Just Can't Get Enough (The Black Eyed Peas song)
Encyclopedia
"Just Can't Get Enough" is a song by American hip hop group The Black Eyed Peas
. The song was written by members William Adams
, Allan Pineda, Jaime Gomez and Stacy Ferguson
, along with Joshua Alvarez, Stephen Shadowen, Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins
, and Julie Frost
, for the group's sixth studio album, The Beginning
(2010). It was announced on January 21, 2011 as the album's second single. The song has been a success on the charts, reaching the top-five in many countries, such as Australia
, Greece, France, United Kingdom and the United States, among others. The video for this song was filmed in Japan
a week before the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami
had begun.
As of June 2011, the single has sold more than 2,400,000 digital units in the US.
Rodney Jerkins and Julie Frost composed the basic song together, with Jerkins on piano and Frost contributing the lyrics and topline melody. The Darkchild production team of Tommy Brown and Bah then worked on the producing the track and contributing to the music composition before finally Will.I.Am and the Black Eyed Peas, in the words of Frost, "cut it up and gave it their own twist".
The song was described as a "familiar Black Eyed Peas formula that by now is starting to feel somewhat tiresome." Fergie's voice was described as a "wistfulness, and there are seeds for something more exciting. Her voice can carry an unvarnished sweetness that cuts through all of the electronic studio trickery with a palpable warmth." Group member Taboo
explained the meaning of the song to MTV News
as: "The message is knowing that when you're gone from somebody, especially when you're on tour, you can't get enough of them or you're just thinking about them and you just want to let them know that you're always there for them."
rated it three-and-a-half-stars out of five and claimed that: "Most of the running time of the song is taken up by the simple pop song structure and lyrics about addictive love. The final section switches things up into highly processed electronic territory without warning." Eitherway, Lamb thought that the song is "formulaic" and that is "heavily processed recording that creates distance from listeners. He conclued his review, saying: "The song was reportedly designed as a showcase for Fergie's vocal talent. Her singing is beautiful here, but again there simply isn't much. "Just Can't Get Enough" is a pleasing, beautiful moment in time, but it is a fleeting one. Andy Gill from The Independent
said, positively, that: "other highlights include "Just Can't Get Enough" – not the Depeche Mode
song – which vaults suddenly from the rare dignity of string-synth textures to a sweatily pumping techno finale". Lewis Corner from Digital Spy
rated it three stars (out of five) and commented that: "The back-and-forth production - reminiscent of vintage arcade game Pong
- comprises electronic synths and soft strings teamed with heavy beats and, of course, the obligatory vocoded "mega switch up" - prompting its transformation into a thumping techno endgame. Throw in some "LOL" text lingo and computerised vocals, and we can't help but think he's perhaps spent a little too much time in front of the PC for this one. You want to be careful Will, we hear they make your eyes go square" This song also resembles Kanye West
's Heartless.
, Japan while the group was on a press tour. The video was shot just one week before the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami
. In an interview with Entertainment Tonight
, Fergie spoke of the clip and the natural disaster in Japan, saying, "It was the easiest video I ever shot because it was us living our lives. I love that it's showing a true perspective of how it can sometimes be lonely on the road away from our loved ones. It also demonstrates the love and connection we have with Japan. Our heart goes out to all of the Japanese people who have been affected by this natural disaster." Taboo was also quoted saying "It was an amazing moment in time because Japan has always been my favorite place on the planet. It was great to do our video there. God bless the Japanese. Our love goes out to them."
The video premiered on March 16, 2011 on music video website Vevo
. It opens with the caption "This video was filmed in Japan one week before the earthquake and tsunami. Our thoughts and prayers go out to all the people of Japan. We love you." It was shot in a guerilla-style. Fergie is seen in a hotel room, will.i.am is in the back of a car. Taboo sings his verse while walking in the city and apl.de.ap sings his "switched up" verse in front of a futuristic backdrop with flashing lights. It also includes vignettes of Tokyo's nightlife, such as young club-goers taking photos with mobile phones and the city's rail system. At a couple points it shows all four members wearing different styles of sunglasses and dressed in black preforming at a nightclub. The clip closes with a message to encourage viewers to donate to the Red Cross
.
