Womanizer (song)

Infobox Single
Name = Womanizer

---

Cover size =
Border = Yes
Artist = Britney Spears
Album = Circus
Released = start date|2008|10|7
(see release history)
Format = Airplay, CD single, digital download
Recorded = 2008
Genre = Electropop, synthpop
Length = 3:43
Label = Jive
Writer = Nikesha Briscoe and Rapheal Akinyemi
Producer = The Outsyders
Certification =
Last single = "Break the Ice"
(2008)
This single = "Womanizer"
(2008)
Next single =
Misc =

"Womanizer" is a song by American pop singer Britney Spears. The song was recorded for her forthcoming sixth studio album, "Circus". "Womanizer" was produced and co-written by Nikesha Briscoe and Rapheal Akinyemi of Atlanta-based production team, The Outsyders.cite news | first = Jonathan | last = Cohen | title = Britney Makes December Date For 'Circus' | url = http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003849852 | work = Billboard | publisher = Nielsen Business Media, Inc | date = 2008-09-15 | accessdate = 2008-09-15]

Announced as the lead single from the album, "Womanizer" was first released to radio stations worldwide on September 26, 2008. It was released commercially in the United States on October 7, 2008 through digital distribution. It will be released as a CD single on November 1, 2008 in Australia.

Release

The song was released to radio stations on September 26, 2008 in the United States.cite web|url=http://www.dose.ca/music/story.html?id=07f587fe-4b5f-4058-a9de-1473c56e7237|title=Britney Spears' New Single Pushed Back|date=September 22, 2008|publisher=Dose|accessdate=2008-09-22] The lyrics to "Womanizer" were posted on Spears's official website on Jive records a day earlier. [ cite web | url=http://www.britney.com/blog/lyrically-speaking-youre-a-womanizer-baby | title=Lyrically speaking... you're a womanizer, baby | work=Britney.com | publisher=Sony BMG | date=2008-09-25 | accessdate=2008-09-25 ] A week before the official premiere, on September 19, 2008 a low quality 40-second clip from "Womanizer" was leaked via Nashville's 107.5 The River. [ cite web | url=http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/b29901_britney_spears_womanizer_gets_leak.html | title=Britney Spears' "Womanizer" gets leak treatment | author=Peter Gicas | work=E! News | publisher=E! | date=2008-09-19 | accessdate=2008-09-20 ] Jive later released a statement to MTV stating that the clip was from the "rough mix" of the track, not the finalized single. [ cite web | url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1595270/20080919/spears_britney.jhtml | title=Snippet of Britney Spears' new single, 'Womanizer,' leaks online | author=Jocelyn Vena | work=MTV News | publisher=MTV | date=2008-09-19 | accessdate=2008-09-20 ] The DJ who played the clip was later suspended and fined $250,000 by Jive Records. [ cite web | url=http://www.heatworld.com/Article/7328/Britney+Spears/Is+this+Britney+track+REALLY+worth+losing+your+job+over | title=Is this Britney track REALLY worth losing your job over? | work=Heat | publisher=Bauer Verlagsgruppe | date=2008-09-22 | accessdate=2008-09-25 ] By September 27, the song had leaked in high quality format.Spears's official site on Jive records has confirmed the song will be released by digital distribution through the iTunes Store on October 7. cite web | url=http://www.britney.com/blog/womanizer-itunes | title=Womanizer on iTunes | work=Britney.com | publisher=Sony BMG | date=2008-09-26 | accessdate=2008-09-26 ] However, on October 3, "Womanizer" was distributed in many European countries via iTunes.Fact|date=October 2008 Jive Records will reportedly release "Womanizer" as a digital download on November 9, 2008 and as a CD single on November 24, 2008 in the United Kingdom. [ cite web | url=http://britneyspearsspy.blogspot.com/2008/10/official-womanizer-set-for-9th-nov-uk.html| title=Official: Womanizer set for 9th Nov UK Release | author=BritneySpearsSpy| work=BritneySpearsSpy| date=2008-10-09 | accessdate=2008-10-09 ]

"Womanizer" debuted on New York City's Z100 on September 26. cite web | url=http://omg.yahoo.com/news/listen-britney-spears-new-single-debuts/13275;_ylt=Av1Mjp1thGjl7wme6VIpBSoPpxx.;_ylv=3 | title=Britney Spears' new single debuts! | work=Us Weekly | publisher=Omg! | publisher=Yahoo! | date=2008-09-26 | accessdate=2008-09-26 ] [ cite web | url=http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20229004,00.html | title=Britney's new song hits the radio | author=Joey Bartolomeo | work=People | publisher=Time Inc. | date=2008-09-26 | accessdate=2008-09-26 ] It was played on Sydney's 2Day FM shortly afterwards.

