When I Grow Up (Pussycat Dolls song)
Encyclopedia
"When I Grow Up" is a song by American girl group
the Pussycat Dolls
, from their second studio album, Doll Domination
(2008). It was released on May 27, 2008 as the lead single
from the album, and the first following the departure of the group's longest-standing member Carmit Bachar
. The song was originally written and recorded for Nicole Scherzinger
's planned solo project, Her Name Is Nicole, but after its postponement and Scheringer's return to the group, she felt that the song was better suited for the group. It was written by Theron Thomas, Timothy Thomas and Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins
, who also produced the song. "When I Grow Up" is an up-tempo pop
song that contains elements of the 1996 song "He's Always There" by American band The Yardbirds
, written by Jim McCarty
and Paul Samwell-Smith
. The song speaks about the desire to be famous, and was described as being "autobiographical" by Scherzinger.
"When I Grow Up" received generally positive reviews from contemporary music critics, with many highlighting it as a stand-out track from Doll Domination. The song peaked at number nine on the Billboard Hot 100
, becoming the group's highest charting single since "Buttons
" (2006). According to Nielsen Soundscan
, the song has sold over two million paid downloads in the United States, making the Pussycat Dolls Dolls the first all-female group in digital history to have three singles—along with "Don't Cha
" and "Buttons"—pass the two million mark in digital sales. Internationally, the song reached the top-five in countries such as Australia, Canada, France, Ireland, New Zealand and the United Kingdom, and the top-ten in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland.
The song's accompanying music video was released on June 13, 2008. Directed by Joseph Khan, it portrays the Pussycat Dolls caught in a traffic jam on Hollywood Boulevard
. The video was complimented for its dance breakdown, and was nominated in five categories at the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards
, including Video of the Year
, and went on to win Best Dance Video
. The Pussycat Dolls performed the song on several television shows, including Jimmy Kimmel Live! and So You Think You Can Dance
, as well several award shows, and throughout their Doll Domination Tour (2009).
(2005), lead vocalist
Nicole Scherzinger
recorded guest vocals with a wide array of male vocalists, including Shaggy
, Avant
and P. Diddy
. The guest spots on the songs furthered Scherzinger's popularity, and she began work on her own solo album. The project, entitled Her Name Is Nicole, was meant to show a more vulnerable side of Scherzinger, rather than the "strong and fearless" woman she was perceived to be in the Pussycat Dolls. While recording process was underway for her solo album, production had begun on the second Pussycat Dolls
album. Following a number of unsuccessful single releases and pushbacks, Scherzinger decided to put Her Name Is Nicole on hold. Scherzinger then returned her focus back on the Pussycat Dolls, and recording commenced for the album.
"When I Grow Up" was one of several songs that were originally recorded by Scherzinger during the Her Name Is Nicole sessions, the others being "Happily Never After", "Who's Gonna Love You" and "I Hate This Part, that appears on Doll Domination. Scherzinger cited that she felt as if the songs were more suited as a Pussycat Dolls song than her own. The song made its world premiere online on May 16, 2008, and was issued as a digital download
in North America on May 27. It was later serviced to contemporary hit radio
in the United States on June 1, 2008. The release of "When I Grow Up" came after the depature of member Carmit Bachar
. It was officially announced on March 4, 2008 that Bahar had left the group to follow "other performance interests". At the time of her departure, she had been the longest member of the group, joining in 1995 when they were a burlesque show
. A remix of "When I Grow Up", featuring American rapper Eve was released online on July 23, 2008.
song, that is built around "bouncy synth lines" and a "thudding" bassline
. Additionally, the song features sirens, handclaps and pitch-shifted vocals. Jaime Gill from Yahoo Music UK described the song as a "dark, dissonant club banger". It samples the main riff of "He's Always There" (1966) by British rock band. McCarty and Samwell-Smith were honored for their contributions to the song at the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP). According to the sheet music
published at Musicnotes.com by Sony/ATV Music Publishing
, "When I Grow Up" is set in common time
with a tempo of 120 beats per minute. It is composed in the key of E minor
, with Scherzinger's vocal range spanning from low-note of E3 to the high-note of G5.
, who also produced the song. The Yardbirds
' drummer Jim McCarty
and bassist Paul Samwell-Smith
both received co-writing credits for the song, for the sample of "He's Always There" (1966). Lyrically, the song is centered around the desire to be famous when one grows up. Using satirical and autobiographical lines, Scherzinger sings: "Now I've got a confession / When I was young I wanted attention". The "repetitive and catchy chorus" follows, where she sings the lines: "When I grow up / I wanna be famous / I wanna be a star / I wanna be in movies". MTV News
commented that the song contains a theme that is "getting plenty of traction these days — beware the high cost of fame." Meanwhile, group member Melody Thornton
said of the song's concept: "If you strive for higher and bigger things – along with that – comes hard work and dealing with a lot of stuff that you'd never assume you'd have to. So yeah, while the song is meant to be playful, it still does have that little warning twist to it". Music critics were initially confused by the line "I wanna have groupies" in the chorus; mistaking the line as saying "I wanna have boobies". American comedian Ellen DeGeneres
also pointed this out when they performed the song on her talk show
on September 23, 2008.
called the song as the "ideological centerpiece" of Doll Domination." Sal Cinquemani from Slant Magazine
described the song as a "catchy, full-throttle club track" and commented that it is "a perfectly concocted blend of camp and vamp for the famous burlesque troupe." Steve Perkins from BBC Music
awarded the song four out of five stars writing: "It's good to see that the dynamics of the group remain fundamentally unchanged" and that the song was a strong comeback. He also noted that: "The whole song seems to be centred around the desire to be famous when you grow up, which while not my favourite of all messages to give out to The Kids". He ended his review writing "but in all fairness: who cares? It's hella catchy, and really, who's the bigger fool here – the Pussycat Dolls lyricist who wrote some vaguely nonsensical lyrics, or the reviewer who expected anything different?" Bill Lamb from About.com
listed "When I Grow Up" among the top tracks on the album and said: "[The song] absolutely bursts out of the blocks, and it's no surprise it landed in the pop top 10 with ease."
