Low (Flo Rida song)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"Low"
Low fr tp.JPG
Single by Flo Rida featuring T-Pain
from the album Mail on Sunday and Step Up 2: The Streets
ReleasedOctober 9, 2007 (2007-10-09)
Recorded2007
Genre
Length3:50
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Flo Rida singles chronology
"Low"
(2007) 		"Elevator"
(2008)
T-Pain singles chronology
"Church"
(2007) 		"Low"
(2007) 		"Who the Fuck Is That?"
(2007)

"Low" is the debut single by American rapper Flo Rida, featured on his debut studio album Mail on Sunday and also featured on the soundtrack to the 2008 film Step Up 2: The Streets. The song features and was co-written by fellow American singer T-Pain. An official remix was made which features Pitbull and T-Pain. The song peaked at number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.

The song was a massive success worldwide and was the longest-running number-one single of 2008 in the United States, spending ten consecutive weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100. With over seven million digital downloads, it has been certified Diamond by the RIAA, and was the most downloaded single of the 2000s decade, measured by paid digital downloads.[1] The song was named third on the Billboard Hot 100 Songs of the Decade.[2]

Music[]

Several of T-Pain's stylistic effects are present in this song, including Auto-Tune and call and answer during the chorus. It contains electronic elements featuring 808-style drums and an arpeggiated note sequence instead of a chord progression. Flo Rida has sexually charged (but not explicit) lyrics, for example he refers to a woman's buttocks as "birthday cakes" which "stole the show". T-Pain also relies heavily on synthesizers. The song is written in the key of E♭ minor. A Harmonic minor melody is played over the E♭ minor, and at different times different instrumentation cycles, i.e., sometimes only the synthesizer plays, sometimes only the bass, sometimes only the vocals. Flo Rida uses a style that is common in 1990s hip-hop party music. "Low" is written in common time with a moderate tempo of 120 beats per minute while T-Pain's vocal range spans nearly two octaves from B♭2 to F♯4.

Music video[]

The music video of "Low" was directed by Bernard Gourley and contains certain clips from Step Up 2: The Streets. It also contains cameos from Rick Ross, DJ Khaled, Cool & Dre, Briana Evigan, Torch and Gunplay of Triple C's and Jermaine Dupri. Also, T-Pain and Flo Rida are in a nightclub in a few scenes. The music video reached the number one spot on 106 & Park for five days and 22 days on TRL. The music video was also nominated at the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards for Best Male Video and Best Hip-Hop Video, but lost to Chris Brown's "With You" (Best Male Video) and Lil Wayne's "Lollipop" (Best Hip-Hop Video) music videos.

Track listing[]

European CD single

  1. "Low" – 3:53
  2. "Low" (Travis Barker Remix) – 4:15

Europe maxi-CD

  1. "Low" – 3:53
  2. "Low" (Instrumental) – 3:53
  3. "Birthday" (Amended Version)
  4. "Low" (Video)

Chart performance[]

The song debuted at number 91 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 for the week of November 6, 2007, and reached number one for the week of December 30, 2007.[3] The song generated the second greatest one-week digital sales in the history of Billboard's Digital Songs chart (behind Flo Rida's "Right Round"), with 467,000 digital copies in one week. "Low" was number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for ten weeks and remained in the top ten of the chart for 23 weeks,[4] making it both T-Pain and Flo Rida's most successful single to date. The song stayed on the Hot 100 for 39 weeks, before dropping out in June 2008.[5]

As the first number one on the Hot 100 of 2008, "Low" held the top position longer than any song did in 2008 (see List of Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles of 2008), and was the longest-running Hot 100 number one single since Beyoncé's "Irreplaceable."[6] The song is also the longest-running number one single in the history of the Billboard Digital Songs chart, topping the chart for 13 weeks, and also on the now-defunct Pop 100 chart, where it ruled for 12 weeks.[7] For the week of June 29, 2008, it became the first song ever to sell four million digital copies in the US,[8] and then for the week of June 21, 2009, the first to sell over five million copies.[9] It was best-selling digitally-downloaded song of all time until it was surpassed by The Black Eyed Peas' "I Gotta Feeling" in May 2010.[10] The song sold over six million in digital sales by August 7, 2011,[11] and reached its seven millionth sales mark in sales in June 2014.[12]

