Out from Under (song)
Encyclopedia
"Out from Under" is a song by American recording artist Britney Spears
, taken from her sixth studio album
, Circus
(2008). The song was written by Shelly Peiken
, Arnthor Birgisson, and Wayne Hector
, initially for the soundtrack of Bratz: The Movie
, featuring vocals of American recording artist Joanna Pacitti
. After approaching Spears and Guy Sigsworth
in 2008, the songwriters suggested the singer to re-record the song for her album. "Out from Under" is a soft rock
song that alludes to the ending of Spears' marriage with American dancer Kevin Federline
, and blends the singer's breathy vocals with acoustic guitars in the background.
"Out from Under" received mixed to negative reviews from music critics, with one who considered it her best ballad since "I'm Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman
" (2001), despite others commenting the singer seemed distracted and boring during the song. Despite not being released as a single, "Out from Under" managed to peak at number nineteen on Billboard
Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles
, following the release of Circus, and at number thirty-two in Sweden. The song was featured on the fifth season of MTV
's The Hills
.
, Arnthor Birgisson, and Wayne Hector
wrote a song titled "Out from Under" for the soundtrack of Bratz: The Movie
. The song was recorded by Joanna Pacitti
in Stockholm, Sweden. In 2008, it was confirmed that Spears was in the process of recording her sixth studio album. Spears manager Larry Rudolph
confirmed the singer would spend "her summer in the recording studio" to work on it. Despite no official album confirmation at the time, Rudolph revealed they were happy with her progress and that she had been working with a range of producers, such as Sean Garrett
, Guy Sigsworth
, Danja and Bloodshy & Avant
. Sigsworth and Spears were approached by the songwriters of "Out from Under", who suggested the singer to re-record the song for the album. Spears recorded her vocals for the song at Conway Recording Studios
in Los Angeles, California
, while audio mixing
and vocal recording was done by Andy Page. Background vocals were provided by Leah Haywood. The song appeared on a six-song mix of Circus that was released on November 13, 2008. In an interview included on the deluxe edition of Circus, Spears revealed that she "[has] always loved ballads. It's like, there is always a time on the show, a transition where you can gather your thoughts, and [...] just chill". The singer also said she wrote "My Baby" during the recording sessions of "Out from Under".
song that alludes to the ending of Spears' marriage with American dancer Kevin Federline
, which is perceived in lines such as "We tried everything we could try/So let's just say goodbye forever". Poppy Cosyns of The Sun noted that "a starker vocal and acoustic guitar backing herald" the song, while considering its lyrical content as "a sincere story of a suffocating relationship". "Out from Under" lasts for three minutes and fifty-three seconds, and features Spears singing the song with breathy vocals, over a background with acoustic guitars. Anna Dimond of TV Guide
noted the song's lyrics also relates to Spears' conservatorship, from which the singer was "becoming more independent every day". Caryn Ganz of Rolling Stone
noted that Spears vocals aren't heavily processed, saying, "Britney's vocals on 'Blackout' sounded phoned in, but on 'Circus', she put in real studio time, actually singing some slow jams", naming "Out from Under" as an example.
commented that the singer "emerges from her media bender hoping to forget the past" with the song, and Caryn Ganz of Rolling Stone
considered it "Spears' best ballad since "I'm Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman
"". Jon Pareles of The New York Times
said "Out from Under" "gleam with acoustic guitars", and that the song, "My Baby" and "Unusual You", "are the album’s only attempts at warmth". Stephen Thomas Erlewine
of Allmusic considered the song, along with "My Baby", "a couple of not-good-at-all ballads", while Dave Donnelly of Sputnikmusic
said both "subtly evoke the Britney of old: airy pop ballads that benefit from the former Frou Frou producer’s sophisticated, layered arrangements". While comparing Circus to Blackout (2007), Alexis Petridis of The Guardian
noted, "the ballads are back, bringing with them the inevitable sprinkling of tedium". Genevieve Koski of The A.V. Club
felt that both songs "are about five years out of date, and [Spears] vocals seem anemic and distracted in spite of the confessional lyrics". Steve Jones of USA Today
commented that "Spears tosses in a couple of ballads along [Circus], but these really aren't her forte. The slew of top-flight producers [...] bolsters her vocal variety of echoes and gimmicky effects, but they don't really help the breathy "Out From Under" or saccharin "Unusual You
"". Mike Newmark of PopMatters
described the song as "nearly-emo" along with "Unusual You", saying both "try for heartfelt and come off flabby".
Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles
, on the dated week of December 20, 2008. The song also entered the Swedish Singles Chart on the dated week of August 14, 2009, at number forty, peaking at number thirty-two the following week. "Out from Under" stayed over a month on the chart, peaking at number forty-one on the last week of its appearance.
's The Hills
, during a scene where Lauren Conrad
comforts Heidi Montag
.
liner notes.
Technical
Personnel
Britney Spears
Britney Jean Spears is an American recording artist and entertainer. Born in McComb, Mississippi, and raised in Kentwood, Louisiana, Spears began performing as a child, landing acting roles in stage productions and television shows. She signed with Jive Records in 1997 and released her debut album...
, taken from her sixth 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...
, Circus
Circus (Britney Spears album)
Circus is the sixth studio album by American recording artist Britney Spears. The album was first released on November 28, 2008 by Jive Records. Spears started work on the album in early 2008 with a range of producers including long-time producers Bloodshy & Avant and Danja...
(2008). The song was written by Shelly Peiken
Shelly Peiken
Shelly Peiken is a multi-platinum Grammy nominated songwriter who is best known for her #1 hits "What a Girl Wants" and "Come on Over Baby ".Shelly and Meredith Brooks earned a Grammy nomination for Brooks's hit song "Bitch"....
, Arnthor Birgisson, and Wayne Hector
Wayne Hector
Wayne Hector is an English songwriter.Wayne Hector has had over 30 number ones around the globe under his belt and numerous movie soundtrack credits, Wayne Hector is one of the UK’s most successful songwriters....
, initially for the soundtrack of Bratz: The Movie
Bratz: Motion Picture Soundtrack
Bratz: Motion Picture Soundtrack is the soundtrack to the live-action theatrical film Bratz. It features songs from and inspired by the film by various artists, including the Bratz themselves. The "Bratz" are Janel Parrish , Skyler Shaye , Logan Browning and Nathalia Ramos...
, featuring vocals of American recording artist Joanna Pacitti
Joanna Pacitti
Joanna Pacitti is an American singer and lead vocalist in the band City State.-Theater:In 1996, at age 12, Pacitti was chosen to star in the 20th anniversary revival of the musical Annie after entering a contest sponsored by the department store Macy's...
. After approaching Spears and Guy Sigsworth
Guy Sigsworth
Guy Sigsworth is a U.K. based composer, producer and songwriter. In his career to date he has worked with many famous artists, including Seal, Björk, Goldie, Madonna, Britney Spears, Kate Havnevik, Bebel Gilberto, Mozez, David Sylvian and Alanis Morissette...
in 2008, the songwriters suggested the singer to re-record the song for her album. "Out from Under" is a soft rock
Soft rock
Soft rock is a style of music which uses the techniques of rock music to compose a softer, more toned-down sound. Soft rock songs generally tend to focus on themes like love, everyday life and relationships. The genre tends to make heavy use of acoustic guitars, pianos, synthesizers and sometimes...
song that alludes to the ending of Spears' marriage with American dancer Kevin Federline
Kevin Federline
Kevin Earl Federline is an American dancer, rapper, fashion model, and actor. Previously engaged to actress Shar Jackson, Federline is best known for his two-year marriage to pop singer Britney Spears...
, and blends the singer's breathy vocals with acoustic guitars in the background.
"Out from Under" received mixed to negative reviews from music critics, with one who considered it her best ballad since "I'm Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman
I'm Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman
"I'm Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman" is a song by American recording artist Britney Spears. The song was written by Dido, with additional writing and song production by Max Martin and Rami Yacoub for Spears' third studio album, Britney . It was released on February 5, 2002 by Jive Records, as the...
" (2001), despite others commenting the singer seemed distracted and boring during the song. Despite not being released as a single, "Out from Under" managed to peak at number nineteen on 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...
Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles
Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles
The Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States. It lists the top 25 singles below number 100 that have not yet charted on the Billboard Hot 100. Sometimes, however, singles halt their progress on this chart, and never appear on the Hot 100...
, following the release of Circus, and at number thirty-two in Sweden. The song was featured on the fifth season of 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....
's The Hills
The Hills
The Hills is a reality television series which originally aired on MTV from May 31, 2006 until July 13, 2010. The show uses a reality television format, following the personal lives of several young adults living in Los Angeles, California, but tends towards a narrative format more commonly found...
.
Background
In early 2007, songwriters Shelly PeikenShelly Peiken
Shelly Peiken is a multi-platinum Grammy nominated songwriter who is best known for her #1 hits "What a Girl Wants" and "Come on Over Baby ".Shelly and Meredith Brooks earned a Grammy nomination for Brooks's hit song "Bitch"....
, Arnthor Birgisson, and Wayne Hector
Wayne Hector
Wayne Hector is an English songwriter.Wayne Hector has had over 30 number ones around the globe under his belt and numerous movie soundtrack credits, Wayne Hector is one of the UK’s most successful songwriters....
wrote a song titled "Out from Under" for the soundtrack of Bratz: The Movie
Bratz: Motion Picture Soundtrack
Bratz: Motion Picture Soundtrack is the soundtrack to the live-action theatrical film Bratz. It features songs from and inspired by the film by various artists, including the Bratz themselves. The "Bratz" are Janel Parrish , Skyler Shaye , Logan Browning and Nathalia Ramos...
. The song was recorded by Joanna Pacitti
Joanna Pacitti
Joanna Pacitti is an American singer and lead vocalist in the band City State.-Theater:In 1996, at age 12, Pacitti was chosen to star in the 20th anniversary revival of the musical Annie after entering a contest sponsored by the department store Macy's...
in Stockholm, Sweden. In 2008, it was confirmed that Spears was in the process of recording her sixth studio album. Spears manager Larry Rudolph
Larry Rudolph
Larry Rudolph is a personal manager. He is best known as the manager of Britney Spears from 1999–2004, briefly in 2007, and 2008-present.-Career:...
confirmed the singer would spend "her summer in the recording studio" to work on it. Despite no official album confirmation at the time, Rudolph revealed they were happy with her progress and that she had been working with a range of producers, such as Sean Garrett
Sean Garrett
Garrett Hamler, better known by his stage name Sean Garrett is an American singer-songwriter, rapper, and record producer. He has produced fifteen number one singles in only seven years of producing music. That number puts him in fifth place on the Billboard list of producers with the most number...
, Guy Sigsworth
Guy Sigsworth
Guy Sigsworth is a U.K. based composer, producer and songwriter. In his career to date he has worked with many famous artists, including Seal, Björk, Goldie, Madonna, Britney Spears, Kate Havnevik, Bebel Gilberto, Mozez, David Sylvian and Alanis Morissette...
, Danja and Bloodshy & Avant
Bloodshy & Avant
Bloodshy and Avant are a music production and songwriting team from Sweden made up of Christian Karlsson and Pontus Winnberg...
. Sigsworth and Spears were approached by the songwriters of "Out from Under", who suggested the singer to re-record the song for the album. Spears recorded her vocals for the song at Conway Recording Studios
Conway Recording Studios
Conway Recording Studios is a recording and post production facility in Hollywood, California.Conway has hosted a variety of producers, mixers and artists, such as Alicia Keys, Barbra Streisand, The Black Eyed Peas, Blink-182, Britney Spears, Carlos Santana, Christina Aguilera, Dave Matthews Band,...
in Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, while audio mixing
Audio 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...
and vocal recording was done by Andy Page. Background vocals were provided by Leah Haywood. The song appeared on a six-song mix of Circus that was released on November 13, 2008. In an interview included on the deluxe edition of Circus, Spears revealed that she "[has] always loved ballads. It's like, there is always a time on the show, a transition where you can gather your thoughts, and [...] just chill". The singer also said she wrote "My Baby" during the recording sessions of "Out from Under".