On a separate review, Lamb gave the song three out of five stars. He noted that the "anonymous nature of the group's vocals" and "sexual lyrical tease" is starting to wear thin. "This is more of the same, not a step forward". Lamb however did complimented the "catchy dance workout" and stated that it has the "Pussycat Dolls' usual sassiness and pounding dance beats". Nick Levine from Digital Spy
echoed Lamb's comments, noting that "'When I Grow Up' ... is a bolshy, hyperactive pop stomper that works just as well in the aerobics class as it does on the dance-floor. If they keep releasing singles as infectious as this, they could last longer than we'd think." Dan Cairns from The Times
said that "if every song here were as batty and brilliant as When I Grow Up, Doll Domination would be one of the great pop records of 2008." The Australian LGBT
website, Samesame.com.au
, praised the song. "From the few opening beats of When I Grow Up, it's plainly obvious that the girls have found a winning formula and they’ve stuck to it." However, Nic Oliver from MusicOMH
, in a review of Doll Domination, did not favor the song, saying that the song would embarrass Paris Hilton
, but "sets the template for the rest of the album."
at number seventy-six on the issue dated June 14, 2008. On its second week, the song sold 34,000 digital downloads, and ascended to number thirty-one. In its fourth week, it reached its peak position of number nine, becoming Pussycat Dolls' highest charting single since "Buttons
", which peaked at number three in 2006. The song topped the Hot Dance Club Play
chart, the issue dated August 2, 2008. The song has sold over 2.18 million digital downloads in the United States to date, according to Nielsen Soundscan, making the Dolls the first all-female group in digital history to have three singles—along with "Don't Cha
" and "Buttons
"—pass the two million mark in digital sales. In Canada, the song debuted at number fifteen on the Canadian Hot 100
. On the chart dated September 6, 2008, "When I Grow Up" ascended and peaked at number three.
In Australia, the song debuted at number forty-five, on June 22, 2008. In its sixth week, the song peaked at number two and stayed there for three consecutive weeks. "When I Grow Up" was certified platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association
(ARIA) for shipments of 70,000 copies. In New Zealand, the song debuted on the chart at number thirty-three. It reached number five a few weeks later. and was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of New Zealand
(RIANZ) for selling over 7,500 copies. In the United Kingdom, "When I Grow Up" debuted and peaked at number three with sales of 29,688 on the UK Singles Chart
. On the Billboard European Hot 100 Singles the song debuted at number three, and also peaked at number nine in Germany.
in Los Angeles
, with director Joseph Khan. American recording artist Britney Spears
filmed a cameo appearance for the video on June 4 at the Warner Bros.
lot in Los Angeles. However on June 12, 2008, it was announced by MTV News
, that the cameo had been cut from the final video. In an interview for Digital Spy
Scherzinger was asked why Britney got cut from the video. She said: "I honestly am not so sure. You shoot a lot of things when you do a video. Some things stay in but other things don't make the cut and Britney just didn't make it. I've seen a little clip of her performance and she looked adorable so I really wish she was in it! Hopefully we'll work together in the future."
at 8pm ET
/PT
. Nick Levine from Digital Spy, wrote that: "The Pussycat Dolls have a novel way of amusing themselves during traffic jams" and described the dance breakdown as "entertaining" and "nostalgic". In Australia, the video was criticized for the video being too raunchy. On August 17, 2008, it was announced that the video was nominated for Video of the Year
, Best Dance Video
, Best Art Direction
, Best Cinematography
, and Best Choreography
at the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards
, having the most VMA nominations of that year. The ceremony was held on September 7, 2008, and the video won the award for the Best Dancing. The music video was the fifteenth-most streamed video on MTV.com in 2008.
reported that the Pussycat Dolls and Coldplay
were set to perform on 2008 MTV Movie Awards
on June 1, 2008. Scherzinger talked about the performance. "This is a big deal for us. We just want to kill it. It's all about the Dolls right now, and we're coming strong." The girls performed wearing spandex-and-leather getups, while a massive screen behind them popped with images of flashbulbs, tabloid headlines and diamonds. They were joined by America's Best Dance Crew
winners, the Jabbawockeez
, who descended from the ceiling matching red T-shirts, with stark-white masks covering their faces and baseball caps perched at 45-degree angles atop their heads. Geoff Boucher from Los Angeles Times
commented, "the Pussycat Dolls' set climaxed with a powerful pyro display that left celebs in the first few rows feeling a bit roasted". MTV Buzzworthy described the performance as "sexy" and "sultry". However, Tod Martens, in another review for the Los Angeles Times, negatively criticized their performance. He commented: "[They appeared] onstage looking like they had escaped a taping for a sexed-up Jazzercise video." He also wrote that Scherzinger never commanded the song except on "the cut's final seconds when she turned her vocals up to a growl" and noted JabbaWockeez's appearance as "annoy[ing]".
"When I Grow Up" was also performed at So You Think You Can Dance
on June 13, 2008. On August 2, 2008 the Dolls performed the song and presented at the MTV Asia Awards 2008
in Kuala Lumpur
, Malaysia, along with "Buttons
. The Dolls reprised their performance at the Walmart-Soundcheck
, along with "I Hate This Part
", Takin' Over The World', "Buttons", and Don't Cha
. On November 21, they performed a medley of "I Hate This Part" and "When I Grow Up" at the 2008 American Music Awards. The performance included stripper poles, and the girls donned all-rubber outfits. The Pussycat Dolls also performed "When I Grow Up" at the Doll Domination Tour (2009). Maureen Ellis of the Evening Times
said that the "high-energy encore of 'Don't Cha' and 'When I Grow Up' ensured the Dolls reigned supreme."
