Can't Leave 'em Alone

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"Can't Leave 'em Alone"
Song
B-side"Love You Better"

"Can't Leave 'Em Alone" is a song written by Ciara Harris, LaShawn Daniels, Rodney Jerkins, and Curtis Jackson for Ciara's second album, Ciara: The Evolution (2006). It is the fourth release and official third single (see 2007 in music). The song is a 1980s R&B-inspired mid-tempo ballad, featuring the 808 drums. Ciara described it as a "big record", and said that she invited 50 Cent for "some kind of flavor". It was originally titled "Dope Boys".[1]

Release and reception

"Can't Leave 'Em Alone" was solicited to Mainstream Urban radio stations on June 12 2007 and Rhythmic stations on July 10 2007. The song was one of three choices with "Like a Boy" and "That's Right" for the second U.S. single, according to Ciara's official MySpace voting poll. However, "Like a Boy" was released before polling was completed. The song's release was unexpected due to reports that The Evolution track "My Love" would be the official third single.[2]

"Can't Leave 'Em Alone" received mixed reviews from music critics. Matt Cibula of PopMatters published that it is "a very bad pop-lite song" and "50 Cent playing the role of a sexy dope boy, yuck".[3] Christian Hoard of Rolling Stone published "Ciara's still prone to diva blandness and silly little pop songs, which drags down the 50 Cent feature "Can't Leave 'Em Alone"".[4] Ken Barnes of USA TODAY called the song "pop-soul confection".[5] Contactmusic.com published "Can't Leave 'Em Alone" is a "mouth-watering smouldering smoothed groove" and "why wasn't this the first single?". It has "cross over potential that we see from Nelly & Kelly Rowland" and "simply another Darkchild classic".[6]

Music video

The Fat Cats directed video was shot on June 9 2007 and June 10 2007 in Atlanta.[7] The video was scheduled to premiere on Yahoo! Music on June 25, but it was changed to July 2 2007.

The video begins with Ciara walking down the street, sporting a purple bikini top, as well as a yellow jacket and yellow booty shorts. 50 Cent appears in front of a convertible Pontiac G6 and a large building with styled graffiti on when he recites his beginning verse. During Ciara's first verse and chorus, she interacts with the neighborhood's residence and meets up with close friend, and MTV VJ La La Vasquez. As the video progresses, we view somewhat of a semi-nude scene, which features footage of Ciara and 50 Cent holding each other closely, while a black backdrop circulates around them. Afterwards, Ciara and 50 Cent head up to the roof of a building, each seat themselves in two separate chairs situated across a black table, and Ciara smiles at 50 Cent with compassion as he recites his last verse of the song. During the end, there's a collage of clips of Ciara up against a wall, the semi-nude scene, and the earlier shots of Ciara in the yellow attire.

The MTV version of the video edits the part of the song when she says, "I tried that good boy game but the *dope* boy's turning me on".

Chart performance

"Can't Leave 'Em Alone" was a moderate success in the U.S. Six weeks after its official release, "Can't Leave 'Em Alone" debuted at ninety on the Billboard Hot 100. The song climbed Billboard charts slowly with low airplay and digital sales. It peaked forty, becoming Ciara's second unsuccessful American single to date. It peaked at twenty-four on the Hot 100 Airplay. It became Ciara's tenth top ten single on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and peaked in the top twenty of the Rhythmic Top 40. The single was never released to mainstream radio formats and failed to chart on the Pop 100.

As of September 6 2007, the song has peaked at 40. In New Zealand, the song debuted at 40. As of August 28 2007, the song has peaked at 4.

Charts

Chart (2007) Peak
position
China Singles Chart[8] 67
Deutsche Black Charts[9] 7
FMC Urban Top 50[10] 11
LCC Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs[11] 4
Lithuania Airplay Chart[12] 19
New Zealand RIANZ Top 40[8] 4
Poland Singles Chart[13] 66
U.S. Billboard Hot 100[14] 40
U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs[15] 10
U.S. Billboard Rhythmic Top 40[16] 17

Track listing

U.S. CD single
  1. "Can't Leave 'Em Alone (album version)" (featuring 50 Cent) – 4:06
  2. "Can't Leave 'Em Alone (instrumental)" – 4:04
International CD single
  1. "Can't Leave 'Em Alone" (featuring 50 Cent) – 3:55
  2. "Love You Better" – 4:29

References

  1. ^ Corey Moss (October 9 2007). 50 Cent Gives Ciara The 'Flavor' She's Looking For. MTV. Accessed July 22 2007.
  2. ^ Salim (March 6 2007). Ciara's 3rd Single Will Be.... UMZ (Ultimate Music Zone). Accessed July 22 2007.
  3. ^ Matt Cibula (December 13 2006). Ciara: The Evolution. PopMatters. Accessed July 22 2007.
  4. ^ Christian Hoard (November 27 2006). The Evolution : Review. Rolling Stone. Accessed July 22 2007.
  5. ^ Ken Barnes (December 4 2006). Gwen, Ciara, 'Dreamgirls,' Eminem proteges, McKnight and more. USA TODAY. Accessed July 22 2007.
  6. ^ Ciara, Feat 50 Cent, Can't Leave Em Alone, Single Review. Contactmusic. Accessed July 22 2007.
  7. ^ MTV News staff (June 13 2007). Game Rejects Plea Deal. MTV. Accessed July 22 2007.
  8. ^ a b Charts.org.nz. Charts.org.nz. Accessed September 13 2007.
  9. ^ Deutsche Black Charts – Week 28. Deutsche Trend Charts. Accessed July 22 2007.
  10. ^ FMC Urban Top 50 (wk28). FMC Urban. Accessed July 22 2007.
  11. ^ LCC Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. Lithuania Charts Company. Accessed October 1 2007.
  12. ^ Lithuanian Airplay Top 60. Lithuania Charts Company. Accessed October 1 2007.
  13. ^ Poland Singles Chart. apcchart.com. Accessed September 7 2007.
  14. ^ The Billboard Hot 100 – Can't Leave 'Em Alone. Billboard. Accessed September 6 2007.
  15. ^ Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs – Can't Leave 'Em Alone. Billboard. Accessed September 6 2007.
  16. ^ Rhythmic Top 40 – Can't Leave 'Em Alone. Billboard. Accessed September 6 2007.
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