Get Your Number
Encyclopedia
"Get Your Number" is a song by American singer-songwriter
Mariah Carey
. It was written by Carey, Jermaine Dupri
, Johntá Austin
and Bryan-Michael Cox, and produced by the former two and LRoc
. It was released as the third international single from Carey's tenth studio album
, The Emancipation of Mimi
(2005). The song is built around a sample of "Just an Illusion
" (1982) by British band Imagination
. Due to the inclusion of the sample, several other writers are credited as songwriters. Lyrically, the song features the protagonist persistently asking for the phone number of an individual at a club.
The song received generally mixed reviews from music critics at the time of its release, with many both praising and criticizing the inclusion of the sample, as well as the song's production and lyrical content. "Get Your Number" was released as the third single throughout Europe, where it peaked within the top-ten in Finland, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, where it was sold as a double A-side
along with "Shake It Off
". Similarly, the song found release in Australasia in early 2006, as the fifth single from the album, and peaked in the top-twenty in Australia, and at number thirty-four in New Zealand.
The single's music video was directed by Jake Nava
, who also directed Carey's video for "Shake It Off". It was filmed in Los Angeles
on September 1 and 2, 2005 and features Jermaine Dupri
as the video's secondary artist, while Michael Ealy
, plays Carey's love interest at the club. The main setting is a nightclub where Carey slips her phone number to a man, one digit at a time. Carey is shown in a variety of locations wearing, amongst other outfits, a yellow latex dress. Dupri makes a guest appearance as a man receiving the numbers of three girls in the club.
Glitter (2001), and its film of the same name
. As she was hospitalized for exhaustion, the film project received strong negative critical feedback, with the album faring only slightly better. Following Carey's absence from the public eye, as well as her abandonment of promotional appearances for the film and soundtrack, her unprecedented $100 million five-album record deal with Virgin Records
(EMI Records
) was bought out for $50 million. After recovering from her breakdown, and completing her contractual agreement with Virgin Records, Carey began recording her intended "comeback" and follow-up album, Charmbracelet
(2002). Though fueled by strong media attention regarding Carey return to music, as well as her new deal with Island Records
, the album failed to deliver the type of sales Carey had been accustomed to throughout the 1990s, and only managed sales of 5 million copies globally. After the album's release, and its succeeding tour, Carey began conceptualizing and working on a new project, eventually titled The Emancipation of Mimi
, her tenth studio effort.
head L.A. Reid, he suggested Carey try and compose a few more strong singles, in order to assure the project stay afloat commercially. He told her how she had written some of her best work with Jermaine Dupri
, and recommended she travel to Atlanta for a brief studio rendezvous. In an interview with MTV
, she recalled how the process came about: "L.A. was like, 'You and Jermaine Dupri make magic together, why aren't you in the studio with him? I said, 'I love Jermaine, is he free? I know he's doing a million things, Usher and this and that'. But Jermaine said, 'Come on down'." During the course of her two day trip in Atlanta, the duo wrote and produced the album's eventual third and fourth singles, "Shake It Off" and "Get Your Number". At that point, Carey and her management at Island decided to re-think the album's first single, originally having been "Say Somethin'", Carey's collaboration with Snoop Dogg
and Pharrell Williams
. She recalled how since hearing her demo of "Shake It Off", she knew "It was my favorite song", and decided to substitute it as the album's primary release.
During one of Carey's later meetings with Reid, she decided to fly back to Atlanta, in hopes of possibly creating another batch of strong material. Following a second trip there, Carey and Dupri helmed the final two songs to be added to the album's roster, "We Belong Together" and "It's Like That". According to Carey, "We said, OK, we love 'Shake It Off,'. We don't know how we're going to top that, but let's just try'. It turned out that 'It's Like That' was the right fire-starter, and 'We Belong Together' was the bigger record." After hearing the last two songs they composed, Carey and her management unanimously agreed to releasing "It's Like That" as the album's lead single, however assuring that her favorite, "Shake It Off", would see an eventual release early on in the project. She described her sentiments regarding her trip to Atlanta: "I am so grateful I went to Atlanta. And I have to say, we wrote some of my favorite songs on the album. I'm so proud of Jermaine – he's so focused, and he knew what had to be done. You can never write off talent."
