The World Should Revolve Around Me

"The World Should Revolve Around Me" is the debut single by US pop/R&B duo Little Jackie. The song became a top 20 hit on the UK Singles Chart, also peaking within the top 40 on the Irish Singles Chart. Upon its release, the song was met with a favorable reception from critics, who praised the song's Motown-esque production; however, some sociologists criticized the song, opining that it glamorized narcissism and demonstrated that the United States' narcissism isn't declining. In the United States, the song appeared on the Billboard Pop 100, also appearing as the theme song for the VH1 reality TV series New York Goes to Hollywood.

"The World Should Revolve Around Me"
Single by Little Jackie
from the album The Stoop
ReleasedAugust 25, 2008
Recorded2008
GenreR&B, Pop
Length3:00
Songwriter(s)Imani Coppola, Michael Mangini, Willie Mitchell, Adam Pallin, Early Randle
Little Jackie singles chronology
"The World Should Revolve Around Me"
(2008)		 "The Stoop"
(2008)

Background

Speaking in July 2008 to UK R&B writer Pete Lewis of Blues & Soul, Little Jackie frontwoman Imani Coppola explained how the song came about: "Being an artist isn't conducive to having a healthy relationship. And that song is definitely the pinnacle of my ego being bruised by my last partner leaving me! Basically the title represents a very childlike perspective that most people find identifiable... And, while I obviously don't REALLY think the world should revolve around me, I'm basically being defiant in saying 'I don't see the point of a partnership'. While, at the same time, I'm really creating a fantasy for EVERYONE to share and enjoy. You know, why not, at least for a few seconds, just sing along like it's your song? For three minutes of your life let the world revolve around YOU!"[1]

Release and reception

"The World Should Revolve Around Me" was released as a digital download on August 25, 2008,[2] ahead of the release of the group's debut album, "The Stoop."

Thom Jurek of AllMusic commented that said the song has "Motown-rich string samples, punky, (and) ragged breaks...", also praising the song's lyrics.[3] The Guardian's Jude Rogers felt that the song initially "sounds fun and playful," but that "under the surface lurks an indignant character."[4]

Criticism

The song has been criticized by some sociologists and critics for depicting and glamorizing narcissism. In The Handbook of Narcissism and Narcissistic Personality Disorder, W. Keith Campbell and Joshua D. Miller theorize that the song would be at unpopular "in a less narcissistic culture, even if individual levels of narcissism showed only small differences."[5] Jean M. Twenge and W. Keith Campbell, in their book The Narcissism Epidemic: Living in the Age of Entitlement, felt that the song has "no apparent sarcasm."[6] In an article in The New York Times Guide to Essential Knowledge, writer Jon Pareles opined that the song was evidence that society's narcissism is not declining.[7]

Chart performance

On the UK singles chart, "The World Should Revolve Around Me" debuted at number 26. Two weeks later, it rose seven spots, to its number 14 peak, at which it spent one week.[8][9] It spent a total of five weeks in the top 40 and seven weeks in the top 100.[8] The song also peaked within the top 40 on the Ireland Singles Chart, where it debuted at number 43 and peaked at number 30, spending a total of 4 weeks in the top 100.[10]

The song also entered the Billboard Pop 100 airplay chart, reaching number 90 in October 2008.[11]

Music video

The music video is mostly straightforward performance, with some graffiti backgrounds.[12] It also features Rosie Perez sitting on a stoop with the members of Little Jackie.[12][13] The music video went into heavy rotation on VH1, reaching number 1 on the Billboard VH1 Video Monitor chart.[14] The music video also entered the Top 10 on Billboard's Hot Videoclips chart.[14]

Media usage

The song was featured in the trailer for the movie You Again, starring Kristen Bell, Jamie Lee Curtis, Sigourney Weaver, Odette Yustman and Betty White.[15] The song was also featured on Episode 8 of Season 1 of 90210, with Little Jackie performing the song on the show.[16] "The World Should Revolve Around Me" gained popularity in the U.S. after becoming the theme song for VH1's New York Goes to Hollywood.[17][18][19] Little Jackie also appeared in an episode of the show.[20] The music video was featured on VH1's "You Oughta Know" segment.[21][22]

Charts
Chart (2008) Peak
position
Ireland (ISC)[10] 30
UK Singles Chart (OCC)[8] 14
US Pop 100 (Billboard)[11] 90

References
  1. Little Jackie interview by Pete Lewis, 'Blues & Soul' August 2008
  2. ""The World Should Revolve Around Me" overview". AllMusic. RhythmOne. Retrieved 9 February 2017.
  3. Jurek, Thom. ""The Stoop" album review". AllMusic. RhythmOne. Retrieved 9 February 2017.
  4. Rogers, Jude. "Pop review: Little Jackie, The Stoop". The Guardian. Guardian News and Media Limited. Retrieved 9 February 2017.
  5. Campbell, Keith; Miller, Joshua. "The Handbook of Narcissism and Narcissistic Personality Disorder ..." Google Books. John Wiley & Sons. Retrieved 11 February 2017.
  6. Twenge, Jean; Campbell, Keith. "The Narcissism Epidemic: Living in the Age of Entitlement". Google Books. Simon & Schuster. p. 1. Retrieved 11 February 2017.
  7. Pareles, Jon. "The New York Times Guide to Essential Knowledge, Third Edition". Google Books. MacMillan. p. 166. Retrieved 11 February 2017.
  8. "Little Jackie chart history". Official Charts. Official Charts Company. Retrieved 9 February 2017.
  9. Sexton, Pail. "The Verve Storms To No. 1 U.K. Debut". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. Retrieved 21 October 2017.
  10. "Overview: "The World Should Revolve Around Me"". aCharts.co. Retrieved 21 October 2017.
  11. "Billboard Oct 11, 2008 (page 60)". Internet Archive. Nielsen Business Media. 2008-10-11. p. 60. Retrieved 9 February 2017. pop 100 little jackie.
  12. ""Little Jackie - The World Should Revolve Around Me" music video". YouTube. Retrieved 9 February 2017.
  13. "Other works for Rosie Perez". IMDb. Amazon. Retrieved 9 February 2017.
  14. "Billboard Oct 18, 2008 (page 56)". Internet Archive. Nielsen Business Media. 2008-10-18. p. 56. Retrieved 11 February 2017. the world should revolve around me.
  15. ""You Again" trailer". YouTube. Touchstone Pictures. Retrieved 9 February 2017.
  16. ""Little Jackie on 90210!"". YouTube. The CW. Retrieved 9 February 2017.
  17. "VH1 Takes Placements In-House With 'New York,' 'Luke'". Retrieved 15 October 2017.
  18. "VH1 News: Little Jackie". VH1. Viacom. Retrieved 10 February 2017.
  19. ""New York Goes to Hollywood" on IMDb". IMDb. amazon.com. Retrieved 9 February 2017.
  20. ""New York Goes to Hollywood" episode guide". TV Guide. CBS Interactive. Retrieved 10 February 2017.
  21. "you oughta know playlist: ximena sariñana, foster the people". MTV. Viacom. Retrieved 9 February 2017.
  22. "Song Overview". AllMusic. RhythmOne. Retrieved 9 February 2017.
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