Case of the Ex

"Case of the Ex" is a song by American singer Mýa Harrison. It was written and composed by Christopher "Tricky" Stewart and his songwriting partners Traci Hale and Thabiso "Tab" Nkhereanyne for Harrison's second studio album Fear of Flying (2000). Originally a rap song, lyrically, the upbeat R&B track was inspired by a relationship Hale was going through at the time. It was released as the second single from the album following "The Best of Me".

"Case of the Ex"
Single by Mýa
from the album Fear of Flying
ReleasedAugust 28, 2000
FormatMaxi single, 12", CD single
RecordedFall 1999
StudioTriangle Sound Studios
(Atlanta, Georgia)
GenreR&B[1]
Length3:56
LabelInterscope
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Christopher "Tricky" Stewart
Mýa singles chronology
"The Best of Me"
(2000)		 "Case of the Ex"
(2000)		 "Best of Me, Part 2"
(2000)
Alternative covers
UK cover

The song received generally mixed reviews from contemporary music critics and was Harrison's breakthrough hit, both stateside and internationally. "Case of the Ex" became a top five hit on the US Billboard Hot 100 for the week of December 2, 2000, peaking and spending three consecutive weeks at number two. Internationally, the single became a Top 20 hit, topping the charts in Australia for the week of March 18, 2001 for two consecutive weeks and peaking at number three in the United Kingdom.

The accompanying music video for the single was directed by Diane Martel. Harrison worked with choreographer Tina Landon, who later won an American Choreography Award for Best Hip Hop music video. The video drew comparisons to Janet Jackson's music video for "You Want This" (1994) and Mel Gibson's 1979 film Mad Max. In addition, the video was nominated for a Washington Area Music Award for Video of the Year, while the song itself won in the Urban Contemporary Recording category in 2001.

Background
Producer Tricky Stewart co-wrote "Case of the Ex" along with Traci Hale and Tab in fall 1999.[2]

"Case of the Ex" was composed by Christopher Stewart, Traci Hale, and Thabiso "Tab" Nkhereanyne in fall 1999.[3] Initially, Harrison was working at the Redzone Studios in Atlanta, Georgia, when she heard an early instrumental of the song through the walls from the room next door. She stepped out of her current session and was subsequently introduced to Stewart, who worked next to her.[4] Originally a rap song, Stewart heavily rearranged the track to make it fit Harrison's persona.[4]

Speaking of its creation, Stewart said: "We got together to write a song specifically for Mýa. We kicked around some subjects which Mýa could potentially sing. We wanted to create a lyric theme that would keep her young, yet would show that she was growing up."[2] It was Hale who came up with the lyric idea, which was inspired by a relationship she was going through at the time and revolved around "a strong woman who won't tolerate her man returning to his ex-girlfriend."[2] While Tab and Hale contributed most of the lyrics, Stewart wrote the music and played all of the tracks, with Hale singing on the original demo."[2]

The initial demo also featured the percussive, keyboard hook which would become the song's musical trademark. "I followed an old philosophy, which is to try to catch the listener's attention," explained Stewart. "I wanted to make a statement with that hook, creating a special sound that people would react to and remember. It was like a loud horn blast, which was derived from a sampled sound, and then enhanced with my K-25 keyboard."[2] Soon after completing the demo, Stewart played the song for Harrison and she "immediately loved it."[2] The following day, she recorded her vocals at Stewart's studio for the master version.[2]

Critical reception

"Case of the Ex" garnered mixed to positive reviews. Billboard magazine compared the song to Destiny's Child's "Jumpin', Jumpin'", and added: "With its quick-programmed drum track [...] Mýa's 'Case of the Ex' is on the right track. Production-wise, the song used some computer tricks to play with Mýa's vocals. [It] is set to be a hot track on radio and in the clubs all summer long."[5] Jacqueline Springer of NME gave the song a favorable review and rated the single seven out of ten stars, writing: "No-good boyfriend anthem number four thousand eighty time, y'all [...] The stuttering arrangement of the original is cool and suits Mýa's brooding mood, but after a while it simply sits in the wind — there's no real build into a bassline leaving the track to run along a continuous pop/r&b vibe [...] Anyway, we all know what to do when ex-girlfriends re-emerge don't we? Round up your girls and give the wench a beat-down."[6] Writing for Yahoo! Music UK, Gary Crossing described "Case of the Ex" as a smooth and sassy if a somewhat formulaic slice of R&B.[7]

Accolades

"Case of the Ex" was featured on The Village Voice's Pazz & Jop end of the year critics list.[8]

Year Ceremony Award Result Ref.
2001 Washington Area Music Awards Urban Contemporary Recording Won [9]
Video of the Year Nominated

Chart performance
"Case of the Ex" was fended off from the number one position on Billboard Hot 100 by Destiny's Child's "Independent Women Part 1".[10]

In the United States, "Case of the Ex" debuted at number 72 on Billboard Hot 100 in the week of August 19, 2000.[1] The following week, it leaped from 72 to 57 in the week of August 26, 2000. It continued to climb the Hot 100, ascending from 42 to 31 in its fifth week of September 23, 2000.[11] The song reached its peak at number 2 in the week of December 2, 2000.[12] From the weeks of December 2–16, 2000; it spent three consecutive weeks at number 2 behind Destiny's Child's "Independent Women".[13][14] "Case of the Ex" spent 30 consecutive weeks on that chart. The song became Harrison's second non-consecutive Top Ten hit (solo) after 1998's "It's All About Me." It remains Harrison's biggest and highest charting single on the chart to date. "Case of the Ex" became a Top Ten hit on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart in the week of December 9, 2000 peaking at number ten and spent 28 consecutive weeks on that chart. It was Harrison's fifth and final Top Ten hit on that chart.[15]