song lasting three minutes and fifteen seconds, while drawing influence from pop
and R&B
music genres. Written by Carey, Jermaine Dupri
and Johntá Austin
, and produced by the former two and LRoc
, the song samples the hook
from British band Imagination
's "Just an Illusion
" (1982), and derives its production from "‘80s-esque synthesizers" and several computerized musical instruments. Due to its sampling, additional writers such as John Phillips
, Steve Jolley
, Tony Swain
and Ashley Ingram, are credited as songwriters. On "Get Your Number", Dupri performs several ad-libs
and sings part of the chorus
, earning him a place as a featured artist on the track. According to the sheet music published at Musicnotes.com by Alfred Music Publishing, the song is set in common time
with a moderate tempo
of 126 beats per minute. The song is composed in the key of F minor
, with Carey's vocal range spanning from the low-note of B3 to the high-note of A5. Aside from Dupri's verses, Carey's longtime background singer Trey Lorenz
makes a notable impression on the song, and earned credits for providing background vocals. Lyrically, the song is written in a female perspective, where they ask the man for their number at a club. In an interview with MTV News
, Carey jokingly addressed the lyrics, claiming Dupri "really wanted it to be coming from the girl, like 'can I get your number' to the guy. But in all honesty that would never be me!" Aside from her signature vocals, Carey adopts a breathy rap for parts of the song, which read "I got a big bad house / With a sick hot tub / We can watch a flat screen / While the bubbles filling up." According to Jozen Cummings from PopMatters
, the lyrics and Carey's vocal switch make the song "fun and comedic".
editor Caroline Sullivan outed "Stay the Night" and "Get Your Number" as "the first Mariah Carey tunes in years I wouldn't have to be paid to listen to again." Barry Walters from Rolling Stone
complimented her vocal performance, writing "Carey's belabored voice finds a pleasurable medium", however criticizing the song's production. Jozen Cummings from PopMatters
called Dupri's verses "annoying gangster twang", and described the song's production as "annoying". Stylus Magazine
's Todd Burns called the duet "ill-advised" and wrote "Carey does all in her power to save from Jermaine Dupri’s machinations. It barely comes off, despite every attempt from Dupri to sound like Lil Jon
and Pharrell
along the way." Editor Sal Cinquemani writing for Slant Magazine
branded "Get Your Number" a "Summer-anthem-in-the-make", while Michael Paoletta from Billboard
described it as "bouncy and silly". Jim Abbott from the Orlando Sentinel
described the track as a "sexy, slinky dance number", while a writer from Newsweek
claimed it to be a song that "worked".
along with "Shake It Off", the third single serviced to the United States at the same time. In Australia, "Get Your Number" entered the singles chart at number nineteen during the week dated March 12, 2006. Spending ten weeks fluctuating in the chart, it exited on May 14, 2006. On the Ö3 Austria Top 40
, it peaked at number forty-one, although spending eleven week within the Austrian charts. In both the Flemmish and Wallonian territories in Belgium, "Get Your Number" peaked at number twenty-five and eighteen, while spending fourteen and thirteen weeks in the charts, respectively. The song debuted at number five on Finland's Official List on October 12, 2005. The following week, it moved up two spots to its peak of number three, before exiting the chart two weeks later. On the Dutch Top 40
, it made its debut at number ten on November 15, 2005, and spent a total of twelve weeks within the top 40 chart. In both New Zealand and Sweden, "Get Your Number" saw relatively low peaks, placing at numbers thirty-four and forty-nine, for only two and three weeks. In Switzerland, the song entered the Swiss Singles Chart
at its peak of number fourteen, while spending twenty-one weeks in the chart until exiting on April 9, 2005. On the UK Singles Chart
, the song debuted at number nine during the week of October 15, 2005. Dropping to number ten the following week, the song lasted a total of eight weeks in the singles chart before making its decent.
, who also directed Carey's video for "Shake It Off
". It was filmed in Los Angeles
on Thursday and Friday, September 1 and 2, 2005 and features Jermaine Dupri
as the video's secondary artist, while Michael Ealy
, plays Carey's love interest at the club. The main setting is a nightclub where Carey slips her phone number to a man, one digit at a time. Carey is shown in a variety of locations wearing, amongst other outfits, a yellow latex dress. Dupri makes a guest appearance as a man receiving the numbers of three girls in the club. The video begins with shots of Carey as the star of a club, wearing a yellow latex mini and gold necklace. As the music plays, Carey is seen on a variety of large props, the first of which is a large red phone. As Dupri scouts the club for females, Carey in a different ensemble passes the number '5' to Ealy on a card, while making eye contact with him.
