"Skinny Genes" is a song performed by British recording artist Eliza Doolittle. The song serves as her debut single and first single from her debut album, Eliza Doolittle

Eliza Doolittle (album)

Eliza Doolittle is the eponymous debut album by British singer-songwriter Eliza Doolittle. It was released on 12 July 2010 by Parlophone Records. The first single "Skinny Genes" was released on 11 April 2010. The second single, "Pack Up", was released on 5 July 2010. On 7 January 2011 it was...

. The track was co-written by Doolittle in collaboration with Tim Woodcock and the song's producer Matthew Prime. "Skinny Genes" was one of three tracks where Doolittle had worked with Prime and Woodcock for her debut album. The single was officially released on 11 April 2010 by Parlophone Records on 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...

-only format, accompanied by a b-side entitled "Police Car" (written by Doolittle and Craigie Dodds). The track is inspired by love-hate relationship

Love-hate relationship

A love–hate relationship is an interpersonal relationship involving simultaneous or alternating emotions of love and hate. This relationship does not have to be of a romantic nature, and may be instead of a sibling one...

s and contains prominent indie pop

Indie pop

Indie pop is a genre of alternative rock music that originated in the United Kingdom in the mid 1980s, with its roots in the Scottish post-punk bands on the Postcard Records label in the early '80s, such as Orange Juice, Josef K and Aztec Camera, and the dominant UK independent band of the mid...

 musical characteristics. Lyrically, "Skinny Genes" refers from feministic point of view

Feminism

Feminism is a collection of movements aimed at defining, establishing, and defending equal political, economic, and social rights and equal opportunities for women. Its concepts overlap with those of women's rights...

 to how one can dislike all the personality traits of a partner but still enjoy the sexual chemistry one shares with them.

"Skinny Genes" garnered a positive response from contemporary music critics. The song also achieved mainstream success; debuting and peaking at number twenty-two on the UK Singles Chart

UK Singles Chart

The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...

. The song was accompanied by a 70s and 80s-styled music video

Music 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 Daniel Eskills and released on 25 December 2009. Doolittle performed the single live at London Fashion Week

London Fashion Week

London Fashion Week is an apparel trade show held in London, England twice each year, in February and September. It is one of the "Big Four" fashion weeks, along with New York Fashion Week, Milan Fashion Week and Paris Fashion Week.-Organization:...

 and on the British television stations 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...

 and STV". "Skinny Genes" featured in an advert for Fearne Cotton

Fearne Cotton

Fearne Cotton is an English television and radio presenter who is known for presenting a number of popular TV programmes such as Top of the Pops and the Red Nose Day telethon. In 2007, she became the first regular female presenter of BBC Radio 1's Chart Show...

 and Holly Willoughby

Holly Willoughby

Holly Marie Willoughby is an English television presenter and model, known for her work in presenting children's TV and entertainment shows. In her early career she modelled underwear and went on to present CD:UK...

's Very.

"Skinny Genes" was later re-released on December 27, 2010. A new video was made from the re-release. The track went on to make Radio 1's A-Playlist in the UK in late 2010.

Background

"Skinny Genes" was the first single from Eliza Doolittle

Eliza Doolittle (album)

Eliza Doolittle is the eponymous debut album by British singer-songwriter Eliza Doolittle. It was released on 12 July 2010 by Parlophone Records. The first single "Skinny Genes" was released on 11 April 2010. The second single, "Pack Up", was released on 5 July 2010. On 7 January 2011 it was...

, Doolittle's debut album. Before its official release, "Rollerblades" was originally speculated to be Doolittle's debut single. "Skinny Genes" was later confirmed as her official debut single and was originally planned for release on 29 March 2010. It was then pushed back for release on 5 April. The single was finally pushed back another week and officially released on 11 April 2010 on 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...

 format only. A planned a CD single release for "Skinny Genes" on 12 April 2010 failed to surface.

"Skinny Genes" was mischievously inspired lyrically by an irritating but sexy boy. Doolittle described the song as having very light and happy but thoughtful lyrics, saying: "I think about what I want to say, when I write songs." Leonie Cooper of The Guardian

The Guardian

The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...

 described the song as having "tell-it-like-it-is-lyrics". Doolittle explained "Skinny Genes" to BBC Radio

BBC Radio

BBC Radio is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a Royal Charter since 1927. For a history of BBC radio prior to 1927 see British Broadcasting Company...

's Steve Lamacq

Steve Lamacq

Steve Lamacq , sometimes known by his nicknames Lammo or "The Cat" is an English disc jockey, currently working with the BBC radio stations BBC 6 Music and BBC Radio 2.-Early career:He was born in Basingstoke, Hampshire...

:

The single is something I made up in my head. I just thought it would be quite a funny scenario where you didn't like someone, if they were really annoying, but you had a good time under the sheets.

Track listing

• Digital Single

1. "Skinny Genes" – 3:03
2. "Skinny Genes" (Slugz & Joe London Mix) – 5:31
3. "Police Car" – 3:21

• The Remixes Promo

1. "Skinny Genes" (Acid Washed Radio Edit) – 3:31
2. "Skinny Genes" (Acid Washed Main Mix) – 4:14
3. "Skinny Genes" (Acid Washed Dub Remix) – 4:42
4. "Skinny Genes" (Melé Remix) – 5:36
5. "Skinny Genes" (Slugz & Joe London Mix) – 5:31

• Re-release Digital Download #1

1. "Skinny Genes" – 3:05

• Re-release Digital Download #2

1. "Skinny Genes" – 3:05
2. "Skinny Genes" (music video) (second version) - 3:03

Charts

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Chart (2010)	Peak position
German Singles Chart	42
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... )	4

Release history

Region	Date	Format	Label
United Kingdom	11 April 2010	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...	Parlophone Records
Germany			EMI Music
Poland	19 June 2010	Airplay
Germany	26 November 2010	Digital download	Parlophone Records
The Netherlands	1 December 2010		Universal 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...
United Kingdom	27 December, 2010 22 December, 2010	Digital download #1 Digital download #2	EMI EMI The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...