Fly on the Wall (Miley Cyrus song)
Encyclopedia
"Fly on the Wall" is a pop
song performed by American recording artist Miley Cyrus
. It was released as the third international single from Cyrus' second album, Breakout on February 16, 2009 with a remix of it as a B-side. It is Cyrus' second single in the United States, Canada and other nations in which "See You Again
" was not released as the Rock Mafia remix. The song contains pop rock
, dance-pop
and synthpop
elements. The song's lyrics have been interpreted in a number of ways, such as a description of an abusive boyfriend. In actuality, Cyrus says the song describes paparazzi
and their extensive personal privacy invasions.
The song received critical praise, with several critics claiming it defied teen pop
expectations and was Breakouts best track. Despite only reaching number eighty-four on the United States chart Billboard Hot 100
, "Fly on the Wall" performed better commercially in various European regions. "Fly on the Wall" reached its highest international peak on the UK Singles Chart
, at number sixteen. The single's music video was directed by Philip Andelman and premiered on FNMTV
. The "Thriller" inspired video takes place mainly in a parking garage in which Cyrus encounters and attempts to escape the paparazzi. Cyrus promoted the song through several venues, including a performance on her second headlining tour, the Wonder World Tour
, that incorporated a short segment of the "Thriller" dance. Cyrus also performed the song in her current tour, Gypsy Heart Tour
.
, Tim James
and Devrim Karaoglu, have been mistakenly interpreted in a variety of ways. The song's protagonist sings in first person
perspective while condemning an unspecified subject for wanting to invade her privacy. The majority of reviewers thought the protagonist was referring to a "controlling boyfriend
". Ben Ratliff of The New York Times
sided with the boyfriend, and believed the song's protagonist was "bullying some poor boy for the sin of wanting to know what she talks about with her friends." Sarah Rodman of The Boston Globe
believed the song could have described a number of subjects, such as "a former boyfriend, the media, and even her fans." However, in an interview with Jocelyn Vena of MTV News
, Cyrus said the song was about "the media" and "how they think they know everything about [her], when they don't. They want to be a fly on my wall and watch [her] 24/7." Cyrus elaborated on the concept in an interview with Nancy O'Dell of Access Hollywood
. She stated,
song with strong uses of electric guitars
, keyboards and soprano vocals. Influences derive from electronic music
, industrial music
, the 1980s
and New Wave
. It is set in common time
with a moderately fast rock tempo
of 143 beats per minute. The song is written in the key of G minor
. Cyrus' vocals spans two octave
s, from G3 to D5. The song has the following chord progression
, G5—D—Gm7. The song's chorus has the use of a vocal hook
; the hook sings, "fly on the wall".
called the song an "amphetamine rush" and praised it for its teen pop
and generic appeal, classifying it as one of the "top tracks on Breakout". Heather Phares of Allmusic said the song was a "G-rated version" of Britney Spears
' song "Toxic
" and provided hints of Cyrus' future musical direction. Sarah Rodman of The Boston Globe
said "Fly on the Wall" was a change of pace for Cyrus and called it "the album's most interesting tune." Mikael Wood of The Los Angeles Times said the song is a result of regular Walt Disney Company
standards, yet "the CD's best cut." Along with "Full Circle," Sal Cinquemani of Slant Magazine
said the song was a "more worthy" follow-up to "See You Again
." Mordechai Shinefield of The Village Voice
stated the song was "blazingly brilliant" and that it was "the best, angriest song [on Breakout]." Johnny Dee of Virgin Media
said the song and "7 Things
" were "feisty pop belters" that would encourage a long-term career. Ratliff negatively compared "Fly on the Wall" to the Pussycat Dolls
and said that although Cyrus' voice is generally rich with a deep range, it became "pinched and stingy" in the single. However, he also said the song was "teen-accurate".
due to the release of Breakout, but failed to reach the Billboard Hot 100
; the following week, the song completely fell from the sales chart. During late 2008, the song reached its peak on several US charts, reaching number seventy-two in Hot 100 Airplay
, and sixty-four in the Pop 100
and Pop 100 Airplay
. For the week ending January 10, 2009, the song debuted and peaked at number eighty-three in the Hot 100 due to airplay, falling from the chart in the succeeding week. In the Canadian Hot 100
, the peaked and debuted at number seventy-three on the week ending August 9, 2008 due to digital downloads. It then ascended and descended the Canadian Hot 100 before reaching its last week, ending on February 7, 2009.
