"Call the Shots" is a song by British-Irish
girl group
A girl group is a music act featuring two or more women in music, female singers who generally vocal harmony, harmonize together. The term "girl group" is also used in a narrower sense in the United States to denote the wave of American female p ...
Girls Aloud
Girls Aloud are a British-Irish pop music, pop girl group that was created through the ITV (TV network), ITV talent show ''Popstars: The Rivals'' in 2002. The line up consisted of members Cheryl (singer), Cheryl, Nadine Coyle, Sarah Harding, N ...
from their fourth studio album, ''
Tangled Up'' (2007). The song was written by
Miranda Cooper
Miranda Cooper (born 1975) is an English singer, songwriter, record producer, dancer and television presenter. Miranda Cooper has worked in the music industry since 1996 when she gained her first recording contract. She worked as a professiona ...
, with inspiration from an article about the advance of women in business, and
Brian Higgins
Brian Michael Higgins (born October 6, 1959) is an American former politician who was the U.S. representative for , from 2005 until 2024. The district, numbered as the 27th district from 2005 to 2013 and as the 26th from 2013 to 2024, included ...
,
Tim Powell, Lisa Cowling, and Giselle Somerville also received songwriting credits.
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 ...
originally intended to release it the lead single for ''
The Sound of Girls Aloud: The Greatest Hits'' (2006); however, "
Something Kinda Ooooh
"Something Kinda Ooooh" is a song by British-Irish all-female pop group Girls Aloud, taken from their first greatest hits collection '' The Sound of Girls Aloud: The Greatest Hits'' (2006). The song was written by Miranda Cooper, Brian Higgins a ...
" was selected instead. In September 2007, "Call the Shots" leaked online, and on 26 November of the same year, it was released as the second single from ''Tangled Up'' through
Fascination Records
Fascination Records is a United Kingdom-based record label, owned by Universal Music Group, and operated as an imprint of Polydor Records. The label was launched in spring of 2006, and is managed by former TOTP Magazine editor Peter Loraine ...
, a week after the album's release.
The song was produced by
Xenomania
Xenomania is an English songwriting and production team founded by Brian Higgins and based in Kent. Formed by Higgins with his Creative Director Miranda Cooper and Business Director Sarah Stennett of First Access Entertainment, Xenomania has w ...
. In 2008, the song won the award for the
Popjustice £20 Music Prize
The Popjustice £20 Music Prize, also known as the Popjustice Twenty Quid Prize, is an annual prize awarded by music website Popjustice to recognise the best British pop single of the previous year. The prize was conceived by Popjustice founder ...
, an annual prize awarded by a panel of judges organised by music website
Popjustice
Popjustice is a music website founded in 2000 by UK freelance music journalist Peter Robinson, who has worked for ''NME'', ''The Guardian'', ''Attitude'' and many others. It is composed of the work of editor Robinson, features editor Michael C ...
to the singer(s) of the best British pop single of the past year. "Call the Shots" proved to be commercially successful upon its release, charting at number three on the
UK Singles Chart, continuing the band's string of hits by becoming their sixteenth consecutive single to chart within the top ten, and being later certified Silver by the
British Phonographic Industry
BPI (British Recorded Music Industry) Limited, trading as British Phonographic Industry (BPI), is the British recorded music industry's trade association. It runs the BRIT Awards; is home to the Mercury Prize; co-owns the Official Charts C ...
. The song also peaked at number nine on the
Irish Singles Chart
The Irish Singles Chart is the Republic of Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association (IRMA) and compiled on their behalf by the Official Charts Company. Chart rankings are ...
.
The accompanying music video was directed by Sean de Sparengo, and features the girls in purple dresses performing on
Malibu Beach at night with flames and white fabric surrounding them. Each member of the band is also shown other locations, following several story lines. "Call the Shots" was promoted through numerous live appearances, including a high-profile performance on ''
The X Factor
''The X Factor'' is a television music competition franchise created by British producer Simon Cowell and his company Syco Entertainment. It originated in the United Kingdom, where it was devised as a replacement for '' Pop Idol'' (2001–200 ...
