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Come Out and Play (Billie Eilish song)

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"Come Out and Play"
Picture of a city and Ferris wheel getting snowed.
Single by Billie Eilish
ReleasedNovember 20, 2018 (2018-11-20)
RecordedMarch 2018
GenrePop
Length3:30
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Finneas O'Connell
Billie Eilish singles chronology
"When the Party's Over"
(2018)
"Come Out and Play"
(2018)
"When I Was Older"
(2019)

"Come Out and Play" is a song by American singer-songwriter Billie Eilish. It was released for digital download and streaming as a single on November 20, 2018, through Darkroom and Interscope Records. Eilish wrote the song with its producer, her brother Finneas O'Connell. A lullaby-influenced midtempo pop ballad, Eilish's lyrics within the song address several topics, including her attempting to beg a friend to no longer hide away. The song was released alongside a festive commercial for technology company Apple, for which it is used as the soundtrack. Eilish included the song in the Japanese edition of her debut When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? (2019).

The song received mainly positive reviews from music critics, several of whom praised the music and lyrics. The song charted in various countries, including the United States and the United Kingdom, and reached the top 40 in Australia, New Zealand, Canada and Ireland. It was later included on the Japanese edition of Eilish's debut studio album, When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? (2019), along with her single "When I Was Older".

Background and release

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Eilish and her brother Finneas O'Connell were approached by Apple, with the company sending them an early version of a festive commercial entitled "Holiday — Share Your Gifts". The siblings then wrote the song based around the theme of the advert, recording it in their parent's home using a Mac and Logic Pro X recording studio software.[1][2] The track premiered on Zane Lowe's Beats 1 radio show on November 20, 2018.[3] "Come Out and Play" was released for digital download and streaming through the record labels Interscope Records and Darkroom on the same day as a single. The song was later included on the Japanese edition of Eilish's debut studio album, When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? in December 2019.[4] "Come Out and Play" was written by the singer and O'Connell, and the latter solely produced the track. Mastering and mixing was handled by the studio personnel John Greenham and Rob Kinelski, respectively.[5]

Composition and lyrical interpretation

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According to Musicnotes.com, "Come Out and Play" runs at a moderately slow tempo of 72 beats per minute (BPM), and is played in the key of C major. Eilish's vocals span a range between the notes of G3 and A4.[6] Critical commentary described the song as a lullaby-influenced mid-tempo pop ballad.[7][8][9][10] Randall Colburn of Consequence of Sound said the song features "a few gentle guitar notes" and further includes a "gauzy ambiance, and textured percussion" in its instrumentation.[9]

In an interview with Beats 1, Eilish stated: "We had never written a song about empowering yourself. Your talent and what you love is a gift to you. Whether or not you're good at it, it doesn't matter. If it's something you enjoy, share it."[11] Lyrically, the song features Eilish trying to beg a friend to no longer hide away, tying in with the theme of the Apple commercial in which the song is used. She encourages someone to break out of their comfort zone and overcome fears: "You don't have to keep it quiet/And I know it makes you nervous/But I promise you, it's worth it/To show 'em everything you kept inside/Don't hide, don't hide."[11][12][13] Shea Lenniger of Billboard mentioned that Eilish's vocals sound "so soft that it sounds like a lullaby": "Look up, out of your window/See snow, won't let it in though/Leave home, feel the wind blow/'Cause it's colder here inside in silence/You don't have to keep it quiet."[8] The positive messages not only illustrated in the ad but the song itself encourage people to embrace their talents and gifts no matter what they may be. The track leaves its listeners with the message of this: you never know what opportunities lie ahead if you just put yourself out there. Ivy Sandoval writing for Soundigest, stated "the song encourage[s] people to embrace their talents and gifts no matter what they may be. It leaves listeners with the message of this: you never know what opportunities lie ahead if you just put yourself out there."[14]

Reception and promotion

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"Come Out and Play" was met with generally positive reviews from music critics. Idolator's Mike Nied called the song a "serious win" and said he would not be surprised if "the track dominate[d] streaming services".[10] Katherine Gillespie of Paper stated that the song is "designed for listening to while staring out the window at falling snow and twinkling lights".[2] The song was praised by Insider's Claudia Willen, who called the track "heartwarming" and felt its lyrics "[do] [their] best to encourage someone to break out their comfort zone and overcome their fears".[11] Colburn called it a "heartfelt" and "subdued", while Patrick Doyle called "come out and play" a "sprawling ballad".[9][13] Milca P., writing for HotNewHipHop, commented the "dark undertones that compose Eilish's image, a Christmas song seems out of place in her catalog" but that "[Eilish] effectively layers her sound into a calming and appropriate ballad fit for any time of year".[15] Kirsten Spruch of Billboard commended the lyrical content, which, according to her, "hit the nail on the head with the festive lyrics and sounds".[16] Sandoval labeled the song as a "soft tune" with "clever and fun lyrics mixed with Eilish’s soft yet powerful voice makes the song perfectly balanced".[14] Josie Balka of iHeartRadio stated she thinks "you may love it as much as I do".[17]