The video received positive reviews from critics. Bill Lamb of About.com
wrote that "The feel ... was already a bit melancholy depicting the loneliness and separation of being on the road. However, the fact that the clip was filmed in Tokyo, Japan just a week before the recent devastating earthquake gives the video even more depth and poignance." Becky Bain of Idolator
wrote that "It's basically Lost In Translation
with a more thumping soundtrack."
of American Idol
on March 17, 2011. The performance began with will.i.am, wearing a white suit and playing on the piano and dedicating the song to Japan. Fergie then opened the song while sitting atop the piano and wearing a white halter dress. Later, will.i.am stood up and joined her onstage to sing his lines. apl.de.ap and Taboo, also wearing white clothing, sang and rapped along. Behind them, string players and dancers performed, and couples acted out skits. Near the end, the group jumped around onstage, while encouraging the audience to dance and clap along. They also performed "Just Can't Get Enough" at the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards 2011 and in the show that they performed for MTV World Stage.
German CD single
Source:
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...
. The song was written by members William Adams
Will.i.am
William James Adams, Jr. , better known by his stage name will.i.am and occasionally by his other stage name Zuper Blahq, is an American rapper, musician, songwriter, singer, actor and producer...
, Allan Pineda, Jaime Gomez and Stacy Ferguson
Stacy Ferguson
Stacy Ann Ferguson , better known by her stage name Fergie, is an American singer-songwriter, fashion designer and actress. She was a member of the children's television series Kids Incorporated and the girl group Wild Orchid. She is the female vocalist for the hip hop group The Black Eyed Peas...
, along with Joshua Alvarez, Stephen Shadowen, Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins
Rodney Jerkins
Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins is an American songwriter, record producer, and musician. Jerkins received two Grammy nominations in 2011.-Biography:...
, and Julie Frost
Julie Frost
Julie Frost is an internationally known award winning American songwriter, singer, guitar player and music producer. She is the first American songwriter to win the Eurovision Song Contest, as co-writer of the song "Satellite", which won the contest in 2010 for Germany...
, for the group's sixth studio album, The Beginning
The Beginning (The Black Eyed Peas album)
The Beginning received generally mixedreviews from most music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 47, based on 19 reviews, which indicates "mixed or average reviews."Monica Herrera wrote for...
(2010). It was announced on January 21, 2011 as the album's second single. The song has been a success on the charts, reaching the top-five in many countries, such as Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, Greece, France, United Kingdom and the United States, among others. The video for this song was filmed in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
a week before the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami
2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami
The 2011 earthquake off the Pacific coast of Tohoku, also known as the 2011 Tohoku earthquake, or the Great East Japan Earthquake, was a magnitude 9.0 undersea megathrust earthquake off the coast of Japan that occurred at 14:46 JST on Friday, 11 March 2011, with the epicenter approximately east...
had begun.
As of June 2011, the single has sold more than 2,400,000 digital units in the US.
Background and composition
The Beginnings second single was announced on The Black Eyed Peas' official website on January 21, 2011. According to the group's official website, the electro song is an attempt to showcase the "physical and emotional range" of the voice of band member Fergie.Rodney Jerkins and Julie Frost composed the basic song together, with Jerkins on piano and Frost contributing the lyrics and topline melody. The Darkchild production team of Tommy Brown and Bah then worked on the producing the track and contributing to the music composition before finally Will.I.Am and the Black Eyed Peas, in the words of Frost, "cut it up and gave it their own twist".
The song was described as a "familiar Black Eyed Peas formula that by now is starting to feel somewhat tiresome." Fergie's voice was described as a "wistfulness, and there are seeds for something more exciting. Her voice can carry an unvarnished sweetness that cuts through all of the electronic studio trickery with a palpable warmth." Group member Taboo
Taboo (rapper)
Jaime Luis Gómez , better known by his stage name Taboo, is an American singer, actor, and rapper best known as a member of the group The Black Eyed Peas.-Personal life:...
explained the meaning of the song to 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...
as: "The message is knowing that when you're gone from somebody, especially when you're on tour, you can't get enough of them or you're just thinking about them and you just want to let them know that you're always there for them."
