| "Whatcha Think About That" | |||||||||||
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| Single by Pussycat Dolls featuring Missy Elliott |
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| from the album Doll Domination | |||||||||||
| Released | September 9, 2008 (see release history) |
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| Format | digital download, CD Single | ||||||||||
| Recorded | 2008, Zac Studio, Atlanta; The Boiler Room Studio, Santa Monica, California | ||||||||||
| Genre | Electropop, R&B[1] | ||||||||||
| Length | 3:48 | ||||||||||
| Label | Polydor, A&M, Interscope | ||||||||||
| Writer(s) | Ester Dean, Melissa Elliott, Mickael Furnon, Jamal Jones, Jason Perry[2] | ||||||||||
| Producer | Polow da Don | ||||||||||
| Pussycat Dolls chronology | |||||||||||
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"Whatcha Think About That" is a song by American pop girl group the Pussycat Dolls from their second album, Doll Domination. Produced by Esther Dean, Melissa Elliott, Mickael Furnon, Jamal Jones and Jason Perry. It was released as the third single in United Kingdom and France and second in the United States. The song has bhangra-style beats with R&B elements. The song received mixed reviews, with critics stating that it was "disappointing after the hyperactive pop brilliance of 'When I Grow Up'."
The song didn't manage to get that much attention after their two previous single. In the United States it didn't manage to chart on Hot 100. However it proved to be successful in the United Kingdom, where it managed to peak at number nine, while at Ireland it peaked at number twelve. The accompanying burlesque-themed music video portrayed the Dolls in different routines including dancing on a rotating platform and on a horizontal bar. They performed the song three times on television including on the seventh season of Dancing with the Stars along with Missy Elliott and on the British daytime television programme This Morning.
Contents |
An album track of three minutes and forty-eight seconds,[3] is a midtempo[4], electropop[4] song with R&B influences.[5] A sample of "Je M'appelle Jane" by Jane Birkin runs throughout the song. The song is built around a distinctive bhangra-ish guitar riff[4] and has a "spunky attitude".[5] The song features resourceful vocals from Scherzinger.[6] According to Maura of Idolator wrote that the song is a reminiscent of Whitney Houston's song I'm Your Baby Tonight (1990).[7]
The song features three verses from Missy Elliot,[8] who joins the Dolls for a "boy-baiting session".[4] She uses brash rap and risqué lyrics in lines such as, "You ain't gonna get no more pussy... cat".[9] In her lines, she references Katy Perry and her song "I Kissed a Girl" teasing, "Up in that club it's just me and my girls, play like Katy Perry kissing on girls."[5] Samesame.com.au noted that Elliot's rapping is coherent with the Dolls’ signature style".[10] Lyrically, the song is about getting rid of your no-good-controlling-waste-of-space boyfriend,[4] while Jon Pareles of New York Times wrote that the song "proposes that her man stay home while she goes club hopping".[11] Nicole Scherzinger said that Missy Elliot "[takes] the Pussycat Dolls to a whole other level."[12]
Alex Fletcher of Digital Spy gave the song three out five stars commenting, "[the song] finds the pop troupe somewhere near the top of their game".[5] Samesame.com.au called the song "sensational".[10] The Times music reviewer Elan Priya included "Whatcha Think About That" along with "I Hate This Part" among the songs that have "distinct personality" in the album. He described Missy Elliot's rap, "cheeky".[13] Bill Lamb of About.com included "Whatcha Think About That" among the songs the top tracks on Doll Domination, namely tracks like "When I Grow Up", "Happily Never After", "In Person" and "Elevator".[14] Vicki Lutas from BBC Radio 1 praised Missy Elliot's contribution to the song, complimenting the introduction. "Of course, the song's greatness isn't all down to Missy Elliot alone – the Dolls certainly give it life – but it's safe to say that she does make this song just that little bit more distinctive"[9]
However, Nic Oliver in a review of Doll Domination from MusicOMH wrote, identikit urban beats, sleepwalking guest parts from Snoop Dogg and Missy Elliot, and lyrics that might as well have been written by a sophomore student on a weekend bender for all the depth on offer.[15] In earlier review from Digital Spy, Nick Levine wrote that, "[its] slightly disappointing after the hyperactive pop brilliance of 'When I Grow Up'".[4] Slant Magazine music reviewer Sal Cinquemani favored the song calling it a "pure filler" despite the presence of Missy Elliott.[8]
