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Buttons (The Pussycat Dolls song)

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"Buttons"
Song
B-side"Flirt"

"Buttons" is a song written by Sean Garrett, Jamal Jones, Jason Perry, and Nicole Scherzinger for the Pussycat Dolls' debut album PCD (2005). Released as the album's fourth single, the song became their fourth top-three single on the UK Singles Chart and their second top-three single on the Billboard Hot 100.

The Pussycat Dolls collaborated with Snoop Dogg on this release. The song was altered slightly from the album version, adding in two rap verses. For the final release of the single, the version featuring Snoop Dogg is described as the main mix.

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Like "Don't Cha" and "Beep", the song has a strong sexual undertone; the protagonist, who is described as a sexually attractive individual, teases her intended male subject to help her take her clothes off (hence the main chorus line "I'm telling you to loosen up my buttons"). However, she accuses the male subject of being intimidated as he "fronts" to do so, leading her to believe he's "all talk and no show" claiming that she's "heard what he's sayin' what he was going to do to her, but she's seen nothing". However, where most listeners would assume that the protagonist has finally become disinterested, the song ends with the impression that she's still teasing the man to unbutton her clothes.

The lyrics were slightly altered after the final release in the rap verse performed by Snoop Dogg. The lyric "Yeah, I thought I saw a puddycat" (catchphrase of the Looney Tunes character Tweety) was changed to "Yeah, I thought I saw a pussycat". This version was not used due to copy right issues with Warner. The song is later credited as the "Main Mix - Final Edit" (A similar lyric was also used in the Ying Yang Twins' song "Badd" and the Akon song, "Smack That".)

The B-side is "Flirt" written by Nicole Scherzinger, Kara DioGuardi, and Greg Wells.

Formats and track listings

CD single 1 (A&M Records)
  1. "Buttons" [Main Mix - Final Edit] 3:52
  2. "Flirt" 2:57
CD single 2 (A&M Records)
  1. "Buttons" [Main Mix - Final Edit] 3:52
  2. "Buttons" (album version) 3:46
  3. "Flirt" 2:57
  4. "Buttons" (video)
CD single (Polydor)
  1. "Buttons [Main Mix - Final Edit]"
  2. "Don't Cha" (live version)

Music video

File:E;melody.jpg
The Dolls in the opening sequence of the video.

The video was shot in March 20 2006 by production company DNA and was directed by Francis Lawrence. It features the Pussycat Dolls with rapper Snoop Dogg. The Pussycat Dolls are dressed in suggestive black outfits, and then progress through the video performing a striptease that leads to several dance segments which include different dance portions with various props in an all sepia toned video. Nicole in one dance sequence uses a chair as a prop. Then five of the other members of the band appear and the dance continues. Melody is separated from the girls in this sequence but is seen doing her melismatic runs on the chorus.

The video is influenced by both the Pussycat Dolls's old-school burlesque traditions and the Middle-Eastern influence of the musical composition, incorporating props and imagery such as the trademark Pussycat Dolls's method of the silhouetting of bodies in their stage shows, jazz dance moves, and a curtain made from jewelry worn by belly dancers. A different version of the video is shown with smoke coming from some of the dolls during some sequences, and finally the floor bursting into digitally-added fire in the last sequences. As with Beep, a new piece of music, using the same riff but with a different, faster drum beat was added in, so the dolls could perform a faster dance routine. This piece of music replaces the bridge in the video.

The video reached number five in MTV (UK) Hits' "Top 100 Songs of 2006". It received an award at the 2006 MTV Video Music Awards in the category of Best Dance Video, and was voted best video of 2006 in Vh1's Top 40 Videos of the Year, beating "Hips Don't Lie" by Shakira and "Far Away" by Nickelback.

Chart performance

"Buttons" was released to radio in late April/early May in the United States. It started well in the U.S. In the months of May, June ,and July, it slowly climbed the charts, and near the end of July suddenly shot into the top five on the Billboard Hot 100 and peaked at number four due to strong digital sales. In September 2006, the song reached number three. Though it had always been available digitally, the song kept gaining momentum in digital sales during the Summer of 2006, allowing its popularity to expand. This also helped the song breakthrough the top ten on the pop radio charts as it shot through the top ten, finally reaching number one at the end of August. PCD are only one of three artists in 2006 to have two different number ones on top-forty radio, the other artists being Beyoncé with "Check on It" and "Irreplaceable" and Justin Timberlake with "SexyBack" and "My Love". "Stickwitu" was the other PCD song to reach number one on radio that year, staying there for two weeks in January 2006.

Internationally "Buttons" has also become a successful hit. "Buttons" debuted at #11 on the UK singles chart, based solely on download sales one week prior to its physical release and after a physical release, peaked within the top 3 at #3, becoming the Dolls' fourth consecutive UK top 3 single. In Australia, "Buttons" reached #2 and is certified Platinum by ARIA for sales of over 70,000 and was ranked as being the 17th highest selling single there for 2006, peaking at #17 on the end of year chart. "Buttons" also debuted and peaked at #1 in New Zealand becoming the Dolls' fourth consecutive #1 hit, and ended as the years' eighth highest seller being ranked at #8 KDR's theme song on the end of year chart. In Austria, "Buttons" reached #1 for three consecutive weeks, becoming the Dolls' first #1 single, and highest peaking single there. "Buttons" has reached the top 5 Germany, Belgium and Ireland, the top ten in the Netherlands, the top 40 in Sweden and the top ten on the united world chart peaking at #5. "Buttons" remains one of the Pussycat dolls' most successful releases to date.

Charts

Chart (2006) Peak
position
U.S Billboard Hot 100 3
U.S Billboard Pop 100 2
American Top 40 1
Hot 100 Brasil 1
UK Official Singles Chart 3
UK Official Download Chart 6
Ireland Singles Top 50 4
Austria Singles Top 75 1
Australia Singles Top 50 2
Australia Urban Singles 1
Belgium Singles Top 50 4
Canadian BDS Airplay Chart 13
Czech IFPIC Chart 8
Danish Singles Top 20 12
Dutch Top 40 6
France Singles Top 100 12
Germany Singles Top 100 4
Ireland Singles Top 50 4
Italy Top 50 18
Russia Top 100 1
Sweden Singles Top 60 36
World Singles Top 40 6

Trivia

References

  1. ^ http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1523797/02062006/the_pussycat_dolls.jhtml?headlines=true
  2. ^ http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1255155/
  3. ^ http://www.deichmann-shoes.co.uk/uk/deichmann_uk_home.php?PHPSESSID=c102673400bd1fd5bdca8406677d326c
Preceded by RIANZ (New Zealand)
number one single
July 17 2006 – July 24 2006 		Succeeded by
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