"Work It Out" is the debut solo single by Beyoncé. It was released on June 11, 2002 as the lead single for the soundtrack to Austin Powers in Goldmember, which Beyoncé stars in as Foxxy Cleopatra. It was later included on international editions of Beyoncé's debut studio album, Dangerously in Love (2003). Beyoncé co-wrote the song with its producers, Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo.
Background and release[]
In the 2002 film Austin Powers in Goldmember, Beyoncé portrays Foxxy Cleopatra, the female protagonist alongside the film's lead character, Austin Powers, portrayed by Canadian film actor and comedian Mike Myers. Cleopatra is a parody of the characters in blaxploitation films such as Foxy Brown and Cleopatra Jones, both of which are used in her name. Her clothing style is reminiscent of the disco era and her hair is in the afro style of the time. Taking inspiration from her portrayal, Beyoncé adopted in the song a persona similar to that of Cleopatra. Powers meets Cleopatra at the villain's discothèque in 1975, which attributes to Cleopatra's disco-type fashion and the heavily inspired disco-era music video for "Work It Out".
"Work It Out" was written and produced by Beyoncé, Pharrell Williams, and Chad Hugo. Critically, the song was credited with marking Beyoncé's transition into the music scene as a solo artist, after fulfilling a career as the lead female vocalist of Destiny's Child. Beyoncé premiered the song on May 23, 2002, via AOL. The song served as the first single from the soundtrack album, Austin Powers: Goldmember. Additionally, it serves as the album's opening track, and was released on June 11, 2002. "Work It Out" was also intended to serve as the lead single from Beyoncé's debut album, Dangerously in Love. However, it was eventually replaced by "Crazy in Love", while it was used as a bonus song on the album's international versions.
Critical reception[]
"Work It Out" garnered generally positive reviews from critics, most of whom complemented the 1960s and 1970s funk tone featured on the song. While reviewing the Austin Powers in Goldmember's soundtrack album, Josh Tyrangiel, writing for Entertainment Weekly, gave the song a negative review stating that it was "all shimmy and innuendo". However, while reviewing the single, Craig Seymour of the same publication awarded the song a grade of an A−, calling the track a "funky debut solo tune" and further stating that the song also proves that Beyoncé, best known "for riding poppy staccato beats, can get deep into a groove". Mark Anthony Neal of PopMatters recognized the success of Destiny's Child and credited it to Beyoncé, stating, "[Beyoncé], first stepped out on the solo trip in support of her role as Foxxy Cleopatra in Austin Powers: Gold Member." "Work It Out" indicated to Neal that Beyoncé was "ready to shed the 'but I'm still not yet a woman' vibe that's earned Destiny's Child multi-platinum status".
The song was considered a "good moment" on the film's soundtrack album by AllMusic's writer Stephen Thomas Erlewine. Erlewine called it "excellent" and favored it over the tracks of Survivor (2001), Destiny's Child's previous album. Although considered a great transition for Beyoncé, Vibe disagreed, stating that the song debuted a tepid beginning for Beyoncé, who had high anticipations for a solo-career. Contactmusic.com named the contributions by Beyoncé on the movie's soundtrack as a highlight of the album. Rob Boss of Walmart called Beyoncé "alluring" while reviewing her performance on the soundtrack and comparing it to her performance in the movie itself. Dismissing Beyoncé's acting by stating "she should stick to singing and leave the acting to the actors," Boss called her performance on the song intense and stated that the opening track "Work It Out" was a reason enough to include Beyoncé in the film. Rob Fitzpatrick of New Musical Express gave the song a mixed to positive review, writing that it sounds not only like a perfect imitation or replication of classic funk, but also like a derivation of various other sources and motifs. John Mulvey, writing for the same magazine, considered "Work It Out" to be the best tune Beyoncé had recorded since "Say My Name" (2000), and he further commented, "it's Beyoncé yowling, testifying and wigging out in only slightly-studied retro fashion that's most striking".
Commercial performance[]
"Work It Out" failed to make the US Billboard Hot 100. Although it did not appear on the main US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, it peaked at number four on the US Bubbling Under R&B/Hip-Hop Singles chart. "Work It Out" peaked atop the US Dance Club Songs, and enjoyed moderate commercial success throughout Europe. It debuted and peaked at number seven on the UK Singles Chart on July 27, 2002, charting for a total of 11 weeks. The song managed to peak within the top 20 of several European charts, peaking at number three in Norway, number 12 in Ireland and number 14 in Denmark. In Oceania, the single peaked at number 36 in New Zealand on September 8, 2002, while reaching number 23 for two consecutive weeks in late September 2002 in Australia.
Music video[]
The accompanying music video for the song was directed by Matthew Rolston. Shot in New York City in early June 2002, behind-the-scenes footage of the shooting of the music video was released on June 7, and the main video officially posted on MTV on June 17. In the video, Jeremiah Alexis takes on the role of the bassist in the background and Beyoncé singing up-front, with the overall feel inspired by 1970s glamor and the introduction of pop and funk. On the concept of the video, Beyoncé said, "I wanted it to look different from what we've done. I wanted it to be raw. The look of it is like an old 1970's show." Rolston stated that the video was inspired by shows like Sonny & Cher and The Midnight Special with James Brown, which took place around the beginning of the disco era and the end of the hippie era.
The video begins with Beyoncé (as Cleopatra) sitting with Powers in a movie theater, a credit to the ending of Austin Powers in Goldmember. As the "movie" starts, Beyoncé is seen on stage performing with a band playing instruments to the song. After performing a simple choreography, Beyoncé begins her verse by singing into a microphone that has her name written on it with sparkles, with the scenery of the shot being a stage with a colorful background, and scenes from Goldmember pieced throughout the video. Beyoncé performs in a cube with disco-scenery shown on the walls, ceiling, and projected onto Beyoncé, who plays with hula hoops while wearing "Virgo" bedazzled jeans throughout the video. As the video ends, Beyoncé is seen back on the beginning stage performing a dance-routine with three backup dancers; the video ending with the movie theater cheering for the video, while Cleopatra and Powers smile at each other.
Cynthia Fuchs of PopMatters reviewed the music video, stating: "The video offers up a standard-seeming series of body parts—eye, navel, huge hair—but at the same time emphasizes Beyoncé's frankly awesome power, recalling Aretha and especially Tina Turner as she snuggles up to the mic stand, her ferocious thighs revealed beneath a sequined miniskirt. In her first solo effort, Beyoncé declares herself a singular personality, a body, and a performer. Not to mention a sensation with a hula-hoop". Fuchs added to her comment about Beyoncé's hoola-hooping skills, referring to them as "sensational" and stated that it gave the video "a giddy, gorgeous turn". Tamar Anitai of MTV News negatively reviewed Beyoncé's choice in hair-style as "two-tone, too-tight curls". In 2003, the music video was nominated at the MTV Video Music Awards Japan in the category Best Video from a Film.
Live performances[]
Beyoncé performed the song on multiple occasions, including the song as part of her set list on the Dangerously in Love Tour, where the performance of the song was recorded and distributed at the Wembley Arena in London for her Live at Wembley live and video album. The song was also performed live at the Wynn Theatre in Las Vegas on August 2, 2009, at the I Am... Yours concert, and Beyoncé's I Am... World Tour.