As other scenes of Carey in the latex mini and by the large red hone prop are interspersed, the club scene alters to a poker table, where Ealy reveals three of his card, '556', completing four of the seven digits of Carey phone number. The next scene finds Carey sitting on a large pink sofa in an empty room in the club, sporting only a white man's suit jacket and stilettos. As the song reaches the bridge
, Carey is shown back in the club's main room dancing, as she leaves a number '4' on a nearby table for the man to find. As Carey once again is shown in the yellow latex dress, she walks down a small aisle, placing another card with the number '4' into Ealy's jacket pocket, before storming through the club by several followers. As the video ends, the number '555-6464' are shown lying on a small table, while Carey sits on the large pink sofa, and Ealy is seen on the other side gazing at her. The video concludes with Ealy slowly approaching Carey on the large sofa, as she winks and smiles to the camera.
European CD maxi-single
UK CD single
Australian/European CD maxi-single
UK CD maxi-single
1 "Get Your Number"/"Shake It Off
"
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. She made her recording debut with the release of her eponymous studio album in 1990, under the guidance of Columbia Records executive Tommy Mottola, whom she later married in 1993...
. It was written by Carey, Jermaine Dupri
Jermaine Dupri
Jermaine Dupri Mauldin , known as Jermaine Dupri or JD, is an American record producer, songwriter and rapper.- Early life and career :...
, Johntá Austin
Johnta Austin
Johntá Austin is an American singer-songwriter, who is currently signed to Jermaine Dupri's So So Def Recordings. He is commonly known for collaborating with Producers Bryan-Michael Cox, Jermaine Dupri & The Production Team StarGate. Austin was awarded two Grammy Awards for his work on the songs...
and Bryan-Michael Cox, and produced by the former two and LRoc
LRoc
LRoc is a staff songwriter and producer at Jermaine Dupri's So So Def Recordings. He has co-written and co-produced singles like Janet Jackson's "Call on Me" , Monica's "Everytime Tha Beat Drop", Mariah Carey's "Get Your Number", Murphy Lee's "Wat Dat Hook Gonna Be", Usher's "Yeah!", LL Cool J's...
. It was released as the third international single from Carey's tenth 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...
, The Emancipation of Mimi
The Emancipation of Mimi
The Emancipation of Mimi is the tenth studio album by American recording artist Mariah Carey, released in the United States on April 12, 2005, by Island Records. Following the relatively poor critical and commercial responses to her albums, Glitter and Charmbracelet , The Emancipation of Mimi...
(2005). The song is built around a sample of "Just an Illusion
Just an Illusion
"Just an Illusion" is a song co-written by Steve Jolley, Tony Swain, Ashley Ingram and Leee John, performed by the British band Imagination. The song was a major European hit, peaking at number two in the group's native UK. In the United States, "Just an Illusion" went to number twenty-seven on...
" (1982) by British band Imagination
Imagination (band)
Imagination were a three piece British soul and funk band, who came to prominence in the early 1980s. They had chart hits in 28 countries, earning four platinum discs, nine gold discs and more than a dozen silver discs around the world between 1981 and 1983....
. Due to the inclusion of the sample, several other writers are credited as songwriters. Lyrically, the song features the protagonist persistently asking for the phone number of an individual at a club.
The song received generally mixed reviews from music critics at the time of its release, with many both praising and criticizing the inclusion of the sample, as well as the song's production and lyrical content. "Get Your Number" was released as the third single throughout Europe, where it peaked within the top-ten in Finland, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, where it was sold as a double A-side
A-side and B-side
A-side and B-side originally referred to the two sides of gramophone records on which singles were released beginning in the 1950s. The terms have come to refer to the types of song conventionally placed on each side of the record, with the A-side being the featured song , while the B-side, or...
along with "Shake It Off
Shake It Off
"Shake It Off" is a song performed by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey, taken from her tenth studio album, The Emancipation of Mimi . It was written and produced by Carey along with Jermaine Dupri, Bryan-Michael Cox, and Johntá Austin...
". Similarly, the song found release in Australasia in early 2006, as the fifth single from the album, and peaked in the top-twenty in Australia, and at number thirty-four in New Zealand.
