3 Words (song)
Encyclopedia
"3 Words" is a song by British recording artist Cheryl Cole
. The song is both the opening and title song
from debut studio album
. It was released in the UK and Ireland on December 21, 2009 by Fascination Records
and later in 2010 by Universal Music
, sometimes serving as the lead single for 3 Words. The uptempo synth
and dance music
-inspired pop
song was written by Cole and George Pajon. It was also written and produced by will.i.am
who has guest vocals on the song. 3 Words was cited by Cole as her favourite song from the album for being different to what people expected.
"3 Words" was praised by contemporary critics who said it was "a sophisticated love song" and the "standout track" from the album. Its unconventional production abandons the use of 'verse-chorus-verse' structure instead, opting for a throbbing build up to a climax. The accompanying video, directed by Saam, features the singer in various fashion ensambles often contrasting colour with will.i.am and, paying homage to Madonna
and Lady Gaga
. It also makes use of split screen cinematography
and camera effects for the transition of scenes.
The song was promoted with only several performances, one of which was Cheryl Cole's Night In
. The single was less commercially successful compared to its predecessor "Fight for This Love
" but despite not peaking at number one, it went on to become Cole's second consecutive UK top-five and Irish-top ten hit. It was also a top five hit in Australia and has since been certified platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association
and gold by the British Phonographic Industry
.
, dance music
pop song
. It features guest vocals from will.i.am
who produced the song as well as, writing the lyrics with Cole and George Pajon. Serving as the opening and title song of Cole's debut album, the song is written in the key of C♯ minor with a time signature
in common time
and a tempo
of 129 beats per minute. Noticeably missing is the standard use of a "verse-chorus-verse song structure". The song's backing track consists of a sparse yet complex chord progression
of C♯ m, G♯ m, C♯ and A major
/C♯. The production features loops of acoustic guitar
with a piano melody to form an "atmospheric love song" in the vocal range of G♯3 to B4
.
Critics stated that the "sophisticated love song" is difficult to class by genre because it was "unconventional", something which Cole agreed when she said, "[its] totally different from anything I've done [with Girls Aloud] or liked before". Some industry critics also noted that "3 Words" was "unlike many things currently [at that time] on radio or being released". Cole said that the song took its inspiration froms her newly acquired love for dance music on the charts, especially David Guetta
& Kelly Rowland
's "When Love Takes Over
".
called the song Cheryl's "showcase [...] built on dark loops of treated acoustic guitar and building into a claustrophobic dance track. It's as brave and novel a song as anything Cole's group have released." Daniel Wilcox even went as far as to say the song was "far more interesting and innovative than anything her girl group has done in their entire careers." "3 Words" has been described as "mesmerizing in its listlessness" as well as being "unlike anything Cheryl or Will.I.Am have released" and "to what's currently being played on the radio." It was labeled a standout track by many reviewers, with Killian Fox of The Observer
referring to the song as "a slick, sophisticated love song that hints at what this album could have been."(positive) David Balls of Digital Spy
wrote, "Snubbing traditional verse-chorus-verse song structure, and beginning with spare acoustic guitar strums, '3 Words' builds slowly towards a throbbing and infectious, if slightly brief, arms-in-the-air climax [...] it's hard to deny that Chez pulls off this less-than-obvious offering with aplomb."
Louise McCudden of Inthenews.co.uk, however, argued that although "her voice sounds pleasant [...] the song itself is too long and becomes tedious fairly fast." Vicki Lutas had a mostly negative review for the song saying "at the end of the day it does sound like something you could have made up when you were at school", though she did praise the backing track for being "dark, eerie and cold in a chilling way; in an infectious way". However she pointed out that "the vocal arrangement and the actual vocals themselves do nothing more for the song", and respected that "it's a brave song choice, but it's hap-hazard vocal line seems to scream... C-R-I-N-G-E.".
at number twenty-six, following strong digital sales from the release of the album, two weeks prior. Then a day before its digital release and two days before its CD release the single climbed to number fourteen. Later during the first week of 2010 it would go on to peak at number four, giving Cole her third consecutive top-five UK hit if her feature on will.i.am's "Heartbreaker
" is included. On 14 May 2010 the single was certified silver by the British Phonographic Industry
(BPI) for selling/shipping 200,000+ copies.
