"Thong Song"
Single by Sisqó
from the album Unleash the Dragon
ReleasedFebruary 15, 2000
Recorded1999
GenreR&B, pop rap
Length4:12
LabelDef Soul
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Sisqó singles chronology
"Got to Get It"
(1999)		 "Thong Song"
(2000)		 "What These Bitches Want"
(2000)
Music video
"Thong Song" on YouTube

"Thong Song" is a song recorded by American R&B singer Sisqó. It was released on February 15, 2000, as the second single from his solo debut studio album, Unleash the Dragon (1999). "Thong Song" garnered four Grammy nominations and numerous other awards.[1] The song peaked at number one on the Billboard Rhythmic top 40 chart and number three on the Billboard Hot 100, Sisqó's second highest-peaking hit behind "Incomplete".[2] It was a major success worldwide as well, reaching the top ten throughout European charts and reaching number three in the United Kingdom, Netherlands, and Denmark. The song also topped the charts in New Zealand.

Production

The instrumental was originally produced with Michael Jackson in mind[3] (Jackson later worked with the producers after hearing Thong Song[4]). The song was written and produced by Sisqó, and Tim & Bob, the duo of Tim Kelley and Bob Robinson. Songwriters Desmond Child and Draco Rosa receive songwriting credit because of the interpolation of part of their composition, "Livin' la Vida Loca" (originally recorded by Ricky Martin), in the song's lyrics. The obbligato strings that are heard throughout the song, performed for the record by violinist Bruce Dukov,[5][6] are inspired by Wes Montgomery's cover of The Beatles' "Eleanor Rigby" which Tim originally sampled in its origin.

The impetus for the song came from when the then 19-year-old singer Sisqó joked that his hair turned white the first time he saw a thong, similar to Charlton Heston in the film The Ten Commandments.[7][8]

Rapper Lil' Kim was originally supposed to be included on the album version but declined.[9] However, Kim and Sisqó collaborated on her second album The Notorious K.I.M. a year later.

The alternate version, the official remix to the original version, "Thong Song Uncensored", features a guest rap from Foxy Brown in the spot where Sisqó whispers the main verse for the third time, and is included on the soundtrack for Nutty Professor II: The Klumps. A second, more urban-themed video was shot for the remix by Little X.

Critical reception

Despite commercial success, "Thong Song" largely panned by music critics. The song placed first in a St. Paul Pioneer Press reader poll to determine the worst song in history.[10] Other retrospective reviews have labelled the song as sexist or misogynistic.[11]

Sample clearance issue

In Vice's The Story Of documentary on Thong Song, it was revealed that producers Bob Robinson and Tim Kelly warned Sisqó of using the lyrical reference to Livin' La Vida Loca, which was interpolated at the end of each of the three verses. Songwriter Desmond Child later received a significant writing credit, owning a majority of the publishing for Thong Song as a result.[4][12]

Track listing

CD single[13]
No.TitleLength
1."Thong Song (Radio Edit)"3:30
2."Thong Song (Artful Dodger Remix)"5:40
3."Thong Song (Instrumental)"4:11
4."Thong Song (Video)"4:34
12" single[14]
No.TitleLength
1."Thong Song (LP Version)"--
2."Thong Song (Instrumental)"--
3."Thong Song (Artful Dodger Remix)"--

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of Unleash the Dragon.[15]

Recording locations
  • Larrabee West, LA
  • The Tracken Place, LA, CA
Personnel
  • Mixed By – Manny Marroquin
  • Producer – Sisqo The Golden Child for Da Ish Entertainment, Tim Kelley and Bob Robinson
  • Recorded By – Jan Fairchild
  • Written By – Mark Andrews, Tim Kelley, Bob Robinson, Robi Rosa, and Desmond Child

Music video

MTV version

The video was released in 2000 and directed by Joseph Kahn. Set in Miami, Sisqó is on the phone with one of his friends. His daughter and his wife return from shopping, and his daughter finds and shows him the thong. Sisqó is frightened and looks at his wife in a confused matter, and his wife shrugs her shoulders. It then switches to Sisqó going to the beach from his home to participate in a Spring Break party with a large number of young women who are generally wearing bikinis and thongs, with the exception of one woman who wears a G-string. There are also scenes with Sisqo and his backup dancers driving a Bentley Azure down the Florida Keys, and cameos from the other three members of Sisqó's group, Dru Hill, Method Man & Redman, Ja Rule, as well as LL Cool J. Sisqó performs acrobatic feats atop the crowd that contradict the laws of physics, culminating in a stage performance lit with blacklights and with an orchestra in the background.

