From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"SexyBack" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter
for his second studio album,
(2006). It was released on July 18, 2006, to US
radio stations, by
as the lead single from the album. The song was co-written and produced by Timberlake, , and .
Discussing "SexyBack", Timberlake revealed that he went "left", singing the song in a
style, not an
style. He described the song as musicians
"covering" 's 1970 song "". The track features Timbaland on , while Timberlake's voice is distorted. The instrumentation used in the song includes a pounding bass beat, electronic chords, and
Despite mixed critical reviews, "SexyBack" became Timberlake's first number-one single on the , staying seven weeks at the top spot. It also topped several of Billboard magazine's other charts, including the Billboard , , and
charts, and entered the top ten on most singles charts. Internationally, it became Timberlake's first single to reach number one in the United Kingdom. In Australia, the track was Timberlake's second number-one single, spending two consecutive weeks at the top. "SexyBack" was certified three-times platinum by the
(RIAA) and three-times platinum by
The track won
at the . In addition, the song won Timberlake the
for Favorite R&B song and the Male Artist of the Year at the . The music video was filmed in June 2006; Timberlake decided to work with director
based on the latter's work on 's 1994 music video "".
Timberlake began working on his second studio album, , in December 2005. Within three weeks, "SexyBack" was one of several songs that were recorded for the album, having been recorded in less than a day. Timberlake told
in 2006 that it was the "second or third song" he did with Timbaland in a list of 10 songs they recorded for the album. The song was written and produced by , , and , and mixed by , using . Mixing took place in April 2006, using a
VR-series console.
Hills played the
3000 and other virtual synths on his
computer, while
performed instruments on the
sampling keyboard. Bill Pettaway played the guitar, which his part was recorded in two minutes, while Darryl Pearson was the bassist. Both the guitar and bass were digitally imported in Pro Tools during mixing, and only a section of the guitar recording was copied and pasted throughout the song.
Timberlake described "SexyBack" as "an experiment gone right from the sort of synthesizer influence to the distorted vocals", adding that it was "one of the songs that the more you listen to it its just hook after hook after hook. Its just one of those 'flow off the top of your head' tracks, in terms of melody. We wanted to keep it loose and not too rehearsed, it's one of those very experimental records though." Timberlake revealed that he went "left", regarding going more rock, not in how he developed the song, but in the way he sang the song. "I wanted to sing the song like a rock and roll singer, not an R&B singer. That's the approach." The day before recording, Timberlake and Timbaland had listened to 's "" and 's "". Timberlake wanted to achieve the songs' "raw energy". Timberlake said that he modeled himself on Bowie and , and described the song as Bowie and
"covering" 's 1970 song "". Timberlake said that the song "doesn't qualify as rock or straight funk" and that he was happy with the description "club funk". He was "keen for a new musical direction" following the release of his first album, Justified. "I listened to the radio for a few months and thought, 'All this sounds like shit, what do I want to hear?'. That's really all I did. Everything's
[] got so repetitive, everything sounds the same. I had to create something unique otherwise there's no point putting it out."
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A 23-second sample of Justin Timberlake's "SexyBack" song where the song is built around a pounding bass beat, electronic chords, and beat box sounds.
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"SexyBack" is an "urgent, pulsing track, a cocktail of soaring, distorted vocals and heavy, electronic chords threaded together with rap", according to Camilla Long from . The song is composed in the key of A
— and is set in
of 117 . The song features a pounding bass beat and electronic sounds, and does not include Timberlake's "famous falsetto". The song's musicscape includes two-note dirty electronic riffs, "leapfrogging keyboards", beat box sound, and incorporates the "same leaky faucet" sounds of musician 's 2004 song "". In addition, the track features Timbaland on backing vocals.
Timberlake's voice in the song is processed, slowed down to where his voice is unrecognizable, with muffled vocals. The song also features Timberlake's "low register distorted vocals." Timberlake revealed that the vocals in the song were influenced by Prince.
Douglas explained the title of the song, and how it affected the concept:
"Justin [Timberlake] goes in the chorus 'Go head be gone with it', I called the song 'Be Gone With It', just to label it. So they're developing this song and they're going nuts and loving it, and as they play it, and I'm like: 'I don't think this hook is strong enough.' But then, at the very last minute, Justin very, very cleverly decided to call it 'Sexyback', and that changed the whole dimension of the song. The first thing you hear when you listen to the song is 'I'm bringing sexy back', and after that you don't care or don't notice that there is no hook. And then there's the unique thing of Timbaland acting as a narrator, saying things like 'take it to the bridge', or 'yeah'. Every time Justin leaves a space, he fills it in. It's two guys interacting."
