"Autumn Leaves" is a song by American singer

Chris Brown Christopher Maurice Brown (born May 5, 1989) is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and actor. According to '' Billboard'', Brown is one of the most successful R&B singers of his generation, having often been referred to by many contempo ...

, featuring American rapper Kendrick Lamar, taken from his sixth studio album '' X'' (2014). It was written by Brown and Lamar, while its production was handled by B.A.M. and RoccStar. Musically, "Autumn Leaves" is a

soul In many religious and philosophical traditions, there is a belief that a soul is "the immaterial aspect or essence of a human being". Etymology The Modern English noun ''soul'' is derived from Old English ''sāwol, sāwel''. The earliest attes ...

track that features

alternative hip hop Alternative hip hop (also known as alternative rap) is a subgenre of hip hop music that encompasses a wide range of styles that are not typically identified as mainstream. AllMusic defines it as comprising " hip hop groups that refuse to confor ...

parts. The song contains lyrics about a lover’s departure and

internal conflict An internal conflict is the struggle occurring within a character's mind. Things such as the character views for, but can't quite reach. As opposed to external conflict, in which a character is grappling some force of themself, such as wars or a c ...

, while Lamar's verse coaches Brown through his emotional challenges. "Autumn Leaves" received critical praise from music critics, which praised the artists' performances and its lyrical content. "Autumn Leaves" earned

Gold Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au (from la, aurum) and atomic number 79. This makes it one of the higher atomic number elements that occur naturally. It is a bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile met ...

certification by the

Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...

(RIAA).

Background

The track was revealed by Brown on March 26, 2013, during an interview for ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...

''. The singer told ''Rolling Stone'' that the evocative guitar spirals and passionate vocals driving “Autumn Leaves” turned it into “a real emo record”. Brown also spoke about Lamar's appearance on the track: “I picked Kendrick because his subject matter as a lyricist is beyond everybody else’s.” Brown told ''Billboard'' in 2013 that the song was "a potential second single" from ''X'', following its lead single " Fine China"; however the track ended up not being released as a single.

Composition and lyrics

"Autumn Leaves" is a "quiet" soul

ballad A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads derive from the medieval French ''chanson balladée'' or ''ballade'', which were originally "dance songs". Ballads were particularly characteristic of the popular poetry and ...

, that features an "aggressive, emotional" rap verse by Kendrick Lamar. Its production was described as "guitar-driven" and "

Asian Asian may refer to: * Items from or related to the continent of Asia: ** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia ** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia ** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...

-inspired". The "reflective" lyrical content of the track features Brown comparing a lover’s departure with summer’s, in time for fall: “It seems that all the autumn leaves are falling/ I feel like you’re the only reason for it”, while Lamar raps on Brown’s behalf, mood-swinging from thoughtful to vicious: “And they won’t let me live/ Even when it’s remorse that I give/ When are they gon’ rejoice and forgive/ Tell me how oI stay positive?”.

Reception

"Autumn Leaves" received critical acclaim from music critics. '' Complex'' called the track "solemn", writing that "Brown examines a fleeting love with splendid gloominess". ''

The A.V. Club ''The A.V. Club'' is an American online newspaper and entertainment website featuring reviews, interviews, and other articles that examine films, music, television, books, games, and other elements of pop-culture media. ''The A.V. Club'' was cre ...

'' wrote that the song is an example of ''X'' "

iving Iving may refer to: *Intravenous therapy Intravenous therapy (abbreviated as IV therapy) is a medical technique that administers fluids, medications and nutrients directly into a person's vein. The intravenous route of administration is commonly ...

itself over to deeper emotions in its second half". Miranda J. of '' XXL'' gave a positive review saying that "the chemistry between the two on the track is undeniable", calling Lamar's part "the best rap verse on the album". Brad Wete of ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...

'' found "Autumn Leaves" to be part of Brown's vulnerable side of his discography. ''

Slant Magazine ''Slant Magazine'' is an American online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New York ...

s Alexa Camp described its lyrical content as "soul-baring".

Music video

The music video for the song was released on January 22, 2015, and was directed by Colin Tilley. The video is "

samurai were the hereditary military nobility and officer caste of medieval and early-modern Japan from the late 12th century until their abolition in 1876. They were the well-paid retainers of the '' daimyo'' (the great feudal landholders). They h ...

-themed", and was filmed in a lush rainforest in

Hawaii Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only stat ...

, showcasing cherry blossoms and

Buddha Siddhartha Gautama, most commonly referred to as the Buddha, was a śramaṇa, wandering ascetic and religious teacher who lived in South Asia during the 6th or 5th century BCE and founded Buddhism. According to Buddhist tradition, he was ...

statues. In the video Brown appears dressed as a samurai, crossing paths with his beloved, played by the singer's ex-girlfriend, Karrueche Tran. Kendrick Lamar does not appear in the video.

Charts

Certifications

References

{{Kendrick Lamar songs 2014 songs Songs written by Chris Brown Songs written by Kendrick Lamar Chris Brown songs