The whole video, consisting of cuts between Sisqó and barely clad women, drew criticism as it was accused of exploiting women as sex objects, and was credited for starting a new wave of "booty" videos. The director of the video, Joseph Kahn, was quoted as saying, "I listen to 'Thong Song', and I say, 'Well, this song is about asses.' So you can either accept it and do something like I did, or you can go and try and turn the 'Thong Song' into some kind of Chemical Brothers video and make it all pretentious; about some fucking communist upheaval or something. Let's just relax and make a booty video, and let's make a really good one, and make it fun."[16]

Sisqo stated the video was carefully shot not to reveal too many buttocks in thong swimsuits but allowed with unorthodox camera angles.

Alternative version with Foxy Brown

In the alternative version of the video, after giving a radio interview with Nokio and Jazz of Dru Hill in his hometown of Baltimore, Sisqó escapes from a group of fans with the help of Foxy Brown to a fashion show. Here, models strut in sexy costumes, which (again) all consist of bikinis just as in the original video, this time with the exception of two women in thongs. The video also features a cameo by professional wrestler Big Show. The song was done for the soundtrack of Nutty Professor II: The Klumps. The video was directed by Little X.[17]

2017 remake

In 2017, Sisqó remade the song and music video with JCY, which was released on July 18, 2017. The video was released on YouTube and WorldStarHipHop with the video in its first week hitting over one million views.[18]

Charts

Certifications

Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[66] Platinum 70,000^
Belgium (BEA)[67] Gold 25,000*
France (SNEP)[68] Gold 250,000*
New Zealand (RMNZ)[69] Gold 5,000*
Sweden (GLF)[70] Gold 15,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[71] Platinum 600,000‡

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Other versions and sampling

In 2000, Chicago female rapper Strings released a single entitled "Tongue Song", which was a female response to "Thong Song".[72] It peaked at number 24 on the Billboard Bubbling Under R&B/Hip-Hop Singles chart and number 13 on Billboard Hot Rap Singles chart.

Reggaeton artists Daddy Yankee and Nicky Jam sampled "Thong Song" for their 2001 song "Tu Cuerpo En La Cama" on Yankee's album El Cartel II.

British girl group Little Mix interpolated various elements of the song for their song "Love a Girl Right" from their album LM5.

The Mad TV season 6 premiere featured a "Wrong Song" music video parody in which Aries Spears as Sisqo ridicules obese women for wearing thongs and bikinis.

In 2015, WTMD commissioned reinterpretations by seven artists in Sisqó's native Baltimore, including Horse Lords and TT The Artist.[73]

In 2016, Australian pop singer and songwriter Sia released This Is Acting, featuring the track "Sweet Design," which samples and references the "Thong Song."[74]

In 2017, American rapper Ludacris released a duet song "Vitamin D" featuring American singer Ty Dolla Sign. This song featured samples and rhythm of the "Thong Song".

On the February 11, 2020 episode of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Fallon along with the Backstreet Boys as the "Ragtime Gals" sang the song in the style of a barbershop quartet.[75]

Sisqo appeared as himself in the fifth-season finale of Legends of Tomorrow, titled "Swan Thong", where the song played in the background as the Legends fight various villains of history when a button was pressed on the Sisqo display. A fan of the series himself, the singer agreed to wear the same outfit from the music video, as well as dying his hair platinum.[76]

