"Outrageous" is a song by American recording artist Britney Spears. It served as the fourth single from her fourth full length studio album, In the Zone. It was released on 6 May 2004. by Jive Records.
Background[]
The song was the record label's choice for first and second single, but Spears pushed for "Me Against the Music" and "Toxic" respectively, to be released instead. It was finally announced as a single after it was selected as the theme song for the 2004 film Catwoman. "Outrageous" is an R&B song with influences of hip-hop and an exotic feel. Lyrically, it talks about materialism and entertainment.
Lyrics[]
[Chorus]
Outrageous when I move my body
Outrageous when I'm at a party
Outrageous in my sexy jeans
Outrageous when I'm on the scene
Outrageous, my sex drive
Outrageous, my shopping spree
Outrageous, we on a world tour
Outrageous, that's B-girl
Outrageous
[Verse 1]
Sexy as I wanna be
Got these fellas chasing me
It's 'bout time I hit the streets
All my girls still feeling me
B-girl ain't lost the beat
Jumped over drama and I landed on my feet
Got to keep going, no stopping me
And if you don't like it, then (La, la-la-la, la-la-la)
[Pre-Chorus]
Media, over here
Coming through like a world premiere
Trench coat and my underwear
Let's go with this freak show
[Chorus]
It's outrageous when I move my body
Outrageous when I'm at a party
Outrageous in my sexy jeans
Outrageous when I'm on the scene
Outrageous, my sex drive
Outrageous, my shopping spree
Outrageous, we on a world tour
Outrageous, that's B-girl
Outrageous
[Verse 2]
I'm about to bring the heat
Locking down the industry
Aren't I suburb glamorous?
Red carpet and cameras
Take trips around the globe
Tints on my Jeeps so nobody knows
So hot, got you coming out your clothes
I'm about to give you the (La, la-la-la, la-la-la)
[Pre-Chorus]
Media, over here
Coming through like a world premiere
Trench coat and my underwear
Let's go with this freak show
[Chorus]
It's outrageous when I move my body
Outrageous when I'm at a party
Outrageous in my sexy jeans
Outrageous when I'm on the scene
Outrageous, my sex drive
Outrageous, my shopping spree
Outrageous, we on a world tour
Outrageous, that's B-girl
Outrageous
[Bridge]
I just wanna be happy
In a place where love is free
Can you take me there?
Somebody, ooh
And when you mention my name
Make sure you know the truth, yeah
Until I vow to keep it forever
[Chorus]
Outrageous when I move my body
Outrageous when I'm at a party
Outrageous in my sexy jeans
Outrageous when I'm on the scene
Outrageous, my sex drive
Outrageous, my shopping spree
Outrageous, we on a world tour
Outrageous, that's B-girl
[Chorus]
Outrageous when I move my body
Outrageous when I'm at a party
Outrageous in my sexy jeans
Outrageous when I'm on the scene
Outrageous, my sex drive
Outrageous, my shopping spree
Outrageous, we on a world tour
Outrageous, that's B-girl
Composition[]
"Outrageous" is an R&B song with influences of hip-hop.[6] The beat was compared by Gavin Mueller of Stylus Magazine to R. Kelly's 2003 single "Snake".[7] Jennifer Vineyard of MTV noted that "she whispers and moans [...] with a snake charmer melody giving the song an exotic feel".[8] Nick Southall of Stylus Magazine compared the background vocals to those of Punjabi musician Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan.[9] According to the sheetmusic published at Musicnotes.com by Universal Music Publishing Group, "Outrageous" is composed in the key of D major, with a tempo of 105 beats per minute.[10] The song's lyrics talk about materialism and amusement, with Spears referencing in the chorus a number of things that give her pleasure, such as "my world tour" and "my sex drive". Vineyard noted, "the cumulative effect seems like it's designed to put the listener in the lover's shoes—taking full advantage of the aural male gaze".[8] Sal Cinquemani of Slant Magazine said the track "includes a telling parallel that reveals a lot about one of music's biggest—as Alanis Morissette would put it—treadmill capitalists: she sings "my sex drive" and "my shopping spree" with the same dripping gusto".[11]
Critical Reception[]
