Big Fat Bass

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| quote = "[I discovered] her love for music. I never seen anyone, like, come alive, full of excitement and giggling and laughing behind the mic. She was like a little kid when she was recording the song and it just brought the whole atmosphere, it changed the whole atmosphere when someone really loves music. So it was great working with her."

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| source = —will.i.am on the Spears' work ethic{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1662289/britney-spears-will-i-am-big-fat-bass.jhtml|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110424045522/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1662289/britney-spears-will-i-am-big-fat-bass.jhtml|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 24, 2011|title=Britney Spears 'Comes Alive' In The Studio, will.i.am Says|date=April 19, 2011|access-date=November 12, 2011|last=Vena|first=Jocelyn|publisher=MTV News. MTV Networks}}

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Spears spoke to V about the sessions for Femme Fatale, commenting that she had been recording the album for two years.{{cite web|url=http://www.vmagazine.com/2011/03/britney-forever/|title=V Magazine / Britney Forever|last=V|first=Mr.|date=March 1, 2011|access-date=March 4, 2011|work=V|publisher=Visionaire|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110310020822/http://www.vmagazine.com/2011/03/britney-forever/|archive-date=March 10, 2011|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}} On February 8, 2011, Spears tweeted she was in the studio with will.i.am, recording a song for the album. Later, the producer described the collaboration as "a monster. It's mean, pretty, edgy, next level. [...] She's singing fresh over it. It's something that today needs,"{{Cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1657588/britney-spears-collabo-monster-william.jhtml|archive-url=https://archive.today/20121208194751/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1657588/britney-spears-collabo-monster-william.jhtml|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 8, 2012|title=Britney Spears Collabo Is 'A Monster,' will.i.am Says|last=Montgomery|first=James|date=February 9, 2011|access-date=March 4, 2011|publisher=MTV News. MTV Networks}} and unveiled a teaser of the song through a blog message on February 28, 2011.{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1658843/will-i-am-britney-collaboration-teaser.jhtml|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110303035540/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1658843/will-i-am-britney-collaboration-teaser.jhtml|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 3, 2011|title=will.i.am Unveils Teaser Of Britney Spears Collaboration|last=Vena|first=Jocelyn|date=February 28, 2011|publisher=MTV News. MTV Networks|access-date=April 10, 2011}} In an interview with Rolling Stone, Spears commented that she is a fan of the Black Eyed Peas, due the fact that the band "make[s] incredibly catchy, fun pop/dance records and I LOVE will.i.am's style. I have always wanted to do a song with him and would love to work with him more in the future. He is so interesting."{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/britney-spears-on-her-new-album-her-favorite-music-and-working-with-will-i-am-20110317|title=Britney Spears On Her New Album, Her Favorite Music and Working With will.i.am|last=Knopper|first=Steve|date=February 17, 2011|access-date=February 17, 2011|magazine=Rolling Stone|archive-date=March 20, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110320060708/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/britney-spears-on-her-new-album-her-favorite-music-and-working-with-will-i-am-20110317|url-status=dead}} will.i.am also praised Spears for the song, saying, "Thank you Britney for collaborating it was a pleasure working with you. Thank you for trusting my instincts. You're a doll."{{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/genre/rock-and-pop/will-i-am-leaks-promotes-britney-spears-1005050592.story|title=Will.i.am Leaks/Promotes Britney Spears' 'Big Fat Bass'|date=March 28, 2011|access-date=April 17, 2011|magazine=Billboard|publisher=Prometheus Global Media|archive-date=April 7, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110407084201/http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/genre/rock-and-pop/will-i-am-leaks-promotes-britney-spears-1005050592.story|url-status=dead}} "Big Fat Bass" was written and produced by will.i.am, and Spears recorded her vocals for the song at Ethernet Studios in Los Angeles, California and at The Record Plant in Hollywood, California.Femme Fatale liner notes. Jive Records (2011)

