Mama Do (Uh Oh, Uh Oh)
Encyclopedia
"Mama Do" (also known as "Mama Do") is a song by English recording artist Pixie Lott
from her debut album, Turn It Up
. Written and produced by Mads Hauge and Phil Thornalley
, the song was released digitally
in the United Kingdom on 6 June 2009 and physically on 8 June 2009 as the album's lead single
, spending one week atop the UK Singles Chart
. It was strongly supported by BBC Radio 1
, reaching the station's A-list. "Mama Do (Uh Oh, Uh Oh)" which according to The Official Charts Company company is the first time a debut single by a British female solo artist has come in at number one, without being the product of a Reality Show.
's "Soulmate
") and Phil Thornalley
(co-writer of Natalie Imbruglia
's "Torn"), "Mama Do (Uh Oh, Uh Oh)" is an uptempo electropop song which opens with siren-like synths and melodramatically soulful
vocal. The song is composed of many synthesisers, drum machine
and keyboards. It is composed in the key of D#minor. It has 120 beats per minute and runs through a moderate electropop-oriented beat. Other contributors to the track's development have been credited as follows: Chris Sansom, Greg Kurstin, Anders Kallmark, John Thirkell, Phil Smith, Phil Tan, Carlos Oyanedel and Tom Coyne. The song's lyrics tell the story of a teenage girl who is restricted by parents into not getting into a relationship with another boy. The girl then goes out at night out of rebellion and keeps questioning her parents' reaction to everything she is doing throughout her night out.
Lott explained the song to Digital Spy
:
were recorded for the single's release; "Want You" appears on its CD single, whilst an acoustic cover
of alternative rock
band Kings of Leon
's 2008 hit single "Use Somebody
" was featured as the digital single's B-side. Due to the strong popularity of the single at the time, "Use Somebody" reached number fifty-two on the UK Singles Chart as well on non-single downloads only. The song is also featured on various album compilations, including Bouncemania, Bravo Hits 67, Now That's What I Call Music! 73, Just Dance – The Biggest Pop and Dance Hits, Bravo Black Hits Vol. 21, Ö3 Greatest Hits Vol. 47, Hit Connection 2009.3 and MNM Big Hits 2009.3.
As part of the single's promotion, Lott performed the song on various television shows, including: Live Lounge
, Freshly Squeezed
, Sound
, Totally Saturday
, Loose Women
and GMTV
. A Simlish
version of the song was also recorded to feature on the EA Games computer game The Sims 3
. The track was covered
by Dutch pop singer Esmée Denters
and the Manchester
-based electronic
duo Flip & Fill
have also remixed the song, included as track number ten on the compilation album Clubland 15
.
". Daniel Wilcox of 411mania.com described the song as "a sassy and soulful number along the lines of Amy Winehouse
's bigger singles, only more powerful and sexy, and that much more vocally impressive". Digital Spy
music editor Nick Levine wrote that "Mama Do (Uh Oh, Uh Oh)" "is a soulful slice of retro-pop that lands somewhere between the realms of Duffy
and Natasha Bedingfield
". In a positive review for the BBC
Chart Blog, Fraser McAlpine commented that the song "is mined from the same gently retro school of blues
that guided Duffy to all those Brit awards
earlier in the year". He also wrote that "[t]he melody smacks of a less bleak retelling of Amy Winehouse's 'Back To Black
', as performed by the Sugababes
". Brit Music Scene's Dave Parrack stated that the song "shows off her style really well, allowing her to sing around a catchy bassline which accentuates rather than overbears her voice". The website of the UK branch of the mobile phone company Orange positively compared Lott to other female artists of the same genre, stating that the song is "a thoroughly enjoyable blast of handclapping, cymbal
-crashing pop, and features some of the catchiest 'uh-oh-uh-oh'-ing since Beyoncé
's 'Crazy In Love'. Pixie's undeniably impressive vocals still come off rather more Gabriella Cilmi
than Amy Winehouse, but it's a sterling start from a definite one-to-watch".
with sales of over 58,839 copies, before being replaced at the top by David Guetta
's "When Love Takes Over
". As a result Lott became the first British female artist ever to debut atop the chart who had not emerged from a reality TV/talent series background.
