Call the Shots

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"Call the Shots"
Tim Powell
  • Lisa Cowling
  • Giselle Somerville
    • Producer(s)
    Girls Aloud singles chronology
    "Sexy! No No No..."
    (2007)     		"Call the Shots"
    (2007)     		"Can't Speak French"
    (2008)
    Music video
    "Call the Shots" on
    YouTube

    "Call the Shots" is a song by British-Irish

    Tim Powell, Lisa Cowling, and Giselle Somerville also received songwriting credits. Polydor Records originally intended to release it the lead single for The Sound of Girls Aloud: The Greatest Hits (2006); however, "Something Kinda Ooooh" was selected instead. In September 2007, "Call the Shots" leaked online, and on 26 November of the same year, it was released as the second single from Tangled Up through Fascination Records
    , a week after the album's release.

    The song was produced by

    UK Singles Chart, continuing the band's string of hits by becoming their sixteenth consecutive single to chart within the top ten, and being later certified Silver by the British Phonographic Industry. The song also peaked at number nine on the Irish Singles Chart
    .

    The accompanying music video was directed by Sean de Sparengo, and features the girls in purple dresses performing on

    Malibu Beach at night with flames and white fabric surrounding them. Each member of the band is also shown other locations, following several story lines. "Call the Shots" was promoted through numerous live appearances, including a high-profile performance on The X Factor, and has since been performed on three of Girls Aloud's subsequent concert tours. Several artists and bands including Coldplay and Mark Morriss
    have covered the song.

    Background

    The first part of "Call the Shots" to be composed was the instrumentation, which was done by Xenomania in 2005.

    Cheryl Cole, Sarah Harding and Kimberley Walsh recorded vocals for the song in London, England, while Nadine Coyle recorded her vocals in Los Angeles.[3]

    Release

    An early version of "Call the Shots" leaked online in September 2007.

    Singles Box Set, released in 2009.[4]

    Composition

    Call the Shots
    A 22-second sample of the song, where Girls Aloud sing over the instrumentation. The lyrics are concerned with the ending of a relationship, with the band singing during the chorus, "Just 'cause you're raising the bet and call the shots now on me".[11][12]
    Problems playing this file? See media help.

    The sheet music to "Call the Shots" is written in the key of

    Dreams that Glitter – Our Story, released in 2008: "I've seen life burn bright, seen it shimmer / Then fade like starlight to a glimmer, oh no / I've seen life flow by like a river / So full of twilight, dreams that glitter".[14][15] Alex Fletcher of Digital Spy said that the instrumentation of "Call the Shots" was based on 1990s dance productions, and added that it incorporated "oohs" and "ah ah ahs" that "reverberate around an infectious chorus,"[16]
    while John Lucas of
    Allmusic wrote that the song showcased a more mature side from Girls Aloud.[17]

    Reception

    Critical response

    Girls Aloud performing "Call the Shots" on the Out of Control Tour (2009).

    Alex Fletcher of Digital Spy rated the song four out of five stars, writing that it is "more tasteful" than few of Girls Aloud's previous releases.[16] Jennie McNulty of Marie Claire said that the song "has a wonderfully ambient feel, echoing an arty electro band",[18] while Alexis Petridis of The Guardian wrote that Tangled Up "begins disappointingly" with "Call the Shots" as the opening track because the song's structure is "a bit commonplace" compared to Girls Aloud's previous singles such as "Biology" (2005).[13] On the countdown of the top singles of 2007, Digital Spy placed "Call the Shots" at number 17, commenting that the band had not lost "their knack for making supremely catchy pop hits."[19] In 2008, the song won the Popjustice £20 Music Prize – Girls Aloud's fourth win.[20] Popjustice writer Peter Robinson deemed it as the "greatest pop song of the 21st century."[4]

    Chart performance

    Following the availability of "Call the Shots" due to the release of Tangled Up, the song entered the

    Christmas week chart, the single managed to stay in the top ten, returning to its debut position of number nine.[26] "Call the Shots" was certified gold by the British Phonographic Industry.[27] On the chart issue of 22 November 2007, the song debuted at number 44 in Ireland, reaching a new peak at number 9 the following week.[28] It attained the same peak on the European Hot 100 Singles chart.[29] Following Sarah Harding's death in September 2021, the song had a resurgence in popularity with streams and sales increasing by 333%.[30]

    Music video

    The accompanying music video for "Call the Shots" was directed by Sean de Sparengo and filmed in October 2007.

