Do It Like a Dude
Encyclopedia
"Do It Like a Dude" was written by Jessie J, George Astasio, Jason Pebworth, Jon Shave, Kyle Abrahams and Peter Ighile and was produced by The Invisible Men with Parker & James. Cornish originally wrote the song with Rihanna
in mind because "Rude Boy
" was released at the time, partly inspiring Cornish to write the song. She then sent the song to her label, Island Records
, before sending it to Rihanna's management. Island then insisted the song become Cornish's first single, since they thought it was 'amazing'. In April 2011 Cornish stated that she wishes to perform "Do It Like a Dude" with Rihanna, "I wanna ask her, I really wanna ask her if we can perform it together.. either on her tour or at V Festival or one of the big festivals. I definitely think that she would kill it."
, as J says the words "video hoes", a scene of her wearing the same outfit as in her "Do It Like a Dude" video.
In the clean version, graphically explicit shots (i.e. the close-up of two women kissing and drinking scenes) were removed, except for Jessie's studded lips (which are frequently shown compared to the explicit version).
, pop rock
and R&B
song which features hip hop
beat
s and rock riffs. According to the sheet music published by Sony/ATV Music Publishing
at Musinotes.com, "Do It Like a Dude" is set in common time
with a tempo
of 140 beats per minute. Written in the key
of D minor
, the song features a basic chord progression
of Dm–F–C–B. J's voice spans from the low note of A3
to the high note of D5
. According to PopMatters
' Max Feldman, J speaks patois
on the song. J said to Artistdirect
that "Do It Like a Dude" is about equality and self-confidence.
Nick Levine of Digital Spy
gave the song a positive review stating, "Now here's how to make an entrance into the capricious, peacock-packed party of pop." Rolling Stone
Erika Berlin awarded the "fierce" song three out of five stars and praised its chorus. Max Feldman of PopMatters
called the song's chorus "chunky and cheeky, with some infectious chilli-infused pre-choral warbling", but criticised J's "patois" vocals.
In the United Kingdom, "Do It Like a Dude" debuted on the UK Singles Chart
at number 25 on 28 November 2010 as the third highest new entry of the week. Following a decline during December, the single climbed 13 places to number 21 on 26 December and again climbed a further 3 places the week after to a number 18. Following the announcement that Jessie J had topped the BBC's Sound of 2011 poll, "Do It Like a Dude" propelled 13 places into the top 10 at number 5 on 9 January 2011. On its second week in the Top 10, the single climbed 3 places to a peak of number 2; being beaten to the top spot only by Bruno Mars
' "Grenade
". As of 6 February 2011, the song has sold over 300,000 copies in Great Britain. In the Republic of Ireland, the single also saw a chart placement on the Irish Singles Chart
, where it peaked at number 11.
launch on 13 January 2011. On 27 April 2011 she sang the song on MuchMusic
's New.Music.Live. Also, the Jessie presented the song in the 2011 MTV VMAs
.
covered the track in the BBC Radio 1Xtra
Live Lounge in December 2010. Indie band Fenech-Soler
performed an energetic version of the song, this time in the BBC Radio One Live Lounge, in February 2011.
Rihanna
Robyn Rihanna Fenty , better known as simply Rihanna, is a Barbadian recording artist. Born in Saint Michael, Barbados, Rihanna moved to the United States at the age of 16 to pursue a recording career under the guidance of record producer Evan Rogers...
in mind because "Rude Boy
Rude Boy (song)
"Rude Boy" is a song by Barbadian recording artist Rihanna, taken from her fourth studio album, Rated R . The song was released as the third single from the album on February 19, 2010, through Def Jam. It was written by Mikkel S. Eriksen, Tor Erik Hermansen, Ester Dean, Makeba Riddick, Rob Swire...
" was released at the time, partly inspiring Cornish to write the song. She then sent the song to her label, Island Records
Island Records
Island Records is a record label that was founded by Chris Blackwell in Jamaica. It was based in the United Kingdom for many years and is now owned by Universal Music Group...
, before sending it to Rihanna's management. Island then insisted the song become Cornish's first single, since they thought it was 'amazing'. In April 2011 Cornish stated that she wishes to perform "Do It Like a Dude" with Rihanna, "I wanna ask her, I really wanna ask her if we can perform it together.. either on her tour or at V Festival or one of the big festivals. I definitely think that she would kill it."