Lott notes her reaction when the song reached number one:
The single went on to spend nine consecutive weeks within the top forty before dropping out on 16 August 2009. Nearing the release of her second consecutive number-one single, "Boys and Girls
", "Mama Do (Uh Oh, Uh Oh)" re-entered the top forty at number thirty-seven on 30 August 2009, before dropping out again on 13 September 2009. It has spent in total eleven weeks within the chart's top forty and eighteen weeks within its top seventy-five. The single was certified silver by the British Phonographic Industry
on 28 August 2009 for sales in excess of 200,000 copies.
As a result of the single's popularity at the time, the single's digital B-side, "Use Somebody
", debuted and peaked, during the single's release week, on the UK Singles Chart at number fifty-two. It later dropped out the chart on 21 June 2009 after spending a total of two weeks within the top seventy-five.
The single also had considerable success outside of the UK, reaching the top forty in eleven other countries, including top ten peaks of number eight in Denmark and number ten in France.
, directed by Trudy Bellinger
, was released to MySpace in Lott's news section and has gained in excess of two million views on YouTube, where it was added on 28 April 2009. It begins with Lott lying on her back in a large white bed filled with countless white silk material to create an imagery of a white-only room. Her friends then come crawling under the sheets in white outfits and they then move on through a locker with Lott into a locker room where she then changes into a red outfit and puts special grip powder on her hands. Lott and her group then move into a more glamorous-looking dressing room where they can be seen getting ready. Lott is now wearing a black outfit and she begins a clap-like dance with her friends before a group of guys arrive outside the dressing room on motorbikes with their headlights shining on the dressing room. The group of girls and group of guys then progress into a clap-themed dance-off. The dance-off ends with Lott slapping one of the guys in the male group and a load cheer and celebration afterward. Lott then climbs onto a white motorbike with her name on it, wearing sunglasses. She then drives off home where the video ends with her lying in bed again.
Trudy Bellinger
describes the music video's concept and background:
UK iTunes single
UK iTunes EP
Pixie Lott
Victoria Louise "Pixie" Lott is an English singer-songwriter, dancer and actress. Her debut single "Mama Do" was released in June 2009 and went straight to number one in the UK Singles Chart. Her second single "Boys and Girls", also topped the UK charts in September 2009. Her debut album Turn It...
from her debut album, Turn It Up
Turn It Up (Pixie Lott album)
Turn It Up is the debut studio album by English recording artist Pixie Lott. It was released in the United Kingdom on 14 September 2009 by Mercury Records. The album debuted at number six on the UK Albums Chart, before dropping to number thirteen in its second week. Turn It Up has so far spent five...
. Written and produced by Mads Hauge and Phil Thornalley
Phil Thornalley
Phil Thornalley is a songwriter-producer who has worked in the music industry since 1978. He is perhaps best known for co-writing the song "Torn" which Natalie Imbruglia later covered to great success for her 1997 debut album, Left of the Middle...
, the song was released digitally
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...
in the United Kingdom on 6 June 2009 and physically on 8 June 2009 as the album's lead single
Lead single
A lead single is usually the first single released by a musician or a band before the release of its home album.During the era of the grammophone record, all music arrived in the marketplace as what is now termed a single, one potential hit song backed by an additional song of generally less...
, spending one week atop 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 ...
. It was strongly supported by BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
, reaching the station's A-list. "Mama Do (Uh Oh, Uh Oh)" which according to The Official Charts Company company is the first time a debut single by a British female solo artist has come in at number one, without being the product of a Reality Show.
Background and Composition
Written and produced by Mads Hauge (co-writer of Natasha BedingfieldNatasha Bedingfield
Natasha Anne Bedingfield is a British pop singer and songwriter. Bedingfield debuted in the 1990s as a member of the Christian dance/electronic group The DNA Algorithm with her siblings Daniel Bedingfield and Nikola Rachelle...
