First Dance (song)
Encyclopedia
"First Dance" is a song by Canadian recording artist Justin Bieber
, included as a track on his debut release, My World, released on November 17, 2009. Featuring his mentor, R&B
singer Usher
, the song was written by the two with Jesse Wilson, Ryan Lovette, Dwight Reynolds, and Alexander "Prettyboifresh" Parhm, Jr., with the latter also producing the track. "First Dance" is a R&B
and teen pop
song, that sees Bieber and Usher trade lines, with lyrics literally about a first dance
. Most music critics were skeptical of the lyrical content presented in the song, and according to Jon Caramanica of The New York Times
, the song's melody is similar to that of Michael Jackson
's "You Are Not Alone
." After the release of My World, due to digital sales, the song charted in the lower regions of charts in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.
, and was mixed at Larrabee Studios in North Hollywood, California, by Jaycen Joshua
and Dave Pensado, assisted by Giancarlo Lino. Dwight "Skrapp" Reynolds is responsible for the keyboards in the song.
"First Dance", described to be in a moderate pace, is a R&B
song with a length of three minutes and forty-two, with inclinations toward teen pop
. Bieber described the song as "a slow groovy song that people can dance to". Jon Caramanica of The New York Times
said that the song echoed Michael Jackson's "You Are Not Alone
." The song is set in the time signature of common time
, and has a tempo of 100 beats per minute. It is written in the key
of A minor
, and vocals in the piece span from the low note of G3 to the high note of E5, and features the chord Em7.
complimented the song containing the album's only feature, commenting "but good to see the business minds didn't overwhelm the young 'un's first recording with guests or gimmicks". Allison Stewart of The Washington Post
called the song as a "yearning ballad". Jon Caramanica of The New York Times
was skeptical of the lyrical content presented in the song, commenting, "unlike teen-pop stars a whole two or three years older than he is, Mr. Bieber isn’t shy about planting the seeds of corruption". Marc Hirsh of the Boston Globe said that the song combines the Disney route of songs comparing love to a fairytale, and unintentional comedy in the lines "'Ain’t no chaperones. . . Girl, I promise I’ll be gentle/ I know we gotta do it slowly’ in a song literally about prom."
and the Canadian Hot 100
, at the positions of ninety-nine and eighty-eight, respectively. It dropped off both charts the following week. In both territories, it was also the lowest non-previously released song from My World to appear on the charts. In the United Kingdom, after the release of My World, "First Dance" appeared at number 156.
Source
Justin Bieber
Justin Drew Bieber is a Canadian pop/R&B singer, songwriter and actor. Bieber was discovered in 2008 by Scooter Braun, who came across Bieber's videos on YouTube and later became his manager...
, included as a track on his debut release, My World, released on November 17, 2009. Featuring his mentor, R&B
Contemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B is a music genre that combines elements of hip hop, soul, R&B and funk.Although the abbreviation “R&B” originates from traditional rhythm and blues music, today the term R&B is most often used to describe a style of African American music originating after the demise of disco in...
singer Usher
Usher (entertainer)
Usher Terry Raymond IV , who performs under the mononym Usher, is an American singer-songwriter, and actor. He is considered around the world to be the reigning King of R&B. Usher rose to fame in the late 1990s with the release of his second album My Way, which spawned his first Billboard Hot 100...
, the song was written by the two with Jesse Wilson, Ryan Lovette, Dwight Reynolds, and Alexander "Prettyboifresh" Parhm, Jr., with the latter also producing the track. "First Dance" is a R&B
Contemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B is a music genre that combines elements of hip hop, soul, R&B and funk.Although the abbreviation “R&B” originates from traditional rhythm and blues music, today the term R&B is most often used to describe a style of African American music originating after the demise of disco in...
and teen pop
Teen pop
Teen pop is a subgenre of pop music that is created, marketed and oriented towards teenagers. Teen pop copies genres and styles such as pop, dance, R&B, hip hop, country and rock....
song, that sees Bieber and Usher trade lines, with lyrics literally about a first dance
First dance
The first dance is an element in a number of traditions, being an opening of a certain dance function: ball, prom, etc.-Balls:In the context of balls, the term "first dance" has two meanings....
. Most music critics were skeptical of the lyrical content presented in the song, and according to Jon Caramanica of The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
, the song's melody is similar to that of Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
's "You Are Not Alone
You Are Not Alone
"You Are Not Alone", released on the 10th of August 1995, is the second single from Michael Jackson's album HIStory. The R&B ballad's composition has been attributed R. Kelly in response to difficult times in his personal life. He then forwarded a bare demo tape to Jackson, who liked the song and...
." After the release of My World, due to digital sales, the song charted in the lower regions of charts in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.
