Bills, Bills, Bills
"Bills, Bills, Bills" | ||||
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Single by Destiny's Child | ||||
from the album The Writing's on the Wall | ||||
B-side |
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Released | May 31, 1999 | |||
Recorded | December 1998[1][2] | |||
Studio |
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Genre | R&B | |||
Length | 4:15 | |||
Label | Columbia | |||
Songwriter(s) |
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Producer(s) | Kevin "She'kspere" Briggs | |||
Destiny's Child singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"Bills, Bills, Bills" on YouTube |
"Bills, Bills, Bills" is a song by American girl group
"Bills, Bills, Bills" became Destiny's Child's first number-one single on the US Billboard Hot 100. Internationally, it reached the top 10 in Belgium, Canada, Iceland, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. Critically acclaimed, the song was nominated for two Grammy Awards in 2000–Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals and Best R&B Song.[3]
The accompanying music video for "Bills, Bills, Bills", directed by Darren Grant, was filmed in a beauty salon as a tribute to Beyoncé's mother Tina Knowles. In 2021, the song resurged in popularity on streaming platforms, as well as TikTok, where it became the most popular "comeback" track in the United States and the United Kingdom that year.[4][5]
Background and composition
"Bills, Bills, Bills" is one of the five tracks that Destiny's Child worked with
Musically, the song is a sassy, playful, and jittery R&B track with slinky instrumentation led by harpsichord-synthesizers.[9][10] The track is described to have a quirky melody and descriptive lyrics that draw attention to listeners because of the story the group members are singing.[11]
Release
In the United States, "Bills, Bills, Bills" was serviced to
Commercial performance
In the United States, "Bills, Bills, Bills" debuted at number 84 on the
Music video
The video takes place in a hair salon, inspired by Tina Knowles, Beyoncé's mother and the group's fashion stylist at the time. The video starts with Beyoncé arguing with her boyfriend and being fed up with him asking for her car keys. Destiny's Child are seen doing hair styling on clients. The members then do some choreography with salon chairs in light pink ensembles. In another setting, Destiny's Child are wearing black and white, zebra-like patterned outfits while so-called "broke", "tired", and "good for nothin'" men are seen in rooms behind them. The final setting for the video takes place in front a wall of glass block windows. Here, the members are wearing shiny blue outfits. The video is edited when the members are singing to the camera to make them move jittery to the beat. The video made its premiere on music video stations such as
Track listings
US CD and cassette single[25][26]
US maxi-CD and 12-inch single, Australian CD single[27][28][29]
UK CD1[30]
|
UK CD2[31]
UK cassette single[32]
European CD1[33]
European CD2[34]
|
Credits and personnel
Credits are taken from the US CD single liner notes and The Writing's on the Wall album booklet.[25][35]
Studios
- Recorded at Digital Services (Houston, Texas) and DARP Studios (Atlanta, Georgia)
- Mixed at Larrabee North Studios (Universal City, California)
Personnel
- Kevin "She'kspere" Briggs– writing (as Kevin Briggs), all instruments, midi and sound, production, vocal production, recording
- Kandi Burruss – writing (as Kandi)
- Beyoncé Knowles – writing, vocal production
- LeToya Luckett – writing
- Kelly Rowland – writing
- Michael Calderon – recording
- Vernon Mungo – recording
- Claudine Pontier – recording assistant
- Kevin "KD" Davis – mixing
- Steve Baughman – mixing assistant
Charts
Weekly charts
|
Year-end charts
|
Certifications
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Belgium (BEA)[69] | Gold | 25,000* |
United Kingdom (BPI)[70] | Platinum | 600,000‡ |
United States (RIAA)[71] | Platinum | 1,000,000^ |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. |
Release history
Region | Date | Format(s) | Label(s) | Ref(s). |
---|---|---|---|---|
United States | May 31, 1999 | Urban contemporary radio
|
Columbia | |
June 1, 1999 | Rhythmic contemporary radio
|
[13] | ||
June 15, 1999 | [14] | |||
United Kingdom | July 12, 1999 |
|
[15] | |
Germany | July 16, 1999 | Maxi CD | Sony Music | |
United States | July 20, 1999 | Contemporary hit radio | Columbia | [18][72] |
France | July 26, 1999 | Maxi CD | Sony Music | |
October 19, 1999 | CD |
Cover versions
Sporty Thievz, the same group that wrote "No Pigeons" as an answer song to TLC's "No Scrubs", wrote a response to "Bills, Bills, Bills" entitled "No Billz (Why, Why, Why)." Sporty Thievz were also featured on "I Can't Go For That", a re-recorded remix of "Bills, Bills, Bills" with new lyrics, produced by the Trackmasters, along with a rapper called Jazz.