's "Soulmate
Soulmate (song)
"Soulmate" is a pop song written and produced by Natasha Bedingfield, Mads Hauge and David Tench for Bedingfield's second album, N.B. . The song is written in the key of E-flat minor and set in 4/4 time. Bedingfield's vocals range from F#3 to B4. The lyrics discuss if there is a soulmate for...
") and Phil Thornalley
Phil Thornalley
Phil Thornalley is a songwriter-producer who has worked in the music industry since 1978. He is perhaps best known for co-writing the song "Torn" which Natalie Imbruglia later covered to great success for her 1997 debut album, Left of the Middle...
(co-writer of Natalie Imbruglia
Natalie Imbruglia
Natalie Jane Imbruglia is an Australian singer-songwriter, model and actress. In the early 1990s, Imbruglia was known to audiences as Beth Brennan in the popular Australian soap Neighbours. Three years after leaving the programme, Imbruglia launched a singing career with the international hit,...
's "Torn"), "Mama Do (Uh Oh, Uh Oh)" is an uptempo electropop song which opens with siren-like synths and melodramatically soulful
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
vocal. The song is composed of many synthesisers, drum machine
Drum machine
A drum machine is an electronic musical instrument designed to imitate the sound of drums or other percussion instruments. They are used in a variety of musical genres, not just purely electronic music...
and keyboards. It is composed in the key of D#minor. It has 120 beats per minute and runs through a moderate electropop-oriented beat. Other contributors to the track's development have been credited as follows: Chris Sansom, Greg Kurstin, Anders Kallmark, John Thirkell, Phil Smith, Phil Tan, Carlos Oyanedel and Tom Coyne. The song's lyrics tell the story of a teenage girl who is restricted by parents into not getting into a relationship with another boy. The girl then goes out at night out of rebellion and keeps questioning her parents' reaction to everything she is doing throughout her night out.
Lott explained the song to 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....
:
It's about sneaking out the house and going to see a specific person without your parents knowing about it. It's a really cool song because it suits my age and I can relate to it. I mean, there have been a couple of occasions when I might have sneaked out the house and not told my mum and dad.
Release and promotion
Two different B-sidesA-side and B-side
A-side and B-side originally referred to the two sides of gramophone records on which singles were released beginning in the 1950s. The terms have come to refer to the types of song conventionally placed on each side of the record, with the A-side being the featured song , while the B-side, or...
were recorded for the single's release; "Want You" appears on its CD single, whilst an acoustic cover
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of alternative rock
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
band Kings of Leon
Kings of Leon
Kings of Leon is an American rock band that originated in Albion, Oklahoma but formed in Nashville, Tennessee in 1999. The band is composed of brothers Anthony Caleb Followill , Ivan Nathan Followill and Michael Jared Followill Kings of Leon is an American rock band that originated in Albion,...
's 2008 hit single "Use Somebody
Use Somebody
"Use Somebody" is a song by the American alternative rock group Kings of Leon. It was the second single from the band's fourth studio album Only by the Night , released on December 8, 2008....
" was featured as the digital single's B-side. Due to the strong popularity of the single at the time, "Use Somebody" reached number fifty-two on the UK Singles Chart as well on non-single downloads only. The song is also featured on various album compilations, including Bouncemania, Bravo Hits 67, Now That's What I Call Music! 73, Just Dance – The Biggest Pop and Dance Hits, Bravo Black Hits Vol. 21, Ö3 Greatest Hits Vol. 47, Hit Connection 2009.3 and MNM Big Hits 2009.3.
As part of the single's promotion, Lott performed the song on various television shows, including: Live Lounge
Live Lounge
The Live Lounge is a segment on the British radio station BBC Radio 1. Originally hosted by Jo Whiley on her mid-morning radio show and now hosted by Fearne Cotton, it exhibits well-known artists usually performing one song of their own and one by another artist, in an acoustic format...