"Womanizer" debuted on the Mediabase airplay chart at #60 and climbed ten places in one day, claiming the #50 position with a 12.8 million audience and 895 spins. "Womanizer" entered the "Billboard" Hot 100 Airplay chart at the No. 59 position within three days of its radio release.cite web|url=http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/esearch/chart_display.jsp?cfi=350&cfgn=Singles&cfn=Hot+100+Airplay&ci=3101855&cdi=10014777&cid=10%2F11%2F2008 | title=Hot 100 Airplay | date=2008-10-02 | accessdate=2008-10-02 ] and entered at #11 on the Bubbling Under chart.. [ cite web | url=http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/esearch/chart_display.jsp?cfi=344&cfgn=Singles&cfn=Bubbling+Under+Hot+100+Singles&ci=3101852&cdi=10014575&cid=10%2F11%2F2008 | title=Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles: Womanizer | date=2008-10-02 | accessdate=2008-10-02 ]

ong information

During a live interview with New York's Z100 Spears talked about the song quoting: "It's basically saying, 'We know what you're up to.' It's about guys cheating on girls ... It's a girl anthem. That's why I like it." [ [http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20229574,00.html] ]

Reception

"Womanizer" received a mixed responses from critics. [http://www.nationalledger.com/artman/publish/article_272622938.shtml]

Ann Powers of "The Los Angeles Times" described the track as "retro-futurism" that "takes a roller coaster ride via the snappy staccato beats crafted by the young Atlanta-based production team the Outsyders."cite news|url=http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/soundboard/2008/09/britney-spear-1.html|title=Snap judgment on Britney Spears' 'Womanizer'|last=Powers |first=Ann|date=September 26, 2008|publisher=Los Angeles Times|accessdate=2008-09-27] "It's clean and contemporary," the site said, "but also invokes the quick-witted style of vocal groups like the Andrews Sisters - a style Brit's rival, Christina Aguilera, has mined to great success before. The highly manipulated vocal complements Brit's Mississippi Valley Girl diction; though she's been turned into a robot again, she actually sounds engaged."

CosmoGirl editor Rachel Chang stated her belief that "Womanizer" is a future hit, writing that, "Brit knows her stuff, and as always, she doesn’t disappoint with her latest creation — a dance hit that’s bound to be a chart topper."Fact|date=October 2008

Popjustice also gave the song a glowing review, stating that whilst the leaked clip was enjoyable, the full track "throws the whole thing into a brand new realm of amazingness." The review also compared the song to Spears's 2004 song, "Toxic" and Blackout's "Ooh Ooh Baby" and said the track, "lays a really strong foundation for the fully-realised comeback that didn't quite happen last time and it's hard not to think of it as a late contender for single of the year." [cite web|url=http://www.popjustice.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2982&Itemid=9| title=Everybody calm down: we've heard the Britney single in full and it is literally quite good]

Bill Lamb of About.com thought that Spears sounded confident, but he wrote a generally negative review of "Womanizer". Lamb wrote that the song sounded "like a rather weak attempt to approach the attitude of Katy Perry in a classic Britney futuristic bubblegum pop context. Unfortunately, after a few listens it all becomes quite dull." Lamb also wrote that the song was "no match for her classic material." [http://top40.about.com/od/singles/gr/britneywomanize.htm]

"Daily News"' music critic Jim Farber criticized the song, saying it is not the brilliant single Spears needs. Farber says, "From the sound of it, it should have been delayed indefinitely. Spears delivers the title word no fewer than nine times in a row, in a nagging tone meant to mimic the most irritating of schoolyard taunts."cite news|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/music/2008/09/26/2008-09-26_dont_call_it_a_comeback__womanizer_not_t.html|title=Don't call it a comeback - 'Womanizer' not the brilliant single Britney Spears needs|last=Farber|first=Jim|date=September 26, 2008|publisher=Daily News|accessdate=2008-09-27]

"Wellheart Music Journal" gave the single a scathing review, calling the track a 'tired production', and having 'weak lyrics' with 'an exaggerated vocal'. [ [http://www.wellheartmusicjournal.com/singlereviews.htm] ] Matthew B. Zeidman of Hollywood Today wrote that the song "lacks any real structure and suffers from what can best be described as a musical monotone." Regarding the verses, Zeidman described them as "flat and unmemorable" and that the chorus "falls short of providing a memorable hook." [http://www.hollywoodtoday.net/2008/09/27/review-britney-spears-releases-new-album%E2%80%99s-%E2%80%98womanizer%E2%80%99-single/]

Jacqueline Rupp of "Common Sense Media" wrote that Spears "is still trying to play catch up with current pop styles, attempting to jump into today's sound after being out of the loop for so long." Regarding the chorus, Rupp wrote that it "kills all hope for a cool sound when Spears repeats (ad nauseam) 'womanizer, womanizer, woman, woman, womanizer' in a way that sounds like an annoying elementary school chant." [http://www.commonsensemedia.org/music-reviews/Womanizer.html]