The song was more successful in European nations. For the week ending January 1, 2009, "Fly on the Wall" debuted on the UK Singles Chart
at number ninety. Throughout January and February 2009, the song moved up, finding new peaks for four consecutive weeks. For the week ending February 28, the song ascended to number sixteen and became Cyrus' second best charting single in the United Kingdom. It then slid several spots down, until its last week on the singles chart at number eighty-six, for the week ending April 4. In the European Hot 100, "Fly on the Wall" peaked at number fifty-seven on the week ending March 7, 2009 and spent a total of five weeks on the chart. For the week ending January 29 in the Irish Singles Chart
, the song debuted at number forty-nine. Weeks later, the song reached its peak at number twenty-three before falling off the chart on March 12. In Austria, the song debuted and peaked on the week ending March 18 at number fifty-seven and fell from the chart after two weeks. It spent seven weeks on the German Singles Chart, where it debuted and peaked at sixty-two.
, director Philip Andelman explained that Cyrus was already determined to poke fun at the paparazzi
when she contacted him for a "Fly on the Wall" music video. Andelman did not want to create "something too serious" and worked to give the video a "playful" aspect. Cyrus elaborated on the concept of the music video in an interview with Nancy O'Dell of Access Hollywood
. Cyrus said,
The video commences with a short segment of a dramatic music. It then focuses on Cyrus, wearing a white tank top, jeans, boots and a black leather jacket, and her boyfriend leaving a movie theater
and discussing the movie they saw. Suddenly, Cyrus' boyfriend begins to cough as a full moon
emerges from behind the clouds. Cyrus is horrified as she watches him transform into a paparazzi
, and runs away from him as he shouts "Miley, come here. I just want a couple of shots" and tries to snap pictures of her. The music of "Fly on the Wall" begins as Cyrus runs into a parking garage and tries to hide behind a pillar and a black Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren. As soon as Cyrus tries to move away from the car, a mob of paparazzi begins to chase her with their cameras. Throughout much of the video, Cyrus runs and hides from the mob. Clips interspaced throughout the video feature her in a long silver shirt and jeans singing and dancing in front of the Mercedes. Eventually, Cyrus is cornered by the paparazzi. She is scared, but then surprised and perplexed when the mob unexpectedly begins to dance in a synchronized manner. Her boyfriend, appearing normal, then arrives in the Mercedes to rescue her. Inside the car, Cyrus describes her strange encounter with the paparazzi to him. Unknown to Cyrus, her boyfriend has planted a video camera in the car; the music video concludes with a shot of the website
he posts the video on beneath the headline, "Miley Cyrus Bugs at Paparazzi!!!" The music video to "Fly on the Wall" was first seen on December 5, 2008 on MTV
's FNMTV
. The video is inspired by Michael Jackson's iconic music video, "Thriller", but trades zombies for paparazzi. MTV also compared the "Fly on the Wall" video for those for "Circus" by Britney Spears
and "Rumors
" by Lindsay Lohan
.
. On May 17, 2008, she performed the song at the 2008 Zootopia
. On July 18, 2008 the song was performed in a concert series for Good Morning America
along with "Breakout," "7 Things
" and "Bottom of the Ocean." During the performance, Cyrus wore a plaid
shirt, mini-shorts and boots. On August 1, 2008, Cyrus performed "Fly on the Wall" on FNMTV
. On November 21, it was sung at the 2008 American Music Awards. A critic from ABC
stated that Cyrus "fearlessly embraced new creative directions" with her performance of "Fly on the Wall." On November 25, Cyrus performed the song on the season finale of Dancing with the Stars
. On New Year's Eve
of 2008, Cyrus wore a white T-shirt, pants, boots and a plaid jacket to present FNMTVs New Year's Special with Pete Wentz. She opened the episode by performing the song, paired with "7 Things." On January 19, 2009, the song was performed at the Kids' Inaugural: "We Are the Future" event in celebration of Barack Obama
's inauguration. For the event, she had an abundance of background dancers, and Cyrus wore a casual patterned gray T-shirt
, black pants, and boots. She also performed the song in London in an Apple Store. The set, with some songs by Cyrus' father, was sold exclusively by the United Kingdom iTunes Store
as an extended play
titled iTunes Live from London. On June 7, 2009 at the twentieth annual A Time for Heroes Celebrity Carnival, Cyrus performed "Fly on the Wall".
"Fly on the Wall" was one of the songs on the set list of Cyrus' first international concert tour, the Wonder World Tour
. The performance began with two overhead screens displaying a frog
catching a fly
while two acrobats scaled imaginary walls. Cyrus and her dancers then emerged from a green tractor
to begin the song. She wore an extravagant white dress with a feathered back and used elaborate choreography. At one point during the performance, Cyrus unexpectedly flew over the crowd for a few seconds. At the conclusion, Cyrus and her background dancers grouped together to perform a segment of the dance from Michael Jackson
's "Thriller" music video. She performed it at the Rock in Rio concert in Lisbon, Portugal on May 29, 2010 and Madrid, Spain on June 4, 2010.
