"Underneath Your Clothes" | ||||
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Single by Shakira | ||||
from the album Laundry Service | ||||
Released | 11 February 2002 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length |
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Label | Epic | |||
Composer(s) |
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Lyricist(s) | Shakira | |||
Producer(s) |
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Shakira singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"Underneath Your Clothes" on YouTube |
"Underneath Your Clothes" is a song by Colombian singer-songwriter Shakira for her third studio album and English-language debut, Laundry Service (2001). The power ballad was the second English-language single released from the album; being released on 11 February 2002. It features lyrics by Shakira with music and production from Shakira and Lester Mendez. Lyrically, the song tells the story of the unconditional love that a woman has for her boyfriend, with lyrics about being worthy of somebody's love.
Some critics commended the song for being a highlight from the album. However, others were more critical towards her songwriting and the song's production, which according to them resembled the Bangles' "Eternal Flame" and the Beatles' "Penny Lane". The song became a success on the charts, topping the charts of eight countries, while also reaching the top ten in several countries, including the United States. It was the fifth-biggest song of 2002 in Europe.
The accompanying music video for the song was directed by fashion photographer Herb Ritts. It depicts Shakira's loneliness as a tourist musician. It features Shakira's then-boyfriend Antonio de la Rúa, whose unpopularity in Argentina led to a ban of her albums there. Shakira promoted the song with a series of live performances across the world, while also performing it on her worldwide tours, Tour of the Mongoose (2002–2003), Oral Fixation Tour (2006–2007), The Sun Comes Out World Tour (2010–2011) and El Dorado World Tour (2018).
After releasing her first live album, MTV Unplugged: Shakira (2000), which won her first Grammy Award, Shakira expressed the desire to breakthrough in the United States and the world with songs in English. [3] With the help of a personal tutor, and after studying the lyrics of Bob Dylan and the poetry of Walt Whitman, she started writing songs in English "with a dictionary in one hand and a thesaurus in the other." [4] During the songwriting process for Laundry Service, Shakira wrote "Underneath Your Clothes" as a love song for then-boyfriend Antonio de la Rúa. [5] She explained that, "If you check the subject of my songs, most of them talk about my own experiences and feelings and what I was actually going through in my life." [5] "Underneath Your Clothes" was released to US radio stations as the second single from the album in February 2002, [6] [7] while the physical single was released in May 2002. [8]
"Underneath Your Clothes" has lyrics by Shakira, and music and production by Shakira and Lester Mendez. Both arranged the track, while Mendez also provided keyboards and horn arrangements, while Shakira and Rita Quintero also serving with background vocals. It was recorded at The Hit Factory, Miami, Florida, Compass Point Studios, Bahamas, while being mixed and recorded at the Crescent Moon Studios, Miami, Florida. [9] According to the sheet music published at MusicNotes.com by Sony/ATV Music Publishing, "Underneath Your Clothes" is written in the key of A ♭ major, set in a moderately slow tempo of 88 beats per minute. Shakira's vocal range spans from the low-note of AB3 to the high-note of C5. The introduction follows the chord progression of A♭–D♭–A♭–D♭-Fm, while the verses follow the chord progression of Cm-D♭–E♭sus–E♭. [10]
Lyrically, the song is an "ode" to the positivity one gains when pursuing a relationship with a good person, [11] with Shakira "mentally undress[ing] her man, fantasizing about the 'territory' she claims as her own." [12] As noted by Chuck Taylor of Billboard , the song is "a thought-provoking ballad that finds a novel way to deliver a message of love and devotion." "Underneath your clothes/There's an endless story/There's the man I chose/That's my territory," she sings. [6] During the song, she "repeatedly describes herself as a good girl, worthy of her boyfriend's love, and as a woman of very developed maternal instincts." [13] As noted by Alexis Petridis of The Guardian and Matt Cibula of PopMatters , the song has "a Beatles-influenced brass arrangement" and a melody from the Bangles' "Eternal Flame." [14] [15]