The single achieved similar success, reaching number three in Scotland and in Ireland where it reached number seven becoming her third consecutive top-ten single. Coincidentally, it is the second song featuring Cole's vocals to peak at number seven in Ireland, the first being will.i.am's "Heartbreaker". Internationally the single peaked top five in Hungary, and Australia. In the latter it performed better than any song Cole released with Girls Aloud
beating the previous best entry "Jump" by eighteen places. "3 Words" is the only song from Cole's album to peak within the top fifty of the Australian Singles Chart and was subsequently certified platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association
(ARIA) for selling/shipping 70,000+ units. Additionally it peaked at top-ten in Italy.
The song debuted at 14 on the Recording Industry Association of New Zealand
. It later rose to number 12, staying in the charts for 12 weeks.
", drawing comparisons to Madonna
and Lady Gaga. The overall goal of the video was described as "tell[ing] the story of a couple who socialise separately and are both approached by members of the opposite sex. Despite the other person showing a romantic interest in them". The singers go on to declare each other is 'the love of my life' and 'through the ups and the downs... never let go'." The "edgy and arty" video features "a split screen, unconventional camera angles and modern dance."
-inspired platinum blonde wig" and a "lace veil". In the early scenes she "swaps her bronzed tan for alabaster skin, smokey eyes and pale lipstick". In the next scene she can be "seen looking wistfully into the distance in a slinky floor-length black dress with brown hair extensions cascading over her shoulders", whilst in a third scene she is depicted as an "Egyptian goddess". Each scene incorporates "dance shots interspersed with sequences in which the focus falls on the two stars alone, seemingly searching each other, as it were ... experimenting more with her looks and even taking a chance with Lady Gaga-esque outfits for her dancers, including veils that cover their faces and black leotards." It’s shot with a split screen, meaning Cheryl and will.i.am do not come into physical contact.
"] - shows how to wear a blonde wig without looking like you're on a dirty weekend in the Toon. Perfectly complimenting the song itself, this super-glossy clip also suggests that Cole has a firm eye on global stardom over the next year." Fame magazine called the video "a little edgier than anything Girls Aloud have done".
's The Chris Moyles Show
. Cole performed "3 Words" for the first time with will.i.am during her one-off special for ITV
, Cheryl Cole's Night In
. A reporter of The Daily Mail said Cheryl "[performed in] a glamorous flowing Kate Bush
-esque black gown a duet of her latest single '3 Words'. In January 2010 Cole flew to Germany to perform "3 Words" at German Award Ceremony, DLD Starnight at the Haus der Kunst
in Munich
. She also performed the song as part of a four-song set at 'BBC Radio 1
Big Weekend as well as performing at the 'De Grisogono
jewellery dinner party' at the Eden Rock Hotel in Cap d'Antibes during the Cannes Film Festival
.
, Los Angeles
(CA).
Cheryl Cole
Cheryl Ann Cole is an English pop and R&B recording artist, songwriter, dancer, actress and model. She rose to fame in late 2002 when she auditioned for the reality television show Popstars: The Rivals on ITV. The programme announced that Cole had won a place as a member of the girl group, Girls...
. The song is both the opening and title song
3 Words
3 Words is the debut studio album from British pop singer Cheryl Cole, released on 23 October 2009 by Fascination Records. The project is Cole's first solo release following a break from releasing material with her band Girls Aloud whom after seven years have enjoyed five successful albums and...
from debut studio album
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
. It was released in the UK and Ireland on December 21, 2009 by Fascination Records
Fascination Records
Fascination Records is a UK-based record label, owned by Universal Music Group, and operated as an imprint of Polydor Records. The label was launched in spring 2006, and is managed by former TOTP Magazine editor Peter Loraine...
and later in 2010 by Universal Music
Universal Music Group
Universal Music Group is an American music group, the largest of the "big four" record companies by its commanding market share and its multitude of global operations...
