Do Anything (song)
{{Short description|1991 single by Natural Selection}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2021}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Do Anything
| cover = Natural Selection Do Anything cover.jpg
| alt =
| caption =
| type = single
| artist = Natural Selection
| album = Natural Selection
| B-side = "Do Anything" (raw mix)
| released = {{start date|1991}}
| recorded =
| studio =
| venue =
| genre =
- New jack swing{{cite magazine|url=https://au.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/prince-songs-rip-offs-10009/natural-selection-do-anything-1991-10016/|title=18 Awesome Prince Rip-Offs|last1=Leight|first1=Elias|last2=Johnston|first2=Maura|author-link2=Maura Johnston|magazine=Rolling Stone|date=21 April 2020|access-date=14 January 2021}}
- funk-pop{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1991/MM-1991-11-16.pdf|title=New Releases – Singles|magazine=Music & Media|volume=8|issue=46|page=24|date=November 16, 1991|access-date=January 14, 2021}}
| length = 3:55 (radio edit)
| label = EastWest America
| writer =
- Elliot Erickson
- Frederick Thomas
- Ingrid Chavez
| producer =
- Elliot Erickson
- Frederick Thomas
- Brian Malouf ({{abbr|add.|additional}})
| next_title = Hearts Don't Think (They Feel)!
| next_year = 1991
| misc = {{External music video|header=Audio|{{YouTube|5qYf8rnuBLw|"Do Anything"}}}}
}}
"Do Anything" is the debut single of American pop group Natural Selection. The song was written by group members Elliot Erickson and Frederick Thomas, who also produced the track, and the rap was written and performed by Ingrid Chavez. American actress and singer Niki Haris provides the song's spoken lyrics. A new jack swing and funk-pop song, it is the opening track on Natural Selection's self-titled, only studio album.{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/natural-selection-mw0000269603|title=Natural Selection – Natural Selection|publisher=AllMusic|access-date=January 14, 2021}} Released as a single in 1991, "Do Anything" became a hit in the United States, where it reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Worldwide, it became a top-10 hit in Australia, Canada, and New Zealand.
Critical reception
Rolling Stone magazine featured the song on their list of "18 Awesome Prince Rip-Offs", comparing Frederick Thomas's vocals on the song to those of fellow American musician Prince. Music & Media magazine also compared the song to Prince's work, calling its chorus "snappy" and its melody "asserted", while Tom Breihan of Stereogum referred to the track as "K-Mart-brand Prince".{{cite web|url=https://www.stereogum.com/2171028/the-number-ones-prince-the-new-power-generations-cream/columns/the-number-ones/|title=The Number Ones: Prince & The New Power Generation's 'Cream'|last=Breihan|first=Tom|website=Stereogum|date=December 22, 2021|access-date=December 23, 2021}} Jeff Giles of pop culture website Popdose wrote that the song is "deeply, deeply silly," commenting on its "horrible" lyrics, "dated" production, and "painfully bad" rap, but he noted that the song is difficult to hate overall. He went on to say that if Natural Selection had released this song and nothing else, its popularity would have persisted more, and he also predicted that if American rock band Fall Out Boy covered the song, it would become a summer hit.{{cite web|url=https://popdose.com/the-cassingle-vault-natural-selection-do-anything/|title=The Cassingle Vault: Natural Selection, "Do Anything"|last=Giles|first=Jeff|publisher=Popdose|date=February 5, 2007|access-date=January 14, 2021}} AllMusic reviewer Alex Henderson called the track "likeable" and appreciated that it was original compared to other urban contemporary songs released during the early 1990s.
Chart performance
"Do Anything" debuted on the US Billboard Hot 100 at number 58, becoming the Hot Shot Debut of August 10, 1991.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-100/1991-08-10?rank=58|title=The Hot 100 Week of August 10, 1991|magazine=Billboard|access-date=January 15, 2021}} Ten issues later, the song reached its peak of number two. It spent its final week on the Hot 100 at number 27 on December 28, 1991, spending a total of 21 weeks on the listing.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-100/1991-12-28?rank=27|title=The Hot 100 Week of December 28, 1991|magazine=Billboard|access-date=January 15, 2021}} It was the United States' 32nd-most-successful single of 1991. On Canada's RPM 100 Hit Tracks chart, after debuting at number 92 on October 5, 1991,{{cite magazine|url=https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/image.aspx?Image=nlc008388.1642&URLjpg=http%3a%2f%2fwww.collectionscanada.gc.ca%2fobj%2f028020%2ff4%2fnlc008388.1642.gif&Ecopy=nlc008388.1642|title=RPM 100 Hit Tracks – October 5, 1991|magazine=RPM|via=Library and Archives Canada|access-date=January 15, 2021}} the song rose up the listing until reaching number 24 on November 23. It also peaked at number six on the country's The Record singles chart. "Do Anything" was not as successful in Europe, reaching number 48 on the Dutch Single Top 100 and number 69 on the UK Singles Chart, but in Sweden, it debuted and peaked at number 21 in November 1991. The single became a top-10 hit in both Australia and New Zealand, reaching number 10 in the former nation and number nine in the latter.
