was shot in March 20, 2006 by production company DNA and was directed by Francis Lawrence. It features the Pussycat Dolls with rapper Snoop Dogg. In a sepia-toned setting, The Dolls, dressed in suggestive black outfits, progress through the video performing a striptease that leads to several dance segments. Scherzinger, in one dance sequence in the second verse, uses a chair as a prop. On the chorus, four additional chairs appear in the scene, and four of the members of the group appear, and the dance continues; Thornton, who is separated from the girls in this sequence, is seen doing her melismatic runs on the chorus.

Nicole and Snoop Dogg in the opening act of music video
Nicole and Snoop Dogg in the opening act of music video

The video is influenced by both the Pussycat Dolls's old-school burlesque traditions and the Middle-Eastern influence of the musical composition, incorporating props and imagery such as the trademark Pussycat Dolls's method of the silhouetting of bodies in their stage shows, jazz dance moves, and a curtain made from jewelry worn by belly dancers. A different version of the video is shown with smoke coming from some of the dolls during some sequences, and finally the floor bursting into digitally-added fire in the last sequences. As with "Beep", a new piece of music, using the same riff but with a different, faster drum beat was added in, so the dolls could perform a faster dance routine. This piece of music replaces the bridge in the video.

The video reached number five in MTV UK Hits' "Top 100 Songs of 2006". It received an award at the 2006 MTV Video Music Awards in the category of Best Dance Video, and was voted best video of 2006 in Vh1's Top 40 Videos of 2006, beating "Hips Don't Lie" by Shakira and "Far Away" by Nickelback. It was also The Hits' choice as the "Sexiest Video" for 2006. The video scored #4 on MuchMusic's 50 Sexiest Videos.[1]

[edit] Vocals

Nicole Scherzinger sings lead vocals with Melody Thornton and Carmit Bachar featuring in the chorus, as usual. When performing live, the Pussycat Dolls perform to the album version of the song, with the exception of the dance break added and the bridge omitted. Nicole Scherzinger, Carmit Bachar and Melody Thornton perform live while the other group members do not. Since Bachar's departure, Jessica Sutta performs her background vocals.

[edit] Chart performance

"Buttons" was released to radio in late April/early May in the United States. It started well in the U.S. In the months of May, June and July, it slowly climbed the charts and near the end of July suddenly shot into the top five on the Billboard Hot 100 and peaked at number three[2] due to strong digital sales and the embracing of its remixes by DJs across the country. In September, the song reached number three.[2] Though it had always been available digitally, the song kept gaining momentum in digital sales during the summer of 2006, allowing its popularity to expand. This also helped the song breakthrough the top ten on the pop radio charts as it shot through the top ten, finally reaching number one at the end of August.[2] PCD are only one of three artists in 2006 to have two different number ones on top-forty radio, the other artists being Beyoncé with "Check on It" and "Irreplaceable" and Justin Timberlake with "SexyBack" and "My Love". "Stickwitu" was the other PCD song to reach number one on radio that year, staying there for two weeks in January 2006.[2]

Internationally, "Buttons" has also become a successful hit. It debuted at number eleven on the UK Singles Chart,[3] based solely on download sales one week prior to its physical release. After a physical release, it peaked at number three, becoming the Dolls' fourth consecutive UK top three single.[3] In Australia, "Buttons" reached number two and is certified platinum by the ARIA for sales of over 70,000 and was ranked as being the 17th highest selling single there for 2006.[3]

"Buttons" became a number one hit New Zealand, becoming the Dolls' fourth consecutive number one and staying on the charts for 22 weeks. It ended as the years' eighth highest seller.[3] In Austria, It reached number one for three consecutive weeks, becoming the Dolls' first number one single, and highest peaking single there.[3] "Buttons" has reached the top five Germany, Belgium and Ireland, the top ten in the Netherlands, the top 40 in Sweden. It peaked at number five on the United World Chart,[3] ended up the year with 4,233,000 points and became in the 13th most successful song of 2006.[4]

Chart (2006)[3][5] Peak
position
Australian ARIA Singles Chart 2
Austria Singles Chart 1
Belgian Singles Chart 4
Brazilian Singles Chart 1
Canadian BDS Airplay Chart 13
Dutch Singles Chart 6
European Billboard Hot 100 Singles[6] 7
French Singles Chart 12
Finnish Singles Chart 11
German Singles Chart 4
Irish Singles Chart 4
Chart (2006)[3][5] Peak
position
Italian FIMI Singles Chart 18
New Zealand RIANZ Singles Chart 1
Portuguese Singles Chart 1
Swiss Singles Chart 3
Romanian Singles Chart 8
Romania End Year 2006 4
UK Singles Chart 3
U.S. Billboard Hot 100[2] 3
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Airplay 5
U.S. Billboard Pop 100[2] 2
U.S. Billboard Hot Digital Songs[2] 3
U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play[2] 1
United World Chart 5

[edit] Formats and track listings

CD single 1 (A&M Records)
  1. "Buttons" [Main Mix - Final Edit] 3:52
  2. "Flirt" 2:57
CD single 2 (A&M Records)
  1. "Buttons" [Main Mix - Final Edit] 3:52
  2. "Buttons" (album version) 3:46
  3. "Flirt" 2:57
  4. "Buttons" (video)
CD single (Polydor)
  1. "Buttons [Main Mix - Final Edit]"
  2. "Don't Cha" (live version)

[edit] Official Versions

  1. "Buttons [Main Mix - Final Edit] 3:52
  2. "Buttons [Jason Nevins Remix]" 4:05
  3. "Buttons [Joe Bermudez Unbottoned Club Mix]" 7:25
  4. "Buttons [Dave Audé Button Fly Club Mix]" 7:40
  5. "Buttons [Dave Audé Button Fly Mixshow]" 6:11
  6. "Buttons [Dave Audé Button Fly Edit]" 3:52
  7. "Buttons [Ander Standing Tribal Mix]" 8:30
  8. "Buttons [Ander Standing Tribal Radio Mix]" 3:47
  9. "Buttons [Scoot Storch Remix]" 3:52
  10. "Buttons [Sexy Mama Club Mix]" 9:08
  11. "Buttons [Sexy Mama Radio Edit]" 3:36
  12. "Buttons [Edson Pride Club Mix]" 9:18
  13. "Buttons [Enry Hard Buttons Tribal Mix]" 8:59


[edit] References

  1. ^ [http://www.muchmusic.com/50sexiest/ MuchMusic.com | MuchMusic's 50 Sexiest Videos
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Pussycat Dolls — artist chart history. Billboard magazine. Retrieved on December 22, 2007
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h Buttons: chart performance. aCharts.us Retrieved on December 22, 2007
  4. ^ United World Chart — Countdown 2006. Mediatraffic.de Retrieved on December 22, 2007
  5. ^ a b Pussycat Dolls — chart data. Mariah-charts.com Retrieved on December 22, 2007
  6. ^ European Hot 100 Singles. Billboard magazine. Chart listing for the week of August 19, 2006

[edit] External links

v • d • e
Pussycat Dolls
Ashley Roberts • Jessica Sutta • Nicole Scherzinger • Melody Thornton • Kimberly Wyatt
Albums
Singles
"Don't Cha" • "Stickwitu" • "Beep" • "Buttons" • "I Don't Need a Man" • "Wait a Minute" • "When I Grow Up"
Other songs
Related topics
Preceded by
"Crazy"
by Gnarls Barkley		 RIANZ (New Zealand)
number one single
July 17, 2006 – July 24, 2006		 Succeeded by
"Promiscuous" by Nelly Furtado featuring Timbaland