, sometimes serving as the lead single for 3 Words. The uptempo synth
Synthpop
Synthpop is a genre of popular music that first became prominent in the 1980s, in which the synthesizer is the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s and early 1970s by the use of synthesizers in progressive rock, electronic art rock, disco and particularly the "Kraut rock" of...
and dance music
Dance music
Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement...
-inspired 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 was written by Cole and George Pajon. It was also written and produced by will.i.am
Will.i.am
William James Adams, Jr. , better known by his stage name will.i.am and occasionally by his other stage name Zuper Blahq, is an American rapper, musician, songwriter, singer, actor and producer...
who has guest vocals on the song. 3 Words was cited by Cole as her favourite song from the album for being different to what people expected.
"3 Words" was praised by contemporary critics who said it was "a sophisticated love song" and the "standout track" from the album. Its unconventional production abandons the use of 'verse-chorus-verse' structure instead, opting for a throbbing build up to a climax. The accompanying video, directed by Saam, features the singer in various fashion ensambles often contrasting colour with will.i.am and, paying homage to Madonna
Madonna (entertainer)
Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
and Lady Gaga
Lady GaGa
Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta , better known by her stage name Lady Gaga, is an American singer and songwriter. Born and raised in New York City, she primarily studied at the Convent of the Sacred Heart and briefly attended New York University's Tisch School of the Arts before withdrawing to...
. It also makes use of split screen cinematography
Cinematography
Cinematography is the making of lighting and camera choices when recording photographic images for cinema. It is closely related to the art of still photography...
and camera effects for the transition of scenes.
The song was promoted with only several performances, one of which was Cheryl Cole's Night In
Cheryl Cole's Night In
Cheryl Cole's Night In was a one-off television special, starring British singer Cheryl Cole, produced for ITV, that aired on 12 December 2009 at 6:30 pm. The programme was hosted by Holly Willoughby, featured a host of other performers and acted as a lead-in to the final of the sixth series of The...
. The single was less commercially successful compared to its predecessor "Fight for This Love
Fight for This Love
"Fight for This Love" is a song by British recording artist Cheryl Cole, taken from her debut studio album, 3 Words. Initially, the song was released in the United Kingdom and Ireland as the lead single on 16 October 2009 by Fascination Records however, in 2010 it was also released in Europe as the...
" but despite not peaking at number one, it went on to become Cole's second consecutive UK top-five and Irish-top ten hit. It was also a top five hit in Australia and has since been 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...
and gold by the British Phonographic Industry
British Phonographic Industry
The British Phonographic Industry is the British record industry's trade association.-Structure:Its membership comprises hundreds of music companies including all four "major" record companies , associate members such as manufacturers and distributors, and hundreds of independent music companies...
.
Composition
"3 Words" is an uptempo synthpopSynthpop
Synthpop is a genre of popular music that first became prominent in the 1980s, in which the synthesizer is the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s and early 1970s by the use of synthesizers in progressive rock, electronic art rock, disco and particularly the "Kraut rock" of...
, dance music
Dance music
Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement...
pop song
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...
. It features guest vocals from will.i.am
Will.i.am
William James Adams, Jr. , better known by his stage name will.i.am and occasionally by his other stage name Zuper Blahq, is an American rapper, musician, songwriter, singer, actor and producer...
who produced the song as well as, writing the lyrics with Cole and George Pajon. Serving as the opening and title song of Cole's debut album, the song is written in the key of C♯ minor with a time signature
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....
