The Way I Are

Single infobox
Name = The Way I Are
Artist = Timbaland featuring Keri Hilson and D.O.E.
from Album = Shock Value


Format = Digital download, CD
Released = flagicon|United States July 9 2007 flagicon|United Kingdom July 23 2007 flagicon|European Union August 20 2007
Recorded = 2006/2007
Genre = Pop Rap
Dance Pop
Hip Hop
R&B
Length = 2:59 (album version) 3:20 (radio edit) 3:34 (extended version)Tempo 114.714 BPM
Label = Background/Interscope
Writer = Mosley, Hills, K. Hilson/B. Muhammad/C. Nelson (The Clutch), J. Maultsby
Producer = Timbaland
Danja (Co-Producer)
Certification = Platinum. [cite web|url=http://www.noticiasmusicais.radioativohits.com/billboarddownloads.htm|title=Brazilian site, with the Billboard Hot 100 sales this week|accessdate=September 28|accessyear=2007] Gold (RIANZ)
Misc = Extra chronology 2
Artist = Timbaland singles
Type = singles
Last single = "Anonymous" (2007)
This single = "The Way I Are" (2007)
Next single = "Throw It on Me" (2007)Extra chronology 2
Artist = Keri Hilson singles
Type = singles
Last single = "Help" (2006)
This single = "The Way I Are" (2007)
Next single = "Scream" (2007)

"The Way I Are" is a song by Timbaland, released as the second single from his second album, "Timbaland Presents Shock Value". The song features R&B singer Keri Hilson and rapper D.O.E., both of whom are signed to Timbaland's Mosley Music Group label. It was released digitally worldwide in May 2007.

The song is featured in a 2007 McDonald's commercial; it not only plays in the background, but the viewer sees at the beginning a DJ placing the "The Way I Are" record onto a turntable.Fact|date=November 2007 The song was also featured on "Dancing with the Stars" when Spice Girls member Melanie Brown performed her freestyle dance to the live band's version of the song with her professional partner, Maksim Chmerkovskiy. The song is on the soundtrack of "NBA Live 08" on all consoles.

Music video

The music video for the song was shot in the City of Salford in Greater Manchester, UK, on May 18, 2007. It was directed by Shane Drake.30 (May 15 2007). [http://www.openpr.com/news/20485/SHANE-DRAKE-SET-TO-DIRECT-TIMBALAND-S-NEW-HIP-HOP-MUSIC-VIDEO-FOR-THE-WAY-I-ARE.html Shane Drake Set to Direct Timbaland's New Hip Hop Music Video For The Way I Are] . OpenPR. Accessed October 4 2007.] Drake commented on the video and said:

The video version includes an extra verse from Timbaland's brother Sebastian. This verse was added to 'pad out' the song, as the album version of the song has an elongated period of time in which nothing but the beat is played.30 (May 20 2007). [http://www.kovideo.net/music/video/Timbaland---The-Way-I-Are/1245.html Timbaland - "The Way I Are" Music Video] . KOVideo. Accessed October 4 2007.] Though being unusual for American music video productions, the video world premiered and received its first official airing on June 15 on the German music television channel VIVA.

The video also includes three English freestyle football players. A "director's cut" of the video is now on YouTube and it features Timbaland in an black cab and shows him in a more casual perspective. The music video has received over 50 million views on YouTube.

Track listing

;UK CD Single
# "The Way I Are" (Extended Version) (featuring Keri Hilson, D.O.E. & Sebastian)
# "The Way I Are" (Timbaland vs. Nephew) (featuring Keri Hilson & D.O.E.)

;European CD Single
# "The Way I Are" (Radio Edit) (featuring Keri Hilson)
# "Give It to Me" (Laugh at 'em) Remix (featuring Justin Timberlake & Jay-Z)
# "The Way I Are" (Timbaland vs. Nephew) (featuring Keri Hilson & D.O.E.)
# "The Way I Are" (Video)

;French CD Single
# "The Way I Are" (French Version) (featuring Tyssem)
# "The Way I Are" (Radio Edit) (featuring Keri Hilson)

Official versions & remixes

*Album Version (featuring Keri Hilson & D.O.E.) - 2:59
*Extended/Video Version (featuring Keri Hilson, D.O.E. & Sebastian) - 3:34
*Radio Edit (featuring Keri Hilson) - 3:19
*Instrumental - 3:34
*Japanese Version (featuring Hiromi & WISE) - 3:07
*French Version (featuring Tyssem)
*Timbaland vs. Nephew (Remix) (featuring Keri Hilson & D.O.E.)
*OneRepublic Remix (featuring Keri Hilson & D.O.E.)
*Jatins Desi Mix (featuring Keri Hilson & D.O.E.)

Triva

Pittsburgh Pirates 2nd baseman Freddy Sanchez bats to The Way I Are, as well as Colorado Rockies third baseman Garrett AtkinsAustralian radio celebrities Hamish Blake and Andy Lee performed a spoof cover of the song on their Brisbane based talkshow, using lyrics depicting various gardening related activities. For example the lead synth line is sung as 'better go and get my secateurs, secateurs, secateurs, secateurs (etc.)'

Chart performance

On the issue date of June 16, 2007, the single debuted on the U.S. "Billboard" Hot 100 at number seventy-eight. "The Way I Are" eventually peaked at number-three for four non-consecutive weeks, and eventually spent nineteen consecutive weeks inside the top ten. [cite web|url=http://www.musicsquare.net/charts/song/26321|title=Timbaland and Keri Hilson - The Way I Are: Chart Positions|accessdate=June 13|accessyear=2007] "The Way I Are" has also spent three consecutive weeks at number-one on the U.S. Billboard Pop 100, becoming Timbaland's second number-one on this chart.

In the UK, "The Way I Are" debuted at number eighteen on the UK Singles Chart, and later peaked at number-one for two consecutive weeks, spending a total of twenty-three weeks on the chart. The song has also peaked at number one for five consecutive weeks on the Irish Singles Chart, thanks to its success in the UK, and also peaked at number two for two non-consecutive weeks in New Zealand, and spent a total of twenty-one weeks on the chart. It was ranked as the third-biggest song of 2007 there. The song also peaked at number four in Austria, and number five in Germany, where it is Timbaland's second consecutive top-five hit in both nations. In France, a mix of the song featuring French singer Tyssem was released, and peaked at number two becoming Timbaland's highest peaking single there.

"The Way I Are" peaked at number one on the Canadian Hot 100 and the European Hot 100 Singles Chart, as well as peaking at number one in countries such as Norway and Israel. The song became Timbaland's highest peaking single thus far in the Netherlands where it peaked at number four, until "Apologize" peaked at number-two.

The song became a major hit in Australia where it reached number one, and became Timbaland's first top-ten entry on the ARIA charts (not counting a plethora of collaborations) and also his first number-one single. The single has become so successful that it managed to revive interest in not only Timbaland's album, but also his two previous singles "Give It to Me" and "Throw It on Me", with "Give It to Me" re-entering the top 50 and "Throw It on Me" entering the top 50 for the first time.

On the United World Chart, "The Way I Are" peaked at number two, and was at that point Timbaland's most successful single on this chart, until "Apologize" peaked at number one in November 2007.

¹ "The Way I Are" (Timbaland feat. Tyssem)

References

External links

* [http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=iWg3IMN_rhU Official "The Way I Are" music video] on YouTube