Say Somethin'

Infobox Single
Name = Say Somethin'


Artist = Mariah Carey featuring Snoop Dogg
from Album = The Emancipation of Mimi
Released = flagicon|US April 3, 2006
flagicon|UK June 5, 2006
Format = Digital download, CD
Recorded = 2004
Genre = Pop, R&B
Length = 3:44 (Album/Single Version)
Label = Island
Writer = Calvin Broadus, Mariah Carey, Chad Hugo, Pharrell Williams
Producer = The Neptunes
Misc = Extra chronology
Artist = Mariah Carey
Type = singles
Last single = "So Lonely"
(2006)
This single = "Say Somethin'"
(2006)
Next single = "Fly like a Bird"
(2006)Extra chronology
Artist = Snoop Dogg
Type = singles
Last single = "Real Soon"
(2005)
This single = "Say Somethin'"
(2006)
Next single = "Buttons"
(2006)Extra track listing
Album = The Emancipation of Mimi
Type = studio
prev_track = "Mine Again"
prev_no = 4
this_track = "Say Somethin'"
track_no = 5
next_track = "Stay the Night
next_no = 6Audiosample
Upper caption = Audio sample
Name = Say Somethin'
Audio file = SaySomethinSample.ogg

"Say Somethin'" is a song written by Mariah Carey, Snoop Dogg, Chad Hugo, and Pharrell for Carey's tenth studio album "The Emancipation of Mimi" (2005). Snoop Dogg appears as a featured artist on the track rapping one verse. It received mixed reviews from music critics and was released in 2006 (see 2006 in music) as the album's sixth single (fifth in North America). It peaked outside the top forty on the U.S. Hot 100 chart and the top twenty in Australia and the United Kingdom.

Writing and theme

"Say Somethin'" and "To the Floor" (also co-written by The Neptunes), another track from "The Emancipation of Mimi", are the first songs since Carey's debut album "Mariah Carey" (1990) which she has not produced. The Neptunes have implemented a strict policy of not allowing others to co-produce with them (except on Beyonce's "B'Day" and Madonna's "Hard Candy"). Because Carey had wanted to work with The Neptunes for a substantial amount of time, she conceded and did not produce the songs.

The lyrics of "Say Somethin'" describe two people being introduced at a nightclub. They begin to experience mutual lust, however, each is waiting for the other to first express their feelings for one another. Eventually, the woman becomes irritated and takes the initiative ("If it's worth your while, say somethin', say somethin'"). The man reveals that the song was produced by the Neptunes and then proposes a joint-visit to the restroom to engage in a quickie; it is not revealed whether or not the woman accepts.

History

"Say Somethin'" became the first song from "The Emancipation of Mimi" to leak onto the internet when it did so in November 2004. Music websites such as "All Access", record stores, magazines, MTV, "Billboard" and Carey's record company Universal Music Group reported numerous radio impact dates for the single. [http://www.mariahdaily.com/corantofiles/news-archive-11-2004.shtml Mariah Daily | 2007 ] ] In late 2004, the Friday Morning Quarterback magazine's online edition at FMQB.com said that the press was the one generating the buzz on the song and wrote on their website: "Get ready for a change of style, substance and texture. If you've had the good fortune to get a sample of the new single from your Island rep, lucky you ... The production is way fresh and Mariah's approach is just as refreshing ... Mariah should be back in Pop music's prime time in no time!" The leaked track was already being played on several radio stations back in 2004 due to requests from listeners. [http://www.mariahdaily.com/corantofiles/news-archive-12-2004.shtml Mariah Daily | 2007 ] ] Erik Bradley, music director at WBBM-FM/B-96 Chicago, described the song as an "instant mega-smash" on radio.

Promotional material for the song had already been commissioned when "It's like That", which was one of the very last songs recorded for the album, replaced it. In December 2004 Universal Music Italy finally announced that the album's first single had been changed and that "Mariah is still recording her album under the supervision of label executive L.A. Reid, and is possibly recording a new song that will be the lead single." Some time later, Snoop Dogg told MTV.com that "Say Somethin'" would be the third single. Carey protested the release of the song, instead suggesting "Shake It Off" as the album's third single, and publicly stated in interviews that her fans wanted "Shake It Off" as a single more than "Say Somethin'".

Despite Carey's comments, her record label scheduled "Say Somethin'" for release as the next single. Carey continued to lobby for the release of "Shake It Off", and the record company eventually granted her wish and replaced "Say Somethin'" with "Shake It Off". A compromise was formed to release the songs as a double A-side. The plan was to have "Shake It Off" released to Rhythmic radio stations and "Say Somethin'" released to top-forty Mainstream/pop stations. "Shake It Off" was an instant hit on both formats before "Say Somethin'" had been solicited, and the release of the song was again cancelled.

The song was then slated for release as the third single outside of the U.S. and in the UK, but again, those plans were aborted and "Get Your Number" became the album's third non-U.S. single. Before being officially released, the song received enough airplay in Japan to reach number eighty on the Tokyo Hot 100. It was also announced by the label that the track would be the official third release in Southeast Asia, but in some countries like the Philippines, the U.S. release "Shake It Off" emerged as the favorite among listeners on radio and its music video received substantial airplay. Eventually, it was pulled out in favor of the more popular "Shake It Off".

It was also rumored to be the third official single in the U.S, but the label wanted to re-release "The Emancipation of Mimi" with the third single being the new single from the re-release "Don't Forget About Us".

