4 in the Morning

"4 in the Morning"
Single by Gwen Stefani
from the album The Sweet Escape
Released June 22, 2007 (2007-06-22)
Recorded 2006; Kingsbury Studios
(Los Feliz, Los Angeles, California)
Electric Lady Studios
(New York City, New York)
The Nook Studio
(Studio City, Los Angeles)
Genre Synthpop, R&B
Length 4:51
Label Interscope
Writer(s) Gwen Stefani, Tony Kanal
Producer Tony Kanal
Gwen Stefani singles chronology
"The Sweet Escape"
(2007)		 "4 in the Morning"
(2007)		 "Now That You Got It"
(2007)

"4 in the Morning" is a song by American recording artist Gwen Stefani from her second solo album, The Sweet Escape (2006). Written by Stefani and Tony Kanal, the song is a 1980s-inspired ballad that Stefani began writing while pregnant and finished with No Doubt bandmate Tony Kanal. It received generally positive reviews from music critics.

The song was released as the album's third single in 2007. It was commercially unsuccessful in the United States but fared somewhat better elsewhere. Stefani has stated that "4 in the Morning" is one of her favorite songs from The Sweet Escape.[1]

Contents

Background and writing

Stefani began working with No Doubt bassist Tony Kanal just after finishing the Harajuku Lovers Tour 2005, referring to him as her "comfort zone". They two wrote "4 in the Morning" based on a tape of melodies left from working on Stefani's previous album Love. Angel. Music. Baby. (2004). It is based on ballads such as Roberta Flack's "Killing Me Softly with His Song" and Billy Idol's "Eyes Without a Face".[2]

Critical reception

"4 in the Morning" was generally well-received by contemporary pop music critics. Stephen Thomas Erlewine of Allmusic called it "coolly sensual",[3] and Quentin B. Huff of PopMatters referred to it as one of the "few real compositions" from the album.[4] Alex Miller from the NME described the song as "an expertly conceived tear-jerker", stating that "[i]t feels like the kind of song a teenage Stefani, miming along to Talk Talk, would have dreamt of singing one day."[5] Pitchfork Media's Mark Pytlik, however, disapproved of the song, commenting that it destroyed "the mallpop cred that Stefani accrued with L.A.M.B.'s impeccable 'Cool'."[6] Billboard editor Chuck Taylor compared the song to the soundtrack to the 1983 film Flashdance and wrote that "we truly respect Stefani in the 'Morning.'"[7] Bill Lamb from About.com cited "4 in the Morning" as the best song from The Sweet Escape, calling it "beautifully performed and produced" and noting that Stefani "allows her signature vocals to sensually float and glide through the lyrical content."[8]

Chart performance

"4 in the Morning" was commercially unsuccessful in the United States. It peaked at number fifty-four on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming Stefani's lowest-charting US single until "Now That You Got It".[9] It was somewhat more successful in the mainstream market, reaching number thirty on the Pop 100 and the top twenty of the Top 40 Mainstream and Pop 100 Airplay charts.[9] The song was successful at the clubs and reached number two on the Hot Dance Club Play.[9] The single was more successful on the Canadian Hot 100, where it peaked at number seventeen.[10]

The song was more successful outside of North America. It peaked at number twenty-two on the UK Singles Chart and remained on the chart for eight weeks.[11] It fared somewhat better across Europe, reaching the top five in Romania, the top fifteen in Finland, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, and Slovakia, and the top twenty in Austria, Germany, Italy, and Switzerland.[12] The song debuted at number nine on the ARIA Singles Chart but was unable to reach a higher position,[13] while peaking at number five on the New Zealand Singles Chart.[14]

Music video

The music video was directed by Sophie Muller and features a tearful and distraught Stefani, lying in bed as she begins to sing to the camera. In a white inside out L.A.M.B. T-shirt, she wanders around her apartment lost and questioning her lover, who is in fact absent from the video. The lyrics describe an argument, which she has with an off-screen lover throughout the video.[15] After lying around her apartment and crying during a bath, she leaves her house and travels in a car, as she sits tearfully in the back. The video ends with Stefani rolling on the bed.