'', and has since been performed on four of
Girls Aloud's subsequent concert tours. Several artists and bands including
Coldplay
Coldplay are a British Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1997. They consist of vocalist and pianist Chris Martin, guitarist Jonny Buckland, bassist Guy Berryman, drummer and percussionist Will Champion, and manager Phil Harvey (band m ...
and
Mark Morriss
Mark James Morriss (born 18 October 1971) is an English singer and songwriter, best known as the frontman for The Bluetones. He is the older brother of bandmate and bass player/illustrator Scott Morriss. He has released four solo albums, worke ...
have covered the song.
Background
The first part of "Call the Shots" to be composed was the instrumentation, which was done by Xenomania in 2005.
The lyrics of the song were written in 2006,
[ when songwriter ]Miranda Cooper
Miranda Cooper (born 1975) is an English singer, songwriter, record producer, dancer and television presenter. Miranda Cooper has worked in the music industry since 1996 when she gained her first recording contract. She worked as a professiona ...
was "inspired by an article she read on something called (coincidentally) the Miranda Complex, named after the ambitious lawyer in ''Sex and the City
''Sex and the City'' is an American romantic comedy, romantic comedy-drama television series created by Darren Star for HBO, based on Sex and the City (newspaper column), the newspaper column and 1996 book by Candace Bushnell. It premiered in th ...
'', about how women are earning more than men and pushing ahead." 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 ...
originally intended to release it as a single for '' The Sound of Girls Aloud: The Greatest Hits'' (2006) the same year, but was deemed "too downbeat, when a greatest hits single needs to be a celebration." Nicola Roberts
Nicola Maria Roberts (born 5 October 1985) is an English singer and songwriter. In 2002, Roberts was selected as a member of Girls Aloud, a Pop music, pop girl group created through ITV (TV network), ITV's reality competition show ''Popstars: Th ...
, Cheryl Cole
Cheryl Ann Tweedy (born 30 June 1983) is an English singer and television personality. She rose to fame as a member of Girls Aloud, a Pop music, pop girl group created through ITV (TV network), ITV's reality competition show ''Popstars: The R ...
, Sarah Harding
Sarah Harding (born Sarah Nicole Hardman; 17 November 1981 – 5 September 2021) was an English singer, model and actress. Her professional career began in 2002 when she successfully auditioned for the ITV (TV channel), ITV reality series ''Po ...
and Kimberley Walsh
Kimberley Jane Scott ( Walsh; born 20 November 1981) is an English singer, dancer, television presenter and actress. She rose to fame in late 2002 when she auditioned for the reality series ''Popstars: The Rivals'' on ITV (TV network), ITV. Th ...
recorded vocals for the song in London, England, while Nadine Coyle
Nadine Elizabeth Louise Coyle (born 15 June 1985) is an Irish singer. In 2002, she was selected as a member of Girls Aloud, a Pop music, pop girl group created through ITV (TV network), ITV's reality competition show ''Popstars: The Rivals''. T ...
recorded her vocals in Los Angeles.[
]
Release
An early version of "Call the Shots" leaked online in September 2007. On 16 November 2007, ''Tangled Up'' was released, with "Call the Shots" being released for digital download on 26 November 2007, through 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 ...
, while it was also made available on two different 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 ...
formats the same day.[ The first disc includes a live cover version of ]Amy Winehouse
Amy Jade Winehouse (14 September 1983 – 23 July 2011) was an English singer, songwriter, musician, and businesswoman. With over 30 million records sold worldwide, she was known for her deep, expressive contralto vocals and her eclectic mix ...
's 2007 single "Rehab
Rehabilitation or Rehab may refer to:
Health
* Rehabilitation (neuropsychology), therapy to regain or improve neurocognitive function that has been lost or diminished
* Rehabilitation hospital, hospitals devoted to the rehabilitation of patients w ...
