Do Anything (song)

"Do Anything" is the debut single of American pop group Natural Selection. The song was written by group members Elliot Erickson and Frederick Thomas, who also produced the track, and the rap was written and performed by Ingrid Chavez. American actress and singer Niki Haris provides the song's spoken lyrics. A new jack swing and funk-pop song, it is the opening track on Natural Selection's self-titled, only studio album.[3] Released as a single in 1991, "Do Anything" became a hit in the United States, where it reached the number-two position on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Worldwide, it became a top-10 hit in Australia, Canada, and New Zealand.

"Do Anything"
Single by Natural Selection
from the album Natural Selection
B-side"Do Anything" (raw mix)
Released1991 (1991)
Genre
Length3:55 (radio edit)
LabelEastWest America
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Natural Selection singles chronology
"Do Anything"
(1991)		 "Hearts Don't Think (They Feel)!"
(1991)
Audio
"Do Anything" on YouTube

Critical reception

Rolling Stone magazine featured the song on their list of "18 Awesome Prince Rip-Offs", comparing Frederick Thomas's vocals on the song to those of fellow American musician Prince.[1] Music & Media magazine also compared the song to Prince's work, calling its chorus "snappy" and its melody "asserted", while Tom Breihan of Stereogum referred to the track as "K-Mart-brand Prince".[2][4] Jeff Giles of pop culture website Popdose wrote that the song is "deeply, deeply silly," commenting on its "horrible" lyrics, "dated" production, and "painfully bad" rap, but he noted that the song is difficult to hate overall. He went on to say that if Natural Selection had released this song and nothing else, its popularity would have persisted more, and he also predicted that if American rock band Fall Out Boy covered the song, it would become a summer hit.[5] AllMusic reviewer Alex Henderson called the track "likeable" and appreciated that it was original compared to other urban contemporary songs released during the early 1990s.[3]

Chart performance

"Do Anything" debuted on the US Billboard Hot 100 at number 58, becoming the Hot Shot Debut of August 10, 1991.[6] Ten issues later, the song reached its peak of number two.[7] It spent its final week on the Hot 100 at number 27 on December 28, 1991, spending a total of 21 weeks on the listing.[8] It was the United States' 32nd-most-successful single of 1991.[9] On Canada's RPM 100 Hit Tracks chart, after debuting at number 92 on October 5, 1991,[10] the song rose up the listing until reaching number 24 on November 23.[11] It also peaked at number six on the country's The Record singles chart.[12] "Do Anything" was not as successful in Europe, reaching number 48 on the Dutch Single Top 100 and number 69 on the UK Singles Chart,[13][14] but in Sweden, it debuted and peaked at number 21 in November 1991.[15] The single became a top-10 hit in both Australia and New Zealand, reaching number 10 in the former nation and number nine in the latter.[16][17]

Track listings

US 12-inch single[18]

A1. "Do Anything" (Justin Strauss remix) – 6:00
A2. "Do Anything" (Just Dubbin dub) – 4:30
B1. "Do Anything" (Just Right mix) – 4:35
B2. "Do Anything" (Just Right dub) – 4:50
B3. "Do Anything" (radio edit) – 3:55

US cassette single and European 7-inch single[19][20]

  1. "Do Anything" (single mix) – 3:55
  2. "Do Anything" (raw mix) – 4:11

UK and European 12-inch single[21]

A1. "Do Anything" (Justin Strauss remix) – 6:00
A2. "Do Anything" (Just Dubbin dub) – 4:30
B1. "Do Anything" (Just Right mix) – 4:35
B2. "Do Anything" (Just Right dub) – 4:50

Personnel

Personnel are taken from the US cassette single liner notes and cassette notes.[19]

  • Elliot Erickson – keyboards, drum programming, writer, producer, mixer, engineer
  • Frederick Thomas – lead and background vocals, writer, producer
  • Niki Haris – spoken vocals
  • Ingrid Chavez – rap writer[1]
  • Brian Malouf – additional production and mixing

Charts

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[23] Gold 35,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References
  1. Leight, Elias; Johnston, Maura (April 21, 2020). "18 Awesome Prince Rip-Offs". Rolling Stone. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
  2. "New Releases – Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 8, no. 46. November 16, 1991. p. 24. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
  3. "Natural Selection – Natural Selection". AllMusic. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
  4. Breihan, Tom (December 22, 2021). "The Number Ones: Prince & The New Power Generation's 'Cream'". Stereogum. Retrieved December 23, 2021.
  5. Giles, Jeff (February 5, 2007). "The Cassingle Vault: Natural Selection, "Do Anything"". Popdose. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
  6. "The Hot 100 Week of August 10, 1991". Billboard. Retrieved January 15, 2021.
  7. "The Hot 100 Week of October 19, 1991". Billboard. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
  8. "The Hot 100 Week of December 28, 1991". Billboard. Retrieved January 15, 2021.
  9. "Billboard Top 100 – 1991". Billboardtop100of.com. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
  10. "RPM 100 Hit Tracks – October 5, 1991". RPM. Retrieved January 15, 2021 – via Library and Archives Canada.
  11. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 1684." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
  12. "Hits of the World: Canada". Billboard. Vol. 103, no. 48. November 30, 1991. p. 39.
  13. "Natural Selection – Do Anything" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
  14. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
  15. "Natural Selection – Do Anything". Singles Top 100. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
  16. "Natural Selection – Do Anything". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
  17. "Natural Selection – Do Anything". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
  18. Do Anything (US 12-inch single vinyl disc). Natural Selection. EastWest America. 1991. 0-96282.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  19. Do Anything (US cassette single sleeve). Natural Selection. EastWest America. 1991. 7 4-98724.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  20. Do Anything (European 7-inch single sleeve). Natural Selection. EastWest America. 1991. A 8724, 7567-98724-7 LA.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  21. Do Anything (UK & European 12-inch single vinyl disc). Natural Selection. EastWest America. 1991. A8724T, 7567-85950-0.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  22. "Tipparade-lijst van week 3, 1992" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved March 16, 2023.
  23. Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 199.
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