"Well, Well, Well" is a song by British singer Duffy, from her second studio album, '' Endlessly'' (2010). It was released as the

lead Lead () is a chemical element; it has Chemical symbol, symbol Pb (from Latin ) and atomic number 82. It is a Heavy metal (elements), heavy metal that is density, denser than most common materials. Lead is Mohs scale, soft and Ductility, malleabl ...

and only single from the album worldwide, beginning on 19 October 2010 in the UK. As with the rest of the album, the song was both written and produced by Duffy and

Albert Hammond Albert Louis Hammond Order of the British Empire, OBE (born 18 May 1944) is a Gibraltarians, Gibraltarian singer, songwriter and record producer. A prolific songwriter, he also collaborated with other songwriters such as Mike Hazlewood, John B ...

, with

Stuart Price Stuart David Price (born 9 September 1977) is an English electronic musician, DJ, songwriter, and record producer. His acts include his own band Zoot Woman (with Adam Blake (musician), Adam Blake and Johnny Blake (musician), Johnny Blake), L ...

providing co-production. It is an up-tempo pop song in which Duffy questions her lover's accusations, with Duffy calling it a song about "desire for freedom" within a relationship. Marking a departure from the

soul The soul is the purported Mind–body dualism, immaterial aspect or essence of a Outline of life forms, living being. It is typically believed to be Immortality, immortal and to exist apart from the material world. The three main theories that ...

sound of her debut album, ''

Rockferry ''Rockferry'' is the debut studio album by the Welsh singer Duffy, released on 3 March 2008 in the United Kingdom by A&M Records. It was released in the United States by Mercury Records. Taking four years to record the album, Duffy worked wit ...

'' (2008), the song received mixed reviews from critics; being both praised and criticised for Duffy's vocal style. Some thought that it "is possibly the weakest of the new tunes" from its parent album. Failing to meet the popularity of her previous singles, "Well, Well, Well" peaked at number 41 on the UK Singles Chart and number 37 on the

European Hot 100 Singles The European Hot 100 Singles was compiled by '' Billboard'' and ''Music & Media'' magazine from March 1984 until December 2010. The chart was based on national singles sales charts in 17 European countries: Austria, Belgium (two charts separately ...

chart. Commercially, it is her worst performing single to date, although it proved to be a moderate success in mainland Europe, reaching the top twenty in Finland, Belgium and Switzerland. The song's accompanying music video portrayed Duffy backed with male dancers in several scenes around the city of

Oxford Oxford () is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and non-metropolitan district in Oxfordshire, England, of which it is the county town. The city is home to the University of Oxford, the List of oldest universities in continuou ...

, England. The single was promoted extensively as part of a campaign of "major TV moments", taking in the UK, the United States as well as seven countries around Europe in 2010 and 2011. At 2:45, it is the shortest of all Duffy's singles.

Writing and inspiration

"Well, Well, Well" was recorded at the

British Grove Studios British Grove Studios is a recording studio located at 20 British Grove in Chiswick, West London, and owned by musician Mark Knopfler. British Grove Studios was built by David Stewart, the studio's former manager, and commissioned by Knopfler as ...

in London in 2010, as part of recording sessions for ''Endlessly'' that took place throughout the year of 2010. Duffy said that she "want dto make people move ance ..I played so many live shows that I wanted to feel we could have a really uptempo gig. So for me, I've done nothing, but possibly improve, and really know where it is I want to put myself. I recorded this with lots of different people and a few different locations." In an interview with ''Stylist Magazine'', she explained that she was reluctant to follow trends for the recording and writing of ''Endlessly'' and "Well, Well, Well," saying "I'm a little less shy of saying the things I want to say now, and more clear on what it is that I want to achieve ..I didn't want to repeat what I did before but, equally, I don't want to stray too much away from it – this record's infused with my growth, but I'm also standing by who I am and refusing to be swayed by trends." For the record, Duffy collaborated with Hip-hop band

The Roots The Roots are an American Hip-hop, hip hop band formed in 1987 by singer Black Thought, Tariq "Black Thought" Trotter and drummer Questlove, Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Roots serve as the house band on NBC's ''T ...

, who she describes as "America's finest in hip hop music." However, recruiting The Roots to work with her on ''Endlessly'' proved difficult, and she was only able to secure their part in the song and others on the album through telephoning the president of

Island Def Jam Island Def Jam Music Group (IDJMG) was an American record label group formed on December 31, 1998, by Universal Music Group. Before 2014, IDJMG encompassed labels originally established under the umbrella of Island Records and Def Jam Recording ...

