Snake (song)
Encyclopedia
"Snake" is a song by American recording artist R. Kelly
, featuring Cam'ron
and Big Tigger
, from his fifth studio album, Chocolate Factory
. It was released on December 15, 2003, by Jive Records
as the second single from the album. The R&B
song with latin music inspiration was written and produced by R. Kelly, and co-written by Darian Morgan, as a tribute to Stevie Wonder
's musical experimentation.
"Snake" achieved moderate success, reaching number sixteen at the United States' Hot 100, and the tenth position on the United Kingdom
. A special double A-side edition with "Thoia Thoing
" was also released. The maxi-single charted at number ten in the Netherlands, number thirty in France, number sixteen in Australia
and at number eighteen in Switzerland. A remix with actor
and musician
Cam'ron
was also released.
song with latin music inspiration, and elements of urban pop and new jack swing
. "Snake" is four minutes and and fifty-one seconds long. The song is composed in the key
of A♭ major and is set in time signature
of common time
with a tempo
of 92 beats per minute. R. Kelly vocal range spans from C4 to F5. Andrew McGregor of BBC
revealed that "Snake" was written in "tribute to Stevie [Wonder
]'s musical experimentation".
in New York
on the penultimate concert) during his 2003 tour and during the 2003 BET Awards
. "Snake" received a special double A-side edition with "Thoia Thoing
".
The maxi-single charted at number ten in the Netherlands, number thirty in France, number sixteen in Australia
and at number eighteen in Switzerland. A remix with Cam'ron
was also released.
lawsuit
in New York
. He had apparently written the introduction to the remix, as well as a part of the third verse but his songwriting contribution was not mentioned in the copyright when the song was featured on The R. in R&B Collection, Vol. 1
, a greatest-hits album.
Credits adapted from CD single liner notes.
R. Kelly
Robert Sylvester Kelly , better known by his stage name R. Kelly, is an American singer-songwriter and record producer. A native of Chicago, Kelly began performing during the late 1980s and debuted in 1992 with the group Public Announcement. In 1993, Kelly went solo with the album 12 Play...
, featuring Cam'ron
Cam'ron
Cameron Giles , better known by his stage name Cam'ron or "Killa Cam", is a Grammy-nominated American actor. He is the founder of the hip-hop group The Diplomats , and also of The U.N. group....
and Big Tigger
Big Tigger
Darian "Big Tigger" Morgan , also known as Big Tigg; is an American television and radio personality best known as the host of BET's Rap City and 106 & Park.- :...
, from his fifth studio album, Chocolate Factory
Chocolate Factory
Chocolate Factory is the fifth studio album by American R&B and soul musician R. Kelly, released February 18, 2003 on Jive Records. Recording sessions for the album took place mainly at Rockland Studios and Chicago Recording Company in Chicago, Illinois during 2001 to 2003. It was primarily...
. It was released on December 15, 2003, by Jive Records
Jive Records
Jive Records was a record label based in New York City, operating under RCA Music Group. Jive was primarily known for a string of successes with hip hop artists in the 1980s, and in teen pop and boy bands in the late 1990s. The word "jive" was inspired by Township Jive, a form of South African...
as the second single from the album. The 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 with latin music inspiration was written and produced by R. Kelly, and co-written by Darian Morgan, as a tribute to Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...
's musical experimentation.
"Snake" achieved moderate success, reaching number sixteen at the United States' Hot 100, and the tenth position on the United Kingdom
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 ...
. A special double A-side edition with "Thoia Thoing
Thoia Thoing
"Thoia Thoing" is an R&B single by R. Kelly from his 2003 album The R. in R&B Collection, Vol. 1. It peaked at #6 R&B and #13 pop.-Remixes:...
" was also released. The maxi-single charted at number ten in the Netherlands, number thirty in France, number sixteen in Australia
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...
and at number eighteen in Switzerland. A remix with actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
and musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
Cam'ron
Cam'ron
Cameron Giles , better known by his stage name Cam'ron or "Killa Cam", is a Grammy-nominated American actor. He is the founder of the hip-hop group The Diplomats , and also of The U.N. group....
was also released.
Background and composition
"Snake" was written and produced by R. Kelly, and co-written by Darian Morgan. It is a R&BContemporary 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 with latin music inspiration, and elements of urban pop and new jack swing
New jack swing
New jack swing or swingbeat is a fusion genre spearheaded by Teddy Riley and Bernard Belle which became extremely popular from the late-1980s into the mid-1990s. Its influence, along with hip-hop, seeped into pop culture and was the definitive sound of the inventive Black New York club scene...
. "Snake" is four minutes and and fifty-one seconds long. The song is composed 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 A♭ major and is set in time signature
Time signature
The time signature is a notational convention used in Western musical notation to specify how many beats are in each measure and which note value constitutes one beat....
of 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 92 beats per minute. R. Kelly vocal range spans from C4 to F5. Andrew McGregor of BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
revealed that "Snake" was written in "tribute to Stevie [Wonder
Stevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...
