Powerless (Say What You Want)

"Powerless (Say What You Want)"
Single by Nelly Furtado
from the album Folklore
Released	November 17, 2003 (2003-11-17) (See release history)
Format	CD single, digital download, maxi single, 12" single
Recorded	2003
Genre	Pop, folk-pop
Length	3:53
Label	DreamWorks
Writer(s)	Anne Dudley, Gerald Eaton, Nelly Furtado, Trevor Horn, Malcolm McLaren, Brian West
Producer	Track & Field, Nelly Furtado
Nelly Furtado singles chronology
"Fotografía" (2003) "Powerless (Say What You Want)" (2003) "Try" (2004)
Audio sample file info · help

"Powerless (Say What You Want)" is a pop song written by Nelly Furtado, Gerald Eaton and Brian West for Furtado's second studio album Folklore (2003). It contains a sample of Malcolm McLaren's "Buffalo Gals" which was written by Anne Dudley, Trevor Horn and Malcolm McLaren. It was produced by Furtado and Track & Field and was chosen to be the lead single from the album, released in December 2003. Banjo player Béla Fleck appears on the track.

Background

It addresses how Furtado herself was discriminated against in that her record company wanted to hide her ancestry: "Paint my face in your magazines/Make it look whiter than it seems/Paint me over with your dreams/Shove away my ethnicity". Furtado said about "Powerless": "I get to see a lot of DJ-oriented performance stuff, and I'm into the heaviness of breakbeats, how raw and powerful they are. Everything lately has become so synthesized, but just the standard sound of breakbeats is inspiring. 'Powerless' uses breakbeats like that; it's a real groove, a real vibe. It just carries you away. There’s a banjo mixed with a breakbeat from elements of Malcolm McLaren's 'Buffalo Gals.' So right away you're bobbing your head. The lyrics are initially in-your-face, like, 'Okay, I know I'm going to be stereotyped in my life because that is the world we live in; that's society.' But the song tries to find some sense of order in this complicated world." The song won Single of the year at the 2004 Juno Awards.

Music video

The music video was directed by Bryan Barber and was shot in the period of three days. The video revolves around a classic psychological metaphor: Nelly trapped inside a box from which she seeks to escape. Inside, the box is plastered with posters that act as doors or windows for the artist’s imagination. Her situation is a metaphor for being both defined and confined by the illusory commercial reality of her celebrity and beauty. The video was shot on various sets and dressed locations, and in a large customized box crate, which were all created by production designer Aaron Goffman. Using Photoshop and Illustrator, Moneyshots designed the posters and graphics that surround Nelly in the box and added the transitions that transport Nelly back and forth between the imprisoning box and the poster environments that signify the escape self-expression can bring.
There is an alternate version of the video featuring Nelly in a field, and shown in several screens in different parts of a city, showing the movements of the modern life.

Tracklisting

UK CD Single

1. "Powerless (Say What You Want)" (Album Version) - 3:53
2. "Powerless (Say What You Want)" (Josh Desi Remix) - 3:12
3. "Powerless (Say What You Want)" (Alternative Acoustic Mix) - 3:47

German 2-Track Single

1. "Powerless (Say What You Want)" (Album Version) - 3:53
2. "Powerless (Say What You Want)" (Alternative Acoustic Mix) - 3:47

German 4-Track Single

1. "Powerless (Say What You Want)" (Album Version) - 3:53
2. "Powerless (Say What You Want)" (Alternative Acoustic Mix) - 3:47
3. "Powerless (Say What You Want)" (Josh Desi Remix) - 3:47
4. "Powerless (Say What You Want)" (Instrumental Version) - 3:53

Remixes

• "Powerless (Say What You Want)" (Lema & Moor Remix) (9:09)
• "Powerless (Say What You Want)" (Lema & Moor Dub Mix) (8:16)
• "Powerless (Say What You Want)" (Junior's Sound Factory Remix) (8:13)
• "Powerless (Say What You Want)" (Junior Vasquez World Mix) (7:39)
• "Powerless (Say What You Want)" (Chab Extended Edit Mix) (8:33)
• "Powerless (Say What You Want)" (Chab Remix) (8:15)
• "Powerless (Say What You Want)" (Josh Desi Remix) (3:16)
• "Powerless (Say What You Want)" (Josh Desi Extended Remix)
• "Powerless (Say What You Want)" (Wideife's Outside Lookin In Mix) (9:49)
• "Powerless (Say What You Want)" (Midnight Society's Tribal Bushwack Mix) (12:24)
• "Powerless (Say What You Want)" (OrangeFuzzz Powerful Club Mix) (7:41)
• "Powerless (Say What You Want)" (OrangeFuzzz Powerful Radio Mix) (3:55)
• "Powerless (Say What You Want)" (OrangeFuzzz Powerful A Capella Mix) (6:10)
• "Powerless (Say What You Want)" (M'Silver Boots Tribal Dub 2005 Mix) (7:16)
• "Powerless (Say What You Want)" (Dario Lauria Remix) (4:52)
• "Powerless (Say What You Want)" (Leanh's vs. Peter C Edit Mix) (3:16)
• "Powerless (Say What You Want)" (DJ Sonda Remix) (3:15)
• "Powerless (Say What You Want)" (DJ Marakana Remix) (4:02)
• "Powerless (Say What You Want)" (DJ Gemini Edit)
• "Powerless (Say What You Want)" (Maroon Mix) (3:52)
• "Powerless (Say What You Want)" (Max 2 vs. DJ Zenom Remix)
• "Powerless (Say What You Want)" (Mint Tea Dancehall Mix) (3:42)
• "Powerless (Say What You Want)" (Alternative Acoustic Mix) (3:47)
• "Powerless (Say What You Want)" (Sox Mix; featuring Shankini) (4:09)
• "Powerless (Say What You Want)" (Radio Edit) (3:52)
• "Powerless (Say What You Want)" (Album Version) (3:53)
• "Powerless (Say What You Want)" (Radio Version)
• "Powerless (Say What You Want)" (Instrumental Version) (3:53)
• "Powerless (Say What You Want)" (LP Version) (3:53)
• "Powerless (Say What You Want)" (A Capella) (3:25)
• "Powerless (Say What You Want)" (Non Bonjo Version) (3:33)
• "Powerless (Say What You Want)" (Acoustic Version) (3:45)
• "Powerless (Say What You Want)" (Call Out Hook) (0:13)
• "Powerless (Say What You Want)" (Swerve Cover)
• "Powerless (Say What You Want)" (Latin Radio Edit)
• "Abre Tu Corazon" (Spanish Remix)

Release history

Country	Release Date
Australia	November 17, 2003 (2003-11-17)
United States	December 8, 2003 (2003-12-08)

Charts

Chart (2003/2004)	Peak position
Australia (ARIA)	37
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 75)	7
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)	6
Germany (Media Control AG)	8
Ireland (IRMA)	36
Netherlands (Mega Single Top 100)	6
New Zealand (RIANZ)	16
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)	37
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)	16
UK Singles (The Official Charts Company)	13
US Adult Pop Songs (Billboard)	16
US Hot Dance Club Songs (Billboard)	5

External links

• "Powerless (Say What You Want)" Music Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NneJjhHWP6A