Mama, He Treats Your Daughter Mean
“Work It”
Artist: Missy Elliott
Music / Lyrics by Missy Elliott and Tim “Timbaland” Mosley
Label: Goldmind/Elektra, 2002, (from the CD Under Construction)
“Work it” was a single from the 2002 CD Under Construction by Missy Elliott. While Elliott is at home and equally adept at a number of styles, this track is a tip of the hat to “old school” hip hop style, with a rap over a steady, synthesized-and-sampled rhythm track. It was a huge hit, sitting at the top of the U.S. and international charts for over two months.
Elliott is often described, in the press and on the Internet, as “one of the greatest female hip hop artists.” These sorts of gender qualifications are unwarranted, and in fact, are no more enlightened than saying that someone “plays pretty good for a girl.” The fact is, Elliott is one of the great hip hophip-hop artists, period, ‘nuff said.
Musical style notes
The rhythm track to “Work It” is a great example of producer / DJ Timbaland’s technical and creative mastery. In addition to the polyrhythmic layers, it’s replete with great sound effects, from sighs and moans to electronic blips, sampled elephant roars (used in lieu of the word for the male sex organ), and a kind of synthesized squeal that sounds like a cross between R2D2 and a Theremin* –-- all mixed and edited so that they fall perfectly into the rhythmic groove. Elliott’s rap is fast-paced, brilliantly rhymed, explicitly graphic, and hilarious; it also contains a number of lines that sound at first like gibberish, but are actually bits of vocal tracks played backwards – a musical metaphor for some of the action taking place.
*The Theremin was a mid-20th century electronic instrument; its characteristic “woo-ooooo” was used extensively in grade-B horror movies.
Musical “Road Map”
|Timings |Comments |Lyrics |
|0:00-0:08 |Introduction: |DJ please -- |
| | |Pick up your phone -- |
| |tTurntable scratching, followed by chorus|I'm on the request line… |
| |of voices, beginning with a false start. | |
| |Drum enters at the moment the voices end | |
| |with the word “line” at 0:08. | |
|0:08-0:30 |More scratching; synth track begins; | |
| |Missy’s spoken voice enters, with heavy | |
| |echo effect |This is…a Missy Elliott one time exclusive… |
| | | |
| | | |
| | |Come on! |
|0:30-0:49 |Chorus |Is it worth it? Let me work it |
| | |I put my thing down, flip it and reverse it |
| |Note the use of special sonic effects - |[same line recorded and played backwards, twice] |
| |backwards playback, echoes, and the use |If you got a big [* * * *], let me search it |
| |of the trumpeting elephant sound effect |To find out how hard I gotta work ya |
| |used to replace the word for the male |[“I put my thing down” line recorded and played backwards, twice] |
| |member. | |
| | |Come on -- |
|0:49-1:32 | |Missy’s voice: Reeeeee - - - Mix!! |
| |Dialogue between Missy and male voice | |
| |(TImbaland?) |Male voice (Timbaland?): Uh – yeah – |
| | |Now Missy, she’s too much for me -- |
| | |Missy: I’m freaky |
| | |T: Took me to the crib and she told me – |
| | |M: Eat me |
| | |[etc.] |
| | | |
|1:32-2:09 |Verse 1 |I'd like to get to know ya, so I can show ya |
| | |Put the pussy on ya, like I told ya |
| | |Gimme all your numbers so I can phone ya |
| | |Your girl acting stank then call me over |
| | |Not on the bed, lay me on your sofa |
| | |Call before you come, I need to shave my chocha |
| | |You do or you don't or you will or won’tcha |
| | |Go downtown and eat like a vulture |
| | |See my hips and my tips don't cha |
| | |See my ass and my lips don't cha |
| | |Lost a few pounds in my waist for ya |
