Missy Elliot: "Work It"

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HOLY SHIT WHY DIDN'T THIS COME OUT IN JUNE??????????

This is the single of the year RIGHT HERE. She has lost her mind in the most aesthetically-pleasing manner possible.

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Wednesday, 4 September 2002 18:56 (twenty-three years ago)

What what what what is it like?

― JoB (JoB), Wednesday, 4 September 2002 18:57 (twenty-three years ago)

Deeply infectious beat which MUST be a Neptunes production (minimal and slinky with an insistent buzzing synth melody; think "Grindin'" with a melodic hook) and a bassline that is one note on the fourth beat (MADNESS) complete with framing samples (old-skool harmonies at the beginning, fierce go-go breakdown at the end) complete with Missy spitting some of the most ridiculous rhymes she's ever come up with, including backwards-masked gibberish, requests that gentlemen callers give her notice before coming over so she can shave her "cho-cha", comparisons to Halle Berry, and ridiculous Dr. Seuss couplets. It's also one of the wordiest tracks I've heard her do.

Love the way my ass go ba-bomp-a-bomp-bomp
Keep your eyes on my ba-bomp-a-bomp-bomp
You think you can handle this ka-donk-a-donk-donk?
Take my thong off and my ass go BOOM!
Cut the lights on so you can see what I can do.

SINGLE OF THE YEAR.

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Wednesday, 4 September 2002 19:20 (twenty-three years ago)

*speechless*

*grinning*

dan let us hold hands and frolic in missy's meadows

― bob zemko (bob), Wednesday, 4 September 2002 19:48 (twenty-three years ago)

...it's OVER man! haha i'm so happy

― bob zemko (bob), Wednesday, 4 September 2002 19:54 (twenty-three years ago)

jesus christ this is *amazing*. catchiest thing i've heard since... oh, i don't know when. i'm looking forward to waking up to this tomorrow morning.

― toby (tsg20), Wednesday, 4 September 2002 20:54 (twenty-three years ago)

this is astonishingly odd, missy's vocals ("sound-fx" is prob more accurate here) are fantastic, more thoughts when i'm not falling asleep maybe, but one thing: i don't think this is a neptunes production. i'd have said it's denser than neps stuff, but in a post-"grindin" world, it's hard to say. and clipse's "the real" starts off with some old-skool turntable soundz. but this still strikes me as a grabbag of new timbaland trix, tho he's somehow avoided his usual self-referential urges. plus there's the longstanding tim-missy connections which prob haven't fallen apart just yet. and not so soon after 'freak'. (which is better than this.)

― mitch lastnamewithheld, Wednesday, 4 September 2002 21:22 (twenty-three years ago)

if you a fly gal get yr nails done!
get a pedicure!
get your hair DID!

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Wednesday, 4 September 2002 22:13 (twenty-three years ago)

Is that the percussion from "Heart of Glass"?

― Jody Beth Rosen, Wednesday, 4 September 2002 23:33 (twenty-three years ago)

Oh my god. OH MY FUCKING GOD.

THIS IS MY NEW SINGLE OF THE YEAR. For all the reasons outlined above PLUS the ELEPHANT SOUNDS that I think they're using in place of curse-word bleeps. DAMN DAMN DAMN

― Nate Patrin, Thursday, 5 September 2002 00:55 (twenty-three years ago)

that's not an elephant it's a cockasauraus

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Thursday, 5 September 2002 01:06 (twenty-three years ago)

"I'll make you as hot as Las Vegas weath-ah!"

― Jody Beth Rosen, Thursday, 5 September 2002 01:13 (twenty-three years ago)

wait it's "get your NOSE done" -- haha that's SO much better!

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Thursday, 5 September 2002 04:01 (twenty-three years ago)

Also, Ms. Jade's "Ching Ching" is k-cool on the grindin sound.

― Sterling Clover (s_clover), Thursday, 5 September 2002 04:03 (twenty-three years ago)

Can someone Grokepile?

― Tom (Groke), Thursday, 5 September 2002 05:16 (twenty-three years ago)

it's on filepile now, Tom --> http://www.filepile.org/index.php/file/98456

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Thursday, 5 September 2002 05:40 (twenty-three years ago)

And already it's got a bad vote!

― Tom (Groke), Thursday, 5 September 2002 06:00 (twenty-three years ago)

It's marvellous. Well that's the next Focus Group sorted out.

― Tom (Groke), Thursday, 5 September 2002 06:55 (twenty-three years ago)

does anyone know what this is being released on? surely not another Missy album, already...?