Timberlake said that the chorus was "very James Brown-ish, call out and repeat, like 'Sex Machine'." He wrote the track "from top to bottom. 'I'm bringing sexy back, yeah! I'm bringing. . .' It's a very physical song, meant to provoke ... sexual dance. 'Sex Machine' is the closest reference." Timberlake said that the lyric, "bringing sexy back", was one of the first lines he came up with. In addition, he admitted that the song was not going to be titled "SexyBack", saying, "We weren't originally going to call it 'SexyBack'. I definitely didn't think it would become the most worn-out phrase of 2006. It just sounded like a nice opening to the song."
Adam Graham of
noted that Timberlake sings about whips and chains, while Bill Lamb of
said the song has a "bit of s&m tease about shackles and whips". Furthermore, 's Martin Turenne said that Timberlake is "shackled to the bedpost, invites the crack of his mistress's whip." Ben Williams of
magazine wrote that Timberlake had been working on his pickup lines, with "You see these shackles baby I'm your slave / I'll let you whip me if I misbehave." Jason Bracelin of the
reported that Timberlake sings about "threatening to steal your girl." Charlie Brooker for , in regards to the lyric, "them other fuckers don't know how to act", writing that Timberlake's translation is of him telling everyone in the world that they are a "clueless fornicator". Further in his report, Brooker opined that Timberlake "threatens us" by using "language so offensive" with the line, "You motherfuckers, watch how I attack". In addition, Brooker noted that the line, "If that's your girl you'd better watch your back", as Timberlake stating his intention to meddle in the private affairs of others. Barry Schwartz of
noted that the song features "pillow talk", in reference of the song's "sex-crazed lyrics".
Timbaland and Justin Timberlake performing "SexyBack" during Timberlake's 2007
concert tour
magazine review of the album, contributor Katy Kroll wrote that Timberlake "claims to be bringing 'sexy' back to pop music, and indeed he is. You can almost feel beads of sweat rolling off the title track and 'SexyBack' featuring Timbaland". Chris Willman of
was complimentary towards Timbaland, producer of the song, writing that Timbaland offers "tougher, trickier rhythms, minimal live playing, a plethora of hip-hop cameos, and a self-consciously hard, edgy club sensibility" to "SexyBack". Russell Baillie of
noted, "The producer's angular synthesizer crunch is all over it – at best on the single 'SexyBack' where they dispense with a chorus, leaving the song sustained by its vocal fireworks, electrofunk and Timberland's repeated declaration that 'I'm bringing sexy back.'" ' contributor Quentin B. Huff wrote that "SexyBack" was the "fraternal twin" to 's 2006 song "". Andrew Murfett of
wrote that the song was a "raunchy club banger that slyly suppresses" Timberlake's customary falsetto. He continues, "it's introduced a new phrase into the pop cultural lexicon". Glenn Gamboa of
was complimentary towards the song, writing that it was "Timberlake at his best, mainstreaming a combination of the wild, edgy dance-pop style of Basement Jaxx with Missy Elliott's more experimental hip-hop to create a boldly inventive sound that still pleases the masses."
wrote: "...'SexyBack', a twitchy, emaciated track that shot to the top of the charts and also became an irritating catchphrase. (Suddenly everyone was bringing AdjectiveBack.)" Dagny Salas of
commented that Timberlake and Timbaland trade ridiculous lines, with "Get your sexy on/Go ahead, be gone with it" and "Dirty babe/You see these shackles/Baby I’m your slave/I’ll let you whip me if I misbehave." Salas continued in her review that it was not a song that should be good, "but does that really matter when it’s Good in the way that songs are during the summer [...] That kind of good makes songs like 'SexyBack' completely irresistible." Matt Burns of
wrote, "Take the polarizing summer single 'SexyBack', a repetitive song with little structure that doesn't know when to stop, all centered on a ridiculous declaration. Somehow, it works." 's Michael Greenwald reported that "SexyBack" was "lyrically, musically and vocally the weakest song" on the album. A writer of
was not impressed with the song and concluded, with "'SexyBack' is the most annoyingly dumb song to hit Billboard's No. 1 since 'Hollaback Girl'". Guy Blackman of
wrote: "The distorted vocals and stilted production of first single 'Sexyback' make Timberlake's claim to be 'bringing sexy back' ... seem almost laughable." Entertainment Weekly put it on its end-of-the-decade, "best-of" list, saying, "Justin Timberlake We didn't even know that sexy was missing until 2006. We're just happy Justin brought it back safe and sound." , columnist for , jokingly criticised Timberlake, saying "How DARE this dot-eyed, crop-haired, fun-sized, guff-tongued, pirouetting waif-boy scamper on to the world's airwaves and loudly proclaim to be the sole global administrator of all things sexy? You'd think it takes massive balls to do something like that, but given the shrill, squeaking vocals cheeping through his ghastly little gobhole, it's safe to assume he's got testes the size of capers. He's practically a human dog whistle, the shrieking, high-pitched, mosquito-lunged ponce."