Background
The video was filmed from the 25 and 26 of October 2010, The video was directed by Emil Nava, An explicit version premiered November 9 2010 and a clean version the next day on 4 Music. It was filmed in a dark hall tower. In the music video for Price TagPrice Tag
"Price Tag" is a song by English singer-songwriter Jessie J, featuring American rapper B.o.B. It was released on 28 January 2011 in the United Kingdom as the second single from Jessie J's debut studio album, Who You Are. "Price Tag" was written by Jessie J, Dr. Luke, Claude Kelly and B.o.B, and it...
, as J says the words "video hoes", a scene of her wearing the same outfit as in her "Do It Like a Dude" video.
Concept
The video begins with a close-up shot of Jessie's black bejeweled lips as she sings. The scene then intercuts with: someone being tattooed, a woman slicing a pig's trotter, a woman doing some chemical experiments and licking a bottle of "poison", before following Jessie dancing in an orange hoodie and entering the flat where alt-looking women are seen throughout the video. The video also features Jessie dancing with back-up dancers, and a party with people acting cruelly. The video ends with Jessie, clad in a revealing, plunging white top and black costume bra, shaking her head exaggeratedly and laying down, disappearing from the scene.In the clean version, graphically explicit shots (i.e. the close-up of two women kissing and drinking scenes) were removed, except for Jessie's studded lips (which are frequently shown compared to the explicit version).
Composition
"Do It Like a Dude" is a 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...
, pop rock
Pop rock
Pop rock is a music genre which mixes a catchy pop style and light lyrics in its guitar-based rock songs. There are varying definitions of the term, ranging from a slower and mellower form of rock music to a subgenre of pop music...
and R&B
Contemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B is a music genre that combines elements of hip hop, soul, R&B and funk.Although the abbreviation “R&B” originates from traditional rhythm and blues music, today the term R&B is most often used to describe a style of African American music originating after the demise of disco in...
song which features hip hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
beat
Beat (music)
The beat is the basic unit of time in music, the pulse of the mensural level . In popular use, the beat can refer to a variety of related concepts including: tempo, meter, rhythm and groove...
s and rock riffs. According to the sheet music published 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...
at Musinotes.com, "Do It Like a Dude" is set in common time
Common Time
"Common Time" is a science fiction short story written by James Blish. It first appeared in the August 1953 issue of Science Fiction Quarterly and has been reprinted several times: in the 1959 short-story collection Galactic Cluster; in The Testament of Andros ; in The Penguin Science Fiction...
with 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 140 beats per minute. Written in the key
Key (music)
In music theory, the term key is used in many different and sometimes contradictory ways. A common use is to speak of music as being "in" a specific key, such as in the key of C major or in the key of F-sharp. Sometimes the terms "major" or "minor" are appended, as in the key of A minor or in the...
of D minor
D minor
D minor is a minor scale based on D, consisting of the pitches D, E, F, G, A, B, and C. In the harmonic minor, the C is raised to C. Its key signature has one flat ....
, the song features a basic 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 Dm–F–C–B. J's voice spans from the low note of A3
A (musical note)
La or A is the sixth note of the solfège. "A" is generally used as a standard for tuning. When the orchestra tunes, the oboe plays an "A" and the rest of the instruments tune to match that pitch. Every string instrument in the orchestra has an A string, from which each player can tune the rest of...
to the high note of D5
D (musical note)
D is a musical note a whole tone above C, and is known as Re within the solfege system.When calculated in equal temperament with a reference of A above middle C as 440 Hz, the frequency of middle D is approximately 293.665 Hz. See pitch for a discussion of historical variations in...
. According to PopMatters
PopMatters
PopMatters is an international webzine of cultural criticism that covers many aspects of popular culture. PopMatters publishes reviews, interviews, and detailed essays on most cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, films, books, video games, comics, sports, theater,...
' Max Feldman, J speaks patois
Patois
Patois is any language that is considered nonstandard, although the term is not formally defined in linguistics. It can refer to pidgins, creoles, dialects, and other forms of native or local speech, but not commonly to jargon or slang, which are vocabulary-based forms of cant...
on the song. J said to Artistdirect
ARTISTdirect
Founded in 1994, Artistdirect, Inc. is an online digital media entertainment company. It owns several websites including Artistdirect.com, UBL.com and the Artistdirect Network...
that "Do It Like a Dude" is about equality and self-confidence.