Technical
Personnel
Girl group
A girl group is a popular music act featuring several young female singers who generally harmonise together.Girl groups emerged in the late 1950s as groups of young singers teamed up with behind-the-scenes songwriters and music producers to create hit singles, often featuring glossy production...
the Pussycat Dolls
Pussycat Dolls
The Pussycat Dolls are an American pop girl group and dance ensemble based in Los Angeles; currently consisting of Lauren Bennett, Vanessa Curry, Kristal "Lyndriette" Smith, Tiffany "Taz" Zavala, Kia Hampton and Paula Van Oppen. The Pussycat Dolls were founded by choreographer Robin Antin in 1995...
, from their second studio album, Doll Domination
Doll Domination
Doll Domination is the second studio album from United States American girlgroup Pussycat Dolls, released from September 19, 2008 by A&M Records. The album debuted at number four on the US album chart, selling 79,000 copies in its first week...
(2008). It was released on May 27, 2008 as the 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...
from the album, and the first following the departure of the group's longest-standing member Carmit Bachar
Carmit Bachar
Carmit Bachar is an American singer, dancer, model, actress and showgirl. She was a member of the successful pop/R&B group, The Pussycat Dolls and one of the main vocalists of the group, along with Nicole Scherzinger and Melody Thornton. Bachar left the group in February 2008. She is currently...
. The song was originally written and recorded for Nicole Scherzinger
Nicole Scherzinger
Nicole Prescovia Elikolani Valiente Scherzinger is an American singer-songwriter, dancer, record producer, model, and actress. Scherzinger is perhaps best known for being the lead vocalist of the Pussycat Dolls....
's planned solo project, Her Name Is Nicole, but after its postponement and Scheringer's return to the group, she felt that the song was better suited for the group. It was written by Theron Thomas, Timothy Thomas and Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins
Rodney Jerkins
Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins is an American songwriter, record producer, and musician. Jerkins received two Grammy nominations in 2011.-Biography:...
, who also produced the song. "When I Grow Up" is an up-tempo 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...
song that contains elements of the 1996 song "He's Always There" by American band The Yardbirds
The Yardbirds
- Current :* Chris Dreja - rhythm guitar, backing vocals * Jim McCarty - drums, backing vocals * Ben King - lead guitar * David Smale - bass, backing vocals...
, written by Jim McCarty
Jim McCarty
Jim McCarty is an English musician, best known as the drummer for The Yardbirds and Renaissance.-Early life:...
and Paul Samwell-Smith
Paul Samwell-Smith
Paul Samwell-Smith is best known as a founding member and bassist of the 1960s English band, The Yardbirds, a group that spawned such noteworthy musicians as Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton, and Jimmy Page...
. The song speaks about the desire to be famous, and was described as being "autobiographical" by Scherzinger.
"When I Grow Up" received generally positive reviews from contemporary music critics, with many highlighting it as a stand-out track from Doll Domination. The song peaked at number nine on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
, becoming the group's highest charting single since "Buttons
Buttons (song)
"Buttons" is an R&B/hip hop song written by Sean Garrett, Jamal Jones, Jason Perry, and Nicole Scherzinger for the Pussycat Dolls' debut album PCD . Released as the album's fourth single, the song became one of their biggest hits...
" (2006). According to Nielsen Soundscan
Nielsen SoundScan
Nielsen SoundScan is an information and sales tracking system created by Mike Fine and Mike Shalett. Soundscan is the official method of tracking sales of music and music video products throughout the United States and Canada...
, the song has sold over two million paid downloads in the United States, making the Pussycat Dolls Dolls the first all-female group in digital history to have three singles—along with "Don't Cha
Don't Cha
"Don't Cha" is the debut single by American R&B/pop girl group the Pussycat Dolls. The song was originally recorded by American recording artist Tori Alamaze, and was released as her debut single in March 2005, on Universal Records. After Universal Records dropped her from the label, Cee-Lo Green...
" and "Buttons"—pass the two million mark in digital sales. Internationally, the song reached the top-five in countries such as Australia, Canada, France, Ireland, New Zealand and the United Kingdom, and the top-ten in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland.
The song's accompanying music video was released on June 13, 2008. Directed by Joseph Khan, it portrays the Pussycat Dolls caught in a traffic jam on Hollywood Boulevard
Hollywood Boulevard
-Revitalization:In recent years successful efforts have been made at cleaning up Hollywood Blvd., as the street had gained a reputation for crime and seediness. Central to these efforts was the construction of the Hollywood and Highland shopping center and adjacent Kodak Theatre in 2001...
. The video was complimented for its dance breakdown, and was nominated in five categories at the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards
2008 MTV Video Music Awards
The 2008 MTV Video Music Awards took place on September 7, 2008 live from Paramount Pictures Studios , honoring the best music videos from the previous year. Nominations for a majority of the categories were announced on the MTV program FNMTV after being selected through viewer online voting at...
, including Video of the Year
MTV Video Music Award for Video of the Year
The MTV Video Music Award for Video of the Year is the main award handed out at the yearly MTV Video Music Awards. It was first awarded in , when The Cars won it, and has been given out since. Eminem has been the most nominated solo artist, male solo artist, and act in this category, having been...
, and went on to win Best Dance Video
MTV Video Music Award for Best Dance Video
The MTV Video Music Award for Best Dance Video was first awarded in 1989, and it was one of the original four genre categories that were added to the MTV Video Music Awards that year. With a revamp of the awards in 2007, the category was cut out along with several others, yet it returned for the...
