Can't Hold Us Down
Encyclopedia : C : CA : CAN : Can't Hold Us Down
| "Can't Hold Us Down" | ||
|---|---|---|
| ||
| Single by Christina Aguilera featuring Lil' Kim | ||
| From the album Stripped | ||
| Single Released | August 2003 | |
| Single Format | 12" Maxi Single | |
| Genre | Pop/Hip-hop | |
| Song Length | 4:15 | |
| Record label | RCA | |
| Writers | Christina Aguilera Matthew Morris Scott Storch | |
| Producer | Christina Aguilera E. Dawk Scott Storch | |
| Music Video Director | David LaChapelle | |
| Chart Positions | #5 AUS #6 UK #12 US #20 CAN
| |
| Christina Aguilera single chronology | ||
| "Fighter" (2003) | "Can't Hold Us Down" (2003) | "The Voice Within" (2003) |
"Can't Hold Us Down" is the fourth single from Christina Aguilera's sophomore album, Stripped. Released in 2003, the single (which features Lil' Kim) peaked at #12 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming Aguilera's 10th Top 20 hit. The single also peaked at #6 in the UK and #5 in Australia. The single is most known for its theme of female empowerment and for its music video.
Song information
"Can't Hold Us Down" was penned by Aguilera, Matthew Morris and Scott Storch, and was also produced by Storch, E. Dawk, and Aguilera. As mentioned above, the single features the rapper Lil' Kim, who had previously worked with her on the "Lady Marmalade" cover from the Moulin Rouge! soundtrack in 2001. Besides becoming casual friends from "Lady Marmalade", Christina reached out to Kim due to her Girl Power attitude.
Once again like with many previous singles, Christina creates a female empowerment anthem, but this time twists it up as she expresses her disgust with the double standards of society. She feels that male stars like Colin Farrell are respected and worshipped for bragging about their wild sex lives, but when women like Aguilera (who don't even brag about their sex lives) try to express their sexuality in more subtle ways, they get labeled as sluts and whores. Aguilera also lets people know that she does not appreciate being called a bitch simply because she stands up for herself and is a strong woman. Disgusted and angry at the world, Aguilera sends her personal message to those who try to "hold her down", as she angrily retorts, "Never can, never will, can't hold us down".
Remixes
- Can't Hold Us Down (Sharp Boys Orange Vocal Mix) (7:22)
- Can't Hold Us Down (Sharp Beyond Dub)
- Can't Hold Us Down (Jacknife Lee Mix) (4:30)
- Can't Hold Us Down (Jacknife Lee Dub)
- Can't Hold Us Down (Da Yard Riddim Mix) (4:16) - remixed by Steven Marsden (also known as Lenky); featuring Tanya Stephens
- Can't Hold Us Down (Medasyn Mix) (4:11) - remixed by Gabriel Olegavich
- Can't Hold Us Down (Medasyn Instrumental) - remixed by Gabriel Olegavich
Chart success
"Can't Hold Us Down" proved to be successful, just missing the top ten of both the Billboard Hot 100 and Hot 100 Airplay after peaking at #12 on both charts. However, the track failed to chart on the Hot 100 Singles Sales (which can attributed mainly to the fact that it was released as a 12" Maxi Single, and at the time of its release, this format's sales could not compete with those of the regular CD/CD Maxi Singles).
Internationally, the song peaked within the top ten in the UK and top twenty in Canada and top twenty in most countries.
Charts
"Can't Hold Us Down" debuted at #74 on the Billboard Hot 100"Can't Hold Us Down" spent 20 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | "Can't Hold Us Down" | U.S.Billboard Hot 100 | #12 |
| 2003 | "Can't Hold Us Down" | U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Singles Sales | Failed to Chart |
| 2003 | "Can't Hold Us Down" | U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Airplay | #12 |
| 2003 | "Can't Hold Us Down" | U.S. Top 40 Tracks | #4 |
| 2003 | "Can't Hold Us Down" | U.S. Top 40 Mainstream | #3 |
| 2003 | "Can't Hold Us Down" | World Chart Show | #2 |
| 2003 | "Can't Hold Us Down" | UK Top 40 Singles | #6 |
| 2003 | "Can't Hold Us Down" | Australian ARIA Top 50 Singles | #5 |
| 2003 | "Can't Hold Us Down" | Canadian Billboard Hot 100 Singles | #20 |
| 2003 | "Can't Hold Us Down" | New Zealand Top 50 Singles | #2 |
| 2003 | "Can't Hold Us Down" | Dutch Top 40 | #10 |
| 2003 | "Can't Hold Us Down" | Ireland Top 50 Singles | #5 |
| 2003 | "Can't Hold Us Down" | Mexican Top 100 | #32 |
| 2003 | "Can't Hold Us Down" | Sweden Top 60 Singles | #12 |
| 2003 | "Can't Hold Us Down" | Brasil Top 100 Singles | #32 |
| 2003 | "Can't Hold Us Down" | Switzerland Top 100 Singles | #11 |
| 2003 | "Can't Hold Us Down" | Germany Top 100 Singles | #9 |
| 2003 | "Can't Hold Us Down" | Indonesia Chart | #21 |
| 2003 | "Can't Hold Us Down" | Austria Top 75 Singles | #13 |
| 2003 | "Can't Hold Us Down" | Italy Top 50 Singles | #20 |
| 2003 | "Can't Hold Us Down" | France Top 100 Singles | #27 |
Chart trajectory
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Chart trajectory | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week | 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | ||||||||||
| Chart position | 74 | 53 | 39 | 39 | 31 | 26 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 18 | 16 | 17 | 20 | 21 | 25 | 39 | 42 | 54 | 65 | ||||||||||
Other albums: Mi Reflejo · My Kind of Christmas · Just Be Free
Singles: "Reflection" · "Genie in a Bottle" · "The Christmas Song" · "What a Girl Wants" · "I Turn to You" · "Come on Over Baby" · "Nobody Wants to Be Lonely" · "Lady Marmalade" · "Dirrty" · "Beautiful" · "Fighter" · "Can't Hold Us Down" · "Infatuation" · "The Voice Within" · "Car Wash" · "Tilt Ya Head Back" · "Ain't No Other Man"
Related: Discography · Awards · B-Sides/Unreleased songs · RCA
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