Easy (Sugababes song)

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"Easy"
Single by Sugababes
from the album Overloaded: The Singles Collection
B-side"Shake It"
Released6 November 2006
Genre
Length3:38
LabelIsland
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Sugababes singles chronology
"Follow Me Home"
(2006)
"Easy"
(2006)
"Walk This Way"
(2007)

"Easy" is a song by British girl group

uptempo electropop and pop rock song that features metaphorical lyrical content containing sexual euphemisms. The song is the group's first single to feature written contributions from then-new member Amelle Berrabah, who had previously sung on re-recorded versions of three songs from the album Taller in More Ways, including the singles "Red Dress" and "Follow Me Home
".

Critics praised the lyrics and bass synthesizer of "Easy", although some regarded the song as forgettable in comparison to the group's previous singles. The song peaked at number five on the

Slovakian Singles Chart and number eight on the UK Singles Chart. It reached the top twenty on the charts in Denmark, Finland, Ireland and Norway. The song's music video was directed by Tim Royes and filmed in a public toilet at a club in Romford. It features the Sugababes dressed in latex outfits
, where they appear in separate toilet cubicles. The group performed "Easy" to promote the release of Overloaded: The Singles Collection.

Background and release

The Sugababes confirmed in June 2006 that a

mixed by Jeremy Wheatley for 365 Artists at Twenty-One Studios in London, with assistance from Richard Edgeler.[3]

Release

"Easy" was released on 6 November 2006,

Ultrabeat remix of the song was released on iTunes on 4 December 2006.[12]

Composition and lyrics

"Easy" is an uptempo

bass synthesizer, as well as a "grinding electro riff".[15][16][17] According to Fraser McAlphine of BBC, the chorus is reminiscent of songs performed by fellow British girl group, Girls Aloud.[16] Ian Mathers from Stylus Magazine described the first half of the chorus as a "Hellogoodbye/Van She style 80s dancefloor euphoria".[17] The song's lyrical content is metaphorical and features sexual euphemisms.[16]

Buchanan described the song during an interview that was published on the group's official website, saying: "Easy is a very naughty and cheeky song – it’s the most sexy song we’ve ever done. It came about when Orson had an idea for a song. They played it to us – it was just a verse and a bridge and we completely changed the format of the song to make it our own and the result is this incredibly provocative sexy number that we love." She elaborated in a separate interview: "When we started working with the guys from Orson the sound just blew us away – it's completely fresh sounding but at the same time has the same qualities as the biggest songs of our career, so it's perfect for this album!"[8]

Critical reception

"Easy" received mixed reviews from critics. Betty Clarke of

Pitchfork Media had a similar response to the song, writing that it attempts to "reverse engineer the brand of cool that is commonly given to them via a limpid and largely tuneless rock-pop hybrid".[21] Adam Webb of Yahoo! Music regarded the song as "forgettable".[22]

Chart performance

"Easy" entered the

Slovakian Singles Chart, where it peaked at number five for two non-consecutive weeks, and spent six weeks in the chart's top ten.[36]

Music video

Amelle Berrabah, Keisha Buchanan and Heidi Range standing in separate public toilet cubicles in the music video of "Easy".

The accompanying music video for "Easy" was directed by Tim Royes, who directed the video for the group's previous single "Red Dress".[37] It was released on the iTunes Store on 9 October 2006,[38] and was featured on the group's compilation DVD, Overloaded: The Videos Collection, which accompanied the audio versions of the greatest hits album.[39] Berrabah, Buchanan and Range and wore black latex outfits for the video, while Range wore a red wig.[40] The video for "Easy" was filmed in a public toilet at a club in Romford.[22]

The video begins with a scene of red nail polish dripping from a bottle. It then cuts to Buchanan, who is lying and tapping her foot against the floor in her black

stiletto heels and latex stockings. She begins to start feeling her body. In the next scene, Range is seen standing in front of a mirror with a red lollipop, where she later begins to dance against the sink. Next, all the Sugababes are featured in separate toilet cubicles where they have their hands against the walls. The video cuts to Berrabah walking towards a hand dryer, which she rotates towards her face, causing her hair to be blown. After that, Range sits on a couch and uses the nail polish to colour her nails. The group is again seen in the cubicles, where they repeatedly open and close the doors. Shots underneath the doors show the girls moving their feet in their high-heel shoes. Later, Buchanan, Range and Berrabah are featured in front of red curtains with traditional silver, gold and black outfits, respectively. The final scene shows the group in front of the cubicles where they begin dancing robotically.[41]

Live performances

The Sugababes performed "Easy" in October 2006 at the

Overloaded: The Singles Tour, in promotion of the greatest hits album.[42]

Track listings

CD single[10]
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Easy"
3:38
2."Shake It"
5:10
CD single[11]
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Easy"
  • Berrabah
  • Astasio
  • Range
  • Pebworth
  • Buchanan
  • Taliaferro
  • Pebworth
  • Astasio
3:38
2."Easy" (Seamus Haji & Paul Emanuel Remix)
  • Berrabah
  • Astasio
  • Range
  • Pebworth
  • Buchanan
  • Taliaferro
  • Pebworth
  • Astasio
  • Seamus Haji[b]
  • Paul Emanuel[b]
5:29
3."Easy" (Seamus Haji & Paul Emanuel Instrumental)
  • Berrabah
  • Astasio
  • Range
  • Pebworth
  • Buchanan
  • Taliaferro
  • Pebworth
  • Astasio
  • Haji[b]
  • Emanuel[b]
5:29
4."Hole in the Head" (Live at V Festival) 4:55
Digital download[43]
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Easy"
  • Berrabah
  • Astasio
  • Range
  • Pebworth
  • Buchanan
  • Taliaferro
  • Pebworth
  • Astasio
3:38
Digital download[9]
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Easy" (Ultrabeat Remix)
  • Berrabah
  • Astasio
  • Range
  • Pebworth
  • Buchanan
  • Taliaferro
  • Pebworth
  • Astasio
  • Ultrabeat[b]
5:50
Digital download[44]
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Easy" (Brio Alternative Version)
  • Berrabah
  • Astasio
  • Range
  • Pebworth
  • Buchanan
  • Taliaferro
  • Pebworth
  • Astasio
  • Brio[b]
3:38

Notes

Personnel

Credits are adapted from the Overloaded: The Singles Collection liner notes.[3]

  • Songwriting – Jason Pebworth, George Astasio, Keisha Buchanan, Heidi Range, Amelle Berrabah
  • Production – Brio Taliaferro, Jason Pebworth, George Astasio
  • Mixing
    – Jeremy Wheatley for 365 Artists at Twenty-One Studios, London
  • Mixing (assistant) – Richard Edgeler
  • Executive producer – Sarah Stennett, Mark Hargreaves

Charts

References

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