"4 in the Morning" was given a "First Look" on MTV's Total Request Live on April 27, 2007 and peaked at number seven on May 9.[16][17] On MuchMusic's Countdown, it became Stefani's second least successful charting video (next to "Early Winter", which peaked at number twenty-three) since 2005's "Luxurious", peaking at number seven for two consecutive weeks after a slow ascent.[18]

Track listings

  1. "4 in the Morning" (Album Version) – 4:51
  2. "4 in the Morning" (Thin White Duke Edit) – 4:55
  1. "4 in the Morning" (Album Version) – 4:51
  2. "4 in the Morning" (Thin White Duke Edit) – 4:55
  3. "4 in the Morning" (Oscar the Punk Remix) – 5:41
  4. "4 in the Morning" (Video) – 4:24
  1. "4 in the Morning" (Album Version) – 4:51
  2. "4 in the Morning" (Thin White Duke Mix) – 7:01
  3. "4 in the Morning" (Thin White Duke Dub) – 7:29
  4. "4 in the Morning" (Thin White Duke Edit) – 4:55
A1. "4 in the Morning" (Thin White Duke Mix) – 7:01
A2. "4 in the Morning" (Album Version) – 4:51
B1. "4 in the Morning" (Thin White Duke Dub) – 7:29
B2. "4 in the Morning" (Thin White Duke Edit) – 4:55

Personnel

  • Gwen Stefani – lead vocals
  • Andrew Alekel – engineer
  • Matt Beck – guitar
  • Greg Collins – engineer, additional vocal producer, guitar
  • Pete Davis – additional programming, additional keyboards
  • Alex Dromgoole – assistant engineer
  • David Emery – assistant engineer

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2007) Peak
position
Australian Singles Chart[13] 9
Austrian Singles Chart[24] 18
Belgian Singles Chart (Flanders)[12] 50
Belgian Tip Chart (Wallonia)[25] 3
Canadian Hot 100[10] 17
Czech Airplay Chart[26] 43
Danish Singles Chart[27] 35
Dutch Top 40[28] 14
European Hot 100 Singles[10] 27
Finnish Singles Chart[29] 10
French Singles Chart[30] 21
German Singles Chart[31] 18
Irish Singles Chart[32] 12
Italian Singles Chart[33] 17
New Zealand Singles Chart[14] 5
Norwegian Singles Chart[34] 14
Romanian Top 100[35] 4
Slovak Airplay Chart[36] 12
Swedish Singles Chart[37] 30
Swiss Singles Chart[38] 18
UK Singles Chart[11] 22
US Billboard Hot 100[9] 54
US Pop 100[9] 30
US Hot Dance Club Play[9] 2
US Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks[9] 25

Year-end charts

Chart (2007) Position
Australian Singles Chart[39] 79
Dutch Top 40[40] 89
New Zealand Singles Chart[41] 26
Romanian Top 100[42] 17
Swiss Singles Chart[43] 92
US Hot Dance Club Play[44] 16