Cyrus added the song to the setlist of her current tour, Gypsy Heart Tour
.
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
song performed by American recording artist Miley Cyrus
Miley Cyrus
Miley Ray Cyrus is an American actress and pop singer-songwriter. She achieved wide fame for her role as Miley Stewart/Hannah Montana on the Disney Channel sitcom Hannah Montana....
. It was released as the third international single from Cyrus' second album, Breakout on February 16, 2009 with a remix of it as a B-side. It is Cyrus' second single in the United States, Canada and other nations in which "See You Again
See You Again
"See You Again" is a pop song performed by American singer-songwriter Miley Cyrus. The song was composed by Cyrus , Antonina Armato, and Tim James and produced by Armato and James...
" was not released as the Rock Mafia remix. The song contains pop rock
Pop rock
Pop rock is a music genre which mixes a catchy pop style and light lyrics in its guitar-based rock songs. There are varying definitions of the term, ranging from a slower and mellower form of rock music to a subgenre of pop music...
, dance-pop
Dance-pop
Dance-pop is dance-oriented pop music that originated in the early 1980s. Developing from post-disco, it is generally up-tempo music intended for clubs with the intention of being danceable or merely dancey...
and synthpop
Synthpop
Synthpop is a genre of popular music that first became prominent in the 1980s, in which the synthesizer is the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s and early 1970s by the use of synthesizers in progressive rock, electronic art rock, disco and particularly the "Kraut rock" of...
elements. The song's lyrics have been interpreted in a number of ways, such as a description of an abusive boyfriend. In actuality, Cyrus says the song describes paparazzi
Paparazzi
Paparazzi is an Italian term used to refer to photojournalists who specialize in candid photography of celebrities, politicians, and other prominent people...
and their extensive personal privacy invasions.
The song received critical praise, with several critics claiming it defied 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....
expectations and was Breakouts best track. Despite only reaching number eighty-four on the United States chart Billboard Hot 100
Billboard 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...
, "Fly on the Wall" performed better commercially in various European regions. "Fly on the Wall" reached its highest international peak on the UK Singles Chart
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 ...
, at number sixteen. The single's music video was directed by Philip Andelman and premiered on FNMTV
FNMTV
FNMTV is a music video program on MTV focused on premiering new music videos and airing viewers' instantaneous feedback from its website...
. The "Thriller" inspired video takes place mainly in a parking garage in which Cyrus encounters and attempts to escape the paparazzi. Cyrus promoted the song through several venues, including a performance on her second headlining tour, the Wonder World Tour
Wonder World Tour
The Wonder World Tour is the second concert tour by American recording artist Miley Cyrus. The tour was held to promote her second studio album Breakout and first extended play The Time of Our Lives...
, that incorporated a short segment of the "Thriller" dance. Cyrus also performed the song in her current tour, Gypsy Heart Tour
Gypsy Heart Tour
The Gypsy Heart Tour was the third concert tour by American recording artist Miley Cyrus. Primarily visiting South America and Australia, the tour supported her third studio album, Can't Be Tamed....
.
Background
The song's lyrics, written by Cyrus, Antonina ArmatoAntonina Armato
Antonina Armato is a songwriter and music producer who is most known for co-writing the #1 single "I Still Believe" and co-writing another #1 single "She Ain't Worth It." She has written or produced over 20 Top Ten singles...
, Tim James
Tim James (music producer)
Timothy James Price is an American singer, songwriter and record producer. James is the co-founder of Rock Mafia. James co-wrote the songs "Potential Breakup Song" by Aly & AJ, "Come Back to Me" by Vanessa Hudgens, "See You Again" by Miley Cyrus, and "Naturally" by Selena Gomez & the Scene. James...
and Devrim Karaoglu, have been mistakenly interpreted in a variety of ways. The song's protagonist sings in first person
Grammatical person
Grammatical person, in linguistics, is deictic reference to a participant in an event; such as the speaker, the addressee, or others. Grammatical person typically defines a language's set of personal pronouns...
perspective while condemning an unspecified subject for wanting to invade her privacy. The majority of reviewers thought the protagonist was referring to a "controlling boyfriend
Psychological abuse
Psychological abuse, also referred to as emotional abuse or mental abuse, is a form of abuse characterized by a person subjecting or exposing another to behavior that may result in psychological trauma, including anxiety, chronic depression, or post-traumatic stress disorder...