The single's music video was directed by Jake Nava
Jake Nava
Jake Nava was born on 17 August and grew up in northern London. He currently lives in eastern London.He graduated from the University of WestministerJake Nava is an English-born music video and film director.-Filmography:MUSIC VIDEOS...
, who also directed Carey's video for "Shake It Off". It was filmed 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...
on September 1 and 2, 2005 and features Jermaine Dupri
Jermaine Dupri
Jermaine Dupri Mauldin , known as Jermaine Dupri or JD, is an American record producer, songwriter and rapper.- Early life and career :...
as the video's secondary artist, while Michael Ealy
Michael Ealy
Michael Brown , professionally known as Michael Ealy, is an American actor.-Personal life:Ealy was born in Silver Spring, Maryland. He attended Springbrook High School and the University of Maryland, College Park.-Career:...
, plays Carey's love interest at the club. The main setting is a nightclub where Carey slips her phone number to a man, one digit at a time. Carey is shown in a variety of locations wearing, amongst other outfits, a yellow latex dress. Dupri makes a guest appearance as a man receiving the numbers of three girls in the club.
Background
In 2001, Carey suffered a physical and emotional breakdown, causing her to abandon promotion of her then-released studio albumStudio 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...
Glitter (2001), and its film of the same name
Glitter (film)
Glitter is a 2001 film starring R&B singer, songwriter Mariah Carey. It was produced by 20th Century Fox and Columbia Pictures and directed by Vondie Curtis-Hall. It centers on the life and times of a struggling singer from the early club music scene in the 1980s.-Production:Carey has said about...
. As she was hospitalized for exhaustion, the film project received strong negative critical feedback, with the album faring only slightly better. Following Carey's absence from the public eye, as well as her abandonment of promotional appearances for the film and soundtrack, her unprecedented $100 million five-album record deal with Virgin Records
Virgin Records
Virgin Records is a British record label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson, Simon Draper, and Nik Powell in 1972. The company grew to be a worldwide music phenomenon, with platinum performers such as Roy Orbison, Devo, Genesis, Keith Richards, Janet Jackson, Culture Club, Lenny...
(EMI Records
EMI Records
EMI Records is the flagship record label founded by the EMI company in 1972 and launched in January 1973 as the successor to its Columbia label. The EMI label was launched worldwide...
) was bought out for $50 million. After recovering from her breakdown, and completing her contractual agreement with Virgin Records, Carey began recording her intended "comeback" and follow-up album, Charmbracelet
Charmbracelet
Charmbracelet is the ninth studio album by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey, released on December 3, 2002 through Island Records and MonarC Entertainment. The album was her first release since facing a breakdown following the release of her film Glitter and its accompanying...
(2002). Though fueled by strong media attention regarding Carey return to music, as well as her new deal with 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...
, the album failed to deliver the type of sales Carey had been accustomed to throughout the 1990s, and only managed sales of 5 million copies globally. After the album's release, and its succeeding tour, Carey began conceptualizing and working on a new project, eventually titled The Emancipation of Mimi
The Emancipation of Mimi
The Emancipation of Mimi is the tenth studio album by American recording artist Mariah Carey, released in the United States on April 12, 2005, by Island Records. Following the relatively poor critical and commercial responses to her albums, Glitter and Charmbracelet , The Emancipation of Mimi...
, her tenth studio effort.
Writing and recording
By November 2004, Carey had already recorded several songs for her newly titled tenth studio effort, The Emancipation of Mimi. During a meeting with Island RecordsIsland 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...
head L.A. Reid, he suggested Carey try and compose a few more strong singles, in order to assure the project stay afloat commercially. He told her how she had written some of her best work with Jermaine Dupri
Jermaine Dupri
Jermaine Dupri Mauldin , known as Jermaine Dupri or JD, is an American record producer, songwriter and rapper.- Early life and career :...
