Girish Mahajan (Editor)

The World Should Revolve Around Me

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Released
  
August 25, 2008

Recorded
  
2008

Length
  
3:00

Format
  
Digital Download, CD

Genre
  
R&B, Pop

Writer(s)
  
Imani Coppola, Michael Mangini, Willie Mitchell, Adam Pallin, Early Randle

"The World Should Revolve Around Me" is the debut single by US pop/R&B duo Little Jackie. The song was used in numerous TV shows and movie trailers, and was a UK Top 20 hit.

Contents

Background

Speaking in July 2008 to noted UK R&B writer Pete Lewis of the award-winning Blues & Soul, Little Jackie frontwoman Imani Coppola explained how the song came about: "Being an artist isn't conducive to having a healthy relationship. And that song is definitely the pinnacle of my ego being bruised by my last partner leaving me! Basically the title represents a very childlike perspective that most people find identifiable... And, while I obviously don't REALLY think the world should revolve around me, I'm basically being defiant in saying 'I don't see the point of a partnership'. While, at the same time, I'm really creating a fantasy for EVERYONE to share and enjoy. You know, why not, at least for a few seconds, just sing along like it's your song? For three minutes of your life let the world revolve around YOU!"

Release and reception

"The World Should Revolve Around Me" was released as a digital download on September 25, 2008, ahead of the release of the group's debut album, "The Stoop." A CD single of the song was also released in the UK.

Thom Jurek, of AllMusic, praised said the song has "Motown-rich string samples, punky, (and) ragged breaks...", also praising the song's lyrics. The Guardian's Jude Rogers felt that the song initially "sounds fun and playful," but that "under the surface lurks an indignant character."

Criticism

The song has been criticized by some for depicting narcissism. In The Handbook of Narcissism and Narcissistic Personality Disorder, W. Keith Campbell and Joshua D. Miller theorize that the song would be at unpopular "in a less narcissistic culture, even if individual levels of narcissism showed only small differences." Jean M. Twenge and W. Keith Campbell, in their book The Narcissism Epidemic: Living in the Age of Entitlement, felt that the song has "no apparent sarcasm." In an article in The New York Times Guide to Essential Knowledge, writer Jon Pareles felt that the song was evidence that society's narcissism is not declining.

Chart performance

On the UK singles chart, "The World Should Revolve Around Me" debuted at #26 and peaked at #14 two weeks later. It spent a total of five weeks in the top 40 and seven weeks in the top 100. On the Irish chart, it debuted at #43 and peaked at #30 a week later. It spent a total of four weeks in the top 50. The song also entered the Billboard Pop 100, reaching number 90 in October 2008.

Music video

The music video is mostly straightforward performance, with some graffiti backgrounds. It also features Rosie Perez sitting on a stoop with the members of Little Jackie. The music video went into heavy rotation on VH1, reaching number 1 on the Billboard VH1 Video Monitor chart. The music video also entered the Top 10 on Billboard's Hot Videoclips chart.

Media usage

The song was featured in the trailer for the movie You Again, starring Kristen Bell, Jamie Lee Curtis, Sigourney Weaver, Odette Yustman and Betty White. The song was also featured on Episode 8 of Season 1 of 90210, with Little Jackie performing the song on the show. "The World Should Revolve Around Me" gained popularity in the U.S. after becoming the theme song for VH1's New York Goes to Hollywood. Little Jackie also appeared in an episode of the show. The music video was featured on VH1's "You Oughta Know" segment. Due to the song's success, it was also featured on the UK popular music compilation "Now That's What I Call Music! 71."

References

The World Should Revolve Around Me Wikipedia