. The Pussycat Dolls performed the song on several television shows, including Jimmy Kimmel Live! and So You Think You Can Dance
So You Think You Can Dance (U.S. TV series)
So You Think You Can Dance is an American dance competition and reality show that airs on Fox in the United States.The series first premiered on July 20, 2005, and was created by American Idol producers Simon Fuller and Nigel Lythgoe and is produced by 19 Entertainment and Dick Clark Productions...
, as well several award shows, and throughout their Doll Domination Tour (2009).
Background and release
Following the commercial success of PCDPCD (album)
PCD is the debut album by American girl group the Pussycat Dolls, released on September 13, 2005 in the United States, by A&M Records. After recruiting Melody Thornton and Nicole Scherzinger and releasing two singles, they released this album...
(2005), lead vocalist
Lead vocalist
The lead vocalist is the member of a band who sings the main vocal portions of a song. They may also play one or more instruments. Lead vocalists are sometimes referred to as the frontman or frontwoman, and as such, are usually considered to be the "leader" of the groups they perform in, often the...
Nicole Scherzinger
Nicole Scherzinger
Nicole Prescovia Elikolani Valiente Scherzinger is an American singer-songwriter, dancer, record producer, model, and actress. Scherzinger is perhaps best known for being the lead vocalist of the Pussycat Dolls....
recorded guest vocals with a wide array of male vocalists, including Shaggy
Shaggy (musician)
Orville Richard Burrell , better known by his stage name Shaggy, is a Jamaican-American reggae singer and rapper. He is perhaps best known for his 1995 single "Boombastic" and 2000 single "It Wasn't Me"...
, Avant
Avant
Myron Avant , better known as Avant is an American R&B singer-songwriter. He is best known for hits such as "Separated" , "My First Love," which one version features KeKe Wyatt, and "Read Your Mind"...
and P. Diddy
Sean Combs
Sean John Combs , also known by his stage names Diddy and P. Diddy, is an American rapper, singer, record producer, actor, and entrepreneur. He has won three Grammy Awards and two MTV Video Music Awards, and his clothing line earned a Council of Fashion Designers of America award. He was originally...
. The guest spots on the songs furthered Scherzinger's popularity, and she began work on her own solo album. The project, entitled Her Name Is Nicole, was meant to show a more vulnerable side of Scherzinger, rather than the "strong and fearless" woman she was perceived to be in the Pussycat Dolls. While recording process was underway for her solo album, production had begun on the second Pussycat Dolls
Pussycat Dolls
The Pussycat Dolls are an American pop girl group and dance ensemble based in Los Angeles; currently consisting of Lauren Bennett, Vanessa Curry, Kristal "Lyndriette" Smith, Tiffany "Taz" Zavala, Kia Hampton and Paula Van Oppen. The Pussycat Dolls were founded by choreographer Robin Antin in 1995...
album. Following a number of unsuccessful single releases and pushbacks, Scherzinger decided to put Her Name Is Nicole on hold. Scherzinger then returned her focus back on the Pussycat Dolls, and recording commenced for the album.
"When I Grow Up" was one of several songs that were originally recorded by Scherzinger during the Her Name Is Nicole sessions, the others being "Happily Never After", "Who's Gonna Love You" and "I Hate This Part, that appears on Doll Domination. Scherzinger cited that she felt as if the songs were more suited as a Pussycat Dolls song than her own. The song made its world premiere online on May 16, 2008, and was issued as a 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...
in North America on May 27. It was later serviced to contemporary hit radio
Contemporary hit radio
Contemporary hit radio is a radio format that is common in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia that focuses on playing current and recurrent popular music as determined by the Top 40 music charts...
in the United States on June 1, 2008. The release of "When I Grow Up" came after the depature of member Carmit Bachar
Carmit Bachar
Carmit Bachar is an American singer, dancer, model, actress and showgirl. She was a member of the successful pop/R&B group, The Pussycat Dolls and one of the main vocalists of the group, along with Nicole Scherzinger and Melody Thornton. Bachar left the group in February 2008. She is currently...
. It was officially announced on March 4, 2008 that Bahar had left the group to follow "other performance interests". At the time of her departure, she had been the longest member of the group, joining in 1995 when they were a burlesque show
American burlesque
American Burlesque is a genre of variety show. Derived from elements of Victorian burlesque, music hall and minstrel shows, burlesque shows in America became popular in the 1860s and evolved to feature ribald comedy and female striptease...
. A remix of "When I Grow Up", featuring American rapper Eve was released online on July 23, 2008.
Musical structure
"When I Grow Up" is an up-tempo popPop 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...
song, that is built around "bouncy synth lines" and a "thudding" bassline
Bassline
A bassline is the term used in many styles of popular music, such as jazz, blues, funk, dub and electronic music for the low-pitched instrumental part or line played by a rhythm section instrument such as the electric bass, double bass, tuba or keyboard...
. Additionally, the song features sirens, handclaps and pitch-shifted vocals. Jaime Gill from Yahoo Music UK described the song as a "dark, dissonant club banger". It samples the main riff of "He's Always There" (1966) by British rock band. McCarty and Samwell-Smith were honored for their contributions to the song at the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP). According to the sheet music
Sheet music
Sheet music is a hand-written or printed form of music notation that uses modern musical symbols; like its analogs—books, pamphlets, etc.—the medium of sheet music typically is paper , although the access to musical notation in recent years includes also presentation on computer screens...
published at Musicnotes.com by Sony/ATV Music Publishing
Sony/ATV Music Publishing
Sony/ATV Music Publishing is a music publishing company co-owned by The Michael Jackson Family Trust and Sony. The organisation was originally founded as Associated TeleVision in 1955 by Lew Grade. In 1957, ATV acquired Pye Records as a wholly owned subsidiary...
