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Ooh!

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For other uses, see Ooh (disambiguation).
"Ooh!"
Single by Mary J. Blige
from the album Love & Life
ReleasedAugust 25, 2003
RecordedDecember 2–6, 2002[1]
GenreHip hop soul[2]
Length4:07
LabelGeffen
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Sean Combs
  • D-Nat
Mary J. Blige singles chronology
"Love @ 1st Sight"
(2003) 		"Ooh!"
(2003) 		"Not Today"
(2004)
Music video
"Ooh!" on YouTube

"Ooh!" is a song recorded by American singer Mary J. Blige for her sixth studio album Love & Life (2003). It was written by Blige, Sean Combs, Dimitri Christo, and Mechalie Jamison, while production was helmed by Combs and Christo. The song contains excerpts from Hamilton Bohannon's 1973 track "Singing a Song for My Mother", hence Bohannon is also credited as a songwriter. "Ooh!" was released as the second single from Love & Life on August 25, 2003, by Geffen Records.

A moderate commercial success, "Ooh!" peaked at number 29 on the US Billboard Hot 100. Critically acclaimed, it was nominated for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance at the 46th Annual Grammy Awards.[3] An accompanying music video for the song was directed by Sanji, and depicts Blige fighting and dancing as different versions of herself, who all represented her inner emotions and feelings. Furthermore, a remix featuring 50 Cent, Lloyd Banks, and Young Buck also accompanied the song.

Background

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"Ooh!" was as written by Blige along with Sean Combs, Dimitri "The Natural aka D-Nat" Christo, and Mechalie Jamison, while production was helmed by Combs and Christo.[4] The song contains excerpts from the 1973 song "Singing a Song for My Mother" by American musician Hamilton Bohannon, itself widely known for being sampled on the 1991 hip-hop classic, "I Gotta Have It" by Ed O.G and Da Bulldogs.[4] It was Combs who asked Blige to write over the Ed O.G. sample.[5] In a 2003 interview with MTV News she commented: "Puff heard it and he sat there with his mouth open. He was [nodding his head], but he never said anything. He later said that "[That] was fire!" so we let Jimmy Iovine hear it and Jimmy was like, "I like it." Dr. Dre heard it and was like, "That's the joint right there." Then we played it for K-Gee and he just lost his mind. We played it for people all over the world when we went on the promotional tour and everything kept coming back 'Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh'."[5]

Critical reception

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BBC Music critic Keysha Davis called "Ooh!" a "hip-hop inspired club anthem. Backed by a trudging horn riff, and an instantly recognisable break-beat; [it] forms the perfect compliment for Mary's gravely vocals."[6] Elizabeth Berry Mendez from The Washington Post wrote: "With its slinky saxophone and Mary's ripe alto, "Ooh!" is the kind of dance-floor soul jam that recalls Motown's heyday."[7] Similarly, Billboard's Michael Paoletta remarked that the song "recalls "Rock Steady"-era Aretha Franklin."[8] In his review of parent album Love & Life, David Browne from Entertainment Weekly noted: [The album] tried to present a more contented Blige but mainly reduced her to moaning orgasmic lines like "Ooh, what you do to me" to thudding Diddy-produced beats."[9] BET.com called the song one of the "highlights of Blige's and Combs's reunion on 2003's Love & Life."[10]

Music video

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Blige was initially eyeying Chris Robinson, who had helmed the music video for Love & Life's previous single "Love @ 1st Sight," to once again direct her.[5] Due to scheduling conflicts, Sanjeeva "Sanji" Senaka, director of her 2001 music video for "No More Drama," was eventually selected to direct the visuals for "Ooh!."[11] Dedicated to the soldiers in the war,[11] it portrays Blige fighting and dancing different versions of herself, who all represented her inner emotions and feelings.[11] "Ooh!" world premiered at the end of its making of episode on BET's Access Granted.[11]

Track listings

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Promotional single[12]
No.TitleLength
1."Ooh!" (Radio Edit)3:59
2."Ooh!" (Album Version)4:07
3."Ooh!" (Instrumental)4:12
4."Ooh!" (A Cappella)3:49

Credits and personnel

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Credits adapted from the liner notes of Love & Life.[4]

Charts

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Release history

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Release dates and formats for "Ooh!"
Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
United States August 25, 2003 Urban contemporary radio Geffen
[17]

References

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  1. ^ Maserati, Tony. "Tony Maserati: Mixing Love & Life". soundonsound.com. Retrieved August 9, 2020.
  2. ^ Spera, Keith (19 October 2022). "Mary J. Blige touched on more than 30 songs during 90-minute New Orleans show". nola.com. Retrieved October 29, 2022.
  3. ^ "Mary J. Blige | Artist | GRAMMY.com". www.grammy.com. Retrieved 2023-10-10.
  4. ^ a b c Love & Life (Media notes). Mary J. Blige. Geffen Records. 2003.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  5. ^ a b c Reid, Shaheem (August 6, 2003). "Mary Gets Giddy On 'Ooh!,' States The Facts While Eve Attacks On 'Not Today'". MTV News. Archived from the original on February 26, 2024. Retrieved February 26, 2024.
  6. ^ Davis, Keysha. "BBC Review". BBC Music. Retrieved February 26, 2024.
  7. ^ Berry Mendez, Elizabeth (August 26, 2003). "Love & Life Review". Washington Post. Retrieved February 26, 2024.
  8. ^ Paoletta, Michael (September 6, 2003). "Essential Reviews". Billboard. Retrieved February 26, 2024.
  9. ^ Browne, David (December 20, 2005). "Review: Blige's worthy 'Breakthrough'". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved February 26, 2024 – via CNN.com.
  10. ^ "Mary J. Blige's 50 Best Songs – MJB's What's the 411? was released 22 years ago today". BET.com. Retrieved March 11, 2024.
  11. ^ a b c d "Mary J Blige – Ooh! (Music video)". Access Granted. Retrieved February 26, 2024 – via YouTube.
  12. ^ "Oooh! – Promo Single". Discogs. Retrieved August 9, 2020.
  13. ^ "Mary J. Blige Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved March 15, 2012.
  14. ^ "Mary J. Blige Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved March 15, 2012.
  15. ^ "Mary J. Blige Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved March 7, 2021.
  16. ^ "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs – Year-End 2003". Billboard. Retrieved March 7, 2021.
  17. ^ "Going for Adds" (PDF). Radio & Records. August 22, 2003. p. 28. Retrieved June 2, 2024 – via World Radio History.
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