Trick Me
Encyclopedia
"Trick Me" is a song by American recording artist Kelis
. It was released as the second single from her third studio album, Tasty in April 2004. It was not released in the United States as her American label, Arista
, folded after the release of Tasty, and she was transferred to Jive
. In Europe, she was still on the same label, Virgin
.
The song received praise from critics. The single was certified Platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association
(ARIA) and Gold by the Recording Industry Association of New Zealand
(RIANZ). Internationally, the song achieved similar chart success to that of "Milkshake
". "Trick Me" topped the Hungarian chart, and charted inside the top five in the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Australia among other countries.
. Recording sessions took place at DARP Studios in Atlanta, O'Henry Studios
in Burbank
and Chalice Studios in Hollywood, California. Background vocals were provided by Greg "Ruckus" Andrews and the recordings were mixed
by Kevin Davis at Larabee North, California.
"In Public
" featuring Nas
was originally chosen to be released as the second single from Tasty, but MTV News
reported in late January 2004 that "Trick Me" would be released instead. "In Public" was instead released as the fourth single in June 2005. The music video for "Trick Me" was shot in the end of February 2004. The single was not released in the United States as Kelis' label, Arista
, folded just when Tasty was released in December 2003, so no more singles after "Milkshake
" were released there. In Europe, however, she was still on the same label, Virgin
, so singles continued to be released in Europe.
referred to the track as "a wonderful computer-processed reggae
romp". Pitchfork
reviewer Scott Plagenhoef felt that "Dallas Austin punches above his weight with 'Trick Me', on which Kelis advises to 'call the police/ There's a madwoman in town,' over a skanking, slightly echoed guitar." Blender
s Joseph Patel described the song as a "crackling funk
ditty", and Neil Drumming of Entertainment Weekly
called it "a blistering sawtooth skank". Britain's The Independent
wrote that its "sprightly canter" is "particularly irresistible".
chart in April 2004. In Hungary, the song topped the Mahasz Single Top 10 lista
in its fourth week on the chart. In the United Kingdom, "Trick Me" earned Kelis her second consecutive top five hit when it debuted at number two on the UK Singles Chart
during the week of May 30, 2004, behind Frankee
's "F.U.R.B. (Fuck You Right Back)
". However, it was only able to hold the number-two position for a week, compared to "Milkshake" which had spent four weeks at number two. "Trick Me" debuted on the Irish Singles Chart
at number eight for the issue date of May 27, 2004, being the week's highest debut. It peaked at number four two weeks later.
"Trick Me" found similar success in continental Europe, outpeaking "Milkshake" in Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and Switzerland (though "Trick Me" peaked at number five on the pan-European chart while "Milkshake" charted at number three). The single also reached number one in Hungary and Romania, the top five in Norway, and the top ten in Denmark and Russia. Additionally, "Trick Me" has become Kelis' most successful single in Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, and Switzerland.
The single debuted and peaked at number five on the ARIA Singles Chart
on the issue dated June 6, 2004 for four non-consecutive weeks, becoming Kelis' second top five hit in Australia. The Australian Recording Industry Association
certified the single platinum for shipping 70,000 copies. In New Zealand, "Trick Me" peaked at number three on July 19, 2004—tying with "Milkshake" as her highest-peaking single there—and was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of New Zealand
the following month for sales of 7,500 copies.
Kelis
Kelis Rogers Kelis Rogers Kelis Rogers (born August 21, 1971 is an American musical artist. She is a BRIT Award, Q Award and NME Award winner and has been nominated for two Grammy Awards. She has had nine top 10 singles on the UK Singles Chart...
. It was released as the second single from her third studio album, Tasty in April 2004. It was not released in the United States as her American label, Arista
Arista Records
Arista was an American record label. It was a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment and operated under the RCA Music Group. The label was founded in 1974 by Clive Davis, who formerly worked for CBS Records...
, folded after the release of Tasty, and she was transferred to Jive
Jive Records
Jive Records was a record label based in New York City, operating under RCA Music Group. Jive was primarily known for a string of successes with hip hop artists in the 1980s, and in teen pop and boy bands in the late 1990s. The word "jive" was inspired by Township Jive, a form of South African...
