User:MrHyacinth/Sandbox/Whatcha Think About That

"MrHyacinth/Sandbox/Whatcha Think About That"
Song

"Whatcha Think About That" is a song by American pop girl group the Pussycat Dolls from their second album, Doll Domination. Produced by Esther Dean, Melissa Elliott, Mickael Furnon, Jamal Jones and Jason Perry. It was released as the third single in United Kingdom and France and second in the United States. The song has bhangra-style beats with R&B elements. The song got mixed reviews stating that it's "disappointing after the hyperactive pop brilliance of 'When I Grow Up'."

The song didn't manage to get that much attention after their two previous single. In the United States it didn't manage to chart on Hot 100. However it proved to be successful in the United Kingdom, where it managed to peak at number nine, while at Ireland it peaked at number twelve. The accompanying burlesque-themed music video portrayed the Dolls in different routines including dancing on a rotating platform and on a horizontal bar. They performed the song three times on television including on the seventh season of Dancing with the Stars along with Missy Elliott and on the British daytime television programme This Morning.

Composition

An up-tempo electropop tune, the song features a funky, "bhangra-ish" guitar vamp, and the lyrics refer to a lady getting rid of her overbearing, controlling partner. In some parts of the song, a vocoder is used. Vocal production was provided by Melvin LaThomas Brimm. In the song Missy Elliott refers to Katy Perry's song, "I Kissed a Girl", when she says, "Play like Katy Perry kissin' on girls."

Darkchild remixed the song with heavier base-lines and an altered instrument set which was released on September 23, 2008, is the version that can be heard in the music video - it was released as the official remix, sub-titled "Urban Club Edit".

On October 21, the dolls released an EP to digital retailers, but did not included the remix with Missy Elliott & André 3000.

The song has peaked at #66 on the Canadian Hot 100, but failed to chart on the Billboard Hot 100, reaching #8 on the Bubbling Under chart. The song is the most unsuccessful song by the group and the only one which did not enter in the Hot 100.

Lissy Rosemont, of the DC based indie rock Junior League Band, plays open back banjo on the entire track.

Critical reception

Reviews for the songs by critics were mixed. According to the entertainment website Digital Spy, "'Whatcha Think About That', the third single from their Doll Domination album, finds the pop troupe somewhere near the top of their game. It's a vibrant slice of danceable R&B, all bhangra-style beats and spunky attitude, on which Missy Elliott joins the Dolls for a boy-baiting session. "Up in the club it's just me and my girls," she teases, "Play like Katy Perry kissing on girls." If we were Lewis Hamilton, we'd be keeping our eyes peeled". Nic Oliver for the review of Doll Domination from MusicOMH told that, identikit urban beats, sleepwalking guest parts from [...] Missy Elliot, and lyrics that might as well have been written by a sophomore student on a weekend bender for all the depth on offer., while Priya Elan from The Times described the rap from Missy Elliot "cheeky".

Music video

The music video was shot with the Urban Club Remix to the song, rather than the album version. The video was shot on September 9 and September 10, 2008 in downtown Los Angeles, and was directed by Diane Martel. Several behind the scenes clips appeared online, and on On September 16, 2008, a sneak peek of the video appeared on to the internet. The video premiered on iTunes on October 7, 2008. A second version of the video has been release, with minor changes to the scenes. The Dolls re-released the video as the "Broadcast" version. The second version has been released on the iTunes Store.

Concept & synopsis

The video starts with Missy Elliott singing her lines, and then switches to each of the Dolls singing a line of the song: Kimberly Wyatt, flexing her leg, then on a swing, Jessica Sutta popping gum; Melody Thornton brushing her hair and Ashley Roberts puffing powder in her chest.

The video centers on two plots: one shows the Dolls dressing for, and then actually performing, one of their famous Lounge Shows, clad in the exotic burlesque outfits for which they are known. After their introduction on the swing, the video cuts to scenes from the other storyline, where Scherzinger leaves behind her controlling partner, and goes out to have fun. She is shown turning a large key into a neon door, and steps out into the town, where she is joined by the other Dolls, and they walk the runway while singing the song's chorus. Returning to the other plot, the five girls are shown in lingerie in their dressing room, and the camera switches to Nicole Scherzinger as she sings the verse, and the other Dolls as they dress and apply make up.

The remainder of the video focuses on the PCD burlesque show. The girls are shown on a rotating platform, then on a horizontal bar dancing and singing seductively in their vintage corsets and burlesque outfits. The scene changes, showing Missy performing her rap, while the Dolls, dressed in seductive military outfits, perform a sexy army dance, accentuated by salutes and military steps. At the climax, the Dolls appear dressed in modern burlesque outfits, dancing intricately on a stage and Melody Thornton singing the ad-libs. The video ends with Missy performing her last lines, surrounded by the girls. This is also crosscut with scenes showing the silhouette of the Dolls as they continue to dance. Finally, the girls are again shown on swings, with Scherzinger singing the song's last lines.

Track listing

• North American iTunes Remix Single

1. "Whatcha Think About That" (Urban Club Remix) - 3:48
2. "Whatcha Think About That" (Ron Fizzle Mix) - 3:32

• UK iTunes Remix EP

1. "Whatcha Think About That" - 3:48
2. "Whatcha Think About That" (Ron Fizzle Mix) - 3:32
3. "Whatcha Think About That" (Video)

• UK CD Single (Remixes)

1. "Whatcha Think About That" (Stonebridge Edit) - 3:17
2. "Whatcha Think About That" (Stonebridge Club Edit) - 3:53
3. "Whatcha Think About That" (Stonebridge Club Mix) - 7:03
4. "Whatcha Think About That" (Stonebridge Dub) - 6:51
5. "Whatcha Think About That" (Wideboys Edit) - 3:09
6. "Whatcha Think About That" (Wideboys Club) - 6:30
7. "Whatcha Think About That" (Album Version) - 3:50

Chart performance

The song was first seen in the top twenty of the Irish Chart on 6 February 2009, eventually peaking at #12.

Due to the song gaining significant airplay in the UK, awareness of the song became quite apparent when it was able to chart in the UK at number 36 on downloads alone – four weeks before the official scheduled release. "Whatcha Think About That" has done better than its predecessor "I Hate This Part", peaking at #9 at its fifth week in the chart. It also gained the group their seventh top ten hit in the UK.

The song peaked at #37 on Billboard's European Hot 100, while in the US, the song did not gain that much attention, peaking at #8, on Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles.

Charts

Chart (2008)	Peak position
Canadian Hot 100	66
Irish Singles Chart	12
European Hot 100 Singles	34
UK Singles Chart	9

Release history

Region	Date	Format	Label
United States	September 9, 2008	Digital Download	A&M/Interscope
		Airplay
	October 21, 2008	Remix EP
United Kingdom	February 23, 2009	CD Single, Digital Download	Interscope