Records,

LA Reid Antonio Marquis "L.A." Reid (born June 7, 1956) is an American record executive, A&R representative, and record producer who served as president and CEO of Arista Records from 2000 to 2004, as well as chairman and CEO of the Island Def Jam Music ...

. The Roots eventually provided a full

rhythm section A rhythm section is a group of musicians within a music ensemble or band that provides the underlying rhythm, harmony and pulse of the accompaniment, providing a rhythmic and harmonic reference and "beat" for the rest of the band. The rhythm ...

for both the song and several album tracks from ''Endlessly''. As with the rest of the album, "Well, Well, Well" was co-written with

, the collaboration between him and The Roots she called "a kind of a combination of different worlds there." In doing so, Duffy was said by John Bush of

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...

to have created a composition featuring a "clubby production and up-front beat," one that reflects the emergence of a "sassier, brassier" singer.

Mercury Records Mercury Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group. It had significant success as an independent operation in the 1940s and 1950s. Smash Records and Fontana Records were sub labels of Mercury. Mercury Records released ...

president David Massey was hopeful that fans would see it as "a natural evolution of her last record."

Release

The song's release was announced on 16 September 2010 for 21 November 2010 in the United Kingdom (UK), on

CD single A CD single is a single (music), music single in the form of a compact disc (CD). Originally the ''CD single'' standard (as defined in the Rainbow Books, Red Book) was an 8 cm (3-inch) "mini CD" (''CD3''); later on the term referred to any si ...

and digital download formats. Fifteen seconds of "Well, Well, Well" were released onto the internet in anticipation of its release, whilst the song leaked in full in October 2010. The song was released onto the American iTunes Store under

on 19 October 2010, alongside a "Single Mix" of '' Endlesslys title track, with a digital download being released in Germany (under

Universal Universal is the adjective for universe. Universal may also refer to: Companies * NBCUniversal, a media and entertainment company that is a subsidiary of Comcast ** Universal Animation Studios, an American Animation studio, and a subsidiary of N ...

) and France (under Mercury) on the same day and 18 October 2010, respectively. "Well, Well, Well" was available for download on 21 November 2010 through

A&M Records A&M Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group and functions as a branch of Interscope Geffen A&M Records, Interscope-Geffen-A&M. Established in 1962 by Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss, the label initially operated independent ...

in the United Kingdom, with a CD single release following the next day. The CD single was later made available in Canada under Mercury on 23 November 2010. The cover image for "Well, Well, Well" was shot by photographer Lachlan Bailey, as part of the promotional shoot for ''Endlessly'' which featured Duffy in ambient street scenes with vibrant colouring.

Composition

"Well, Well, Well" itself is an

uptempo A variety of musical terms is encountered in printed scores, music reviews, and program notes. Most of the terms are Italian, in accordance with the Italian origins of many European musical conventions. Sometimes, the special musical meanings ...

pop song heavily influenced by

Northern soul Northern soul is a music and dance movement that emerged in Northern England and the Midlands in the early 1970s. It developed from the British Mod (subculture), mod scene, based on a particular style of African American music, Black American ...

. According to the sheet music published in Musicaneo.com by Load.CD GmbH, the song is set in

common time A time signature (also known as meter signature, metre signature, and measure signature) is an indication in music notation that specifies how many note values of a particular type fit into each measure ( bar). The time signature indicates the ...

with a moderate beat rate of 106

beats per minute Beat, beats, or beating may refer to: Common uses * Assault, inflicting physical harm or unwanted physical contact * Battery (crime), a criminal offense involving unlawful physical contact * Battery (tort), a civil wrong in common law of in ...

. The primary composers are Hammond and Duffy. It is written in the key of

A minor A minor is a minor scale based on A, B, C, D, E, F, and G. Its key signature has no flats or sharps. Its relative major is C major and its parallel major is A major. The A natural minor scale is: Changes needed for the melodic ...

. The song begins with a repeated

riff A riff is a short, repeated motif or figure in the melody or accompaniment of a musical composition. Riffs are most often found in rock music, punk, heavy metal music, Latin, funk, and jazz, although classical music is also sometimes based ...

, over which Duffy shouts "well, well, well" four times. "Well, Well, Well" has a basic chord

progression Progression may refer to: In mathematics: * Arithmetic progression, a sequence of numbers such that the difference between any two successive members of the sequence is a constant * Geometric progression, a sequence of numbers such that the quotie ...

of Am–G-Am–G–Am. The song itself consists of repeated phrasing which question the validity of a lover's accusations, the first being "Highly suspicious/Where was I last night?/Seek and you shall find." The song's chorus builds in intensity as the song progresses, with the final verse being entirely composed of Duffy asking her lover "Why you giving me the third degree?" before ending with a final "well, well, well," this time posed as a question. The song's pop style with dance influences was said to debut Duffy's "inner diva," whilst lyrically the song has been called "provocative." According to the

BBC The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...