, and recommended she travel to Atlanta for a brief studio rendezvous. In an interview with MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
, she recalled how the process came about: "L.A. was like, 'You and Jermaine Dupri make magic together, why aren't you in the studio with him? I said, 'I love Jermaine, is he free? I know he's doing a million things, Usher and this and that'. But Jermaine said, 'Come on down'." During the course of her two day trip in Atlanta, the duo wrote and produced the album's eventual third and fourth singles, "Shake It Off" and "Get Your Number". At that point, Carey and her management at Island decided to re-think the album's first single, originally having been "Say Somethin'", Carey's collaboration with Snoop Dogg
Snoop Dogg
Calvin Cordozar Broadus, Jr. , better known by his stage name Snoop Dogg, is an American rapper, record producer, and actor. Snoop is best known as a rapper in the West Coast hip hop scene, and for being one of Dr. Dre's most notable protégés. Snoop Dogg was a Crip gang member while in high school...
and Pharrell Williams
Pharrell Williams
Pharrell Williams , commonly known simply as Pharrell, is an American rapper, singer, record producer, composer, and fashion designer. Williams and Chad Hugo make up the record production duo The Neptunes, producing hip hop and R&B music...
. She recalled how since hearing her demo of "Shake It Off", she knew "It was my favorite song", and decided to substitute it as the album's primary release.
During one of Carey's later meetings with Reid, she decided to fly back to Atlanta, in hopes of possibly creating another batch of strong material. Following a second trip there, Carey and Dupri helmed the final two songs to be added to the album's roster, "We Belong Together" and "It's Like That". According to Carey, "We said, OK, we love 'Shake It Off,'. We don't know how we're going to top that, but let's just try'. It turned out that 'It's Like That' was the right fire-starter, and 'We Belong Together' was the bigger record." After hearing the last two songs they composed, Carey and her management unanimously agreed to releasing "It's Like That" as the album's lead single, however assuring that her favorite, "Shake It Off", would see an eventual release early on in the project. She described her sentiments regarding her trip to Atlanta: "I am so grateful I went to Atlanta. And I have to say, we wrote some of my favorite songs on the album. I'm so proud of Jermaine – he's so focused, and he knew what had to be done. You can never write off talent."
Composition
"Get Your Number" is a mid-tempoTempo
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:...
song lasting three minutes and fifteen seconds, while drawing influence from 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...
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...
music genres. Written by Carey, Jermaine Dupri
Jermaine Dupri
Jermaine Dupri Mauldin , known as Jermaine Dupri or JD, is an American record producer, songwriter and rapper.- Early life and career :...
and Johntá Austin
Johnta Austin
Johntá Austin is an American singer-songwriter, who is currently signed to Jermaine Dupri's So So Def Recordings. He is commonly known for collaborating with Producers Bryan-Michael Cox, Jermaine Dupri & The Production Team StarGate. Austin was awarded two Grammy Awards for his work on the songs...
, and produced by the former two and LRoc
LRoc
LRoc is a staff songwriter and producer at Jermaine Dupri's So So Def Recordings. He has co-written and co-produced singles like Janet Jackson's "Call on Me" , Monica's "Everytime Tha Beat Drop", Mariah Carey's "Get Your Number", Murphy Lee's "Wat Dat Hook Gonna Be", Usher's "Yeah!", LL Cool J's...
, the song samples the hook
Hook (music)
A hook is a musical idea, often a short riff, passage, or phrase, that is used in popular music to make a song appealing and to "catch the ear of the listener". The term generally applies to popular music, especially rock music, hip hop, dance music, and pop. In these genres, the hook is often...
from British band Imagination
Imagination (band)
Imagination were a three piece British soul and funk band, who came to prominence in the early 1980s. They had chart hits in 28 countries, earning four platinum discs, nine gold discs and more than a dozen silver discs around the world between 1981 and 1983....
's "Just an Illusion
Just an Illusion
"Just an Illusion" is a song co-written by Steve Jolley, Tony Swain, Ashley Ingram and Leee John, performed by the British band Imagination. The song was a major European hit, peaking at number two in the group's native UK. In the United States, "Just an Illusion" went to number twenty-seven on...
" (1982), and derives its production from "‘80s-esque synthesizers" and several computerized musical instruments. Due to its sampling, additional writers such as John Phillips
John Phillips (musician)
John Edmund Andrew Phillips , was an American singer, guitarist, songwriter and promoter . Known as Papa John, Phillips was a member and leader of the singing group The Mamas & the Papas...
, Steve Jolley
Jolley & Swain
Steve Jolley and Tony Swain were a successful pop musician, songwriting and record production duo in the United Kingdom in the early to mid-1980s, producing some of the top artists and songs of the era....
