Work (Kelly Rowland song)

"Work" is a song by American recording artist Kelly Rowland. It was written by Rowland along with Scott Storch and Jason "Poo Bear" Boyd for her second studio album, ''Ms. Kelly'' (2007), while production was helmed by Storch and Boyd. An up-tempo party record that displays elements of funk and go-go, "Work" is composed in the key of D minor. Lyrically, the song speaks of a woman who affirms to her man that actions speak louder than words and that she is not a woman who is easy to get to. "Work" was acclaimed by music critics who highlighted the pulsating beat, suggestive lyrics, and the fast and stuttered style in which Rowland sings.

Intended to be released as ''Ms. Kelly''s lead single at one time or another, "Work" was eventually released as the album's second single during the first quarter of 2008 in most international music markets, excluding North America, where "Ghetto" featuring rapper Snoop Dogg was issued instead. Prominently pushed by a bhaṅgṛā-infused dance pop remix by British DJ duo Freemasons, which, according to Rowland, gave it "new life", "Work" enjoyed major commercial success and eventually became Rowland's best-charting solo single in years, reaching the top-ten in Australia, Finland, France, Greece, Italy, Switzerland, Turkey and the United Kingdom.

The music video for "Work" was filmed in Los Angeles and directed by Philip Andelman. Influenced by the work of American minimalist Dan Flavin, it shows Rowland and her dancers posed in silhouette and shot against backdrops of vivid color and beam lighting that is used to create a kaleidoscope effects. "Work" was part of Rowland's set list for her Ms. Kelly Tour. Its commercial success prompted Rowland to record additional music for the ''Ms. Kelly'' album of which a more uptempo deluxe edition reissue was released in 2008 and would introduce a temporary shift to dance music in Rowland's sound in the late 2000s.

Writing and recording

"Work" was written by Rowland, Scott Storch and his protégé Jason "Poo Bear" Boyd. The song is one out of two tracks which the trio crafted for ''Ms. Kelly'' and was among eight new tracks that Rowland recorded near completion in 2006 for the revamped version of ''My Story'', the album's actual version. Conceived during a studio session at The Hit Factory in Miami, Rowland, Storch and Boyd began to work on melodic ideas for the song over an instrumental track by Storch. With most of its lyrics being written after returning from a night out in the city, composing for "Work" was eventually finished in "like twenty minutes," according to Rowland. The team returned the next day for vocal recording. Vocal production was helmed by Rowland and Boyd, while engineering was overseen by Conrad Golding and Rommel Nino Villanueva with assistance by Vadim Chislov. Mixing was handled Jason Goldstein; Christian Baker served as his assistant. Storch and Boyd received producer and co-producer credits, respectively.

Initially titled "Put It in", Rowland has described the song as "a party record, a record that'd make you get up and dance." An up-tempo composition featuring funk production and go-go elements, it is composed in E minor and moves at a moderate tempo of 104 beats per minute. Set in common time, "Work" is written in the common verse-chorus form. When asked if the song was about sexual intercourse in a 2008 interview with music website ''Popjustice'', Rowland commented: "Oh no, it's actually very innocent ..It's a little aggressive maybe. It's just a woman saying you can't catch me easy and you have to put in the work. It's about putting in work – that's it, of course.." However, in 2010, she admitted that she previously shied away from explaining the true nature of the lyrics to the song, telling British gay lifestyle magazine ''Attitude'': "The lyrics are very sexy, they were out of the box for me ..But I've grown into my sexuality and I'm very comfortable with it. OK, yes, it means exactly what you think it means! I've never told anybody that, but yes, it's exactly what you think it is ..I remember when the writer was writing it and he was like, 'Put it in, put it in', and I said, 'This is a nasty record'."

Critical reception

"Work" was highly acclaimed by music critics. In his review for ''New York Post'', writer Dan Aquilante named "Work" ''Ms. Kelly''s best track, calling it an "upbeat record that soulfully delves into contemporary funk." Spence D. of media website IGN observed that the song flipped the early musical script of the album "for a hot minute, going for a more driven, throbbing thrust over which Rowland's flitters and flirts." He further said that "it showcases her strengths, but also still highlights her delicate vocal limitations. It's a sticky wicket that bumps while breaking down." ''Guardian'' journalist Alex MacPherson wrote that "the caffeinated 'Work' is the best fthree club bangers on ''Ms. Kelly''," while ''That Grape Juice'' cited it as "one of many highlights; with a pulsating beat and deliberately suggestive lyrics, Rowland doesn’t hold back." '' RWD'' editor Emmanuel Ezugwu found "Work" a "high energy track that will undoubtedly be a future club banger. The constant cow bells adds to the frenzied pace of the record and Kelly’s vocals are fast and stuttered."

About.com editor Mark Edward Nero called the song an "excellent, Destiny's Child-type song that ..minimizes Kelly's vocal shortcomings behind an attention-catching beat." BBC
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