, "it basically has one idea, one note, one refrain, and it stops and it starts and it repeats and repeats and repeats like someone is prodding and prodding at your chest."

Reception and commercial performance

"Well, Well, Well" received mostly mixed reviews from contemporary music critics. One reviewer for the BBC concluded that he found the song "provocative and challenging", but "not in a good way." The reviewer continued that the song was "monumentally irritating," a sentiment that several reviewers echoed. Elsewhere, it was described as an "instant classic." Duffy's voice was amongst the factors that divided critics the most. In a review for ''Endlessly'', ''

Spin Spin or spinning most often refers to: * Spin (physics) or particle spin, a fundamental property of elementary particles * Spin quantum number, a number which defines the value of a particle's spin * Spinning (textiles), the creation of yarn or thr ...

'' found that " ere's no whitewashing of the singer's eccentricities, which feel more pronounced here—she can be gruffly nasal (the oft-repeated chorus ..never stops sounding like "whale, whale, whale") while remaining wholly beguiling." "Well, Well, Well" reached peaks of number 41 on the UK Singles Chart and 37 on the

chart. In mainland Europe, it managed to chart in the top twenty in Finland, the

Flanders Flanders ( or ; ) is the Dutch language, Dutch-speaking northern portion of Belgium and one of the communities, regions and language areas of Belgium. However, there are several overlapping definitions, including ones related to culture, la ...

region of Belgium as well as in Switzerland, reaching number 11 in the former.

Music video

The music video was directed by Chris Cottam and was shot in the streets of

, England around 30 September 2010. It was her first to include herself dancing, which was choreographed by Frank Gatson Jr., famous for his work for American singer

Beyoncé Knowles Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter ( ; born September 4, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and businesswoman. With a career spanning over three decades, she has established herself as one of the most culturally significant figu ...

' video for "

Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It) "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" is a song by American singer Beyoncé from her third studio album, '' I Am... Sasha Fierce'' (2008). Columbia Records released "Single Ladies" as a single on October 8, 2008, as a double A-side alongside " If I ...

" (2008). Gatson Jr. acknowledged Duffy's initial reservations regarding choreography, noting "Duffy doesn't consider herself a dancer but we're doing some really cool movement." According to Promo News, the video's synopsis consists of "her uffydallying with handsome strangers and causing a bit of a stir in the local pub. She's got no shame...". The Brazilian actor Guilherme Logullo play her boyfriend. The video was said to be

retro Retro style is imitative or consciously derivative of lifestyles, trends, or art forms from the past, including in music, modes, fashions, or attitudes. It has been argued that there is a nostalgia cycle in popular culture. Definition The term ...

and a continuation of Duffy's former styling for her album ''

'' (2008). Inspired by

French culture The culture of France has been shaped by Geography of France, geography, by History of France, historical events, and by foreign and internal forces and groups. France, and in particular Paris, has played an important role as a center of high ...

and the 1960s, it makes heavy references to

Brigitte Bardot Brigitte Anne-Marie Bardot ( ; ; born 28 September 1934), often referred to by her initials B.B., is a French former actress, singer, and model as well as an animal rights activist. Famous for portraying characters with Hedonism, hedonistic life ...

. Cottam gave his thoughts on the direction of the video,

"The main concept of the video really, is that she's a girl who's kind of a little bit bored of being accused by her boyfriend of staying out and she's kind of saying "you've got nothing to worry about" but then she sneaks off to this dance bar and has a bit of a dance with a big group of hunky men."

The video starts with Duffy, wearing a black trench coat, walking towards a group of men leaning against a

Citroën DS The Citroën DS () is a Front-mid-engine, front-wheel-drive layout, front mid-engined, front-wheel drive executive car manufactured and marketed by Citroën from 1955 to 1975, in fastback/sedan, wagon/estate, and convertible body configurations ...

, Guilherme Logullo plays her love interest throughout the narrative. The first 40 seconds consist of Duffy questioning his accusations, in correspondence with the lyrics of the song. The video continues as she walks down alleys containing period pieces such as a

Vespa Vespa () is an Italian brand of scooters and mopeds manufactured by Piaggio. The name means wasp in Italian. The Vespa has evolved from a single model motor scooter manufactured in 1946 by Piaggio & Co. S.p.A. of Pontedera, Italy, to a ...

. The next portion, described as "like a Parisian musical from the 60s", shows Duffy entering a bar, in which its customers look up as she throws her coat to the ground to reveal her Brigitte Bardot-inspired black cut dress worn throughout her ''Endlessly'' promotional tour. She then begins a seductive dance routine for the bar's male patrons, and dances with several of them individually, eventually dancing on one of the bar's tables as the men point in her direction. As the chorus begins again, everyone performs a choreographed routine to the music. Inter cut are shots of her love interest making his way down the alleys. As the song ends, the man enters the bar as Duffy sits down, asking "well, well, well?".

Idolator An idolator is a practitioner of idolatry. Idolator or Idolater may also refer to: * Idolator (website), an American music blog * ''Idolator'' (album), a 2005 album by Blood Stain Child * ''Idolator'', a 1986 album by Ole Evenrud * "Idolater", a ...

noted that it "straddl sthe line between steamy and corny flawlessly."

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 Yor ...

noted that the video "showed off a sassier, brassier Duffy who could sell a song with the approximate lyrical content of "tsk, tsk" as a floor-filler on little more than attitude." Another music video, filmed live at the Café de Paris was also released.

Live performances

Duffy's first live performance in promotion for ''Endlessly'' took place on the UK's '' Later Live... with Jools Holland'' on 19 October 2010, where she performed "Well, Well, Well" as well as "Endlessly", opening and closing the show with the songs, respectively. The performance debuted Duffy's new style, heavily inspired by

and used throughout most of the promotional campaign. Other appearances on British television included a performance of "Well, Well, Well" on ''

Strictly Come Dancing ''Strictly Come Dancing'' (commonly referred to as ''Strictly'') is a British dance contest show in which celebrities partner with professional dancers to compete in mainly Ballroom dance, ballroom and Latin dance, Latin dance. Each couple is ...

'' on 21 November 2010 with backing dancers and "DUFFY" background specially assembled for the broadcast. The same week, Duffy was interviewed and performed the song on breakfast show ''

This Morning This Morning may refer to: * ''This Morning'' (TV programme), a British daytime television programme * ''This Morning'' (radio program), a Canadian radio show which aired from 1997 to 2002 * ''CBS This Morning'', an American morning show, succes ...

'' as well as light news and entertainment programmes ''

The One Show ''The One Show'' is a British television magazine and chat show programme. Broadcast live on BBC One weekdays at 7:00 pm, it features topical stories and studio guests. It is currently co-hosted by Alex Jones, Roman Kemp, Ronan Keating ...

'' and '' T4''. Duffy returned to the UK in December to perform at Capital FM's

Jingle Bell Ball The Jingle Bell Ball is a concert held annually in December since 2008 (except for 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic), by the radio station Capital (radio network), Capital FM at The O2 Arena. Various notable artists have headlined the con ...

, where she sang three songs, including "Well, Well, Well" and a cover of

Mariah Carey Mariah Carey ( ; born March 27, 1969) is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Songbird Supreme" by ''Guinness World Records'', Carey is known for her five-octave voc ...

's "

All I Want for Christmas Is You "All I Want for Christmas Is You" is a song by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey from her fourth studio album and first holiday album, ''Merry Christmas'' (1994). She wrote and produced the song with Walter Afanasieff. It was released a ...

". In the United States, the song was performed in a similar manner on ''

Late Night with Jimmy Fallon ''Late Night with Jimmy Fallon'' is an American television talk show broadcast by NBC. The show was the third installment of the '' Late Night'' franchise. Hosted by Jimmy Fallon,

'' (4 November 2010) and ''

The Ellen DeGeneres Show ''The Ellen DeGeneres Show'' is an American first-run syndicated talk show that was hosted by Ellen DeGeneres. The show ran for nineteen seasons from September 8, 2003, to May 26, 2022, in which it broadcast 3,339 episodes. It was produced by ...

'' (7 December 2010). Duffy was backed by a complete brass section, with

stating that "we never really tire of watching the blonde Grammy winner belt out this tale of suspicious love". Duffy also played an "intimate acoustic set" at the offices of ''

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

'' in America, performing the song and album track "Don't Forsake Me". In Germany, Duffy performed "Well, Well, Well" on ''TV total Turmspringen'', and ''

Popstars ''Popstars'' is an international reality television franchise aimed to find new singing talent. Serving as a precursor to the ''Idol'' franchise, '' Popstars'' first began in New Zealand in 1999 when producer Jonathan Dowling formed the girl gr ...