Reception
Stephen Thomas Erlewine from Allmusic noted "Do It Like a Dude" as one of the best tracks from Who You Are.Nick Levine 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....
gave the song a positive review stating, "Now here's how to make an entrance into the capricious, peacock-packed party of pop." Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
Erika Berlin awarded the "fierce" song three out of five stars and praised its chorus. Max Feldman of PopMatters
PopMatters
PopMatters is an international webzine of cultural criticism that covers many aspects of popular culture. PopMatters publishes reviews, interviews, and detailed essays on most cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, films, books, video games, comics, sports, theater,...
called the song's chorus "chunky and cheeky, with some infectious chilli-infused pre-choral warbling", but criticised J's "patois" vocals.
In the United Kingdom, "Do It Like a Dude" debuted 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 ...
at number 25 on 28 November 2010 as the third highest new entry of the week. Following a decline during December, the single climbed 13 places to number 21 on 26 December and again climbed a further 3 places the week after to a number 18. Following the announcement that Jessie J had topped the BBC's Sound of 2011 poll, "Do It Like a Dude" propelled 13 places into the top 10 at number 5 on 9 January 2011. On its second week in the Top 10, the single climbed 3 places to a peak of number 2; being beaten to the top spot only by Bruno Mars
Bruno Mars
Peter Gene Hernandez , better known by his stage name Bruno Mars, is an Filipino-American singer-songwriter and record producer. Raised in Honolulu, Hawaii by a family of musicians, Mars began making music at a young age...
' "Grenade
Grenade (song)
"Grenade" is a song performed by American singer-songwriter and producer Bruno Mars from his debut studio album Doo-Wops & Hooligans. Initially released as a promotional single on September 28, 2010, it was later announced to be the album's second single...
". As of 6 February 2011, the song has sold over 300,000 copies in Great Britain. In the Republic of Ireland, the single also saw a chart placement on the Irish Singles Chart
Irish Singles Chart
The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured...
, where it peaked at number 11.
Live performances
J performed an acoustic rendition of "Do It Like a Dude" at the 2011 BRIT Awards2011 BRIT Awards
The 2011 BRIT Awards was held on Tuesday 15 February 2011.It was the 31st edition of the British Phonographic Industry's annual pop music awards. The award ceremony was held at The O2 Arena...
launch on 13 January 2011. On 27 April 2011 she sang the song on MuchMusic
MuchMusic
MuchMusic is a Canadian English language Category A specialty channel owned by Bell Media. MuchMusic is dedicated to music-related programs, pop and youth culture.-History:...
's New.Music.Live. Also, the Jessie presented the song in the 2011 MTV VMAs
2011 MTV Video Music Awards
The 2011 MTV Video Music Awards took place on August 28, at Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles, honoring the best music videos from the previous year. On July 20, the nominees were announced...
.
Cover versions
British R&B singer LabrinthLabrinth
Timothy McKenzie , better known by his stage name Labrinth, is an English singer-songwriter and record producer. McKenzie is signed to Simon Cowell's record label Syco, becoming the first non-talent show signing in six years...
covered the track in the BBC Radio 1Xtra
BBC Radio 1Xtra
BBC Radio 1Xtra is a digital radio station in the United Kingdom from the BBC specialising in new black music, sometimes referred to as urban music. Launched at 18:00 on 16 August 2002, it had been codenamed Network X during the consulation period and is the sister station to BBC Radio 1...
Live Lounge in December 2010. Indie band Fenech-Soler
Fenech-Soler
Fenech-Soler are a British electropop band from Kings Cliffe, Northamptonshire that formed in 2006. It consists of four members: Ross Duffy, Ben Duffy, Daniel Soler and Andrew Lindsay. The name Fenech-Soler is taken from Daniel Soler's full surname, which is Maltese...
performed an energetic version of the song, this time in the BBC Radio One Live Lounge, in February 2011.
Track listings
Charts
| Chart (2010–11) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA 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... ) |
66 |
Certifications
| Country | Certification |
|---|---|
| United Kingdom 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... |
Gold |
| New Zealand Recording Industry Association of New Zealand The Recording Industry Association of New Zealand is a non-profit trade association of record producers, distributors and recording artists who sell music in New Zealand... |
Gold |
Release history
| Region | Date | Label | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 18 November 2010 | Universal Republic Universal Republic Universal Republic Records is a record label, owned by Universal Music Group. It is based on the now-defunct Republic Records label founded by brothers Monte and Avery Lipman... |
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... |
| Australia | 26 November 2010 | ||
| United States | 7 December 2010 | ||
| Germany | 18 March 2011 | 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... |