Glamorous (song)
Encyclopedia
"Glamorous" is a R&B
single taken from R&B
singer Fergie's solo debut album, The Dutchess
. In March 2007, the song became Fergie's second number-one single in the United States. The single was released on March 19, 2007 in the UK and was the second single taken from the album. The single was not as successful in Latin America (where it wasn't officially released) as "London Bridge
" and "Fergalicious
". "Glamorous" is the fourth single from the album in Brazil
, where "Big Girls Don't Cry
" was released as the third single. Fergie sang this song along with "Big Girls Don't Cry" at the Concert for Diana
. As of March 2008, the single has sold 3,136,000 copies. The song was used in the promotional video for the CW television show Gossip Girl
. The song appears on the video game Karaoke Revolution Presents: American Idol Encore.
from About.com
gave to the song a rating of 3.5/5 stars and say that "She shifts away from peppy party music to a slower, smooth style of R&B. At times the song veers uncomfortably close to being a rewrite of Gwen Stefani
's "Luxurious," but it still sounds light and catchy on the radio." Dan Gennoe from Yahoo Music stated that "Glamorous is a Janet Jackson
-esque R&B shimmer, which contain some outstanding production and bursts of genius". However, a bad review came from Mike Joseph from PopMatters
who say that "Glamorous” is so bad that even Ludacris
(who usually lights up any song he guest appears on) sounds bored and tired here".
's TRL
on February 7, 2007. The video is directed by Dave Meyers
, and was shot in an anamorphic 1.85:1 widescreen
aspect ratio. It starts in 1994 with Fergie and Polow da Don
at a keg party in East Los Angeles
before she was famous, with everyone at the party saying ,"If you ain't got no money take yo broke ass home". The camera then rotates upward where it is present day and Fergie is lounging in a Bombardier Global Express
business jet, and as the chorus suggests, "flying first class, up in the sky". The flight attendant
is played by Freddy Rodriguez
. She is seen watching the music video on her LG enV
for The Black Eyed Peas
"Pump It
". Fergie then lands and enters a limo waiting for her where she goes with her friends to a drive thru at a fast food restaurant. This restaurant is most likely Taco Bell
as the lyrics suggest, though the food package appears to bear Jack in the Box logos. The video at this point does a transition to the past (1990's) where it is suggested Fergie came to this same restaurant with her friends before her glamorous life. The transition occurs as Fergie sings of the days when she had a Mustang
. The limo transforms into a Mustang convertible
. She and her friends are wearing clothes and have hairstyles similar to those of 1980s pop culture
. The video then goes back to present day where Fergie and Ludacris are shown shooting a movie called Glamorous, a throwback to Bonnie and Clyde
. The two are shown holding Thompson submachine gun
s while being held up by police near a canyon, apparently for stealing money. Ludacris raps his verse to Fergie telling her all the expensive things he will buy for her. Fergie and Ludacris are then shown shooting down the cops, after which the movie shoot ends. After the shoot Fergie proceeds to sit in a chair with her name on it, as people rush over to do her make up. While this is happening she thanks her fans for making her famous. Scenes of this are intercut with Fergie getting back on the plane she came on, while she flashes back to when she was a little girl, where her father warned her about the coldness of the showbiz industry. Fergie is then shown at the same kegger from earlier in the video, with Alfonso Ribeiro
, Polow da Don, apl.de.ap and Cypress Hill
with B-Real
with whom she clinks plastic glasses, followed with the plane she is on in the present day flying into London as the sun sets.