'' and in France on '' Le Grand Journal''. Duffy also sang the song on the finale of ''

The Voice of Holland ''The Voice of Holland'', also known by its acronym ''TVOH'', is a Dutch singing reality competition television series that became a global TV format franchise, created by media tycoon John de Mol Jr. and musician Roel van Velzen in the Net ...

'' on the evening of 21 January 2011. Further television performances took place in Italy, Sweden, Denmark and Spain. The song was also performed as part of two live concert "album showcase" shows, including one at the Café de Paris in London. Fans of Duffy's could enter a competition to win tickets to the show and members of the press were invited to preview songs from ''Endlessly''. ''

The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in Manchester in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'' and changed its name in 1959, followed by a move to London. Along with its sister paper, ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardi ...

'' reported a six-piece band and "string sections ..crammed on to a balcony, adding cute choreographed handclaps." The performance of the song was released as a music video. Another two "album showcase took place in the United States, the first of which was at

The Roxy Theatre The Roxy Theatre (often just the Roxy) is a nightclub on the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood, California, owned by Lou Adler and his son, Nic. History The Roxy was opened on September 20, 1973, by Elmer Valentine and Lou Adler, along with ...

in Hollywood, California.

invited fans to enter a competition to win tickets for the event. ''

The Hollywood Reporter ''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Cinema of the United States, Hollywood film industry, film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade pap ...

'' said that there was a 13-piece band. The second showcase was performed in New York City on 3 November 2010 at the P.C. Richard & Son Theater for

iHeartRadio iHeartRadio (often shortened to just "iHeart") is an American freemium broadcast, podcast, radio streaming and Music Streaming platform owned by iHeartMedia. Founded in August 2008, iHeartRadio serves as the national umbrella brand for iHeart ...

Track listing

*"Well, Well, Well" is written and produced by Duffy and

, with co-production from

. ;Digital download and promo CD #"Well, Well, Well" – 2:43 ;CD single and digital download #"Well, Well, Well" – 2:45 #"Well, Well, Well" (Acoustic Version) – 3:09 ;Spanish 12" picture disc ''Side 1'' #"Well, Well, Well" (

Digital Dog Digital Dog are an English remix/production duo consisting of Steve Cornish and Nick Mace. The duo also produce under the aliases Jack Rokka and Elek-Tro Junkies. Digital Dog's 2007 collaboration with Betty Boo, "Take Off", topped the UK Indie ...

Club Mix) – 6:04 #"Well, Well, Well" (Digital Dog Dub Mix) – 6:11 ''Side 2'' #"Well, Well, Well" (DJ Prince House Remix) – 4:11 #"Well, Well, Well" (Dan Clare Club Mix featuring Varski) – 5:26 #"Well, Well, Well" (Low Sunday Remix) – 3:34 ;Promotional single #"Well, Well, Well" – 2:43 #"Well, Well, Well" (Instrumental) – 2:41 ;Promo maxi CD #"Well, Well, Well" (Low Sunday Mix) – 3:34 #"Well, Well, Well" (Digital Dog Dub Mix) – 6:11 #"Well, Well, Well" (Digital Dog Club Remix) – 6:05 #"Well, Well, Well" (Digital Dog Radio Edit) – 2:28 ;Album version *"Well, Well, Well" (track 4) – 2:43

Credits and personnel

Adapted from ''Endlesslys liner notes. *Nick Banns – engineering assistance *Owen Biddle – bass * Adam Blake – additional programming *Dan Carpenter – trumpet * Aimée Duffy – writer, producer, lead vocals, handclaps *

– writer, producer, guitar, handclaps, bottles, percussion *Tyrone Henry – crowd noise *Mike Moore – guitar *Mazen Murad – mastering *

– co-producer, mixing *Emre Ramazanoglu – programming, editing *

Questlove Ahmir K. Thompson (born January 20, 1971), known professionally as Questlove (stylized as ), is an American drummer, record producer, disc jockey, filmmaker, music journalist, and actor. He is the drummer and joint frontman (with Black Thought ...

– drums *Brendan Reilly – crowd noise *Jon Smeltz – engineering *Aaron Sokell – crowd noise *Simon Willescroft – saxophone *David Williamson – trombone

Charts

References

External links

"Well, Well, Well"
at

Polydor Records Polydor Limited, also known as Polydor Records, is a British record label that operates as part of Universal Music Group. It has a close relationship with Universal's Interscope Geffen A&M Records label, which distributes Polydor's releases in ...

"Well, Well, Well"
at

"Well, Well, Well" music video
at Island Def Jam {{Authority control 2010 singles Duffy (singer) songs Songs written by Albert Hammond Song recordings produced by Stuart Price 2010 songs A&M Records singles Music videos shot in the United Kingdom