Whatever (En Vogue song)

"Whatever"
Single by En Vogue
from the album EV3
Released May 13, 1997 (US)
Format CD single, Cassette single
Recorded 1997
Genre R&B, hip hop soul
Length 4:42
Writer(s) Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, Keith Andes, Giuliano Franco, James Todd Smith, Osten Harvey, Jr.
Producer(s) Babyface
En Vogue singles chronology
"Don't Let Go (Love)"
(1996)		 "Whatever"
(1997)		 "Too Gone, Too Long"
(1997)
Alternative cover
UK release

"Whatever" is the second single from musical group En Vogue's third studio album, EV3. It has been certified gold by the RIAA for shipments of over 500,000 units. It reached #16 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart.[1]

Background

"Whatever" was produced by Babyface (he participated on other tracks as well) as this album marked the first time En Vogue departed from their usual Foster & McElroy sound. The video version was also the first to feature only three of the original En Vogue members (without the recently departed Dawn Robinson).

Efforts to re-record the album without Robinson were all but successful as she is heard in background and lead throughout EV3. Her original lead verse on "Whatever" is fourth ("anything you do, I crave it baby...") and can be clearly heard on the remixes to this track. Cindy Herron replaced Dawn's outgoing lead in the video and studio album version.

While EV3 was being recorded, Dawn Robinson chose to leave the group. Her voice is heard throughout the harmony and lead vocals on 95% of the album including this song.

Music video

The horror movie-inspired music video, directed by Matthew Rolston, features the girls and the doctors disguised as zombies in a modern beauty salon/cosmetic surgery lab. They are surrounded by doctors and nurses dressed in orange outfits performing various surgical procedures.

Cindy is shown pulling a face statue in a lightning filled hallway, while she begins the song covering up her face with a mask then removing to sing the first verse, replacing it back after the final chorus.

Maxine is seen singing in front of a three-way mirror in a blue dress. Terry sings in pale zombie-like makeup while wearing a beauty micrometer as a doctor attends to her.

Several beauty enhancement procedures are shown in the video - face lifts, breast augmentation, even skin whitening. The girls dance robotically throughout the video and are seen sporting several horror-inspired looks and hairstyles each, loosely inspired by Nine Inch Nails' Closer music video and horror films such as the Saw film series and the Hostel film series.

Formats and track listings

  • US CD Single
  1. "Whatever" (Album version) – 4:22
  2. "Whatever" (The Tumblin' Dice Remix - Extended Club Remix) (feat. Ol' Dirty Bastard) – 5:43
  3. "Whatever" (The Tumblin' Dice Remix - Radio Remix W/O Rap) – 4:22
  4. "Its About Love" – 5:10
  5. "Whatever" (Album Instrumental) – 4:22
  6. "Whatever" (The Tumblin' Dice Remix Instrumental) – 4:16
  • UK CD Single[2]
  1. "Whatever" (Radio edit) – 4:11
  2. "Whatever" (Mousse T. Radio Mix) – 4:00
  3. "Whatever" (Lemon D. Remix) – 8:40
  4. "Whatever" (The Tumblin' Dice Radio Remix) – 4:16
  • US 12" Vinyl
  1. "Whatever" (Album version) – 4:22
  2. "Whatever" (Radio edit) – 4:11
  3. "Whatever" (Instrumental) – 4:22
  4. "Whatever" (T.V. Track) - 4:22
  • US 12" Vinyl, Dance Remixes[3]
  1. "Whatever" (Mucho Soul Mix) – 6:27
  2. "Whatever" (Shelter Dub) – 6:35
  3. "Whatever" (Tuff Jam's Unda-Vybe Dub) – 6:55
  4. "Whatever" (Tuff Jam's 2 in 1 Instrumental) – 8:05
  • UK 12" Vinyl[4]
  1. "Whatever" (Lemon D. Remix) – 8:40
  2. "Whatever" (Roni's Searching For The New Key Mix) – 6:59
  • UK Remix CD single
  1. "Whatever" (Towa Tei Remix) – 5:09
  2. "Whatever" (Towa Tei Remix - Instrumental) – 5:29
  • US Remix CD Single
  1. "Whatever" (The Tumblin' Dice Remix - Extended Club Remix (feat. Ol' Dirty Bastard) – 5:43
  2. "Whatever" (The Tumblin' Dice Remix Radio Remix without Rap) – 4:16
  3. "Whatever" (The Tumblin' Dice Remix Instrumental) – 4:16
  4. "Whatever" (The Tumblin' Dice Remix A Capella) – 4:16
  • Japan CD Single
  1. "Whatever" (Album Version) – 4:22
  2. "Whatever" (The Tumblin' Dice Remix) – 4:16
  3. "Don't Let Go (Love)" (Album Version) – 4:52
  4. "Don't Let Go (Love)" (2000 Watts Remix) (featuring Rah Digga) – 4:09

Credits

Charts and certifications

Weekly charts

Chart (1997) Peak
position
Australian Singles[5] 77
Canada RPM Top Singles[6] 8
Finnish Singles Chart[7] 12
Dutch Singles Chart[8] 63
German Singles Chart[9] 92
UK Singles Chart[10] 14
US Billboard Hot 100[11] 16
US Hot R&B Singles (Billboard)[11] 8

Certifications

Region Certification
United States (RIAA)[12] Gold

References

  1. ↑ "US Certifications > En Vogue". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 2011-08-16.
  2. ↑ "En Vogue: Whatever", UK CD Single at EIL
  3. ↑ En Vogue - Whatever (The Dance Remixes) (Vinyl) at Discogs
  4. ↑ En Vogue – Whatever (Lemon D & Roni Size Remixes) (Vinyl) at Discogs
  5. ↑ AUS Charts > En Vogue. ARIA Charts.
  6. ↑ "Image : RPM Weekly - Library and Archives Canada". Retrieved July 4, 2016.
  7. ↑ "FIN Charts > En Vogue". The Official Finnish Charts. Retrieved 2011-08-16.
  8. ↑ "NLD Charts > En Vogue". MegaCharts. Retrieved 2011-08-16.
  9. ↑ "GER Charts > En Vogue". GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 2011-08-16.
  10. ↑ "UK Charts > En Vogue". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2011-08-16.
  11. 1 2 "Artist Chart History - En Vogue". Billboard.
  12. ↑ RIAA. US Certifications > En Vogue Singles. Retrieved, 2016-10-10
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