Upon the song's release, it received divided opinions, which pleased Timberlake. "This is such a departure from the first record," said Timberlake. "More people might like it, less people might like it, but you can't call me a chicken." The song won the
for Favorite R&B song at the . At the , "SexyBack" won a
in the category of . At the , Timberlake won Male Artist of the Year for "SexyBack", "", and "".
"SexyBack" was commercially successful in the United States. The single debuted at number 90 on the
in July 2006. After climbing to number 31, it propelled to number one the following week. "SexyBack" became Timberlake's first number-one hit on the Billboard Hot 100 from his Futuresex/Lovesounds album. The single spent seven consecutive weeks at the number-one position on the Hot 100. In addition to the Hot 100, "SexyBack" also topped the following Billboard charts: , , , , , and
charts. "SexyBack" was certified three-times Platinum by the
(RIAA). This song made the then-seventh-biggest jump to number one in the Billboard Hot 100 history, climbing thirty spots from number 31 landing it at the summit of the chart on September 9, 2006. According to , the song had its biggest selling week in September 2006 and sold 250,000 as a digital download. As of June 2014, the song has sold 4,494,000 copies.
In the United Kingdom, "SexyBack" debuted at number 13 on the
based solely on download sales one week prior to its physical release, and ascended to the top of the chart the following week, becoming Timberlake's first UK number-one single. On the Australian , "SexyBack" debuted at number one and spent two consecutive weeks at the top becoming Timberlake's second number one single there (after "" reached the summit in 2003), and has been certified two-times Platinum by ARIA Charts. Also, in Canada and Austria, the single has peaked at number three and number five respectively, becoming his most successful single tied with his third released single "" in both nations. It has also been certified three-times Platinum in Canada.
In Sweden, "SexyBack" peaked at number four, while in France it peaked at number eight becoming Timberlake's first top ten hit from the album, and would later score two more top ten singles with "" and "What Goes Around.../...Comes Around". The song peaked at number one in Germany, Ireland, New Zealand and Norway, and at number two in Switzerland and Belgium.
for "SexyBack" was directed by
and features Spanish actress . The video was filmed in June 2006 and shot in a luxury building in , Spain. In discussion of the video filmed in Barcelona, Timberlake said: "Obviously we went for the architecture, the exteriors, the interiors — the vibe in Spain is different than anywhere else in the world. It's so cool to shoot there, but the girls are also pretty hot, so that doesn't hurt either".
Timberlake decided to work with director Michael Haussman, following his work on 's 1994 music video for "". "It's one of my favorite videos Madonna's ever done," Timberlake said. "Even today, I still remember the visuals, the images, how he captured her. A lot of times, Madonna seems like she's the person in control, and in that video, she seemed vulnerable. It was a cool thing to see." The video was first shown on 's
on July 25, 2006.
The video starts off with a cable car looking over a large city (Barcelona, from the West looking East) while a German newscast featuring Alexander von Roon plays on TV and switches to a luxurious-looking hotel in Pla?a de Catalunya with Elena Anaya taking off her sweater. It then cuts to Timberlake then to a club scene and Timberlake in front of a white background. The video alternates between those four viewpoints, with Timberlake and Anaya seeming to be spies in the hotel room and strangers in the club. At a certain point, Timberlake goes over to Anaya's room by jumping over to her balcony. Then when Anaya goes to check it out, Timberlake traps and passionately has sex with her. In the club, it ends with Timberlake kissing Anaya in a bathroom stall. In the hotel room scene, Timberlake leaves by the same way he entered and moments later jumps to the next balcony before an explosion ensues. It ends with the figure of Anaya sitting in a chair beside a small television in which a kiss is frozen on the screen.
Timberlake performed "SexyBack" and "" as a medley for the opening of the
and again for the , which he also hosted. In addition, he performed the song at the . On August 25, 2013, Timberlake performed "SexyBack" in a medley with other of his songs at the .
"SexyBack" was featured on
(2013) and
(2013/14).
Corinne Bailey Rae in 2007 did a cover of the song, which was highly praised by the critics.
