Cater 2 U on:  
[Wikipedia]  
[Google]  
[Amazon]
"Cater 2 U" is a song recorded by American group
Destiny's Child
Destiny's Child was an American girl group whose final line-up comprised Beyoncé Knowles, Kelly Rowland, and Michelle Williams. The group began their musical career as Girl's Tyme, formed in 1990 in Houston, Texas. After years of limited ...
for their fifth and final studio album ''
Destiny Fulfilled
''Destiny Fulfilled'' is the fifth and final studio album by American R&B trio Destiny's Child. It was released on November 16, 2004, by Columbia Records and Sony Urban Music. A comeback release, it marked the return of Destiny's Child after th ...
'' (2004). The song was written by group members
Beyoncé
Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter ( ; born September 4, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Beyoncé's boundary-pushing artistry and vocals have made her the most influential female musician of the 21st century, according to ...
,
Kelly Rowland
Kelendria Trene Rowland (born February 11, 1981) is an American singer, actress, and television personality. She rose to fame in the late 1990s as a member of Destiny's Child, one of the world's List of best-selling girl groups, best-selling girl ...
and
Michelle Williams along with
Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins
Rodney Roy Jerkins (born July 29, 1977), also known by his stage name Darkchild, is an American record producer, rapper, and songwriter. He has collaborated with a broad range of popular artists.
Jerkins has won multiple Grammy Awards. Among hi ...
,
Ricky "Ric Rude" Lewis and
Robert Waller, with Beyoncé, Rude and Jerkins handling its production. An
R&B 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 ...
talking about a woman's desire to cater to the male
love interest
''Gli Innamorati'' (, meaning "The Lovers") were stock characters within the theatre style known as commedia dell'arte, who appeared in 16th century Italy. In the plays, everything revolved around the Lovers in some regard. These dramatic and pos ...
of her life, "Cater 2 U" contains synthesizers in its instrumentation. A lawsuit filled by singer-songwriter Rickey Allen in 2006 claimed the group only recorded a cover of the song, which was originally his; however, the case was settled in 2009.
"Cater 2 U" was released as the fourth and final single from ''Destiny Fulfilled'' on June 7, 2005, by
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music, Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the North American division of Japanese Conglomerate (company), conglomerate Sony. It was founded on Janua ...
and
Sony Urban Music
Sony Urban Music was a division of Sony BMG, active from 2004 to 2006, The division handled R&B, soul, and hip hop releases by artists nominally signed to Sony's Columbia and Epic labels. During its existence, Sony Urban managed releases by ar ...
. It received mixed reviews from
music critics
Music journalism (or music criticism) is media criticism and reporting about music topics, including popular music, classical music, and traditional music. Journalists began writing about music in the eighteenth century, providing commentary on w ...
who, despite generally praising its composition and the group members' vocal performances, criticized the lyrical content. The song was nominated in two categories at the
48th Annual Grammy Awards
The 48th Annual Grammy Awards took place on February 8, 2006, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California honoring the best in music for the recording year beginning from October 1, 2004 through September 30, 2005. Irish rock band U2 were ...
(2006) and received an award for
Best R&B/Soul Single, Group, Band or Duo at the
2006 Soul Train Music Awards
The 2006 Soul Train Music Awards were held on March 18, 2006 at the Pasadena Conference Center in Pasadena, California and was hosted by Vivica Fox and Tyrese. The show marked the 20th Anniversary of the Soul Train Music Awards.
Special awards Q ...
. Commercially, it peaked at number 14 on the US
''Billboard'' Hot 100, being certified
platinum
Platinum is a chemical element with the symbol Pt and atomic number 78. It is a dense, malleable, ductile, highly unreactive, precious, silverish-white transition metal. Its name originates from Spanish , a diminutive of "silver".
Platinu ...
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).
The accompanying
music video
A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotion (marketing), promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a m ...
for the song was directed by
Jake Nava
Jake Nava is a British director, mostly known for his work in music videos for Beyoncé, Arctic Monkeys, Adele, Britney Spears and The Rolling Stones. He also directs TV commercials, notably for Guinness and Levi Strauss & Co.
Early life and ed ...
and filmed at the
Red Rock Canyon State Park in California. It features the trio at a desert, with each member singing at a separate set and later a choreographed dance during the
chorus
Chorus may refer to:
Music
* Chorus (song) or refrain, line or lines that are repeated in music or in verse
* Chorus effect, the perception of similar sounds from multiple sources as a single, richer sound
* Chorus form, song in which all verse ...
. To further promote "Cater 2 U", Destiny's Child performed the song during several televised appearances and at the
2005 BET Awards. In addition, "Cater 2 U" was added to the
set list
A set list, or setlist, is typically a handwritten or printed document created as an ordered list of songs, jokes, stories and other elements an artist intends to present during a specific performance.