    Malibu Beach at night with flames and white fabric surrounding them. The girls are also shown in different locations with individual story lines. Cole is seen looking out of a sunny window after an argument with her boyfriend. Walsh is sat in front of a mirror, putting on make-up; her boyfriend comes to get her and they hug, though she appears to be sad. Coyle is seated on a couch, flipping through photographs featuring her and a man. She takes a lighter to the photos and sets them alight. Roberts is lying down by a swimming pool, running her fingers through the water. A young man walks up to her with a bouquet of flowers and tosses them into the water. Harding watches her boyfriend (Adam Karst) in the shower and goes through his phone. The video premiered on 17 October 2007.[32]

    Live performances and covers

    Girls Aloud first performed "Call the Shots" at a charity ball in aid of children's charity UNICEF on 10 November 2007.[33] The band also performed the song on The X Factor on 17 November 2007,[34] on The Paul O'Grady Show on 21 November 2007,[35] on This Morning on 27 November 2007,[36] and on Top of the Pops on 25 December 2007.[37] "Call the Shots" was performed on 2008's Tangled Up Tour,[38] and, later that year, at The Girls Aloud Party TV special held by ITV1,[citation needed] and at the V Festival.[39] For 2009's Out of Control Tour, the band began the performance on a smaller, specially-constructed stage in the centre of the arena, and flew back to the main stage before it ended.[40] The same year, Bloc Party covered the song for BBC Radio 1's Live Lounge.[41] In 2013, the song was performed during the second act of the Ten: The Hits Tour.[42] "Call the Shots" was also covered by several artists and bands such as Coldplay,[43] David Jordan,[44] Fyfe Dangerfield,[45] Malcolm Middleton,[46][unreliable source?] and Mark Morriss.[47]

    Formats and track listings

    Credits and personnel

    Credits are adapted from the liner notes of Tangled Up.[14]

    Charts

    Certifications

    Certifications and sales for "Call the Shots"
    Region Certification Certified units/sales
    United Kingdom (BPI)[54] Gold 400,000‡

    ‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

    Release history

    Release dates and formats for "Call the Shots"
    Region Date Format(s) Label Ref(s).
    Ireland 26 November 2007 Digital download Polydor [55]
    United Kingdom
    • CD single
    • digital download
    		 [8][6]