Background
"First Dance" was written by Bieber, Usher, Jesse Wilson, Ryan Lovette, Dwight Reynolds, Alexander "Prettyboifresh" Parhm, Jr. With the exception of Usher, all other contributors to the song do not have any other credits on the album. The track was one of three songs on the standard edition of the album that Bieber co-wrote. The song was recorded by Jeremy Stevens at Icon Studios in Atlanta, GeorgiaAtlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
, and was mixed at Larrabee Studios in North Hollywood, California, by Jaycen Joshua
Jaycen Joshua
Jaycen Joshua is a Grammy Award winning mix engineer who works at Larrabee Sound Studios in North Hollywood, California. Joshua started his Mix career In 2006 when he became partners with his mentor Dave Pensado thus forming The Penua Project. In his young career, Joshua has won a Grammy as mix...
and Dave Pensado, assisted by Giancarlo Lino. Dwight "Skrapp" Reynolds is responsible for the keyboards in the song.
"First Dance", described to be in a moderate pace, is a R&B
Contemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B is a music genre that combines elements of hip hop, soul, R&B and funk.Although the abbreviation “R&B” originates from traditional rhythm and blues music, today the term R&B is most often used to describe a style of African American music originating after the demise of disco in...
song with a length of three minutes and forty-two, with inclinations toward teen pop
Teen pop
Teen pop is a subgenre of pop music that is created, marketed and oriented towards teenagers. Teen pop copies genres and styles such as pop, dance, R&B, hip hop, country and rock....
. Bieber described the song as "a slow groovy song that people can dance to". Jon Caramanica of The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
said that the song echoed Michael Jackson's "You Are Not Alone
You Are Not Alone
"You Are Not Alone", released on the 10th of August 1995, is the second single from Michael Jackson's album HIStory. The R&B ballad's composition has been attributed R. Kelly in response to difficult times in his personal life. He then forwarded a bare demo tape to Jackson, who liked the song and...
." The song is set in the time signature of common time
Common Time
"Common Time" is a science fiction short story written by James Blish. It first appeared in the August 1953 issue of Science Fiction Quarterly and has been reprinted several times: in the 1959 short-story collection Galactic Cluster; in The Testament of Andros ; in The Penguin Science Fiction...
, and has a tempo of 100 beats per minute. It is written in the key
Key (music)
In music theory, the term key is used in many different and sometimes contradictory ways. A common use is to speak of music as being "in" a specific key, such as in the key of C major or in the key of F-sharp. Sometimes the terms "major" or "minor" are appended, as in the key of A minor or in the...
of A minor
A minor
A minor is a minor scale based on A, consisting of the pitches A, B, C, D, E, F, and G. The harmonic minor scale raises the G to G...
, and vocals in the piece span from the low note of G3 to the high note of E5, and features the chord Em7.
Reception
Critical reception
Ashante Infanty of Toronto StarToronto Star
The Toronto Star is Canada's highest-circulation newspaper, based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Its print edition is distributed almost entirely within the province of Ontario...
complimented the song containing the album's only feature, commenting "but good to see the business minds didn't overwhelm the young 'un's first recording with guests or gimmicks". Allison Stewart of The Washington Post
The Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
called the song as a "yearning ballad". Jon Caramanica of The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
was skeptical of the lyrical content presented in the song, commenting, "unlike teen-pop stars a whole two or three years older than he is, Mr. Bieber isn’t shy about planting the seeds of corruption". Marc Hirsh of the Boston Globe said that the song combines the Disney route of songs comparing love to a fairytale, and unintentional comedy in the lines "'Ain’t no chaperones. . . Girl, I promise I’ll be gentle/ I know we gotta do it slowly’ in a song literally about prom."
Chart performance
On the week ending December 5, 2009, due to digital sales after the release of My World, "First Dance" debuted on the US Billboard Hot 100Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
and the Canadian Hot 100
Canadian Hot 100
The Canadian Hot 100 is a music singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine which ranks songs in Canada. The chart debuted in the Billboard issue dated June 16, 2007 and was made available for the first time via their online services on June 7, 2007...
, at the positions of ninety-nine and eighty-eight, respectively. It dropped off both charts the following week. In both territories, it was also the lowest non-previously released song from My World to appear on the charts. In the United Kingdom, after the release of My World, "First Dance" appeared at number 156.
Credits and personnel
- Songwriting – Justin BieberJustin BieberJustin Drew Bieber is a Canadian pop/R&B singer, songwriter and actor. Bieber was discovered in 2008 by Scooter Braun, who came across Bieber's videos on YouTube and later became his manager...
, Usher Raymond IV, Jesse Wilson, Ryan Lovette, Dwight Reynolds, Alexander "Prettyboifresh" Parhm, Jr. - ProductionRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
– Prettyboifresh - Vocal recordingSound recording and reproductionSound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...
– Jeremy Stevenson - MixingAudio mixing (recorded music)In audio recording, audio mixing is the process by which multiple recorded sounds are combined into one or more channels, most commonly two-channel stereo. In the process, the source signals' level, frequency content, dynamics, and panoramic position are manipulated and effects such as reverb may...
– Jaycen-Joshua Fowler and Dave Pensado, assisted by Giancarlo Lino.
Source
Charts
| Chart (2009) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Singles (The Official Charts Company UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... ) |
156 |