The physical release of the single occurred in the UK for the week of March 24, 2008. For the week of July 20, 2008, the song moved up to number 19 on the UK Singles Chart, several months after its official release. Although it failed to reach number one in the UK, it amassed 53 weeks inside the UK top 75 (making it the joint 20th longest-runner of all-time), and 75 weeks inside the top 100.[13] As of January 2012, the song has sold 613,434 copies in the UK.[14]

The song was ranked at number 26 on Billboard's All Time Hot 100.[15] The song was also ranked the number-one song for 2008 in Billboard's ranking of the Billboard Year-End Hot 100 singles of 2008. For the week of December 28, 2008, it was listed at number 11 on the UK Singles Chart year-end countdown and was named the highest-selling single in Australia in 2008.

Charts[]

Certifications[]

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[65] 3× Platinum 210,000^
Canada (Music Canada)[66]
ringtone 		5× Platinum 200,000*
Canada (Music Canada)[67] 5× Platinum 400,000double-dagger
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[68] Platinum 90,000double-dagger
Germany (BVMI)[69] Gold 150,000^
Italy (FIMI)[70] Gold 35,000double-dagger
Japan (RIAJ)[71] Platinum 250,000*
New Zealand (RMNZ)[72] 2× Platinum 30,000*
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[73] Platinum 30,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[74] 2× Platinum 1,200,000double-dagger
United States (RIAA)[75] Diamond 7,300,000[12]
United States (RIAA)[76]
Mastertone 		3× Platinum 3,000,000*

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
double-dagger Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Cover versions and media usage[]

The song was performed live with the band Simple Plan at the 2008 MuchMusic Video Awards. Albuquerque, New Mexico based crunkcore group Brokencyde released a cover of this song on "THA $C3N3 MiXTaPe" in 2008. Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker added a drum version cover of the song. On October 23, 2012, the cast of The Big Bang Theory made a flash mob during the live taping of an episode, which featured the song as well as others.[77] The song was featured in Suburgatory.[78] The song was also featured in Tropic Thunder and Zookeeper.

In 2019, the viral video "Jessica" or "Jessica, did you sleep with your teacher?" used the song in the background that "Jessica" sung along with until her "Mom" confronted her about sleeping with her teacher. A year later, in 2020, the American grocery chain Kroger and their subsidiary stores began to use the song's chorus for a series of animated ads, appropriately highlighting coupons and low prices. At the start of 2021, the ads became a minor Internet meme with user-generated YouTube and TikTok remixes.[79] Also, a parody of the song highlighting price drop was used in the 2021 Lazada 11.11 TV commercial featuring K-Pop boy group Seventeen in the ASEAN region, where it was sung in Indonesian, Tagalog, Thai, Vietnamese, and English.[80]

Another way the song is used in meme culture is in "fake covers," where the song is remixed and sung in the style of a different artist, under the title of "Apple Bottom Jeans".[81]

References[]