― ryan, Thursday, 5 September 2002 07:50 (twenty-three years ago)

Everyone who thought Missy would never top "Lick Shots" is now officially WRONG. Single of the year.

― edward o (edwardo), Thursday, 5 September 2002 08:29 (twenty-three years ago)

New album out November 17/18!

― JoB (JoB), Thursday, 5 September 2002 09:29 (twenty-three years ago)

It's fantastic (thanks Nate). I also love Dan Perry's description.

― stevo (stevo), Thursday, 5 September 2002 10:16 (twenty-three years ago)

Crikey, is this grebt or what? 'Make a toaster' = my new favourite euphemism

― RickyT (RickyT), Thursday, 5 September 2002 10:27 (twenty-three years ago)

I was dancing on the bus all the way up to Oxford!

― Tom (Groke), Thursday, 5 September 2002 10:38 (twenty-three years ago)

Now I feel sad not having heard it...this is the kind of thing that makes me want to sneak off of work and go home and download stuff.

― Nicole (Nicole), Thursday, 5 September 2002 10:50 (twenty-three years ago)

Yes, very good indeed, esp. the backwards vocal bit in the refrain. Doesn't scream "single" to me at the moment, but I suspect I'll soon get over it.

― zebedee, Thursday, 5 September 2002 14:32 (twenty-three years ago)

'Let's make a toaster' line is up there with Jay-Z's 'I'm a toaster myself (sic)' from Snoopy Track, which always cracks me up. And the backwards chorus rivals ODB's Shimmy Shimmy Ya. I'm smitten. Non-filepile members can find it on my site, as-per-usual.

― nick.K (nick.K), Thursday, 5 September 2002 14:43 (twenty-three years ago)

i like it but its not made the impact on me its made on others here and its no more 'phenomenal' than the other Missy hits we know and love (remember how extraordinary/bizarre/daft 'The Rain' sounded at the time?) and it still seems like a Timbaland thing tho he's clearly been nervously looking over his shoulder at the Neps a lot more lately

i really hope there's not an acapella version ;)

― blueski, Thursday, 5 September 2002 14:50 (twenty-three years ago)

I hated "The Rain" when it first came out. Actually, the first Missy single that I liked from the day it dropped was "She's A Bitch"; the rest were growers (and I'm still not completely convinced by "Hot Boys" or "Beep Me 911").

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Thursday, 5 September 2002 15:16 (twenty-three years ago)

GREATEST SONG EVER.

― jess (dubplatestyle), Thursday, 5 September 2002 16:18 (twenty-three years ago)

Jeez. Don't believe the hype! I thought I was going to hear some kind of bizarro funk apocalypse... underwhelmed.

― Ben Williams, Thursday, 5 September 2002 16:34 (twenty-three years ago)

this doesn't sound like a very big step for timbaland. missy doesn't really sell it, excepting the hook. i prefer "are we cuttin", which i could prolly filepile. how do i do that

― boxcubed (boxcubed), Thursday, 5 September 2002 16:40 (twenty-three years ago)

I thought I was going to hear some kind of bizarro funk apocalypse...

YOU DID. It's not my fault you can't recognize the bizarro funk apocalypse when it stomps on your kicks and slaps your mama.

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Thursday, 5 September 2002 16:42 (twenty-three years ago)

Nah, sorry. It's nice and all, but I expect Timbo to create a new genre every time out... not doing it here. Actually, the funny thing is that Missy carries the beat, when it's normally the reverse... most interesting thing to me is the little samples he drops every now and then around the edges...

But "She's a Bitch" is my least favorite Missy single, so mileage does vary...

― Ben Williams, Thursday, 5 September 2002 16:48 (twenty-three years ago)

personally, this single has nothing to do with timbaland. it's all about missy. can you not hear that? or are you just busy deciding how much of a "step" has been made?

GOD i hate timbaland dullards. it's like fckin' photek all over again

― bob zemko (bob), Thursday, 5 September 2002 16:54 (twenty-three years ago)

"Actually, the funny thing is that Missy carries the beat, when it's normally the reverse... most interesting thing to me is the little samples he drops every now and then around the edges..."

yes, how "funny". zzzz

― bob zemko (bob), Thursday, 5 September 2002 16:56 (twenty-three years ago)

yeh, lets find these timbaland dullards, and teach them SOMETHIN! who are you talking about, bob zemko!!?

― boxcubed (boxcubed), Thursday, 5 September 2002 16:58 (twenty-three years ago)

surely though, a body could concievably be -unimpressed- with this missy performance AND this timbaland performance and be more surprised with timbaland not coming through?