". Ben Ratliff 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...
sided with the boyfriend, and believed the song's protagonist was "bullying some poor boy for the sin of wanting to know what she talks about with her friends." Sarah Rodman of The Boston Globe
The Boston Globe
The Boston Globe is an American daily newspaper based in Boston, Massachusetts. The Boston Globe has been owned by The New York Times Company since 1993...
believed the song could have described a number of subjects, such as "a former boyfriend, the media, and even her fans." However, in an interview with Jocelyn Vena of MTV News
MTV News
MTV News is the news division of MTV, one of the first and most popular music television network in the U.S., as well as some of MTV's related channels around the world. MTV News began in the late 1980s with the program The Week In Rock, hosted by Kurt Loder, the first official MTV News correspondent...
, Cyrus said the song was about "the media" and "how they think they know everything about [her], when they don't. They want to be a fly on my wall and watch [her] 24/7." Cyrus elaborated on the concept in an interview with Nancy O'Dell of Access Hollywood
Access Hollywood
Access Hollywood is a weekday television entertainment news program covering events and celebrities in the entertainment industry. It was created by former Entertainment Tonight executive producer Jim Van Messel, and is currently directed by Robert Silverstein. In previous years, Doug Dougherty and...
. She stated,
Composition
"Fly on the Wall" is a pop rockPop rock
Pop rock is a music genre which mixes a catchy pop style and light lyrics in its guitar-based rock songs. There are varying definitions of the term, ranging from a slower and mellower form of rock music to a subgenre of pop music...
song with strong uses of electric guitars
Electric Guitars
Electric Guitars were formed early in 1980 by Neil Davenport and Richard Hall who were both studying English at Bristol University. The band soon increased to a five-man line-up, with Andy Saunders , Matt Salt and Dick Truscott , they also later added two backing singers: Sara and Wendy...
, keyboards and soprano vocals. Influences derive from electronic music
Electronic music
Electronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...
, industrial music
Industrial music
Industrial music is a style of experimental music that draws on transgressive and provocative themes. The term was coined in the mid-1970s with the founding of Industrial Records by the band Throbbing Gristle, and the creation of the slogan "industrial music for industrial people". In general, the...
, the 1980s
1980 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1980.-January–March:*January 1**Cliff Richard is appointed an MBE by Elizabeth II.**The Zorros audition drummer Greg Pedley....
and New Wave
New Wave music
New Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
. It is set in 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...
with a moderately fast rock tempo
Tempo
In musical terminology, tempo is the speed or pace of a given piece. Tempo is a crucial element of any musical composition, as it can affect the mood and difficulty of a piece.-Measuring tempo:...
of 143 beats per minute. The song is written in the key of G minor
G minor
G minor is a minor scale based on G, consisting of the pitches G, A, B, C, D, E, and F. For the harmonic minor scale, the F is raised to F. Its relative major is B-flat major, and its parallel major is G major....
. Cyrus' vocals spans two octave
Octave
In music, an octave is the interval between one musical pitch and another with half or double its frequency. The octave relationship is a natural phenomenon that has been referred to as the "basic miracle of music", the use of which is "common in most musical systems"...
s, from G3 to D5. The song has the following chord progression
Chord progression
A chord progression is a series of musical chords, or chord changes that "aims for a definite goal" of establishing a tonality founded on a key, root or tonic chord. In other words, the succession of root relationships...
, G5—D—Gm7. The song's chorus has the use of a vocal hook
Hook (music)
A hook is a musical idea, often a short riff, passage, or phrase, that is used in popular music to make a song appealing and to "catch the ear of the listener". The term generally applies to popular music, especially rock music, hip hop, dance music, and pop. In these genres, the hook is often...
; the hook sings, "fly on the wall".
Critical reception
"Fly on the Wall" received generally positive reviews. Bill Lamb of About.comAbout.com
About.com is an online source for original information and advice. It is written in English, and is aimed primarily at North Americans. It is owned by The New York Times Company....
called the song an "amphetamine rush" and praised it for its 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....
and generic appeal, classifying it as one of the "top tracks on Breakout". Heather Phares of Allmusic said the song was a "G-rated version" of Britney Spears
Britney Spears
Britney Jean Spears is an American recording artist and entertainer. Born in McComb, Mississippi, and raised in Kentwood, Louisiana, Spears began performing as a child, landing acting roles in stage productions and television shows. She signed with Jive Records in 1997 and released her debut album...
' song "Toxic
Toxic (song)
"Toxic" is a song by American recording artist Britney Spears, co-written and produced by Bloodshy & Avant, from her fourth album, In the Zone. It was released on January 12, 2004, by Jive Records as the second single from the album. After trying to choose between " Boom Boom" and "Outrageous" to...