. In Europe, she was still on the same label, Virgin
Virgin Records
Virgin Records is a British record label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson, Simon Draper, and Nik Powell in 1972. The company grew to be a worldwide music phenomenon, with platinum performers such as Roy Orbison, Devo, Genesis, Keith Richards, Janet Jackson, Culture Club, Lenny...
.
The song received praise from critics. The single was certified Platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association
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...
(ARIA) and Gold by the Recording Industry Association of 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...
(RIANZ). Internationally, the song achieved similar chart success to that of "Milkshake
Milkshake (song)
"Milkshake" is a song by American recording artist Kelis and the lead single from her third studio album, Tasty. The song was released in the United States on August 25, 2003, by Star Trak and Arista Records, and internationally on November 24. It was written and produced by The Neptunes, a duo...
". "Trick Me" topped the Hungarian chart, and charted inside the top five in the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Australia among other countries.
Background
"Trick Me" was written and produced by Dallas AustinDallas Austin
Dallas Austin is an American songwriter, record producer, and musician, based in Atlanta, Georgia. Some of his most notable clients include Michael Jackson, TLC, Boyz II Men, Pink, Monica, Madonna, Gwen Stefani, Stacie Orrico, Another Bad Creation, Fishbone, Sugababes, Anastacia, Namie Amuro, Kim...
. Recording sessions took place at DARP Studios in Atlanta, O'Henry Studios
O'Henry Sound Studios
The O'Henry Sound Studios is a commercial studio complex in Burbank, California that is owned by engineer Hank Sanicola and his wife, Jacqueline Sanicola.-History:...
in Burbank
Burbank
Burbank is both a common placename in English-speaking countries and a common surname . The name Burbank is of English origin and means "lives on the castle's hill".- United States :* Burbank, California...
and Chalice Studios in Hollywood, California. Background vocals were provided by Greg "Ruckus" Andrews and the recordings were mixed
Mix engineer
A mix engineer, also referred to as "mixing engineer", is a person who, once all instruments, voices, and sounds, etc., have been recorded, creates what is called the final version of a song, hence the term "mix engineer"...
by Kevin Davis at Larabee North, California.
"In Public
In Public
"In Public" is a song by American R&B singer-songwriter Kelis, featuring American rapper Nas. It was written by Rockwilder and Kelis and produced by Rockwilder for Kelis' third studio album, Tasty . As the song title implies, its lyrics deal with public sex.The song was released in the United...
" featuring Nas
Nas
Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones, who performs under the name Nas , formerly Nasty Nas, is an American rapper and actor. He is regarded as one of the most important figures in hip hop and one of the most skilled and influential rappers of all-time...
was originally chosen to be released as the second single from Tasty, but 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...
reported in late January 2004 that "Trick Me" would be released instead. "In Public" was instead released as the fourth single in June 2005. The music video for "Trick Me" was shot in the end of February 2004. The single was not released in the United States as Kelis' label, Arista
Arista Records
Arista was an American record label. It was a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment and operated under the RCA Music Group. The label was founded in 1974 by Clive Davis, who formerly worked for CBS Records...
, folded just when Tasty was released in December 2003, so no more singles after "Milkshake
Milkshake (song)
"Milkshake" is a song by American recording artist Kelis and the lead single from her third studio album, Tasty. The song was released in the United States on August 25, 2003, by Star Trak and Arista Records, and internationally on November 24. It was written and produced by The Neptunes, a duo...
" were released there. In Europe, however, she was still on the same label, Virgin
Virgin Records
Virgin Records is a British record label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson, Simon Draper, and Nik Powell in 1972. The company grew to be a worldwide music phenomenon, with platinum performers such as Roy Orbison, Devo, Genesis, Keith Richards, Janet Jackson, Culture Club, Lenny...
, so singles continued to be released in Europe.