"Underneath Your Clothes" received good critical reception as it represented "a large part of Shakira's style". While calling her voice "odd", Chuck Taylor of Billboard wrote that it "dart[s] from a delicate, girlie, Jewel-like delivery to a determined, tough-chick croon - it certainly gives the song a signature edge and multiple layers that seem to draw out something new with each successive spin." [6] Lisa Oliver of Yahoo! Music claimed to find similarities between Shakira's and Jewel's vocals, calling it "a Jewel-esque ground swelling". [11] Ted Kessler of The Observer noted that the song "may be slightly kooky pop-rock, but it's sung by someone with the range of an operatic diva." [3] Alex Henderson of AllMusic picked the song as a highlight from the album, [16] while Robert Christgau wrote that its lyrics have an "awkward, carnal, unhesitatingly female chauvinist." [17] Matt Cibula of PopMatters said that "it could have been a great little thing, [...] simple, graceful, light, but now it's a damned mess," citing the "tell-tale touches" at the start, the Bangles’ "Eternal Flame" influence and "Penny Lane" trumpets by the end" as examples. Cibula called it "a potentially cool song [that] has been studioed out of existence." [15] Frank Kogan of The Village Voice criticized the lyrics, calling it a song "with no fresh insights on the subject." [18]
"Underneath Your Clothes" is listed at number 391 on Blender's "The 500 Greatest Songs Since You Were Born" list. [19] Bill Lamb of About.com picked the song at number four on his "Top 10 Shakira Pop Songs", [20] while Robert Copsey of Digital Spy placed the song at number 3 on their "Shakira's 10 best songs", writing that it "remains the ultimate Shakira ballad for the mere fact that we can still remember every single world of it to this day." [21] The website Latin Post ranked it as her eighth biggest hit, calling it "a powerful ballad." [22] The song entered Billboard 's list of her Biggest Hits at number 5. [23]
The song was commercially successful and peaked atop the charts in Australia, [24] Austria, [25] and Belgium; [26] being certified platinum in the three countries. [27] [28] [29] In Australia, the song debuted at number two, peaking two weeks later at the top of the charts, while spending 20 weeks inside the ARIA Charts. [24] In Austria, "Underneath Your Clothes" debuted at number two, remaining for three consecutive weeks at the position, before moving to the top the following week. [25] The song topped the charts of Hungary, [30] Ireland [31] and Netherlands. In other countries, the song experienced commercial success, reaching number two in France, [32] Germany, [33] New Zealand, [34] Norway [35] and Switzerland. [36]
In other countries, it became a top five [24] or a top-10 hit. In the United States, "Underneath Your Clothes" entered the charts at number 70 in March 2002. [37] In its fourth week, the song entered the top 40 at number 33, [38] while cracking the top 20 two weeks later. [39] The song eventually peaked at number nine, on the issue dated 18 May 2002 becoming her second top-10 hit on the chart. [40] According to Sony Music Canada, the song has been certified as gold in the United States. [41] In the United Kingdom, it reached number three, becoming her second consecutive top-three single. [42] It entered "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles of 2002" at number five, while her other single "Whenever Wherever" was placed at number 2. [43]
American photographer Herb Ritts directed the music video for "Underneath Your Clothes", his last music video directorial effort before his death in December 2002. [44] It starts with a black-and-white scene of a reporter asking Shakira how she feels about crossing over into the English-speaking music market, and the singer, ironically, answers him in Spanish. Shakira claimed in her "MTV Making the Video" of the song that the "Crossover" claims had been her daily bread, and that she heavily at wished for this to be included into the video. The video illustrates her loneliness as a music artist when she goes on tour. Then, scenes of the singer performing the song live with her band and passionately hugging her boyfriend (played by her real-life then boyfriend Antonio de la Rúa) are shown. [22]
The appearance of Antonio de la Rua in the video led to music retailer Tower Records Argentina banning sales of her albums in the country. [45] The reason behind the ban was that de la Rua's father Fernando de la Rúa, who was the President of Argentina at that time, had resigned "in the midst of profound economic and political turmoil in the country", and the decision to ban sales of Shakira's albums was a "direct protest against Antonio De la Rua - not Shakira". [45]