, "When I Grow Up" is set in common time
Time signature
The time signature is a notational convention used in Western musical notation to specify how many beats are in each measure and which note value constitutes one beat....
with a tempo of 120 beats per minute. It is composed in the key of E minor
E minor
E minor is a minor scale based on the note E. The E natural minor scale consists of the pitches E, F, G, A, B, C, and D. The E harmonic minor scale contains the natural 7, D, rather than the flatted 7, D – to align with the major dominant chord, B7 .Its key signature has one sharp, F .Its...
, with Scherzinger's vocal range spanning from low-note of E3 to the high-note of G5.
Lyrical content
"When I Grow Up" was written by Theron and Timothy Thomas, along with Rodney "Darkchild" JerkinsRodney Jerkins
Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins is an American songwriter, record producer, and musician. Jerkins received two Grammy nominations in 2011.-Biography:...
, who also produced the song. The Yardbirds
The Yardbirds
- Current :* Chris Dreja - rhythm guitar, backing vocals * Jim McCarty - drums, backing vocals * Ben King - lead guitar * David Smale - bass, backing vocals...
' drummer Jim McCarty
Jim McCarty
Jim McCarty is an English musician, best known as the drummer for The Yardbirds and Renaissance.-Early life:...
and bassist Paul Samwell-Smith
Paul Samwell-Smith
Paul Samwell-Smith is best known as a founding member and bassist of the 1960s English band, The Yardbirds, a group that spawned such noteworthy musicians as Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton, and Jimmy Page...
both received co-writing credits for the song, for the sample of "He's Always There" (1966). Lyrically, the song is centered around the desire to be famous when one grows up. Using satirical and autobiographical lines, Scherzinger sings: "Now I've got a confession / When I was young I wanted attention". The "repetitive and catchy chorus" follows, where she sings the lines: "When I grow up / I wanna be famous / I wanna be a star / I wanna be in movies". 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...
commented that the song contains a theme that is "getting plenty of traction these days — beware the high cost of fame." Meanwhile, group member Melody Thornton
Melody Thornton
Melody Thornton is an American R&B singer-songwriter, Soprano vocalist, dancer, model, showgirl and television personality who rose to stardom as a member of the successful pop group the Pussycat Dolls...
said of the song's concept: "If you strive for higher and bigger things – along with that – comes hard work and dealing with a lot of stuff that you'd never assume you'd have to. So yeah, while the song is meant to be playful, it still does have that little warning twist to it". Music critics were initially confused by the line "I wanna have groupies" in the chorus; mistaking the line as saying "I wanna have boobies". American comedian Ellen DeGeneres
Ellen DeGeneres
Ellen Lee DeGeneres is an American stand-up comedienne, television host and actress. She hosts the syndicated talk show The Ellen DeGeneres Show, and was also a judge on American Idol for one year, having joined the show in its ninth season....
also pointed this out when they performed the song on her talk show
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
The Ellen DeGeneres Show, often shortened to Ellen, is an American television talk show hosted by comedian/actress Ellen DeGeneres. Debuting on September 8, 2003, it is produced by Telepictures and airs in syndication, including stations owned by NBC Universal. For its first five seasons, the show...
on September 23, 2008.
Critical reception
"When I Grow Up" received generally positive reviews from music critics. August Brown from Los Angeles TimesLos Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
called the song as the "ideological centerpiece" of Doll Domination." Sal Cinquemani from 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 :...
described the song as a "catchy, full-throttle club track" and commented that it is "a perfectly concocted blend of camp and vamp for the famous burlesque troupe." Steve Perkins from BBC Music
BBC Music
BBC Music is a team working in the department of Audio and Music Interactive at the BBC. Responsible for the BBC Music website - the portal site to music content across the BBC website....
awarded the song four out of five stars writing: "It's good to see that the dynamics of the group remain fundamentally unchanged" and that the song was a strong comeback. He also noted that: "The whole song seems to be centred around the desire to be famous when you grow up, which while not my favourite of all messages to give out to The Kids". He ended his review writing "but in all fairness: who cares? It's hella catchy, and really, who's the bigger fool here – the Pussycat Dolls lyricist who wrote some vaguely nonsensical lyrics, or the reviewer who expected anything different?" Bill Lamb from About.com
About.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....
listed "When I Grow Up" among the top tracks on the album and said: "[The song] absolutely bursts out of the blocks, and it's no surprise it landed in the pop top 10 with ease."
On a separate review, Lamb gave the song three out of five stars. He noted that the "anonymous nature of the group's vocals" and "sexual lyrical tease" is starting to wear thin. "This is more of the same, not a step forward". Lamb however did complimented the "catchy dance workout" and stated that it has the "Pussycat Dolls' usual sassiness and pounding dance beats". Nick Levine from 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....
echoed Lamb's comments, noting that "'When I Grow Up' ... is a bolshy, hyperactive pop stomper that works just as well in the aerobics class as it does on the dance-floor. If they keep releasing singles as infectious as this, they could last longer than we'd think." Dan Cairns from The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
said that "if every song here were as batty and brilliant as When I Grow Up, Doll Domination would be one of the great pop records of 2008." The Australian LGBT
LGBT
LGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
website, Samesame.com.au
Samesame.com.au
Samesame.com.au is an Australian LGBT website created by Tim Duggan and a partner. The website is run by Sound Alliance in the Sydney suburb of Surry Hills...
