Title (song)

"Title" is a song by American singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor from her debut extended play and debut major-label studio album of the same name from 2014 and 2015, respectively. Kevin Kadish produced the track, and co-wrote it with Trainor. A doo-wop recording, "Title" also incorporates elements of folk music. In its lyrics, the singer demands her love interest to put a name on their relationship status. Trainor released a music video for "Title" on November 20, 2015, which was directed by Anthony Phan. Commercially, the song peaked at number 9 in New Zealand and at number 100 on the US Billboard Hot 100, being certified Gold in both countries. Trainor performed the song at MTV, in a session for the National Post, during the Jingle Ball Tour 2014 and on her That Bass and MTrain tours.

"Title"
Song by Meghan Trainor
from the album Title and the EP Title
Released2014
RecordedThe Carriage House
(Nolensville, Tennessee)
GenreDoo-wop
Length2:54
LabelEpic
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Kevin Kadish

Background and composition

"Title" was written by Meghan Trainor and Kevin Kadish, and produced by the latter.[1] Trainor felt that the song showcased what her artistic style was about, particularly noting a Caribbean drum before the chorus and a rap bridge that was a new sound for her.[2] It was described by the singer as "call me your girlfriend, I'm sick of being your boo thing, so call me your girlfriend and give me that title".[3] Trainor played ukulele on the song, while Kadish programmed, mixed, recorded and engineered it. He also played the electric guitar, bass, acoustic guitar and synthesizer on "Title". Mastering was handled by Dave Kutch whereas David Baron played piano and organ.[1]

"Title" is a doo-wop song which runs for a duration of 2 minutes and 54 seconds.[1] It blends horns and background vocals with ukulele folk-pop and island percussion morphed into a programmed beat, further containing handclaps and subtle modern sound effects.[4] Trainor uses an assertive throwback aural tone on the song.[5] The rap verse was compared to the work of Australian rapper Iggy Azalea and American duo Karmin.[4] The song's lyrics see Trainor demanding her lover to put a name on their relationship status.[6][7] Christina Garibaldi of MTV News wrote that "Title" serves as a lesson for women not to settle for a friends-with-benefits relationship.[8] L.V. Anderson from Slate called it the "cri de coeur" of a woman who is "tired of being seen as a casual hookup by the man in her life".[9]

Music video and promotion

A music video for "Title" was shot in Los Angeles on October 7, 2014, at a downtown movie palace.[10][11] Directed by Anthony Phan, its premise follows a theme inspired by the AAU Mr. America pageant. Trainor was accompanied by several film makers and male models who wore sashes, while sporting a sparkling dress and lime green fur for the shoot.[6] The music video was released on November 20, 2015, on the special edition of the album.[12]

The video begins with Trainor performing "Title" accompanied by her ukulele and background dancers, interspersed with shots of Trainor's brother Ryan filming the performance. The venue is then revealed to be a "Mister America" pageant. Trainor then, while singing, introduces the contestants of the pageant, wearing a black-coloured coat. Trainor continues performing, while the contestants walk down the ramp. Trainor is shown singing, while sitting on a couch of flowers, donning a crown and a white gown. The contestants are depicted in a gymnasium, performing weight-lifting and other exercises. The half-naked contestants walk down the ramp, dance, and cycle, as Trainor's performance progresses. Trainor is then shown singing the song on royal staircases, in a pastel-coloured gown and lime fur, and later presents a crown to the winner of the pageant. The video ends with shots of Trainor's performance interspersed with her and the newly crowned winner walking down the ramp.[13]

For further promotion, Trainor performed "Title" live at MTV on October 6, 2014,[2] and in a session for the National Post on October 14.[14] She has also included it in her set lists for the Jingle Ball Tour 2014, the That Bass Tour and the MTrain Tour.[15][16]

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of Title.[1]

Recording
  • Recorded and engineered at The Carriage House, Nolensville, Tennessee
  • Mastered at The Mastering Palace, New York City, New York
  • Published by Year Of The Dog Music (ASCAP), a division of Big Yellow Dog, LLC / Over-Thought Under-Appreciated Songs (ASCAP)
Personnel