In 2015, New York-based rock band They Might Be Giants recorded a cover version for The A.V. Club's A.V. Undercover series,[74] later released on their album Phone Power.
The song was also performed
See also
- List of number-one R&B singles of 1999 (U.S.)
- List of Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles of 1999
References
- ^ "Flashing lights & 3 other titles, Beautiful & 15 other titles, Poems by me, continuation – song, music – Copyright Info". Faqs.org. Archived from the original on June 4, 2011. Retrieved February 20, 2011.
- ^ "Destiny's Child The Writing's On The Wall LP revisited by co-writer Kandi Burruss - Return To The Classics - SoulCulture". SoulCulture.
- ^ "1999 Grammy Awards". Grammy Awards. Retrieved March 8, 2022.
- ^ "Year on TikTok 2021 Music Report". Newsroom | TikTok. August 16, 2019. Retrieved December 13, 2021.
- ^ "Tion Wayne and Russ Millions' Body named TikTok UK song of 2021". BBC News. December 13, 2021. Retrieved December 13, 2021.
- ...
- ^ "Destiny's Child The Writing's On The Wall LP revisited by co-writer Kandi Burruss | Return To The Classics | SoulCulture". Soul Culture. April 3, 2011. Retrieved June 17, 2022.
She'kspere and I were in Texas. I think we were in the store or something. He started beat boxing the beat in his head; he was like, 'It'd be dope if we played off of bills. Can you pay my bills? Pay my automobiles?'
- ^ ...I use a lot of my past relationships as inspiration. The relationship I had been in prior to [writing the song], I took inspiration from it...though I didn't tell them that.
- ...'Bills' was the sassy, harpsichord-synth-led first single
- ^ "The Top 200 Tracks of the 1990s: 200-151 – Page 5". Pitchfork. August 30, 2010. Retrieved June 17, 2022.
'Bills Bills Bills' wasn't the first great piece of jittery post-Timbaland R&B, but it was the first to offer a performance that mirrored the hyper-finesse of the style's insectile stop-start surfaces.
- ^ Taylor, Chuck, ed. (June 5, 1999). "Reviews & Previews: Singles: R&B". Billboard. Vol. 111, no. 23. p. 20.
- ^ a b "AddVance Notice". Radio & Records. No. 1301. May 28, 1999. p. 75.
- ^ a b "New Releases". Radio & Records. No. 1301. May 28, 1999. p. 91.
- ^ a b "Destiny's Child Expands Creative Role". Billboard. Vol. 111, no. 25. June 19, 1999. p. 20.
...'Bills, Bills, Bills' ([...] commercial single available Tuesday [15])...
- ^ a b "New Releases – For Week Starting 12 July, 1999: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. July 10, 1999. p. 23. Retrieved July 22, 2021.
- ^ a b c "Destiny's Child – Bills, Bills, Bills" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved May 21, 2019.
- ^ a b "Bills bills bills – Destiny's Child – CD maxi single" (in French). France: Fnac. July 26, 1999. Retrieved March 31, 2022.
- ^ a b "CHR/Pop: Going for Adds". Radio & Records. No. 1308. July 16, 1999. p. 50.
- ^ "The Hot 100". Billboard. June 19, 1999. Retrieved March 8, 2022.
- ^ a b c "Destinys Child Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved December 19, 2017.
- ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
- ^ a b "Destinys Child Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved December 19, 2017.
- ^ a b "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
- ^ "Video Monitor". Billboard. Vol. 111, no. 26. June 26, 1999. p. 90. Retrieved May 23, 2022.
