Jump to content

Criminal (Britney Spears song)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by 91.117.114.228 (talk) at 08:50, 5 September 2011. The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

"Criminal"
Song

"Criminal" is a song by American recording artist Britney Spears. It is set to be released as the fourth single from her seventh studio album, Femme Fatale. "Criminal" was written by Max Martin, Shellback and Tiffany Amber, while being produced by Martin and Shellback. Spears first posted a snippet of the track online in March 2, 2011, prior to the album's release. She revealed that the song was set to be a single after the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards. "Criminal" is a guitar-driven midtempo song, which incorporates a folk-style flute melody. It is influenced by the works of ABBA and Madonna. The song speaks of being in love with an outlaw. "Criminal" received positive critical appreciation, with reviewers praising its organic and refreshing feel in comparison with the rest of the album.

Background

"Criminal" was written by Max Martin, Karl Schuster, and Tiffany Amber, while being produced by Martin and Shellback.[1] Spears recorded her vocals at Maratone Studios in Stockholm, Sweden, while background vocals were provided by Chau Phan. The track was later mixed by Serban Ghenea at MixStar Studios in Virginia Beach, Virginia.[1] It was registered on Broadcast Music Incorporated under the legal title "In Love With a Criminal".[2] On March 2, 2011, Spears posted on her Twitter account a link to a 17-second clip of the song, deeming it as "one of [her] favourites".[3] In an interview with Rolling Stone in March 2011, Spears spoke about Martin's productions on Femme Fatale, saying, "Max played a huge role on this album and he has been there since the beginning so there is such a huge level of trust. He gets exactly what I am saying when I tell him what I want and don’t want musically".[4] On August 5, 2011, Spears posted a poll on her Facebook page asking fans whether her next single should be "Criminal", "Inside Out" or "(Drop Dead) Beautiful."[5] After the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards, Spears revealed to MTV News that "Criminal" was chosen as the fourth single of the album. She also explained that when she first listened to the song, she felt it was different and unlike anything she had heard before.[6]

Composition

"Criminal"
A 22 second sample of the song's chorus, which features Spears telling her mother she is in love with a criminal.
Problems playing this file? See media help.

"Criminal" is a guitar-driven midtempo song, which incorporates a folk-style flute melody.[7][8] It is reminiscent of the music of ABBA and Madonna, and the latter's albums Ray of Light (1998) and American Life (2003), according to David Buchanan of Consequence of Sound and Samesame.com.au, respectively.[7][9] Carl Wilson of the Los Angeles Times said "Criminal" is "awkwardly pitched between rock and ballad".[10] In the verses, Spears sings about being in love with a bad boy and outlaw, in lyrics such as "He is a hustler / He's no good at all / He is a loser, he's a bum, bum, bum, bum" and "He is a bad boy with a tainted heart / And even I know this a'int smart". During the chorus, she pleads to her mother not to worry in lines such as "But mama im in love with a criminal" and "Mama please don't cry / I will be alright."[11] Andrew Leahey of The Washington Times compared the lyrics to those of Madonna's "Papa Don't Preach" (1986), while David Bunachan of Consequence of Sound compared them to Coolio's "Mama I'm in Love Wit' a Gangsta" (1994).[9][12]

Critical reception

Rudy Klapper of Sputnikmusic commented the song "isn't exactly the progressive stylings of a Janelle Monae [sic], but damn if it’s not catchy and interesting."[13] Genevieve Koski of The A.V. Club claimed that the album "[i]s not all dance-floor narcotics", adding that that "Inside Out", "Till the World Ends" and "Criminal" "add texture to the wall-to-wall synth waves and booty bass."[14] Robert Copsey of Digital Spy said the production of Femme Fatale is "polished, intriguing and - best of all - fun", exemplifying "Inside Out", the piano breakdown in "Big Fat Bass" and the flute in "Criminal".[15] Samesame.com.au said that "after eleven tracks of bleeps, production tricks and absolutely nothing organic, it's nice to see the album closes with a nice guitar driven mid tempo track, 'Criminal’ [...]. Think a mix of ‘Love Profusion’ and ‘Intervention’ with better production and not half as preachy."[7] Gary McGinley of No Ripcord stated that Femme Fatale "is so synth-led that hearing the simple guitar lines on Criminal and He's About To Lose Me (from the Deluxe Edition) is refreshing."[16] Natalie Shaw of the BBC Online commented that "Criminal" "with its teenage lyrics [...] on top of a fairytale flute melody and a rhythm so summery it manages to completely set itself free from the rest of the album."[17]