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"Big Fat Bass" is a house song with a length of four minutes and forty-five seconds.{{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/472310/britney-spears-femme-fatale-track-by-track|title=Britney Spears' 'Femme Fatale' Track By Track|date=March 29, 2011|access-date=March 30, 2012|last=Caulfield|first=Keith|magazine=Billboard|publisher=Prometheus Global Media}} will.i.am revealed that the song celebrates bass — which he considers the most important element in club music. "Big Fat Bass" opens with piano-infused background and an electronically altered voice of will.i.am singing, "Big fat bass/the big fat bass." As the beat begins, Spears start to rap "I can be the treble, baby/You can be the bass/You can be the bass." Nicole James of MTV News considered the "dramatic piano/house music intro" of the song reminiscent to "Another Night" (1993) by Real McCoy,{{cite web|url=http://buzzworthy.mtv.com/2011/02/28/britney-spears-the-big-fat-bass-preview/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110301214330/http://buzzworthy.mtv.com/2011/02/28/britney-spears-the-big-fat-bass-preview/|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 1, 2011|title=Britney Spears Releases New Song Preview, 'The Big Fat Bass,' With Will.i.am|date=February 28, 2011|access-date=September 18, 2011|publisher=MTV News. MTV Networks}} while Sal Cinquemani of Slant Magazine wrote that it recalls "When I Hear Music" by Debbie Deb.{{Cite web|url=http://slantmagazine.com/music/review/britney-spears-femme-fatale/2424|title=Britney Spears: Femme Fatale|last=Cinquemani|first=Sal|date=March 11, 2011|access-date=March 14, 2011|publisher=Slant Magazine}} The song's lyrics also intercalates with a double entendre gender metaphor, where Spears sings "It's gettin bigger/The bass is getting bigger".{{cite web|last=Wilson|first=Carl|date=March 28, 2011|url=http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/music_blog/2011/03/album-review-femme-fatale-by-britney-spears.html|title=Album review: 'Femme Fatale' by Britney Spears|work=Los Angeles Times|access-date=March 29, 2011}} Spears' vocals were also deemed as heavily processed, yet similar to the ones of Fergie and Rihanna.{{cite web|url=http://idolator.com/5781292/will-i-am-snippet-britney-spears-the-big-fat-bass|title=Will.i.am Offers Snippet Of New Britney Spears Song "The Big Fat Bass"|date=February 28, 2011|access-date=September 18, 2011|publisher=Idolator. Buzz Media|last=Daw|first=Robbie}}

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File:Femme fatale tacoma10.jpg, 2011]]