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 a tempo
Tempo
In musical terminology, tempo is the speed or pace of a given piece. Tempo is a crucial element of any musical composition, as it can affect the mood and difficulty of a piece.-Measuring tempo:...
of 129 beats per minute. Noticeably missing is the standard use of a "verse-chorus-verse song structure". The song's backing track consists of a sparse yet complex 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...
of C♯ m, G♯ m, C♯ and A major
A major
A major is a major scale based on A, with the pitches A, B, C, D, E, F, and G. Its key signature has three sharps.Its relative minor is F-sharp minor and its parallel minor is A minor...
/C♯. The production features loops of acoustic guitar
Acoustic guitar
An acoustic guitar is a guitar that uses only an acoustic sound board. The air in this cavity resonates with the vibrational modes of the string and at low frequencies, which depend on the size of the box, the chamber acts like a Helmholtz resonator, increasing or decreasing the volume of the sound...
with a piano melody to form an "atmospheric love song" in the vocal range of G♯3 to B4
B (musical note)
B, also known as H, Si or Ti, is the seventh note of the solfège. It lies a chromatic semitone below C and is thus the enharmonic equivalent of C-flat....
.
Critics stated that the "sophisticated love song" is difficult to class by genre because it was "unconventional", something which Cole agreed when she said, "[its] totally different from anything I've done [with Girls Aloud] or liked before". Some industry critics also noted that "3 Words" was "unlike many things currently [at that time] on radio or being released". Cole said that the song took its inspiration froms her newly acquired love for dance music on the charts, especially David Guetta
David Guetta
Pierre David Guetta , known professionally as David Guetta , is a French house music producer and DJ. Originally a DJ at nightclubs during the 1980s and 1990s, he co-founded Gum Productions and released his first album, Just a Little More Love, in 2002. Later, he released Guetta Blaster and Pop Life...
& Kelly Rowland
Kelly Rowland
Kelendria Trene "Kelly" Rowland is an American singer, songwriter, actress, dancer, and television personality. She rose to fame as one of the founding members of the American girl group Destiny's Child...
's "When Love Takes Over
When Love Takes Over
"When Love Takes Over" is a song by French disc jockey -music producer David Guetta from his fourth studio album, One Love. It was released as the lead single from the album on 21 April 2009 by Virgin Records...
".
Critical reception
Cole described it as her favourite song on the album and music critics generally agreed. Tom Ewing of The GuardianThe Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
called the song Cheryl's "showcase [...] built on dark loops of treated acoustic guitar and building into a claustrophobic dance track. It's as brave and novel a song as anything Cole's group have released." Daniel Wilcox even went as far as to say the song was "far more interesting and innovative than anything her girl group has done in their entire careers." "3 Words" has been described as "mesmerizing in its listlessness" as well as being "unlike anything Cheryl or Will.I.Am have released" and "to what's currently being played on the radio." It was labeled a standout track by many reviewers, with Killian Fox of The Observer
The Observer
The Observer is a British newspaper, published on Sundays. In the same place on the political spectrum as its daily sister paper The Guardian, which acquired it in 1993, it takes a liberal or social democratic line on most issues. It is the world's oldest Sunday newspaper.-Origins:The first issue,...
referring to the song as "a slick, sophisticated love song that hints at what this album could have been."(positive) David Balls of 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....
wrote, "Snubbing traditional verse-chorus-verse song structure, and beginning with spare acoustic guitar strums, '3 Words' builds slowly towards a throbbing and infectious, if slightly brief, arms-in-the-air climax [...] it's hard to deny that Chez pulls off this less-than-obvious offering with aplomb."
Louise McCudden of Inthenews.co.uk, however, argued that although "her voice sounds pleasant [...] the song itself is too long and becomes tedious fairly fast." Vicki Lutas had a mostly negative review for the song saying "at the end of the day it does sound like something you could have made up when you were at school", though she did praise the backing track for being "dark, eerie and cold in a chilling way; in an infectious way". However she pointed out that "the vocal arrangement and the actual vocals themselves do nothing more for the song", and respected that "it's a brave song choice, but it's hap-hazard vocal line seems to scream... C-R-I-N-G-E.".
