Wait a Minute (The Pussycat Dolls song)

While reviewing PCD in 2006, Marcus Yoars and Bob Smithouser of Plugged In wrote that the song is about "lustful desires and the suggestion of oral sex."[1] Allmusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine likened the style of "Wait A Minute" to the Dolls' previous single, "Beep".[2] Nick Butler of Sputnikmusic described it as "another highlight track." Lisa Haines of BBC Music wrote that the song "is a great dance tune perfect for singing along to with a handy hairbrush."[3] Andrew Mueller of The Guardian described the song as a "tiresome, painfully contrived irritant" that as it progresses it becomes more depressing "than any war or famine." He went on to allude the lyrics to a "daytime talk show dialogue."[4]

Following the disappointing chart position of their previous single "I Don't Need a Man", "Wait a Minute" debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 at number 77 on the issue dated November 25, 2005.[5] Promotional singles were released and the song was featured in Best Buy advertisements in the US but a full CD was never released, which may have led to its low peak position of number twenty-eight. However the single achieved a slightly higher peak position on the Billboard Pop 100, peaking at number twenty-three. Shortly after its release in the U.S., it was released on February 24, 2007, in Australia and in March in Germany, where a commercial CD single was made available for purchase. In Australia, the song achieved a peak position of number sixteen, becoming The Pussycat Dolls' sixth consecutive top twenty hit, but also their lowest charting single to date, after the five previous singles all charted within the top ten.

In New Zealand, "Wait a Minute" peaked at twenty-four, spending seven weeks on the charts. "Wait a Minute" became The Pussycat Dolls' only song to date not to become a top ten hit.[6] The single fared better in the Netherlands where it reached the top ten peaking at number seven. "Wait a Minute" reached the top thirty in Germany and Poland, and the top fifty in Austria and Switzerland. In the United Kingdom, the music video for "Wait a Minute" was aired on television music channels, but no physical release was given for the single. It later reached a peak of number sixty on the UK Download Chart. Due to "Wait a Minute" only being released as a download only promo single, the song was not able to chart in 2006 due to chart rules stating that only songs with a physical release were eligible to chart. However, due to new rules coming into play in 2007, "Wait a Minute" was able to chart in the UK Singles Chart, peaking at #108.[7] If download-only singles had been integrated into the chart at the time, "Wait a Minute" might have been able to gain a higher peak.

The music video was shot on October 8 and October 9, 2006, in the Metro Red Line in Los Angeles, California and were directed by Marc Webb. It starts with the members passing around a Samsung YP-K5 audio player while watching for Timbaland. When Scherzinger bumps into Timbaland, they playfully argue with each other. The dolls then walk onto a subway with him and start to dance in front of him. A young boy who is given sunglasses by Bachar seems amazed by their burlesque performance only for his mother to shield his eyes, but he pushes her hand away so he can enjoy. The dolls then leave the subway and start to block traffic by walking right into the middle of an intersection. Timbaland then gets out of his car and the dolls and him continue to argue. The girls then start to dance on top of his car. The video ends with Scherzinger telling off Timbaland and saying that she does not need what he gives her but would like it back. Scherzinger sings full lead along with Melody Thornton who also adds the minor adlibs.

In December 2005, the group performed for the annual KIIS-FM Jingle Ball wearing "festive candy-cane-striped belly shirts and red-and-green capri pants." The set list included "Don't Cha", "Stickwitu" and "Wait a Minute".[8] The song is included on their 2006 Live from London DVD as the seventh track of the DVD.[9]

Credits adapted from the liner notes of PCD.[29]

Recording

• Recorded at The Hit Factory Criteria (Miami, Florida).

Personnel

• Marcella Araica – recording
• Demacio "Demo" Castellon – recording
• Ariel Chobaz – assistant mix engineer
• Ron Fair – incidental producer, mixing
• Gary Grant – horns
• Tal Herzberg – Pro Tools, engineering
• Jerry Hey – horn arrangement, horns
• Dan Higgins – horns
• Keri Hilson – songwriter, vocal producer, backing vocals
• Bill Reichenbach – horns
• Timbaland – songwriter, producer

• List of Romanian Top 100 number ones of the 2000s

• Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics