Yeah! (Usher song)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| “Yeah!” | |||||
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British CD 1 cover
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| Single by Usher featuring Lil Jon and Ludacris from the album Confessions |
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| Released | January 27, 2004 | ||||
| Format | CD single, CD maxi single, digital download | ||||
| Recorded | 2003 | ||||
| Genre | Dance-pop, crunk, R&B | ||||
| Length | 4:10 | ||||
| Label | Arista | ||||
| Writer(s) | Jonathan "Lil Jon" Smith, Sean Garrett, Patrick J. Que Smith, Ludacris, Robert McDowell, James Phillips, LaMarquis Jefferson | ||||
| Producer | Lil Jon | ||||
| Certification | Platinum (RIAA, ARIA) | ||||
| Usher singles chronology | |||||
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| Lil Jon singles chronology | |||||
| "Real Nigga Roll Call" (2004) |
"Yeah!" (2004) |
"Salt Shaker" (2004) |
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| Ludacris singles chronology | |||||
| "Diamond in the Back" (2004) |
"Yeah!" (2004) |
"Blow It Out" (2004) |
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| Alternate cover | |||||
British CD 2 cover
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"Yeah!" is a song written by American songwriters and producers Lil Jon, Sean Garrett, Patrick J. Que Smith, Ludacris, Robert McDowell and James Elbert "LRoc" Phillips for Usher's fourth studio album Confessions (2004). The track was produced by Lil Jon which he combined crunk and R&B genres, triggering positive reviews from music critics. The song features Lil Jon and rapper Ludacris.
The song was released as the lead single from the album in early 2004, which reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for twelve weeks. It performed equally well on international music markets, topping several chart. The single was certified platinum in various countries and the song received awards.
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[edit] Background
After Usher thought his fourth studio album, Confessions, was already finished, he submitted it to his label Arista Records in 2003. However, when Usher and the company's then-president Antonio "LA" Reid listened to the songs, they felt the album needed a lead single. Although they had "Burn", the first song created early in the making of the album, as waiting list, Usher had to make few more tracks.[1][2]
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"Yeah!" "Yeah!" is a hybrid of crunk and R&B genres. - Problems playing the files? See media help.
Usher went back to the studio and enlisted fellow Atlantians rapper-producer Lil Jon, alongside rapper-actor Ludacris, to produce songs for him. Lil Jon recalled: "He needed a single. They had 'Burn,' 'Burn' was hot, but they needed that first powerful monster. That's when I came in."[2]
Several months before Lil Jon came into the production of Confessions, he was commissioned by Jive Records to produce fifteen beats for rapper Mystikal. Mystikal would only choose two tracks which gave Lil Jon the chance to peddle the leftovers to other record labels. Beyond his awareness, Jive gave one of the tracks Mystikal passed on to hip hop artist Petey Pablo, who also records for the label. The track became Pablo's "Freak-a-Leek". At the same time, Lil Jon thought the track would not be used and gave the "Freak-a-Leek" beat to Usher for the original version of what became as "Yeah!". Lil Jon went to Pablo, who already heard the song similar beat to his own. Lil Jon tried to settle it with Jive by making another beat for Pablo; however, Pablo did not give up the track, considering it was already gaining responses from South radio. Lil Jon had to rework on the track and a new instrumental was employed for what became the present "Yeah!".[2] The song was co-written by Sean Garrett, Patrick J. Que Smith, Ludacris, Robert McDowell and James Elbert "LRoc" Phillips.
[edit] Composition
"Yeah!" is a combination of crunk and R&B genres. The presence of Lil Jon added new sound to the innate R&B songs of Usher, which he commented that he is "strictly R&B".[3] It blends Southern rap beats and dance-pop. The song is composed in the key of B♭ major, in common time. The song is performed with a moderate groove.[4]
The lyrics of "Yeah!" are constructed in the traditional verse-chorus form. The song starts with brief introductions to Usher and Lil Jon. Usher repeatedly speaks "yeah" before starting the first verse. The chorus follows, then to the second verse and chorus. Lil Jon enters to introduce Ludacris who sings the third verse. Usher repeats the chorus, ending with a bridge performed by Ludacris.