In the United Kingdom, the song debuted at number thirty-six at the issue date of 7 February 2009 replacing "I Hate This Part".[16] On March 7, 2009, the song managed to peak at number nine.[17] In Ireland the song peaked at number twelve on February 12, 2009.[18] In the European Hot 100 "Whatcha Think About That" peaked at number thirty-seven.[19] In Canada, on the Canadian Hot 100 the song debuted and peaked at number sixty-six on September 27, 2008.[20]
The music video for "Whatcha Think About That" was filmed in September 9–10, 2008 in Los Angeles, with Diane Martel serving as the director.[21] Melody Thornton spoke to Rap-Up about the concept of the video. "It's kinda like a throwback to the original Pussycat Dolls were we started out at Johnny Depp's Viper Room, and the whole burlesque-cabaret feel, and the choreography was very Fosse inspired and very stylized."[22] Meanwhile Ashley Roberts said "it's very editorial in my mind. Lots of beauty, lighting, and mysterious set-ups".[21] The Daily Mail commented, that the video "is set behind the scenes at a burlesque show" to lead the audiences to the feeling of "peeping Tom watching the Dolls get ready in their dressing room".[21]
The video starts with Missy Elliott singing her lines, and then switches to each of the Dolls singing a line of the song: Kimberly Wyatt, flexing her leg, then on a swing, Jessica Sutta popping gum; Melody Thornton brushing her hair and Ashley Roberts puffing powder in her chest. The video centers on two plots: one shows the Dolls dressing for, and then actually performing, one of their famous Lounge Shows, clad in the exotic burlesque outfits for which they are known. After their introduction on the swing, the video cuts to scenes from the other storyline, where Scherzinger leaves behind her controlling partner, and goes out to have fun. She is shown turning a large key into a neon door, and steps out into the town, where she is joined by the other Dolls, and they walk the runway while singing the song's chorus. Returning to the other plot, the five girls are shown in lingerie in their dressing room, and the camera switches to Nicole Scherzinger as she sings the verse, and the other Dolls as they dress and apply make up. The remainder of the video focuses on the PCD burlesque show. The girls are shown on a rotating platform, then on a horizontal bar dancing and singing seductively in their vintage corsets and burlesque outfits. The scene changes, showing Missy performing her rap, while the Dolls, dressed in seductive military outfits, perform a sexy army dance, accentuated by salutes and military steps. At the climax, the Dolls appear dressed in modern burlesque outfits, dancing intricately on a stage and Melody Thornton singing the ad-libs. The video ends with Missy performing her last lines, surrounded by the girls. This is also crosscut with scenes showing the silhouette of the Dolls as they continue to dance. Finally, the girls are again shown on swings, with Scherzinger singing the song's last lines.
The British tabloid newspaper Daily Mail commented that "[the] promo for the upcoming single 'Whatcha Think About That', frontwoman Nicole Scherzinger and her fellow Dolls perform their high-energy dance moves in a series of sexy lingerie."[21] Nadia Mendoza from fellow UK newspaper The Sun agreed, particularly commenting on the outfits and the dance.[23] A reviewer from Rap-Up wrote that "The Pussycat Dolls turn up the heat in their smolderin’ burlesque-inspired clip."[22] MTV News compared the music video of "Whatcha Think About That" to Danity Kane's "Bad Girls", concluding: "We like the Dolls' video better, but prefer the vocal stylings of [Danity Kane] for the simple reason that their song sounds less like a lesson in robotics and more like actual singing."[24]
The Pussycat Dolls first performed "Whatcha Think About That" on October 28, 2008 on Dancing with the Stars.[25] Rap-up commented about their performance. "The girls sounded a mess here. On the bright side, it looks like Missy lost some weight."[25]
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| Chart (2008) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[30] | 66 |
| Ireland (IRMA)[31] | 12 |
| European Hot 100 Singles[32] | 37 |
| Slovakia (IFPI)[33] | 64 |
| UK Singles (The Official Charts Company)[34] | 9 |
| Chart (2009) | Position |
|---|---|
| UK Singles Chart[35] | 104 |
| Region | Date | Format | Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | September 9, 2008 | Top 40,[36] Digital download[26] | A&M/Interscope |
| Canada | Digital download[27] | ||
| United Kingdom | October 21, 2008[28] | EP | Polydor |
| February 23, 2009[37] | CD single |
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