", as performed on the BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It specialises in modern popular music and Contemporary hit radio, current chart hits throughout the day. The station provides alternative genres at night, including ...
programme Jo Whiley
Johanne Whiley-Morton (born 4 July 1965), better known professionally as Jo Whiley, is an English radio DJ and television presenter. She was the host of the long-running '' Jo Whiley Show'' on BBC Radio 1 and has since been presenting her weekd ...
's ''Live Lounge
The Live Lounge is a segment on the British radio stations BBC Radio 1 and BBC Radio 1Xtra. It was originally hosted by Simon Mayo, and later by Jo Whiley on her weekday mid-morning, and later weekend lunchtime radio shows, then by Fearne Cott ...
''. The second CD format features an original composition titled "Blow Your Cover", co-written by Girls Aloud with Xenomania. The Tony Lamenza remix of "Call the Shots" was intended for inclusion on the CD single at first; however, the Xenomania club mix was selected instead. The Tony Lamenza remix was included on the '' Singles Box Set'', released in 2009.[
]
Composition
The sheet music to "Call the Shots" is written in the key of D major
D major is a major scale based on D (musical note), D, consisting of the pitches D, E (musical note), E, F♯ (musical note), F, G (musical note), G, A (musical note), A, B (musical note), B, and C♯ (musical note), C. Its key signature has two S ...
, setting a moderate tempo of 126 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 ...
. Unlike previous singles released by the band, the song follows the verse–chorus form
Verse–chorus form is a musical form going back to the 1840s, in such songs as "Oh! Susanna", " The Daring Young Man on the Flying Trapeze", and many others. It became passé in the early 1900s, with advent of the AABA (with verse) form in the T ...
. The lyrics are concerned with the ending of a relationship, and opens with a repetitive melody followed by Coyle singing, "Static tone on the phone, I'll be breaking again / Must be something better babe". As the chorus begins, the five members of the group trade lines and sing, "Just 'cause you're raising the bet and call the shots now on me / It really doesn't faze me how you spend your time", with Alexis Petridis of ''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 ...
'' stating that "only anterograde amnesia could wipe his partfrom your brain".[ During the middle-eight, Roberts sings lyrics that were the inspiration for Girls Aloud's autobiography '' Dreams that Glitter – Our Story'', released in 2008: "I've seen life burn bright, seen it shimmer / Then fade like starlight to a glimmer, oh no / I've seen life flow by like a river / So full of twilight, dreams that glitter".][ Alex Fletcher of ]Digital Spy
Digital Spy (DS) is a British-based entertainment, television and film website and brand and is the largest digital property at Hearst UK. Since its initial launch in 1999, Digital Spy has focused on entertainment news related to television pro ...
said that the instrumentation of "Call the Shots" was based on 1990s dance productions, and added that it incorporated "oohs" and "ah ah ahs" that "reverberate around an infectious chorus,"
while John Lucas 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 ...
wrote that the song showcased a more mature side from Girls Aloud.
Reception
Critical response
Alex Fletcher of Digital Spy rated the song four out of five stars, writing that it is "more tasteful" than few of Girls Aloud's previous releases.[ Jennie McNulty of '']Marie Claire
''Marie Claire'' (stylized in all lowercase; ) is a French international monthly magazine first published in France in 1937. Since then various editions are published in many countries and languages.
The feature editions focus on women aro ...
'' said that the song "has a wonderfully ambient feel, echoing an arty electro band", while Alexis Petridis of ''The Guardian'' wrote that ''Tangled Up'' "begins disappointingly" with "Call the Shots" as the opening track because the song's structure is "a bit commonplace" compared to Girls Aloud's previous singles such as "Biology
Biology is the scientific study of life and living organisms. It is a broad natural science that encompasses a wide range of fields and unifying principles that explain the structure, function, growth, History of life, origin, evolution, and ...
