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Window Seat (song)
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Wikipedia article
"'Window Seat'" is a song by Erykah Badu. It is the lead single from her album 'New Amerykah Part Two (Return of the Ankh)' (2010). It was produced by Badu and James Poyser. The song is low-tempo ballad with lyrics that concern escapism and longing for a lover. The music video for "Window Seat" features Badu walking the streets around Dealey Plaza in Dallas, Texas, slowly stripping to the nude, before being shot by an unseen assassin. Badu's public nudity, guerrilla filming, and the video's allusions to the assassination of John F. Kennedy were met with controversy among fans and critics.
Background and release
"Jump Up in the Air (Stay There)", featuring Lil Wayne and Bilal, was released as an internet-only promotional single on Badu's official website in January 2010. RC Williams, Badu's musical director, said that a music video for the track was shot in Dallas. A censored "clean" version of the video was released on February 12, 2010 on Badu's official website.[http://www.erykahbadu.com Official Erykah Badu Website] . ErykahBadu.com. [https://web.archive.org/web/20100429085439/http://www.erykahbadu.com/tour/ Archived] on 2010-03-27. It has been made available as a free, legal download by Giant Step, the marketing and promotion company for the album.Nero, Mark Edward. [http://randb.about.com/b/2010/04/01/erykah-badu-says-jump-up-in-the-air-and-stay-there.htm Erykah Badu Says "Jump Up in the Air (Stay There)"]. About.com. Retrieved on 2010-03-31.
"Window Seat" was released as the album's official lead single, Badu released a downloadable link to the song on her Twitter account.[https://twitter.com/FatBellyBella fatbellybella]. Twitter. Retrieved on 2010-03-27. "Window Seat" was released to the iTunes Store on February 9, 2010.[https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/window-seat-single/id354593325 Window Seat - Single]. iTunes Store. Retrieved on 2010-04-02. In its promotion, Delta Air Lines has signed on to use the song as boarding music for its flights.
Reception
The song debuted at number 95 on the US 'Billboard' Hot 100 chart."Hot 100: Week of April 17, 2010". 'Billboard': April 17, 2010. [https://www.webcitation.org/5oqLjZeA3 Archived] on 2010-04-08. It also entered at number 47 on 'Billboard' Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart,Herrera, Monica. [http://www.mercurynews.com/entertainment/ci_14640936?nclick_check=1 Erykah Badu returns with a new album]. 'Billboard'. Retrieved on 2010-04-02. ultimately peaking at number 16 in its five weeks on the chart.[ Chart History: 'Window Seat']. 'Billboard'. Retrieved on 2010-04-02.
"Window Seat" received generally positive reviews from most music critics. PopMatters writer Quentin B. Huff found Badu's vulnerability on the song comparable to her work on 'Mama's Gun' (2000).Huff, Quentin B. [http://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/123105-erykah-badu-new-amerykah-part-two-return-of-the-ankh/ Review: 'New Amerykah Part Two (Return of the Ankh)']. PopMatters. Retrieved on 2010-03-30. Allmusic's Andy Kellman wrote that it "should appeal to those who have wanted Badu to revisit that lissome sound of 'Baduizm' songs like 'On & On' and 'Otherside of the Game,' and it packs stunning stomp-and-clap breakdowns that sync up with Badu's most halting lines".Kellman, Andy. [ Review: 'New Amerykah Part Two (Return of the Ankh)']. Allmusic. Retrieved on 2010-03-27. Embling of Tiny Mix Tapes called it "as amniotic a slow jam as Badu has ever recorded".Embling. [http://www.tinymixtapes.com/music-review/Erykah-Badu-New-Amerykah-Part-Two-Return-of-the-Ankh Review: 'New Amerykah Part Two (Return of the Ankh)']. Tiny Mix Tapes. Retrieved on 2010-03-30. BBC Online writer Stevie Chick praised Badu's performance on the song, writing that she sings "with such earnest, desperate yearning youll be struck dumb".Chick, Stevie. [https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/5f6m Review: 'New Amerykah Part Two (Return of the Ankh)']. BBC Online. Retrieved on 2010-03-30. 'The Washington Post's Chris Richards described the song as "vintage Badu: gentle melodies, a twinkling harp, rim-shots click-clacking at an easy, Sunday morning tempo".Richards, Chris. [https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/29/AR2010032903685.html Review: 'New Amerykah Part Two (Return of the Ankh)']. 'The Washington Post'. Retrieved on 2010-03-30. 'Los Angeles Times' writer Margaret Wappler praised co-producer and keyboardist James Poyser's contribution, writing that he "elevates" the song "into a juicy slice of escapism but with the security of someone missing you back home".Wappler, Margaret. [http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-et-albumreviews30-2010mar30,0,2821690.story Review: 'New Amerykah Part Two (Return of the Ankh)']. 'Los Angeles Times'. Retrieved on 2010-03-30. 'The Village Voice's Pazz & Jop annual year-end critics' poll ranked "Window Seat" at number 11 to find the best music of 2010, tied with Arcade Fires "Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)" and LCD Soundsystems "I Can Change".
