Southern Hummingbird

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In the 1990s, Tweet was part of the female trio Sugah. During this time, Tweet met and formed a close friendship with Missy Elliott. She also met Timbaland, who would later provide production for Southern Hummingbird.

{{Quote box

|quote = This album is an irresistible blend of blues, rootsy soul, and soft acoustic rock, with poignant and heartfelt lyrical phrasing. A truly impressive debut album so expect more soulful humming from one of r&b's rising stars.

|source = — Keyshia Davis, BBC Music{{cite web |last=Davis |first=Keysha |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/5zbd/ |title=Review of Tweet – Southern Hummingbird |publisher=BBC Music |date=November 20, 2002 |access-date=January 7, 2013}}

|quoted = true

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According to Keysha Davis from BBC Music, the album is a blend of blues, rootsy soul, and soft acoustic rock. Southern Hummingbird and Tweet were commended for creating a "mood in the room that might either make you want to take your clothes off or that of your significant others."{{cite web |author=Deyior |url=https://singersroom.com/content/2012-06-24/5-Reasons-We-Want-To-Tweet-The-Southern-Hummingbird/ |title=Lifestyle: 5 Reasons We Want To Tweet The Southern Hummingbird |website=Singersroom |date=June 24, 2012 |access-date=February 17, 2014}} Noting the album's musical style as groovy and "just feels good". Songs like "Smoking Cigarettes" were noticed for making the listener feel how Tweet feels.

Tweet's voice was compared to the album's title with critics saying "she's not called the Southern Hummingbird for no reason", describing her vocals as "[s]oft, gentle, emotional and captivating".

Lyrically the album fixates on the opposite sex, noted by The A.V. Club for its lyrical "intensity that borders on pathological". The album opens with Tweet "writhing in a pit of suicidal despair", followed by themes of Tweet singing about chastised cheating men, pined for the commitment-phobic, offered to take back lovers, and generally behaved like a strong woman whose happiness is nevertheless dependent almost entirely on her romantic entanglements."{{cite web |last=Rabin |first=Nathan |url=https://www.avclub.com/tweet-southern-hummingbird-1798196436 |title=Tweet: Southern Hummingbird |work=The A.V. Club |date=April 17, 2002 |access-date=October 24, 2017}}

The album's lyrics received large amounts of praise with reviewers say Tweet has a way with words continuing to say "songs like 'Beautiful' helped us understand how lyrics can move people."

The album's third song "Smoking Cigarettes" is described as a "lush, laid back affair" which incorporates "bluesy 70's soul" and multi-layered vocals, built over a snare drum. Lyrically the song is based on the idea of cigarette smoking being used as a coping mechanism.

"Best Friend", featuring American singer Bilal, displays "lilting strings, exquisite vocals and heartbeat bass" noted for its use of "grassroots soul".{{cite web |last=Evans |first=Diana |url=http://www.dotmusic.com/reviews/Albums/May2002/reviews24955.asp |title=Southern Hummingbird |website=Dotmusic |date=May 13, 2002 |access-date=January 7, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040110044411/http://www.dotmusic.com/reviews/Albums/May2002/reviews24955.asp |archive-date=January 10, 2004}}

"Boogie 2nite" is a "feel-good" song that contains a repetitive "funky guitar riff" with lyrics discussing the "party vibe".

"Oops (Oh My)" is noted for its lyrical content which can be interpreted as discussing "female masturbation or a tribute to self-love." The song is built around a "superb groove" noted for its unmistakable Timbaland production. The song also contains "quick syncopated rhythms and Tweet's raspy vocals."

"Drunk" is an atmospheric song that continues to take influence from the idea of intoxicants, in the same vein as "Smoking Cigarettes". Lyrically the song sees Tweet broken and alone with only the aid of alcohol for company.