" (2005).[ On the countdown of the top singles of 2007, Digital Spy placed "Call the Shots" at number 17, commenting that the band had not lost "their knack for making supremely catchy pop hits." In 2008, the song won the ]Popjustice £20 Music Prize
The Popjustice £20 Music Prize, also known as the Popjustice Twenty Quid Prize, is an annual prize awarded by music website Popjustice to recognise the best British pop single of the previous year. The prize was conceived by Popjustice founder ...
– Girls Aloud's fourth win. Popjustice
Popjustice is a music website founded in 2000 by UK freelance music journalist Peter Robinson, who has worked for ''NME'', ''The Guardian'', ''Attitude'' and many others. It is composed of the work of editor Robinson, features editor Michael C ...
writer Peter Robinson Peter Robinson may refer to:
Entertainment
* Peter Robinson (sideshow artist) (1873–1947), American actor and sideshow performer, known for his appearance in film ''Freaks'' (1932)
* J. Peter Robinson (born 1945), British musician and film score ...
deemed it as the "greatest pop song of the 21st century."
Chart performance
Following the availability of "Call the Shots" due to the release of ''Tangled Up'', the song entered the UK Singles Chart at number nine. The following week, "Call the Shots" rose six places to peak at number three. It managed to stay at number three the following week, but slipped to number five in its fourth week. Through the Christmas week chart, the single managed to stay in the top ten, returning to its debut position of number nine. "Call the Shots" was certified gold by the British Phonographic Industry
BPI (British Recorded Music Industry) Limited, trading as British Phonographic Industry (BPI), is the British recorded music industry's trade association. It runs the BRIT Awards; is home to the Mercury Prize; co-owns the Official Charts C ...
. On the chart issue of 22 November 2007, the song debuted at number 44 in Ireland, reaching a new peak at number 9 the following week.[ It attained the same peak 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.[ Following Sarah Harding's death in September 2021, the song had a resurgence in popularity with streams and sales increasing by 333%.
]
Music video
The accompanying music video for "Call the Shots" was directed by Sean de Sparengo and filmed in October 2007. The video features the girls in purple dresses performing on Malibu Beach at night with flames and white fabric surrounding them. The girls are also shown in different locations with individual story lines. Cole is seen looking out of a sunny window after an argument with her boyfriend. Walsh is sat in front of a mirror, putting on make-up; her boyfriend comes to get her and they hug, though she appears to be sad. Coyle is seated on a couch, flipping through photographs featuring her and a man. She takes a lighter to the photos and sets them alight. Roberts is lying down by a swimming pool, running her fingers through the water. A young man walks up to her with a bouquet of flowers and tosses them into the water. Harding watches her boyfriend ( Adam Karst) in the shower and goes through his phone. The video premiered on 17 October 2007.
The music video showcased the Samsung SGH-F210
The Samsung SGH-F210 is a cellphone manufactured by Samsung Electronics.
Response
''Trusted Reviews'' rated it 7/10, criticising the small screen size., ''The Register
''The Register'' (often also called El Reg) is a British Technology jo ...
Purple
Purple is a color similar in appearance to violet light. In the RYB color model historically used in the arts, purple is a secondary color created by combining red and blue pigments. In the CMYK color model used in modern printing, purple is ...
, which Girls Aloud promoted in partnership with Phones4U as part of an advertising campaign at the time.
Live performances and covers
Girls Aloud first performed "Call the Shots" at a charity ball in aid of children's charity UNICEF
UNICEF ( ), originally the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund, officially United Nations Children's Fund since 1953, is an agency of the United Nations responsible for providing Humanitarianism, humanitarian and Development a ...
on 10 November 2007. The band also performed the song on ''The X Factor
''The X Factor'' is a television music competition franchise created by British producer Simon Cowell and his company Syco Entertainment. It originated in the United Kingdom, where it was devised as a replacement for '' Pop Idol'' (2001–200 ...
