Listen (song)

Infobox Single
Name = Listen


Artist = Beyoncé Knowles
Album =
Released = January 29, 2007 (U.S.)
February 19, 2007 (UK)
Format = 7", CD single, digital download
Recorded = The Underlab
(Los Angeles, California)
Sony Music Studios
(New York City, New York)
Genre = Soul, adult contemporary
Length = 3:37
Label = Music World/Columbia
Writer = Henry Krieger, Scott Cutler, Anne Preven, Beyoncé Knowles
Producer = The Underdogs
Certification =
Last single = "Irreplaceable"
(2006)
This single = "Listen"
(2007)
Next single = "Hollywood"
(2007)
Misc = Extra chronology
Artist = "Dreamgirls" (2006)
Type = singles
Last single = "One Night Only"
(2006)
This single = "Listen"
(2007)
Next single = "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going"
(2007)

"Listen" (Spanish: "Oye") is a song by American R&B singer Beyoncé Knowles. Henry Krieger, Scott Cutler, Anne Preven, and Knowles wrote the song and was produced by The Underdogs for the soundtrack in the 2006 musical film "Dreamgirls". "Listen" is one of four new compositions written for the film version of "Dreamgirls".

The track was released as the lead single from on December 5, 2006 in the United States, and appeared as a hidden track on international editions of Knowles' second solo studio album, "B'Day". "Listen" was nominated for Best Original Song in 2007 at the Golden Globe Awards and the Academy Awards.

Context

In the film version of "Dreamgirls", Knowles portrays the character of Deena Jones, a pop singer heavily inspired by 1960s Motown star Diana Ross. The story explores the life of The Dreamettes, a fictional '60s group of three female singers Effie White (American singer-actress Jennifer Hudson), Deena Jones and Lorrell Robinson (American singer-actress Anika Noni Rose), who are shaken when they discover their manager is manipulating their personal and professional relationships.

At the film's halfway point, Effie discovers their manager is betraying her; Effie has her crescendo scene when she sings "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going", a song popularized 25 years ago by American singer-actress Jennifer Holliday.Cite news |last=Reid |first=Shaheem |title=Beyonce Wants End To Drama Over New Drama 'Dreamgirls'; Sets Tour |url=http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1547863/20061212/story.jhtml |work=MTV News |date=2006-12-13 |accessdate=2008-03-30] During the second half of the film, Curtis and Deena argue at dinner over Deena's desire to make her film debut in a urban film instead of the "Cleopatra" prequel Curtis is producing. An angry Curtis asserts his creative and psychological control over his wife, informing Deena that he would not let anyone else "handle" her, because, in his words, "no one knows you the way I do". Curtis tells Deena that her voice "had no personality. No depth. Except for what [he] put in there."

In the context of the film, "Listen" is a 1975 song that Deena records on Rainbow Records, a recording empire established by Curtis. She records the song to "let loose" after knowing Curtis is also controlling her.Cite web |last=Scott |first=A. O. |title=Three-Part Heartbreak in Motown |url=http://movies.nytimes.com/2006/12/15/movies/15drea.html |work=The New York Times |date=2006-12-15 |accessdate=2008-03-30]

Composition

Upon reading the script for "Dreamgirls", director Bill Condon felt the second half of the film needed a song. Because of the presence of "emotional punch" on the first half, which he stated the "Broadway show seemed 'almost over' at intermission", Condon asked the musical team for "Dreamgirls" "to create a new and equally moving song to energize the second act".Cite web |last=Ulmer |first=James |title=After Conquering ‘Chicago,’ It’s On to Motown |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/10/movies/moviesspecial/10ulme.html?pagewanted=2&_r=1&sq=Listen%20by%20Beyonce&st=nyt&scp=6 |work=The New York Times |date=2006-09-10 |accessdate=2008-03-30] Led by Henry Krieger, the composer of the original 1981 Broadway musical version of "Dreamgirls", the song was written along with Scott Cutler, Anne Preven and Knowles. The track was produced by the R&B-pop production duo The Underdogs.Cite album-notes |title=B'Day deluxe edition |publisher=Sony Music BMG Entertainment |year=2007] "Listen" is one of four songs written for the film version of "Dreamgirls".cite news|url=http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1537576/20060801/story.jhtml|title=New Beyonce Single — And Eddie Murphy Singing — Featured In 'Dreamgirls'|last=Corey|first=Moss|date=2006-08-01|publisher=MTV|accessdate=2008-09-26]

Used in the film as a last minute recording by Deena before leaving Curtis "to find her own voice as a newly independent woman", Preven called "Listen" a song which "Deena is exclaiming, 'You don't know who I am, and I know I do.'" [Cite web |last=D'Alessandro |first=Anthony |title=In the mix: The Oscar song race rocks a who's who list of top stars |url=http://www.variety.com/awardcentral_article/VR1117956539.html?nav=news&categoryid=1983&cs=1 |work=Variety |publisher=Reed Business |date=2006-01-02 |accessdate=2008-03-30]