| | |This the kinda beat that go ra ta ta |
| | |Ra ta ta ta ta ta ta ta ta |
| | |Sex me so good I say blah blah blah |
| | |Work it, I need a glass of water -- |
| | |Boy oh boy, its good to know ya -- |
| | | |
|2:09-2:28 |Chorus |Is it worth it? Let me work it |
| | |I put my thing down, flip it and reverse it |
| | |[same line recorded and played backwards, twice] |
| | |If you got a big [* * * *], let me search it |
| | |To find out how hard I gotta work ya |
| | |[“I put my thing down” line recorded and played backwards, twice] |
| | | |
| | | |
|2:28-3:10 |Verse 2 |If you're a fly gal, then get your nails done |
| | |Get a pedicure, get your hair did … |
| |Rhythm track drops out during the first 2| |
| |lines; comes back in at 2:32. |Boy, lift it up, lets make a toaster |
| | |Let’s get drunk, its gonna bring us closer |
| | |Don't I look like a Halle Berry poster? |
| | |See them Belvedere playin’ tricks on ya |
| | |Girlfriend wanna be like me -- never |
| | |You won't find a bitch that's even better |
| | |I make it hot as Las Vegas weather |
| | |Listen up close while I take you backwards |
| | |[backwards playback: “Watch the way Missy like to take it backwards”] |
| | |I'm not a prostitute but I can give you what you want |
| | |I love your braids and your mouth full of fonts |
| | |Love the way my ass go ba-bump ba-bump bump |
| | |Keep your eyes on my ba-bump ba-bump bump |
| | |And think you can handle this ba-dunka-dunk-dunk |
| | |Take my thong off and my ass go boom |
| | |Cut the lights off, so you see what I can do -- |
|3:10-3:29 |Chorus |Is it worth it? Let me work it |
| | |I put my thing down, flip it and reverse it |
| | |[same line recorded and played backwards, twice] |
| | |If you got a big [* * * *], let me search it |
| | |To find out how hard I gotta work ya |
| | |[“I put my thing down” line recorded and played backwards, twice] |
| | | |
|3:29-4:16 |Verse 3 |Boys, boys…all type of boys |
| | |Black, white, Puerto Rican, Chinese boys |
| |Rhythm track drops out at 3:44, back in |[nonsense syllables] |
| |at 3:49. |Girls, girls, get that cash |
| | |If its nine to five shakin’ that ass |
| | |Ain't no shame ladies, do your thing |
| | |Just make sure you ahead of the game |
| | | |
| | |Just cos’ I got a lot of fame super -- |
| | |Prince couldn't get me change my name papa |
| | |Kunta Kinte, enslave a game, no sir |
| | |Picture Black sayin’ “oh yessuh massa’” -- |
| | |Picture Lil' Kim dating a pastor -- |
| | |Minute Man, big Red can outlast ya |
| | |Who is the best? I don't have to ask ya |
| | |When I come out, you won't even matter |
| |At 4:07, scratching over “why you act |Why you act dumb like “Uhhhh, duh |
| |dumb” – rhythm track drops out. |So you act dumb like “Uhhhh, duh |
| | |And the drummer boy go pa-rum-pa-pum-pum |
| | |Give ya some some, some of this “Cinnabun” |
|4:16-4:35 |Chorus |Is it worth it? Let me work it |
| | |I put my thing down, flip it and reverse it |
| |Rhythm track comes back in. |[same line recorded and played backwards, twice] |
| | |If you got a big [* * * *], let me search it |
| | |To find out how hard I gotta work ya |
| | |[“I put my thing down” line recorded and played backwards, twice] |
| | | |
|4:35-5:03 |Note increased echo on vocal |To my fellas, ooooh |
| | | |
| | |Good God, I like the way you work that |
| |4:42 – scratching. | |
| | |To my ladies, woo |
| | |You sure know how to work that, good God |
| |4:45 – you can clearly hear the sample of| |
| |RunDMC’s “Peter Piper.” | |
| | | |
|5:03-5:04 |Scratching – end of track. | |
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