, Freshly Squeezed
Freshly Squeezed
Freshly Squeezed is a British television programme broadcast every weekday morning around 07:00 on Channel 4.-Format:The programme takes the format of a music-based breakfast show, featuring studio performances, music videos and interviews.-Current:...
, Sound
Sound (BBC TV series)
Sound was a weekly music, entertainment and chat show that broadcasted on BBC2 as part of the BBC Switch teen strand. It was presented by BBC Radio 1 DJs Annie Mac and Nick Grimshaw....
, Totally Saturday
Totally Saturday
Totally Saturday was an entertainment and audience participation programme aired by the BBC in the United Kingdom. It premiered on BBC One on 6 June 2009 and ran for seven weeks.- Production :...
, Loose Women
Loose Women
Loose Women is a British lunchtime television programme, first broadcast in 1999 on ITV. It consists of a panel of four women who interview celebrities and discuss topical issues, ranging from daily politics and current affairs, to celebrity gossip...
and GMTV
GMTV
GMTV was the national Channel 3 breakfast television contractor, broadcasting in the United Kingdom from 1 January 1993 to 3 September 2010. It became a wholly owned subsidiary of ITV plc. in November 2009. Shortly after, ITV plc announced the programme would end...
. A Simlish
Simlish
Simlish is a fictional language featured in EA Games' Sim series of games. It debuted in SimCopter, and has been especially prominent in The Sims, The Sims 2 and The Sims 3. The Sims development team created the unique Simlish language by experimenting with fractured Ukrainian, French, Latin,...
version of the song was also recorded to feature on the EA Games computer game The Sims 3
The Sims 3
The Sims 3 is a 2009 strategic life simulation computer game developed by The Sims Studio and published by Electronic Arts. It is the sequel to the best-selling computer game, The Sims 2. It was first released on June 2, 2009 simultaneously for Mac OS X and Microsoft Windows...
. The track was covered
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
by Dutch pop singer Esmée Denters
Esmée Denters
Esmée Denters is a Dutch singer-songwriter. She was a regular cover-artist on video-sharing website YouTube on which she covered songs by contemporary musicians like Justin Timberlake and Natasha Bedingfield....
and the Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
-based electronic
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...
duo Flip & Fill
Flip & Fill
Flip & Fill are a Manchester, England based electronic dance music duo, consisting of the producers/remixers, DJs Graham Turner and Mark Hall. They are signed to the All Around The World record label.-Career:...
have also remixed the song, included as track number ten on the compilation album Clubland 15
Clubland 15
Clubland 15 is a dance compilation album from the Clubland series by Universal Music TV and All Around The World, released in 2009. It reached #1 in the Compilation Album Charts on the July 5, 2009.-Disc 1:# Agnes - Release Me...
.
Critical reception
The song has been given positive reviews. Ruth Harrison of FemaleFirst positively reviewed the song, stating that "this track is just what we need this summer" and that "[i]t's like a slice of grown up bubblegum popBubblegum pop
Bubblegum pop is a genre of pop music with an upbeat sound contrived and marketed to appeal to pre-teens and teenagers, produced in an assembly-line process, driven by producers, often using unknown singers.Bubblegum's classic period ran from 1967 to 1972...
". Daniel Wilcox of 411mania.com described the song as "a sassy and soulful number along the lines of Amy Winehouse
Amy Winehouse
Amy Jade Winehouse was an English singer-songwriter known for her powerful deep contralto vocals and her eclectic mix of musical genres including R&B, soul and jazz. Winehouse's 2003 debut album, Frank, was critically successful in the UK and was nominated for the Mercury Prize...