Music video
Background and synopsis
On March 13, 2010, Badu filmed an impromptu music video for "Window Seat" in the Dealey Plaza historic district of Dallas, Texas.Hauk, Hunter.[http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/ent/stories/0330quickbadu.1f733ed77.html Badu Speaks Out About 'Window Seat' Video]. 'Dallas Morning News'. Retrieved on 2010-03-29. In the video, Badu is seen walking the streets of Dealey Plaza in Dallas, slowly stripping to the nude, before being shot by an unseen assassin.Kennedy, Gerrick D. [http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/music_blog/ Live review: Erykah Badu's surprise midnight show at the El Rey]. 'Los Angeles Times'. Retrieved on 2010-03-31. On her Twitter feed, she stated that the music video "was shot guerrilla style, no crew, 1 take, no closed set, no warning, 2 min., Downtown Dallas, then ran like hell".Columnist. [http://www.kwtx.com/home/headlines/89507472.html Erykah Badu Strips On Downtown Dallas Street For Music Video] . KWTX-TV. Retrieved on 2010-03-30. Badu was inspired by indie rock duo Matt & Kim's video for the song "Lessons Learned",Herrera, Monica. [http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/viral-videos/958802/erykah-badu-strips-naked-in-controversial-window-seat-video Erykah Badu Strips Naked In Controversial 'Window Seat' Video]. 'Billboard'. Retrieved on 2010-04-02. viewing it as "the bravest, most liberating thing Ive ever seen two people do... I wanted to dedicate this contagious act of liberation and freedom to them. I hoped it would become something contagious that people would want to do in some way or another". Badu has expressed that her video is a criticism of the psychological concept groupthink. On the video's location, Badu expressed that Matt & Kim's video and its "monumental" Times Square setting influenced her to film in Dealey Plaza, which is known as the site of President John F. Kennedy's assassination. She viewed the historic district's grassy knoll as a monumental place in Dallas and that she "tied it in a way that compared that assassination to the character assassination one would go through after showing his or her self completely. Thats exactly the action that I wanted to display". After she collapses to the ground in the video, blue blood spills out to form the word "groupthink", after which Badu's voiceover says:
Badu intended for the assassination scene to represent character assassination by groupthink. Prior to the filming of the official music video, a video teaser of "Window Seat" was featured on Badu's official website around early March, which begins with a shot of Badu's boarding pass of the flight she had booked on the fictional Amerykah Airlines, and mainly features her putting on make-up at a make-up table.Speeakz. [http://pinboardblog.com/2010/03/10/erykah-badu-window-seat-teaser/ Erykah Badu Window Seat (Teaser)]. PinBoard. Retrieved on 2010-04-04. A second version of the video, entitled "Window Seat (Reexamined)", was posted on her website and features the original video in reverse; the ending monologue with Badu's voiceover was repositioned to the start of the footage.Webb, Ted. [http://indyposted.com/16050/erykah-badu-charged-with-disorderly-conduct-over-nude-window-seat-video/ Erykah Badu Charged With Disorderly Conduct Over Nude Window Seat Video At JFK Site]. IndyPosted. Retrieved on 2010-04-05. A music video for the song's official remix, featuring rapper Rick Ross, was shot during May 2010.Reid, Shaheem. [http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1640813/20100604/ross__rick__rap_.jhtml Rick Ross Talks 'Window Seat' Remix Video With Erykah Badu]. MTV. Retrieved on 2010-06-04.