Globally, "Case of the Ex" became a Top 20 hit success. It debuted at number five on the Australian singles chart in the week of February 18, 2001.[16] It topped the chart and spent two consecutive weeks at number one during the weeks of March 18–25, 2001.[17][18] In total, the song spent twenty-three consecutive weeks altogether on the chart. It was certified platinum by Australian Record Industry Association for shipment of 70,000 units. In the Netherlands, the song debuted at number sixty-two during the week of October 7, 2000.[19] It reached its peak of number eight in the week of November 4, 2000 and spent 18 consecutive weeks on the Dutch Top 100 Singles chart.[20] "Case of the Ex" peaked at number seventeen in New Zealand during the week of January 28, 2001.[21] It debuted and peaked at number three in the UK in the week of February 10, 2001 and spent thirteen consecutive weeks altogether on the chart.[22]

Music video

Background

The music video for "Case of the Ex" was directed by Diane Martel. Harrison worked with choreographer Tina Landon, who won an American Choreography Award for Best Hip Hop Music Video for the video.

Synopsis

The video opens in a Mad Max-esque desert setting, where a posse of well-muscled girls stands before a group of somewhat nonplussed boys. At first, they look like they're going to perform for the boys, like the Spice Girls in "Say You'll Be There" or maybe taunt them a bit, like Janet Jackson and her crew in "You Want This". But there's another story here, having to do with the juxtapositions of the post-apocalyptic environment, the athletic survivor-girls wielding their martial-arts sticks, and the song's lyrics. The lyrics concern Mýa's query to her man, wondering why another girl is calling his phone "after midnight". This caller, narrates Mýa, is "Saying come over / Cause she's all alone / I could tell it was your ex / By your tone." At first, it might appear that the boyfriend is straight up busted. But it's more complicated than that, especially as you see Mýa and her girls engaged in their own energetic calisthenics, then (apparently) commanding their male admirers to hit the ground and perform push-ups, constructing a kind of reciprocal relationship that, for instance, Christina Aguilera's video for "What a Girl Wants" cannot do, in its celebration of the most excellent boyfriend whose job is to be endlessly appreciative of his girlfriend's super-gloriousness (see also, Christina's video for Genie in a Bottle," in which she also dances seductively with a group of girls for a group of boys). Director Diane Martel has done her share of conventionally alluring Mariah Carey and Christina Aguilera videos, but here the terms have shifted. Mýa and her girls—in moves recalling Janet's—don't pretend to be charming or enticing. Instead, they present themselves as young women with demands and desires, proudly hard-bodied and self-possessed.Mýa can rock the midriff tops like any other pop star, but as always, she remains slightly offbeat, neither apologetic nor solicitous. Sexy and self-assured without being coy, she knows who she is and what she wants, and says it outright: "What'cha gonna do / When you can't say no / And your feelings start to show? / Boy I really need to know / And how you gonna act?" In Mýa's world, it's not the girl who turns emotional and unsure of herself when a question of integrity arises, but the more fragile, less stable boy. She warns,"There's no need to / Reminisce about the past, / Obviously, 'cause that shit did not last." The video's imagery underlines her admonition, as the camera shoots up at her looking unafraid and austere, backed by her crew as the dust flies from their work-out: "She don't know me / She's about to know me / I'm in your life / That's how it's gon' be." And if you want to mess around, you're free to choose, but it will cost: "If you want her back / You can take her back. / Cause game recognize game. / I could do the same thing." And she does. At the end of the video, Mýa and her dancers exit, leaving their audience dusty and on their own.[23]

Legacy

British girl group IV Rox re-recorded "Case of the Ex" and released it as their debut single.[24][25] Their version was featured on the group's debut EP Imperfections (2015).[26] Impressed by their cover, Mýa has expressed her appreciation and tweeted, "Lovely job ladies~xoxo."[25] With their version, the group auditioned for X Factor and received a standing ovation.[27] Out magazine included "Case of the Ex" as one of their most empowering, memorable and influential all-girl dance routines list.[28] Vh1 recognized "Case of the Ex" in their list of Best R&B Music Video Choreography of the 1990s and 2000s.[29] Writing for Pitchfork, Marc Hogan suggested "Case of the Ex" as one of his choices for his 6 Millennium Era Hits That Top 40 Needs to Sample list, commenting, "A clear-voiced young singer with a strong sense of identity like Kehlani (or maybe Halsey in a pinch) could work wonders here."[30] Billboard ranked "Case of the Ex" as one their 100 Greatest Songs of 2000 list.[31]

Track listings and formats

Credits and personnel

Charts and certifications

Release history
Country Release date Format(s) Label Ref.
United States July 18, 2000 CHR/Rhythmic Interscope [65]
August 28, 2000 12' single [66]
Germany September 26, 2000 CD single [67]
United States November 14, 2000 Maxi single  · CD single [68]
United Kingdom 29 January, 2001 Polydor [69]

See also

References
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  2. "R&B Hitmaker Tricky Stewart Talks About Writing Hits For Mya And Other Artists, And How He Got Started". SongwriterUniverse.com. Retrieved 2010-10-30.
  3. Fear of Flying (liner notes). Mýa. Interscope Records. 2000.CS1 maint: others (link)
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