References

  1. ↑ "Sisqó Talks 20 Years Of "Thong Song," Sampling The Beatles & Getting Props From Madonna". www.grammy.com. Retrieved 2022-12-14.
  2. ↑ "Sisqó". Billboard.
  3. ↑ https://respect-mag.com/2021/03/respect-interview-singer-sisqo-talks-global-success-of-the-thong-song-the-instrumental-originally-being-intended-for-michael-jackson/
  4. 1 2 Mahadevan, Tara (2021-02-25). "Majority of Sisqó's "Thong Song" Publishing Owned by Writer of "Livin' La Vida Loca"". Complex. Retrieved 2023-05-29.
  5. ↑ (1999). Unleash the Dragon [CD booklet]. New York: Dragon/Def Soul/The Island/Def Jam Music Group.
  6. ↑ The Story of the "Thong Song" by Sisqó (2021). VICE. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0S1buCBwGI
  7. ↑ "AN ORAL HISTORY OF SISQÓ'S "THONG SONG"".
  8. ↑ Platon, Adelle (2017-04-25). "Sisqo Recalls the Story of The 'Thong Song' Chorus – And Finally Explains 'Dumps Like a Truck'". Billboard. Retrieved 2022-12-14.
  9. ↑ "Lil' Kim Still 'Regrets' Blowing Shot At Sisqo's 'Thong Song'". MTV.
  10. ↑ Raihala, Ross (1 April 2016). "Here it is. Your worst song ever". St. Paul Pioneer Press. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
  11. ↑ Dahlager, Jon (1 November 2000). "Feminism struggles in sexist music industry". Iowa State Daily. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
  12. ↑ Gracie, Bianca (2023-02-15). "'Thong Song': The Story Behind Sisqó's Smash Hit". uDiscover Music. Retrieved 2023-05-29.
  13. ↑ "Sisqó – Thong Song (CD)". Discogs. Retrieved 2019-09-20.
  14. ↑ "Sisqó – Thong Song (12")". Discogs. Retrieved 2019-09-20.
  15. ↑ The Notorious K.I.M. (Media notes). Lil' Kim. Atlantic. 2000.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  16. ↑ Lee, Jimmy (June 2001), The Wrath of Kahn: Joseph Kahn's trek to music video stardom, KoreAm
  17. ↑ Murphy, Keith (March 2008). "Is the music video dead?". Vibe: 66. ISSN 1070-4701. Retrieved 2012-05-27.
  18. ↑ "JCY - Thong Song (feat. Sisqo) - Official Music Video". Archived from the original on 2021-12-12 – via www.youtube.com.
  19. ↑ "Sisqó – Thong Song". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
  20. ↑ "Sisqó – Thong Song" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  21. ↑ "Sisqó – Thong Song" (in French). Ultratop 50.
  22. ↑ "Sisqo - Chart history - Billboard". Billboard. February 13, 2020.
  23. ↑ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 7289." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved February 13, 2020.
  24. ↑ "Top National Sellers" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 17, no. 25. June 17, 2000. p. 13. Retrieved February 13, 2020.
  25. ↑ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 17, no. 25. June 17, 2000. p. 11. Retrieved February 13, 2020.
  26. ↑ "Sisqó – Thong Song" (in French). Les classement single.
  27. ↑ "Sisqo – Thong Song" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved February 13, 2020.
  28. ↑ "Íslenski Listinn Topp 20 (26.05.2000)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). May 26, 2000. p. 12. Retrieved April 4, 2022.
  29. ↑ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Thong Song". Irish Singles Chart.
  30. ↑ "Sisqó – Thong Song". Top Digital Download.
  31. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 15, 2000" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved February 13, 2020.
  32. ↑ "Sisqó – Thong Song" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved December 18, 2017.
  33. ↑ "Sisqó – Thong Song". Top 40 Singles.
  34. ↑ "Sisqó – Thong Song". VG-lista. Retrieved December 18, 2017.
  35. ↑ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 18, 2017.
  36. ↑ "Sisqó – Thong Song". Singles Top 100. Retrieved December 18, 2017.
  37. ↑ "Sisqó – Thong Song". Swiss Singles Chart.
  38. ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  39. ↑ "Official Dance Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 18, 2017.
  40. ↑ "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 18, 2017.
  41. ↑ "Sisqo Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved December 18, 2017.
  42. ↑ "Sisqo Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved December 18, 2017.