Composition
"Out from Under" is a soft rockSoft rock
Soft rock is a style of music which uses the techniques of rock music to compose a softer, more toned-down sound. Soft rock songs generally tend to focus on themes like love, everyday life and relationships. The genre tends to make heavy use of acoustic guitars, pianos, synthesizers and sometimes...
song that alludes to the ending of Spears' marriage with American dancer Kevin Federline
Kevin Federline
Kevin Earl Federline is an American dancer, rapper, fashion model, and actor. Previously engaged to actress Shar Jackson, Federline is best known for his two-year marriage to pop singer Britney Spears...
, which is perceived in lines such as "We tried everything we could try/So let's just say goodbye forever". Poppy Cosyns of The Sun noted that "a starker vocal and acoustic guitar backing herald" the song, while considering its lyrical content as "a sincere story of a suffocating relationship". "Out from Under" lasts for three minutes and fifty-three seconds, and features Spears singing the song with breathy vocals, over a background with acoustic guitars. Anna Dimond of TV Guide
TV Guide
TV Guide is a weekly American magazine with listings of TV shows.In addition to TV listings, the publication features television-related news, celebrity interviews, gossip and film reviews and crossword puzzles...
noted the song's lyrics also relates to Spears' conservatorship, from which the singer was "becoming more independent every day". Caryn Ganz of 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...
noted that Spears vocals aren't heavily processed, saying, "Britney's vocals on 'Blackout' sounded phoned in, but on 'Circus', she put in real studio time, actually singing some slow jams", naming "Out from Under" as an example.
Critical response
The song has received mixed reviews from music critics. Ann Powers of the Los Angeles Times noted that "Out from Under" and the other ballads from Circus "have [Spears] hiccuping emotion from deep in the back of her throat". Chris Richards of The Washington PostThe Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
commented that the singer "emerges from her media bender hoping to forget the past" with the song, and Caryn Ganz of 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...
considered it "Spears' best ballad since "I'm Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman
I'm Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman
"I'm Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman" is a song by American recording artist Britney Spears. The song was written by Dido, with additional writing and song production by Max Martin and Rami Yacoub for Spears' third studio album, Britney . It was released on February 5, 2002 by Jive Records, as the...
"". Jon Pareles of The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
said "Out from Under" "gleam with acoustic guitars", and that the song, "My Baby" and "Unusual You", "are the album’s only attempts at warmth". Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Stephen Thomas Erlewine is a senior editor for Allmusic. He is the author of many artist biographies and record reviews for Allmusic, as well as a freelance writer, occasionally contributing liner notes. He is also frontman and guitarist for the Ann Arbor-based band Who Dat?Erlewine is the nephew...
of Allmusic considered the song, along with "My Baby", "a couple of not-good-at-all ballads", while Dave Donnelly of Sputnikmusic
Sputnikmusic
Sputnikmusic, or simply Sputnik, is a music website offering music criticism and music news alongside features commonly associated with wiki-style websites...
said both "subtly evoke the Britney of old: airy pop ballads that benefit from the former Frou Frou producer’s sophisticated, layered arrangements". While comparing Circus to Blackout (2007), Alexis Petridis of The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
noted, "the ballads are back, bringing with them the inevitable sprinkling of tedium". Genevieve Koski of The A.V. Club
The A.V. Club
The A.V. Club is an entertainment newspaper and website published by The Onion. Its features include reviews of new films, music, television, books, games and DVDs, as well as interviews and other regular offerings examining both new and classic media and other elements of pop culture. Unlike its...
felt that both songs "are about five years out of date, and [Spears] vocals seem anemic and distracted in spite of the confessional lyrics". Steve Jones of USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
commented that "Spears tosses in a couple of ballads along [Circus], but these really aren't her forte. The slew of top-flight producers [...] bolsters her vocal variety of echoes and gimmicky effects, but they don't really help the breathy "Out From Under" or saccharin "Unusual You
Unusual You
"Unusual You" is a song by American recording artist Britney Spears, from her sixth studio album Circus. It was released on September 15, 2009, as the fifth and final single from the album in Australia and New Zealand. The song was written and produced by Christian Karlsson and Pontus Winnberg from...
"". Mike Newmark 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,...
described the song as "nearly-emo" along with "Unusual You", saying both "try for heartfelt and come off flabby".