A setlist can be made of nearly any materi ...
of Destiny's Child's final tour
Destiny Fulfilled... and Lovin' It (2005). Both Beyoncé and Rowland performed the song during their solo tours after Destiny's Child's disbandment. A cover version of "Cater 2 U" was performed by
Usher and
Babyface Babyface or Baby Face can refer to:
Nicknames
* Lester Joseph Gillis a.k.a. Baby Face Nelson, an infamous 1930s bank robber
* Roosevelt "Baby Face" Willette (1933–1971), an American hard bop and soul-jazz musician
* "Baby Face", Jimmy McLarnin ...
at the
2005 World Music Awards as a tribute to the group, due to their disbandment.
Writing and production
"Cater 2 U" was written by Destiny's Child members
Beyoncé
Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter ( ; born September 4, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Beyoncé's boundary-pushing artistry and vocals have made her the most influential female musician of the 21st century, according to ...
,
Kelly Rowland
Kelendria Trene Rowland (born February 11, 1981) is an American singer, actress, and television personality. She rose to fame in the late 1990s as a member of Destiny's Child, one of the world's List of best-selling girl groups, best-selling girl ...
and
Michelle Williams, along with
Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins
Rodney Roy Jerkins (born July 29, 1977), also known by his stage name Darkchild, is an American record producer, rapper, and songwriter. He has collaborated with a broad range of popular artists.
Jerkins has won multiple Grammy Awards. Among hi ...
,
Ricky "Ric Rude" Lewis and
Robert Waller. The production was handled by Beyoncé, Rude and Jerkins, with the group members also serving as the
vocal producers. The song was recorded in 2004 at
Sony Music Studios
Sony Music Studios was an American music recording and mastering facility in New York City. The five-story building was a music and broadcasting complex located at 460 W. 54th Street, at 10th Avenue, in the Hell's Kitchen section of Manhattan. I ...
in New York City with guidance from Jeff Villanueva and Jim Caruna. The
audio mixing
Audio mixing is the process by which multiple sounds are combined into one or more channels. In the process, a source's volume level, frequency content, dynamics, and panoramic position are manipulated or enhanced. This practical, aesthetic, ...
was done by Tony Maserati while the
mastering was finished by Tom Coyne.
Music and lyrics
"Cater 2 U" is a four-minute long
R&B 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 ...
.
According to the sheet music published on the website Musicnotes.com by
Sony/ATV Music Publishing
Sony Music Publishing (formerly Sony/ATV Music Publishing) is the largest music publisher in the world, with over five million songs owned or administered as of end March 2021. US-based, it is part of the Sony Music Group, which is itself owned ...
, "Cater 2 U" was composed using
common time
The time signature (also known as meter signature, metre signature, or measure signature) is a notational convention used in Western musical notation to specify how many beats (pulses) are contained in each measure (bar), and which note value ...
in the key of
D major
D major (or the key of D) is a major scale based on D, consisting of the pitches D, E, F, G, A, B, and C. Its key signature has two sharps. Its relative minor is B minor and its parallel minor is D minor.
The D major scale is:
:
Ch ...
with a slow
tempo
In musical terminology, tempo (Italian, 'time'; plural ''tempos'', or ''tempi'' from the Italian plural) is the speed or pace of a given piece. In classical music, tempo is typically indicated with an instruction at the start of a piece (often ...
of 63
beats per minute
Beat, beats or beating may refer to:
Common uses
* Patrol, or beat, a group of personnel assigned to monitor a specific area
** Beat (police), the territory that a police officer patrols
** Gay beat, an area frequented by gay men
* Battery ( ...
. The vocal elements span from
A3 to
B4. Instrumentally it consists of silky synthesizers "slink
ngand slurp
ng throughout, creating a seductive feel as stated by Dimitri Ehlrich of ''
Vibe
''Vibe'' is an American music and entertainment magazine founded by producers David Salzman and Quincy Jones. The publication predominantly features R&B and hip hop music artists, actors and other entertainers. After shutting down productio ...
'' and writers 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 ...
'' magazine.
As the song progresses, it builds to a symphonic
crescendo
In music, the dynamics of a piece is the variation in loudness between notes or phrases. Dynamics are indicated by specific musical notation, often in some detail. However, dynamics markings still require interpretation by the performer dependi ...
.
Lyrically, "Cater 2 U" talks about females wanting to submissively serve their male
love interest
''Gli Innamorati'' (, meaning "The Lovers") were stock characters within the theatre style known as commedia dell'arte, who appeared in 16th century Italy. In the plays, everything revolved around the Lovers in some regard. These dramatic and pos ...
s and take care of them as they admire their hard work and are inspired by them.
