Oh Mother
Encyclopedia
"Oh Mother" is the fourth single
from Christina Aguilera
's third studio album, Back to Basics
(2006). The single – penned by Christina Aguilera, Christophe Barratier
, Bruno Coulais
and Kara DioGuardi
– was released as an international double A-side with "Slow Down Baby
".
" written by Bruno Coulais
, which appeared in the 2004 film The Chorus
. It was produced by Big Tank, L Boogie, and Aguilera herself. "Oh Mother" is a moderately slow song written in the key of C♯ minor. Its instrumentation comes from guitar
, keyboards
, piano
, and strings
.
The vocal range spans 2 octaves from the "E3" below middle to the "E5" above middle.
and features Aguilera singing and clips from the backdrop used during the tour.
an region as "Oh Mother", while the Oceania
n and Asia
n regions of the world received "Slow Down Baby" earlier that year on July 28, 2007. It was not released in the United States
. The song was set to be released on Latin America
, but the plans were scrapped in order to release "Slow Down Baby" as a radio single. The release was set on November 23, 2007 in Germany
and Austria
. In Switzerland
, the single charted for four weeks based solely on downloads
. On December 8, 2007 it was added to the A-Playlist of BBC Radio 2
in the United Kingdom
and was released as digital download on December 31, 2007.
Maxi premium
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
from Christina Aguilera
Christina Aguilera
Christina María Aguilera is an American recording artist and actress. Aguilera first appeared on national television in 1990 as a contestant on the Star Search program, and went on to star in Disney Channel's television series The Mickey Mouse Club from 1993–1994...
's third studio album, Back to Basics
Back to Basics (Christina Aguilera album)
Back to Basics is the third studio album by American recording artist Christina Aguilera, first released on August 10, 2006 by RCA Records...
(2006). The single – penned by Christina Aguilera, Christophe Barratier
Christophe Barratier
Christophe Barratier , son of actress Eva Simonet and nephew of film director Jacques Perrin, is a French film producer, film director and screenwriter. He has directed three hugely successful features films The Chorus...
, Bruno Coulais
Bruno Coulais
Bruno Coulais is a French composer, most widely known for his music on film soundtracks. He recently composed the score for the animated film, The Secret of Kells, released 12 March 2010.- Life and career :...
and Kara DioGuardi
Kara DioGuardi
Kara Elizabeth DioGuardi is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, music publisher, A&R executive, composer and TV personality. She writes music primarily in the light pop-rock, dance, and R&B genres. DioGuardi has worked with many popular artists; her songs have appeared on more than 159...
– was released as an international double A-side with "Slow Down Baby
Slow Down Baby
"Slow Down Baby" is a song recorded by American singer Christina Aguilera. It was the fourth single released from her third album, Back to Basics . It was released as an international double A-side song with "Oh Mother". "Slow Down Baby" was released as a single in July 2007 in the Oceanian and...
".
Background and composition
The song was written about Aguilera's mother's abusive relationship with her husband, Fausto Aguilera. The single contains elements of the song "Vois Sur Ton CheminLook To Your Path
"Look to Your Path" or "See Upon Your Path" is a song from the 2004 film Les Choristes. The song was performed by Beyoncé Knowles and the American Boychoir at the 2005 Academy Awards. In the film, the song was performed by Jean-Baptiste Maunier from the choir La Chorale des Petits Enfants De...
" written by Bruno Coulais
Bruno Coulais
Bruno Coulais is a French composer, most widely known for his music on film soundtracks. He recently composed the score for the animated film, The Secret of Kells, released 12 March 2010.- Life and career :...
, which appeared in the 2004 film The Chorus
The Chorus (2004 film)
The Chorus is a 2004 French drama film directed by Christophe Barratier. Co-written by Barratier and Philippe Lopes-Curval, it is an adaptation of the 1945 film A Cage of Nightingales , which in turn was adapted by Noël-Noël and René Wheeler from a story by Wheeler and Georges Chaperot.Widely...
. It was produced by Big Tank, L Boogie, and Aguilera herself. "Oh Mother" is a moderately slow song written in the key of C♯ minor. Its instrumentation comes from guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, keyboards
Keyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, and strings
Strings (music)
A string is the vibrating element that produces sound in string instruments, such as the guitar, harp, piano, and members of the violin family. Strings are lengths of a flexible material kept under tension so that they may vibrate freely, but controllably. Strings may be "plain"...
.
The vocal range spans 2 octaves from the "E3" below middle to the "E5" above middle.
Chart Performance
In Austria the single peaked at number 23 and spent 9 weeks on the Singles Chart in total. In the Netherlands the song peaked at number 54 where it spent one week, in total it spent 6 weeks on the chart. In Germany the track was fairly successful after spending 10 weeks on the chart, the singles peaked at number 18 on its first entry into the chart and in then fell to number 24 however it did raise from number 23 after its peak. In Switzerland the track spent 5 weeks on the Singles Chart peaking at number 79.Music video
The video premiered and received its first official airing on the German music television channel VIVA. It has been taken from the live DVD of the Back to Basics TourBack to Basics Tour
The Back to Basics Tour was the fourth concert tour by American recording artist Christina Aguilera. The tour supported her third studio album Back to Basics. It grossed over $90 million worldwide with 82 shows...
and features Aguilera singing and clips from the backdrop used during the tour.
Release
The single was delivered to the EuropeEurope
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an region as "Oh Mother", while the Oceania
Oceania
Oceania is a region centered on the islands of the tropical Pacific Ocean. Conceptions of what constitutes Oceania range from the coral atolls and volcanic islands of the South Pacific to the entire insular region between Asia and the Americas, including Australasia and the Malay Archipelago...
n and Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
n regions of the world received "Slow Down Baby" earlier that year on July 28, 2007. It was not released in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The song was set to be released on Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
, but the plans were scrapped in order to release "Slow Down Baby" as a radio single. The release was set on November 23, 2007 in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
. In Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, the single charted for four weeks based solely on downloads
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...
. On December 8, 2007 it was added to the A-Playlist of BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 2 is one of the BBC's national radio stations and the most popular station in the United Kingdom. Much of its daytime playlist-based programming is best described as Adult Contemporary or AOR, although the station is also noted for its specialist broadcasting of other musical genres...
in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and was released as digital download on December 31, 2007.
Track listing
Maxi basic- "Oh Mother" (Album Version) – 3:45
- "Oh Mother" (Instrumental) – 3:45
Maxi premium
- "Oh Mother" – 3:45
- "Oh Mother" (Instrumental) – 3:45
- "Ain't No Other ManAin't No Other Man"Ain't No Other Man" is a song written by Christina Aguilera, Charles Roane, DJ Premier, Harold Beatty, and Kara DioGuardi for Aguilera's third studio album Back to Basics...
" (Back to Basics Live in London) – 4:03 - "CandymanCandyman (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...
" (Back to Basics Live in London) – 3:22
Charts
| Chart (2007) | Peak position |
|---|
Release history
| Country | Date | Format |
|---|---|---|
| Germany | November 23, 2007 | 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... , CD single |
| Neatherlands | December 3, 2007 | |
| United Kingdom | December 31, 2007 |