To promote the single, Shakira went on to a number of places. She performed the track on the television programs CD:UK , Domingo Legal, Late Show with David Letterman , TRL and the 2002 Party in the Park event at Hyde Park among others. The limited edition of the album, entitled Laundry Service: Washed & Dried (2002) presented an acoustic version of the song as a bonus track. [46] She performed an acoustic version of the song on VH1 Divas Live in Las Vegas (2002). [47] The singer's second live album, Live & Off the Record (2004), [48] presented a live version of the song performed during an April 2003 concert in Rotterdam, Netherlands, which was part of the singer's Tour of the Mongoose (2002–2003). Shakira performed the song live at the concerts for her Oral Fixation Tour (2006–2007) and The Sun Comes Out World Tour (2010-2011), however the song was not in the set-list of the Spanish and Latin American concerts. The performances were included on the Oral Fixation Tour and the Live from Paris CD/DVD, respectively. [49] [50] Shakira presented a piano mix of the song at the "Ein Herz für Kinder" and "Clinton Global Initiative", with only vocals and piano, and excluded the complete second half of the song. [51] [52]
CD maxi
CD single
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
Decade-end charts
|
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
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Australia (ARIA) [104] | 2× Platinum | 140,000^ |
Austria (IFPI Austria) [105] | Platinum | 40,000* |
Belgium (BEA) [106] | Platinum | 50,000* |
Canada (Music Canada) [107] | Gold | 40,000‡ |
France (SNEP) [108] | Gold | 250,000* |
Germany (BVMI) [109] | Gold | 250,000^ |
Mexico (AMPROFON) [110] | 2× Platinum | 120,000‡ |
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland) [111] | Platinum | 40,000^ |
United Kingdom (BPI) [112] | Gold | 400,000‡ |
United States (RIAA) [113] | Gold | 500,000‡ |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. |
Region | Date | Format(s) | Label(s) | Ref. |
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United States | 11 February 2002 | Contemporary hit radio | Epic | |
Australia | 29 April 2002 | CD | Sony Music | |
Germany | 7 June 2002 | |||
10 June 2002 | Maxi CD | |||
France | 24 June 2002 | |||
United Kingdom | 22 July 2002 |
| Epic | |
29 July 2002 | 12-inch vinyl | |||
Japan | 31 July 2002 | CD | Sony Music | |
France | 26 August 2002 | 12-inch vinyl |
Laundry Service is the fifth studio album and first English-language album by Colombian singer-songwriter Shakira, globally released on 13 November 2001 by Epic Records. After her fourth studio album Dónde Están los Ladrones? became a success in Latin America, Spain, the Middle East and the Latin community in the United States, Shakira was encouraged by American singer Gloria Estefan to record songs in English as she believed her friend had the potential to cross over into the English-language pop market. Shakira was hesitant at first, but then decided to learn English well enough to write songs in the language. The title of the album reflects Shakira's views on love and music. It was released as Servicio de Lavandería in Hispanic regions in January 2002. Laundry Service is primarily a pop rock record but it also experiments with Andean music, dance-pop, Middle Eastern music, rock and roll and tango music. The album's theme is love and romance. Every song on it was written and produced by Shakira under the guidance of Emilio Estefan.
Grandes Éxitos is the first greatest hits album by Colombian singer-songwriter Shakira. It was released on 2 November 2002, by Sony Music Colombia, one year after her fifth studio album and English-language debut Laundry Service. It is composed of Spanish-language recordings from her third, fourth and fifth studio efforts Pies Descalzos (1995), Dónde Están los Ladrones? (1998) and Laundry Service (2001), along with the live album MTV Unplugged (2000). The album only featured Spanish-language tracks and featured no new recordings. It also did not include songs from her first two studio albums, Magia and Peligro.
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Oral Fixation, Vol. 2 is the seventh studio album and second English-language album by Colombian singer-songwriter Shakira, released on 28 November 2005, by Epic Records. After attaining international success with her fifth studio effort, Laundry Service (2001), Shakira decided to create a two-part follow-up record. She released the project as the follow-up to her sixth studio effort, Fijación Oral, Vol. 1, with which she had attained international success five months prior. As co-producer, Shakira enlisted producers including previous collaborators Gustavo Cerati, Lester Mendez, Luis Fernando Ochoa and Rick Rubin to work alongside newer partners Jerry Duplessis, Wyclef Jean, Tim Mitchell and The Matrix.