"Oops (Oh My)", featuring Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott, was released as the album's lead single in January 2002. The song was a commercial success, reaching number seven on the US Billboard Hot 100, number one on the US Billboard{{'}}s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, and number five on the UK Singles Chart.{{cite web |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/tweet-mn0000163213/awards |title=Tweet {{!}} Awards |website=AllMusic |access-date=February 8, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160302025326/http://www.allmusic.com/artist/tweet-mn0000163213/awards |archive-date=March 2, 2016}}{{cite web |url=http://www.officialcharts.com/artist/11747/tweet/ |title=Tweet |publisher=Official Charts Company |access-date=February 1, 2020}}

"Call Me" was released as the second single in April 2002. It peaked at number 31 on the Billboard Hot 100 and at number nine on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, becoming Tweet's second consecutive top-10 entry on the latter chart. The track also reached number 35 in the United Kingdom.

The album's third and final single, "Boogie 2nite", was released solely in Europe in October 2002. After English dance music duo Booty Luv released a cover version of the track in November 2006, Tweet's original song charted at number 167 in the UK that same month.{{cite web |url=http://www.zobbel.de/cluk/CLUK_T.HTM |title=Chart Log UK: 1994–2010: DJ T – Tzant |website=Zobbel |access-date=October 24, 2017}}

{{Music ratings

| MC = 73/100

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1score = {{Rating|4|5}}

| rev2 = The A.V. Club

| rev2score = A

| rev3 = BBC Music

| rev3score = Favorable

| rev4 = Robert Christgau

| rev4score = {{Rating-Christgau|cut}}{{cite web |last=Christgau |first=Robert |author-link=Robert Christgau |url=http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?name=Tweet |title=CG: Tweet |website=RobertChristgau.com |access-date=April 21, 2012}}

| rev5 = Dotmusic

| rev5score = 7/10

| rev6 = Entertainment Weekly

| rev6score = C+

| rev7 = NME

| rev7score = {{Rating|3|5}}

| rev8 = PopMatters

| rev8score = Favorable{{cite web |last=Pride |first=Felicia |url=https://www.popmatters.com/review/tweet-southern/ |title=Tweet: Southern Hummingbird |website=PopMatters |date=August 15, 2002 |access-date=October 24, 2017}}

| rev9 = Rolling Stone

| rev9score = {{Rating|2.5|5}}

| rev10 = Slant Magazine

| rev10score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite web |last=Cinquemani |first=Sal |url=https://www.slantmagazine.com/music/tweet-southern-hummingbird/ |title=Review: Tweet, Southern Hummingbird |website=Slant Magazine |date=March 20, 2002 |access-date=February 1, 2020}}

}}

Southern Hummingbird received generally positive reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received an average score of 73, based on 10 reviews.{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/music/southern-hummingbird/tweet |title=Southern Hummingbird by Tweet Reviews and Tracks |website=Metacritic |access-date=February 1, 2020}} Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic praised the album's musical direction and production, but felt that Tweet fading into the mix.{{cite web |last=Erlewine |first=Stephen Thomas |author-link=Stephen Thomas Erlewine |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/southern-hummingbird-mw0000214808 |title=Southern Hummingbird – Tweet |website=AllMusic |access-date=January 7, 2013}}

The A.V. Club praised the album's lyrical content and Tweet's "sultry" vocals, continuing to say, "Tweet recognizes the value of subtlety and understatement, but she also skillfully writes and produces or co-produces much of her own material."

BBC Music gave Southern Hummingbird called the album "the stuff of real divas", adding that "Tweet's inherent melancholy further confirms the musical rite of passage in the tradition of other soul greats such as Aretha, Mary J Blige and Billie Holiday".

Dotmusic commended Tweet's vocals saying she has the "kind of voice that doesn't overpower her music but lets it breathe."

Entertainment Weekly gave the album a mixed review noting that the album's production was a highlight which helped to showcase her "breathy coo", while praising the "well-crafted" the critics felt the album contained "too-similar ballads."{{cite magazine |last=Tucker |first=Ken |url=https://ew.com/article/2002/04/05/southern-hummingbird-2/ |title=Southern Hummingbird |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |issue=647 |date=April 5, 2002 |issn=1049-0434 |access-date=October 24, 2017}}