The indie rock band
gained attention for their radically different cover of "SexyBack", with brass-and-banjo roots-rock stylings. It was released as a promotional single and a bonus track on the
version of the 2007 cover album
by American
band . British soul singer
recorded a jazz/swing version whilst appearing on 's
in 2007. American pop rock band
covered the beginning of the song as part of a medley during their 2012 .
Digital Download
"SexyBack" (Explicit/Clean) – 4:03
"SexyBack" (Explicit Album Version) – 4:03
"SexyBack" (Instrumental) – 4:02
"SexyBack" (Explicit Album Version) – 4:03
"SexyBack" (Tom Novy Ibiza Dub) – 7:48
"SexyBack" (Linus Loves Remix) – 6:18
"SexyBack" (Armands Mix) – 7:12
"SexyBack" (Video)
"SexyBack" (Pop Clean Edit) – 4:03
"SexyBack" (Instrumental) – 4:02
"SexyBack" (Explicit Album Version) – 4:03
CD - Dance Mixes
"SexyBack" (Explicit Album Version) – 4:03
"SexyBack" (Armands Mix) – 7:12
"SexyBack" (DJ Sneaks Sexy Main Mix) – 6:58
"SexyBack" (Linus Loves Remix) – 6:18
"SexyBack" (Armands Dub) – 6:14
"SexyBack" (Dean Coleman Silent Sound Beatdown) – 6:24
"SexyBack" (Sneak Beats Dub) – 5:24
"SexyBack" (Tom Novy Ibiza Dub) – 7:48
SexyBack (Steve Lawler Remix) – 8:49
SexyBack (Eddie Baez Mix) – 9:47
SexyBack (Dean Coleman Xtra Funk Mix) – 8:11
SexyBack (Ralphi Rosario Remix) – 9:50
SexyBack (Petyasb Dub) – 9:52
SexyBack (Solar City vs. Amokk Club Mix) – 9:14
SexyBack (DJ Wayne Williams Ol' Skool Remix) (featuring ) – 4:16
SexyBack (Mr FijiWiji Remix) – 4:14
Chart (2006)
Australia ()
Austria ()
Belgium ( Flanders)
Belgium ( Wallonia)
Czech Republic ()
Denmark ()
Finland ()
Germany ()
Hungary ()
Hungary ()
Ireland ()
Netherlands ()
New Zealand ()
Slovakia ()
Switzerland ()
UK Singles ()
Chart (2006)
Australian Singles Chart
Austrian Singles Chart
Belgian Flanders Singles Chart
Belgian Wallonia Singles Chart
Dutch Singles Chart
German Singles Chart
Irish Singles Chart
Italian Singles Chart
New Zealand Singles Chart
Swedish Singles Chart
Swiss Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
US Billboard Hot 100
US Pop Songs
3× Platinum
New Zealand
United States
3× Platinum
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(London: ).
Justin Timberlake Digital Sheet Music: SexyBack. Musicnotes.
Cinquemani, Sal (). . .
"Daily Dish". . .
Ruggieri, Melissa (). "Justin Timberlake". : G–10.
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Graham, Adam (). "Funk/R&B CD". : 08F.
Lustig, Jay (). "Timberlake surely in sync with his female fans". : 22.
Hauk, Hunter (). "Pop stars bring their summer sexy". : 16.
Lamb, Bill (2006). . .
Breamu, Jon (). "Justin time — Timberlake gets in sync with his sexy side on new beat-driven CD". Ventura County Star.
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(London: ).
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(Melbourne).
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"Let's say bye, bye, bye to SexyBack". : 2A. .
Blackman, G Martin B Tom R Ruth B Nicole B Barney Zwartz (). : 48.
Geier, T Jeff Jensen, Tina Jordan, Margaret Lyons, Adam Markovitz, Chris Nashawaty, Whitney Pastorek, Lynette Rice, Josh Rottenberg, Missy Schwartz, Michael Slezak, Dan Snierson, Tim Stack, Kate Stroup, Ken Tucker, Adam B. Vary, Simon Vozick-Levinson, Kate Ward (). "The 100 Greatest Movies, TV Shows, Albums, Books, Characters, Scenes, Episodes, Songs, Dresses, Music Videos, And Trends That Entertained Us Over The Past 10 Years". : ():74–84.
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"Timberlake and Diaz Recover From 'Rough Patch'". . .
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Kyles, Kyra (). "Sacha Baron Cohen broke out this past year, making us laugh, and opening our eyes — Mr. Popular".
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for Justin Timberlake.
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for Justin Timberlake.
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(in German). . Hung Medien.
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