Can't Leave 'em Alone

Infobox Single
Name = Can't Leave 'em Alone


B-side = "Love You Better"
Artist = Ciara featuring 50 Cent
from Album =
Released = flagicon|USA June 12 2007
flagicon|New Zealand August 10 2007
Format = Digital download, CD single
Recorded =
Genre = Pop, R&B, hip hop
Length = 4:04 (album version)
3:55 (international radio edit)
Label = LaFace/Jive
Writer = Ciara Harris, LaShawn Daniels, Rodney Jerkins, Curtis Jackson
Producer = Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins
Certification = Gold [RIAA [http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?resultpage=1&table=SEARCH_RESULTS&action=&title=&artist=50%20cent&format=&debutLP=&category=&sex=&releaseDate=&requestNo=&type=&level=&label=&company=&certificationDate=&awardDescription=&catalogNo=&aSex=&rec_id=&charField=&gold=&platinum=&multiPlat=&level2=&certDate=&album=&id=&after=&before=&startMonth=1&endMonth=1&startYear=1958&endYear=2008&sort=Artist&perPage=25 RIAA Searchable databse - 50 Cent] . RIAA. Accessed September 3 2007.]
Misc =Extra chronology
Artist = Ciara
Type = singles
Last single = "Promise Ring"
(2007)
This single = "Can't Leave 'em Alone"
(2007)
Next single = "Stepped on My J'z"
(2008)Extra chronology
Artist = 50 Cent
Type = singles
Last single = "Amusement Park"
(2007)
This single = "Can't Leave 'em Alone"
(2007)
Next single = "I Get Money"
(2007)

"Can't Leave 'em Alone" is a pop song recorded by American singer Ciara and rapper 50 Cent for Ciara's second album, "" (2006). Written by Ciara, LaShawn Daniels, Rodney Jerkins, and 50 Cent, it is the fourth release and official third single (see 2007 in music).

The song is a 1980s-inspired mid-tempo ballad, featuring the 808 drums. Ciara described it as a "big record", and said that she invited 50 Cent for "some kind of flavor". It was originally titled "Dope Boys". [Corey Moss (October 9 2007). [http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1542545/20061006/ciara.jhtml 50 Cent Gives Ciara The 'Flavor' She's Looking For] . MTV. Accessed July 22 2007.]

ingle release

"Can't Leave 'em Alone" was solicited to Mainstream Urban radio stations on June 12 2007 and Rhythmic stations on July 10 2007. The song was one of three choices with "Like a Boy" and "That's Right" for the second U.S. single, according to Ciara's official MySpace voting poll. However, "Like a Boy" was released before polling was completed. The song's release was unexpected due to reports that "The Evolution" track "My Love" would be the official third single. [Salim (March 6 2007). [http://ultimate-music-zone.blogspot.com/2007/03/ciaras-3rd-single-will-be.html Ciara's 3rd Single Will Be...] . UMZ (Ultimate Music Zone). Accessed July 22 2007.]

Critical reception

"Can't Leave 'em Alone" received mixed reviews from music critics. Matt Cibula of "PopMatters" published that it is "a very bad pop-lite song" and "50 Cent playing the role of a sexy dope boy, yuck". [Matt Cibula (December 13 2006). [http://www.popmatters.com/pm/music/reviews/8847/ciara-ciara-the-evolution/ Ciara: The Evolution] . PopMatters. Accessed July 22 2007.] Christian Hoard of "Rolling Stone" published "Ciara's still prone to diva blandness and silly little pop songs, which drags down the 50 Cent feature "Can't Leave 'em Alone"". [Christian Hoard (November 27 2006). [http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/album/12627967/review/12665854/the_evolution The Evolution : Review] . "Rolling Stone". Accessed July 22 2007.] Ken Barnes of "USA TODAY" called the song "pop-soul confection". [Ken Barnes (December 4 2006). [http://blogs.usatoday.com/listenup/2006/12/this_weeks_revi.html#more Gwen, Ciara, 'Dreamgirls,' Eminem proteges, McKnight and more] . "USA TODAY". Accessed July 22 2007.] Contactmusic.com published "Can't Leave 'em Alone" is a "mouth-watering smouldering smoothed groove" and "why wasn't this the first single?". It has "cross over potential that we see from Nelly & Kelly Rowland" and "simply another Darkchild classic". [ [http://www.contactmusic.com/new/home.nsf/webpages/ciarax05x03x07 Ciara, feat. 50 Cent, Can't Leave 'em Alone, Single Review] . Contactmusic. Accessed July 22 2007.]

