The Greatest (Michelle Williams song)
Encyclopedia
"The Greatest" is a ballad
recorded by American
singer-songwriter Michelle Williams
. It was co-written by Jim Jonsin
and Rico Love
, and produced by Jim Jonsin for Williams' third studio album Unexpected
(2008). The song was released as the album's second single in September 2008. It was listed at number thirty-nine on Billboard
's decade-end (2000–2009) Hot Dance Club Songs chart, just behind "Lose My Breath
" which Williams recorded as a member of Destiny's Child
five years prior.
. Michelle performed the song on Fox
Light, Jimmy Kimmel Live! and AOL Sessions.
The Greatest is a "pop
ballad
". Written by Rico Love and James Scheffer (better known as Jim Jonsin
) and also produced by Scheffer, it is set in common time
and composed at a moderate tempo, featuring additional vocals by Rico Love along with a piano
riff and a militant drum loop. The song has a basic sequence of C-G-Am-F as its chord progression
. Its lyrical content "details the unnecessary search for a significant other when a perfect candidate is right in front of your face". Williams' vocal range in the song spans almost two octave
s from the note G3
to the note F5
.
hailed the song as "a fantastic pop ballad" while Robin Carolan of Slant Magazine
noted that "in the lush balladry of "The Greatest," Williams could find the hit she needs". DJ Z of DJBooth.net wrote that the song is a "solid single selection", while it received a rating of four out of five stars, based on forty-four ratings by the site's users. Meanwhile, Story Gilmore of Neon Limelight wrote that Williams "nails the vocals!" on "The Greatest" which she described positively as "pretty ding moist".
chart before eventually peaking at number one - becoming Williams' second consecutive, top 5 hit on the chart. "The Greatest" also peaked at number twenty-five on the Billboard Global Dance Tracks chart. The song was listed at number thirty-nine on Billboard
's decade-end (2000–2009) Hot Dance Club Songs chart, just behind "Lose My Breath
" which Williams recorded as a member of Destiny's Child
five years prior.
, California
and was directed by Thomas Kloss. It later premiered on Yahoo!
on October 20, 2008. In November 2008, the video peaked at number seventy-six on the US Hot 100 Music Video chart and has peaked at number thirty-two on the Yahoo Top 100 R&B Music Video chart.
The video starts with "a capture of" Williams "donning a black tube gown and singing the song on her bed", frequently cutting to scenes of a man on a "field", "coaching his football
players". The video then solely focuses on Williams during the first verse, who is also seen sporting a reasonably short, purple cocktail dress
in a sitting room during another scene. Other scenes feature Williams posing with various items of clothing in a black dress, in front of a white screen
and walking around an outdoor swimming pool
in a cream-colored dress with, brown, high-heeled shoes. As the video progresses, scenes of other men; a US athlete running on a track, a fireman
and a mechanic
working on a car are included. The video concludes with Williams opening a large, wooden door outside, before the scene fades completely into white, ending the video.
R. Thomas of Tha Feedback described the video as "sweet and innocent", writing that "Michelle looks all warm and friendly". Thomas then commented that "this is good video for this song", before describing the song as "a nice mid-tempo ballad".
US remix - EP
Ballad
A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads were particularly characteristic of British and Irish popular poetry and song from the later medieval period until the 19th century and used extensively across Europe and later the Americas, Australia and North Africa. Many...
recorded by American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
singer-songwriter Michelle Williams
Michelle Williams (singer)
Tenitra Michelle Williams , commonly known as Michelle Williams, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer and actress...
. It was co-written by Jim Jonsin
Jim Jonsin
James Scheffer, better known by his professional name, Jim Jonsin, is an American Grammy award winning record producer, songwriter, record executive, and entrepreneur...
and Rico Love
Rico Love
Richard Preston Butler, Jr. , better known by his stage name Rico Love, is an American singer-songwriter and record producer. Love wrote and produced hit records such as Usher’s "There Goes My Baby" and "Hey Daddy ”, Nelly's "Just a Dream" and "Gone", Beyoncé Knowles' "Sweet Dreams"...
, and produced by Jim Jonsin for Williams' third studio album Unexpected
Unexpected (Michelle Williams album)
Unexpected is the third solo studio album by American singer Michelle Williams, released via Columbia Records and Music World Entertainment in North America on October 7, 2008 . It is Williams' first full length dance-influenced commercial pop album, moving away from the gospel style of her...
(2008). The song was released as the album's second single in September 2008. It was listed at number thirty-nine on Billboard
Billboard charts
The Billboard charts tabulate the relative weekly popularity of songs or albums in the United States. The results are published in Billboard magazine...