Charts
Chart (2014–15) Peak
position
Belgium (Ultratip Wallonia)[17] 31
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[18] 9
US Billboard Hot 100[19] 100

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
New Zealand (RMNZ)[20] Gold 7,500*
United States (RIAA)[21] Gold 500,000

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References
  1. Title (Media notes). Meghan Trainor. Epic Records. 2014.CS1 maint: others (link)
  2. Walker, John (October 6, 2014). "Artist To Watch: Meghan Trainor's All About What's Next". MTV News. Archived from the original on December 17, 2014. Retrieved December 20, 2014.
  3. Robinson, Peter (August 18, 2014). "Meghan Trainor interview: 'I didn't realise the world would be calling me within five weeks'". Popjustice. Archived from the original on June 12, 2015. Retrieved December 18, 2014.
  4. DeVille, Chris (September 11, 2014). "The Week In Pop: So, What Else Does 'All About That Bass' Singer Meghan Trainor Have To Offer?". Stereogum. Archived from the original on August 1, 2018. Retrieved December 18, 2014.
  5. "'Tuned In' review: Beyond 'Bass,' there's not much to Trainor". Knoxville News Sentinel. September 16, 2014. Archived from the original on September 19, 2014. Retrieved December 18, 2014.
  6. Dolan, Jon (September 22, 2014). "Meghan Trainor Title Album Review". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on December 16, 2014. Retrieved December 18, 2014.
  7. Weber, Lindsey (September 9, 2014). "Who Is Meghan Trainor and What Is 'All About That Bass' Even About?". Vulture. Archived from the original on October 17, 2018. Retrieved October 17, 2018.
  8. Garibaldi, Christina (September 5, 2014). "Exclusive Song Premiere: 'Kiss' Meghan Trainor's Ass If You Don't Want To Give Her The Girlfriend 'Title'". MTV News. Archived from the original on December 31, 2014. Retrieved December 18, 2014.
  9. Anderson, L.V. (September 5, 2014). "Meghan Trainor's New Song Is Just as Anti-Feminist as 'All About That Bass'". Slate. Archived from the original on September 5, 2014. Retrieved November 2, 2018.
  10. Trainor, Meghan [@Meghan_Trainor] (October 7, 2014). "I'm shooting a video for Title today!!!!!!!!" (Tweet). Retrieved May 25, 2020 – via Twitter.
  11. Edwards, Gavin (October 27, 2014). "Meghan Trainor on How She Became 2014's Most Unlikely Pop Star". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on May 26, 2015. Retrieved December 23, 2014.
  12. Wass, Mike (October 28, 2015). "Meghan Trainor To Release A Special Edition Of 'Title' With Four Bonus Tracks And A DVD (Outside The US)". Idolator. Archived from the original on January 1, 2016. Retrieved December 23, 2015.
  13. Title (Special Edition) (Media notes). Meghan Trainor. Epic Records. 2015.CS1 maint: others (link)
  14. Tucker, Rebecca (October 14, 2014). "National Post Sessions: Meghan Trainor covers Sam Smith's Stay With Me, and performs her own track, Title". National Post. Archived from the original on November 7, 2018. Retrieved December 23, 2014.
  15. Roncace, Kelly (December 12, 2014). "Q102 Jingle Ball: Iggy Azalea, Ariana Grande, Nick Jonas and more 'sleigh' annual concert event". NJ. Archived from the original on December 27, 2014. Retrieved December 17, 2014.
  16. "Meghan Trainor Announces First Headlining Tour". Radio.com. November 3, 2014. Archived from the original on November 4, 2014. Retrieved December 20, 2014.
  17. "Ultratop.be – Meghan Trainor – Title" (in French). Ultratip. Retrieved October 15, 2016.
  18. "Charts.nz – Meghan Trainor – Title". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved January 1, 2015.
  19. "Meghan Trainor Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved January 1, 2015.
  20. "New Zealand single certifications – Meghan Trainor – Title". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved January 13, 2015.
  21. "American single certifications – Meghan Trainor – Title". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved August 21, 2015. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH. 
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