Chart performance

"Womanizer" debuted on the Mediabase airplay chart at sixty and has since climbed to number twenty, where it currently sits. [ cite web | url=http://brit-s.net/091060/womanizer-debuts-at-billboard-airplay-charts-more-mediabase/ | title=Womanizer debuts at Billboard Airplay Charts + Mediabase | date=2008-09-28 | accessdate=2008-09-28 ] The track entered the "Billboard" Hot 100 Airplay chart at fifty-nine with three days of its radio release alone.. It also debuted on the "Billboard" Bubbling Under Hot 100 at eleven on the week of October 11, 2008. [ cite web | url=http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/esearch/chart_display.jsp?cfi=344&cfgn=Singles&cfn=Bubbling+Under+Hot+100+Singles&ci=3101852&cdi=10014575&cid=10%2F11%2F2008 | title=Bubbling Under Hot 100 | date=2008-10-02 | accessdate=2008-10-02 ] The song then entered the Hot 100 chart at ninety-six on the following week due to rising airplay. [ cite web | url=http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/charts/chart_display.jsp?f=The+Billboard+Hot+100&pageNumber=Top+11-50&g=Singles | title=Hot 100 | date=2008-10-02 | accessdate=2008-10-09 ]

In Canada, the single started at ninety-seven before moving up to forty-three on the week of October 18, 2008.

Music video

The music video was filmed on September 24 and September 25, 2008, at a Los Angeles nightclub and restaurant. cite web | url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1595671/20080925/spears_britney.jhtml | title=Britney Spears reportedly plays vampy waitress in 'Womanizer' video | author=Jocelyn Vena | work=MTV News | publisher=MTV | date=2008-09-25 | accessdate=2008-10-10 ] It was directed by Joseph Khan, who had previously directed Spears's videos, "Stronger," in 2000 and "Toxic" in 2004. There are two versions of the video, the rated version was featured on ABC, and the Director's Cut (Uncensored). The differences between both versions, is that the unrated shows Spears completely nude, while the rated version shows steam covering Spears' body. [ [http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1596844/20081010/spears_britney.jhtml Britney shows more skin] ]

In the music video Spears plays various roles, a "housewife", a "secretary", a "waitress", and a "personal driver". [http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?artist=501686&vid=288244]

The Director's cut version of "Womanizer" became Spears' first music video to be flagged as inappropriate in the popular video site YouTube. According to Youtube's policies, "Womanizer" was flagged because it was suggestive, but without nudity. [ [http://www.youtube.com/verify_age?next_url=/watch%3Fv%3D1-23EToh43M] ]

The video begins with the name "Britney Spears" transforming into the title "Womanizer", it then shows Spears lying in a sauna completely nude. It switches to a not-so-innocent looking Britney wearing a gray satin robe with a black bra peeking out, she's cooking her beau (Brandon Stoughton) breakfast. He checks his schedule, and sees he has an important business meeting. He dresses and appears in his office. He sees another Britney dressed like a secretary with short black hair and glasses. She and many of the other workers dance around him while she calls him a 'womanizer'. They go into a copy room, and he takes pictures of her on his phone and flirts with her. She sits on the copy machine and copies her buttocks showing nothing but black underwear. She rips it in half and throws his face on the copy machine. He sits down and appears to be in a restaurant, where Britney is a waitress wearing a black vest with red tattoos on her arm, and dark auburn hair. She dances around him once again calling him a 'womanizer' as he tries to flirt with her. She pushes him down onto the kitchen counter top and jumps on top of him and she toys with him. He gets into a car, and the driver is Britney dressed as a limo driver, with very dark sunglasses and her hair pulled back. She jumps in the back with him and continues to drive with her foot on the steering wheel. He tries to stop her, but she won't let him. He gets away and tries to steer the car. It then shows Britney in the sauna again, this time she is watching him shower in another room. The secretary, waitress, and limo driver all appear and form into the Britney in the robe. She throws him onto a bed. He tries to get up, but the other three Britneys hold him down. All four of them throw him around and tell him what kind of man he is. He tries to get away, but he can't. The robed Britney gets up and blows a kiss to him. She throws a blanket on top of him, smiles at the camera, and the video ends.

The video premiered on October 10 on ABC's "20/20" at the end of their program. To promote the release of the music video, ABC launched an official five day countdown commercial for the week of October 6-October 11. The director's cut of the "Womanizer" video also appeared on an MTV blog that night. [ cite web | url=http://buzzworthy.mtv.com/2008/10/10/britney-spears-new-womanizer-video-watch-the-directors-cut/ | title=Britney Spears' new 'Womanizer' video: watch the director's cut! | author=Tamar Anitai | work=MTV | publisher=MTV | date=2008-10-10 | accessdate=2008-10-10 ]

Formats and track listings

Digital Download
#"Womanizer" (Main Version) – 3:43

Promotional CD
#"Womanizer" (Main Version) – 3:43
#"Womanizer" (Instrumental) – 3:42

Release history

Charts

Credits

*Vocals – Britney Spears
*Producers & Writers – The Outsyders

References

External links

* [http://www.britneyspears.com/ Britney Spears's official website]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-23EToh43M YouTube: Official "Womanizer" music video]
* [http://www.gimmemorebritney.co.uk/ Official UK website]