― boxcubed (boxcubed), Thursday, 5 September 2002 17:01 (twenty-three years ago)

Hi Bob. If you chilled out for a sec, you'd see you basically said the same thing as me.

― Ben Williams, Thursday, 5 September 2002 17:20 (twenty-three years ago)

don't worry man, i'm cool!

ben: don't try it. both of yr comments were first based on "ooh! a new TIMBALAND beat! hmm timbaland has disappointed me today" then in yr case ben "oh isn't it FUNNY haw haw how missy is carrying the song when it's usually TIMBALAND my futurist luverrr". funny != declaration of missy's supremacy hyah.

(yet again) "most interesting thing to me is the little samples he drops every now and then around the edges"

yes ben obv you love missy. how is this anything LIKE what i said?

― bob zemko (bob), Thursday, 5 September 2002 17:36 (twenty-three years ago)

i'm not head over heels about the beat either. but still, what jess said

― bob zemko (bob), Thursday, 5 September 2002 17:39 (twenty-three years ago)

O-kayyyy....

Yes, I don't think the beat is up to some of Timbaland's past stuff.

Instead, I think Missy carries the song. ie, "it's all about Missy."

That's where we agree.

(And for the record, I think that generally, Timbaland's beats have played a greater role in the partnership; but I luv Missy to death. Whatever other interpretation you may put on the word "funny" is entirely up to you.)

Now fuck off, asshole.

― Ben Williams, Thursday, 5 September 2002 17:45 (twenty-three years ago)

"Love is in the air..."

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Thursday, 5 September 2002 17:46 (twenty-three years ago)

This is the first Missy Elliot song I've heard that I totally like. The lyrics Dan quoted are amazing. I can't wait till the video.

― Kris (aqueduct), Thursday, 5 September 2002 18:18 (twenty-three years ago)

Yeah, those lyrics made me very happy. (I first downloaded some mix that was just the chorus looped and I was like what the hell!?) Is she speaking Chinese after the "boys" part?

― bnw (bnw), Thursday, 5 September 2002 18:38 (twenty-three years ago)

I already broke your posts down for you telling you why I couldn't see how you were agreeing with me! if i got the wrong end of the stick then clarify.

"(quote me) That's where we agree." oh NOW i see, right.

"whatever other interpretation you may put on the word "funny" is entirely up to you"

well don't blame me for not being a mindreader then. stop getting in such a little bitchhuff cos i disagreed (??????????????) with you over a RECORD.

― bob zemko (bob), Thursday, 5 September 2002 18:38 (twenty-three years ago)

i am listening to it in reverse... the backwards part just repeats "put my thang down flip it and reverse it" and the part in the verse says "watch the way missy like to take it back, woah".

― Honda, Thursday, 5 September 2002 18:39 (twenty-three years ago)

What you two are saying is COMPLETELY DIFFERENT! (do you *see*?)

― Sterling Clover (s_clover), Thursday, 5 September 2002 18:41 (twenty-three years ago)

i think it is "nails done" after all. oh well. i luv deez hoez anyway.

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Thursday, 5 September 2002 18:42 (twenty-three years ago)

niiice. that 'drummer boy' reference should keep this one charting until christmas.

― Dave M. (rotten03), Thursday, 5 September 2002 18:55 (twenty-three years ago)

Skipping 389 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

SOME OF US HAVE EMOTIONAL PROBLEMS, DAN

― strongohulkington, Tuesday, 19 June 2007 20:09 (eighteen years ago)

I didn't like Missy very much in 7th grade; this was probably my Lifehouse stage.

― Tape Store, Tuesday, 19 June 2007 21:05 (eighteen years ago)

hahahaha Lifehouse

― Curt1s Stephens, Tuesday, 19 June 2007 21:14 (eighteen years ago)

i still know all the words off by heart :)

― lex pretend, Tuesday, 19 June 2007 21:23 (eighteen years ago)

two months pass...

RFI: The sample at the beginning - "DJ, please/ Pick up your phone/ I'm on the request line"

― The Reverend, Thursday, 23 August 2007 18:49 (eighteen years ago)

zhane - request line

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w174E3pa9OM

― and what, Thursday, 23 August 2007 18:54 (eighteen years ago)

Thanks, but are you sure that isn't a cover of the sampled tune? The sample has male voices, too, and the female voices sound different.