References

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  2. ^ "Four In The Morning – In Studio (Webisode #2)". Interscope Records. November 3, 2006. http://feeds.interscope.com/artist/gwenstefani/podcast. Retrieved July 7, 2007. 
  3. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "The Sweet Escape – Gwen Stefani – Review". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-sweet-escape-r936328/review. Retrieved February 26, 2007. 
  4. ^ Huff, Quentin B. (December 14, 2006). "Gwen Stefani: The Sweet Escape". PopMatters. http://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/gwen-stefani-the-sweet-escape/. Retrieved February 26, 2007. 
  5. ^ Miller, Alex (December 1, 2006). "Gwen Stefani: The Sweet Escape". NME. IPC Media. http://www.nme.com/reviews/gwen-stefani/8100. Retrieved February 26, 2007. 
  6. ^ Pytlik, Mark (December 7, 2006). "Gwen Stefani: The Sweet Escape". Pitchfork Media. http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/9703-the-sweet-escape/. Retrieved February 26, 2007. 
  7. ^ Taylor, Chuck (May 12, 2007). "Producer: Tony Kanal". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/others/producer-tony-kanal-1003580764.story. Retrieved May 5, 2007. 
  8. ^ Lamb, Bill. "Gwen Stefani – 4 in the Morning". About.com. The New York Times Company. http://top40.about.com/od/singles/gr/4inthemorning.htm. Retrieved May 29, 2007. 
  9. ^ a b c d e f g "The Sweet Escape – Charts & Awards – Billboard Singles". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-sweet-escape-r936328/charts-awards/billboard-single. Retrieved July 7, 2007. 
  10. ^ a b c "4 in the Morning – Gwen Stefani". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. http://www.billboard.com/#/song/gwen-stefani/4-in-the-morning/8488312. Retrieved October 6, 2010. 
  11. ^ a b "Gwen Stefani – 4 In The Morning". The Official Charts Company. Chart Stats. http://www.chartstats.com/release.php?release=32932. Retrieved October 6, 2010. 
  12. ^ a b "Gwen Stefani – 4 In The Morning" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Hung Medien. http://www.ultratop.be/nl/showitem.asp?interpret=Gwen+Stefani&titel=4+In+The+Morning&cat=s. Retrieved August 21, 2011. 
  13. ^ a b "Gwen Stefani – 4 In The Morning". Australian Recording Industry Association. Hung Medien. http://australian-charts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Gwen+Stefani&titel=4+In+The+Morning&cat=s. Retrieved August 21, 2011. 
  14. ^ a b "Gwen Stefani – 4 In The Morning". Recording Industry Association of New Zealand. Hung Medien. http://charts.org.nz/showitem.asp?interpret=Gwen+Stefani&titel=4+In+The+Morning&cat=s. Retrieved October 9, 2010. 
  15. ^ Vineyard, Jennifer; Warburton, Richard (March 12, 2007). "Gwen Stefani Lets Her Lover Have It In New Clip". MTV News. MTV Networks. http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1554338/gwen-stefani-lets-her-lover-have-it-new-clip.jhtml. Retrieved May 5, 2007. 
  16. ^ "The TRL Archive – Recap: April 2007". ATRL. http://atrl.net/trlarchive/?s=recap&y=2007&m=04. Retrieved August 21, 2011. 
  17. ^ "The TRL Archive – Recap: May 2007". ATRL. http://atrl.net/trlarchive/?s=recap&y=2007&m=05. Retrieved August 21, 2011. 
  18. ^ Countdown. MuchMusic. July 27, 2007.
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  20. ^ "Gwen Stefani – 4 In The Morning – (CD Maxi)" (in German). Universal Music Germany. http://www.universal-music.de/musik/gwenstefani/detail/product/99840/0/4-in-the-morning/. Retrieved April 16, 2010. 
  21. ^ "Gwen Stefani : Discography : 4 In The Morning". Universal Music Australia. Getmusic.com.au. http://www.getmusic.com.au/artist/music/detail.aspx?pid=42685&aid=13845. Retrieved April 16, 2010. 
  22. ^ "Gwen Stefani – 4 In The Morning (CD, Single, Promo)". Discogs. http://www.discogs.com/Gwen-Stefani-4-In-The-Morning/release/1330713. Retrieved April 16, 2010. 
  23. ^ "Gwen Stefani – 4 In The Morning (12", Promo)". Discogs. http://www.discogs.com/Gwen-Stefani-4-In-The-Morning/release/969524. Retrieved April 16, 2010. 
  24. ^ "Gwen Stefani – 4 In The Morning" (in German). IFPI Austria. Hung Medien. http://austriancharts.at/showitem.asp?interpret=Gwen+Stefani&titel=4+In+The+Morning&cat=s. Retrieved August 21, 2011. 
  25. ^ "Gwen Stefani – 4 In The Morning" (in French). Ultratop. Hung Medien. http://www.ultratop.be/fr/showitem.asp?interpret=Gwen+Stefani&titel=4+In+The+Morning&cat=s. Retrieved August 21, 2011. 