Imran Ahmed of NME gave a positive reception towards the album's production and musical style saying the album is a "rarely thrilling collection of R&B"; however, he felt the album lacked front to back cohesiveness.{{cite web |last=Ahmed |first=Imran |url=https://www.nme.com/reviews/6381 |title=Tweet : Southern Hummingbird |work=NME |date=May 17, 2002 |access-date=January 7, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140223104236/http://www.nme.com/reviews/6381 |archive-date=February 23, 2014}} Rolling Stone felt that "Oops" and "Make Ur Move" were highlights of the album, noting them for making "this hummingbird [fly]."{{cite magazine |last=Hardy |first=Ernest |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/artists/tweet/albums/album/108274/review/5940723/southern_hummingbird |title=Tweet: Southern Hummingbird |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=March 27, 2002 |access-date=April 21, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080107183115/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/tweet/albums/album/108274/review/5940723/southern_hummingbird |archive-date=January 7, 2008}}

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Southern Hummingbird debuted at number three on the US Billboard 200, selling 195,000 copies in its first week.{{cite magazine |last=Martens |first=Todd |url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/76160/ashanti-album-single-dominate-charts |title=Ashanti Album, Single Dominate Charts |magazine=Billboard |date=April 11, 2002 |access-date=March 21, 2013}} The album was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on April 30, 2002, and had sold 897,000 copies in the United States as of September 2015. The album also fared well in European territories, peaking at number 15 on the UK Albums Chart.

{{Track listing

| extra_column = Producer(s)

| title1 = So Much to Say (Intro)

| writer1 = {{hlist|Charlene Keys|Nisan Stewart|Craig Brockman}}

| extra1 = {{hlist|Stewart|Brockman}}

| length1 = 1:24

| title2 = My Place

| writer2 = {{hlist|Keys|Stewart|Brockman}}

| extra2 = {{hlist|Stewart|Brockman}}

| length2 = 4:24

| title3 = Smoking Cigarettes

| writer3 = {{hlist|Keys|Stewart|Brockman}}

| extra3 = {{hlist|Tweet|Stewart{{ref|a|[a]}}|Brockman{{ref|a|[a]}}}}

| length3 = 4:16

| title4 = Best Friend

| note4 = featuring Bilal

| writer4 = {{hlist|Keys|Stewart|Brockman|Bilal Oliver}}

| extra4 = {{hlist|Tweet|Stewart{{ref|a|[a]}}|Brockman{{ref|a|[a]}}}}

| length4 = 5:08

| title5 = Always Will

| writer5 = {{hlist|Keys|Stewart|John Smith}}

| extra5 = {{hlist|Jubu|Stewart}}

| length5 = 4:41

| title6 = Boogie 2nite

| writer6 = {{hlist|Keys|Stewart|Smith}}

| extra6 = {{hlist|Jubu|Stewart}}

| length6 = 4:10

| title7 = Oops (Oh My)

| note7 = featuring Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott

| writer7 = {{hlist|Keys|Elliott}}

| extra7 = Timbaland

| length7 = 3:58

| title8 = Make Ur Move

| writer8 = {{hlist|Keys|Timothy Mosley}}

| extra8 = Timbaland

| length8 = 3:49

| title9 = Motel

| writer9 = {{hlist|Keys|Susan Weems|Bernard Edwards|Nile Rodgers}}

| extra9 = Tweet

| length9 = 3:48

| title10 = Beautiful

| writer10 = {{hlist|Keys|Brockman}}

| extra10 = Brockman

| length10 = 4:05

| title11 = Complain

| writer11 = {{hlist|Keys|Stewart|Brockman|Weems}}

| extra11 = {{hlist|Tweet|Stewart{{ref|a|[a]}}|Brockman{{ref|a|[a]}}}}

| length11 = 5:14

| title12 = Heaven

| writer12 = {{hlist|Keys|Stewart|Brockman}}

| extra12 = {{hlist|Tweet|Brockman{{ref|a|[a]}}|Timbaland{{ref|a|[a]}}}}

| length12 = 3:39

| title13 = Call Me

| writer13 = {{hlist|Keys|Elliott}}

| extra13 = Timbaland

| length13 = 2:56

| title14 = Drunk

| writer14 = {{hlist|Keys|Stewart|Brockman}}

| extra14 = {{hlist|Tweet|Brockman{{ref|a|[a]}}}}

| length14 = 5:25

| title15 = Southern Hummingbird (Outro)