  1. ^ "FLO RIDA HAS DECADE'S TOP-SELLING DIGITAL SONG: 'Low' claims more than 5 million downloads". EURweb. Archived from the original on January 13, 2010. Retrieved December 23, 2009.
  2. ^ "Charts – Billboard". Billboard.
  3. ^ "Flo Rida and T-Pain – Low worldwide chart positions and trajectories". aCharts.us. Retrieved December 28, 2007.
  4. ^ "Exclusive Music Interviews – Music Artist Interviews – Band Interview". Billboard.
  5. ^ [1] Billboard 200. Retrieved March 26, 2008.
  6. ^ "Archived copy". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 20, 2009. Retrieved February 24, 2011.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)The long and short of it. Retrieved February 14, 2008.
  7. ^ "Archived copy". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 20, 2009. Retrieved February 24, 2011.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)Lower and lowest. Retrieved February 7, 2008.
  8. ^ Paul Grein (January 7, 2011). "Chart Watch Extra: Thank You, Daniel Powter". Yahoo Music (Chart Watch). Archived from the original on October 3, 2012.
  9. ^ Week Ending June 21, 2009: JoBros' "Mo" Slows Yahoo Music Blog (written by Paul Grein): Retrieved June 24, 2009
  10. ^ Daniel Kreps (May 3, 2010). "Black Eyed Peas' "I Gotta Feeling" Named Bestselling Digital Track". Rolling Stone.
  11. ^ Grein, Paul (August 10, 2011). "Week Ending Aug. 7, 2011. Songs: Place Your Bets". Yahoo! Chart Watch. new.music.yahoo.com. Retrieved August 11, 2011.
  12. ^ a b Grein, Paul (June 4, 2014). "Chart Watch: 'Rude,' 'Summer' Hit Top 10". Yahoo Music. Retrieved June 5, 2014.
  13. ^ "The Official Charts Company – Low by Flo Rida". OfficialCharts.com. Retrieved February 16, 2008.
  14. ^ Jones, Alan (January 30, 2012). "Official Chart Analysis: Sales slow, but Sheeran and Cover Drive reign". Music Week. Retrieved February 2, 2012.
  15. ^ "Greatest of All Time Hot 100 Singles : Page 1". Billboard. Retrieved March 15, 2017.
  16. ^ "Flo Rida feat. T-Pain – Low". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
  17. ^ "Flo Rida feat. T-Pain – Low" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  18. ^ "Flo Rida feat. T-Pain – Low" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  19. ^ "Flo Rida feat. T-Pain – Low" (in French). Ultratop 50.
  20. ^ "Flo Rida Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved August 27, 2020.
  21. ^ "Flo Rida Chart History (Canada CHR/Top 40)". Billboard. Retrieved August 27, 2020.
  22. ^ "Flo Rida Chart History (Canada Hot AC)". Billboard. Retrieved August 27, 2020.
  23. ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Change the chart to CZ – RADIO – TOP 100 and insert 200828 into search.
  24. ^ "Flo Rida feat. T-Pain – Low". Tracklisten.
  25. ^ "Hits of the World: Eurocharts". Billboard. Vol. 120 no. 16. April 19, 2008. p. 59.
  26. ^ "Flo Rida feat. T-Pain: Low" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland.
  27. ^ "Flo Rida feat. T-Pain – Low" (in French). Les classement single.
  28. ^ "Flo Rida Feat. T-Pain – Low" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved May 16, 2019.
  29. ^ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Dance Top 40 lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége.
  30. ^ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Rádiós Top 40 játszási lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége.
  31. ^ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Single (track) Top 40 lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége.
  32. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Flo Rida featuring T-Pain". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved January 23, 2020.
  33. ^ "Flo Rida feat. T-Pain – Low" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  34. ^ "Flo Rida feat. T-Pain – Low". Top 40 Singles.
  35. ^ "Flo Rida feat. T-Pain – Low". VG-lista.
  36. ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: insert 200822 into search.
  37. ^ "Flo Rida feat. T-Pain – Low". Swiss Singles Chart.
  38. ^ "Flo Rida feat. T-Pain – Low". Singles Top 100.
  39. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  40. ^ "Flo Rida Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  41. ^ "Flo Rida Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard.
  42. ^ "Flo Rida Chart History (Hot Rap Songs)". Billboard.
  43. ^ "Flo Rida Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard.
