"The World Should Revolve Around Me"
Single by Little Jackie
from the album The Stoop
ReleasedAugust 25, 2008 (2008-08-25)
Length3:00
LabelS-Curve
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Michael Mangini
Little Jackie singles chronology
"The World Should Revolve Around Me"
(2008)		 "The Stoop"
(2008)

"The World Should Revolve Around Me" is the debut single of American pop-R&B duo Little Jackie. The song became a top-20 hit on the UK Singles Chart, and also peaked within the top 30 of the Irish Singles Chart. Upon its release, the song was met with a favorable reception from critics, who praised the song's Motown-esque production; however, some sociologists criticized the song, opining that it glamorized narcissism and demonstrated that the United States' narcissism is not declining. In the United States, the song appeared on the Billboard Pop 100, also appearing as the theme song for the VH1 reality TV series New York Goes to Hollywood.

Background

Speaking in July 2008 to UK R&B writer Pete Lewis of 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!"[1]

Release and reception

"The World Should Revolve Around Me" was released as a digital download on August 25, 2008,[2] ahead of the release of the group's debut album, "The Stoop."

Thom Jurek of AllMusic commented that said the song has "Motown-rich string samples, punky, (and) ragged breaks...", also praising the song's lyrics.[3] The Guardian's Jude Rogers felt that the song initially "sounds fun and playful," but that "under the surface lurks an indignant character."[4]

Criticism

The song has been criticized by some sociologists and critics for depicting and glamorizing 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."[5] 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."[6] In an article in The New York Times Guide to Essential Knowledge, writer Jon Pareles opined that the song was evidence that society's narcissism is not declining.[7]

Chart performance

On the UK Singles Chart, "The World Should Revolve Around Me" debuted at number 26. Two weeks later, it rose seven spots, to its number 14 peak, at which it spent one week.[8][9] It spent a total of five weeks in the top 40 and seven weeks in the top 100.[8] The song also peaked within the top 40 on the Ireland Singles Chart, where it debuted at number 43 and peaked at number 30, spending a total of 4 weeks in the top 100.[10] The song also entered the Billboard Pop 100 airplay chart, reaching number 90 in October 2008.[11]

Music video

The music video is mostly straightforward performance, with some graffiti backgrounds.[12] It also features Rosie Perez sitting on a stoop with the members of Little Jackie.[12][13] The music video went into heavy rotation on VH1, reaching number 1 on the Billboard VH1 Video Monitor chart.[14] The music video also entered the Top 10 on Billboard's Hot Videoclips chart, and was the most-played video on VH1 the week ending October 18, 2008.[14]

Charts

Chart (2008) Peak
position
Ireland (IRMA)[10] 30
Scotland (OCC)[15] 10
UK Singles (OCC)[8] 14
US Pop 100 (Billboard)[11] 90

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.[16] The song was also featured on Episode 8 of Season 1 of 90210, with Little Jackie performing the song on the show.[17] "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.[18][19][20] Little Jackie also appeared in an episode of the show.[21] The music video was featured on VH1's "You Oughta Know" segment.[22][23]

References

  1. ↑ Little Jackie interview by Pete Lewis, 'Blues & Soul' August 2008
  2. ↑ ""The World Should Revolve Around Me" overview". AllMusic. RhythmOne. Retrieved February 9, 2017.
  3. ↑ Jurek, Thom. ""The Stoop" album review". AllMusic. RhythmOne. Retrieved February 9, 2017.
  4. ↑ Rogers, Jude (August 28, 2008). "Pop review: Little Jackie, The Stoop". The Guardian. Guardian News and Media Limited. Retrieved February 9, 2017.
  5. ↑ Campbell, Keith; Miller, Joshua (July 7, 2011). The Handbook of Narcissism and Narcissistic Personality Disorder ... John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 9781118029268. Retrieved February 11, 2017.
  6. ↑ Twenge, Jean; Campbell, Keith (April 13, 2010). The Narcissism Epidemic: Living in the Age of Entitlement. Simon & Schuster. p. 1. ISBN 9781416575993. Retrieved February 11, 2017.
  7. ↑ Pareles, Jon (October 25, 2011). The New York Times Guide to Essential Knowledge, Third Edition. MacMillan. p. 166. ISBN 9781429950855. Retrieved February 11, 2017.
  8. 1 2 3 "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 1, 2023.
  9. ↑ Sexton, Pail (September 2008). "The Verve Storms To No. 1 U.K. Debut". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. Retrieved October 21, 2017.
  10. 1 2 "The Irish Charts – Search Results – The World Should Revolve Around Me". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved March 1, 2023.
  11. 1 2 "Billboard Oct 11, 2008 (page 60)". Internet Archive. Nielsen Business Media. October 11, 2008. p. 60. Retrieved February 9, 2017. pop 100 little jackie.
  12. 1 2 ""Little Jackie - The World Should Revolve Around Me" music video". YouTube. Retrieved February 9, 2017.
  13. ↑ "Other works for Rosie Perez". IMDb. Amazon. Retrieved February 9, 2017.
  14. 1 2 "Billboard Oct 18, 2008 (page 56)". Internet Archive. Nielsen Business Media. October 18, 2008. p. 56. Retrieved February 11, 2017. the world should revolve around me.
  15. ↑ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 1, 2023.
  16. ↑ ""You Again" trailer". YouTube. Touchstone Pictures. Retrieved February 9, 2017.
  17. ↑ ""Little Jackie on 90210!"". YouTube. The CW. Retrieved February 9, 2017.
  18. ↑ "VH1 Takes Placements In-House With 'New York,' 'Luke'". Billboard. August 4, 2008. Retrieved October 15, 2017.
  19. ↑ "VH1 News: Little Jackie". VH1. Viacom. Archived from the original on February 11, 2017. Retrieved February 10, 2017.
  20. ↑ ""New York Goes to Hollywood" on IMDb". IMDb. amazon.com. Retrieved February 9, 2017.
  21. ↑ ""New York Goes to Hollywood" episode guide". TV Guide. CBS Interactive. Retrieved February 10, 2017.
  22. ↑ "you oughta know playlist: ximena sariñana, foster the people". MTV. Viacom. Retrieved February 9, 2017.
  23. ↑ "Song Overview". AllMusic. RhythmOne. Retrieved February 9, 2017.
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