Critical reception
"Trick Me" was well received by contemporary music critics. Tony Naylor of Britain's NMENME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
referred to the track as "a wonderful computer-processed reggae
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
romp". Pitchfork
Pitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media, usually known simply as Pitchfork or P4k, is a Chicago-based daily Internet publication established in 1995 that is devoted to music criticism and commentary, music news, and artist interviews. Its focus is on underground and independent music, especially indie rock...
reviewer Scott Plagenhoef felt that "Dallas Austin punches above his weight with 'Trick Me', on which Kelis advises to 'call the police/ There's a madwoman in town,' over a skanking, slightly echoed guitar." Blender
Blender (magazine)
Blender was an American music magazine that billed itself as "the ultimate guide to music and more". It was also known for sometimes steamy pictorials of celebrities....
s Joseph Patel described the song as a "crackling funk
Funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground...
ditty", and Neil Drumming of Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
called it "a blistering sawtooth skank". Britain's 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...
wrote that its "sprightly canter" is "particularly irresistible".
Chart performance
Despite not being officially released in the United States, "Trick Me" bubbled under the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop SongsHot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,...
chart in April 2004. In Hungary, the song topped the Mahasz Single Top 10 lista
Mahasz
Mahasz is the Hungarian music industry association, founded in 1992. Mahasz hands out the Hungarian Music Awards and maintains the music charts for Hungary....
in its fourth week on the chart. In the United Kingdom, "Trick Me" earned Kelis her second consecutive top five hit when it debuted at number 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 ...
during the week of May 30, 2004, behind Frankee
Frankee
Nicole Francine Aiello is an American singer-songwriter, known by her stage name, Frankee. She grew up with her parents, Matthew and Francine, and her two siblings, elder brother Matthew Jr. and younger sister Monique...
's "F.U.R.B. (Fuck You Right Back)
F.U.R.B. (Fuck You Right Back)
"F.U.R.B. " is a song by Frankee from her debut studio album, The Good, the Bad, the Ugly. It was released as the lead single from the album in March 2004. The song was released as a response to Eamon's song "Fuck It ", which had been number-one in the United Kingdom for the previous four weeks...
". However, it was only able to hold the number-two position for a week, compared to "Milkshake" which had spent four weeks at number two. "Trick Me" debuted on the Irish Singles Chart
Irish Singles Chart
The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured...
at number eight for the issue date of May 27, 2004, being the week's highest debut. It peaked at number four two weeks later.
"Trick Me" found similar success in continental Europe, outpeaking "Milkshake" in Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and Switzerland (though "Trick Me" peaked at number five on the pan-European chart while "Milkshake" charted at number three). The single also reached number one in Hungary and Romania, the top five in Norway, and the top ten in Denmark and Russia. Additionally, "Trick Me" has become Kelis' most successful single in Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, and Switzerland.
The single debuted and peaked at number five on the ARIA Singles Chart
ARIA Charts
The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June...
on the issue dated June 6, 2004 for four non-consecutive weeks, becoming Kelis' second top five hit in Australia. The Australian Recording Industry Association
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...
certified the single platinum for shipping 70,000 copies. In New Zealand, "Trick Me" peaked at number three on July 19, 2004—tying with "Milkshake" as her highest-peaking single there—and was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of 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...
the following month for sales of 7,500 copies.
Track listing
- Digital download
- "Trick Me" – 3:28
- Digital EP
- "Trick Me" – 3:28
- "Trick Me" (Mac & Toolz Extended Remix) – 4:31
- "Trick Me" (Artificial Intelligence Remix) – 5:54
- "Trick Me" (Adam FreelandAdam FreelandAdam Freeland is an English DJ and producer associated with breakbeat based electronic music. He was a resident of Brighton, moved to Los Angeles where he recorded second album Cope™ but is now based back in Brighton...
Remix) – 7:27 - "Trick Me" (E SmooveEric Miller (musician)Eric Miller is an American house music DJ, record producer and remixer. As E-Smoove he worked for a number of years with Steve "Silk" Hurley and Maurice Joshua, before he hit the U.S. Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart in 1998 with "Deja Vu," which climbed to #16. The song reached #63 in the UK...
House Trick) – 7:42
Charts
| Chart (2004) | Peak position |
|---|---|
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... |
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... |
Gold |
Year-end charts
| Chart (2004) | Position |
|---|---|
| Australian Singles Chart | 33 |
| German Singles Chart | 36 |
| UK Singles Chart | 33 |
Chart procession and succession
Release history
| Region | Date | Format |
|---|---|---|
| Australia | April 19, 2004 | 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... |
| United Kingdom |