The trio further sings about the men of their lives and the way in which they will take care of them.
"Cater 2 U" was written as a continuation on the previous song on ''Destiny Fulfilled'', "
Soldier
A soldier is a person who is a member of an army. A soldier can be a conscripted or volunteer enlisted person, a non-commissioned officer, or an officer.
Etymology
The word ''soldier'' derives from the Middle English word , from Old French ...
"; after the trio sings about finding a suitable lover in the aforementioned song, they express a will to cater to him in "Cater 2 U".
In the second edition of the book ''Introducing Cultural Studies'', the authors argued that the song contained lyrics about
objectification of women
Sexual objectification is the act of treating a person solely as an Object (philosophy), object of sexual desire. Objectification more broadly means treating a person as a commodity or an object without regard to their personality or dignity. Ob ...
, which suggested that their
gender role
A gender role, also known as a sex role, is a social role encompassing a range of behaviors and attitudes that are generally considered acceptable, appropriate, or desirable for a person based on that person's sex. Gender roles are usually cent ...
was to "'keep herself up', 'keep it right', 'cater to' their man by providing him with his dinner, a foot rub, a manicure, fetching his slippers, and much more, on demand". An editor writing in ''
The Times of India
''The Times of India'', also known by its abbreviation ''TOI'', is an Indian English-language daily newspaper and digital news media owned and managed by The Times Group. It is the third-largest newspaper in India by circulation and largest ...
'' found a theme of
feminine assertiveness in "Cater 2 U"; he noted that "the women come off not so much as lovers as full-service romantic servants".
J. Freedom du Lac, a staff writer of ''
The Washington Post
''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large nati ...
'' wrote that the song's theme was supplication.
Beyoncé opens the song listing the things she would do for her man during her
verses: brush his hair, take his shoes off, give him a manicure, rub his feet, help him put his do-rag on, undo his cufflinks.
She also sings the lines "Let me feed you, let me run your bath water, whatever you desire" after the things she had previously listed.
Rowland was noted for nearly
rapping
Rapping (also rhyming, spitting, emceeing or MCing) is a musical form of vocal delivery that incorporates "rhyme, rhythmic speech, and street vernacular". It is performed or chanted, usually over a backing beat or musical accompaniment. The ...
her solo part during which she promises to "keep my figure right," "keep my hair fixed" and acknowledges that if her man comes later home while she's asleep, "all he's gotta do is tap her on the shoulder and 'I'll roll over.'"
Williams sings her solo verses during the song's
bridge
A bridge is a structure built to span a physical obstacle (such as a body of water, valley, road, or rail) without blocking the way underneath. It is constructed for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle, which is usually somethi ...
.
During an interview with
MTV News
MTV News is the news production division of MTV. The service is available in the US with localized versions on MTV's global network. In February 2016, MTV Networks confirmed it would refresh the MTV News brand in 2016, to compete with the likes ...
, Beyoncé spoke about the meaning of the song: "It basically talks about how a guy inspires you... You want to make him happy and you want to cater to him. I know it's going to be surprising to a lot of people that the independent survivors are being submissive to their man, but it's important that people know that, you know, it's fine if your man deserves it and gives that back to you."
Release
"Cater 2 U" was released as the fourth and final single from ''Destiny Fulfilled'' by
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music, Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the North American division of Japanese Conglomerate (company), conglomerate Sony. It was founded on Janua ...
and
Sony Urban Music
Sony Urban Music was a division of Sony BMG, active from 2004 to 2006, The division handled R&B, soul, and hip hop releases by artists nominally signed to Sony's Columbia and Epic labels. During its existence, Sony Urban managed releases by ar ...
.
It was added to
contemporary hit radio
Contemporary hit radio (also known as CHR, contemporary hits, hit list, current hits, hit music, top 40, or pop radio) is a radio format that is common in many countries that focuses on playing current and recurrent popular music as determined by ...
in the United States on June 7, 2005,
and was released in the country as an
extended play
An extended play record, usually referred to as an EP, is a musical recording that contains more tracks than a single but fewer than an album or LP record. (EP) consisting of the original version of the song along with four remixes on June 14, 2005.
On July 19, another EP was released, containing the original version and six remixes.
An EP was also released in Italy on July 25.
"Cater 2 U" was later included Destiny's Child's compilation albums ''
#1's'' (2005) and ''
Love Songs
A love song is a song about romantic love, falling in love, heartbreak after a breakup, and the feelings that these experiences bring. A comprehensive list of even the best known performers and composers of love songs would be a large order. ...
'' (2013).
