Tell Me What We're Gonna Do Now

Infobox Single
Name = Tell Me What We're Gonna Do Now


Artist = Joss Stone featuring Common
Album = Introducing Joss Stone
Released = 11 June 2007 (U.S.)
23 July 2007 (UK)
Format = CD single, CD maxi single, digital download
Recorded = Compass Point Studios
(Nassau, Bahamas)
Label = Relentless, Virgin
Genre = Neo soul, alternative hip hop
Length = 4:22
Writer = Joss Stone, Alonzo "Novel" Stevenson, Tony Reyes, Lonnie Lynn
Producer = Raphael Saadiq
Certification =
Chronology = Joss Stone singles
Last single = "Tell Me 'bout It"
(2007)
This single = "Tell Me What We're Gonna Do Now"
(2007)
Next single = "L-O-V-E"
(2007)
Misc = Extra track listing
Album = Introducing Joss Stone
Type = studio
prev_track = "Tell Me 'bout It"
prev_no = 4
this_track = "Tell Me What We're Gonna Do Now"
track_no = 5
next_track = "Put Your Hands on Me"
next_no = 6 Extra chronology
Artist = Common
Type = singles
Last single = "The Game"
(2007)
This single = "Tell Me What We're Gonna Do Now"
(2007)
Next single = "Drivin' Me Wild"
(2007) Extra album cover 2
Upper caption = Alternate covers
Type = single


Lower caption = UK cover Extra album cover 2


Lower caption = U.S. promo CD single cover

"Tell Me What We're Gonna Do Now" is a neo soul–alternative hip hop song written by English singer-songwriter Joss Stone, Alonzo "Novel" Stevenson, Tony Reyes, and Lonnie "Common" Lynn for Stone's third studio album, "Introducing Joss Stone" (2007). Released as the album's second single in July 2007, the song was produced by Raphael Saadiq and features American rapper Common.

Chart performance

"Tell Me What We're Gonna Do Now" had a lacklustre performance in the United Kingdom, where it peaked at number eighty-four on the UK Singles Chart the week of 4 August 2007 and spent only one week on the tally, becoming Stone's first solo single to miss the UK top seventy-five. It charted mildly in other countries such as Canada, Germany, Switzerland, and Romania. Nevertheless, the single did manage to achieve success in the Netherlands and Turkey, where it peaked at number twenty-three and number four, respectively. It was also Stone's second single (the first being 2005's "Spoiled") to chart on the U.S. Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, on which it debuted at number sixty-nine the week of 28 April 2007 (after debuting at number twelve on the Bubbling Under R&B/Hip-Hop Singles) and reached its peak position of number sixty-four four weeks later. Surprisingly, "Tell Me What We're Gonna Do Now" debuted at number thirty-eight in Greece the week of 23 February 2008, peaking at number thirty-two the following week, and also debuted and peaked at number fifty in Portugal the week of 8 June 2008—following Stone's performance at the third edition of Rock in Rio Lisboa on 1 June 2008.

Music video

The music video for "Tell Me What We're Gonna Do Now", directed by Sanaa Hamri and filmed in New York City, premiered on VH1 Soul on 7 May and on VH1's "VSpot Top 20 Countdown" on 12 May. In aid of U2's frontman Bono's initiative Product Red, an organization helping finance the fight of HIV/AIDS in Africa, 100% of the proceeds from copies of the video sold on iTunes were reverted to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria; Stone is the first artist to do so. [cite web |url=http://www.joinred.com/news/ |title=Joss Stone and Common turn (RED) |accessdate=2007-07-13 |work=Product Red]

The video starts with a red gerbera held by the cameraman, who heads for a typical New York City terraced house from which Stone gets out. He hands the gerbera in to her and proceeds to film Stone as the two go for a walk around the city. Next, they take a break and sit on a bench in the city centre, where the cameraman caresses Stone's face and hands a drink plastic glass in to her. They then head for the backstage of Stone's outdoor concert at a park; she gets changed in an impromptu dressing room and subsequently comes onto the stage (where a Product Red billboard can be seen in the background) along with Common before a crowded audience. Common performs his rap segment followed by the song's final lines. As the concert ends, Stone takes the cameraman to the backstage where she kisses the camera as if she had kissed the man. Intercut shots of Stone wearing a skin-coloured suit and purple high heels while lying on a flower-covered floor are included from the scene in which Stone and the cameraman are sitting on the bench.

Track listings and formats

;CD maxi single
#"Tell Me What We're Gonna Do Now" (Album Version featuring Common) – 4:22
#"Tell Me 'bout It" (Live from the Bowery Ballroom) – 5:20
#"What Were We Thinking" (Live from the Bowery Ballroom) – 5:25

;UK CD single
#"Tell Me What We're Gonna Do Now" (Album Version featuring Common) – 4:22
#"Music" (Live from the Bowery Ballroom) – 4:20

;U.S. promo CD single
#"Tell Me What We're Gonna Do Now" (Radio Edit, No Rap) – 3:40
#"Tell Me What We're Gonna Do Now" (Radio Edit featuring Common) – 3:58
#"Tell Me What We're Gonna Do Now" (Instrumental) – 4:23

Personnel

Musicians

*Joss Stone – vocals
*Common – vocals
*Raphael Saadiq – bass
*Khari Parker – drums
*Robert Ozuna – additional drums, percussion, turntablism
*Chalmers "Spanky" Alford – guitar
*Lionel Holoman – organ
*Charlie Happiness – claves

Production

*Raphael Saadiq – producer
*Glenn Standridge – mixing
*Chuck Brungardt – mixing
*Oswald Bowe, John Tanksley, James Tanksley, Marlon Marcel, Charlie Stavish – assistant engineerers
*Jeremy Mackenzie – Pro Tools operator
*Benjamin Wright – string arrangements

Charts

References