'' on 17 November 2007, on ''The Paul O'Grady Show
''The Paul O'Grady Show'' was a British comedy chat show presented by comedian Paul O'Grady, first shown on 11 October 2004. The programme was a teatime chat show consisting of a mixture of celebrity guests, comic stunts, musical performances ...
'' on 21 November 2007, on ''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 ...
'' on 27 November 2007, and on ''Top of the Pops
''Top of the Pops'' (''TOTP'') is a British record chart television programme, made by the BBC and broadcast weekly between 1January 1964 and 30 July 2006. The programme was the world's longest-running weekly music show. For most of its histo ...
'' on 25 December 2007. "Call the Shots" was performed on 2008's Tangled Up Tour
The Tangled Up Tour was the fourth concert tour by English-Irish girl group Girls Aloud. It supported their fourth studio album '' Tangled Up''. Tour dates were announced in November 2007. Girls Aloud performed twenty-four shows at arenas acros ...
, and, later that year, at ''The Girls Aloud Party
''The Girls Aloud Party'' was a one-off Christmas variety show starring British girl group Girls Aloud, produced for ITV. The show was aired on 13 December 2008, in between ''The X Factor'' series finale and its results show.
All five members to ...
'' TV special held by ITV1
ITV1 (formerly known as ITV) is a British free-to-air Public service broadcasting in the United Kingdom, public broadcast television channel owned and operated by the British media company ITV plc. It provides the ITV (TV network), Channel 3 ...
, and at the V Festival
V Festival, often referred to as V Fest or simply V, was an annual music festival held in the United Kingdom during the third weekend in August. The event was held at two parks simultaneously which shared the same bill; artists performed at one ...
. For 2009's Out of Control Tour
The Out of Control Tour was the fifth concert tour by British-Irish girl group Girls Aloud. It supported their fifth studio album ''Out of Control (Girls Aloud album), Out of Control''. Initially, just ten dates in bigger arenas were announced ...
, the band began the performance on a smaller, specially-constructed stage in the centre of the arena, and flew back to the main stage before it ended. The same year, Bloc Party
Bloc Party are an English Rock music, rock band that was formed in London, England, London in 1999 by co-founders Kele Okereke (lead vocals, rhythm guitar, piano, sampler) and Russell Lissack (lead guitar). Their first four albums all featur ...
covered the song for BBC Radio 1's Live Lounge. In 2013, the song was performed during the second act of the Ten: The Hits Tour. "Call the Shots" was also covered by several artists and bands such as Coldplay
Coldplay are a British Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1997. They consist of vocalist and pianist Chris Martin, guitarist Jonny Buckland, bassist Guy Berryman, drummer and percussionist Will Champion, and manager Phil Harvey (band m ...
, David Jordan, Fyfe Dangerfield
Fyfe Antony Dangerfield Hutchins (born 7 July 1980) is an English musician and songwriter, best known as the founding member of the indie rock band Guillemots (band), Guillemots.
Early life
Born in Moseley, Birmingham, in 1980, he moved to Bro ...
, Malcolm Middleton
Malcolm Bruce Middleton
(born 31 December 1973) is a Scottish musician and member of indie band Arab Strap. He has also released seven solo studio albums and three albums performing under the pseudonym Human Don't Be Angry.
Early life
Middlet ...
, and Mark Morriss
Mark James Morriss (born 18 October 1971) is an English singer and songwriter, best known as the frontman for The Bluetones. He is the older brother of bandmate and bass player/illustrator Scott Morriss. He has released four solo albums, worke ...
.
Formats and track listings
* CD single – Part 1[
# "Call the Shots" – 3:44
# "]Rehab
Rehabilitation or Rehab may refer to:
Health
* Rehabilitation (neuropsychology), therapy to regain or improve neurocognitive function that has been lost or diminished
* Rehabilitation hospital, hospitals devoted to the rehabilitation of patients w ...