's decade-end (2000–2009) Hot Dance Club Songs chart, just behind "Lose My Breath
Lose My Breath
"Lose My Breath" is an R&B song performed by the American group Destiny's Child. It was written by Beyoncé Knowles, Kelly Rowland, Michelle Williams, Rodney Jerkins, LaShawn Daniels, Fred Jerkins III, Sean Garrett, and Shawn Corey "Jay-Z" Carter for Destiny's Child's fourth studio album, Destiny...
" which Williams recorded as a member of Destiny's Child
Destiny's Child
Destiny's Child was an American R&B girl group whose final line-up comprised lead singer Beyoncé Knowles alongside Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams. Formed in 1997 in Houston, Texas, Destiny's Child members began their musical endeavors in their pre-teens under the name Girl's Tyme...
five years prior.
Background and composition
The song was sent to radio stations on August 25, 2008. The track was also officially released and available to purchase September 9, 2008. The song gained more recognition after being used in the movie Noah's Arc: Jumping The BroomNoah's Arc: Jumping the Broom
Noah's Arc: Jumping the Broom is a 2008 Canadian-American romantic comedy-drama film based on the LOGO television series Noah's Arc. It was released on October 24, 2008 in select theaters and video on demand...
. Michelle performed the song on Fox
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
Light, Jimmy Kimmel Live! and AOL Sessions.
The Greatest is a "pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
ballad
Ballad
A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads were particularly characteristic of British and Irish popular poetry and song from the later medieval period until the 19th century and used extensively across Europe and later the Americas, Australia and North Africa. Many...
". Written by Rico Love and James Scheffer (better known as Jim Jonsin
Jim Jonsin
James Scheffer, better known by his professional name, Jim Jonsin, is an American Grammy award winning record producer, songwriter, record executive, and entrepreneur...
) and also produced by Scheffer, it is set in common time
Common Time
"Common Time" is a science fiction short story written by James Blish. It first appeared in the August 1953 issue of Science Fiction Quarterly and has been reprinted several times: in the 1959 short-story collection Galactic Cluster; in The Testament of Andros ; in The Penguin Science Fiction...
and composed at a moderate tempo, featuring additional vocals by Rico Love along with a 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...
riff and a militant drum loop. The song has a basic sequence of C-G-Am-F as its chord progression
Chord progression
A chord progression is a series of musical chords, or chord changes that "aims for a definite goal" of establishing a tonality founded on a key, root or tonic chord. In other words, the succession of root relationships...
. Its lyrical content "details the unnecessary search for a significant other when a perfect candidate is right in front of your face". Williams' vocal range in the song spans almost two octave
Octave
In music, an octave is the interval between one musical pitch and another with half or double its frequency. The octave relationship is a natural phenomenon that has been referred to as the "basic miracle of music", the use of which is "common in most musical systems"...
s from the note G3
G (musical note)
Sol, So, or G is the fifth note of the solfège starting on C. As such it is the dominant, a perfect fifth above C.When calculated in equal temperament with a reference of A above middle C as 440 Hz, the frequency of Middle G note is approximately 391.995 Hz...
to the note F5
F (musical note)
F is a musical note, the fourth above C. It is also known as fa in fixed-do solfège.When calculated in equal temperament with a reference of A above middle C as 440 Hz, the frequency of Middle F is approximately 349.228 Hz. See pitch for a discussion of historical variations in...
.
Critical reception
Like the other singles from Unexpected, "The Greatest" received universally positive reviews from critics. Ben Norman of 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....
hailed the song as "a fantastic pop ballad" while Robin Carolan of Slant Magazine
Slant Magazine
Slant Magazine is an online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New York Film Festival.- History :...
noted that "in the lush balladry of "The Greatest," Williams could find the hit she needs". DJ Z of DJBooth.net wrote that the song is a "solid single selection", while it received a rating of four out of five stars, based on forty-four ratings by the site's users. Meanwhile, Story Gilmore of Neon Limelight wrote that Williams "nails the vocals!" on "The Greatest" which she described positively as "pretty ding moist".
Chart performance
Despite the single receiving minor airplay in the U.S., "The Greatest" received much play in clubs and so it debuted at number fifty-four on the Billboard Hot Dance Club PlayHot Dance Club Play
The Hot Dance Club Songs chart is a weekly national survey of the songs that are most popular in U.S. dance clubs...
chart before eventually peaking at number one - becoming Williams' second consecutive, top 5 hit on the chart. "The Greatest" also peaked at number twenty-five on the Billboard Global Dance Tracks chart. The song was listed at number thirty-nine on Billboard
Billboard charts
The Billboard charts tabulate the relative weekly popularity of songs or albums in the United States. The results are published in Billboard magazine...
's decade-end (2000–2009) Hot Dance Club Songs chart, just behind "Lose My Breath
Lose My Breath
"Lose My Breath" is an R&B song performed by the American group Destiny's Child. It was written by Beyoncé Knowles, Kelly Rowland, Michelle Williams, Rodney Jerkins, LaShawn Daniels, Fred Jerkins III, Sean Garrett, and Shawn Corey "Jay-Z" Carter for Destiny's Child's fourth studio album, Destiny...