Critical reception
![Beyonce concert Barcelona 2](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7b/Beyonce_concert_Barcelona_2.jpg)
Tom Sinclair of ''
Entertainment Weekly
''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cul ...
'' noted the song was one of ''Destiny Fulfilled''s "nice bits here and there", adding, "the pillow-talky pandering of 'Cater 2 U' ... is hard to resist."
AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...
's writer
Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Stephen Thomas Erlewine (; born June 18, 1973) is an American music critic and senior editor for the online music database AllMusic. He is the author of many artist biographies and record reviews for AllMusic, as well as a freelance writer, occ ...
included "Cater 2 U" as one of the highlights on the album. ''
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 ...
'' writer Eric Henderson opined: "But just about the only element of the whole album that really sticks is the
Laura Bush
Laura Lane Welch Bush (''née'' Welch; born November 4, 1946) is an American teacher, librarian, memoirist and author who was First Lady of the United States from 2001 to 2009. Bush previously served as First Lady of Texas from 1995 to 2000. ...
-worthy domestic complacency of 'Cater 2 U,' in which the trio espouses their joy in total submission." Dimitri Ehrlich from ''
Vibe
''Vibe'' is an American music and entertainment magazine founded by producers David Salzman and Quincy Jones. The publication predominantly features R&B and hip hop music artists, actors and other entertainers. After shutting down productio ...
'' found that "the sexy trio is far more believable on the seductive R&B ballad 'Cater 2 U,' in which they set the
feminist movement
The feminist movement (also known as the women's movement, or feminism) refers to a series of social movements and political campaigns for Radical politics, radical and Liberalism, liberal reforms on women's issues created by the inequality b ...
back more than a century over the course of four minutes".
Andy Battaglia writing for ''
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 ...
'' felt that the song and "Soldier" "make sassy end-runs around notions of womanly subservience, but their best musical moments hide in tiny melismatic twirls instead of hooks". ''
The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
''s Caroline Sullivan wrote that "Cater 2 U" was one of the songs that showcased "the girliness in the trio, musically and lyrically".
In a review of ''
Love Songs
A love song is a song about romantic love, falling in love, heartbreak after a breakup, and the feelings that these experiences bring. A comprehensive list of even the best known performers and composers of love songs would be a large order. ...
'' (2013), Amanda Koellner from the website
Consequence of Sound
''Consequence'' (previously ''Consequence of Sound'') is an independently owned New York-based online magazine featuring news, editorials, and reviews of music, movies, and television. In addition, the website also features the Festival Outlook ...
described "Cater 2 U" as a "sleek" album opener. Thomas Inskeep of ''
Stylus Magazine
''Stylus Magazine'' was an American online music and film magazine, launched in 2002 and co-founded by Todd L. Burns. It featured long-form music journalism, four daily music reviews, movie reviews, podcasts, an MP3 blog, and a text blog.
Addi ...
'' hailed the song "sexy"
while ''
USA Today
''USA Today'' (stylized in all uppercase) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth on September 15, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headquarters in Tysons, Virgini ...
''s Elysa Gardner felt it was more "gently sensuous". Rebecca Thomas from
MTV News
MTV News is the news production division of MTV. The service is available in the US with localized versions on MTV's global network. In February 2016, MTV Networks confirmed it would refresh the MTV News brand in 2016, to compete with the likes ...
felt that the song differentiated from the trio's other material and added: "While the
Third Wave set may have side-eyed the gushy ballad, male fans eagerly welcomed
t.
The lyrics of the song were criticized with
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC
Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
's Nick Reynolds saying that although the group "reinvent
dthemselves as domestic goddesses for some lucky man", the song was neither convincing nor good.
He further opined "I thought they were supposed to be independent women?!", juxtaposing it with the group's earlier song "
Independent Women
"Independent Women Part I" is a song recorded by American group Destiny's Child for the soundtrack to the 2000 film adaptation of the television program '' Charlie's Angels''. It was written and produced by production duo Poke & Tone, consisti ...
" (2000).
Jenny Eliscu
Jenny Eliscu is a radio host for Sirius XM and a contributing editor for ''Rolling Stone'' magazine. She also had a recurring presence on the TV program ''I'm from Rolling Stone'' and has been on other music programs, including ''Behind the Music' ...
of ''
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 ...
'' echoed his statements, writing: "Jerkins should hang his head in shame for having a hand in the maudlin 'Cater 2 U,' a saccharine tune about how low Knowles, Rowland and Williams will stoop to prove their devotion to their man ... Since when did these independent women become so craven?".
Sean Fennessey of
Pitchfork Media
''Pitchfork'' (formerly ''Pitchfork Media'') is an American online music publication (currently owned by Condé Nast) that was launched in 1995 by writer Ryan Schreiber as an independent music blog.