, praised the song. "From the few opening beats of When I Grow Up, it's plainly obvious that the girls have found a winning formula and they’ve stuck to it." However, Nic Oliver from MusicOMH
MusicOMH
musicOMH is a United Kingdom-based website which publishes independent reviews, featues and interviews from across all musical genres including classical, metal, rock and R&B.-History:...
, in a review of Doll Domination, did not favor the song, saying that the song would embarrass Paris Hilton
Paris Hilton
Paris Whitney Hilton is an American businesswoman, heiress, and socialite. She is a great-granddaughter of Conrad Hilton . Hilton is known for her controversial participation in a sex tape in 2003, and appearance on the television series The Simple Life alongside fellow socialite and childhood...
, but "sets the template for the rest of the album."
Commercial performance
In the United States, the song debuted on the Billboard Hot 100Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
at number seventy-six on the issue dated June 14, 2008. On its second week, the song sold 34,000 digital downloads, and ascended to number thirty-one. In its fourth week, it reached its peak position of number nine, becoming Pussycat Dolls' highest charting single since "Buttons
Buttons (song)
"Buttons" is an R&B/hip hop song written by Sean Garrett, Jamal Jones, Jason Perry, and Nicole Scherzinger for the Pussycat Dolls' debut album PCD . Released as the album's fourth single, the song became one of their biggest hits...
", which peaked at number three in 2006. The song topped the Hot Dance Club Play
Hot 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, the issue dated August 2, 2008. The song has sold over 2.18 million digital downloads in the United States to date, according to Nielsen Soundscan, making the Dolls the first all-female group in digital history to have three singles—along with "Don't Cha
Don't Cha
"Don't Cha" is the debut single by American R&B/pop girl group the Pussycat Dolls. The song was originally recorded by American recording artist Tori Alamaze, and was released as her debut single in March 2005, on Universal Records. After Universal Records dropped her from the label, Cee-Lo Green...
" and "Buttons
Buttons (song)
"Buttons" is an R&B/hip hop song written by Sean Garrett, Jamal Jones, Jason Perry, and Nicole Scherzinger for the Pussycat Dolls' debut album PCD . Released as the album's fourth single, the song became one of their biggest hits...
"—pass the two million mark in digital sales. In Canada, the song debuted at number fifteen on the Canadian Hot 100
Canadian Hot 100
The Canadian Hot 100 is a music singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine which ranks songs in Canada. The chart debuted in the Billboard issue dated June 16, 2007 and was made available for the first time via their online services on June 7, 2007...
. On the chart dated September 6, 2008, "When I Grow Up" ascended and peaked at number three.
In Australia, the song debuted at number forty-five, on June 22, 2008. In its sixth week, the song peaked at number two and stayed there for three consecutive weeks. "When I Grow Up" 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) for shipments of 70,000 copies. In New Zealand, the song debuted on the chart at number thirty-three. It reached number five a few weeks later. 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...
(RIANZ) for selling over 7,500 copies. In the United Kingdom, "When I Grow Up" debuted and peaked at number three with sales of 29,688 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 ...
. On the Billboard European Hot 100 Singles the song debuted at number three, and also peaked at number nine in Germany.
Development
The song's video was shot from April 3 to April 4, 2008 on Hollywood BoulevardHollywood Boulevard
-Revitalization:In recent years successful efforts have been made at cleaning up Hollywood Blvd., as the street had gained a reputation for crime and seediness. Central to these efforts was the construction of the Hollywood and Highland shopping center and adjacent Kodak Theatre in 2001...
in Los Angeles
Los 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...
, with director Joseph Khan. American recording artist Britney Spears
Britney Spears
Britney Jean Spears is an American recording artist and entertainer. Born in McComb, Mississippi, and raised in Kentwood, Louisiana, Spears began performing as a child, landing acting roles in stage productions and television shows. She signed with Jive Records in 1997 and released her debut album...
filmed a cameo appearance for the video on June 4 at the Warner Bros.
Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., also known as Warner Bros. Pictures or simply Warner Bros. , is an American producer of film and television entertainment.One of the major film studios, it is a subsidiary of Time Warner, with its headquarters in Burbank,...
lot in Los Angeles. However on June 12, 2008, it was announced by 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...
, that the cameo had been cut from the final video. In an interview for 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....
Scherzinger was asked why Britney got cut from the video. She said: "I honestly am not so sure. You shoot a lot of things when you do a video. Some things stay in but other things don't make the cut and Britney just didn't make it. I've seen a little clip of her performance and she looked adorable so I really wish she was in it! Hopefully we'll work together in the future."
Synopsis
In the video the Pussycat Dolls are shown sitting in a car in the middle of a traffic jam, where Scherzinger flashes a ring that says "famous". They sing the introduction of the song in the car before jumping out. When the chorus kicks in, the girls leave the car and stand on the roofs of the other cars and start dancing a routine. Then they walk down a street of Hollywood stars with bubbles floating all around them. As they walk down the street, they also stop to sing on a bench. As the second chorus starts, the Dolls climb scaffolding and begin to dance. During Scherzinger's solo, she stands in a small area with the Pussycat Dolls logo to the left and a mirror to the right, with lights flashing. The Dolls then dance in the breakdown section with the logo behind them, complete with Kimberly's signature move: standing oversplit, and the camera zooms out to reveal filming equipment and playback screens.Release and reception
The music video made its premiered on June 13, 2011, on FNMTVFNMTV
FNMTV is a music video program on MTV focused on premiering new music videos and airing viewers' instantaneous feedback from its website...
at 8pm ET
Eastern Time Zone
The Eastern Time Zone of the United States and Canada is a time zone that falls mostly along the east coast of North America. Its UTC time offset is −5 hrs during standard time and −4 hrs during daylight saving time...