, Tony Swain
Jolley & Swain
Steve Jolley and Tony Swain were a successful pop musician, songwriting and record production duo in the United Kingdom in the early to mid-1980s, producing some of the top artists and songs of the era....
and Ashley Ingram, are credited as songwriters. On "Get Your Number", Dupri performs several ad-libs
Ad libitum
Ad libitum is Latin for "at one's pleasure"; it is often shortened to "ad lib" or "ad-lib"...
and sings part of the chorus
Refrain
A refrain is the line or lines that are repeated in music or in verse; the "chorus" of a song...
, earning him a place as a featured artist on the track. According to the sheet music published at Musicnotes.com by Alfred Music Publishing, the song 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 moderate 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 126 beats per minute. The song is composed in the key of F minor
F minor
F minor is a minor scale based on F, consisting of the pitches F, G, A, B, C, D, and E. The harmonic minor raises the E to E. Its key signature has four flats ....
, with Carey's vocal range spanning from the low-note of B3 to the high-note of A5. Aside from Dupri's verses, Carey's longtime background singer Trey Lorenz
Trey Lorenz
Trey Lorenz is an African American singer and songwriter. He was born in Florence, South Carolina and is a graduate of Wilson High School.-Biography:...
makes a notable impression on the song, and earned credits for providing background vocals. Lyrically, the song is written in a female perspective, where they ask the man for their number at a club. In an interview with 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...
, Carey jokingly addressed the lyrics, claiming Dupri "really wanted it to be coming from the girl, like 'can I get your number' to the guy. But in all honesty that would never be me!" Aside from her signature vocals, Carey adopts a breathy rap for parts of the song, which read "I got a big bad house / With a sick hot tub / We can watch a flat screen / While the bubbles filling up." According to Jozen Cummings from 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,...
, the lyrics and Carey's vocal switch make the song "fun and comedic".
Critical reaction
"Get Your Number" received generally mixed reviews from music critics, with many complimenting the song's inclusion of the "Just an Illusion" hook, however, drawing criticism at some of its lyrics, and Dupri's verses. The GuardianThe Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
editor Caroline Sullivan outed "Stay the Night" and "Get Your Number" as "the first Mariah Carey tunes in years I wouldn't have to be paid to listen to again." Barry Walters from 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...
complimented her vocal performance, writing "Carey's belabored voice finds a pleasurable medium", however criticizing the song's production. Jozen Cummings from 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 Dupri's verses "annoying gangster twang", and described the song's production as "annoying". Stylus Magazine
Stylus Magazine
Stylus Magazine was an online music and film magazine launched in 2002. It featured long-form music journalism, four daily music reviews, movie reviews, a number of different podcasts, an MP3 blog, and a text blog....
's Todd Burns called the duet "ill-advised" and wrote "Carey does all in her power to save from Jermaine Dupri’s machinations. It barely comes off, despite every attempt from Dupri to sound like Lil Jon
Lil Jon
Jonathan Mortimer Smith , better known by his stage name Lil Jon, is an American rapper, music producer, entrepreneur, and occasional disc jockey who was a member of the group Lil Jon & The East Side Boyz. Lil Jon formed the group in 1997, and the group released several albums between then and 2004...
and Pharrell
Pharrell Williams
Pharrell Williams , commonly known simply as Pharrell, is an American rapper, singer, record producer, composer, and fashion designer. Williams and Chad Hugo make up the record production duo The Neptunes, producing hip hop and R&B music...
along the way." Editor Sal Cinquemani writing for 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 :...
branded "Get Your Number" a "Summer-anthem-in-the-make", while Michael Paoletta from Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
described it as "bouncy and silly". Jim Abbott from the Orlando Sentinel
Orlando Sentinel
The Orlando Sentinel is the primary newspaper of the Orlando, Florida region. It was founded in 1876. The Sentinel is owned by Tribune Company and is overseen by the Chicago Tribune. As of 2005, the Sentinel’s president and publisher was Kathleen Waltz; she announced her resignation in February 2008...
described the track as a "sexy, slinky dance number", while a writer from Newsweek
Newsweek
Newsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
claimed it to be a song that "worked".