" and provided hints of Cyrus' future musical direction. Sarah Rodman of The Boston Globe
The Boston Globe
The Boston Globe is an American daily newspaper based in Boston, Massachusetts. The Boston Globe has been owned by The New York Times Company since 1993...
said "Fly on the Wall" was a change of pace for Cyrus and called it "the album's most interesting tune." Mikael Wood of The Los Angeles Times said the song is a result of regular Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company is the largest media conglomerate in the world in terms of revenue. Founded on October 16, 1923, by Walt and Roy Disney as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, Walt Disney Productions established itself as a leader in the American animation industry before diversifying into...
standards, yet "the CD's best cut." Along with "Full Circle," Sal Cinquemani of Slant Magazine
Slant Magazine
Slant Magazine is an online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New York Film Festival.- History :...
said the song was a "more worthy" follow-up to "See You Again
See You Again
"See You Again" is a pop song performed by American singer-songwriter Miley Cyrus. The song was composed by Cyrus , Antonina Armato, and Tim James and produced by Armato and James...
." Mordechai Shinefield of The Village Voice
The Village Voice
The Village Voice is a free weekly newspaper and news and features website in New York City that features investigative articles, analysis of current affairs and culture, arts and music coverage, and events listings for New York City...
stated the song was "blazingly brilliant" and that it was "the best, angriest song [on Breakout]." Johnny Dee of Virgin Media
Virgin Media
Virgin Media Inc. is a company which provides fixed and mobile telephone, television and broadband internet services to businesses and consumers in the United Kingdom...
said the song and "7 Things
7 Things
"7 Things" is a pop rock song performed by American recording artist Miley Cyrus. The song was co-written by Cyrus, Antonina Armato, and Tim James and produced by John Fields. It was released on June 17, 2008 by Hollywood Records as the lead single of the Cyrus' second album Breakout...
" were "feisty pop belters" that would encourage a long-term career. Ratliff negatively compared "Fly on the Wall" to the Pussycat Dolls
Pussycat Dolls
The Pussycat Dolls are an American pop girl group and dance ensemble based in Los Angeles; currently consisting of Lauren Bennett, Vanessa Curry, Kristal "Lyndriette" Smith, Tiffany "Taz" Zavala, Kia Hampton and Paula Van Oppen. The Pussycat Dolls were founded by choreographer Robin Antin in 1995...
and said that although Cyrus' voice is generally rich with a deep range, it became "pinched and stingy" in the single. However, he also said the song was "teen-accurate".
Chart performance
For the week ending August 9, 2008, "Fly on the Wall" charted at number sixty-nine on Hot Digital SongsHot Digital Songs
The Hot Digital Songs chart ranks the best-selling digital singles in the United States, according to Billboard.Beginning in February 2005, digital sales have been incorporated into many of Billboards music single charts. It was decided to do so mainly because of the dramatic rise in popularity of...
due to the release of Breakout, but failed to reach the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard 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...
; the following week, the song completely fell from the sales chart. During late 2008, the song reached its peak on several US charts, reaching number seventy-two in Hot 100 Airplay
Hot 100 Airplay
The Hot 100 Airplay chart is a chart released weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States. It measures radio airplay, and is one of the three component charts, along with the Hot Singles Sales and the Hot Digital Songs charts, that determine the chart positions of singles on the Billboard...
, and sixty-four in the Pop 100
Pop 100
The Pop 100 was a songs chart that debuted in February 2005 and was released weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States until its discontinuation in 2009...
and Pop 100 Airplay
Pop 100 Airplay
The Pop 100 Airplay was a chart created in 2005 and released weekly by Billboard in the United States. It measured mainstream radio airplay, and was one of the three component charts, along with the Hot 100 Singles Sales and Hot Digital Songs charts, that determined the chart positions of singles...
. For the week ending January 10, 2009, the song debuted and peaked at number eighty-three in the Hot 100 due to airplay, falling from the chart in the succeeding week. In 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...
, the peaked and debuted at number seventy-three on the week ending August 9, 2008 due to digital downloads. It then ascended and descended the Canadian Hot 100 before reaching its last week, ending on February 7, 2009.
The song was more successful in European nations. For the week ending January 1, 2009, "Fly on the Wall" debuted on the UK Singles Chart
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 ...
at number ninety. Throughout January and February 2009, the song moved up, finding new peaks for four consecutive weeks. For the week ending February 28, the song ascended to number sixteen and became Cyrus' second best charting single in the United Kingdom. It then slid several spots down, until its last week on the singles chart at number eighty-six, for the week ending April 4. In the European Hot 100, "Fly on the Wall" peaked at number fifty-seven on the week ending March 7, 2009 and spent a total of five weeks on the chart. For the week ending January 29 in the Irish Singles Chart
Irish Singles Chart
The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured...