's bigger singles, only more powerful and sexy, and that much more vocally impressive". 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....
music editor Nick Levine wrote that "Mama Do (Uh Oh, Uh Oh)" "is a soulful slice of retro-pop that lands somewhere between the realms of Duffy
Duffy (singer)
Aimée Ann Duffy , known as Duffy, is a Welsh singer-songwriter. Her 2008 debut album Rockferry entered the UK Album Chart at number one. It was the best-selling album in the United Kingdom in 2008 with 1.68 million copies sold...
and Natasha Bedingfield
Natasha Bedingfield
Natasha Anne Bedingfield is a British pop singer and songwriter. Bedingfield debuted in the 1990s as a member of the Christian dance/electronic group The DNA Algorithm with her siblings Daniel Bedingfield and Nikola Rachelle...
". In a positive review for the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
Chart Blog, Fraser McAlpine commented that the song "is mined from the same gently retro school of blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
that guided Duffy to all those Brit awards
Brit Awards
The Brit Awards are the British Phonographic Industry's annual pop music awards. The name was originally a shortened form of "British", "Britain" or "Britannia", but subsequently became a backronym for British Record Industry Trust...
earlier in the year". He also wrote that "[t]he melody smacks of a less bleak retelling of Amy Winehouse's 'Back To Black
Back to Black (song)
"Back to Black" is a song by English recording artist Amy Winehouse. It was released on April 30, 2007 as the third single from her second studio album, Back to Black. It was written by Winehouse and Mark Ronson...
', as performed by the Sugababes
Sugababes
The Sugababes are an English pop girl group based in London, consisting of members Heidi Range, Amelle Berrabah and Jade Ewen. The Sugababes were formed in 1998 with founding members Siobhán Donaghy, Mutya Buena and Keisha Buchanan. Their debut album, One Touch, was released in 2000 under London...
". Brit Music Scene's Dave Parrack stated that the song "shows off her style really well, allowing her to sing around a catchy bassline which accentuates rather than overbears her voice". The website of the UK branch of the mobile phone company Orange positively compared Lott to other female artists of the same genre, stating that the song is "a thoroughly enjoyable blast of handclapping, cymbal
Cymbal
Cymbals are a common percussion instrument. Cymbals consist of thin, normally round plates of various alloys; see cymbal making for a discussion of their manufacture. The greater majority of cymbals are of indefinite pitch, although small disc-shaped cymbals based on ancient designs sound a...
-crashing pop, and features some of the catchiest 'uh-oh-uh-oh'-ing since Beyoncé
Beyoncé Knowles
Beyoncé Giselle Knowles , often known simply as Beyoncé, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, she enrolled in various performing arts schools and was first exposed to singing and dancing competitions as a child...
's 'Crazy In Love'. Pixie's undeniably impressive vocals still come off rather more Gabriella Cilmi
Gabriella Cilmi
Gabriella Lucia Cilmi is an Australian singer-songwriter. In 2008, Cilmi was awarded six ARIA awards including Single of the Year and Best Female Artist....
than Amy Winehouse, but it's a sterling start from a definite one-to-watch".
Chart performance
On the issue dated 14 June 2009, "Mama Do (Uh Oh, Uh Oh)" debuted at number one for one week on the UK Singles ChartUK 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 ...
with sales of over 58,839 copies, before being replaced at the top by David Guetta
David Guetta
Pierre David Guetta , known professionally as David Guetta , is a French house music producer and DJ. Originally a DJ at nightclubs during the 1980s and 1990s, he co-founded Gum Productions and released his first album, Just a Little More Love, in 2002. Later, he released Guetta Blaster and Pop Life...
's "When Love Takes Over
When Love Takes Over
"When Love Takes Over" is a song by French disc jockey -music producer David Guetta from his fourth studio album, One Love. It was released as the lead single from the album on 21 April 2009 by Virgin Records...
". As a result Lott became the first British female artist ever to debut atop the chart who had not emerged from a reality TV/talent series background.
Lott notes her reaction when the song reached number one:
I was in bed at my mum and dad's, where I still live, in Brentwood, EssexBrentwood, EssexBrentwood is a town and the principal settlement of the Borough of Brentwood, in the county of Essex in the east of England. It is located in the London commuter belt, 20 miles east north-east of Charing Cross in London, and near the M25 motorway....