/PT
Pacific Time Zone
The Pacific Time Zone observes standard time by subtracting eight hours from Coordinated Universal Time . The clock time in this zone is based on the mean solar time of the 120th meridian west of the Greenwich Observatory. During daylight saving time, its time offset is UTC-7.In the United States...
. Nick Levine from Digital Spy, wrote that: "The Pussycat Dolls have a novel way of amusing themselves during traffic jams" and described the dance breakdown as "entertaining" and "nostalgic". In Australia, the video was criticized for the video being too raunchy. On August 17, 2008, it was announced that the video was nominated for Video of the Year
MTV Video Music Award for Video of the Year
The MTV Video Music Award for Video of the Year is the main award handed out at the yearly MTV Video Music Awards. It was first awarded in , when The Cars won it, and has been given out since. Eminem has been the most nominated solo artist, male solo artist, and act in this category, having been...
, Best Dance Video
MTV Video Music Award for Best Dance Video
The MTV Video Music Award for Best Dance Video was first awarded in 1989, and it was one of the original four genre categories that were added to the MTV Video Music Awards that year. With a revamp of the awards in 2007, the category was cut out along with several others, yet it returned for the...
, Best Art Direction
MTV Video Music Award for Best Art Direction
The following is a list of MTV Video Music Award winners for Best Art Direction in a Video. The Red Hot Chili Peppers are the biggest winners in this category with three wins in 1992, 2000, and 2006....
, Best Cinematography
MTV Video Music Award for Best Cinematography
The following is a list of MTV Video Music Award winners for Best Cinematography in a Video. Madonna is the biggest Winner in this category with 3 wins....
, and Best Choreography
MTV Video Music Award for Best Choreography
The following is a list of MTV Video Music Awards winners for Best Choreography in a Video....
at the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards
2008 MTV Video Music Awards
The 2008 MTV Video Music Awards took place on September 7, 2008 live from Paramount Pictures Studios , honoring the best music videos from the previous year. Nominations for a majority of the categories were announced on the MTV program FNMTV after being selected through viewer online voting at...
, having the most VMA nominations of that year. The ceremony was held on September 7, 2008, and the video won the award for the Best Dancing. The music video was the fifteenth-most streamed video on MTV.com in 2008.
Live performances
"When I Grow Up" was debuted live on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on May 20, 2008. On May 27, 2008 MTV NewsMTV 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 that the Pussycat Dolls and Coldplay
Coldplay
Coldplay are a British alternative rock band formed in 1996 by lead vocalist Chris Martin and lead guitarist Jonny Buckland at University College London. After they formed Pectoralz, Guy Berryman joined the group as a bassist and they changed their name to Starfish. Will Champion joined as a...
were set to perform on 2008 MTV Movie Awards
2008 MTV Movie Awards
The 2008 MTV Movie Awards broadcast the 17th annual movie awards show live on Sunday, June 1, at the Gibson Amphitheatre in Universal City, California...
on June 1, 2008. Scherzinger talked about the performance. "This is a big deal for us. We just want to kill it. It's all about the Dolls right now, and we're coming strong." The girls performed wearing spandex-and-leather getups, while a massive screen behind them popped with images of flashbulbs, tabloid headlines and diamonds. They were joined by America's Best Dance Crew
America's Best Dance Crew
America's Best Dance Crew, often abbreviated as ABDC, is an American competitive dance reality television series that features street dance crews from the United States and around the world. It is produced by American Idol judge Randy Jackson and airs on MTV...
winners, the Jabbawockeez
JabbaWockeeZ
Jabbawockeez is a Bay-Area-based Urban dance group formed initially by members Kevin " KB" Brewer, Phil "Swagger Boy" Tayag, & Joe "Punkee" Larot under the name "3 Muskee". They were the winners of season 1 of the show America's Best Dance Crew...
, who descended from the ceiling matching red T-shirts, with stark-white masks covering their faces and baseball caps perched at 45-degree angles atop their heads. Geoff Boucher from Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
commented, "the Pussycat Dolls' set climaxed with a powerful pyro display that left celebs in the first few rows feeling a bit roasted". MTV Buzzworthy described the performance as "sexy" and "sultry". However, Tod Martens, in another review for the Los Angeles Times, negatively criticized their performance. He commented: "[They appeared] onstage looking like they had escaped a taping for a sexed-up Jazzercise video." He also wrote that Scherzinger never commanded the song except on "the cut's final seconds when she turned her vocals up to a growl" and noted JabbaWockeez's appearance as "annoy[ing]".
"When I Grow Up" was also performed at So You Think You Can Dance
So You Think You Can Dance (U.S. TV series)
So You Think You Can Dance is an American dance competition and reality show that airs on Fox in the United States.The series first premiered on July 20, 2005, and was created by American Idol producers Simon Fuller and Nigel Lythgoe and is produced by 19 Entertainment and Dick Clark Productions...
on June 13, 2008. On August 2, 2008 the Dolls performed the song and presented at the MTV Asia Awards 2008
MTV Asia Awards 2008
After a one-year hiatus, the MTV Asia Awards 2008 returned on August 2, 2008. The event was held at the 6,000-seat Arena of Stars in Genting, Malaysia. This was the first time the award show was held in Malaysia. This was the sixth MTV Asia Awards.Nominees were announced on June 14, 2008 via the...
in Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
, Malaysia, along with "Buttons
Buttons (song)
"Buttons" is an R&B/hip hop song written by Sean Garrett, Jamal Jones, Jason Perry, and Nicole Scherzinger for the Pussycat Dolls' debut album PCD . Released as the album's fourth single, the song became one of their biggest hits...
. The Dolls reprised their performance at the Walmart-Soundcheck
Soundcheck
A soundcheck is the preparation that takes place before a concert, speech, or similar performance, when the performer and the sound crew run through a small portion of the upcoming show on the venue's sound system to make sure that the sound in the venue's "Front Of House" and stage monitor sound...