Music video

The Fat Cats directed video was shot on June 9 2007 and June 10 2007 in Atlanta. [MTV News staff (June 13 2007). [http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1562369/20070613/game_the.jhtml Game Rejects Plea Deal] . MTV. Accessed July 22 2007.] The video was scheduled to premiere on Yahoo! Music on June 25, but it was changed to July 2 2007.

The video reached #2 on 106 & Park.

The video begins with Ciara walking down the street, sporting a purple bikini top, as well as a yellow jacket and yellow booty shorts. 50 Cent appears in front of a convertible Pontiac G6 and a large building with styled graffiti on when he recites his beginning verse. During Ciara's first verse and chorus, she interacts with the neighborhood's residence and meets up with close friend, and MTV VJ La La Vasquez. As the video progresses, we view somewhat of a semi-nude scene, which features footage of Ciara and 50 Cent holding each other closely, while a black backdrop circulates around them. Afterwards, Ciara and 50 Cent head up to the roof of a building, each seat themselves in two separate chairs situated across a black table, and Ciara smiles at 50 Cent with compassion as he recites his last verse of the song. During the end, there's a collage of clips of Ciara up against a wall, the semi-nude scene, and the earlier shots of Ciara in the yellow attire.

The MTV version of the video edits the part of the song when she says, "I tried that good boy game but the *dope* boy's turning me on".

Chart performance

"Can't Leave 'em Alone" was a moderate success in the U.S. Six weeks after its official release, "Can't Leave 'em Alone" debuted at ninety on the "Billboard" Hot 100. The song climbed Billboard charts slowly with low airplay and digital sales. It peaked forty, becoming Ciara's second least successful American single to date. It peaked at twenty-four on the Hot 100 Airplay. It became Ciara's tenth top ten single on the "Billboard" Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and peaked in the top twenty of the Rhythmic Top 40. The single was never released to mainstream radio formats and failed to chart on the Pop 100. Despite it's lackluster performance at radio, the single sold well digitally and was eventually certified Gold [RIAA [http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?resultpage=1&table=SEARCH_RESULTS&action=&title=&artist=50%20cent&format=&debutLP=&category=&sex=&releaseDate=&requestNo=&type=&level=&label=&company=&certificationDate=&awardDescription=&catalogNo=&aSex=&rec_id=&charField=&gold=&platinum=&multiPlat=&level2=&certDate=&album=&id=&after=&before=&startMonth=1&endMonth=1&startYear=1958&endYear=2008&sort=Artist&perPage=25 RIAA Searchable databse - 50 Cent] . RIAA. Accessed September 3 2007.] .

In international markets, "Can't Leave 'em Alone" debuted at number forty and peaked at four, becoming Ciara's fifth top ten single in New Zealand. The song failed to chart in the United Kingdom, reaching a disappointing #115. The single peaked at low positions in China, Germany, and Poland.

Formats and track listings

These are the formats and track listings of major single releases of "Can't Leave 'Em Alone".

;Itunes digital download EP
#"Can't Leave 'em Alone" (Main version) – 4:06
#"Can't Leave 'em Alone" (Kookie remix) – 4:08
#"Can't Leave 'em Alone" (Wildboys remix) – 7:11
#"Can't Leave 'em Alone" (Reavers remix) – 3:40

;Itunes digital download #1
#"Can't Leave 'em Alone" – 4:06

;Itunes digital download #2
#"Can't Leave 'em Alone" (Kookie remix) – 4:08 ;Itunes digital download #3
#"Can't Leave 'em Alone" (Wildboys remix) – 7:11

;Itunes digital download #4
#"Can't Leave 'em Alone" (Reavers remix) – 3:40

;New Zealand CD
#"Can't Leave 'em Alone" (featuring 50 Cent) – 3:55
#"Love You Better" – 4:29

;Promotional CD
#"Can't Leave 'em Alone (album version)" (featuring 50 Cent) – 4:06
#"Can't Leave 'em Alone (instrumental)" – 4:04

Credits

*Recorded by: Jeff Villanueva at 2nd Floor Studios, Atlantic City, New Jersey & Joshua Charvokas at Chung King Studios, New York City
*Engineered by: Gilbert Fuentes
*Mixed by: Phil Tan at Soapbox Studios, Atlanta, Georgia
*Assisted by: Josh Houghkirk
*All music by: Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins
*Vocals produced by: Ciara Harris, LaShawn Daniels and Rodney Jerkins

Charts

References