  26. ^ "RADIO TOP100 Oficiální – Gwen Stefani – 4 In The Morning" (in Czech). IFPI Czech Republic. http://www.ifpicr.cz/hitparada/index.php?a=titul&hitparada=2&titul=144987&sec=a2ccacbc7d89911b9d931aa326bc8a64. Retrieved January 6, 2010. 
  27. ^ "Track Top-40 – 32/2007" (in Danish). IFPI Denmark. Hitlisten.NU. August 17, 2007. http://www.hitlisterne.dk/default.asp?w=32&y=2007&list=t40. Retrieved October 11, 2010. 
  28. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 29 – 2007" (in Dutch). Radio 538. top40.nl. http://www.top40.nl/index.aspx?week=29&jaar=2007. Retrieved October 6, 2010. 
  29. ^ "Gwen Stefani – 4 In The Morning". IFPI Finland. Hung Medien. http://finnishcharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Gwen+Stefani&titel=4+In+The+Morning&cat=s. Retrieved August 21, 2011. 
  30. ^ "Gwen Stefani – 4 In The Morning" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Hung Medien. http://lescharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Gwen+Stefani&titel=4+In+The+Morning&cat=s. Retrieved August 21, 2011. 
  31. ^ "Chartverfolgung / Stefani,Gwen / Single" (in German). Media Control. PhonoNet GmbH. http://musicline.de/de/chartverfolgung_summary/artist/Stefani,Gwen/?type=single. Retrieved October 6, 2010. 
  32. ^ "Top 50 Singles, Week Ending 28 June 2007". Irish Recorded Music Association. Chart-Track. http://www.chart-track.co.uk/index.jsp?c=p%2Fmusicvideo%2Fmusic%2Farchive%2Findex_test.jsp&ct=240001&arch=t&lyr=2007&year=2007&week=26. Retrieved October 6, 2010. 
  33. ^ "Gwen Stefani – 4 In The Morning". Federation of the Italian Music Industry. Hung Medien. http://italiancharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Gwen+Stefani&titel=4+In+The+Morning&cat=s. Retrieved August 21, 2011. 
  34. ^ "Gwen Stefani – 4 In The Morning". Verdens Gang. Hung Medien. http://norwegiancharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Gwen+Stefani&titel=4+In+The+Morning&cat=s. Retrieved August 21, 2011. 
  35. ^ "Romanian Top 100 – 30/2007" (in Romanian). Vento Consultanta SRL. Archived from the original on August 8, 2007. http://web.archive.org/web/20070808053543/http://www.rt100.ro/top-100-edition.html. Retrieved August 21, 2011. 
  36. ^ "RADIO TOP100 Oficiálna – Stefani Gwen – 4 In The Morning" (in Slovak). IFPI Slovakia. http://www.ifpicr.cz/hitparadask/index.php?a=titul&hitparada=18&titul=144489&sec=79ff544ed5744a8c60fedf884e22c3ba. Retrieved January 6, 2010. 
  37. ^ "Gwen Stefani – 4 In The Morning". Swedish Recording Industry Association. Hung Medien. http://swedishcharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Gwen+Stefani&titel=4+In+The+Morning&cat=s. Retrieved August 21, 2011. 
  38. ^ "Gwen Stefani – 4 In The Morning". Media Control. Hung Medien. http://swisscharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Gwen+Stefani&titel=4+In+The+Morning&cat=s. Retrieved August 21, 2011. 
  39. ^ "ARIA Charts – End Of Year Charts – Top 100 Singles 2007". Australian Recording Industry Association. http://www.aria.com.au/pages/aria-charts-end-of-year-charts-top-100-singles-2007.htm. Retrieved April 16, 2010. 
  40. ^ "Jaarlijsten 2007" (in Dutch). Radio 538. top40web.nl. http://www.top40web.nl/jaarlijsten/jr2007.html. Retrieved August 21, 2011. 
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  42. ^ "Romanian Top 100 2007" (in Romanian). Vento Consultanta SRL. Archived from the original on March 15, 2009. http://web.archive.org/web/20090315140240/http://www.rt100.ro/romanian-top-100-2007.html. Retrieved January 11, 2008. 
  43. ^ "Swiss Year-End Charts 2007". Media Control. Hung Medien. http://www.swisscharts.com/year.asp?key=2007. Retrieved April 16, 2010. 
  44. ^ "2007 Year End Charts – Hot Dance Club Play Tracks". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Archived from the original on December 26, 2007. http://web.archive.org/web/20071226032846/http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/charts/yearendcharts/chart_display.jsp?f=Hot+Dance+Club+Play+Tracks&g=Year-end+Singles. Retrieved May 27, 2008. 

External links

Gwen Stefani
Studio albums
and singles
"Wind It Up" · "The Sweet Escape" · "4 in the Morning" · "Now That You Got It" · "Early Winter"
Featured singles
Video albums
Tours
Related articles