Schreiber started Pitchfork while working ...
also stated that "their swan song of sorts ... completely defies the winking empowerment most of their greatest jams provided".
He further described the production as "milky and slight", the chorus as "limp" and the song overally as "a
Prince
A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. Th ...
mock-up of the worst kind".
Jess Harvell of the same website offered similar criticism: "
he song
He or HE may refer to:
Language
* He (pronoun), an English pronoun
* He (kana), the romanization of the Japanese kana へ
* He (letter), the fifth letter of many Semitic alphabets
* He (Cyrillic), a letter of the Cyrillic script called ''He'' ...
reneged on everything early DC stood for in a parade of kept-wifey pleas". Alex MacPherson of ''Stylus Magazine'' dismissed the sincerity of the lyrics, classifying "Cater 2 U" as a "queasy" song. Neil McCormick from ''
The Daily Telegraph
''The Daily Telegraph'', known online and elsewhere as ''The Telegraph'', is a national British daily broadsheet newspaper published in London by Telegraph Media Group and distributed across the United Kingdom and internationally.
It was fo ...
'' panned it as "cringe inducing, with lots of sensuous moaning". Barbara Ellen of ''
The Observer
''The Observer'' is a British newspaper published on Sundays. It is a sister paper to ''The Guardian'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', whose parent company Guardian Media Group Limited acquired it in 1993. First published in 1791, it is the w ...
'' wrote: "I thought this was the kind of song bands recorded by mistake then hid guiltily in the attic".
Accolades
At the
48th Annual Grammy Awards
The 48th Annual Grammy Awards took place on February 8, 2006, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California honoring the best in music for the recording year beginning from October 1, 2004 through September 30, 2005. Irish rock band U2 were ...
(2006), "Cater 2 U" was nominated in two categories,
Best R&B Song
The Grammy Award for Best R&B Song (sometimes known as the R&B Songwriter's Award) has been awarded since 1969. From 1969 to 2000, it was known as the Grammy Award for Best Rhythm and Blues Song. Beyoncé has won it a record four times, while Bab ...
and
Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals The Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal was awarded between 1970 and 2011. From 1967 to 1969 and in 1971 the award included instrumental performances. The award had several minor name changes:
*From 1967 to 1968 the ...
, ultimately losing in both. The song won an award for
Best R&B/Soul Single, Group, Band or Duo at the
2006 Soul Train Music Awards
The 2006 Soul Train Music Awards were held on March 18, 2006 at the Pasadena Conference Center in Pasadena, California and was hosted by Vivica Fox and Tyrese. The show marked the 20th Anniversary of the Soul Train Music Awards.
Special awards Q ...
. It was one of the Award Winning R&B/Hip-Hop Songs at the 2006
ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Music Awards.
In 2013, Lindsey Weber from the website
Vulture
A vulture is a bird of prey that scavenges on carrion. There are 23 extant species of vulture (including Condors). Old World vultures include 16 living species native to Europe, Africa, and Asia; New World vultures are restricted to North and ...
listed "Cater 2 U" at number seven on her list of the 25 best songs by Destiny's Child. Weber went on to describe it as "probably the least feminist song" of the band's material, but "the best song ever to lyrically use the phrase 'run your bathwater'" and hailed Williams for her contribution during the bridge.
For Beyoncé's 32nd birthday, Erika Ramirez and Jason Lipshutz 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 ...
'' included "Cater 2 U" at number 25 on the list "Beyonce's 30 Biggest Billboard Hits".
Commercial performance
In the United States, the song debuted at number 95 on the
''Billboard'' Hot 100 dated April 30, 2005. In its fifth week, it ascended to number 83 on May 28. After several weeks of ascending the chart, "Cater 2 U" peaked at number 14 for the week ending August 13.
On the
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
The Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart ranks the most popular R&B and hip hop songs in the United States and is published weekly by '' Billboard''. Rankings are based on a measure of radio airplay, sales data, and streaming activity. The chart had 100 ...
, the song entered the top ten at number six in its 19th week, on July 9. It became the group's fourth top-ten single from ''Destiny Fulfilled'' and the group's 12th top-ten song overall. On the chart issue dated July 30, "Cater 2 U" climbed from number four to number three, which became its peak, and stayed there for three additional consecutive weeks. It became the second single from ''Destiny Fulfilled'' and the group's seventh overall top-five single on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. 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) certified the single
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 ...
on December 13, for sales of 500,000 digital copies in the US, while its
mastertone
A ringtone, ring tone or ring is the sound made by a telephone to indicate an incoming call. Originally referring to and made by the electromechanical striking of bells, the term now refers to any sound on any device alerting of a new incoming ...
was certified platinum on June 14, 2006, for selling 1,000,000 copies.