Track listings
US 12-inch single{{cite AV media notes|title=Do Anything|others=Natural Selection|year=1991|type=US 12-inch single vinyl disc|publisher=EastWest America|id=0-96282}}
:A1. "Do Anything" (Justin Strauss remix) – 6:00
:A2. "Do Anything" (Just Dubbin dub) – 4:30
:B1. "Do Anything" (Just Right mix) – 4:35
:B2. "Do Anything" (Just Right dub) – 4:50
:B3. "Do Anything" (radio edit) – 3:55
US cassette single and European 7-inch single{{cite AV media notes|title=Do Anything|others=Natural Selection|year=1991|type=US cassette single sleeve|publisher=EastWest America|id=7 4-98724}}{{cite AV media notes|title=Do Anything|others=Natural Selection|year=1991|type=European 7-inch single sleeve|publisher=EastWest America|id=A 8724, 7567-98724-7 LA}}
- "Do Anything" (single mix) – 3:55
- "Do Anything" (raw mix) – 4:11
UK and European 12-inch single{{cite AV media notes|title=Do Anything|others=Natural Selection|year=1991|type=UK & European 12-inch single vinyl disc|publisher=EastWest America|id=A8724T, 7567-85950-0}}
:A1. "Do Anything" (Justin Strauss remix) – 6:00
:A2. "Do Anything" (Just Dubbin dub) – 4:30
:B1. "Do Anything" (Just Right mix) – 4:35
:B2. "Do Anything" (Just Right dub) – 4:50
Personnel
Personnel are taken from the US cassette single liner notes and cassette notes.
- Elliot Erickson – keyboards, drum programming, writer, producer, mixer, engineer
- Frederick Thomas – lead and background vocals, writer, producer
- Niki Haris – spoken vocals
- Ingrid Chavez – rap writer
- Brian Malouf – additional production and mixing
Charts
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
=Weekly charts=
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
!Chart (1991–1992) !Peak |
| {{single chart|Australia|10|artist=Natural Selection|song=Do Anything|rowheader=true|access-date=January 14, 2021|refname="aus"}} |
| scope="row"|Canada (The Record){{cite magazine|title=Hits of the World: Canada|magazine=Billboard|volume=103|issue=48|page=39|date=November 30, 1991}}
|6 |
|---|
| {{single chart|Canadatopsingles|24|chartid=1684|rowheader=true|access-date=January 14, 2021|refname="can"}} |
| scope="row"|Netherlands (Dutch Top 40 Tipparade){{cite web |url=https://www.top40.nl/tipparade/1992/week-3|title=Tipparade-lijst van week 3, 1992|publisher=Dutch Top 40|language=nl|access-date=March 16, 2023}}
|16 |
| {{single chart|Dutch100|48|artist=Natural Selection|song=Do Anything|rowheader=true|access-date=January 14, 2021|refname="d100"}} |
| {{single chart|New Zealand|9|artist=Natural Selection|song=Do Anything|rowheader=true|access-date=January 14, 2021|refname="nz"}} |
| {{single chart|Sweden|21|artist=Natural Selection|song=Do Anything|rowheader=true|access-date=January 14, 2021|refname="swe"}} |
| {{single chart|UK|69|date=19911109|rowheader=true|access-date=January 14, 2021|refname="uk"}} |
| scope="row"|US Billboard Hot 100{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-100/1991-10-19?rank=2|title=The Hot 100 Week of October 19, 1991|magazine=Billboard|access-date=January 14, 2021}}
|2 |
{{col-2}}
=Year-end charts=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
!Chart (1991) !Position |
| scope="row"|Australia (ARIA){{cite Ryan|page=199}}
|67 |
|---|
| scope="row"|US Billboard Hot 100{{cite web|url=http://billboardtop100of.com/1991-2/|title=Billboard Top 100 – 1991|website=Billboardtop100of.com|access-date=January 14, 2021}}
|32 |
{{col-end}}