Critical reception
Bill Lamb from 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....
rated it three-and-a-half-stars out of five and claimed that: "Most of the running time of the song is taken up by the simple pop song structure and lyrics about addictive love. The final section switches things up into highly processed electronic territory without warning." Eitherway, Lamb thought that the song is "formulaic" and that is "heavily processed recording that creates distance from listeners. He conclued his review, saying: "The song was reportedly designed as a showcase for Fergie's vocal talent. Her singing is beautiful here, but again there simply isn't much. "Just Can't Get Enough" is a pleasing, beautiful moment in time, but it is a fleeting one. Andy Gill from The Independent
The Independent
The Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
said, positively, that: "other highlights include "Just Can't Get Enough" – not the Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode are an English electronic music band formed in 1980 in Basildon, Essex. The group's original line-up consisted of Dave Gahan , Martin Gore , Andy Fletcher and Vince Clarke...
song – which vaults suddenly from the rare dignity of string-synth textures to a sweatily pumping techno finale". Lewis Corner from Digital Spy
Digital Spy
Digital Spy is a British entertainment and media news website. According to Alexa Internet traffic statistics, as of February 2011, Digital Spy is the 93rd most popular website in the United Kingdom, with an overall Alexa ranking of 2,088....
rated it three stars (out of five) and commented that: "The back-and-forth production - reminiscent of vintage arcade game Pong
Pong
Pong is one of the earliest arcade video games, and is a tennis sports game featuring simple two-dimensional graphics. While other arcade video games such as Computer Space came before it, Pong was one of the first video games to reach mainstream popularity...
- comprises electronic synths and soft strings teamed with heavy beats and, of course, the obligatory vocoded "mega switch up" - prompting its transformation into a thumping techno endgame. Throw in some "LOL" text lingo and computerised vocals, and we can't help but think he's perhaps spent a little too much time in front of the PC for this one. You want to be careful Will, we hear they make your eyes go square" This song also resembles Kanye West
Kanye West
Kanye Omari West is an American rapper, singer, and record producer. West first rose to fame as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records, where he eventually achieved recognition for his work on Jay-Z's album The Blueprint, as well as hit singles for musical artists including Alicia Keys, Ludacris, and...
's Heartless.
Music video
The music video for "Just Can't Get Enough" was directed by Ben Mor. It was shot over a three-day period in TokyoTokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, Japan while the group was on a press tour. The video was shot just one week before the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami
2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami
The 2011 earthquake off the Pacific coast of Tohoku, also known as the 2011 Tohoku earthquake, or the Great East Japan Earthquake, was a magnitude 9.0 undersea megathrust earthquake off the coast of Japan that occurred at 14:46 JST on Friday, 11 March 2011, with the epicenter approximately east...
. In an interview with Entertainment Tonight
Entertainment Tonight
Entertainment Tonight is a daily tabloid television entertainment television news show that is syndicated by CBS Television Distribution throughout the United States, Canada and in many countries around the world. Linda Bell Blue is currently the program's executive producer...
, Fergie spoke of the clip and the natural disaster in Japan, saying, "It was the easiest video I ever shot because it was us living our lives. I love that it's showing a true perspective of how it can sometimes be lonely on the road away from our loved ones. It also demonstrates the love and connection we have with Japan. Our heart goes out to all of the Japanese people who have been affected by this natural disaster." Taboo was also quoted saying "It was an amazing moment in time because Japan has always been my favorite place on the planet. It was great to do our video there. God bless the Japanese. Our love goes out to them."
The video premiered on March 16, 2011 on music video website Vevo
Vevo
Vevo is a music video website. It is a joint venture among Sony Music Entertainment, Universal Music Group, and Abu Dhabi Media with EMI licensing its content to the group without taking an ownership stake. The service was launched officially on December 8, 2009...