. I was on the laptop, and I got a phone call from my A&R man. He really dragged it out. I said "Please put me out of my misery." And he said, "I'm really, really sorry but... You're No 1!" I spent the rest of the day running around the house screaming.
The single went on to spend nine consecutive weeks within the top forty before dropping out on 16 August 2009. Nearing the release of her second consecutive number-one single, "Boys and Girls
Boys and Girls (Pixie Lott song)
"Boys and Girls" is a song by English recording artist Pixie Lott, released as the second single from her debut album, Turn It Up. It was released digitally in the United Kingdom on 5 September 2009 by Mercury Records as an iTunes EP, followed by an iTunes single on 6 September and a physical...
", "Mama Do (Uh Oh, Uh Oh)" re-entered the top forty at number thirty-seven on 30 August 2009, before dropping out again on 13 September 2009. It has spent in total eleven weeks within the chart's top forty and eighteen weeks within its top seventy-five. The single was certified silver by the British Phonographic Industry
British Phonographic Industry
The British Phonographic Industry is the British record industry's trade association.-Structure:Its membership comprises hundreds of music companies including all four "major" record companies , associate members such as manufacturers and distributors, and hundreds of independent music companies...
on 28 August 2009 for sales in excess of 200,000 copies.
As a result of the single's popularity at the time, the single's digital B-side, "Use Somebody
Use Somebody
"Use Somebody" is a song by the American alternative rock group Kings of Leon. It was the second single from the band's fourth studio album Only by the Night , released on December 8, 2008....
", debuted and peaked, during the single's release week, on the UK Singles Chart at number fifty-two. It later dropped out the chart on 21 June 2009 after spending a total of two weeks within the top seventy-five.
The single also had considerable success outside of the UK, reaching the top forty in eleven other countries, including top ten peaks of number eight in Denmark and number ten in France.
Music video
The videoMusic video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
, directed by Trudy Bellinger
Trudy Bellinger
Trudy Bellinger is a British music video director. Bellinger is currently affiliated with Merge @ Crossroads Films. In addition to music videos, she has also directed TV adverts for Rimmel and M & S fashion Spring and Autumn-Videography:1997...
, was released to MySpace in Lott's news section and has gained in excess of two million views on YouTube, where it was added on 28 April 2009. It begins with Lott lying on her back in a large white bed filled with countless white silk material to create an imagery of a white-only room. Her friends then come crawling under the sheets in white outfits and they then move on through a locker with Lott into a locker room where she then changes into a red outfit and puts special grip powder on her hands. Lott and her group then move into a more glamorous-looking dressing room where they can be seen getting ready. Lott is now wearing a black outfit and she begins a clap-like dance with her friends before a group of guys arrive outside the dressing room on motorbikes with their headlights shining on the dressing room. The group of girls and group of guys then progress into a clap-themed dance-off. The dance-off ends with Lott slapping one of the guys in the male group and a load cheer and celebration afterward. Lott then climbs onto a white motorbike with her name on it, wearing sunglasses. She then drives off home where the video ends with her lying in bed again.
Trudy Bellinger
Trudy Bellinger
Trudy Bellinger is a British music video director. Bellinger is currently affiliated with Merge @ Crossroads Films. In addition to music videos, she has also directed TV adverts for Rimmel and M & S fashion Spring and Autumn-Videography:1997...
describes the music video's concept and background:
This song has an infectious clap that runs throughout and I wanted to visually reference the clapping and embellish it as the unique hook of the video.
As this is Pixie's debut video it was important for her label to show off all her incredible talents – she is stunning and a brilliant dancer. I wanted the choreography to really stand out as being fresh and different. The clapping was the obvious starting point to create a fusion of Pat-a-cakePat-a-cake, pat-a-cake, baker's man"Pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake, baker's man", "Pat-a-cake", "patty-cake" or "pattycake" is one of the oldest and most widely known surviving English nursery rhymes...