In the Netherlands, "Cater 2 U" debuted and peaked at number 60 on September 17, 2005. On October 1, "Cater 2 U" debuted at number 20 on the
Ultratip
Ultratop is an organization which generates and publishes the official record charts in Belgium. Ultratop is a non-profit organization, created on the initiative of the Belgian Entertainment Association (BEA), the Belgian member organization of ...
chart in the Flanders region of Belgium and moved to its peak position at number 18 the following week, before falling off the chart. It performed better on the same chart in Wallonia, where it peaked at number eight on October 22. In Australia, the song debuted and peaked at number 15 on the
ARIA Singles Chart
The ARIA Charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling songs and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA became the offici ...
on August 21, and spent six weeks within the chart's top 50.
On the
New Zealand Singles Chart
The Official New Zealand Music Chart ( mi, Te Papa Tātai Waiata Matua o Aotearoa) is the weekly New Zealand top 40 singles and albums charts, issued weekly by Recorded Music NZ (formerly Recording Industry Association of New Zealand). The Music ...
, "Cater 2 U" debuted at number seven on August 29. It fell to number nine the following week and started gradually descending the chart, last appearing on October 10 at number 40 after seven weeks of charting.
Music video
The accompanying
music video
A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotion (marketing), promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a m ...
for "Cater 2 U" was directed by
Jake Nava
Jake Nava is a British director, mostly known for his work in music videos for Beyoncé, Arctic Monkeys, Adele, Britney Spears and The Rolling Stones. He also directs TV commercials, notably for Guinness and Levi Strauss & Co.
Early life and ed ...
.
It was filmed back-to-back with the video for "
Girl
A girl is a young female human, usually a child or an adolescent. When a girl becomes an adult, she is accurately described as a ''woman''. However, the term ''girl'' is also used for other meanings, including ''young woman'',Dictionary ...
" and large parts were filmed at
Red Rock Canyon State Park in California. On July 5, 2005, the music video was released via MTV's official website. It was also included on the
DualDisc
The DualDisc is a type of double-sided optical disc product developed by a group of record companies including MJJ Productions Inc., EMI Music, Universal Music Group, Sony BMG Music Entertainment, Warner Music Group, and 5.1 Entertainment Group an ...
edition of ''
#1's'' (2005) and the Japanese edition of the DVD ''
Live in Atlanta
''Live in Atlanta'' features Destiny's Child performing live in Atlanta, Georgia at Philips Arena on July 15, 2005 during their Destiny Fulfilled ... And Lovin' It which sponsored by McDonald's, it is also known as the last tour of Destiny's Ch ...
'' (2006). In 2013, it was included on the album ''
Destiny's Child Video Anthology'', which contained every music video the group had filmed during their career; an image taken from the video of "Cater 2 U" was used as the cover artwork for the DVD.
The video opens with a fast instance of a sun rising in the sky and moves to the girls standing nude together. Each singer is featured in her own desert scene, performing individually during her respective verse; Beyoncé is seen on a diving board next to a swimming pool, Rowland on a deserted road where she dances next to a silver car from which she had previously got out of and Williams on a
sunlounger
A sunlounger (British "sun lounger") is a chair-like device, typically placed in a patio, garden, or swimming pool deck, or used as beach-side outdoor furniture.
They are often constructed from wood, formed plastic, or metal and indoor fabrics ...
. During the chorus, the group members are seen wearing fishtail evening dresses, performing a choreographed dance routine for the camera and three males who watch them from the side; the men are never filmed in the same shot as Destiny's Child.
During the end, each member is seen together with one of their male partners and the video fades away showing the trio nude again as during the beginning.
![Red Rock canyon 1](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/07/Red_Rock_canyon_1.JPG)
While reviewing the video of "Cater 2 U", Rashaun Hall of
MTV News
MTV News is the news production division of MTV. The service is available in the US with localized versions on MTV's global network. In February 2016, MTV Networks confirmed it would refresh the MTV News brand in 2016, to compete with the likes ...
felt that "
he triohave decided to go ''au naturale'' — tastefully, of course".
He further concluded that the clip "is all about scenery and the beauty of the trio".
In their book ''Music Video and the Politics of Representation'', Diane Railton and Paul Watson felt that the presence of men "seems utterly superfluous to the video's spectacle of female bodies and female pleasures".