at number 98 in mid-January 2007, two weeks before its official release to radio stations. The song reached its initial peak at number nine, giving Fergie her third top 10 solo hit in six months, equal to her group the Black Eyed Peas' tally over the past six years. In the next week, the single plummeted from nine to thirty-three, one of the biggest drops in a single week out of the top 10, due to A&M Records blocking the digital download of the single. "Glamorous" was released back in the iTunes Store
and other digital
outlets on the week of February 28. Upon re-release of "Glamorous" as a digital single download, it re-entered the top 10 at the number eight position on the Billboard Hot 100, rising from number 55, in the charting week of March 17, 2007. On the March 24, 2007 edition of the Billboard Hot 100, "Glamorous" hit number-one, giving Fergie her second #1 single; it remained at number one for a second consecutive week, but then fell to number two in the next week. "Glamorous" ended as the year's 10th highest seller there, ranked at #10 on the Billboard Year-End chart for 2007. "Glamorous" debuted at #10 on the Australian ARIA
singles chart, and was the week's second highest debut behind Christina Aguilera's "Candyman
". "Glamorous" made its initial peak at #3 before rising to its peak at #2. "Glamorous" has been certified Platinum by ARIA for sales of over 70,000. "Glamorous" was also ranked at #13 on the Australian ARIA Year-End singles chart for 2007, and is one of four entries on this chart for Fergie, with the others being "Fergalicious
", "Clumsy
" and "Big Girls Don't Cry
". The song debuted at #56 in the UK Singles Chart
and peaked at #6, making it her second solo Top 10 hit.
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...
single taken from 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 Fergie's solo debut album, The Dutchess
The Dutchess
The Dutchess is the debut and only studio album by American recording artist Fergie, who is a member of The Black Eyed Peas. The album was released on September 19, 2006. As of 2008, the album has sold more than six million copies worldwide...
. In March 2007, the song became Fergie's second number-one single in the United States. The single was released on March 19, 2007 in the UK and was the second single taken from the album. The single was not as successful in Latin America (where it wasn't officially released) as "London Bridge
London Bridge (Fergie song)
"London Bridge" is a hip hop/R&B song co-written and performed by Fergie for her debut album, The Dutchess. It contains a sample taken from "Down to the Night Club" by Tower of Power. It was released as the lead single from the album on July 18, 2006, and was Fergie's first single as a solo artist...
" and "Fergalicious
Fergalicious
"Fergalicious" is the second single from Fergie's debut solo album, The Dutchess. It features The Black Eyed Peas member will.i.am, who also produced the track. "Fergalicious" was not officially released as the second single in the UK, although the video did receive airplay at the time. "Glamorous"...
". "Glamorous" is the fourth single from the album in Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, where "Big Girls Don't Cry
Big Girls Don't Cry (Fergie song)
"Big Girls Don't Cry" is a song written by Fergie and Toby Gad for pop singer Fergie's debut solo album The Dutchess . The song was released as the album's fourth single in 2007 and topped the charts in several countries, most notably in Australia , and in...
" was released as the third single. Fergie sang this song along with "Big Girls Don't Cry" at the Concert for Diana
Concert for Diana
Concert for Diana was a concert held at the then new Wembley Stadium in London, England, United Kingdom in honour of Diana, Princess of Wales, on 1 July 2007, which would have been her 46th birthday; 31 August that year brought the 10th anniversary of her death...
. As of March 2008, the single has sold 3,136,000 copies. The song was used in the promotional video for the CW television show Gossip Girl
Gossip Girl (TV series)
Gossip Girl is an American teen drama television series based on the book series of the same name written by Cecily von Ziegesar. The series was created by Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage, and premiered on The CW on September 19, 2007...
. The song appears on the video game Karaoke Revolution Presents: American Idol Encore.
Critical reception
The song received mixed to positive reviews from contemporary music critics. Bill LambBill Lamb
The Hon. William Henry Lamb was an Australian politician. He was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1938 until 1962 and, variously, a member of the Australian Labor Party and the Lang Labor Party...
from About.com
About.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....
gave to the song a rating of 3.5/5 stars and say that "She shifts away from peppy party music to a slower, smooth style of R&B. At times the song veers uncomfortably close to being a rewrite of Gwen Stefani
Gwen Stefani
Gwen Renée Stefani is an American singer-songwriter and fashion designer. Stefani is the lead vocalist for the rock and ska band No Doubt. Stefani recorded her first solo album Love. Angel. Music. Baby. in 2004. The album was inspired by music of the 1980s, and was a success with sales of over...