Chart performance
"3 Words" made its official debut on the UK Singles ChartUK 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 ...
at number twenty-six, following strong digital sales from the release of the album, two weeks prior. Then a day before its digital release and two days before its CD release the single climbed to number fourteen. Later during the first week of 2010 it would go on to peak at number four, giving Cole her third consecutive top-five UK hit if her feature on will.i.am's "Heartbreaker
Heartbreaker (will.i.am song)
"Heartbreaker" is the second single from rapper will.i.am's third album Songs About Girls. The British single version features guest vocals from Cheryl Cole; this version was also featured on Cole's debut solo album 3 Words which was released in October 2009.-Release and reception:Cheryl Cole's...
" is included. On 14 May 2010 the single was certified silver by the British Phonographic Industry
British Phonographic Industry
The British Phonographic Industry is the British record industry's trade association.-Structure:Its membership comprises hundreds of music companies including all four "major" record companies , associate members such as manufacturers and distributors, and hundreds of independent music companies...
(BPI) for selling/shipping 200,000+ copies.
The single achieved similar success, reaching number three in Scotland and in Ireland where it reached number seven becoming her third consecutive top-ten single. Coincidentally, it is the second song featuring Cole's vocals to peak at number seven in Ireland, the first being will.i.am's "Heartbreaker". Internationally the single peaked top five in Hungary, and Australia. In the latter it performed better than any song Cole released with Girls Aloud
Girls Aloud
Girls Aloud are a British and Irish pop girl group based in London. They were created through the ITV1 talent show Popstars The Rivals in 2002. The group consists of Cheryl Cole , Nadine Coyle, Sarah Harding, Nicola Roberts and Kimberley Walsh. They are signed to Fascination Records, a Polydor...
beating the previous best entry "Jump" by eighteen places. "3 Words" is the only song from Cole's album to peak within the top fifty of the Australian Singles Chart and was subsequently 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 selling/shipping 70,000+ units. Additionally it peaked at top-ten in Italy.
The song debuted at 14 on 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...
. It later rose to number 12, staying in the charts for 12 weeks.
Background and concept
Cole filmed two music videos for "3 Words". The first music video was a viral version directed by Vincent Haycock, in the week beginning 19 October 2009 "on the only rainy night in Los Angeles in six months." The second version was the official "split screener", directed by Saam, that premiered on 27 November 2009. The video was described as being distinctly different to that of previous single "Fight for This LoveFight for This Love
"Fight for This Love" is a song by British recording artist Cheryl Cole, taken from her debut studio album, 3 Words. Initially, the song was released in the United Kingdom and Ireland as the lead single on 16 October 2009 by Fascination Records however, in 2010 it was also released in Europe as the...
", drawing comparisons to Madonna
Madonna (entertainer)
Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
and Lady Gaga. The overall goal of the video was described as "tell[ing] the story of a couple who socialise separately and are both approached by members of the opposite sex. Despite the other person showing a romantic interest in them". The singers go on to declare each other is 'the love of my life' and 'through the ups and the downs... never let go'." The "edgy and arty" video features "a split screen, unconventional camera angles and modern dance."
Synopsis
The video begins with Cole sitting alongside will.i.am, wearing a "Lady GagaLady GaGa
Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta , better known by her stage name Lady Gaga, is an American singer and songwriter. Born and raised in New York City, she primarily studied at the Convent of the Sacred Heart and briefly attended New York University's Tisch School of the Arts before withdrawing to...
-inspired platinum blonde wig" and a "lace veil". In the early scenes she "swaps her bronzed tan for alabaster skin, smokey eyes and pale lipstick". In the next scene she can be "seen looking wistfully into the distance in a slinky floor-length black dress with brown hair extensions cascading over her shoulders", whilst in a third scene she is depicted as an "Egyptian goddess". Each scene incorporates "dance shots interspersed with sequences in which the focus falls on the two stars alone, seemingly searching each other, as it were ... experimenting more with her looks and even taking a chance with Lady Gaga-esque outfits for her dancers, including veils that cover their faces and black leotards." It’s shot with a split screen, meaning Cheryl and will.i.am do not come into physical contact.