" which Williams recorded as a member of Destiny's Child
Destiny's Child
Destiny's Child was an American R&B girl group whose final line-up comprised lead singer Beyoncé Knowles alongside Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams. Formed in 1997 in Houston, Texas, Destiny's Child members began their musical endeavors in their pre-teens under the name Girl's Tyme...
five years prior.
Music video
The video was shot on September 22 in Los AngelesLos Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
and was directed by Thomas Kloss. It later premiered on Yahoo!
Yahoo!
Yahoo! Inc. is an American multinational internet corporation headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, United States. The company is perhaps best known for its web portal, search engine , Yahoo! Directory, Yahoo! Mail, Yahoo! News, Yahoo! Groups, Yahoo! Answers, advertising, online mapping ,...
on October 20, 2008. In November 2008, the video peaked at number seventy-six on the US Hot 100 Music Video chart and has peaked at number thirty-two on the Yahoo Top 100 R&B Music Video chart.
The video starts with "a capture of" Williams "donning a black tube gown and singing the song on her bed", frequently cutting to scenes of a man on a "field", "coaching his football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
players". The video then solely focuses on Williams during the first verse, who is also seen sporting a reasonably short, purple cocktail dress
Cocktail dress
A cocktail dress or cocktail gown is a woman's dress worn at cocktail parties, and semi-formal, or "black tie" occasions.The length of cocktail dresses varies depending on fashion and local custom. The length ranges from just above the knee to touching the ankle...
in a sitting room during another scene. Other scenes feature Williams posing with various items of clothing in a black dress, in front of a white screen
Green Screen
The Green Screen international wildlife film festival is held annually in Eckernförde, Germany. The festival shows full-length and short nature documentaries about animals in their natural habitat. It is the only festival of its kind in Germany...
and walking around an outdoor swimming pool
Swimming pool
A swimming pool, swimming bath, wading pool, or simply a pool, is a container filled with water intended for swimming or water-based recreation. There are many standard sizes; the largest is the Olympic-size swimming pool...
in a cream-colored dress with, brown, high-heeled shoes. As the video progresses, scenes of other men; a US athlete running on a track, a fireman
Firefighter
Firefighters are rescuers extensively trained primarily to put out hazardous fires that threaten civilian populations and property, to rescue people from car incidents, collapsed and burning buildings and other such situations...
and a mechanic
Mechanic
A mechanic is a craftsman or technician who uses tools to build or repair machinery.Many mechanics are specialized in a particular field such as auto mechanics, bicycle mechanics, motorcycle mechanics, boiler mechanics, general mechanics, industrial maintenance mechanics , air conditioning and...
working on a car are included. The video concludes with Williams opening a large, wooden door outside, before the scene fades completely into white, ending the video.
R. Thomas of Tha Feedback described the video as "sweet and innocent", writing that "Michelle looks all warm and friendly". Thomas then commented that "this is good video for this song", before describing the song as "a nice mid-tempo ballad".
Formats and track listing
Digital download- "The Greatest" (Album Version) – 3:32
- "The Greatest" (Jason Nevis Radio Edit) – 4:09
- "The Greatest" (Jason Nevins Extended Club Remix) – 7:03
- "The Greatest" (Maurice Joshua Nu Soul Remix) – 7:04
- "The Greatest" (D Roc Mainstream Mixshow Club Remix) – 6:14
- "The Greatest" (D Roc Mainstream Mixshow Radio Remix) – 3:50
- "The Greatest" (Mr. Mig Radio Remix) – 4:19
- "The Greatest" (Mr. Mig Radio Extended Remix) – 7:16
- "The Greatest" (Maurice's Nu Soul Radio Remix) – 4:39
- "The Greatest" (Maurice's Nu Soul Main Remix) – 7:09
US remix - EP
- "The Greatest" (Redtop Remix - Club Version) - 6:47
- "The Greatest" (Mark Picchiotti Remix - Club Version) - 7:50
- "The Greatest" (Craig C. & Niques Master Remix - Club Version) - 7:30
- "The Greatest" (Zigmund Slezak Remix - Club Version) - 7:09
- "The Greatest" (Dan McKie Remix - Club Version) - 7:30
- "The Greatest" (Catalyst Remix - Main) - 3:55
- "The Greatest" (Jason Nevins Remix - Extended Club Mix) - 7:00
- "The Greatest" (Maurice's Nu Soul Remix - Main) - 7:00
- "The Greatest" (Mr. Mig & D. Roc Mainstream Mixshow Edit - Extended Club Mix) - 6:12
- "The Greatest" (Mr. Mig Extended Club Mix) - 7:16
Weekly charts
| Chart (2008) | Peak position |
|---|
Decade-end charts
| Chart (2000–09) | Peak position |
|---|