, capoeiraCapoeiraCapoeira is a Brazilian art form that combines elements of martial arts, sports, and music. It was created in Brazil mainly by descendants of African slaves with Brazilian native influences, probably beginning in the 16th century...
and physical theatrePhysical theatrePhysical theatre is used to describe any mode of performance that pursues storytelling or drama through primarily and secondarily physical and mental means. There are several quite distinct but indistinct traditions of performance which all describe themselves using the term "physical theatre",...
. In order to achieve this fusion of styles, I worked with two choreographers: Paul Roberts for his slick sharpness, and Kate Pearson for her innovative physical theatre.
The fusion really worked, and after two days of intense rehearsals we had an amazingly tight piece, although we had problems with twenty dancers being covered in bruises! In order to get the attitude across and the intensity with the choreography they really had to slap each other. We had to change the styling to hide all the bruises, particularly on the thighs.
The concept was also brought about by the lyrics, which are about sneaking out in the night and getting up to no good without your parents knowing. The idea of her crawling through her bed into this other world made it fantastical and have creative licence to have a few surreal elements. The bed scene was made up of thirty or so mattresses inside a tent of giant silk. The light was amazing, and once inside the bed set it felt so calming and peaceful. This serenity really reflects Pixie's performance in this section.
Through a door in the bed we see Pixie and the girls arrive through a locker into a locker room where they start to prepare themselves for the clap off. I shot at MC Motors and as this location is used a lot, I didn't want it to look like other videos but liked the textures and structure. We built a lockerroom with a pink perplex floor, leopard printdrops and a circular red pouffe.
The contrast of the hot pink next to the red brought a contemporary fashion to the video. Using red and pink neons sewn together with lots of pipes and industrial props. The main dance area was transformed into a more power station or factory feel. With a club edge, creating an exciting backdrop to the clap off.
Denzil Armour lit it, and Sam Brown did second unit, whilst Mark Adcock shot Bolex enabling me to get coverage of the six sets and choreography in one day. The drama of the clap off was created shooting at 100fps and speed ramping and jump cutting. And Ducati supplied all the bikes for the guys as well as Pixie's white one, which we added her logo to.
Track listings
CD single- "Mama Do (Uh Oh, Uh Oh)" – 3:19
- "Want You" – 3:59
UK iTunes single
- "Mama Do (Uh Oh, Uh Oh)" – 3:19
- "Use SomebodyUse Somebody"Use Somebody" is a song by the American alternative rock group Kings of Leon. It was the second single from the band's fourth studio album Only by the Night , released on December 8, 2008....
" – 3:06
UK iTunes EP
- "Mama Do (Uh Oh, Uh Oh)" (Linus LovesLinus LovesLinus Loves is a British dance music group and remix/production musical ensemble. The group originally consisted of DJs and producers Duncan Reid and Kevin McKay, after they co-founded Breastfed Recordings together in 2002 with Myles MacInnes...
Vocal) – 4:55 - "Mama Do (Uh Oh, Uh Oh)" (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"...
Vocal) – 7:04 - "Mama Do (Uh Oh, Uh Oh)" (T2 Remix) – 5:05
- "Mama Do (Uh Oh, Uh Oh)" (Donae'o Remix Radio Edit) – 3:42
Personnel
- Pixie Lott – vocals, backing vocals
- Tom Coyne – masteringAudio masteringMastering, a form of audio post-production, is the process of preparing and transferring recorded audio from a source containing the final mix to a data storage device ; the source from which all copies will be produced...
- Mads Hauge – producer, engineerAudio engineeringAn audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including...
, drums, bass, guitar, keyboards, Pro ToolsPro ToolsPro Tools is a digital audio workstation platform for Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X operating systems, developed and manufactured by Avid Technology. It is widely used by professionals throughout the audio industries for recording and editing in music production, film scoring, film, and television...
, programmingProgramming (music)Programming is a form of music production and performance using electronic devices, often sequencers or computer programs, to generate music. Programming is used in nearly all forms of electronic music and in most hip hop music since the 1990s. It is also frequently used in modern pop and rock...