. It opens with the caption "This video was filmed in Japan one week before the earthquake and tsunami. Our thoughts and prayers go out to all the people of Japan. We love you." It was shot in a guerilla-style. Fergie is seen in a hotel room, will.i.am is in the back of a car. Taboo sings his verse while walking in the city and apl.de.ap sings his "switched up" verse in front of a futuristic backdrop with flashing lights. It also includes vignettes of Tokyo's nightlife, such as young club-goers taking photos with mobile phones and the city's rail system. At a couple points it shows all four members wearing different styles of sunglasses and dressed in black preforming at a nightclub. The clip closes with a message to encourage viewers to donate to the Red Cross
International Committee of the Red Cross
The International Committee of the Red Cross is a private humanitarian institution based in Geneva, Switzerland. States parties to the four Geneva Conventions of 1949 and their Additional Protocols of 1977 and 2005, have given the ICRC a mandate to protect the victims of international and...
.
The video received positive reviews from critics. Bill Lamb of 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....
wrote that "The feel ... was already a bit melancholy depicting the loneliness and separation of being on the road. However, the fact that the clip was filmed in Tokyo, Japan just a week before the recent devastating earthquake gives the video even more depth and poignance." Becky Bain of Idolator
Idolator (website)
Idolator is a music blog. Created by the blog network Gawker Media in August 2006, Idolator was later sold to rival blog network Buzz Media, which also owns music blog Stereogum. From the 2007 departure of original head writer Brian Raftery until November 2009, the blog's head writer was Maura...
wrote that "It's basically Lost In Translation
Lost in Translation (film)
Lost in Translation is a 2003 American film written and directed by Sofia Coppola; her second feature film after The Virgin Suicides and it stars Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson...
with a more thumping soundtrack."
Live performances
The Black Eyed Peas performed the song for the first time on the tenth seasonAmerican Idol (season 10)
The tenth season of American Idol premiered on January 19, 2011 and concluded on May 25, 2011, on Fox. The show underwent a number of changes from season nine, including the reduction of the judging panel to its original number of just three judges , a returning executive producer, a new music...
of American Idol
American Idol
American Idol, titled American Idol: The Search for a Superstar for the first season, is a reality television singing competition created by Simon Fuller and produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment...
on March 17, 2011. The performance began with will.i.am, wearing a white suit and playing on the piano and dedicating the song to Japan. Fergie then opened the song while sitting atop the piano and wearing a white halter dress. Later, will.i.am stood up and joined her onstage to sing his lines. apl.de.ap and Taboo, also wearing white clothing, sang and rapped along. Behind them, string players and dancers performed, and couples acted out skits. Near the end, the group jumped around onstage, while encouraging the audience to dance and clap along. They also performed "Just Can't Get Enough" at the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards 2011 and in the show that they performed for MTV World Stage.
Track listing
Digital download- "Just Can't Get Enough" – 3:40
German CD single
- "Just Can't Get Enough" – 3:40
- "Just Can't Get Enough" (Instrumental) – 3:48
Credits and personnel
- Vocals – Will.i.amWill.i.amWilliam James Adams, Jr. , better known by his stage name will.i.am and occasionally by his other stage name Zuper Blahq, is an American rapper, musician, songwriter, singer, actor and producer...
, apl.de.apApl.de.apAllan Pineda Lindo, Jr. better known as apl.de.ap , is a Filipino-American rapper, record producer, and occasional drummer who is best known as a member of The Black Eyed Peas.-Early life:Pineda was born in Belfast...
, Fergie, Jaime Gomez - SongwritingSongwriterA songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
– Will.i.am, apl.de.ap, Fergie, Taboo, Joshua Alvarez Stephen Shadowen, Rodney Jerkins, Julie FrostJulie FrostJulie Frost is an internationally known award winning American songwriter, singer, guitar player and music producer. She is the first American songwriter to win the Eurovision Song Contest, as co-writer of the song "Satellite", which won the contest in 2010 for Germany... - 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...
– Will.i.am, DJ Ammo, Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins - ConductingConductingConducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble...