― The Reverend, Thursday, 23 August 2007 18:57 (eighteen years ago)

Ethan's wrong the original is by Rock Master Scott

― Shakey Mo Collier, Thursday, 23 August 2007 19:05 (eighteen years ago)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jPM8H95Sjg

― Shakey Mo Collier, Thursday, 23 August 2007 19:05 (eighteen years ago)

U R AWESOME

― The Reverend, Thursday, 23 August 2007 19:09 (eighteen years ago)

I only know it cuz its on some Grandmaster Flash mixtape thing I have

― Shakey Mo Collier, Thursday, 23 August 2007 19:12 (eighteen years ago)

The original is hot 'cause it's fly.

― The Reverend, Thursday, 23 August 2007 19:24 (eighteen years ago)

seven months pass...

OMG eminem is so hot missey u rock ya we still write here u loozer pimp juice u are not a pimp!!!!!!!!!! so dont try!!!!!! i just wanted to say hi to racheal my best friend luv ya !! and my couzin kirsten hey was up i am coming up this summer!max u are a fag!!!seriousley stocking isnt your thing em u are a good singer and missey eliot u are so kool!!!elias who cares wat ppl say about u and me luv ya natalya and michelle yo was up phone me k .chetty u are a tard he dident call me a slut u f*** well i am going to listen to work it so talk to u later!!!!!!!!!!
racheal u are my best friend .i wont change my friends for a guy trust me tal!!!kirk talk to u later
p.s. tal dosent stuff and u know who i am talking to

caitlyn ck 4 life elias i luv u bye missy

-- caitlyn lees, Saturday, April 12, 2003 9:56 PM (4 years ago) Bookmark Link

wtf caitlyn lees

― max, Tuesday, 25 March 2008 02:04 (seventeen years ago)

Imagine the child of Busta Rhymes and Missy Elliott.
-- Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Friday, 6 September 2002 12:07 (4 years ago) Link

hey who remembers when busta rhymes was groundbreaking???

-- Jordan Sargent, Tuesday, June 19, 2007 3:24 AM (9 months ago) Bookmark Link

i think this is one of my first posts ever

― J0rdan S., Tuesday, 25 March 2008 02:24 (seventeen years ago)

I can't believe it's already been 9 months.

― Alex in Baltimore, Tuesday, 25 March 2008 02:33 (seventeen years ago)

i know right

― J0rdan S., Tuesday, 25 March 2008 02:40 (seventeen years ago)

Check out the first twenty or so posts on this thread. Has ILM ever been that collectively excited upon hearing a new song for the first time? It makes me smile.

― Mr. Snrub, Tuesday, 25 March 2008 03:06 (seventeen years ago)

I remember hearing the song and being all "ho hum, I guess she won't top Get Ur Freak On" and then being kind of surprised by this thread a few days later.

― Alex in Baltimore, Tuesday, 25 March 2008 03:26 (seventeen years ago)

I was having a Pete Rockist moment at the time this came out.

― The Reverend, Tuesday, 25 March 2008 03:52 (seventeen years ago)

two years pass...

http://www.slangcity.com/songs/missy_elliot.htm

― This is four-dimensional art; the 4th dimension is incredibly powerful. (Abbott), Friday, 7 May 2010 19:06 (fifteen years ago)

Give me all your telephone numbers so I can call you.
If your girlfriend is behaving badly then call me over.
Let's not have sex on the bed; lay me on your sofa.
Call before you come, I need to shave my pubic hair.

― This is four-dimensional art; the 4th dimension is incredibly powerful. (Abbott), Friday, 7 May 2010 19:07 (fifteen years ago)

As the drummer boy goes pa-rom-pop-pom-pom,
I'll give you some of my delicious butt.

― it means "EMOTIONAL"! (HI DERE), Friday, 7 May 2010 19:09 (fifteen years ago)

― silence is a rhythm too (Turangalila), Friday, 7 May 2010 19:10 (fifteen years ago)

Huh, dunno why, but I always thought "If you got a big [elephant noise], let me search ya," was "If you got a big TRUNK, let me search ya." Like, trunk as in car trunk, meaning butt (as in junk in the trunk), plus also the clever elephant pun. But I suppose "If you got a big penis, let me search ya" makes more sense, or at least simpler sense.

― Josh in Chicago, Friday, 7 May 2010 19:14 (fifteen years ago)

trunk as in elephant trunk, aka big penis

― it means "EMOTIONAL"! (HI DERE), Friday, 7 May 2010 19:15 (fifteen years ago)

Yeah, I got it. But I always thought of car trunk for some reason. Over (under?) thinking it, of course.

― Josh in Chicago, Friday, 7 May 2010 19:22 (fifteen years ago)

"If you possess a large trunk in your automobile I would like to examine the contents."

