| "Like a Surgeon" | |
|---|---|
| Song by Ciara | |
| Recorded | 2008 |
| Genre | R&B |
| Length | 4:27 |
| Label | LaFace |
| Writer | Christopher Stewart, Terius Nash |
| Producer | Tricky Stewart |
"Like a Surgeon" is a song by American recording artist Ciara, taken from her third studio album, Fantasy Ride. The dark and aggressive mid-tempo R&B song written by The-Dream and co-written/produced by Tricky Stewart.
Critics gave the song a mixed reception, most disliked the use of hospitals/medicine as a metaphor for sex and felt that the song did not best showcase Ciara's vocals. However there was some praise for the aggressive and slick production. Based solely upon reviews and airplay, "Like a Surgeon" peaked at number fifty-nine on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. The song was never really promoted, receiving no music video, single cover or live performances.
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Due to unsolicited radio airplay, "Like a Surgeon" debuted on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart at number ninety-two, rising to number seventy-five upon being reviewed by Billboard magazine. It managed to peak at number fifty-nine.[1] Ciara had tweeted that she would film a video for "Like a Surgeon" alongside her international single "Work", however a video was never filmed for "Like A Surgeon" and the planned single release of the song was eventually scrapped.
"Like a Surgeon" received generally mixed reviews. Slant Magazine said that "The only major disaster is "Like a Surgeon," which is filled with creepy, ill-conceived metaphors for sex".[2] New York Times said that "The welcome dash of female sexual aggression on “Like a Surgeon” is an unexpected twist".[3] All music said "On the hypnotically winding "Like a Surgeon", the-Dream provides some of his best, gimmicky, post-R. Kelly similes and metaphors, delivered by Ciara with all the necessary arrogance: "I appreciate your recovery time, but you need a physical one more time".[4] The Boston Globe said that "The droning, hook-free "Like a Surgeon" [is] not an A-game effort for songwriting team Tricky and The-Dream".[5] Pitchfork Media said that "The-Dream and Tricky Stewart tend to fill their tracks with empty spaces, and Ciara's voice needs hall-of-mirrors production to really register, so slight, minimal tracks like "Ciara to the Stage" and "Like a Surgeon" leave her sounding stranded".[6] Dotmusic said " 'Like A Surgeon' and 'Pucker Up' make a lot of noise, piling on synths, stutters and bleeps, but are neither killer club tunes nor decent pop".[7] BBC Music said that "Only Like a Surgeon with its somewhat bizarre sex/hospital metaphors may leave you at a loss for words".[8]
But Billboard, gave the song a very positive review, by saying that 'Surgeon' finds the young siren operating under the guise of a sexual braggart on a song that sounds like it may have been modeled after the late Aaliyah's more ambitious album tracks. Tricky Stewart creates a tense production template for the singer to explore a darker, sexier side than listeners may be used to hearing from her. Plodding synth lines, an unusual bassline and a stop-and-go rhythm add up to one of Ciara's most interesting singles to date".[9]
| Chart (2009) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US 'Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs[1] | 59 |
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