" (Live Lounge
The Live Lounge is a segment on the British radio stations BBC Radio 1 and BBC Radio 1Xtra. It was originally hosted by Simon Mayo, and later by Jo Whiley on her weekday mid-morning, and later weekend lunchtime radio shows, then by Fearne Cott ...
cover) (Winehouse) – 3:42
* CD single – Part 2 and Digital download[
# "Call the Shots" – 3:44
# "Call the Shots" (Xenomania club mix) – 4:50
# "Blow Your Cover" (Girls Aloud, Cooper, Higgins, Jody Lei, Xenomania) – 3:27
# "Call the Shots" (video) – 3:43
* ''The Singles Boxset''][
# "Call the Shots" – 3:44
# "Rehab" (Live Lounge cover) – 3:42
# "Call the Shots" (Xenomania club mix) – 4:50
# "Blow Your Cover" – 3:27
# "Call the Shots" (Tony Lamezma's Sniper mix) – 7:22
# "Call the Shots" (Tony Lamezma's radio edit) – 3:29
# "Call the Shots" (video) – 3:43
Digital EP]
# "Call The Shots" – 3:44
# "Rehab" – 3:42
# "Call the Shots" (Xenomania club mix) – 4:46
# "Blow Your Cover" – 3:27
# "Call the Shots" (Tony Lamezma's Sniper mix) – 7:21
# "Call the Shots" (radio edit) – 3:29
Credits and personnel
Credits are adapted from the liner notes of ''Tangled Up''.[
* Guitar – Nick Coler, Owen Parker
* ]Keyboard
Keyboard may refer to:
Text input
* Keyboard, part of a typewriter
* Computer keyboard
** Keyboard layout, the software control of computer keyboards and their mapping
** Keyboard technology, computer keyboard hardware and firmware
Music
* Mus ...
– Miranda Cooper
Miranda Cooper (born 1975) is an English singer, songwriter, record producer, dancer and television presenter. Miranda Cooper has worked in the music industry since 1996 when she gained her first recording contract. She worked as a professiona ...
, Brian Higgins
Brian Michael Higgins (born October 6, 1959) is an American former politician who was the U.S. representative for , from 2005 until 2024. The district, numbered as the 27th district from 2005 to 2013 and as the 26th from 2013 to 2024, included ...
, Matt Gray, Tim Powell, Toby Scott
* Mastering – Dick Beetham for 360 Mastering
* Mixing – Jeremy Wheatley
* Production – Brian Higgins, Xenomania
Xenomania is an English songwriting and production team founded by Brian Higgins and based in Kent. Formed by Higgins with his Creative Director Miranda Cooper and Business Director Sarah Stennett of First Access Entertainment, Xenomania has w ...
* Programming
Program (American English; also Commonwealth English in terms of computer programming and related activities) or programme (Commonwealth English in all other meanings), programmer, or programming may refer to:
Business and management
* Program m ...
– Miranda Cooper, Brian Higgins, Matt Gray, Tim Powell, Toby Scott
* Songwriting – Miranda Cooper, Brian Higgins, Tim Powell, Lisa Cowling, Giselle Somerville
* Vocals – Girls Aloud
* Published by Warner/Chappell Music
Warner Chappell Music, Inc. is an American music publishing company and a subsidiary of the Warner Music Group. Warner Chappell Music's catalog consists of over 1.4 million compositions and 150,000 composers, with offices in over 40 countries.
...
and Xenomania Music
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Certifications
Release history
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Call The Shots
2000s ballads
2007 singles
2007 songs
Fascination Records singles
Girls Aloud songs
Song recordings produced by Xenomania
Songs about heartache
Songs written by Brian Higgins (producer)
Songs written by Lisa Cowling
Songs written by Miranda Cooper
Songs written by Tim Powell (producer)
Dance-pop songs
Europop songs
Electropop songs