& ArrangementArrangementThe American Federation of Musicians defines arranging as "the art of preparing and adapting an already written composition for presentation in other than its original form. An arrangement may include reharmonization, paraphrasing, and/or development of a composition, so that it fully represents...
– Larry Gold - Violins – Emma Kummrow, Olga Konopelsky, Gislaine Fleischmann, Charles Parker, Michelle Bishop, Gregory Teperman, Tamae Lee & Erica Miller
- Violas – Davis Barnett & Ruth Frazier
- CelloCelloThe cello is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is a member of the violin family of musical instruments, which also includes the violin, viola, and double bass. Old forms of the instrument in the Baroque era are baryton and viol .A person who plays a cello is...
– Jennie Lorenzo Tom Kraines - Drum programming, Fender Rhodes, synthesizers, Moog Bass – will.i.am
- Drum programming, synthesizers – Dj Ammo
Source:
Charts
| Chart (2011) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Brazil (Crowley Broadcast Analysis Crowley Broadcast Analysis Crowley Broadcast Analysis is an official institution of research, which monitors the radios in Brazil since 1997. Currently the company provides data to the Escritório Central de Arrecadação e Distribuição and the Brazilian Association of Record Producers and besides being the standard for the... ) |
1 |
| Canada (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... ) |
5 |
| German Airplay Chart | 14 |
| Greek Singles Chart (Billboard Billboard (magazine) Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis... ) |
1 |
| Italy (FIMI Italy Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and... ) |
5 |
| New Zealand (RIANZ Recording Industry Association of New Zealand The Recording Industry Association of New Zealand is a non-profit trade association of record producers, distributors and recording artists who sell music in New Zealand... ) |
4 |
| Poland (ZPAV Polish Music Charts The Polish Music Charts are two official album charts and seven singles charts in Poland, provided by ZPAV, the Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry . The first, the Top 100, is a monthly chart based on data received from the album companies... ) |
1 |
| Poland (Dance Top 50 Polish Music Charts The Polish Music Charts are two official album charts and seven singles charts in Poland, provided by ZPAV, the Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry . The first, the Top 100, is a monthly chart based on data received from the album companies... ) |
35 |
| Poland (Video Chart Polish Music Charts The Polish Music Charts are two official album charts and seven singles charts in Poland, provided by ZPAV, the Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry . The first, the Top 100, is a monthly chart based on data received from the album companies... ) |
1 |
| US Billboard Billboard (magazine) Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis... 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... |
3 |
| US Bubbling Under R&B/Hip-Hop Singles | 2 |
| US Pop Songs (Billboard Billboard (magazine) Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis... ) |
2 |
| US Adult Pop Songs (Billboard Billboard (magazine) Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis... ) |
30 |
| US Latin Pop Songs (Billboard Billboard (magazine) Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis... ) |
19 |
Certifications
| Country | Certification |
|---|---|
| Australia Australian Recording Industry Association The Australian Recording Industry Association is a trade group representing the Australian recording industry which was established in 1983 by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing the Association of Australian Record Manufacturers which was formed in 1956... |
2× Platinum |
| Belgium Ultratop Ultratop is an organization which generates and publishes the official record charts in Belgium, and it is also the name of most of those charts... |
Gold |
| Germany Bundesverband Musikindustrie The Bundesverband Musikindustrie or simply BVMI represents the music industry in Germany. The association represents the interests of nearly 350 labels and music industry related enterprises.... |
Gold |
| Italy | Platinum |
| New Zealand Recording Industry Association of New Zealand The Recording Industry Association of New Zealand is a non-profit trade association of record producers, distributors and recording artists who sell music in New Zealand... |
Platinum |
| Sweden | Platinum |
| Switzerland | Gold |
Release history
| Region | Date | Format |
|---|---|---|
| Belgium | February 18, 2011 | Digital download 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... |
| France | ||
| Ireland | ||
| Germany | February 25, 2011 | CD single CD single A CD single is a music single in the form of a standard size Compact Disc, not to be confused with the 3-inch CD single, which uses a smaller form factor. The format was introduced in the mid-1980s, but did not gain its place in the market until the early 1990s... |
| United Kingdom | March 20, 2011 |