David Buchanan of Consequence of Sound found that Femme Fatale "is entirely rescued by backtracking to Circus-style material, with Rihanna-esque 'Gasoline', and the Ray Of Light-era Madonna influence in closing song 'Criminal'.[9] Andy Gill of The Independent said that the album sounds more programmed than natural, commenting that "indeed, such is the shock when the final track, "Criminal", opens with a little folksong-style flute and guitar figure that one's immediate reaction is that a Midlake soundfile has been accidentally appended to Britney's running-order."[8] Los Angeles Times writer Carl Wilson stated that the album's momentum "flags only on the closing 'Criminal', with its formless Renaissance fair flute line and a tempo [that is] joyless".[10] Thomas Conner of the Chicago Sun-Times considered "Criminal", along with "Inside Out", "weak mid-tempo fare" songs.[18] Eric R. Danton of the Hartford Courant deemed the song as "an eye-rolling homage to those oh-so-attractive bad boys that good girls lust for in spite of themselves."[19]

Chart performance

Following the release of Femme Fatale, "Criminal" peaked at number fifty-one on South Korea's GAON International Chart, reaching number thirty-seven on the following.[20]

Music video

After the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards, Spears told MTV News that she had thought of a "really cool concept for the video, just to make it interesting. You'll have to see."[6]

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from Femme Fatale booklet liner notes.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c (Media notes). {{cite AV media notes}}: Missing or empty |title= (help); Unknown parameter |Format= ignored (|format= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |Publisher= ignored (|publisher= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |Type= ignored (|type= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |Year= ignored (|year= suggested) (help)
  2. ^ "IN LOVE WITH A CRIMINAL (Legal Title)". Songs of Kobalt Music Publishing. Broadcast Music Incorporated. Retrieved August 29, 2011.
  3. ^ Vena, Jocelyn (March 2, 2011). "Britney Spears Teases Femme Fatale Slow Jam 'Criminal'". MTV. MTV Networks. Retrieved August 29, 2011.
  4. ^ Knopper, Steve (March 17, 2011). "Britney Spears On Her New Album, Her Favorite Music and Working With will.i.am". Rolling Stone. Jann Wenner. Retrieved August 29, 2011.
  5. ^ Vena, Jocelyn (August 10). "Will '(Drop Dead) Beautiful' Be Britney Spears' Next Single?". MTV. MTV Networks. Retrieved August 29, 2011. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  6. ^ a b Vena, Jocelyn; Montgomery, James (August 28, 2011). "Britney Spears Reveals Next Single At VMAs". MTV. MTV Networks. Retrieved August 29, 2011.
  7. ^ a b c Reporter, Staff (March 14, 2011). "CD: Britney - Femme Fatale". Samesame.com.au. Sound Alliance. Retrieved April 9, 2011.
  8. ^ a b Gill, Andy (March 25, 2011). "Album: Britney Spears, Femme Fatale (Jive)". The Independent. Alexander Lebedev. Retrieved April 8, 2011.
  9. ^ a b c Buchanan, David (March 22, 2011). "Album Review: Britney Spears – Femme Fatale". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved August 29, 2011.
  10. ^ a b Wilson, Carl (March 28, 2011). "Album review: 'Femme Fatale' by Britney Spears". Los Angeles Times. Tribune Company. Retrieved March 29, 2011.
  11. ^ Sawdey, Evan (March 29, 2011). "Britney Spears: Femme Fatale". PopMatters. Sarah Zupko. Retrieved April 8, 2011.
  12. ^ Leahey, Andrew (March 28, 2011). "Listening Station: Britney's latest new life". The Washington Times. News World Media Development. Retrieved April 9, 2011.
  13. ^ Klapper, Rudy (March 20, 2011). "Britney Spears - Femme Fatale". Sputnikmusic. Jeremy Ferwerda. Retrieved August 29, 2011.
  14. ^ Koski, Genevieve (March 29, 2011). "Britney Spears : Femme Fatale". The A.V. Club. The Onion, Inc. Retrieved August 29, 2011.
  15. ^ Copsey, Robert (March 28, 2011). "Britney Spears: 'Femme Fatale'". Digital Spy. Hachette Filipacchi (UK) Ltd. Retrieved April 9, 2011.
  16. ^ McGinley, Gary (April 4, 2011). "Britney Spears : Femme Fatale". No Ripcord. Retrieved August 29, 2011.
  17. ^ Shaw, Natalie (March 28, 2011). "Britney Spears Femme Fatale Review". BBC Online. BBC. Retrieved August 29, 2011.
  18. ^ Conner, Thomas (March 23, 2011). "CD review: Britney Spears, 'Femme Fatale'". Chicago Sun-Times. Sun-Times Media Group. Retrieved April 9, 2011.
  19. ^ Danton, Eric R. (March 28, 2011). "Britney Spears' 'Femme Fatale' Is Her Best Yet". Hartford Courant. Tribune Company. Retrieved August 29, 2011.
  20. ^ "가온차트와 함께하세요" (in Korean). GAON.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=Criminal_(Britney_Spears_song)&oldid=448554051"