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ABCDEFU
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Wikipedia article
{{Infobox song
| name = ABCDEFU
| type = single
| cover = Gayle - ABCDEFU.png
| alt =
| artist = Gayle
| album
= A Study of the Human Experience
| released =
| recorded =
| genre = * Pop rock
* pop punk
| length = 2:48
| label = * Atlantic
* Arthouse
| writer = * Taylor Rutherfurd
* Sara Davis
* David Pittenger
| producer = Pete Nappi
| prev_title = Oscar Nominated
| prev_year = 2021
| next_title = Ur Just Horny
| next_year = 2022
| misc =
}}
"'ABCDEFU'" (stylized in all lowercase, also known by its radio edited title "'ABC'") is the major-label debut single by American singer Gayle, released on August 13, 2021, through Atlantic and Arthouse Records. It was co-written by Gayle with Sara Davis and David Pittenger, and produced by Pete Nappi. The song is the lead single from Gayle's debut EP 'A Study of the Human Experience Volume One'.
Commercially, "ABCDEFU" reached number one on the 'Billboard' Global 200 and peaked at number three on the US 'Billboard' Hot 100. Additionally, "ABCDEFU" topped the charts in Austria, Belgium (Wallonia), Finland, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.
Background and promotion
The song marks the first single release since the Nashville-based singer signed with Atlantic in 2021. On her TikTok, Gayle uploaded a video where she stated "I'm out of [song] ideas" and asked followers to comment song ideas. "Comment anything and I'll try my best to turn it into a song." Nancy Berman, a marketing manager at Atlantic Records commented asking for a song that incorporates the alphabet. Within a few days, Gayle uploaded another video of her strumming the chorus of the song.
According to Gayle, the song "came from a place of trying so hard to be the nice, respectful ex-girlfriend, to the point where it was negatively affecting me". In an interview with 'Tongue Tied Mag', Gayle explained the inspiration behind the song: "After the breakup, I was trying really, really hard to be a nice personlike, overcompensating for itlike, the week after we broke up, I called him and was, like, 'Hey, bud!' and 'What's up, my friend?!'". On March 31, 2021, Gayle stated on Instagram that she had dislocated her middle finger, and the X-ray scan from the hospital was used for the single's cover art.
The song achieved mainstream success within a few months after release, surpassing over 500 million global streams as of March 2022. Gayle has since released different versions of the song, including the demo, a "chill version", and an "angrier version".
Music video
The accompanying music video was released on August 13, 2021. The video was shot via a camcorder with 4:3 aspect ratio at a low resolution to evoke an early 2000s home video feel. In the music video, the singer and her friends visit and look around her ex's home.
Composition
According to the digital sheet music published at musicnotes.com by Warner Music Publishing, "ABCDEFU" is written in the key of E major with a tempo of 122 beats per minute. The song's title and lyrical content are a play on words incorporating the first six letters of the alphabet with the addition of the twenty-first to form an initialism for the profane phrase 'F'uck yo'U'.
Sonically the song is characterized by "minimalistic sonics" and "jagged guitar work", while it "reaches its climax with a massive sing-a-long chorus".
Critical reception
Gayle's song has been a viral hit on platforms such as TikTok and Instagram. Emily Zemler of 'Rolling Stone' praised the passion of Gayle's live renditions of the piece. April Bredael of 'Tongue Tied Magazine' thought the song "adds to a growing list of accomplishments" of the singer with tracks that are "authentic, honest, and unapologetic".
Track listing
'Digital download and streaming'
# "ABCDEFU" 2:48
'Digital download and streaming (Nicer version)'
# "ABC" 2:48
;Digital download and streaming (Demo version)'
# "ABCDEFU" 2:35
'Digital download and streaming (Chill version)'
# "ABCDEFU" 2:56
'Digital download and streaming (Angrier version)'
# "ABCDEFU" 2:39
'Digital download and streaming (featuring Royal & the Serpent)'
# "ABCDEFU" 2:49
'Digital download and streaming (The Wild Remix)'
# "ABC" 3:02
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Certifications
Release history
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
|+Release history for "ABCDEFU"
! scope="col"| Region
! scope="col"| Date
! scope="col"| Format
! scope="col"| Version
! scope="col"| Label
! scope="col"|
|-
! rowspan="7" scope="row" | Various
| August 13, 2021
| rowspan="7" |
| Original
| rowspan="7" | Atlantic
| align="center"|
|-
| August 14, 2021
| Nicer
| align="center"|
|-
| September 10, 2021
| Demo
| align="center"|
|-
| September 17, 2021
| Angrier
| align="center" |
|-
!September 18, 2021
|
|
|-
| September 24, 2021
| Chill
| align="center" |
|-
| November 19, 2021
| Royal & the Serpent remix
| align="center"|
|-
! scope="row"| Italy
| November 26, 2021
| Radio airplay
| rowspan="2"| Original
| Warner
| align="center"|
|-
! scope="row"| United States
| December 7, 2021
| Contemporary hit radio
| rowspan="2"| Atlantic
| align="center"|
|-
! scope="row" rowspan="2"| Various
| December 31, 2021
|
| The Wild remix
| align="center"|
|-
| February 18, 2022
| CD single
|
|
| align="center"| Versions of "ABCDEFU" released on CDs:
#
#
#
#
#
#
|}
References
Category:2021 singles
Category:2021 songs
Category:Atlantic Records singles
Category:Billboard Global 200 number-one singles
Category:Billboard Global Excl. U.S. number-one singles
Category:Gayle (singer) songs
Category:Irish Singles Chart number-one singles
Category:Number-one singles in Austria
Category:Number-one singles in Finland
Category:Number-one singles in Germany
Category:Number-one singles in Malaysia
Category:Number-one singles in Norway
Category:Number-one singles in Sweden
Category:Number-one singles in Switzerland
Category:Songs written by Gayle (singer)
Category:Ultratop 50 Singles (Wallonia) number-one singles
Category:UK Singles Chart number-one singles
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