Skinny Genes

"Skinny Genes" is a song performed by British recording artist Eliza Doolittle. The song serves as her debut single and first single from her debut album, Eliza Doolittle. The track was co-written by Doolittle in collaboration with Tim Woodcock and the song's producer Matthew Prime. "Skinny Genes" was one of three tracks where Doolittle had worked with Prime and Woodcock for her debut album. The single was officially released on 11 April 2010 by Parlophone Records on digital download-only format, accompanied by a b-side entitled "Police Car" (written by Doolittle and Craigie Dodds[1]). The track is inspired by love-hate relationships and contains prominent indie pop musical characteristics. Lyrically, "Skinny Genes" refers from a feminist point of view to how one can dislike all the personality traits of a partner but still enjoy the sexual chemistry one shares with them.

"Skinny Genes"
A portrait in yellow colour centering a scientific, genetic-related diagram in purple colour. The top left corner of the portrait in black coloured, capital font is the name 'Eliza Doolittle' and in the bottom righthand corner of the portrait in the exact same font is the title 'Skinny Genes'.
Single by Eliza Doolittle
from the album Eliza Doolittle
B-side"Police Car"
Released11 April 2010
Genre
Length3:03
LabelParlophone
Songwriter(s)
  • Eliza Caird
  • Matthew Prime
  • Tim Woodcock[1]
Producer(s)Matthew Prime
Eliza Doolittle singles chronology
"Piano Song"
(2008)		 "Skinny Genes"
(2010)		 "Pack Up"
(2010)
"Rollerblades"
(2010)
""Skinny Genes"
(re-release)"
(2010)
"Mr Medicine"
(2011)
Music video
"Skinny Genes" on YouTube

"Skinny Genes" garnered a positive response from contemporary music critics. The song also achieved mainstream success; debuting and peaking at number twenty-two on the UK Singles Chart. The song was accompanied by a 70s and 80s-styled music video directed by Daniel Eskills and released on 25 December 2009. Doolittle performed the single live at London Fashion Week and on the British television stations GMTV and STV. "Skinny Genes" featured in an advert for Very featuring Fearne Cotton and Holly Willoughby.

"Skinny Genes" was later re-released on 27 December 2010. A new video was made from the re-release. The track went on to make BBC Radio 1's A-Playlist in the UK in late 2010.[2]

"Skinny Genes" is written in the key of E major and follows the chord progression E major, F# minor, and B major.

Background

"Skinny Genes" was the first single from Eliza Doolittle, Doolittle's debut album.[3] Before its official release, "Rollerblades" was originally speculated to be Doolittle's debut single.[4] "Skinny Genes" was later confirmed as her official debut single and was originally planned for release on 29 March 2010.[5] It was then pushed back for release on 5 April.[3] The single was finally pushed back another week and officially released on 11 April 2010 on digital download format only.[6] A planned CD single release for "Skinny Genes" on 12 April 2010 failed to surface.[7][8]

"Skinny Genes" was mischievously inspired lyrically by an irritating but sexy boy.[9] Doolittle described the song as having very light and happy but thoughtful lyrics, saying: "I think about what I want to say, when I write songs."[9] Leonie Cooper of The Guardian described the song as having "tell-it-like-it-is-lyrics".[5] Doolittle explained "Skinny Genes" to BBC Radio's Steve Lamacq:

The single is something I made up in my head. I just thought it would be quite a funny scenario where you didn't like someone, if they were really annoying, but you had a good time under the sheets.[10]

Track listing
  • Re-release digital download #1
  1. "Skinny Genes" – 3:05
  • Re-release digital download #2
  1. "Skinny Genes" – 3:05
  2. "Skinny Genes" (music video) (second version) - 3:03

Charts
Chart (2010) Peak
position
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[12] 42
Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Wallonia)[13] 31
German Singles Chart[14] 42
Ireland (IRMA)[15] 42
Israel (Media Forest)[16] 9
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[17] 90
Poland (Polish Airplay Top 100)[18] 4
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[19] 48
UK Singles (OCC)[20] 22

Release history
Region Date Format Label
United Kingdom 11 April 2010[6] Digital download Parlophone Records
Germany [21] EMI Music
Poland 19 June 2010[22] Airplay
Germany [23] 26 November 2010 Digital download Parlophone Records
The Netherlands 1 December 2010[6] Universal
United Kingdom 27 December 2010
22 December 2010		 Digital download #1
Digital download #2		 EMI

References
  1. Eliza Doolittle liner notes Parlophone Records (2010)
  2. "BBC - Radio 1 Playlist". Bbc.co.uk.
  3. "Watch Eliza Doolittle Skinny Genes Official Video Song on Very.co.uk Advert". PopSugar. 12 March 2010. Archived from the original on 15 May 2010. Retrieved 6 July 2010.
  4. Lester, Paul (14 December 2009). "New band of the day - No 689: Eliza Doolittle". The Guardian. Retrieved 6 July 2010.
  5. Cooper, Leonie (27 March 2010). "Singles out this week". The Guardian. Retrieved 6 July 2010.
  6. "Skinny Genes - EP by Eliza Doolittle". iTunes. 9 April 2010. Retrieved 6 July 2010.
  7. "Eliza Doolittle Chats To I Like Music". ILikeMusic. Retrieved 6 July 2010.
  8. "HMV Homepage". HMV. Archived from the original on 24 December 2009. Retrieved 6 July 2010. Note: Use search function for non-existent "Skinny Genes" CD
  9. "Eliza Doolittle performs new single Skinny Genes". STV. 9 May 2010. Retrieved 6 July 2010.
  10. "Skinny Genes by Eliza Doolittle". Songfacts. Retrieved 6 July 2010.
  11. "Eliza Doolittle - Skinny Genes Remixes". Discogs. Retrieved 6 July 2010.
  12. "Eliza Doolittle – Skinny Genes" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  13. "Eliza Doolittle – Skinny Genes" (in French). Ultratip.
  14. "Offizielle Single Top 100 - Musik Charts | MTV Germany". MTV Germany. Archived from the original on 6 January 2009. Retrieved 28 September 2010.
  15. "Chart Track: Week 27, 2010". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 2010-08-05.
  16. "Media Forest Week 34, 2010". Israeli Airplay Chart. Media Forest.
  17. "Eliza Doolittle – Skinny Genes" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  18. "Listy bestsellerów, wyróżnienia :: Związek Producentów Audio-Video". Polish Airplay Top 100. Retrieved 2012-06-09.
  19. "Eliza Doolittle – Skinny Genes". Swiss Singles Chart.
  20. "Eliza Doolittle: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.
  22. "Listy bestsellerów, wyróżnienia :: Związek Producentów Audio-Video". zpav.pl (in Polish). Nielsen Business Media. 26 June 2010. Archived from the original on 2 October 2011. Retrieved 6 July 2010.
  23. "Skinny Genes". Amazon Germany.
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