Response and controversy
"Window Seat"'s official music video was premiered on March 27, 2010 at 3:33 a.m. on Badu's website.Duke, Alan. [http://edition.cnn.com/2010/SHOWBIZ/Music/03/29/erykah.badu.strips/ Singer Erykah Badu Strips at JFK Assassination Site in New Video]. CNN. Retrieved on 2010-04-08.Reid, Shaheem. [http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1635757/20100408/badu_erykah.jhtml Erykah Badu 'Didn't Expect To Be Demonized' Over Nude 'Window Seat' Video]. MTV. Retrieved on 2010-04-08. Circulating throughout several Internet blogs,Langhorne, Cyrus. [http://www.sohh.com/2010/03/erykah_badu_explains_her_nude_window_sea.html Erykah Badu Explains Her Nude 'Window Seat' Music Video, 'Everything Was Real']. SOHH.com. Retrieved on 2010-04-08. the music video was received with controversy and a divided reaction from fans, Internet critics, and media outlets.Crane, Makeda. [http://hiphopandpolitics.wordpress.com/2010/03/31/should-dallas-official-charge-erykah-badu-window-seat-to-a-black-womans-soul/ Should Dallas Official Charge Erykah Badu?: Window Seat To A Black Womans Soul]. Hip Hop and Politics. Retrieved on 2010-04-08.Ragland, James. [http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/localnews/columnists/jragland/stories/DN-ragland_31met.ART0.State.Edition2.4ceac25.html Even Erykah Badu fan on Dallas City Council Can't Bare Dealey Plaza Video]. 'Dallas Morning News'. Retrieved on 2010-04-08. On March 30, 2010, it became the ninth most popular search on Google.Pippen, Scotty. [http://www.urb.com/2010/03/30/group-think-erykah-badus-return-of-the-ankh-controversy/ Group Think Erykah Badus Return of the Ankh Controversy]. 'URB'. Retrieved on 2010-04-08. The music video also prompted attention from Dallas city officials for Badu's public nudity and filming without city permits. Dallas Mayor Pro Tem Dwaine Caraway expressed concern for stricter laws to prevent similar incidents, stating "None of this would have occurred had she stayed clothed. But since she didn't, it elevated the need for making sure that we have policies in place that will protect folks and the integrity of the city as best we possibly can ... What if there is another take to her bizarre activity? What if there is a part two and we don't take some type of action or put it up for discussion and she comes out and really gets with it and does a Michael Jackson-type video and have 15, 20 people and all of them take their clothes off?"Goldstein, Scott. [http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/040210dnmetbadu.3ec7f01.html Erykah Badu's Naked Video Prompts Call to Toughen Dallas Law]. 'Dallas Morning News'. Retrieved on 2010-04-02.On April 2, 2010, Badu was charged with disorderly conduct for her public nudity, a class C misdemeanor in Texas indicating a $500 fine (with no jail time), when a witness came forward.Vozick-Levinson, Simon. [http://music-mix.ew.com/2010/04/02/erykah-badu-charged-police/ Erykah Badu Charged with Disorderly Conduct for Controversial Nude Video]. 'Entertainment Weekly'. Retrieved on 2010-04-02. According to Dallas Deputy Police Chief Mike Genovesi, the witness "had two small children with her and was offended".Hanek, Joel. [http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1635394/20100405/badu_erykah.jhtml Erykah Badu Defends 'Window Seat' On 'Wanda Sykes Show']. MTV. Retrieved on 2010-04-05. In an interview for the 'Dallas Morning News', Badu said that her part in the video foreshadowed the controversy and reaction to the video, stating "I knew that would happen, so as soon as the thought came to my mind, I decided to assassinate myself as a gesture. Because it was going to happen anyway. The video is a prediction of what is happening now". In an April 3, 2010 interview on 'The Wanda Sykes Show', she explained in response to critics of the video that she did not intend to disrespect the memory of John F. Kennedy with its allusion to his assassination, stating "My point was grossly misunderstood all over America. JFK is one of my heroes, one of the nation's heroes. John F. Kennedy was a revolutionary; he was not afraid to butt heads with America, and I was not afraid to show America my butt-naked truth."Hanek, Joel. [http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1635394/20100405/badu_erykah.jhtml Erykah Badu Defends 'Window Seat' On 'Wanda Sykes Show']. MTV. Retrieved on 2010-04-05. On April 28, 2010, Badu challenged the disorderly conduct charge by pleading not guilty rather than paying the fee by mail. On August 13, she paid the $500 fine and agreed to serve six months probation through February 11, 2011.
Chart history
References
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