- ^ a b Bills, Bills, Bills (US CD single liner notes). Destiny's Child. Columbia Records. 1999. 38K 79175.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Bills, Bills, Bills (US cassette single sleeve). Destiny's Child. Columbia Records. 1999. 38T 79175.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Bills, Bills, Bills (US maxi-CD single liner notes). Destiny's Child. Columbia Records. 1999. 44K 79176.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Bills, Bills, Bills (US 12-inch single vinyl disc). Destiny's Child. Columbia Records. 1999. 44 79176.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Bills, Bills, Bills (Australian CD single liner notes). Destiny's Child. Columbia Records. 1999. 667754 2.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Bills, Bills, Bills (UK CD1 liner notes). Destiny's Child. Columbia Records. 1999. 667690 2.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Bills, Bills, Bills (UK CD2 liner notes). Destiny's Child. Columbia Records. 1999. 667690 2.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Bills, Bills, Bills (UK cassette single sleeve). Destiny's Child. Columbia Records. 1999. 667690 4.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Bills, Bills, Bills (European CD1 liner notes). Destiny's Child. Columbia Records. 1999. COL 667287 1.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Bills, Bills, Bills (European CD2 liner notes). Destiny's Child. Columbia Records. 1999. COL 667287 2.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ The Writing's on the Wall (US CD album booklet). Destiny's Child. Columbia Records. 1999. CK 69870.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ "Destiny's Child – Bills, Bills, Bills". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
- ^ "Destiny's Child – Bills, Bills, Bills" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
- ^ "Destiny's Child – Bills, Bills, Bills" (in French). Ultratop 50.
- ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 8433." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved October 5, 2019.
- ^ "Top RPM Dance/Urban: Issue 8442." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved October 5, 2019.
- ^ "Destiny's Child Chart History (Canadian Digital Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved May 7, 2022.
- ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 16, no. 31. July 31, 1999. p. 8. Retrieved March 11, 2018.
- Les classement single.
- ^ "Íslenski Listinn (9.9–16.9. 1999)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). September 10, 1999. p. 12. Retrieved October 5, 2019.
- ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Bills, Bills, Bills". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved March 18, 2018.
- ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 33, 1999" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved December 19, 2017.
- ^ "Destiny's Child – Bills, Bills, Bills" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
- ^ "Destiny's Child – Bills, Bills, Bills". Top 40 Singles.
- ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 8, 2020.
- ^ "Destiny's Child – Bills, Bills, Bills". Singles Top 100.
- ^ "Destiny's Child – Bills, Bills, Bills". Swiss Singles Chart.
- ^ "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 8, 2020.
- ^ "Destinys Child Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved December 19, 2017.
- ^ "Destinys Child Chart History (Dance Singles Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved July 1, 2021.
- ^ "Destinys Child Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved December 19, 2017.
- ^ "Destinys Child Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved December 19, 2017.
- ^ "Jaaroverzichten 2014" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved December 28, 2014.
- ^ "Rapports Annuels 2014" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved December 28, 2014.
- ^ "RPM 1999 Top 100 Hit Tracks". RPM. Retrieved July 22, 2021 – via Library and Archives Canada.
- ^ "RPM 1999 Top 50 Dance Tracks". RPM. Retrieved July 22, 2021 – via Library and Archives Canada.
- ^ "Top 100–Jaaroverzicht van 1999". Dutch Top 40. Retrieved March 14, 2020.
- ^ "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1999". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved March 14, 2020.
- ^ "Urban Top 20 Tracks of 1999" (PDF). Music Week. January 22, 2000. p. 32. Retrieved August 6, 2023.
- ^ "Billboard Top 100 – 1999". Archived from the original on July 9, 2009. Retrieved August 28, 2010.
- ^ "1999 The Year in Music: Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks". Billboard. Vol. 111, no. 52. December 25, 1999. p. YE-57.
- Airplay Monitor. Vol. 7, no. 52. December 24, 1999. p. 54. Retrieved March 28, 2020.
- ^ "1999 The Year in Music: Hot Dance Maxi-Singles Sales". Billboard. Vol. 111, no. 52. December 25, 1999. p. YE-61.
- ^ "Most Played Rhythmic Top 40 Songs of 1999" (PDF). Airplay Monitor. Vol. 7, no. 52. December 24, 1999. p. 53. Retrieved March 28, 2020.
- ^ "Ultratop − Goud en Platina – singles 1999". Ultratop. Hung Medien.
- ^ "British single certifications – Destiny's Child – Bills Bills Bills". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved October 27, 2023.
- ^ "American single certifications – Destiny's Child – Bills, Bills, Bills". Recording Industry Association of America.
- ^ "Gavin Top 40/Rhythm Crossover". Gavin Report. No. 2264. July 19, 1999. p. 11.
- ^ "Bills bills bills – Destiny's Child – CD single" (in French). France: Fnac. October 19, 1999. Retrieved March 31, 2022.
- ^ "Bills, Bills, Bills- They Might Be Giants". June 22, 2015. Archived from the original on December 21, 2021. Retrieved June 27, 2015 – via YouTube.
External links
- "Bills, Bills, Bills" Music video on YouTube