Powerless (Say What You Want)

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“Powerless (Say What You Want)”
Single by Nelly Furtado from the album Folklore
Released	November 17, 2003[1] December 8, 2003
Format	Digital download, maxi single
Recorded	2003
Genre	Pop, rock, folk
Length	03:53
Label	DreamWorks
Writer(s)	Anne Dudley, Gerald Eaton, Nelly Furtado, Trevor Horn, Malcolm McLaren, Brian West
Producer	Track & Field
Nelly Furtado singles chronology
"Fotografía" (2003) "Powerless (Say What You Want)" (2003) "Try" (2004)
Audio sample
Info "Powerless (Say What You Want)" (help·info)

"Powerless (Say What You Want)" is a pop song written by Nelly Furtado and Anne Dudley, Gerald Eaton, Trevor Horn, Malcolm McLaren and Brian West for Furtado's second studio album Folklore (2003). It was produced by Track & Field and received a positive reception from music critics.^{[citation needed]} Banjo player Béla Fleck appears on the track.

The song was chosen as the album's lead single and released in December 2003.

Contents 1 Background and writing 2 Music video 3 Track listing and formats 3.1 US Single 3.2 AUS Single 3.3 German Single 3.4 UK Single 4 Remixes 5 Charts 6 References 7 See also

[edit] Background and writing

It addresses how Furtado herself was discriminated against in that her record company wanted to hide her ancestry: "Paint my face in your magazines/Make it look whiter than it seems/Paint me over with your dreams/Shove away my ethnicity/". Furtado said about "Powerless": "I get to see a lot of DJ-oriented performance stuff, and I'm into the heaviness of breakbeats, how raw and powerful they are. Everything lately has become so synthesized, but just the standard sound of breakbeats is inspiring. 'Powerless' uses breakbeats like that; it's a real groove, a real vibe. It just carries you away. There’s a banjo mixed with a breakbeat from Malcolm McLaren's 'Buffalo Gals.' So right away you're bobbing your head. The lyrics are initially in-your-face, like, 'Okay, I know I'm going to be stereotyped in my life because that is the world we live in; that's society.' But the song tries to find some sense of order in this complicated world."

[edit] Music video

The music video was directed by Bryan Barber and was shot in the period of three days.^[2] The video revolves around a classic psychological metaphor: Nelly trapped inside a box from which she seeks to escape. Inside, the box is plastered with posters that act as doors or windows for the artist’s imagination. Her situation is a metaphor for being both defined and confined by the illusory commercial reality of her celebrity and beauty. The video was shot on various sets and dressed locations, and in a large customized box crate, which were all created by production designer Aaron Goffman. Using Photoshop and Illustrator, Moneyshots designed the posters and graphics that surround Nelly in the box and added the transitions that transport Nelly back and forth between the imprisoning box and the poster environments that signify the escape self-expression can bring.^[3]

[edit] Track listing and formats

[edit] US Single

12" Promo ^[4][5]

Side A

1. "Powerless (Say What You Want)" (LP Version) - 3:53
2. "Powerless (Say What You Want)" (Josh Desi Mix) - 3:12
3. "Powerless (Say What You Want)" (Mint Tea Dancehall Mix) - 3:42

Side B

1. "Powerless (Say What You Want)" (Maroon Mix) - 3:51
2. "Powerless (Say What You Want)" (Sox Remix) (featuring Shankini) - 4:09
3. "Powerless (Say What You Want)" (A Capella) -

12" Single ^[6]

Side A

1. "Powerless (Say What You Want)" (Widelife's Outside Looking In Mix) - 9:50
2. "Powerless (Say What You Want)" (A Capella) - 3:25

Side B

1. "Powerless (Say What You Want)" (Junior's Sound Factory Remix) - 8:16
2. "Powerless (Say What You Want)" (Chab Remix) - 8:18

[edit] AUS Single

CD Maxi-Single^[7][8]

1. "Powerless (Say What You Want)" (Album Version) - 3:53
2. "Powerless (Say What You Want)" (Alternative Acoustic Mix) - 3:47
3. "Powerless (Say What You Want)" (Josh Desi Mix) - 3:47
4. "Powerless (Say What You Want)" (Instrumental) - 3:53

[edit] German Single

CD Single^[9]

1. "Powerless (Say What You Want)" (Album version)
2. "Powerless (Say What You Want)" (Alternative Acoustic Mix)

[edit] UK Single

CD Single^[10]