's "Luxurious," but it still sounds light and catchy on the radio." Dan Gennoe from Yahoo Music stated that "Glamorous is a Janet Jackson
Janet Jackson
Janet Damita Jo Jackson is an American recording artist and actress. Known for a series of sonically innovative, socially conscious and sexually provocative records, as well as elaborate stage shows, television and film roles, she has been a prominent figure in popular culture for over 25 years...
-esque R&B shimmer, which contain some outstanding production and bursts of genius". However, a bad review came from Mike Joseph from PopMatters
PopMatters
PopMatters is an international webzine of cultural criticism that covers many aspects of popular culture. PopMatters publishes reviews, interviews, and detailed essays on most cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, films, books, video games, comics, sports, theater,...
who say that "Glamorous” is so bad that even Ludacris
Ludacris
Christopher Brian Bridges , better known by his stage name Ludacris, is an American rapper and actor. Along with his manager, Chaka Zulu, Ludacris is the co-founder of Disturbing tha Peace, an imprint distributed by Def Jam Recordings...
(who usually lights up any song he guest appears on) sounds bored and tired here".
Music video
The video had a World Premiere on MTVMTV
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 TRL
Total Request Live
Total Request Live is a television series on MTV that featured popular music videos. TRL was MTV's prime outlet for music videos as the network continues to concentrate on reality-based programming. In addition to music videos, TRL featured daily guests...
on February 7, 2007. The video is directed by Dave Meyers
Dave Meyers (director)
David "Dave" Meyers is an American music video director.-Career:Meyers has directed over 200 music videos including: P!nk's "There You Go", "Most Girls", "You Make Me Sick", "Get The Party Started", "Don't Let Me Get Me", "Feel Good Time", "Stupid Girls", "U + Ur Hand", "So What", "Please Don't...
, and was shot in an anamorphic 1.85:1 widescreen
Widescreen
Widescreen images are a variety of aspect ratios used in film, television and computer screens. In film, a widescreen film is any film image with a width-to-height aspect ratio greater than the standard 1.37:1 Academy aspect ratio provided by 35mm film....
aspect ratio. It starts in 1994 with Fergie and Polow da Don
Polow Da Don
Polow-Freache Jamal Fincher Jones , better known by known by professional name Polow da Don or Awesome Jones, is an American record producer, songwriter, rapper, and singer. His cousin is Atlanta singer Monica. He has produced for a variety of artists including Usher, Nelly, Christina Aguilera, T.I...
at a keg party in East Los Angeles
East Los Angeles, California
East Los Angeles is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Los Angeles County, California, United States...
before she was famous, with everyone at the party saying ,"If you ain't got no money take yo broke ass home". The camera then rotates upward where it is present day and Fergie is lounging in a Bombardier Global Express
Bombardier Global Express
The Bombardier Global Express is an ultra long range corporate and VIP high speed jet aircraft produced by Bombardier Aerospace. The Bombardier Global 5000 is a slightly shorter version...
business jet, and as the chorus suggests, "flying first class, up in the sky". The flight attendant
Flight attendant
Flight attendants or cabin crew are members of an aircrew employed by airlines primarily to ensure the safety and comfort of passengers aboard commercial flights, on select business jet aircraft, and on some military aircraft.-History:The role of a flight attendant derives from that of similar...
is played by Freddy Rodriguez
Freddy Rodriguez
Freddy Rodriguez is an American actor known for playing the characters Hector Federico "Rico" Diaz on HBO's Six Feet Under and El Wray in Robert Rodriguez's Planet Terror...
. She is seen watching the music video on her LG enV
LG enV (VX9900)
The LG enV , also known as the VX9900, is a Bluetooth-enabled and V CAST-ready mobile phone that includes a full "qwerty" keyboard and a 2.0 megapixel camera...
for The Black Eyed Peas
The Black Eyed Peas
The Black Eyed Peas are an American pop group , formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1995. The group includes rappers will.i.am, apl.de.ap, and Taboo, and singer Fergie. Since the release of their third album Elephunk in 2003, the group has sold an estimated 56 million records worldwide...