They further noted that the video's imagery and performance managed to proceed without a reference to its lyrics and elaborated,
"Indeed, the abstracted emptiness of its desert spaces, the posed tableaux of the women's bodies and the noticeable lack of attention directed to its male subjects by both the camera and the group, does not simply jar with the lyrical narrative of female subordination but in fact reinforces the image of Destiny's Child as independent women who are in control of their own lives. That is to say, the video (re)establishes an image of women who are in control of their own bodies, their own desires, their relationship with men and their friendships with women."
Live performances
On November 16, 2004, Destiny's Child performed "Cater 2 U" during the ''
Good Morning America
''Good Morning America'' (often abbreviated as ''GMA'') is an American morning television program that is broadcast on ABC. It debuted on November 3, 1975, and first expanded to weekends with the debut of a Sunday edition on January 3, 1993. Th ...
'' broadcast on the
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company (ABC) is an American commercial broadcast television network. It is the flagship property of the ABC Entertainment Group division of The Walt Disney Company. The network is headquartered in Burbank, Cali ...
(ABC). They performed it again on December 18 on ''
Saturday Night Live
''Saturday Night Live'' (often abbreviated to ''SNL'') is an American late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC and Peacock. Michaels currently serves a ...
'', along with their then-recent single "
Soldier
A soldier is a person who is a member of an army. A soldier can be a conscripted or volunteer enlisted person, a non-commissioned officer, or an officer.
Etymology
The word ''soldier'' derives from the Middle English word , from Old French ...
". The song was also performed at the
2005 BET Awards in Los Angeles on June 28, 2005.
Midway through the performance, for which the members wore form-fitting, floor-length brown gowns, they randomly picked
Terrence Howard
Terrence Dashon Howard (born March 11, 1969) is an American actor. Having his first major roles in the 1995 films ''Dead Presidents'' and '' Mr. Holland's Opus'', Howard broke into the mainstream with a succession of television and cinema roles ...
,
Nelly
Cornell Iral Haynes Jr. (born November 2, 1974), better known by his stage name Nelly, is an American rapper, singer, actor and entrepreneur. He embarked on his music career with the hip hop group St. Lunatics in 1993 and signed to Universal ...
and
Magic Johnson
Earvin "Magic" Johnson Jr. (born August 14, 1959) is an American former professional basketball player. He is often regarded as the greatest point guard of all-time and has been compared with Stephen Curry. Johnson played 13 seasons in the ...
from the audience to the stage and performed a
lap dance for them.
Corey Moss of
MTV News
MTV News is the news production division of MTV. The service is available in the US with localized versions on MTV's global network. In February 2016, MTV Networks confirmed it would refresh the MTV News brand in 2016, to compete with the likes ...
felt that their performance was one of the more memorable ones of the night.
Emily Tan from the website
Idolator
An idolator is a practitioner of idolatry.
Idolater or Idolator may also refer to: Books
*''Os Idólatras'', 1968 Portuguese novel by Maria Judite de Carvalho Music
* Idolator (website), an American music blog
* ''Idolator'' (album), third album ...
noted that the performance was one of the group's best, further writing: "No one expected the girls to get as down and dirty as they did ... But it looked like no one was complaining."
Steve Baltin, writing 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 ...
'', remarked that the group provided "some sizzle". The group gave a live rendition of "Cater 2 U" again on
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an Television in the United States, American English-language Commercial broadcasting, commercial television network, broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Enterta ...
's ''Today (U.S. TV program), The Today Show'' on July 29. A writer for ''People (magazine), People'' felt that "Beyoncé shimmies and shakes things up" during the performance. An acoustic version was also performed on MTV during its 2005 ''MTV Spring Break, Spring Break'' coverage.
In 2005, "Cater 2 U" was part of the
set list
A set list, or setlist, is typically a handwritten or printed document created as an ordered list of songs, jokes, stories and other elements an artist intends to present during a specific performance.
A setlist can be made of nearly any materi ...
of the group's final tour
Destiny Fulfilled... and Lovin' It, where they performed it in the same style as during the BET Awards, following the popularity of that performance.
During the performance, the trio, dressed in long blue floor-length gowns, called three men from the audience to the stage and performed a choreography similar to a lap dance.
In a review of a concert in the United Kingdom, Adenike Adenitire of MTV News felt that the song was suitable to "slow things down", following the previous energetic performances of the show.
"Cater 2 U" was included on the track listing of the group's live album ''
Live in Atlanta
''Live in Atlanta'' features Destiny's Child performing live in Atlanta, Georgia at Philips Arena on July 15, 2005 during their Destiny Fulfilled ... And Lovin' It which sponsored by McDonald's, it is also known as the last tour of Destiny's Ch ...
'' (2006) chronicling a concert from the tour in that city. Following the group's disbandment, both Beyoncé and Rowland included "Cater 2 U" in the set lists of their respective solo tours. The former performed it as part of a Destiny's Child medley included during The Beyoncé Experience (2007).