1. "Powerless (Say What You Want)" (Album version)
2. "Powerless (Say What You Want)" (Alternative Acoustic Mix)
3. "Powerless (Say What You Want)" (Josh Desi Mix)

[edit] Remixes

• Powerless (Say What You Want) (Wideife's Outside Lookin In Mix) (9:49)
• Powerless (Say What You Want) (Junior's Sound Factory Remix) (8:13)
• Powerless (Say What You Want) (Junior Vasquez World Mix) (7:39)
• Powerless (Say What You Want) (Chab Extended Edit Mix) (8:33)
• Powerless (Say What You Want) (Chab Remix) (8:15)
• Powerless (Say What You Want) (Lema & Moor Remix) (9:09)
• Powerless (Say What You Want) (Lema & Moor Dub Mix) (8:16)
• Powerless (Say What You Want) (Midnight Society's Tribal Bushwack Mix) (12:24)
• Powerless (Say What You Want) (OrangeFuzzz Powerful Club Mix) (7:41)
• Powerless (Say What You Want) (OrangeFuzzz Powerful Radio Mix) (3:55)
• Powerless (Say What You Want) (Dario Lauria Remix) (4:52)
• Powerless (Say What You Want) (Josh Desi Remix) (3:16)
• Powerless (Say What You Want) (Alternative Acoustic Mix) (3:47)
• Powerless (Say What You Want) (Mint Tea Dancehall Mix) (3:42)
• Powerless (Say What You Want) (Maroon Mix) (3:52)
• Powerless (Say What You Want) (Sox Mix) (feat. Shankini) (4:09)
• Powerless (Say What You Want) (Spanish Remix) (feat. Juanes)

[edit] Charts

Powerless was a big hit on the U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart, peaking at number five, but it failed to chart on the Hot 100. It sold over 2 million worldwide, and was certified Platinum^[11].

Chart (2003/2004)[12][13]	Peak position
Argentina Top 40 Singles Chart[14]	1
Australian ARIA Singles Chart	37
Austrian Singles Chart	7
Chilean Singles Chart	26
Dutch Top 40[15]	6
German Singles Chart	8
Irish Singles Chart	36
New Zealand RIANZ Singles Chart	16
Swedish Singles Chart	37
Swiss Singles Chart	16
UK Singles Chart	13
United World Chart[16]	9
U.S. Billboard Adult Top 40	16
U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play	5
U.S. Billboard Top 40 Mainstream	30
U.S. Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100[17]	9

[edit] References

1. ^ Australian release
2. ^ "Video director"
3. ^ "Powerless video details"
4. ^ "12 Vinyl CD"
5. ^ Nelly Furtado - Powerless (Say What You Want)
6. ^ Nelly Furtado - Powerless (Say What You Want)
7. ^ "CD single"
8. ^ Nelly Furtado - Powerless (Say What You Want)
9. ^ "German CD Single"
10. ^ "UK CD Single"
11. ^ Index
12. ^ "Nelly Furtado - Powerless (say What You Want): Charts". Music Square. Retrieved June 28, 2007.
13. ^ "Folklore > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles". All Music Guide. Retrieved June 28, 2007.
14. ^ Top 40 Argentina
15. ^ "Dutch Top 40 Singles"
16. ^ "United World Chart" Week 5, 2004
17. ^ "Powerless History on US Charts"

[edit] See also

• European Hit Radio Top 100 (2004)

v • d • e Nelly Furtado Studio albums Whoa, Nelly!  · Folklore · Loose EPs Sessions@AOL  · Live Session (iTunes Exclusive) DVDs Loose Mini DVD · Loose: The Concert Singles "Party's Just Begun (Again)" · "I'm like a Bird" · "Turn off the Light" · "Shit on the Radio (Remember the Days)" · "Hey, Man!" · "Trynna Finda Way" · "Powerless (Say What You Want)" · "Try" · "Força" · "Explode" · "The Grass Is Green" · "No Hay Igual" · "Promiscuous" · "Maneater" · "Te Busqué" · "Say It Right" · All Good Things (Come to an End)" · "In God's Hands" · "Do It" · "Somebody To Love" · "Stars ( Nelly Furtado song) Guest singles "Ching Ching" · "Fotografía" · "What's Going On" · "Give It to Me" Tour Burn in the Spotlight Tour · Come as You Are Tour · Get Loose Tour Related topics Discography · Awards and nominations · Concert tours