, the song debuted at number forty-nine. Weeks later, the song reached its peak at number twenty-three before falling off the chart on March 12. In Austria, the song debuted and peaked on the week ending March 18 at number fifty-seven and fell from the chart after two weeks. It spent seven weeks on the German Singles Chart, where it debuted and peaked at sixty-two.
Music video
In an interview with MTV NewsMTV News
MTV News is the news division of MTV, one of the first and most popular music television network in the U.S., as well as some of MTV's related channels around the world. MTV News began in the late 1980s with the program The Week In Rock, hosted by Kurt Loder, the first official MTV News correspondent...
, director Philip Andelman explained that Cyrus was already determined to poke fun at the paparazzi
Paparazzi
Paparazzi is an Italian term used to refer to photojournalists who specialize in candid photography of celebrities, politicians, and other prominent people...
when she contacted him for a "Fly on the Wall" music video. Andelman did not want to create "something too serious" and worked to give the video a "playful" aspect. Cyrus elaborated on the concept of the music video in an interview with Nancy O'Dell of Access Hollywood
Access Hollywood
Access Hollywood is a weekday television entertainment news program covering events and celebrities in the entertainment industry. It was created by former Entertainment Tonight executive producer Jim Van Messel, and is currently directed by Robert Silverstein. In previous years, Doug Dougherty and...
. Cyrus said,
The video commences with a short segment of a dramatic music. It then focuses on Cyrus, wearing a white tank top, jeans, boots and a black leather jacket, and her boyfriend leaving a movie theater
Movie theater
A movie theater, cinema, movie house, picture theater, film theater is a venue, usually a building, for viewing motion pictures ....
and discussing the movie they saw. Suddenly, Cyrus' boyfriend begins to cough as a full moon
Full moon
Full moon lunar phase that occurs when the Moon is on the opposite side of the Earth from the Sun. More precisely, a full moon occurs when the geocentric apparent longitudes of the Sun and Moon differ by 180 degrees; the Moon is then in opposition with the Sun.Lunar eclipses can only occur at...
emerges from behind the clouds. Cyrus is horrified as she watches him transform into a paparazzi
Paparazzi
Paparazzi is an Italian term used to refer to photojournalists who specialize in candid photography of celebrities, politicians, and other prominent people...
, and runs away from him as he shouts "Miley, come here. I just want a couple of shots" and tries to snap pictures of her. The music of "Fly on the Wall" begins as Cyrus runs into a parking garage and tries to hide behind a pillar and a black Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren. As soon as Cyrus tries to move away from the car, a mob of paparazzi begins to chase her with their cameras. Throughout much of the video, Cyrus runs and hides from the mob. Clips interspaced throughout the video feature her in a long silver shirt and jeans singing and dancing in front of the Mercedes. Eventually, Cyrus is cornered by the paparazzi. She is scared, but then surprised and perplexed when the mob unexpectedly begins to dance in a synchronized manner. Her boyfriend, appearing normal, then arrives in the Mercedes to rescue her. Inside the car, Cyrus describes her strange encounter with the paparazzi to him. Unknown to Cyrus, her boyfriend has planted a video camera in the car; the music video concludes with a shot of the website
Website
A website, also written as Web site, web site, or simply site, is a collection of related web pages containing images, videos or other digital assets. A website is hosted on at least one web server, accessible via a network such as the Internet or a private local area network through an Internet...
he posts the video on beneath the headline, "Miley Cyrus Bugs at Paparazzi!!!" The music video to "Fly on the Wall" was first seen on December 5, 2008 on MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
's FNMTV
FNMTV
FNMTV is a music video program on MTV focused on premiering new music videos and airing viewers' instantaneous feedback from its website...
. The video is inspired by Michael Jackson's iconic music video, "Thriller", but trades zombies for paparazzi. MTV also compared the "Fly on the Wall" video for those for "Circus" by Britney Spears
Britney Spears
Britney Jean Spears is an American recording artist and entertainer. Born in McComb, Mississippi, and raised in Kentwood, Louisiana, Spears began performing as a child, landing acting roles in stage productions and television shows. She signed with Jive Records in 1997 and released her debut album...
and "Rumors
Rumors (song)
"Rumors" is a dance-pop song recorded by Lindsay Lohan for her debut album, Speak. It was released as the album's first and lead single on September 21, 2004 in the United States. Although it failed to chart on the Billboard Hot 100, it peaked at #6 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart...