  44. ^ "Flo Rida Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard.
  45. ^ "ARIA Charts – End Of Year Charts – Top 100 Singles 2008". Australian Recording Industry Association. Archived from the original on April 13, 2010. Retrieved April 19, 2009.
  46. ^ "Jahreshitparade Singles 2008". austriancharts.at. Retrieved April 10, 2020.
  47. ^ "Jaaroverzichten 2008". Ultratop. Retrieved October 19, 2019.
  48. ^ "Rapports Annuels 2008". Ultratop. Retrieved October 19, 2019.
  49. ^ "Canadian Hot 100 Year-End 2008". Billboard. Retrieved March 29, 2012.
  50. ^ [2] Archived March 11, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
  51. ^ "Dance Top 100 - 2008". Mahasz. Retrieved April 10, 2020.
  52. ^ "Rádiós Top 100 - hallgatottsági adatok alapján - 2008". Mahasz. Retrieved April 10, 2020.
  53. ^ "Årslista Singlar – År 2008" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved October 19, 2019.
  54. ^ "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 2008 – hitparade.ch". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 19, 2019.
  55. ^ "End of Year Singles Chart Top 100 – 2008". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 12, 2015.
  56. ^ "Hot 100 Songs – Year-End 2008". Billboard. Retrieved October 19, 2019.
  57. ^ "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs – Year-End 2008". Billboard. Retrieved October 19, 2019.
  58. ^ "Pop Songs – Year-End 2008". Billboard. Retrieved October 19, 2019.
  59. ^ "Rhythmic Songs – Year-End 2018". Billboard. Retrieved October 19, 2019.
  60. ^ "Dance Top 100 - 2009". Mahasz. Retrieved April 10, 2020.
  61. ^ "Charts Plus Year end 2009" (PDF). Charts Plus. Retrieved July 19, 2010.
  62. ^ "ARIA End of Decade Singles" (PDF). ARIA. Retrieved March 15, 2017.
  63. ^ "The Billboard Hot 100 Singles & Tracks – Decade Year End Charts". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved April 18, 2011.
  64. ^ "Hot 100 turns 60". Billboard. Retrieved August 6, 2018.
  65. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2010 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association.
  66. ^ "Canadian ringtone certifications – Flo Rida – Low". Music Canada. Retrieved December 17, 2020.
  67. ^ "Canadian single certifications – Flo Rida – Low". Music Canada. Retrieved December 17, 2020.
  68. ^ "Danish single certifications – Flo Rida feat. T-Pain – Low". IFPI Danmark. Retrieved December 17, 2020.
  69. ^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Flo Rida; 'Low')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
  70. ^ "Italian single certifications – Flo Rida feat. T-Pain – Low" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved March 22, 2021. Select "2021" in the "Anno" drop-down menu. Select "Low" in the "Filtra" field. Select "Singoli" under "Sezione".
  71. ^ "Japanese single digital certifications – Flo Rida – Low" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Retrieved May 20, 2021. Select 2015年4月 on the drop-down menu
  72. ^ "Latest Gold / Platinum Singles". Radioscope. August 21, 2011. Archived from the original on August 31, 2011. Retrieved November 25, 2021.
  73. ^ "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards (Flo Rida feat. T-Pain; 'Low')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien.
  74. ^ "British single certifications – Flo Rida feat. T-Pain – Low". British Phonographic Industry.
  75. ^ "American single certifications – Flo Rida – Low". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved April 23, 2021.
  76. ^ "American ringtone certifications – Flo Rida – Low". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved April 23, 2021.
  77. ^ NommiX (November 16, 2012), The Big Bang Theory Flash mob! (Full version compilation), archived from the original on December 12, 2021, retrieved March 15, 2017
  78. ^ "Music Lounge – Suburgatory". ABC.com. January 15, 2013. Archived from the original on April 13, 2013. Retrieved April 8, 2013.
  79. ^ Springer, Jon (February 3, 2021). "Krojis Go Viral as Kroger 'Low' Ads Become Memes". Winsight Grocery Business. Retrieved February 4, 2021.
  80. ^ https://www.mb.com.ph/2021/10/13/lazada-welcomes-leading-k-pop-superstars-seventeen-as-first-regional-happiness-ambassador/%3famp[bare URL]
  81. ^ "Apple Bottom Jeans Covers". Know Your Meme. Retrieved September 21, 2021.

External links[]

Retrieved from ""