| writer15 = {{hlist|Keys|Brockman}}

| length15 = 1:31

| title16 = Sexual Healing (Oops Pt. 2)

| note16 = featuring Ms. Jade

| writer16 = {{hlist|Keys|Mosley|Chevon Young}}

| extra16 = Timbaland

| length16 = 4:47

| title17 = Big Spender

| note17 = bonus track, performed by Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott

| writer17 = {{hlist|Elliott|Troy Johnson}}

| extra17 = {{hlist|Elliott|Johnson}}

| length17 = 3:12

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Japanese edition bonus track

| title15 = Get Away (Move On)

| note15 = placed between "Drunk" and "Southern Hummingbird (Outro)"

| writer15 = {{hlist|Keys|Stewart|Brockman}}

| length15 = 4:22

}}

• {{sup|{{note|a|[a]}}}} signifies an additional producer

• "Motel" contains a sample of "Rapper's Delight" by The Sugarhill Gang.
• "Big Spender" contains a sample of "Big Spender" from Sweet Charity. The song appears only on initial pressings of the album.

Credits adapted from the liner notes of Southern Hummingbird.{{cite AV media notes |title=Southern Hummingbird |others=Tweet |type=liner notes |publisher=Elektra Records |year=2002 |id=62746-2}}

{{Div col}}

• Tweet – vocals {{small|(tracks 1–16)}}
• Lil Charlie – lead guitar {{small|(tracks 2, 4)}}
• John "Jubu" Smith – guitar {{small|(track 3)}}
• Bilal – vocals {{small|(track 4)}}
• Dontae – bass {{small|(track 4)}}
• Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott – vocals {{small|(tracks 7, 17)}}
• Greg Leiz – steel guitar {{small|(track 11)}}
• Ms. Jade – rap {{small|(track 16)}}

{{Div col end}}

{{Div col}}

• Nisan Stewart – production {{small|(tracks 1, 2, 5, 6)}}; additional production {{small|(tracks 3, 4, 11)}}
• Craig Brockman – production {{small|(tracks 1, 2, 10)}}; additional production {{small|(tracks 3, 4, 11, 12, 14)}}
• Dylan Dresdow – engineering, mixing {{small|(tracks 1–6, 9–12, 14)}}
• Tweet – production {{small|(tracks 3, 4, 9, 11, 12, 14)}}; executive production
• John "Jubu" Smith – production {{small|(tracks 5, 6)}}
• Timbaland – production {{small|(tracks 7, 8, 13, 16)}}; additional production {{small|(track 12)}}; executive production
• Jimmy Douglass – engineering {{small|(tracks 7, 8, 12, 13, 16)}}; mixing {{small|(tracks 7, 8, 13, 16)}}
• Tyson Leeper – engineering {{small|(tracks 16, 17)}}
• Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott – production {{small|(track 17)}}; executive production
• Troy Johnson – production {{small|(track 17)}}
• Carlos Bedoya – engineering {{small|(track 17)}}
• Manny Marroquin – mixing {{small|(track 17)}}
• Bernie Grundman – mastering

{{Div col end}}

• Ruven Afanador – photography
• Anita Marisa Boriboon – art direction, design

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

{{col-2}}

{{col-end}}

{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications for Southern Hummingbird}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|artist=Tweet|title=Southern Hummingbird|award=Gold|type=album|relyear=2002|date=April 30, 2002|access-date=October 24, 2017|salesamount=897,000|salesref={{cite magazine |last=Mitchell |first=Gail |url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/the-juice/6693371/tweet-new-single-wont-hurt-me |title=Tweet Returns With New Single: 'Won't Hurt Me' |magazine=Billboard |date=September 14, 2015 |access-date=October 24, 2017}}|refname="RIAA"}}

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{{Notelist}}

{{Reflist}}

{{Tweet (singer)}}

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Category:2002 debut albums

Category:Albums produced by Craig Brockman

Category:Albums produced by Missy Elliott

Category:Albums produced by Timbaland

Category:Albums recorded at Westlake Recording Studios

Category:Elektra Records albums

Category:Tweet (singer) albums

Category:Albums recorded at the Village (studio)