Format Digital download, CD Genre R&B, Jazz Label Warner Bros. | Recorded 2015 Length 03:41 | |
Released August 7, 2015 (2015-08-07) | ||
"What You Don't Do" is a single by British recording artist Lianne La Havas. Released on 7 August 2015, the song peaked at No.69 on the Ultratip Belgium Flanders charts.
Background and composition
Following the touring La Havas embarked on in order to promote her debut album "Your Love Big Enough?", she traveled to Jamaica along with her mother in order to regain connections with her roots. During her time in Jamaica La Havas played music for her family alongside dancehall and reggae producer Stephen McGregor (known under his production name Di Genius), who would later go on to produce the majority of the songs on Blood. Besides Stephen McGregor, La Havas worked with a variety of other producers, including Matt Hales.
The song is a rhythm and blues tune with Jazz and doo-wop that grows slowly, and pinpoints the voice of the singer. The arrangement of the song takes a backseat, while the production has a "canned sound for the verses", before starting the choruses. Horns, gospel-choir style supporting vocals, piano and brass complete the composition. The song features truthfulness and wit proclaiming her confidence in her relationship, turning the negative phrase "What You Don't Do" into a positive slogan talking about games that the vocalist is not "forced to endure".