"Pump It
Pump It
"Pump It" is a song by The Black Eyed Peas that heavily incorporates music from the Dick Dale version of the song "Misirlou"...
". Fergie then lands and enters a limo waiting for her where she goes with her friends to a drive thru at a fast food restaurant. This restaurant is most likely Taco Bell
Taco Bell
Taco Bell is an American chain of fast-food restaurants based in Irvine, California. A subsidiary of Yum! Brands, Inc., which serves American-adapted Mexican food. Taco Bell serves tacos, burritos, quesadillas, nachos, other specialty items, and a variety of "Value Menu" items...
as the lyrics suggest, though the food package appears to bear Jack in the Box logos. The video at this point does a transition to the past (1990's) where it is suggested Fergie came to this same restaurant with her friends before her glamorous life. The transition occurs as Fergie sings of the days when she had a Mustang
Ford Mustang
The Ford Mustang is an automobile manufactured by the Ford Motor Company. It was initially based on the second generation North American Ford Falcon, a compact car. Introduced early on April 17, 1964, as a "1964½" model, the 1965 Mustang was the automaker's most successful launch since the Model A...
. The limo transforms into a Mustang convertible
Convertible
A convertible is a type of automobile in which the roof can retract and fold away having windows which wind-down inside the doors, converting it from an enclosed to an open-air vehicle...
. She and her friends are wearing clothes and have hairstyles similar to those of 1980s pop culture
Popular culture
Popular culture is the totality of ideas, perspectives, attitudes, memes, images and other phenomena that are deemed preferred per an informal consensus within the mainstream of a given culture, especially Western culture of the early to mid 20th century and the emerging global mainstream of the...
. The video then goes back to present day where Fergie and Ludacris are shown shooting a movie called Glamorous, a throwback to Bonnie and Clyde
Bonnie and Clyde (film)
The film was originally offered to François Truffaut, the best-known director of the New Wave movement, who made contributions to the script. He passed on the project to make Fahrenheit 451. The producers approached Jean-Luc Godard next...
. The two are shown holding Thompson submachine gun
Thompson submachine gun
The Thompson is an American submachine gun, invented by John T. Thompson in 1919, that became infamous during the Prohibition era. It was a common sight in the media of the time, being used by both law enforcement officers and criminals...
s while being held up by police near a canyon, apparently for stealing money. Ludacris raps his verse to Fergie telling her all the expensive things he will buy for her. Fergie and Ludacris are then shown shooting down the cops, after which the movie shoot ends. After the shoot Fergie proceeds to sit in a chair with her name on it, as people rush over to do her make up. While this is happening she thanks her fans for making her famous. Scenes of this are intercut with Fergie getting back on the plane she came on, while she flashes back to when she was a little girl, where her father warned her about the coldness of the showbiz industry. Fergie is then shown at the same kegger from earlier in the video, with Alfonso Ribeiro
Alfonso Ribeiro
Alfonso Lincoln Ribeiro is an American actor, director, dancer, game show host, and comedian. While he received attention for his performance in the title role of the Broadway musical The Tap Dance Kid and his appearance as a dancer in a Pepsi commercial featuring Michael Jackson, Ribeiro is best...
, Polow da Don, apl.de.ap and Cypress Hill
Cypress Hill
Cypress Hill is an American hip hop group from South Gate, California. Cypress Hill was the first Latino hip-hop group to have platinum and multi-platinum albums, selling over 18 million albums worldwide...
with B-Real
B-Real
Louis Freese, better known by his stage name B-Real, is an American rapper of Cuban and Mexican heritage, and a film and TV actor...
with whom she clinks plastic glasses, followed with the plane she is on in the present day flying into London as the sun sets.