Alexis Petridis of The Guardian wrote that "Big Fat Bass" is "the most old-school work" on Femme Fatale,{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2011/mar/24/britney-spears-femme-fatale-review|last=Petridis|first=Alexis|date=March 24, 2011|title=Britney Spears: Femme Fatale – review|work=The Guardian|publisher=Guardian News and Media|access-date=April 10, 2011}} with Robert Copsey of Digital Spy considering the album's production "polished, intriguing and – best of all – fun", exemplifying the piano breakdown in the song.{{cite web|url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/music/thesound/a308883/britney-spears-femme-fatale.html|title=Britney Spears: 'Femme Fatale'|last=Copsey|first=Robert|date=March 28, 2011|access-date=April 9, 2011|publisher=Digital Spy. Hachette Filipacchi (UK) Ltd}} Keith Caulfield of Billboard said he could "completely hear this track blasting in a club, with Spears cooing 'I can be your treble' while the crowd screams back 'you can be my bass!'." The Daily Collegian{{'}}s stated that the song is "catchy", yet different from "Till the World Ends" and "Hold It Against Me", and added that "the combined star power of Spears and Will.i.am would have surely made it a radio hit."{{cite web|url=http://www.collegian.psu.edu/archive/2011/04/05/Britney_Spears_new_release.aspx |title=Femme Fatale |last=Rishel |first=Hannah |date=April 5, 2011 |access-date=April 8, 2011 |work=The Daily Collegian |publisher=Collegian Inc. |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110502121259/http://www.collegian.psu.edu/archive/2011/04/05/Britney_Spears_new_release.aspx |archive-date=May 2, 2011 |df=mdy }} The Independent journalist Andy Gill noted that the album sounds more programmed than natural, but said that the song "sticks to dancefloor essentials".{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/reviews/album-britney-spears-femme-fatale-jive-2251912.html|title=Album: Britney Spears, Femme Fatale (Jive)|last=Gill|first=Andy|date=May 25, 2011|access-date=April 8, 2011|work=The Independent|publisher=Independent Print Limited}} David Buchanan of Consequence of Sound thought that the song "might as well be a B-side to 'The Time (Dirty Bit)' (otherwise known as the most annoying Black Eyed Peas song ever created)."{{cite web|url=http://consequenceofsound.net/2011/03/album-review-britney-spears-femme-fatale/|title=Album Review: Britney Spears – Femme Fatale|last=Buchanan|first=David|date=March 22, 2011|access-date=August 29, 2011|publisher=Consequence of Sound}} Both Stephen Thomas Erlewine of Allmusic and About.com reviewer Bill Lamb selected it as a top song on Femme Fatale.{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/femme-fatale-r2137181/review|title=Femme Fatale – Britney Spears|date=March 28, 2011|access-date=March 30, 2012|publisher=Allmusic. Rovi Corporation|last=Erlewine|first=Stephen Thomas}} Lamb further added that the song "will leave you laughing as you sing along on the dance floor."{{cite web|url=http://top40.about.com/od/britneyspears/fr/Britney-Spears-Femme-Fatale.htm|title=Britney Spears – Femme Fatale|last=Lamb|first=Bill|publisher=About.com. Rovi Corporation|date=March 29, 2011|access-date=March 30, 2012|archive-date=March 19, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160319080642/http://top40.about.com/od/britneyspears/fr/Britney-Spears-Femme-Fatale.htm|url-status=dead}}