]'s musical experimentation".
Promotion
R. Kelly and Big Tigger performed the song together during many live performances (including at Madison Square GardenMadison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
on the penultimate concert) during his 2003 tour and during the 2003 BET Awards
BET Awards
The BET Awards were established in 2001 by the Black Entertainment Television network to celebrate African Americans and other minorities in music, acting, sports, and other fields of entertainment over the past year. The awards are presented annually and broadcast live on BET...
. "Snake" received a special double A-side edition with "Thoia Thoing
Thoia Thoing
"Thoia Thoing" is an R&B single by R. Kelly from his 2003 album The R. in R&B Collection, Vol. 1. It peaked at #6 R&B and #13 pop.-Remixes:...
".
The maxi-single charted at number ten in the Netherlands, number thirty in France, number sixteen in Australia
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...
and at number eighteen in Switzerland. A remix with Cam'ron
Cam'ron
Cameron Giles , better known by his stage name Cam'ron or "Killa Cam", is a Grammy-nominated American actor. He is the founder of the hip-hop group The Diplomats , and also of The U.N. group....
was also released.
Remix controversy
Cam'ron took R. Kelly to court in 2005 due to claims that he did not receive proper credit for his work on a remix of the song. Cam'ron filed a federalUnited States federal courts
The United States federal courts make up the judiciary branch of federal government of the United States organized under the United States Constitution and laws of the federal government.-Categories:...
lawsuit
Lawsuit
A lawsuit or "suit in law" is a civil action brought in a court of law in which a plaintiff, a party who claims to have incurred loss as a result of a defendant's actions, demands a legal or equitable remedy. The defendant is required to respond to the plaintiff's complaint...
in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. He had apparently written the introduction to the remix, as well as a part of the third verse but his songwriting contribution was not mentioned in the copyright when the song was featured on The R. in R&B Collection, Vol. 1
The R. in R&B Collection, Vol. 1
The R. In R&B Collection, Vol. 1 was the first compilation album released by R&B superstar R. Kelly celebrating his 11-year career which saw him go from the lead singer of the new jack swing group, Public Announcement, to becoming the leader of contemporary R&B throughout the 1990s and today...
, a greatest-hits album.
Track listing
- European CD single
- "Snake" (Radio Edit) — 4:20
- "Snake" (Remix Featuring Big Tigger and Cam'ron) — 4:40
- "Dream Girl" — 3:57
- "Snake" (Music Video) — 4:14
- 12" Vinyl
- "Snake" (Radio Edit) — 4:20
- "Dream Girl" — 3:57
- "Snake" (Remix Featuring Big Tigger and Cam'ron) — 4:40
- CD single
- "Snake" (Radio Edit) — 4:20
- "Snake" (Radio Edit Without Rap) — 3:34
- "Snake" (Instrumental) — 4:52
Charts
| Chart (2003) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canadian Singles Chart Canadian Singles Chart The Canadian Singles Chart is currently compiled by the U.S.-based music sales tracking company, Nielsen SoundScan . The chart is compiled every Wednesday, and is published by Jam! Canoe on Thursdays.... |
23 |
| 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... |
18 |
| 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 ... |
10 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
16 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs | 9 |
Credits and personnel
- R. KellyR. KellyRobert Sylvester Kelly , better known by his stage name R. Kelly, is an American singer-songwriter and record producer. A native of Chicago, Kelly began performing during the late 1980s and debuted in 1992 with the group Public Announcement. In 1993, Kelly went solo with the album 12 Play...
– vocals, 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...
, 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...
, songwriter - Big TiggerBig TiggerDarian "Big Tigger" Morgan , also known as Big Tigg; is an American television and radio personality best known as the host of BET's Rap City and 106 & Park.- :...
- vocals - Darian Morgan - songwriter
- Donnie Lyle – instruments
- Rodney East – instruments
- Abel Garibaldi - programming
- Andy Gallas - programming
- Ian Mereness - programming
- Jason Mlodzinski - programming
- Nathan Wheeler - programming
- Steve Bearsley - programming
- Larry Phillabaum – engineeringAudio 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...
- Tim Roberts – engineering
- John Hanes – engineering
- Serban GheneaSerban GheneaSerban Ghenea is a four-time Grammy Award and three-time Latin Grammy Award-winning mixer. He has mixed songs for such artists as Michael Jackson, Justin Timberlake, Usher, Faith Hill, Carrie Underwood, Jewel, Santana, Ozomatli, Shakira, Jill Scott, R. Kelly, Rod Stewart, and Dave Matthews Band...
– audio mixing - Swizz BeatzSwizz BeatzKasseem Dean , better known by his stage name, Swizz Beatz, is an American record producer, DJ, rapper and painter. At the age of 17, he gained attention in the hip-hop world through his friendship with rapper DMX. Grady Spivey and rapper Cassidy helped launch his label Full Surface Records...
– audio mixing
Credits adapted from CD single liner notes.