Chart performance
"Glamorous" debuted on the U.S. 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...
at number 98 in mid-January 2007, two weeks before its official release to radio stations. The song reached its initial peak at number nine, giving Fergie her third top 10 solo hit in six months, equal to her group the Black Eyed Peas' tally over the past six years. In the next week, the single plummeted from nine to thirty-three, one of the biggest drops in a single week out of the top 10, due to A&M Records blocking the digital download of the single. "Glamorous" was released back in the 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...
and other digital
Music download
A music download is the transferral of music from an Internet-facing computer or website to a user's local computer. This term encompasses both legal downloads and downloads of copyright material without permission or payment...
outlets on the week of February 28. Upon re-release of "Glamorous" as a digital single download, it re-entered the top 10 at the number eight position on the Billboard Hot 100, rising from number 55, in the charting week of March 17, 2007. On the March 24, 2007 edition of the Billboard Hot 100, "Glamorous" hit number-one, giving Fergie her second #1 single; it remained at number one for a second consecutive week, but then fell to number two in the next week. "Glamorous" ended as the year's 10th highest seller there, ranked at #10 on the Billboard Year-End chart for 2007. "Glamorous" debuted at #10 on the Australian ARIA
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...
singles chart, and was the week's second highest debut behind Christina Aguilera's "Candyman
Candyman (Christina Aguilera song)
"Candyman" is a swing jazz song written by Christina Aguilera and Linda Perry for Aguilera's third studio album, Back to Basics. It was released as the album's third and final American single in early 2007. It received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance at 2008 Grammy...
". "Glamorous" made its initial peak at #3 before rising to its peak at #2. "Glamorous" has been certified Platinum by ARIA for sales of over 70,000. "Glamorous" was also ranked at #13 on the Australian ARIA Year-End singles chart for 2007, and is one of four entries on this chart for Fergie, with the others being "Fergalicious
Fergalicious
"Fergalicious" is the second single from Fergie's debut solo album, The Dutchess. It features The Black Eyed Peas member will.i.am, who also produced the track. "Fergalicious" was not officially released as the second single in the UK, although the video did receive airplay at the time. "Glamorous"...
", "Clumsy
Clumsy (Fergie song)
"Clumsy" is a song by American recording artist Fergie from her debut album, The Dutchess. The song was released as the album's fifth and final single on September 25, 2007. It was written by Fergie, Bobby Troup and will.i.am, who also produced the track. It was partially recorded in Los Angeles...
" and "Big Girls Don't Cry
Big Girls Don't Cry (Fergie song)
"Big Girls Don't Cry" is a song written by Fergie and Toby Gad for pop singer Fergie's debut solo album The Dutchess . The song was released as the album's fourth single in 2007 and topped the charts in several countries, most notably in Australia , and in...
". The song debuted at #56 in 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 ...
and peaked at #6, making it her second solo Top 10 hit.
Track listing
- UK CD Single
- "Glamorous" (Album Version) 4:07
- "True" (Spandau BalletSpandau BalletSpandau Ballet are a British band formed in London in the late 1970s. Initially inspired by, and an integral part of, the New Romantic fashion, their music has featured a mixture of funk, jazz, soul and synthpop. They were one of the most successful bands of the 1980s, achieving ten Top Ten singles...
Cover) 3:45
- Europe CD1
- "Glamorous" (Album Version) 4:08
- "Glamorous" (Space Cowboy Remix) 4:37
- Europe CD2 & Australian CD Single
- "Glamorous" (Album Version) 4:08
- "Glamorous" (Space Cowboy Remix) 4:37
- "True" (Spandau BalletSpandau BalletSpandau Ballet are a British band formed in London in the late 1970s. Initially inspired by, and an integral part of, the New Romantic fashion, their music has featured a mixture of funk, jazz, soul and synthpop. They were one of the most successful bands of the 1980s, achieving ten Top Ten singles...
Cover) 3:48 - "Glamorous" (Music Video) - 4:10
Charts
| Chart (2007) | Peak position |
|---|
Year-end charts
| Year | Chart | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | German Singles Chart | 99 |
See also
- List of Hot 100 number-one singles of 2007 (U.S.)
- List of number-one dance singles of 2007 (U.S.)