According to Usher, the song addresses a situation. He explained: "The song is about [when] I realize, 'You and my girl used to be the best of homies and I'm about to go home with you?'"[1] According to Lil Jon, the song "Red Light", which he produced and was not included in the final trackslisting of the first release, is a continuation of "Yeah!".[5]
[edit] Release
Though "Yeah!" was already created, everybody in the label was scared to decide whether it will be released as the lead single, considering they had "Burn" on queue. Usher's friend and former A&R rep Kawan "KP" Prather commented: "'Burn' being a great song is one thing, but it's one of them things where people said, 'It's strong, but can we make history with that?' At the end of the day, you want an event." Usher was also skeptical if "Yeah!" was the right choice after he envisioned R&B records.[6] He liked the song but he wanted not to follow the latest trend of Lil Jon's record.[2]
The debate was over when Lil Jon leaked "Yeah!" to street DJs across the United States. After that, Usher opted "Burn" as the lead single of the album and was already looking for treatments of its accompanying music video.[7] The song was then not intended to be a proper single and only a teaser for Usher's fans after waiting for years.[3] However, it was changed when the responses of "Yeah!" were favorable.[6] "Yeah!" was released as the first single and "Burn" was pushed as its follow-up. The single was released in the United States on January 27, 2004 as a CD single and 12" single.[8] In the United Kingdom, it was released as a CD single, containing the album and instrumental version of the song, and two unreleased material from the album, "Red Light" and "Sweet Lies".[9]
[edit] Reception
"Yeah!" was lauded by contemporary critics for its production. Jem Aswad of Entertainment Weekly called it "irresistibly crunked-out", adding, "ensuing track glides smoothly between club-friendly hip-hop soul and ballads."[10] Laura Sinagra Rolling Stone commented that the song "creates sensual panic by combining Usher's jumpy attacks with Jon's sublime, frayed beats."[11] Jon Caramanica of Blender noted that "Yeah!" is the first song to mix "mainstream R&B and menacing Southern crunk."[12] Sal Cinquemani of Slant Magazine the song has brought Usher to a "whole new level of crunk."[13] Andy Kellman of All Music Guide described the song a "crunk-meets-R&B foundation" which features an "instantly addictive eight-note keyboard vamp".[14] He added that because it is "absorbing", Ludacris' voice cannot be noticed that much.[14] Matt Cibula of Popmatters characterized the song a "full-fledged club über-crunk salacious" but he added that it fails to be a "club banger".[15] Steve Jones of USA Today referred to "Yeah!" a "club-rattling" song from a combination of "Atlanta's vibrant music scene", Lil Jon's "insistent beats" and Ludacris' "racy rhymes".[16]
Critics complimented Usher for the song. Aswad called it the "grittiest song" Usher had sung for revealing his "newfound maturity".[10] Caramanica said that it is "probably the scariest record — in a good way — he's ever made" and Usher "smartly shares the spotlight."[12] Cibula stated that Usher's "smoove-ass" singing and Ludacris' presence contributes to the success of the single.[15]
"Yeah!" was nominated at the 2005 Grammy Awards for Record of the Year, and won the Best Rap/Sung Collaboration award.[17][18] At the 2005 Soul Train Music Awards, "Yeah!" was nominated for best R&B/Soul or Rap Dance Cut.[19]
[edit] Commercial acclaim
"Yeah!" charted well on various charts worldwide. The single debuted on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 at number fifty-three on January 13, 2004, prior its physical release.[20] Seven weeks after, it peaked on the chart at number one on March 2, staying there for twelve consecutive weeks.[21][22] "Yeah!" became Usher's fourth number-one single; Lil Jon's first; and second for Ludacris'. The single remained on Hot 100 for forty-five weeks.[22] "Yeah!" became the most-played song in 2004. Nielsen Broadcast Data Systems placed the song on the top for getting 496,805 total plays, above Hoobastank's single "The Reason" with 489,976 spins.[23] The single was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America on June 11, 2006 for reaching one million shipments.[24] "Yeah!" became the 2004's best-selling single in the United States.[25]
Internationally, "Yeah!" received similar responses, topping many charts. The single reached number in the Australia Singles Top 50, Austria Singles Top 75, Canadian Singles Chart, Denmark Singles Top 40, Dutch Top 40, France Singles Top 100, Germany Singles Top 100, Ireland Singles Top 50, New Zealand Top 40, Norway Singles Top 20, Swiss Singles Top 100, UK Singles Top 75 and World Singles Top 40. Overall, the single charted to different charts worldwide for a year, early in 2004 to early in 2005.[22][26] The single was certified platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association for selling 70,000 units.[27] At the 2004 Year Ender charts, "Yeah!" became the twenty-eighth best-selling single in Australia.[28] It was certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of New Zealand. On the United World Chart 2004 Year Ender, "Yeah!" was the second best-selling single for accumulating 6,257,000 points, behind Maroon 5's single "This Love" which garnered 7,791,000 points.[29] On UWC's Top Achievements chart from 1999 to 2007, it placed as the thirtieth best-selling single.[30]
[edit] Music video
Mr. X, formerly Little X, had previously captured videos for Usher's single "U Don't Have to Call" and "U Got It Bad". Mr. X was inspired with the treatment of laser beams after listening to the song.[31] He felt the sound was a laser beam for him, referring to the beat as "distinctive".[31] Usher and Mr. X combined ideas to create a dance video for "Yeah!". The treatment was accompanied of how Usher wanted to be portrayed in the video, particularly showcasing his dance moves.