Reception
The video received mixed to negative reviews from critics who praised Cole's sense of fashion but cited that the video was unoriginal. Elena Gorgan of Softpedia said "even with all this, she hardly manages to create a strong impression .., the video fails to break any visual ground, albeit standing on its own as a stylish video." The Daily Mail agreed saying "[The story] which will no doubt be interpreted by fans as an insight into Cheryl's marriage to footballer Ashley Cole. Cheryl has ditched her street dance gear for a gown fit for a diva along with suitably styled big hair ... But as she teams up with Black Eyed Peas rapper will.i.am is sporting a more feminine look. The net result is, sorry to say it, very regal but a bit on the dull side." Lisa McGarry of 'Unreality TV' said the platinum wig was "strange" She also said "if it doesn’t look great, at least it looks shocking." Meanwhile David Balls of 'Digital Spy' said "[in] this glitzy split-screen affair, Cheryl looks effortlessly classy and glam as she transforms into an Egyptian goddess and - with more success than a certain Mrs. B (Mel B) back in 2001 [with "Feels so GoodFeels So Good (Melanie B song)
"Feels So Good" is a song by Melanie B, released as the third single from her debut solo album. It was released on February 19, 2001. In the UK it peaked and debuted at #5, selling 55,000 copies in its first week and 140,331 altogether, thus becoming the 80th best seller of 2001...
"] - shows how to wear a blonde wig without looking like you're on a dirty weekend in the Toon. Perfectly complimenting the song itself, this super-glossy clip also suggests that Cole has a firm eye on global stardom over the next year." Fame magazine called the video "a little edgier than anything Girls Aloud have done".
Live performances
The song received its worldwide radio premiere on 13 October 2009 on BBC Radio 1BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
's The Chris Moyles Show
The Chris Moyles Show
The Chris Moyles Show is the current BBC Radio 1 breakfast show in the UK, and has been since Chris Moyles became the station's breakfast show presenter on 5 January 2004. From 2004 to 2007, the show was broadcast 6:55–10:00 am each weekday, but since 15 October 2007 it has started from...
. Cole performed "3 Words" for the first time with will.i.am during her one-off special for ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
, Cheryl Cole's Night In
Cheryl Cole's Night In
Cheryl Cole's Night In was a one-off television special, starring British singer Cheryl Cole, produced for ITV, that aired on 12 December 2009 at 6:30 pm. The programme was hosted by Holly Willoughby, featured a host of other performers and acted as a lead-in to the final of the sixth series of The...
. A reporter of The Daily Mail said Cheryl "[performed in] a glamorous flowing Kate Bush
Kate Bush
Kate Bush is an English singer-songwriter, musician and record producer. Her eclectic musical style and idiosyncratic vocal style have made her one of the United Kingdom's most successful solo female performers of the past 30 years.In 1978, at the age of 19, Bush topped the UK Singles Chart...
-esque black gown a duet of her latest single '3 Words'. In January 2010 Cole flew to Germany to perform "3 Words" at German Award Ceremony, DLD Starnight at the Haus der Kunst
Haus der Kunst
The Haus der Kunst is an art museum in Munich, Germany. It is located at Prinzregentenstrasse 1 at the southern edge of the Englischer Garten, Munich's largest park.-History:...
in Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
. She also performed the song as part of a four-song set at 'BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
Big Weekend as well as performing at the 'De Grisogono
De Grisogono
De Grisogono is a Swiss luxury jeweller. It was founded in 1993 by black diamond specialist Fawaz Gruosi....
jewellery dinner party' at the Eden Rock Hotel in Cap d'Antibes during the Cannes Film Festival
Cannes Film Festival
The Cannes International Film Festival , is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films of all genres including documentaries from around the world. Founded in 1946, it is among the world's most prestigious and publicized film festivals...
.