"Listen" is a soul song with ballad influences,Cite web |last=Gardner |first=Elysa |title=Beyoncé, raising her voice |url=http://www.usatoday.com/life/people/2006-08-30-beyonce-bday_x.htm |work=USA Today |date=2006-08-31 |accessdate=2008-03-30] performed in a moderately slow pace. Set in common time, it is composed in the key of B♭ major. [Cite web |title=Listen |url=http://www.sheetmusicplus.com/store/smp_inside.html?item=17262200&page=01&cart=34158372279377457 |work=Sheet Music Plus |accessdate=2008-03-30] The lyrics are written in the traditional verse-chorus form. A bridge follows after repeating the pattern, ending with a chorus. A recorded speech about the writing of the song is included in the album, which introduces "Listen". The music of the song takes instrumentation from the bass, celli, drums, guitars, keyboards, percussion, violas, and violins.

Release

"Listen" was released on the soundtrack album "". It also appeared on Knowles' second solo album "B'Day" as a hidden track in the North American releases and a regular track on releases outside North America. In the United States, "Listen" was released as a CD single on January 29, 2007, featuring its album and instrumental versions. [Cite web |title=Listen |url=http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/discography/more.jsp?tp=singles&pid=317670&aid=829214 |work=Billboard |publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc |accessdate=2008-03-30] A Spanish version of the song, "Oye", was produced and released on the deluxe edition of "B'Day".

Critical reception

Knowles scored positive reviews for "Listen", mostly complimented her vocal performance. Pitchfork reviewer stated that "when [Beyoncé] belts out the chorus, the inspiration is real, tangible, and contagious". [Cite web |title=Pitchfork: Track Reviews - Listen |url=http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/page/track_reviews/Beyonc%C3%A9_Listen#40231 |work=Pitchfork Media |accessdate=2008-03-30] Chuck Taylor of "Billboard" magazine said, "Beyoncé delivers the performance of her career in 'Listen,' another defining moment in the brilliant flick [besides Hudson's 'And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going'] . In this devastatingly beautiful ballad, she shimmers with evocative emotion, rising to new heights alongside a golden melody with spellbinding, rafter-raising production." [Cite web |last=Taylor |first=Chuck |title=Listen |url=http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/content_display/reviews/singles/e3iacXfgBSOlsp4gfuAfQjyFw%3D%3D |work=Billboard |publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc |accessdate=2008-03-30] Peter Travers of "Rolling Stone" magazine wrote that the song "adds grit and touching gravity to Deena". [Cite web |last=Travers |firs=Peter |title=Dreamgirls |url=http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/movie/9141695/review/12625995/1015_dreamgirls |work=Rolling Stone |date=2006-11-21 |accessdate=2008-03-30] Jody Rosen's review for "Entertainment Weekly" was less impressed, describing "Listen" as "an inspirational ballad about 'the song in my heart', which builds to an enormous schlock-opera climax" and "gloopy". [Cite web |last=Rosen |firs=Jody |title=Music Review: B'Day (2006)-Beyonce Knowles |url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,1516025,00.html |work=Entertainment Weekly |date=2007-09-01 |accessdate=2007-12-28]

The song was nominated for Best Original Song at the Golden Globe Award and at the 2007 Academy Award. [cite web|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article754715.ece|title="Nominees for the 2007 Golden Globe Awards in full|date=2006-12-15|work=Times Online|accessdate=2008-08-21] [cite web|url=http://www.oscars.org/79academyawards/nomswins.html|title=79th Academy Awards|work=Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences|accessdate=2008-08-21] It won Best Original Song both at the 2006 and 2007 International Press Academy Satellite Award. "Dreamgirls" received seven nominations at the 12th Annual Critics Choice Awards, where the film won four awards including Best Original Song for "Listen". [cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/6258389.stm|title=Film critics honour The Departed |date=2007-01-13|work=British Broadcasting Corporation|accessdate=2008-08-21]

Music video

Two music videos were made to promote the song. The first version premiered on MTV's "Making the Video" on November 29. The first "Listen" music video, which was directed by Diane Martel, features Knowles walking through a performance hall in modern-day street clothes, performing the song. Once she arrives onstage and at the song's bridge, she appears in costume as Deena, dressed in a 1970s-period gown. Intercut into the video are scenes from "Dreamgirls", most of which depict Deena's relationship with her husband and employer, Curtis Taylor, Jr. This version appeared on the "B'Day Anthology Video Album". The other version, directed by Matthew Rolston, features Knowles wearing a modern-day tank top, performing the song against a blank white background. Interspersed are some scenes from a "Vogue" photo shoot scene in the film. This version appears on the "Dreamgirls" DVD release.

Track listing

;US CD single
# "Listen" (Album version)
# "Listen" (Instrumental)

;International CD single
# "Listen"
# "Irreplaceable" (DJ Speedy remix)

Charts

References