Chart performance
Following the release of Circus, "Out from Under" peaked at number nineteen on BillboardBillboard (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...
Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles
Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles
The Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States. It lists the top 25 singles below number 100 that have not yet charted on the Billboard Hot 100. Sometimes, however, singles halt their progress on this chart, and never appear on the Hot 100...
, on the dated week of December 20, 2008. The song also entered the Swedish Singles Chart on the dated week of August 14, 2009, at number forty, peaking at number thirty-two the following week. "Out from Under" stayed over a month on the chart, peaking at number forty-one on the last week of its appearance.
In popular culture
Despite not being released as a single from Circus, "Out from Under" was featured on the fifth season of MTVMTV
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....
's The Hills
The Hills
The Hills is a reality television series which originally aired on MTV from May 31, 2006 until July 13, 2010. The show uses a reality television format, following the personal lives of several young adults living in Los Angeles, California, but tends towards a narrative format more commonly found...
, during a scene where Lauren Conrad
Lauren Conrad
Lauren Katherine Conrad is an American television personality, celebutante, and fashion designer. She came to prominence with her starring roles on the MTV reality series Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County and its spin-off series, The Hills, which at one point followed her personal and...
comforts Heidi Montag
Heidi Montag
Heidi Blair Pratt is an American media personality and singer. She came to prominence with her starring role on the MTV reality series The Hills from 2006 to 2010. Montag has also appeared on I'm a Celebrity.....
.
Credits and personnel
Credits for "Out from Under" are adapted from CircusCircus (Britney Spears album)
Circus is the sixth studio album by American recording artist Britney Spears. The album was first released on November 28, 2008 by Jive Records. Spears started work on the album in early 2008 with a range of producers including long-time producers Bloodshy & Avant and Danja...
liner notes.
Technical
- Published by ROR Songs (BMI), Maratone Publishing (ASCAP), Sony/ATV Tunes LLC (ASCAP).
- Vocal recordingSound recording and reproductionSound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...
and 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...
at Conway Recording StudiosConway Recording StudiosConway Recording Studios is a recording and post production facility in Hollywood, California.Conway has hosted a variety of producers, mixers and artists, such as Alicia Keys, Barbra Streisand, The Black Eyed Peas, Blink-182, Britney Spears, Carlos Santana, Christina Aguilera, Dave Matthews Band,...
in Los Angeles, CaliforniaLos Angeles, CaliforniaLos Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
.
Personnel
- Britney Spears — lead vocals, background vocals
- Shelly PeikenShelly PeikenShelly Peiken is a multi-platinum Grammy nominated songwriter who is best known for her #1 hits "What a Girl Wants" and "Come on Over Baby ".Shelly and Meredith Brooks earned a Grammy nomination for Brooks's hit song "Bitch"....
— songwriting - Arnthor Birgisson — songwriting
- Wayne HectorWayne HectorWayne Hector is an English songwriter.Wayne Hector has had over 30 number ones around the globe under his belt and numerous movie soundtrack credits, Wayne Hector is one of the UK’s most successful songwriters....
— songwriting
- Guy SigsworthGuy SigsworthGuy Sigsworth is a U.K. based composer, producer and songwriter. In his career to date he has worked with many famous artists, including Seal, Björk, Goldie, Madonna, Britney Spears, Kate Havnevik, Bebel Gilberto, Mozez, David Sylvian and Alanis Morissette...
— producer, strings, keyboards, drum programming - Andy Page - audio mixing, vocal recording, electric and acoustic guitars, synth bass, drum programming
- Valente Torrez - assisted vocal recording
- Leah Haywood — background vocals
Charts
| Chart (2008) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Sweden (Sverigetopplistan Sverigetopplistan Sverigetopplistan, earlier known as Topplistan and Hitlistan and other names, is since October 2007 the Swedish national record chart, based on sales data from Swedish Recording Industry Association .... ) |
32 |
| US Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles The Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States. It lists the top 25 singles below number 100 that have not yet charted on the Billboard Hot 100. Sometimes, however, singles halt their progress on this chart, and never appear on the Hot 100... (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... ) |
19 |