― _▂▅▇█▓▒░◕‿‿◕░▒▓█▇▅▂_ (Steve Shasta), Friday, 7 May 2010 19:31 (fifteen years ago)

also lollin' @ this:

"See my ass and my lips, don'tcha" = "You see my butt and my mouth, don't you?"

ah naif internet folx...

― _▂▅▇█▓▒░◕‿‿◕░▒▓█▇▅▂_ (Steve Shasta), Friday, 7 May 2010 19:33 (fifteen years ago)

"You love the way my butt moves.
Keep your eyes on my butt
And think you can handle my butt.
Take my thong off and my butt starts moving fast."

^^^ lacks a bit of poetry.

― Fig On A Plate Cart (Alex in SF), Friday, 7 May 2010 20:03 (fifteen years ago)

i try to use the "take my thong off and my ass go WHOMP" line in casual conversation as much as possible

― teledyldonix, Friday, 7 May 2010 23:05 (fifteen years ago)

one year passes...

snacky hos

― strongo hulkington's ghost dad, Wednesday, 14 September 2011 21:25 (fourteen years ago)

I love this song so much. I've been listening to it a lot the last couple weeks because I have it on a mix I found in the car. So good.

― your mom the burrito (ENBB), Thursday, 15 September 2011 02:53 (fourteen years ago)

I need a glass of watah

― robocop last year was a 'shop (sic), Thursday, 15 September 2011 03:52 (fourteen years ago)

"let's get drunk, it's gon' bring us closer" is kind of poignant imo

― some dude, Thursday, 15 September 2011 03:58 (fourteen years ago)

been thinking... Missy's string of hits around this time, as well as songs like Justin Timberlake's Rock Your Body, were the reason for that whole nu wave of Poptimism in the early '00s, weren't they?

but in hindsight, a lot of Pop/RnB of that time seems unusually inventive/innovative, so it could be argued that a lot of it was being appreciated/championed for borderline Rockist reasons... I'm thinking of that "Pop/RnB/Mainstream Hip Hop are the most innovative areas of music out there right now" argument that was being made (which prob couldn't be made now imo)

not to open up the Popist/Rockist can of worms, just realizing how good Pop got for a moment there - but that it ticked a lot of the Rockist boxes as well

― Chris S, Thursday, 15 September 2011 04:15 (fourteen years ago)

four months pass...

http://www.spin.com/articles/missy-elliotts-first-album-7-years-drops-june

― fauxmarc, Tuesday, 7 February 2012 21:51 (thirteen years ago)

BEST NEWS I'VE READ IN EONS

― Johnny Fever, Tuesday, 7 February 2012 22:07 (thirteen years ago)

i think this calls for a celebratory fremma neppa vanette!

― lag∞n affiliated (The Reverend), Tuesday, 7 February 2012 23:07 (thirteen years ago)

Come anticipate Missy Elliott's Block Party album in 2012

― Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 7 February 2012 23:09 (thirteen years ago)

one year passes...

never forget

― Darth Icky (DJP), Thursday, 14 March 2013 20:43 (twelve years ago)

otm

― the little prince of inane false binary hype (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 14 March 2013 20:49 (twelve years ago)

yup

― 乒乓, Thursday, 14 March 2013 20:58 (twelve years ago)

GO DOWNTOWN AND EAT IT LIKE A VULTCHA

― set the controls for the heart of the sun (VegemiteGrrl), Thursday, 14 March 2013 22:53 (twelve years ago)

awesome jam

― set the controls for the heart of the sun (VegemiteGrrl), Thursday, 14 March 2013 22:53 (twelve years ago)

four years pass...

ok i did it

https://www.redbubble.com/people/tracerhand/works/26613039-fremme-neppa-venette

― illegal economic migration (Tracer Hand), Wednesday, 31 May 2017 09:43 (eight years ago)

17 years late but whatever

― illegal economic migration (Tracer Hand), Wednesday, 31 May 2017 09:43 (eight years ago)

two years pass...

I have scientifically confirmed when you take the backwards sample and make it play forwards she says "Orange Julius was better when it had an egg in"
― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Friday, October 11, 2002 9:03 AM bookmarkflaglink

― genital giant (Neanderthal), Friday, 8 May 2020 14:36 (five years ago)

Tracer how many shirts did you move

― silby, Friday, 8 May 2020 16:38 (five years ago)

i moved one... mug i think?

― Li'l Brexit (Tracer Hand), Friday, 8 May 2020 16:42 (five years ago)

Future - Move That Mug (f. Tracer Hand)

― genital giant (Neanderthal), Friday, 8 May 2020 16:43 (five years ago)

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