Do Something (Macy Gray song)

"Do Something" is a song by American singer Macy Gray from her debut studio album, On How Life Is (1999). It was released on June 21, 1999, as the album's lead single.

"Do Something"
Single by Macy Gray
from the album On How Life Is
B-side"Rather Hazy"
ReleasedJune 21, 1999 (1999-06-21)
Length4:59
LabelEpic
Composer(s)
Lyricist(s)Macy Gray
Producer(s)Andrew Slater
Macy Gray singles chronology
"Do Something"
(1999)		 "I Try"
(1999)
Music video
"Do Something" on YouTube

Composition

The song samples OutKast's 1994 song "Git Up, Git Out" and Nice & Smooth's 1989 song "Funky for You".[1]

Release

"Do Something" was released as two CD singles and a cassette single in the United Kingdom on June 21, 1999.[2] One CD single contains remixes of "Do Something", including collaborators such as Cee-Lo of Goodie Mob along with a non-album track, "Rather Hazy". "Do Something" peaked at number 51 on the UK Singles Chart, her lowest-charting single on the chart to date.[3] In the United States, the song failed to enter the Billboard Hot 100 but peaked at number 43 on the Hot Dance Singles Sales chart and number 63 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.[4][5]

Music video

The music video for "Do Something" was directed by Mark Romanek,[6] who had previously directed music videos for Fiona Apple and Michael Jackson.[7] Released in 1999, the video depicts Gray in an all-white home, and surreal footage of people in the wilderness.[8]

Accolades

Gray was nominated at the 42nd Grammy Awards for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance. The music video was nominated for two awards at the 2000 MTV Video Music Awards. Nigel Phelps was nominated for Best Art Direction in a Video, losing to the Red Hot Chili Peppers' "Californication". It won the award for Best Cinematography in a Video.[9]

Track listing
  • UK CD single
  1. "Do Something" (Radio Edit) – 4:10
  2. "Rather Hazy" – 3:10
  3. "Do Something" (Organized Noize Mix featuring Cee-Lo) – 3:53

Charts
Chart (1999–2000) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[10] 103
Europe (European Radio Top 50)[11] 32
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[12] 35
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[13] 75
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[14] 32
Scotland (OCC)[15] 68
UK Singles (OCC)[3] 51
UK Hip Hop/R&B (OCC)[16] 9
US Dance Singles Sales (Billboard)[4] 43
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[5] 63

Release history
Region Version Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref(s).
United States "Do Something" January 1999 Promotional 12-inch vinyl Epic [17]
United Kingdom June 21, 1999
  • CD
  • cassette
 [2]
United States June 28, 1999 Urban radio [17][18]
June 29, 1999 Rhythmic contemporary radio [19]
Japan "I Try" / "Do Something" July 23, 1999 CD [20]

Media usage

"Do Something" was used in an MTV Europe commercial advertising summer festivals throughout Europe in 1999. The song was also used in the 1999 film Music of the Heart, and in an episode of music game show Idol.[21]

References
  1. "On How Life Is" album booklet
  2. "New Releases – For Week Starting 21 June, 1999: Singles". Music Week. June 19, 1999. p. 27.
  3. "Macy Gray: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 6, 2020.
  4. "Macy Gray Chart History (Dance Singles Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved December 6, 2020.
  5. "Macy Gray Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved December 6, 2020.
  6. "Do Something (1999) by Macy Gray". IMVDb. Retrieved March 7, 2017.
  7. "Mark Romanek overview". IMVDb. Retrieved March 7, 2017.
  8. "Official Music Video". YouTube. Epic Records. Retrieved December 6, 2020.
  9. 2000 MTV Video Music Awards Award Ceremony
  10. "Chartifacts!" (PDF). The ARIA Report (572): 1. February 12, 2001. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 22, 2008. Retrieved December 6, 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
  11. "European Radio Top 50" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 16, no. 28. July 10, 1999. p. 20. OCLC 29800226 – via World Radio History.
  12. "Nederlandse Top 40 – Macy Gray" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved December 6, 2020.
  13. "Macy Gray – Do Something" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved December 6, 2020.
  14. "Macy Gray – Do Something". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved August 30, 2019.
  15. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 6, 2022.
  16. "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 6, 2020.
  17. Flick, Larry (July 3, 1999). "Macy Gray's 'Life' Is Set to Debut". Billboard. Vol. 111, no. 27. pp. 14, 19.
  18. "AddVance Notice". Radio & Records. No. 1305. June 25, 1999. p. 63.
  19. "CHR/Rhythmic: Going for Adds". Radio & Records. No. 1305. June 25, 1999. p. 54.
  20. "メイシー・グレイ" [Macy Gray]. Sony Music Entertainment Japan. Archived from the original on February 12, 2007. Retrieved August 26, 2023.
  21. "Macy Gray". IMDb. Retrieved March 7, 2017.
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