Commercial performance
"Get Your Number" was released throughout Europe and Asia as the third single from The Emancipation of Mimi in late-2005, and as the fifth single in Australasia in early 2006. In the United Kingdom, it was released as a double A-sideA-side and B-side
A-side and B-side originally referred to the two sides of gramophone records on which singles were released beginning in the 1950s. The terms have come to refer to the types of song conventionally placed on each side of the record, with the A-side being the featured song , while the B-side, or...
along with "Shake It Off", the third single serviced to the United States at the same time. In Australia, "Get Your Number" entered the singles chart at number nineteen during the week dated March 12, 2006. Spending ten weeks fluctuating in the chart, it exited on May 14, 2006. On the Ö3 Austria Top 40
Ö3 Austria Top 40
Ö3 Austria Top 40 is the name of the official Austrian singles chart, as well as the radio show which presents it, aired Fridays on Hitradio Ö3. The show presents the Austrian singles, ringtones and downloads chart. It premiered on 26 November 1968 as Disc Parade and was presented by Ernst Grissemann...
, it peaked at number forty-one, although spending eleven week within the Austrian charts. In both the Flemmish and Wallonian territories in Belgium, "Get Your Number" peaked at number twenty-five and eighteen, while spending fourteen and thirteen weeks in the charts, respectively. The song debuted at number five on Finland's Official List on October 12, 2005. The following week, it moved up two spots to its peak of number three, before exiting the chart two weeks later. On the Dutch Top 40
Dutch Top 40
The Dutch Top 40 is a weekly music chart, which started as the "Veronica Top 40", because the offshore radio station Radio Veronica was the first to introduce it. It remained "The Veronica Top 40" until 1974, when the station was forced to stop broadcasting...
, it made its debut at number ten on November 15, 2005, and spent a total of twelve weeks within the top 40 chart. In both New Zealand and Sweden, "Get Your Number" saw relatively low peaks, placing at numbers thirty-four and forty-nine, for only two and three weeks. In Switzerland, the song entered the Swiss Singles Chart
Swiss Music Charts
The Swiss Music Charts are Switzerland's main music sales charts. The charts are a record of the highest-selling singles and albums in various genres in Switzerland.The Swiss Charts include:* Singles Top 75...
at its peak of number fourteen, while spending twenty-one weeks in the chart until exiting on April 9, 2005. 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 ...
, the song debuted at number nine during the week of October 15, 2005. Dropping to number ten the following week, the song lasted a total of eight weeks in the singles chart before making its decent.
Music video
The single's music video was directed by Jake NavaJake Nava
Jake Nava was born on 17 August and grew up in northern London. He currently lives in eastern London.He graduated from the University of WestministerJake Nava is an English-born music video and film director.-Filmography:MUSIC VIDEOS...
, who also directed Carey's video for "Shake It Off
Shake It Off
"Shake It Off" is a song performed by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey, taken from her tenth studio album, The Emancipation of Mimi . It was written and produced by Carey along with Jermaine Dupri, Bryan-Michael Cox, and Johntá Austin...
". It was filmed 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...
on Thursday and Friday, September 1 and 2, 2005 and features Jermaine Dupri
Jermaine Dupri
Jermaine Dupri Mauldin , known as Jermaine Dupri or JD, is an American record producer, songwriter and rapper.- Early life and career :...
as the video's secondary artist, while Michael Ealy
Michael Ealy
Michael Brown , professionally known as Michael Ealy, is an American actor.-Personal life:Ealy was born in Silver Spring, Maryland. He attended Springbrook High School and the University of Maryland, College Park.-Career:...
, plays Carey's love interest at the club. The main setting is a nightclub where Carey slips her phone number to a man, one digit at a time. Carey is shown in a variety of locations wearing, amongst other outfits, a yellow latex dress. Dupri makes a guest appearance as a man receiving the numbers of three girls in the club. The video begins with shots of Carey as the star of a club, wearing a yellow latex mini and gold necklace. As the music plays, Carey is seen on a variety of large props, the first of which is a large red phone. As Dupri scouts the club for females, Carey in a different ensemble passes the number '5' to Ealy on a card, while making eye contact with him.
As other scenes of Carey in the latex mini and by the large red hone prop are interspersed, the club scene alters to a poker table, where Ealy reveals three of his card, '556', completing four of the seven digits of Carey phone number. The next scene finds Carey sitting on a large pink sofa in an empty room in the club, sporting only a white man's suit jacket and stilettos. As the song reaches the bridge
Bridge (music)
In music, especially western popular music, a bridge is a contrasting section which also prepares for the return of the original material section...