Rudy Klapper of Sputnikmusic wondered how "Big Fat Bass" is not a Black Eyed Peas song, and further commented that "for every ill-advised will.i.am guest spot... there's an out-of-left field flute... solo that actually works."{{cite web|url=https://www.sputnikmusic.com/review/42509/Britney-Spears-Femme-Fatale/|title=Britney Spears – Femme Fatale|last=Klapper|first=Rudy|date=March 20, 2011|access-date=August 29, 2011|publisher=Sputnikmusic. Jeremy Ferwerda}} {{interlanguage link|Thomas Conner (journalist)|lt=Thomas Conner|de|Thomas Conner}} of the Chicago Sun-Times considered the song "one unfortunate collaboration," while saying Spears "herself could beat [will.i.am] in a rap battle."{{cite web|url=http://blogs.suntimes.com/music/2011/03/cd_review_britney_spears_femme.html |title=CD review: Britney Spears, 'Femme Fatale' |work=Chicago Sun-Times |access-date=March 26, 2011 |date=March 23, 2011 |last=Conner |first=Thomas |author-link=:de:Thomas Conner |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120225020403/http://blogs.suntimes.com/music/2011/03/cd_review_britney_spears_femme.html |archive-date=February 25, 2012 |df=mdy }} Similarly, Eric R. Danton of the Hartford Courant deemed the "banal" song as "characteristically vapid, with a refrain that quickly progresses from inane to annoying."{{cite news|url=http://www.courant.com/entertainment/music/sound-check/hc-danton-britney-spears-cd-review-0320110328,0,4858126.column|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120724103950/http://www.courant.com/entertainment/music/sound-check/hc-danton-britney-spears-cd-review-0320110328,0,4858126.column|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 24, 2012|title=Britney Spears' 'Femme Fatale' Is Her Best Yet|last=Danton|first=Eric R.|date=March 28, 2011|access-date=August 29, 2011|work=Hartford Courant|publisher=Tribune Company}} Robert Everett-Green of The Globe and Mail wrote that "Big Fat Bass" is a "verseless tune", and commented that "[will.i.am] thought it would be fun to make [Spears] sound like Rihanna" on the song.{{Cite news|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/arts/music/disc-of-the-week-britney-is-back-in-many-sultry-guises/article1956747/|title=Britney Spears' 'Femme Fatale' officially streaming online: Read our review here|date=March 25, 2011|last=Everett-Green|first=Robert|access-date=March 25, 2011|work=The Globe and Mail|publisher=Phillip Crawley}} Braulio Lorentz of Billboard Brasil said that "even will.i.am can't save [the album]" with "Big Fat Bass".{{cite journal |last=Lorentz |first=Braulio |date=April 2011 |title=Over é Over |trans-title=Over is Over |journal=Billboard Brasil |issue=18 |page=88 |publisher=bpp |language=Portuguese |id=0018}} The Idolator staff noted that the song has "all the strengths and weaknesses of your average Black Eyed Peas tune – it's catchy but repetitive, danceable with pretty inconsequential lyrics, and has the potential to become annoying if played too frequently."{{cite web|url=http://idolator.com/5793801/britney-spears-i-wanna-go-big-fat-bass|title=Listen To Britney Spears' "I Wanna Go" And "Big Fat Bass"|author=Idolator Staff|date=March 12, 2011|access-date=March 30, 2012|publisher=Idolator. Buzz Media}} Writing for Glamour, Christopher Rosa thought it "strips Spears of all personality and leaves her stranded in a sea of headache-inducing beats", and he named it Spears's sixth-worst song of all-time.{{cite web |last=Rosa |first=Christopher |title=Britney Spears's 10 Best (and Worst) Songs of All Time |url=https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/britney-spearss-10-best-worst-195954899.html |website=Glamour |via=Yahoo! |access-date=May 14, 2023 |date=November 28, 2019 }} Rob Sheffield of Rolling Stone was critical: "Imagine how bad a Will.I.Am production for Britney called 'Big Fat Bass' might be. Now multiply that by 10. You have just imagined 'Big Fat Bass.{{'"}}{{cite magazine |last=Sheffield |first=Rob |title=Every Britney Spears Song Ranked |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/every-britney-spears-song-ranked-1294685/big-fat-bass-with-will-i-am-2011-1301196/ |magazine=Rolling Stone |access-date=May 14, 2023 |date=March 1, 2022 }}