"Ojos Así" is a song by Colombian singer Shakira from her fourth studio album, Dónde Están los Ladrones? (1998). Infused with nuances of Arabic pop, the lyrics tell of the singer traveling the world but not having seen eyes like her lover's. It was released as the album's fifth single in October 1999 by Sony Music Colombia. It was written by Shakira, composed and produced by her, Pablo Flores, and Javier Garza. The song was later adapted into English by Gloria Estefan as "Eyes Like Yours" and included on her first English studio album Laundry Service (2001).
"U Remind Me" is a song by American singer Usher. It was written by Edmund "Eddie Hustle" Clement and Anita McCloud and produced by Clement along with duo Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis for Usher's third studio album 8701 (2001). A mid-tempo R&B track, the song is about a man who meets a woman who seems like a nice catch, but he decides not to enter a relationship with her because she looks too much like an ex-girlfriend with whom he had a bad breakup.
"Whenever, Wherever" is a song by Colombian singer-songwriter Shakira, released on 30 August 2001 by Epic Records as the lead single from her debut English-language studio album, Laundry Service (2001), her fifth overall. The song was written, composed, and produced by Shakira, with additional musical composition and production from Tim Mitchell, and additional English lyrics written by Gloria Estefan. The song is a mix of Latin music and worldbeat that is heavily influenced by Andean music. In the Spanish version, titled "Suerte", Shakira sings about how fortunate she is to have found her romantic partner. The English lyrics are very similar.
"Objection (Tango)" is a song by Colombian singer-songwriter Shakira for her fifth studio album and first English-language album Laundry Service (2001). It was the first song Shakira wrote in English after being encouraged by American singer Gloria Estefan to record material in the language. She also produced the track along with Lester Mendez. "Objection (Tango)" musically combines elements of pop rock and tango, and contains instrumentation from the bandoneón and guitar. Through the lyrics of the song, Shakira aims to end a love triangle she is a part of. The song was released as the fourth single from the album on 24 May 2002. A Spanish version of the song, entitled "Te Aviso, Te Anuncio (Tango)" ("I'm Warning You, I'm Telling You"), was also recorded.
Colombian singer-songwriter Shakira has released 12 studio albums, one reissue, five live albums, two compilation albums, 69 singles and 62 music videos. With 95 million certified records worldwide, she is the highest-selling Colombian artist and the best-selling female Latin artist of all time. She is the only South American artist to peak at number one on the Australian Singles Chart, the UK Singles Chart, and the US Billboard Hot 100. Her singles "Hips Don't Lie" and "Waka Waka ", have achieved sales in excess of ten million units, becoming some of the best-selling singles worldwide.
"Hips Don't Lie" is a song by Colombian singer-songwriter Shakira, featuring Haitian rapper Wyclef Jean, released by Epic Records in 2006. "Hips Don't Lie" is a reworking of Jean's earlier single "Dance Like This", therefore it features additional composing credits by Omar Alfanno, Duplessis, Luis Días, and LaTavia Parker. The song was released as the first single from the reissue of Shakira's seventh studio album, Oral Fixation, Vol. 2, and second overall. Shakira and Jean wrote the lyrics and jointly composed the music with additional co-writing by Shakira's percussionist Archie Pena. The song was produced by Shakira and Jean with additional co-production by Jerry Duplessis. The song incorporates samples from "Amores Como el Nuestro" written by Alfanno, and "Carnaval " written by Días.
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"Illegal" is a song recorded by Colombian singer-songwriter Shakira for her seventh studio album, Oral Fixation, Vol. 2 (2005). It was written and produced by Shakira and Lester Mendez and it features Mexican-American guitarist Carlos Santana. Epic Records released the song as the second and final single from the reissue edition of the album on 28 August 2006, following the release of "Hips Don't Lie". "Illegal" is a pop and country ballad with lyrics concerning mourning of a past lover complete with an understated vocal performance by Shakira and an electric guitar riff by Santana throughout. It received mixed reviews from music critics, who compared it with Alanis Morissette's material and were mixed towards Santana's contribution.
Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll, known mononymously as Shakira, is a Colombian singer-songwriter. Born and raised in Barranquilla, she has been referred to as the "Queen of Latin Music" and has been praised for her musical versatility. She made her recording debut with Sony Music Colombia at the age of 13. Following the commercial failure of her first two albums, Magia (1991) and Peligro (1993), she rose to prominence in Hispanic countries with her next albums, Pies Descalzos (1995) and Dónde Están los Ladrones? (1998). She entered the English-language market with her fifth album, Laundry Service (2001), which sold over 13 million copies worldwide. Buoyed by the international success of her singles "Whenever, Wherever" and "Underneath Your Clothes", the album propelled her reputation as a leading crossover artist and is the best-selling album of all time by a female Latin artist.
Oral Fixation, Vol. 1 & 2 is the first box set by Colombian singer-songwriter Shakira, released on 5 December 2006, by Epic Records. Released one year after her sixth and seventh studio albums Fijación Oral, Vol. 1 and Oral Fixation, Vol. 2, it includes both previous albums and an additional DVD with music videos and live performances. After attaining international success with her third studio effort, Laundry Service (2001), Shakira decided to create a two-part follow-up record. She released the project as the follow-up to her sixth studio effort Fijación Oral, Vol. 1, with which she had attained international success five months prior.
"Gypsy" is a song by Colombian singer-songwriter Shakira, from her eighth studio album She Wolf (2009). The song was chosen as the fourth and final single from the album by Epic Records. It was released internationally on 26 March 2010; in the United States, "Gypsy" was released as a CD single on 12 April 2010. The Spanish-language version "Gitana" was released as a digital promotional single on 1 March 2010. Written by Amanda Ghost with adittional composition by Shakira, Carl Sturken and Evan Rogers, the lyrics of the song describe one's life travelling as a "gypsy". The song draws heavy influences from Indian bhangra music.
Sale el Sol is the ninth studio album by Colombian singer-songwriter Shakira, released on 19 October 2010, by Epic Records. The album marks a return to Shakira's signature Latin pop sound after the electropop record She Wolf (2009). The singer split the album into three musical "directions": a romantic side, a "rock and roll" side, and a "Latino, tropical" side. The latter two "directions" experiment with rock and merengue music, respectively. As co-producer, Shakira enlisted collaborators including Josh Abraham, El Cata, Gustavo Cerati, John Hill, Lester Mendez, Pitbull, and Residente from Calle 13.
"Loca" is a song by Dominican singer, El Cata. It achieved mainstream success by Colombian singer-songwriter Shakira, who recorded a cover taken from her ninth studio album, Sale el Sol (2010). It was released by Epic Records as the lead single from the album. The Spanish-language version features Dominican rapper El Cata, and was released on 10 September 2010, while the English-language version features British rapper Dizzee Rascal, and was released on 13 September 2010. It was written and produced by Shakira, with additional songwriting from Edward Bello, Armando Pérez, and Dylan Mills. The song is a Latin pop and merengue track that lyrically describes Shakira's eccentric infatuation with a man. In August 2014, a senior US district judge found "Loca" to have been indirectly plagiarised from "Loca con su Tiguere", a mid-1990s song composed by Dominican songwriter Ramon "Arias" Vasquez. The case was dismissed in August 2015 after it was found that Vasquez had fabricated the evidence he had presented in court.
"Antes de las Seis" is a song recorded by Colombian singer-songwriter Shakira for her ninth studio album Sale el Sol (2010). Written and produced by the singer and her frequent collaborator Lester Mendez, "Antes de las Seis" is one of the "romantic" songs from the album and is musically a Latin pop ballad. It features a simple piano and acoustic guitar-supplemented beat over which Shakira delivers sad and emotional vocals. Epic Records released the song as the fourth single from Sale el Sol on 21 October 2011.
"Can't Remember to Forget You" is a song recorded by Colombian singer Shakira from her fourth English and overall tenth studio album, Shakira, featuring Barbadian singer Rihanna. Shakira began planning to make new music in 2011: work continued into 2012, at which time she left her previous label Epic Records and joined RCA Records. The song was released as the lead single of the album on 13 January 2014 through RCA Records and Sony Latin Iberia. A solo Spanish-language version of the song, entitled "Nunca Me Acuerdo de Olvidarte", was released on 24 January 2014.
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