The song debuted at number 69 on the US Billboard Hot 100.[18] It also peaked at number 47 on the UK Singles Chart.[19] The song further charted in Australia,[20] Austria,[21] Canada,[22] Ireland,[23] Latvia,[24] the Netherlands,[25] and Sweden.[26] The song has notably been awarded a platinum certification by Music Canada (MC) with sales of over 80,000.[27] Apple released an animated video for the track. In the video, the characters are scared to show their talents to the world while Eilish sings the lyrics, "You'll never know until you try it/ You don't have to keep it quiet."[8] Thomas Smith from NME said the video "interprets those emotions and the resulting clip in the most delicate of ways, allowing hushed vocals to lead the track through to its seismic and life-affirming finale".[28]

Live performances

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In December 2019, Eilish performed "Come Out and Play" live at the Steve Jobs Theater for the first annual Apple Music Awards after she won artist of the year, with O'Connell playing the acoustic guitar.[29][30]

Credits and personnel

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Credits adapted from Tidal.[5]

Charts

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Chart performance for "Come Out and Play"
Chart (2018–2019) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[20] 23
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[21] 53
Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Flanders)[31] 9
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[22] 36
Czech Republic (Singles Digitál Top 100)[32] 22
Estonia (Eesti Tipp-40)[33] 18
Greece (IFPI)[34] 17
Hungary (Stream Top 40)[35] 20
Ireland (IRMA)[23] 21
Latvia (LAIPA)[24] 13
Lithuania (AGATA)[36] 5
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[25] 77
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[37] 17
Portugal (AFP)[38] 38
Slovakia (Singles Digitál Top 100)[39] 13
South Korea (Gaon)[40] 115
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[41] 69
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[42] 61
UK Singles (OCC)[19] 47
US Billboard Hot 100[18] 69

Certifications

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Certifications and sales for "Come Out and Play"
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[43] Platinum 70,000
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[44] Platinum 40,000
Canada (Music Canada)[27] Platinum 80,000
Portugal (AFP)[45] Gold 5,000
United Kingdom (BPI)[46] Silver 200,000

Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

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  1. ^ Baig, Edward C. "Apple's new Thanksgiving animated ad features original track by singer Billie Eilish". USA Today. Archived from the original on April 10, 2019. Retrieved December 28, 2018.
  2. ^ a b Gillespie, Katherine (November 30, 2019). "Happy Holidays From Billie Eilish". Paper. Archived from the original on July 3, 2019. Retrieved May 28, 2020.
  3. ^ Schmitt, Tyler (November 20, 2018). "Billie Eilish kicks off holiday season with new song". Variance. Archived from the original on March 29, 2019. Retrieved December 28, 2018.
  4. ^ "Billie Eilish - When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? (CD)". musicjapanet. Archived from the original on June 25, 2020. Retrieved June 24, 2020.
  5. ^ a b "'Come Out and Play' by Billie Eilish". Tidal. Archived from the original on June 7, 2020. Retrieved November 11, 2019.
  6. ^ "Billie Eilish 'Come Out and Play' Sheet Music". Musicnotes.com. Archived from the original on June 6, 2020. Retrieved April 27, 2020.
  7. ^ Scott, Clara (November 27, 2018). "Billie Eilish drops feverish new track 'come out and play'". The Michigan Daily. Retrieved July 30, 2020.
  8. ^ a b c Lenniger, Shea (November 20, 2018). "Billie Eilish Debuts Gentle & Inspiring New Single 'Come Out and Play': Listen". Billboard. Archived from the original on December 17, 2018. Retrieved December 27, 2018.
  9. ^ a b c "Billie Eilish shares touching new single 'come out and play': Stream". Consequence of Sound. November 20, 2018. Archived from the original on December 28, 2018. Retrieved December 27, 2018.
  10. ^ a b Nied, Mike (November 30, 2019). "Billie Eilish Lets Her Light Shine On Her New Single 'Come Out And Play'". Idolator. Retrieved June 5, 2020.
  11. ^ a b c Ahlgrim, Callie (March 18, 2020). "Every Billie Eilish song, ranked". Insider. Retrieved April 29, 2020.
  12. ^ Moore, Sam (November 21, 2018). "Listen to Billie Eilish's heartfelt new single 'come out and play'". NME. Archived from the original on December 28, 2018. Retrieved December 27, 2018.
  13. ^ a b Doyle, Patrick (November 20, 2018). "Hear Billie Eilish's Sprawling Holiday Ballad 'Come Out and Play'". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on December 28, 2018. Retrieved December 27, 2018.
  14. ^ a b Sandoval, Ivy (November 29, 2018). "Billie Eilish Releases Emotional Holiday Track, 'Come Out and Play'". Soundigest. Retrieved July 30, 2020.
  15. ^ P, Milca (November 21, 2018). "Billie Eilish Ushers In The Holiday Season With 'Come Out And Play'". Hot New Hip Hop. Archived from the original on November 22, 2018. Retrieved June 2, 2020.
  16. ^ Spruch, Kristen (December 12, 2019). "10 Billie Eilish Songs Every Superfan Should Know". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 26, 2020. Retrieved May 25, 2020.
  17. ^ Balka, Josie (November 21, 2018). "Billie Eilish's New Song 'Come Out And Play' Will Make You Feel All The Feelings". iHeartRadio. Retrieved July 30, 2020.
  18. ^ a b "Billie Eilish Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved November 27, 2018.
  19. ^ a b "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 1, 2018.
  20. ^ a b "Billie Eilish – Come Out and Play". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved December 27, 2018.
  21. ^ a b "Billie Eilish – Come Out and Play" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved December 27, 2018.
  22. ^ a b "Billie Eilish Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved December 27, 2018.
  23. ^ a b "Irish-charts.com – Discography Billie Eilish". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved December 27, 2018.
  24. ^ a b "Mūzikas patēriņa topa 48.nedēļa" (in Latvian). LAIPA. November 30, 2018. Archived from the original on October 10, 2019. Retrieved November 28, 2019.
  25. ^ a b "Billie Eilish – Come Out and Play" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved December 27, 2018.
  26. ^ "Veckolista Heatseeker – Vecka 8, 27 maj 2020". Sverigetopplistan. Archived from the original on January 19, 2019. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  27. ^ a b "Canadian single certifications – Billie Eilish – Come Out and Play". Music Canada. Retrieved March 17, 2020.
  28. ^ Thomas Smith (March 8, 2019). "Get on board with Billie Eilish – her 10 best songs so far". NME. Archived from the original on May 8, 2019. Retrieved April 5, 2020.
  29. ^ Hampp, Andrew (December 12, 2019). "Billie Eilish Dazzles Crowd With Intimate Acoustic Set at Apple Headquarters". Variety. Archived from the original on December 29, 2019. Retrieved May 25, 2020.
  30. ^ Billie Eilish - come out and play (Live from The Steve Jobs Theater). YouTube. Archived from the original on March 22, 2020. Retrieved April 29, 2020.
  31. ^ "Billie Eilish – Come Out and Play" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved December 27, 2018.
  32. ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Digital Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select 48. týden 2018 in the date selector. Retrieved January 6, 2019.
  33. ^ Nestor, Siim (December 3, 2018). "Eesti Tipp-40 Muusikas: Draakonid ronisid troonile ja üks üllatav jõululugu on veel popim kui ,Last Christmas'". Eesti Ekspress (in Estonian). Retrieved May 30, 2022.
  34. ^ "Official IFPI Charts – Digital Singles Chart (International) – Week: 47/2018". IFPI Greece. Archived from the original on December 3, 2018. Retrieved May 29, 2022.
  35. ^ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Stream Top 40 slágerlista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved May 29, 2022.
  36. ^ "2018 48-os SAVAITĖS (lapkričio 23-29 d.) SINGLŲ TOP100" (in Lithuanian). AGATA. November 30, 2018. Archived from the original on October 9, 2019. Retrieved June 3, 2021.
  37. ^ "Billie Eilish – Come Out and Play". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved December 27, 2018.
  38. ^ "Billie Eilish – Come Out and Play". AFP Top 100 Singles. Retrieved May 29, 2022.
  39. ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Singles Digital Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select 48. týden 2018 in the date selector. Retrieved January 6, 2019.
  40. ^ "Digital Chart – Week 52 of 2019". Gaon Chart (in Korean). Archived from the original on May 1, 2020. Retrieved January 2, 2020.
  41. ^ "Billie Eilish – Come Out and Play". Singles Top 100. Retrieved December 27, 2018.
  42. ^ "Billie Eilish – Come Out and Play". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved December 27, 2018.
  43. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2021 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
  44. ^ "Brazilian single certifications – Billie Eilish – Come Out And Play" (in Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil. Retrieved June 5, 2024.
  45. ^ "Portuguese single certifications – Billie Eilish – Come Out and Play" (PDF) (in Portuguese). Associação Fonográfica Portuguesa. Retrieved October 3, 2021.
  46. ^ "British single certifications – Billie Eilish – Come Out and Play". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
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