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Spears first performed "Big Fat Bass" at Rain Nightclub in the Palms Casino Resort on March 25, 2011. Following the performance of "Hold It Against Me", she emerged from a speaker box and danced around the stage, sporting a body-hugging latex bodysuit. The song was remixed for the performance with elements of "Womanizer", "3", "Gimme More" and "I'm a Slave 4 U".{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1660729/britney-spears-las-vegas-performance.jhtml|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120905052947/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1660729/britney-spears-las-vegas-performance.jhtml|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 5, 2012|title=Britney Spears Electrifies Las Vegas With Nightclub Performance|last=Vena|first=Jocelyn|date=March 26, 2011|publisher=MTV News. MTV Networks|access-date=March 26, 2011}} Jocelyn Vena of MTV News stated that the performance had Spears' fans amazed. The singer also taped performances of "Hold It Against Me", "Big Fat Bass" and "Till the World Ends" at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium on March 27, 2011, that aired on Good Morning America on March 29, 2011.{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1660743/britney-spears-good-morning-america-performance.jhtml|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110418004750/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1660743/britney-spears-good-morning-america-performance.jhtml|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 18, 2011|title=Britney Spears Steals Hearts At San Francisco Show|last=Vena|first=Jocelyn|date=February 27, 2011|publisher=MTV News. MTV Networks|access-date=February 28, 2011}} Pop Crush's Cristin Maher noted that the singer "definitely let loose more as she popped and locked alongside her dancers, but still failed to wow us with her dancing."{{cite web|url=http://popcrush.com/britney-spears-good-morning-america-femme-fatale/|title=Britney Spears Performs Free Concert on 'Good Morning America'|last=Maher|first=Cristin|date=March 29, 2011|access-date=March 30, 2012|publisher=Pop Crush}} The same day, Spears performed the set on Jimmy Kimmel Live!.{{cite news|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv/2011/03/30/2011-03-30_britney_spears_on_jimmy_kimmel_live_does_jackass_portapotty_bungee_stunt_for_joh.html|title=Britney Spears on 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!': Does 'Jackass' Porta-Potty bungee stunt for Johnny Knoxville|last=Roberts|first=Soraya|date=January 30, 2011|access-date=January 30, 2011|work=Daily News|publisher=Mortimer Zuckerman}} However, the performance of "Big Fat Bass" aired on May 24, 2011 due to technical problems.{{cite web|url=http://idolator.com/5875942/jimmy-kimmel-britney-spears-big-fat-bass-performance|title=Jimmy Kimmel Finally Airs Britney Spears' "Big Fat Bass" Performance|date=May 25, 2011|access-date=March 30, 2012|publisher=Idolator. Buzz Media|last=Daw|first=Robbie}} The song was added to the setlist of 2011's Femme Fatale Tour.{{cite web|url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/music/news/a324625/britney-spears-unveils-femme-fatale-tour-setlist.html|title=Britney Spears unveils 'Femme Fatale' tour setlist|publisher=Digital Spy|last=Corner|first=Lewis|date=June 13, 2011|access-date=June 13, 2011}} Spears sported a pink latex and lace jacket during the performance, which had a similar setting to early performances of the song. Additionally, will.i.am appeared in the backdrops.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/britney-spears-proves-shes-still-got-it-at-femme-fatale-tour-kickoff-20110617|title=Britney Spears Proves She's Still Got It at 'Femme Fatale' Tour Kickoff|magazine=Rolling Stone|last=Walters|first=Barry|date=June 17, 2011|access-date=June 17, 2011|archive-date=June 27, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120627185501/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/britney-spears-proves-shes-still-got-it-at-femme-fatale-tour-kickoff-20110617|url-status=dead}}

Technical

• Recorded and Engineered at Ethernet Studios in Los Angeles, California and The Record Plant in Hollywood, California
• Mixed at The Record Plant in Hollywood, California

Personnel

• Britney Spears – lead vocals
• will.i.am – guest vocals, songwriting, producer, piano, synths, programming, vocal recording
• DJ Ammo – additional programming, synths, piano
• Dylan "3D" Dresdow – mixing
• Padraic "padlock" Kerin – vocal recording

Source:

For the week ending April 7, 2011, "Big Fat Bass" debuted at number 31 on the South Korean International Singles Chart, selling 8,874 digital downloads.{{cite web|url=http://gaonchart.co.kr/main/section/search/list.gaon?Search_str=big+fat+bass&x=0&y=0 |script-title=ko:가온차트와 함께하세요 |publisher=GAON |language=ko |access-date=April 10, 2011 |date=April 7, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120522042926/http://gaonchart.co.kr/main/section/search/list.gaon?Search_str=big+fat+bass&x=0&y=0 |archive-date=May 22, 2012 |df=mdy }} It also charted on Billboard{{'}}s Dance/Electronic Digital Songs on April 16, 2011 at number 18.{{cite web |title=Britney Spears on Dance/Electronic Digital Song Sales |url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/britney-spears/chart-history/ddt/ |publisher=Billboard |access-date=November 20, 2022}}

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Category:Britney Spears songs

Category:Will.i.am songs

Category:American house music songs

Category:Songs written by will.i.am

Category:2011 songs

Category:Song recordings produced by will.i.am