" by Lindsay Lohan
Lindsay Lohan
Lindsay Lohan is an American actress, pop singer and model. She began her career as a child fashion model before making her motion picture debut in Disney's 1998 remake of The Parent Trap at the age of 11...
.
Live performances
Cyrus first performed the song at the opening ceremony of the 2008 Disney Channel Games on May 4, 2008. The performance had Cyrus in a red coat and was later used a a promotional music video on Disney ChannelDisney Channel
Disney Channel is an American basic cable and satellite television network, owned by the Disney-ABC Television Group division of The Walt Disney Company. It is under the direction of Disney-ABC Television Group President Anne Sweeney. The channel's headquarters is located on West Alameda Ave. in...
. On May 17, 2008, she performed the song at the 2008 Zootopia
Zootopia
Zootopia is an annual summer concert put on by New York top-40 radio station Z100. The show is usually performed in either New York or New Jersey and includes the artists who garner great airplay on the station in the year.- 2009 Zootopia performers :...
. On July 18, 2008 the song was performed in a concert series for Good Morning America
Good Morning America
Good Morning America is an American morning news and talk show that is broadcast on the ABC television network; it debuted on November 3, 1975. The weekday program airs for two hours; a third hour aired between 2007 and 2008 exclusively on ABC News Now...
along with "Breakout," "7 Things
7 Things
"7 Things" is a pop rock song performed by American recording artist Miley Cyrus. The song was co-written by Cyrus, Antonina Armato, and Tim James and produced by John Fields. It was released on June 17, 2008 by Hollywood Records as the lead single of the Cyrus' second album Breakout...
" and "Bottom of the Ocean." During the performance, Cyrus wore a plaid
Full plaid
A full plaid is a long piece of tartan fabric, traditionally worn as part of a full highland dress uniform. It usually matches the tartan of the kilt. A full plaid is pleated the whole way, with half of its length sewn shut...
shirt, mini-shorts and boots. On August 1, 2008, Cyrus performed "Fly on the Wall" on FNMTV
FNMTV
FNMTV is a music video program on MTV focused on premiering new music videos and airing viewers' instantaneous feedback from its website...
. On November 21, it was sung at the 2008 American Music Awards. A critic from ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
stated that Cyrus "fearlessly embraced new creative directions" with her performance of "Fly on the Wall." On November 25, Cyrus performed the song on the season finale of Dancing with the Stars
Dancing with the Stars
Dancing with the Stars is the name of several international television series based on the format of the British TV series Strictly Come Dancing, which is distributed by BBC Worldwide – the commercial arm of the BBC. Currently the format has been licensed to over 35 countries...
. On New Year's Eve
New Year's Eve
New Year's Eve is observed annually on December 31, the final day of any given year in the Gregorian calendar. In modern societies, New Year's Eve is often celebrated at social gatherings, during which participants dance, eat, consume alcoholic beverages, and watch or light fireworks to mark the...
of 2008, Cyrus wore a white T-shirt, pants, boots and a plaid jacket to present FNMTVs New Year's Special with Pete Wentz. She opened the episode by performing the song, paired with "7 Things." On January 19, 2009, the song was performed at the Kids' Inaugural: "We Are the Future" event in celebration of Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
's inauguration. For the event, she had an abundance of background dancers, and Cyrus wore a casual patterned gray T-shirt
T-shirt
A T-shirt is a style of shirt. A T-shirt is buttonless and collarless, with short sleeves and frequently a round neck line....
, black pants, and boots. She also performed the song in London in an Apple Store. The set, with some songs by Cyrus' father, was sold exclusively by the United Kingdom iTunes Store
ITunes Store
The iTunes Store is a software-based online digital media store operated by Apple. Opening as the iTunes Music Store on April 28, 2003, with over 200,000 items to purchase, it is, as of April 2008, the number-one music vendor in the United States...
as an extended play
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
titled iTunes Live from London. On June 7, 2009 at the twentieth annual A Time for Heroes Celebrity Carnival, Cyrus performed "Fly on the Wall".
"Fly on the Wall" was one of the songs on the set list of Cyrus' first international concert tour, the Wonder World Tour
Wonder World Tour
The Wonder World Tour is the second concert tour by American recording artist Miley Cyrus. The tour was held to promote her second studio album Breakout and first extended play The Time of Our Lives...