"Outrageous" received mixed reviews from music critics. Mim Udovitch of Blender called the song an "R. Kelly club number, [that] has a hot, odd compulsion and lyrics that are practically big-pimpin', Spears-style".[12] William Shaw of Blender selected it as the ninth best Spears song, highlighting "the nonsense chants" at 1:10.[13] While reviewing Greatest Hits: My Prerogative, Ann Powers commented, "'Outrageous' is R. Kelly’s dirty little take on the ideal Janet Jackson song".[14] Spence D. of IGN said of the song that "it's a somewhat derivative Egyptian lover groove number. Yet for all it's [sic] repetitiveness, it's still kind of funky and pervasive".[15] Kelefa Sanneh of The New York Times called it "[a] composition that cruises along on autopilot for two minutes and then suddenly switches gears with a delectable Michael Jackson-inspired bridge".[16] Annabel Leathes of BBC Online stated that "R. Kelly transform[s] Britney into a grubby Beyoncé".[17] Caryn Ganz of Spin called "Outrageous" a "go-nowhere homage to living fabulously".[18] Dave de Sylvia of Sputnikmusic called it "a forgettable but nonetheless catchy single".[19] David Browne of Entertainment Weekly said that along with "(I Got That) Boom Boom", "[they] are little more than wobbly, rhythm-based contraptions intended to advance Spears' sex-princess-on-the-loose image".[20] Jamie Gill of Yahoo! Music Radio commented that, "with its cheap, tinny [sic] production - it would take a rather senile and unworldly old lady in Tonbridge Wells [sic] to find this even diverting, let alone shocking".[21]
Chart Performance[]
On August 14, 2004, "Outrageous" debuted at number eighty-five on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.[22] On August 28, 2004, it peaked at number seventy-nine. The same week, the song peaked at number twenty-three on Billboard 's Pop Songs. It also reached number twenty-seven on Billboard's Hot Dance Club Songs on September 11, 2004.[23] "Outrageous" also reached number fourteen on the Hot Dance Singles Sales chart.[24] In Japan, "Outrageous" charted on the Oricon Albums Chart for eight weeks and peaked at number thirty-one. It peaked num. 74 on Top Radio Hits (Russia) and num. 71 on Romanian Top 100 (Romania), but it never released as a single in both countries.
Promotion[]
The music video for "Outrageous" filmed in April 2004. was directed by Dave Meyers, who previously worked in the music videos for "Lucky" and "Boys", as well as the Curious commercials.[26] It was shot in outdoors locations in Queens and Manhattan, New York City The music video was set to premiere on MTV on June 28, 2004.[5] After completion of the scenes with guest star Snoop Dogg, Spears was shooting dance scenes in Manhattan when around 11:30 p.m., she fell and injured her left knee.[27][28] She was taken immediately to a local hospital, where doctors performed an MRI scan and found floating cartilage. The following day, Spears underwent arthroscopic surgery. Spears was forced to remain six weeks with a thigh brace, followed by eight to twelve weeks of rehabilitation, which caused the rest of the shoot as well as the remainder of The Onyx Hotel Tour to be canceled.[28] "Outrageous" was also scrapped as the theme song from Catwoman.[29] A 45 second music video composed of the scenes that were shot was released in the 2004 DVD Greatest Hits: My Prerogative. The video begins with Snoop Dogg and a group of men playing basketball in a outdoors court, until Spears appears wearing blue baggy shorts.[30] She starts to flirt with him, before jumping into his arms and licking his beard. In the next scene, she performs with her dancers on a street at night.[31]
Spears has performed the song only once, on her 2004 The Onyx Hotel Tour. It was the last song of the fifth act of the show, titled "Security Cameras". She performed "Breathe on Me" wearing pink lingerie while emulating different sexual practices with her dancers.[32] After it ended, she put on a white trench coat while her dancers wore them in black and performed "Outrageous".[33] The act ended with a skit that segued into the finale performance of "(I Got That) Boom Boom".[34]
Track Listings[]
- Japan CD Single
- "Outrageous" — 3:21
- "Outrageous" (Murk Space Miami Mix) — 6:48
- "Outrageous" (Junkie XL's Dancehall Mix) — 2:55
- "Outrageous" (Junkie XL's Tribal Mix) — 6:08
- "Toxic" (Armand Van Helden Remix) — 9:34
- "Everytime" (Above And Beyond Club Mix) — 8:46
- "Everytime" (Scumfrog Haunted Dub) — 8:20
- 12" Vinyl
- "Outrageous" (Murk Space Miami Mix) — 6:48
- "Outrageous" (R. Kelly Remix) — 3:24
- "Outrageous" (Junkie XL's Dancehall Mix) — 2:55
- "Outrageous" (Josh Harris Mixshow) — 5:52
- "Outrageous" (Junkie XL's Tribal Mix) — 6:08
- The Singles Collection Boxset Single
- "Outrageous" — 3:21
- "Outrageous" (Junkie XL's Dancehall Mix) — 2:55
Single Artwork[]