The music video was filmed in a vacant art gallery in Los Angeles that went for two days. When the shooting started, Mr. X remembered of Michael Jackson's "low-tech" and "laser-flashing" 1979 "Rock With You" video, and used it as a reference.[31] Forty extras were commissioned to dance with Usher, and two ladies to tempt him in different scenes. They went through photo browsing and phone calling, opting for Destiny, a friend of Mr. X, who seduces Usher in the club ala Marilyn Monroe wardrobe to complement the lyrics.[31] The other lady is model Melyssa Ford, who made scene with Usher in a dim lit hallway. Melissa grasps Usher and it it goes for a dark room. To follow it takes off the cap to it. Lil Jon acted as an assistant director, besides from Usher, during the sessions. Usher took charge of his ideas on his wardrobe and choreography, with additional routines, specifically the Rockaway and the thunderclap, which Mr. X learned from Jamaica. The Rockaway influenced Fat Joe and Terror Squad's "Lean Back" video.[31]
Ushers dances in front of the green and blue laser beams, which is widely featured throughout the video. Lil Jon and Ludacris appeared on the video as well.[1] Ludacris protégé Chingy also appears near the end of the video, holding up his chain which shows his name. Sean "Diddy" Combs' former assistant, Farnsworth Bentley, made a cameo at the end of the video as well, when he was in Los Angeles and Mr. X begged him to dance in the video with his violin.
The music video debuted on MTV's Total Request Live at number ten on February 19, 2004.[32] "Yeah!" topped the countdown, and retired on May 3 at number six after appearing on the countdown for fifty days.[33][34] "Yeah!" became one of the most successful music video by Usher, alongside "Confessions Part II", which also remained for fifty days.[32] At the 2005 Soul Train Music Awards, the video was nominated for Michael Jackson Award for best R&B/Soul or Rap Music Video.[19]
[edit] Track listing
- UK CD 1
- "Yeah!" (featuring Lil Jon and Ludacris) – 4:10
- "Red Light" (Smith, Patrick J Que/Smith, Jonathan/Hilson, Keri/McDowell, Robert/Garrett, Sean) – 4:48
- "Yeah!" (Reggaeton remix)
- UK CD 2
- "Yeah!" – 4:10
- "Red Light" – 4:48
- "Sweet Lies" (Williams, Pharrell/Hugo, Chad) – 4:09
- "Yeah!" (Instrumental) – 4:09
[edit] Charts
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[edit] References
- ^ a b c Reid, Shaheem. "The Road To Confessions: How Usher 'Shook A Million'", MTV News, MTV Networks, (March 31, 2004). Retrieved on 2008-03-02.
- ^ a b c d Reid, Shaheem. "Usher: King Me – Part 3", MTV News, MTV Networks. Retrieved on 2008-03-02.
- ^ a b "Usher Lets Skeletons Out Of The Closet On Confessions", MTV News, MTV Networks, (February 17, 2004). Retrieved on 2008-03-02.
- ^ Usher: Yeah!. Sheet Music Direct. Retrieved on 2008-03-03.
- ^ Ried, Shaheem. "'Yeah!' Follow-Up On The Way, Says Lil Jon", MTV News, MTV Networks, (May 25, 2004). Retrieved on 2008-03-03.