    References

    1. AllMusic
      . Retrieved January 13, 2024.
    2. ^ a b McCormick, Neil (13 August 2008). "Xenomania: How to write a hit song". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 16 August 2009. Retrieved 16 January 2013.
    3. ^ a b McLean, Craig (11 November 2007). "Smashed hits". The Guardian. Retrieved 16 January 2013.
    4. ^ a b c d Robinson, Peter (2009). "Call the Shots". The Singles Boxset (Booklet). Girls Aloud. London, England: Fascination Records. pp. 38–39.
    5. ^ Robinson, Peter (10 October 2007). "Girls' 'Call…' – high class". Popjustice. Retrieved 16 January 2013.
    6. ^
      Apple, Inc
      . 26 November 2007. Retrieved 16 January 2013.
    7. ^ a b c "Call the Shots Pt. 2: Girls Aloud: Music". Amazon. 27 November 2007. Retrieved 16 January 2013.
    8. ^ a b c "Call the Shots: Amazon.co.uk: Music". Amazon UK. 26 November 2007. Retrieved 16 January 2013.
    9. ^ Robinson, Peter (12 October 2007). "Girls Aloud – 'Call The Shots' (Lamezma mix)". Popjustice. Retrieved 16 January 2013.
    10. ^ "Girls Aloud – Call the Shots (CD)". Discogs. Zink Media Inc. 26 November 2007. Retrieved 16 November 2013.
    11. ^ a b c "Girls Aloud – Call the Shots Sheet Music (Digital Download)". Music Notes. Xenomania Songs Ltd. 12 January 2009. Retrieved 27 January 2013.
    12. ^ a b Murphy, John (26 November 2007). "Girls Aloud – Call The Shots (Polydor)". musicOMH. Retrieved 27 January 2013.
    13. ^ a b c Petridis, Alexis (9 November 2007). "Girls Aloud, Tangled Up". The Guardian. Retrieved 27 January 2013.
    14. ^ a b c "Call the Shots". Tangled Up (Fan Edition) (Booklet). Girls Aloud. London, England: Fascination Records. 2007. p. 1.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
    15. ISBN 9780552157605
      .
    16. ^ a b Fletcher, Alex (26 November 2007). "Girls Aloud: 'Call The Shots'". Digital Spy. Retrieved 27 January 2013.
    17. Rovi Corporation
      . Retrieved 1 February 2009.
    18. ^ McNulty, Jennie (19 November 2007). "Tangled Up by Girls Aloud". Marie Claire. Archived from the original on 19 February 2012. Retrieved 21 March 2013.
    19. ^ Levine, Nick; Fletcher, Alex (31 December 2007). "Digital Spy's Top 20 Singles of 2007". Digital Spy. Retrieved 21 March 2013.
    20. ^ Savage, Mark (10 September 2008). "Girls Aloud win £20 single prize". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 21 March 2013.
    21. ^ West, Dave (25 November 2007). "Leona tops singles chart for fifth week". Digital Spy. Retrieved 15 August 2010.
    22. ^ "Leona remains top of both charts". BBC News. BBC. 2 December 2007. Retrieved 15 August 2010.
    23. ^ McAlpine, Fraser (2 December 2007). "Chart Report – 02/12/07". BBC. Retrieved 15 August 2010.
    24. ^ "Festive hits fly back into chart". BBC News. BBC. 9 December 2007. Retrieved 15 August 2010.
    25. ^ "Melua duet ends Leona's chart run". BBC News. BBC. 16 December 2007. Retrieved 15 August 2010.
    26. ^ Wilkes, Neil (23 December 2007). "Leon clinches Christmas number one spot". Digital Spy. Retrieved 15 August 2010.
    27. ^ "BPI – Certified Awards Search". British Phonographic Industry. Archived from the original on 24 September 2009. Retrieved 16 January 2010.
    28. ^ a b "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Call the Shots". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 15 January 2020.
    29. ^ a b "Hits of the World: Eurocharts". Billboard. Vol. 119, no. 51. 22 December 2007. p. 179.
    30. ^ "Sarah Harding: Sales and streams of Girls Aloud's back catalogue soar in tribute". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 10 September 2021.
    31. ^ "Girls Aloud – Call the Shots". Capital FM. Retrieved 23 March 2013.
    32. ^ "Video: Girls Aloud – Call The Shots". Popjustice. 17 October 2007. Retrieved 21 March 2013.
    33. ^ "Girls Aloud headline charity ball". Building. United Business Media. 14 November 2007. Retrieved 27 January 2013.
    34. ITV
      .
    35. ^ "Girls Aloud – Call The Shots (Live at Paul O'Grady Show)". Girls Aloud's official website. Polydor Ltd. 21 November 2007. Retrieved 7 February 2013.
    36. The X Factor
      . Season 20. Episode 17. 27 November 2007. 60 minutes in. ITV1. ITV.
    37. CBS Interactive
      . Retrieved 7 February 2013.
    38. ^ Levine, Nick (20 May 2008). "Girls Aloud: The good, the bad and the bawdy". Digital Spy. Hearst Corporation. Retrieved 2 December 2012.
    39. ^ "Girls Aloud cover Robyn at V Festival". NME. 16 August 2008. Retrieved 15 December 2012.
    40. ^ Rosney, Daniel. "An indepth feature review on the opening of the Girls Aloud tour of 2008". DanielRosney.com. Archived from the original on 20 October 2013. Retrieved 2 December 2012.
    41. ^ "Bloc Party at Live Lounge". Live Lounge. BBC. 30 January 2009. Retrieved 7 February 2013.
    42. ^ Corner, Lewis (22 February 2013). "Girls Aloud begin 'Ten' UK tour in Newcastle – pictures". Digital Spy. Retrieved 22 February 2013.
    43. ^ Thompson, Jody (17 June 2008). "Pictures: Coldplay triumph at Brixton Academy live gig return". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 7 February 2013.
    44. ^ "David Jordan 'rocked the house' at the ICA last night". Popjustice. 3 April 2008. Retrieved 7 February 2013.
    45. ^ "Songs from Fly Yellow Moon, and an interesting take on Girls Aloud". Q. 9 March 2010. Archived from the original on 15 March 2013. Retrieved 7 February 2013.
    46. ^ "Malcolm Middleton – Girl Songs E.P." Discogs. Zink Media Inc. 25 November 2009. Retrieved 7 February 2013.
    47. ^ "I'm Sick by Mark Morriss". iTunes Store. Apple Inc. 1 December 2008. Retrieved 7 February 2013.
    48. Romanian Top 100. Archived from the original
      on 18 January 2008. Retrieved 22 May 2023.
    49. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 31 August 2010.
    50. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 31 August 2010.
    51. ^ "End of Year Singles Chart Top 100 – 2007". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 16 January 2020.
    52. ^ "Year End Charts: European Hot 100 Singles". Billboard. Archived from the original on 4 October 2012. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
    53. ^ "End of Year Singles Chart Top 100 – 2008". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 16 January 2020.
    54. ^ "British single certifications – Girls Aloud – Call the Shots". British Phonographic Industry.
    55. ^ "Call the Shots (with Video) – EP by Girls Aloud". Ireland: iTunes Store. Apple, Inc. 26 November 2007. Retrieved 16 January 2013.
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