, backing vocals - Anders Kallmark – synthesiser
- Greg KurstinGreg KurstinGregory Allen "Greg" Kurstin is an award-winning American songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. In 2009 Kurstin received a Grammy Award nomination for Producer of the Year. That same year he won three Ivor Novello awards for his work with Lily Allen, including Songwriters of the Year for "The Fear"...
– additional producer - Carlos Oyanedel – additional mixingAudio mixing (recorded music)In audio recording, audio mixing is the process by which multiple recorded sounds are combined into one or more channels, most commonly two-channel stereo. In the process, the source signals' level, frequency content, dynamics, and panoramic position are manipulated and effects such as reverb may...
- Chris Sansom – additional engineer
- Phil Smith – tenor saxophoneTenor saxophoneThe tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor, with the alto, are the two most common types of saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B, and written as a transposing instrument in the treble...
, baritone saxophoneBaritone saxophoneThe baritone saxophone, often called "bari sax" , is one of the largest and lowest pitched members of the saxophone family. It was invented by Adolphe Sax. The baritone is distinguished from smaller sizes of saxophone by the extra loop near its mouthpiece... - Phil TanPhil TanPhil Tan is an Atlanta, GA-based music/audio engineer.He is a 3-time Grammy Award recipient, as mixing engineer for Mariah Carey's "The Emancipation of Mimi" , Ludacris' "Release Therapy" and Rihanna's "Only Girl " .Among the artists on Tan's list of credits: Jill Scott, Jennifer...
– mixing - John ThirkellJohn ThirkellJohn Thirkell is a British trumpet and flugelhorn player, who has appeared on hundreds of pop, rock, and jazz recordings. Through the 1980s and early 1990s he was on at least one album in the UK Charts continuously, without a break, for over 13 years...
– trumpet, flugelhornFlugelhornThe flugelhorn is a brass instrument resembling a trumpet but with a wider, conical bore. Some consider it to be a member of the saxhorn family developed by Adolphe Sax ; however, other historians assert that it derives from the valve bugle designed by Michael Saurle , Munich 1832 , thus... - Phil ThornalleyPhil ThornalleyPhil Thornalley is a songwriter-producer who has worked in the music industry since 1978. He is perhaps best known for co-writing the song "Torn" which Natalie Imbruglia later covered to great success for her 1997 debut album, Left of the Middle...
– producer, drums, piano
Peak positions
| Chart (2009–2011) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Romania (Romanian Top 100 Romanian Top 100 The Romanian Top 100 is the national airplay-based singles chart of Romania. It is weekly and it started running in 1996. It is recognized as an official chart by the European division of Billboard, Music & Media.... ) |
64 |
Certifications
| Country | Certification |
|---|---|
| United Kingdom British Phonographic Industry The British Phonographic Industry is the British record industry's trade association.-Structure:Its membership comprises hundreds of music companies including all four "major" record companies , associate members such as manufacturers and distributors, and hundreds of independent music companies... |
Silver |
Year-end charts
| Chart (2009) | Position |
|---|---|
| Hungarian Singles Chart | 123 |
| Italian Singles Chart | 86 |
| UK Singles Chart | 56 |
Chart procession and succession
Release history
| Country | Date | Label | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 6 June 2009 | Mercury Records Mercury Records Mercury Records is a record label operating as a standalone company in the UK and as part of the Island Def Jam Motown Music Group in the US; both are subsidiaries of Universal Music Group. There is also a Mercury Records in Australia, which is a local artist and repertoire division of Universal... |
One-track digital single 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... |
| 7 June 2009 | Two-track digital single, digital EP 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... |
||
| 8 June 2009 | CD single | ||
| Brazil | 18 June 2009 | Universal Music Universal Music Group Universal Music Group is an American music group, the largest of the "big four" record companies by its commanding market share and its multitude of global operations... |
Digital download |
| Australia | 17 July 2009 | ||
| 7 August 2009 | CD single |