- ^ a b Reid, Shaheem. "Road To The Grammys: The Making Of Usher's Confessions", MTV News, MTV Networks, (February 07, 2005). Retrieved on 2008-03-02.
- ^ Reid, Shaheem. "Usher To Share His Confessions In March", MTV News, MTV Networks, (February 07, 2005). Retrieved on 2008-03-02.
- ^ Yeah [US 12"]. Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc.. Retrieved on 2008-03-03.
- ^ Yeah [UK CD]. Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc.. Retrieved on 2008-03-03.
- ^ a b Aswad, Jem (March 26, 2004). Confessions (2004): Usher. Entertainment Weekly. Entertainment Weekly and Time Inc.. Retrieved on 2008-03-02.
- ^ Sinagra, Laura. Usher: Confessions. Rolling Stone. Retrieved on 2008-03-02.
- ^ a b Caramanica, Jon. Usher: Confessions. Blender. Alpha Media Group Inc.. Retrieved on 2008-03-02.
- ^ Sal Cinquemani, Sal (2004). Usher: Confessions. Slant Magazine. Retrieved on 2008-03-02.
- ^ a b Kellman, Andy. Confessions: Usher. All Music Guide. Macrovision Company. Retrieved on 2008-03-03.
- ^ a b Cibula, Matt (April 06, 2004). Usher: By the Numbers!. Popmatters. PopMatters Media, Inc. and PopMatters Magazine. Retrieved on 2008-03-02.
- ^ Jones, Steve (March 22, 2004). 'Confessions' time: Usher continues his ascendancy. USA Today. Gannett Co. Inc.. Retrieved on 2008-03-03.
- ^ Jeckell, Barry. "Kanye West Leads Grammy Nominees", Billboard, Nielsen Business Media, Inc., December 07, 2004. Retrieved on 2008-03-02.
- ^ "47TH GRAMMY AWARDS WINNERS ANNOUNCED", ASCAP. Retrieved on 2008-03-02.
- ^ a b MTV News Staff. "For The Record: Quick News On Usher, TLC, Ciara, Beck, Alice In Chains, C-Murder, Beyonce, Cher & More", (February 01, 2005). Retrieved on 2008-03-03.
- ^ Billboard Hot 100. αCharts (January 13, 2004). Retrieved on 2008-03-02.
- ^ Billboard Hot 100. αCharts (March 02, 2004). Retrieved on 2008-03-02.
- ^ a b c d Usher featuring Ludacris and Lil Jon - Yeah. αCharts. Retrieved on 2008-03-02.
- ^ Vineyard, Jennifer. "Usher's 'Yeah!' Was Most Played Song Of 2004", MTV News, MTV Networks, (January 05, 2005). Retrieved on 2008-03-02.
- ^ Gold and Platinum. RIAA. Retrieved on 2008-03-02.
- ^ The Billboard Hot 100: 2004. Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc.. Retrieved on 2008-03-02.
- ^ Usher: Yeah. Top40-charts.com. Retrieved on 2008-03-02.
- ^ ARIA Charts - Accreditations - 2004 Singles. ARIA. Australian Recording Industry Association Ltd.. Retrieved on 2008-03-02.
- ^ ARIA Charts - End Of Year Charts - Top 100 Singles 2004. ARIA. Australian Recording Industry Association Ltd.. Retrieved on 2008-03-02.
- ^ United World Chart: Tracks - Countdown 2004. United World Chart. Media Traffic. Retrieved on 2008-03-03.
- ^ United World Chart: Top Achievements - Track, 1999-2007. United World Chart. Media Traffic. Retrieved on 2008-03-03.
- ^ a b c d e Kaufman, Gil. "Usher's 'Yeah!' A Nod To That Other Laser-Filled Video: VMA Lens Recap", MTV News, MTV Networks, (August 24, 2004). Retrieved on 2008-03-05.
- ^ a b TRL Debuts. Popfusion. Retrieved on 2008-03-03.
- ^ TRL Number Ones. Popfusion. Retrieved on 2008-03-03.
- ^ TRL Hall of Fame. Popfusion. Retrieved on 2008-03-03.
- ^ Usher: Billboard Singles Chart. All Music Guide. Macrovision Company. Retrieved on 2008-03-02.
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