Track listing
- Digital download
- "3 Words" (Radio edit) – 4:04
- CD Single
- "3 Words" – 4:04
- "Boys" (Emily Sande, J. Murray , M. Omer , S. Khan) – 3:41
- Remix EP
- "3 Words" (Steve Angello Radio Re-Production) – 3:59
- "3 Words" (Doman & Gooding I Love You Edit) – 3:36
- "3 Words" (Geeneus-Rinse FM Radio Dub Edit) – 3:33
- Digital EP 1
- "3 Words" (Album version) – 4:33
- "3 Words" (Steve Angello Radio Re-Production) – 4:00
- "3 Words" (Doman & Gooding I Love You Edit) – 3:38
- "3 Words" (Geeneus-Rinse FM Radio Dub Edit) – 3:33
- Digital EP 2
- "3 Words" (Radio edit) – 4:04
- "3 Words" (Steve Angello Extended Re-Production) – 5:42
- "3 Words" (Doman & Gooding I Love You Remix) – 6:27
- "3 Words" (Geeneus-Rinse FM Main Mix) – 6:02
Credits and personnel
"3 Words" was recorded at Record Plant StudiosRecord Plant Studios
The Record Plant was a series of three famous recording studios which were founded by Gary Kellgren and Chris Stone, beginning in New York City in 1968. The next year, Kellgren and Stone opened a second studio in Los Angeles. In 1972, the company expanded again with a third location in Sausalito,...
, 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...
(CA).
- Producer - will.i.amWill.i.amWilliam James Adams, Jr. , better known by his stage name will.i.am and occasionally by his other stage name Zuper Blahq, is an American rapper, musician, songwriter, singer, actor and producer...
- GuitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
- George Pajon - Drums, synthesizerSynthesizerA synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
, bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- will.i.am - Engineer - Padriac "Padlock" Kerin, will.i.am
- Recorded - Padriac "Padlock" Kerin
- Mixing - Dylan Dresdow, will.i.am
Charts
| Chart (2009/2010) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA Dance 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... ) |
2 |
Certifications
| Country | Provider | Certificates |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| United Kingdom | BPI British Phonographic Industry The British Phonographic Industry is the British record industry's trade association.-Structure:Its membership comprises hundreds of music companies including all four "major" record companies , associate members such as manufacturers and distributors, and hundreds of independent music companies... |
Silver |
End-of-year charts
| Chart (2009) | Position |
|---|---|
| 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 ... |
91 |
| Australian 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... |
59 |
| Australian Dance 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... |
14 |
| Chart (2010) | Position |
| Italian Singles Chart | 83 |
| UK Singles Chart | 161 |
Release history
| Region | Date | Format | Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ireland | 20 December 2009 | 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... , Digital EP 1, Digital EP 2 |
Polydor Records Polydor Records Polydor is a record label owned by Universal Music Group, headquartered in the United Kingdom.-Beginnings:Polydor was originally an independent branch of the Deutsche Grammophon Gesellschaft. Its name was first used as an export label in 1924, the British and German branches of the Gramophone... |
| United Kingdom | Digital download, Digital EP 1, Digital EP 2 | Fascination Records Fascination Records Fascination Records is a UK-based record label, owned by Universal Music Group, and operated as an imprint of Polydor Records. The label was launched in spring 2006, and is managed by former TOTP Magazine editor Peter Loraine... |
|
| 21 December 2009 | CD single CD single A CD single is a music single in the form of a standard size Compact Disc, not to be confused with the 3-inch CD single, which uses a smaller form factor. The format was introduced in the mid-1980s, but did not gain its place in the market until the early 1990s... |
||
| Australia | 12 February 2010 | Digital download | Universal Music Universal Music Group Universal Music Group is an American music group, the largest of the "big four" record companies by its commanding market share and its multitude of global operations... |
| Digital remix EP | |||
| Italy | 14 April 2010 | Digital download | |
| Germany | 25 June 2010 | ||
| Belgium | 14 July 2010 |