Reception

"Say Somethin'" received different reactions from music critics. Bill Lamb of About.com said of the song: "It is here at last and it is an event ... with the near perfect vocal match of Mariah Carey and rapper Snoop Dogg nothing more is needed... the combination is magic. You will be singing this tune and dancing along for months to come". [Lamb, Bill. [http://top40.about.com/od/singles/gr/saysomethinmc.htm Mariah Carey – Say Somethin'] . About.com. Retrieved June 4, 2006.]

Other reviewers, such as "Billboard" magazine, were less receptive to the song: "Underneath the surface, the scantly produced drum'n'bass album track is simply a series of gimmicks, the kind employed to boost lesser artists' careers. The melody line is palpable and Carey's vocal is appreciable, but "Somethin'" is mostly a reminder of a time when Carey required others to boost her chart heft. Those days are over. "Fly like a Bird" [the album's sixth U.S. single] is a classic; why muddy the water with this release?" [Maguire, Casey. [http://www.mariahdaily.com/corantofiles/news-archive-3-2006.shtml Single Review: "Say Somethin'"] . "Billboard". Retrieved June 4, 2006.]

"Say Somethin'" was released as a single a year and a half after initial reports that it would be released. It officially impacted rhythmic and Top 40 radio stations in the U.S. on April 3, 2006, while "Fly like a Bird" was released to Urban radio stations. It was the first single from "The Emancipation of Mimi" to miss the top twenty on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100; it peaked at seventy-nine and remained on the chart for five weeks. A fansite for Carey speculated that "a reason behind the song's sub-standard performance in bigger markets would be the fact that some of these stations received and played the track back in late 2004 when it first leaked as the alleged first single from "The Emancipation of Mimi". So for these radio stations, being asked to play the track in early 2006, could not sound as appealing, not only because Mariah has had four big singles in radio from this album which are still heavily played, but also because they've heard "Say Somethin'" for a long time now." [ [http://www.mcarchives.com/news.asp?id=5672 Airplay update: both tracks fall - The Mariah Carey Archives ] ]

In the UK "Say Somethin'" did not perform as well as Carey's previous singles, reaching number twenty-seven and remaining in the top forty for one week.

In the Philippines, the song was one of the least popular Mariah Carey singles due to the fact that it had tremendous airplay just before "It's Like That" which eventually subsided because it was not considered an official single. Just right after "We Belong Together," radio airplay increased again thinking that it was the third release set by Carey's label, but again, the song decreased airplay when "Shake It Off" was released. At the time when the song was officially released, its popularity and potential of reaching the countdown decreased. Critics in Asia believed that given the proper release during the period it had been dominating airplay, "Say Somethin'" would have topped the charts. Nevertheless, it still topped the local version of TRL in Asia.

Video and remixes

The music video was directed by Paul Hunter and was filmed in Paris, France in March 2006. Producer and co-writer Pharrell Williams is featured as Carey's love interest, and Carey can be seen in several outfits from the Louis Vuitton 2006 Spring Collection in the video. Snoop Dogg's parts were subsequently filmed in the U.S. According to Carey, getting Dogg to Paris for the video shoot proved to be just too much: "If you guys think I’m a diva, Snoop is like next-level hip-hop king", she said. "So his requirements to get to Paris are like, beyond platinum edition." [ [http://www.mtv.co.uk/mtvuk/news/article.jhtml?articleId=55132832] Dead link|date=March 2008] The video premiered on MTV on April 12, 2006, the one-year anniversary of the release of "The Emancipation of Mimi", and it reached number one for five non-consecutive days on MTV's "Total Request Live" countdowns.

Carey commissioned several of her favorite disc jockeys to remix the supposed first single from her new album. In November 2004 Peter Rauhofer's official site announced that he had remixed "Say Somethin'", although the remix was never released to the public. [ [http://www.peterrauhofer.com/tourdates.html News and DJ Schedule ] ] A November 15, 2004 "Billboard" magazine article reported that the first track from "The Emancipation of Mimi" would be remixed by former Pound Boys member David C., but that version never materialized. [ [http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1000719601 Mariah 'Emancipated' On New Album ] ] In late 2005 a house remix by frequent collaborator chart (becoming the fourth single from "The Emancipation of Mimi" to do so), and two further club remixes were released: the "Sugardip Mix" and "Sugardip Dub". [ [http://www.mariahconnection.com/news_us.asp Mariah Carey News: the latest MC news, photos, tour info and much more! ] ]

The urban remix is called the "So So Def remix" and was produced by long-time collaborator Jermaine Dupri. Carey re-recorded her vocals on the track and changed the chord progression and a few lines of the original lyrics. The "So So Def remix", which includes a guest appearance by rap group Dem Franchize Boyz, takes the song into a whole different direction with a darker, hip-hop beat whilst retaining the song's feel-good vibe. The "So So Def Remix" became available to download on the U.S. iTunes Music Store on July 11, 2006. On June 16 on BET's "106 N Park", it was announced that Carey would be shooting a video for the remix with Dem Franchize Boyz. The video, which was a three-day shoot (from July 15 to July 17), was directed by Spike Lee; lately it was confirmed the shoot was for The Adventures of Mimi Tour.

The Remixes
*A Cappella 3:42
*Album Version 3:44
*Instrumental 3:44
*David Morales Radio Mix 3:46
*Stereo Anthem 9:39
*Stereo Dub 9:34
*So So Def Remix Ft. Dem Franchize Boyz 4:12
*So So Def Remix Instrumental 4:11
*So So Def Remix Radio Edit Ft. Dem Franchize Boyz 3:51

Source: www.mcarchives.com

Charts

Notes and references