Whatever (En Vogue song)
| "Whatever" | ||||||||||
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| Single by En Vogue | ||||||||||
| from the album EV3 | ||||||||||
| Released | May 13, 1997 (US) | |||||||||
| Format | CD single, Cassette single | |||||||||
| Recorded | 1997 | |||||||||
| Genre | R&B, hip hop soul | |||||||||
| Length | 4:42 | |||||||||
| Writer(s) | Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, Keith Andes, Giuliano Franco, James Todd Smith, Osten Harvey, Jr. | |||||||||
| Producer(s) | Babyface | |||||||||
| En Vogue singles chronology | ||||||||||
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"Whatever" is the second single from musical group En Vogue's third studio album, EV3. It has been certified gold by the RIAA for shipments of over 500,000 units. It reached #16 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart.
"Whatever" was produced by Babyface (he participated on other tracks as well) as this album marked the first time En Vogue departed from their usual Foster & McElroy sound. The video version was also the first to feature only three of the original En Vogue members (without the recently departed Dawn Robinson).
Efforts to re-record the album without Robinson were all but successful as she is heard in background and lead throughout EV3. Her original lead verse on "Whatever" is fourth ("anything you do, I crave it baby...") and can be clearly heard on the remixes to this track. Cindy Herron replaced Dawn's outgoing lead in the video and studio album version.
While EV3 was being recorded, Dawn Robinson chose to leave the group. Her voice is heard throughout the harmony and lead vocals on 95% of the album including this song.
Music video
The music video, directed by Matthew Rolston, features the girls in a modern beauty salon/cosmetic surgery lab. They are surrounded by doctors and nurses dressed in orange outfits performing various surgical procedures.
Cindy is shown pulling a face statue in a lightning filled hallway, while she begins the song covering up her face with a mask then removing to sing the first verse, replacing it back after the final chorus.
Maxine is seen singing in front of a three-way mirror in a blue dress. Terry sings in pale makeup while wearing a beauty micrometer as a doctor attends to her.
Several beauty enhancement procedures are shown in the video - face lifts, breast augmentation, even skin whitening. The girls dance robotically throughout the video and are seen sporting several looks and hairstyles each.
Official versions
- Radio Edit (4:11)
- Album Version (4:22)
- Instrumental (4:22)
- A Capella (4:22)
- TV track (4:22)
- The Tumblin' Dice Remix Extended Club Remix (featuring Ossirus aka Ol' Dirty Bastard) (5:43)
- The Tumblin' Dice Remix Radio Remix without Rap (4:16)
- The Tumblin' Dice Remix Instrumental (4:16)
- The Tumblin' Dice Remix A Capella (4:16)
- Tuff Jam Unda Vybe Dub (6:55)
- Tuff Jam 2 In 1 Remix (7:59)
- Tuff Jam 2 In 1 Instrumental (8:05)
- Lemon D. Remix (8:40)
- Mousse T. Remix (4:00)
- Roni's Searching For A New Key Mix (6:59)
- Towa Tei Remix (5:29)
- Towa Tei Remix - Instrumental (5:29)
- Mucho Soul Mix (6:27)
- Shelter Dub (6:35)
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