. The performance began with two overhead screens displaying a frog
Frog
Frogs are amphibians in the order Anura , formerly referred to as Salientia . Most frogs are characterized by a short body, webbed digits , protruding eyes and the absence of a tail...
catching a fly
Fly
True flies are insects of the order Diptera . They possess a pair of wings on the mesothorax and a pair of halteres, derived from the hind wings, on the metathorax...
while two acrobats scaled imaginary walls. Cyrus and her dancers then emerged from a green tractor
Tractor
A tractor is a vehicle specifically designed to deliver a high tractive effort at slow speeds, for the purposes of hauling a trailer or machinery used in agriculture or construction...
to begin the song. She wore an extravagant white dress with a feathered back and used elaborate choreography. At one point during the performance, Cyrus unexpectedly flew over the crowd for a few seconds. At the conclusion, Cyrus and her background dancers grouped together to perform a segment of the dance from 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 "Thriller" music video. She performed it at the Rock in Rio concert in Lisbon, Portugal on May 29, 2010 and Madrid, Spain on June 4, 2010.
Cyrus added the song to the setlist of her current tour, Gypsy Heart Tour
Gypsy Heart Tour
The Gypsy Heart Tour was the third concert tour by American recording artist Miley Cyrus. Primarily visiting South America and Australia, the tour supported her third studio album, Can't Be Tamed....
.
Track listings
- Promo CD single
- "Fly on the Wall" (album version) – 2:33
- "Fly on the Wall" (David Kahne Remix) – 2:34
- UK Digital single
- "Fly on the Wall" – 2:31
- "Fly on the Wall" (Digital Dog Remix)
- Digital Remix single
- "Fly on the Wall" (Jason Nevins Remix) – 2:52
- Maxi CD single
- "Fly on the Wall" (album version) – 2:31
- "7 Things7 Things"7 Things" is a pop rock song performed by American recording artist Miley Cyrus. The song was co-written by Cyrus, Antonina Armato, and Tim James and produced by John Fields. It was released on June 17, 2008 by Hollywood Records as the lead single of the Cyrus' second album Breakout...
" (Bimbo Jones Radio Edit) – 2:58 - "Fly on the Wall" (Jason Nevins Remix) – 2:52
- AUS digital download
- "Fly on the Wall" – 2:31
- "Fly on the Wall" (Jason NevinsJason NevinsJason Nevins is an American DJ, producer and remixer, who is most widely known for his pop dance productions.-Career:In the early 1990s, Nevins began releasing singles under various monikers through various dance labels, but achieved global recognition in 1998 with his production of Run-DMC's...
Radio Edit Remix) – 2:52 - "7 Things" (Bimbo JonesBimbo JonesBimbo Jones is a UK dance music group comprising producers Lee Dagger and Marc JB and vocalist Katherine Ellis. Known for their remix work and white label releases, they produced a remix of Meck's 2006 UK number-one single "Thunder in My Heart Again"...
Radio Edit) – 2:58
- Remixes EP
- "Fly on the Wall" (Digital Dog Extended Remix)
- "Fly on the Wall" (Jason Nevins Extended Remix)
- "Fly on the Wall" (Digital Dog Instrumental)
- "Fly on the Wall" (Jason Nevins Instrumental)
- "Fly on the Wall" (Digital Dog Edit)
- "Fly on the Wall" (Jason Nevins Edit)
- "Fly on the Wall" (David Kahne Remix)
- "Fly on the Wall" (Album Version) – 2:33
- DE Premium CD single
- "Fly on the Wall" (album version) – 2:31
- "7 Things" (Bimbo Jones Radio Edit) – 2:58
Charts
| Charts (2008—09) | Peak Position |
|---|---|
| Australian Singles Chart ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June... |
54 |
| Austrian Singles Chart Ö3 Austria Top 40 Ö3 Austria Top 40 is the name of the official Austrian singles chart, as well as the radio show which presents it, aired Fridays on Hitradio Ö3. The show presents the Austrian singles, ringtones and downloads chart. It premiered on 26 November 1968 as Disc Parade and was presented by Ernst Grissemann... |
57 |
| 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... |
73 |
| European Hot 100 | 57 |
| German Singles Chart Media Control Charts The official music charts in Germany are gathered and published by the company Media Control GfK International on behalf of Bundesverband Musikindustrie... |
62 |
| Irish Singles Chart Irish Singles Chart The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured... |
23 |
| UK Singles Chart 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 ... |
16 |
| US Billboard Hot 100 Billboard 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... |
84 |
| US Pop 100 Pop 100 The Pop 100 was a songs chart that debuted in February 2005 and was released weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States until its discontinuation in 2009... |
64 |
External links
- "Fly on the Wall" music video on YouTubeYouTubeYouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
(posted by Hollywood RecordsHollywood RecordsHollywood Records is an American record label owned by Disney Music Group, a subsidiary of the Walt Disney Company.-History:Hollywood Records was founded in 1989 by then-Disney CEO Michael Eisner with the idea of expanding the music operations of the company and to develop and promote...
)