, Carey is shown back in the club's main room dancing, as she leaves a number '4' on a nearby table for the man to find. As Carey once again is shown in the yellow latex dress, she walks down a small aisle, placing another card with the number '4' into Ealy's jacket pocket, before storming through the club by several followers. As the video ends, the number '555-6464' are shown lying on a small table, while Carey sits on the large pink sofa, and Ealy is seen on the other side gazing at her. The video concludes with Ealy slowly approaching Carey on the large sofa, as she winks and smiles to the camera.
Formats and track listings
European CD single- "Get Your Number"
- "Shake It OffShake It Off"Shake It Off" is a song performed by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey, taken from her tenth studio album, The Emancipation of Mimi . It was written and produced by Carey along with Jermaine Dupri, Bryan-Michael Cox, and Johntá Austin...
" (Remix featuring Jay-ZJay-ZShawn Corey Carter , better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010...
and Young JeezyYoung JeezyJay Wayne Jenkins , better known by his stage name Young Jeezy, is an American rapper. He is the member of the hip hop group United Streets Dopeboyz of America and a former member of BMF...
)
European CD maxi-single
- "Get Your Number"
- "We Belong Together" (Atlantic Soul Radio Edit)
UK CD single
- "Get Your Number"
- "Shake It Off"
Australian/European CD maxi-single
- "Get Your Number"
- "We Belong Together" (Atlantic Soul Radio Edit)
- "Secret love"
- "Get Your Number" (Video)
UK CD maxi-single
- "Get Your Number"
- "Shake It Off"
- "Secret love"
Credits and personnel
Credits for The Emancipation of Mimi adapted from the album's liner notes.- Mariah CareyMariah CareyMariah Carey is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. She made her recording debut with the release of her eponymous studio album in 1990, under the guidance of Columbia Records executive Tommy Mottola, whom she later married in 1993...
- 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...
, 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... - Jermaine DupriJermaine DupriJermaine Dupri Mauldin , known as Jermaine Dupri or JD, is an American record producer, songwriter and rapper.- Early life and career :...
- songwriting, producer, vocals - Johntá AustinJohnta AustinJohntá Austin is an American singer-songwriter, who is currently signed to Jermaine Dupri's So So Def Recordings. He is commonly known for collaborating with Producers Bryan-Michael Cox, Jermaine Dupri & The Production Team StarGate. Austin was awarded two Grammy Awards for his work on the songs...
- songwriting - Ashley Ingram - songwriting
- John PhillipsJohn Phillips (musician)John Edmund Andrew Phillips , was an American singer, guitarist, songwriter and promoter . Known as Papa John, Phillips was a member and leader of the singing group The Mamas & the Papas...
- songwriting - Steve JolleyJolley & SwainSteve Jolley and Tony Swain were a successful pop musician, songwriting and record production duo in the United Kingdom in the early to mid-1980s, producing some of the top artists and songs of the era....
- songwriting - Tony SwainJolley & SwainSteve Jolley and Tony Swain were a successful pop musician, songwriting and record production duo in the United Kingdom in the early to mid-1980s, producing some of the top artists and songs of the era....
- songwriting - Phil Tan - 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...
- Herb Power – masteringAudio masteringMastering, a form of audio post-production, is the process of preparing and transferring recorded audio from a source containing the final mix to a data storage device ; the source from which all copies will be produced...
- Brian Frye – engineerAudio engineeringAn audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including...
- John Horesco – engineer
- Trey LorenzTrey LorenzTrey Lorenz is an African American singer and songwriter. He was born in Florence, South Carolina and is a graduate of Wilson High School.-Biography:...
- background vocalsBacking vocalistA backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
Charts
| Chart (2005) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Austrian Singles Chart | 41 |
| Belgian Flandres Singles Chart | 25 |
| Belgian Wallonia Singles Chart | 18 |
| Dutch Singles Chart | 10 |
| Finnish Singles Chart | 3 |
| German Singles Chart | 27 |
| Irish Singles Chart | 151 |
| Swedish Singles Chart | 49 |
| Swiss Singles Chart | 14 |
| UK Singles Chart | 91 |
| Chart (2006) | Peak position |
| Australian Singles Chart | 19 |
| New Zealand Singles Chart | 34 |
1 "Get Your Number"/"Shake It Off
Shake It Off
"Shake It Off" is a song performed by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey, taken from her tenth studio album, The Emancipation of Mimi . It was written and produced by Carey along with Jermaine Dupri, Bryan-Michael Cox, and Johntá Austin...
"