  43. ↑ "Sisqo Chart History (Latin Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved December 18, 2017.
  44. ↑ "Sisqo Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved December 18, 2017.
  45. ↑ "Sisqo Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved December 18, 2017.
  46. ↑ "Sisqo Chart History (Tropical Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved December 18, 2017.
  47. ↑ "2000 Australian Singles Chart". Aria. Retrieved 2009-08-10.
  48. ↑ "2000 Belgian (Flanders) Singles Chart". Ultratop. Retrieved 2009-08-10.
  49. ↑ "2000 Belgian (Wallonia) Singles Chart". Ultratop. Retrieved 2009-08-10.
  50. ↑ "Års Hitlister 2000: IFPI Danmark: Singles Top 50" (in Danish). IFPI Danmark. Archived from the original on November 16, 2001. Retrieved July 22, 2023 – via Musik.org.
  51. ↑ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles 2000 p.9" (PDF). Music & Media. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
  52. ↑ "2000 French Singles Chart". Snep. Archived from the original on 2012-03-08. Retrieved 2009-08-10.
  53. ↑ "Top 100 Single–Jahrescharts 2000" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved July 22, 2023.
  54. ↑ "Íslenski Listinn Topp 100". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). January 5, 2001. p. 10. Retrieved March 29, 2022.
  55. ↑ "Top 100 of 2000". Raidió Teilifís Éireann. Archived from the original on June 2, 2004. Retrieved March 16, 2022.
  56. ↑ "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 2000". Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 2020-02-02.
  57. ↑ "Jaaroverzichten – Single 2000" (in Dutch). MegaCharts. Retrieved 2020-02-02.
  58. ↑ "Årslista Singlar, 2000" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 2020-02-02.
  59. ↑ "Swiss year-end chart". swisscharts.com. 2000. Retrieved November 22, 2017.
  60. ↑ "Best Sellers of 2000: Singles Top 100". Music Week. London, England. January 20, 2001. p. 25.
  61. ↑ "Top 40 Urban Tracks Of 2000" (PDF). Music Week. January 13, 2001. p. 20. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  62. ↑ "Billboard Top 100 – 2000". Retrieved 2010-08-31.
  63. ↑ "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs – Year-End 2000". Billboard. Retrieved 2020-03-21.
  64. ↑ "Most Played Mainstream Top 40 Songs of 2000" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 8, no. 51. December 22, 2000. p. 54. Retrieved July 22, 2023.
  65. ↑ "Most Played Rhythmic Top 40 Songs of 2000" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 8, no. 51. December 22, 2000. p. 56. Retrieved July 22, 2023.
  66. ↑ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2000 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved August 4, 2021.
  67. ↑ "Ultratop − Goud en Platina – singles 2000". Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved August 4, 2021.
  68. ↑ "French single certifications – Sisqo – Thong Song" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved August 4, 2021.
  69. ↑ "New Zealand single certifications – Sisqo – Thong Song". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved August 4, 2021.
  70. ↑ "Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 2000" (PDF) (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-05-17. Retrieved August 4, 2021.
  71. ↑ "British single certifications". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved August 4, 2021.
  72. ↑ Berry, Jahna (August 14, 2000). "Strings Gets In Licks On Sisqo". MTV News. Retrieved November 30, 2017.
  73. ↑ Sessa, Sam. "Sisqo's 'The Thong Song' re-imagined by Horse Lords, TT the Artist, Wing Dam and more". WTMD 89.7. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
  74. ↑ Chong, Jinwoo (February 5, 2016). "Album Review: 'This is Acting'". The Hoya. Retrieved November 5, 2022. ... the retro flair of 'Sweet Design,' which samples the hook of Sisqo's infamous 'Thong Song.'
  75. ↑ Zemler, Emily (February 12, 2020). "Watch Backstreet Boys and Jimmy Fallon Sing 'Thong Song' as a Barbershop Quartet". Rolling Stone. Retrieved May 10, 2022.
  76. ↑ Hatchett, Keisha (June 4, 2020). "Legends of Tomorrow Boss Explains How He Convinced Sisqo to Make That Bizarre Cameo". TV Guide. Retrieved May 10, 2022.
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