It was subsequently included in the live DVD ''The Beyoncé Experience Live'' (2007), which included a concert filmed at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. Similarly, Rowland performed "Cater 2 U" live during her Lights Out Tour (2013) as part of a segment which included songs by Destiny's Child.
Cover versions
Usher and
Babyface Babyface or Baby Face can refer to:
Nicknames
* Lester Joseph Gillis a.k.a. Baby Face Nelson, an infamous 1930s bank robber
* Roosevelt "Baby Face" Willette (1933–1971), an American hard bop and soul-jazz musician
* "Baby Face", Jimmy McLarnin ...
performed "Cater 2 U" at the
2005 World Music Awards on August 31 as a tribute to Destiny's Child, due to their disbandment. Byron Flitsch of MTV described their duet as "sensual". In 2009, "Cater 2 U" was referenced in Lil Wayne and Drake (rapper), Drake's song "My Darlin' Baby".
Controversy
Chicago-based singer-songwriter Rickey Allen pushed allegations that "Cater 2 U" was inspired by a song he had composed with the same title and spelling, which was copyrighted in the mid-1990s and 2000, and performed locally during that time. He claimed he handed over a version to producer Maurice Joshua, who allegedly went on to cover the song with Destiny's Child.
Joshua denied his claims, noting that he never held a copy of Allen's song.
Allen filed a lawsuit against the group for compensation in a Chicago court in 2006 where the group was due to appear in December 10 for an eight-day trial. However, they managed to avoid any given court dates after their public split and agreed to settle behind closed doors. In early December 2009, it was confirmed by ''Chicago Sun-Times'' that the group had reached a settlement with Allen. His attorney Matthew Wildermuth said in a statement: "I can confirm that yes, [the case] did settle. All of the issues have been amicably resolved and the case is going to be dismissed. [Allen is] excited about being able to devote time to pursuing his musical career. All legal terms and agreement will not be released and the case will be dismissed by a judge".
Formats and track listings
Maxi CD single
# "Cater 2 U" (Album Version) – 4:05
# "Cater 2 U" (Scott Storch, Storch Remix Edit) – 4:06
# "Cater 2 U" (Grizz to the Club) – 4:24
# "Cater 2 U" (J. Beck Dance Remix) – 4:01
# "
Girl
A girl is a young female human, usually a child or an adolescent. When a girl becomes an adult, she is accurately described as a ''woman''. However, the term ''girl'' is also used for other meanings, including ''young woman'',Dictionary ...
" (Maurice Joshua "U Go Girl" Remix) – 6:00
Dance mixes Extended play, EP
# "Cater 2 U" (Album Version) – 4:05
# "Cater 2 U" (Grizz to the Club) – 4:22
# "Cater 2 U" (George Mena & Franke Estevez Dance Mix) – 6:06
# "Cater 2 U" (J. Beck Dance Remix) – 3:59
# "Cater 2 U" (J. Beck Club Mix) – 7:18
Remix EP
# "Cater 2 U" (Scott Storch, Storch Remix Edit) – 4:09
# "Cater 2 U" (Storch Remix) – 5:54
# "Cater 2 U" (Storch Remix Instrumental) – 6:05
# "Cater 2 U" (Album Version) – 4:07
# "Cater 2 U" (Joshua Remix) – 6:42
# "Cater 2 U" (Grizz to the Club) – 4:23
# "Cater 2 U" (A cappella) – 3:58
Credits and personnel
Credits are adapted from the liner notes of ''Destiny Fulfilled''.
* Beyoncé, Beyoncé Knowles – lead vocals, vocal production
*
Kelly Rowland
Kelendria Trene Rowland (born February 11, 1981) is an American singer, actress, and television personality. She rose to fame in the late 1990s as a member of Destiny's Child, one of the world's List of best-selling girl groups, best-selling girl ...
– lead vocals, vocal production
*
Michelle Williams – lead vocals, vocal production
* Jeff Villanueva – recording
* Jim Caruna – recording
* Tony Maserati – mixing
* Tom Coyne – mastering
* Tim Stewart – guitar
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Certifications
Release history
See also
* Billboard Year-End Hot 100 singles of 2005, ''Billboard'' Year-End Hot 100 singles of 2005
References
Bibliography
*
*
*
External links
*
{{Authority control
2000s ballads
2005 singles
2005 songs
Destiny's Child songs
Music videos directed by Jake Nava
Contemporary R&B ballads
Song recordings produced by Beyoncé
Song recordings produced by Rodney Jerkins
Songs written by Beyoncé
Songs written by Kelly Rowland
Songs written by Michelle Williams (singer)
Songs written by Rodney Jerkins