, along with "I Hate This Part
I Hate This Part
"I Hate This Part" is a song by American pop/R&B girl group the Pussycat Dolls from their second album, Doll Domination. Written by Wayne Hector, Lucas Secon, Jonas Jeberg and Cutfather it was released as the album's second single on October 7, 2008...
", Takin' Over The World', "Buttons", and Don't Cha
Don't Cha
"Don't Cha" is the debut single by American R&B/pop girl group the Pussycat Dolls. The song was originally recorded by American recording artist Tori Alamaze, and was released as her debut single in March 2005, on Universal Records. After Universal Records dropped her from the label, Cee-Lo Green...
. On November 21, they performed a medley of "I Hate This Part" and "When I Grow Up" at the 2008 American Music Awards. The performance included stripper poles, and the girls donned all-rubber outfits. The Pussycat Dolls also performed "When I Grow Up" at the Doll Domination Tour (2009). Maureen Ellis of the Evening Times
Evening Times
The Evening Times is an evening tabloid newspaper published Monday to Saturday in Glasgow, Scotland.-History:The paper, an evening sister paper of The Herald, was established in 1876. The paper's slogan is "Nobody Knows Glasgow Better"....
said that the "high-energy encore of 'Don't Cha' and 'When I Grow Up' ensured the Dolls reigned supreme."
Track listing
- Digital download
- "When I Grow Up" — 4:05
- Digital single
- "When I Grow Up" — 3:58
- "When I Grow Up" (Music video) — 4:09
- Digital EP
- "When I Grow Up" — 4:06
- "When I Grow Up" (Dave AudéDave AudéDave Audé is a Grammy nominated producer, house DJ, and remixer. He has done production for musicians such as KoЯn, t.A.T.u., DJ Keoki, Barenaked Ladies, Faith No More, Cause and Effect, Hilary Duff, Wanessa, Ashley Tisdale, The Pussycat Dolls, Lady Gaga, Lunascape, Madonna, Britney Spears, CeCe...
Audacious Club Dub) — 7:49 - "When I Grow Up" (WideboysWideboysThe Wideboys are UK house, Bassline and UK garage Record producers and remixers.The Wideboys are managed by Matt Waterhouse from MWR/Hyperactive. In 2008, they signed to Sony ATV Music Publishing. Prior to this, The Wideboys had been signed in various deals with the likes of Warner, Univeral and...
Remix Club Dub) — 6:36
- German CD single
- "When I Grow Up"
- "When I Grow Up" (Dave AudéDave AudéDave Audé is a Grammy nominated producer, house DJ, and remixer. He has done production for musicians such as KoЯn, t.A.T.u., DJ Keoki, Barenaked Ladies, Faith No More, Cause and Effect, Hilary Duff, Wanessa, Ashley Tisdale, The Pussycat Dolls, Lady Gaga, Lunascape, Madonna, Britney Spears, CeCe...
Club Dub Remix) - "When I Grow Up" (Wideboys Club Dub Remix)
- "When I Grow Up" (Music Video)
Credits and personnel
Adapted from the Doll Domination liner notes.Technical
- Recorded at: 2nd Floor Studios, OrlandoOrlandoOrlando is a major city in the U.S. state of Florida.Orlando may also refer to-Places:* in Florida** Orlando, a major city** Greater Orlando, the 27th-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
and Chalice Studios, Los AngelesLos ÁngelesLos 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...
. - Contains elements of the composition: "He's Always There", written by Jim McCartyJim McCartyJim McCarty is an English musician, best known as the drummer for The Yardbirds and Renaissance.-Early life:...
and Paul Samwell-SmithPaul Samwell-SmithPaul Samwell-Smith is best known as a founding member and bassist of the 1960s English band, The Yardbirds, a group that spawned such noteworthy musicians as Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton, and Jimmy Page...
.
Personnel
- Rodney "Darkchild" JerkinsRodney JerkinsRodney "Darkchild" Jerkins is an American songwriter, record producer, and musician. Jerkins received two Grammy nominations in 2011.-Biography:...
– songwriting, producerRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
, additional vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, audio 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... - Rock City (Theron and Timothy Thomas) – songwriting, additional vocals
- Jim McCarty – songwriting
- Paul Samwell-Smith – songwriting
- Paul Foley – recording
- Mike "Handz" Donaldson – recording
- Roberto "Tito" Vazquez – recording
- Spike Stent – audio mixing
Weekly charts
| Chart (2008) | Peak position |
|---|---|
Certifications
| Country | Provider | Certification |
|---|---|---|
| Australia | ARIA 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 | RIANZ 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 |
End of year charts
| Chart (2008) | Position |
|---|---|
| Australian Singles Chart | 13 |
| Austrian Singles Chart | 47 |
| Belgian Singles Chart (Flanders) | 34 |
| Belgian Singles Chart (Wallonia) | 69 |
| French Singles Chart | 20 |
| Hungarian Airplay Chart | 89 |
| New Zealand Singles Chart | 29 |
| Swiss Singles Chart | 54 |
| UK Singles Chart | 46 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 49 |
| Chart (2009) | Position |
| European Hot 100 Singles | 72 |
| Hungarian Singles Chart | 96 |
End of decade charts
| Chart (2000s) | Position |
|---|---|
| Australian Singles Chart | 53 |
Release history
| Country | Date | Format |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | June 9, 2008 | Digital download |
| France | August 29, 2008 | Digital EP |
| Germany | August 29, 2008 | Digital EP |
| Ireland | August 29, 2008 | Digital EP |
| United Kingdom | September 7, 2008 | Digital single |
| Ireland | September 7, 2008 | Digital single |