Can We
| "Can We" | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | |||||||||||||
| Single by SWV featuring Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott | |||||||||||||
| from the album Release Some Tension and Booty Call OST | |||||||||||||
| Released | February 11, 1997 | ||||||||||||
| Format | |||||||||||||
| Recorded |
1996; Master Sound Studios (Virginia Beach, Virginia) | ||||||||||||
| Genre | |||||||||||||
| Length | 4:51 (album version) | ||||||||||||
| Label | |||||||||||||
| Writer(s) | |||||||||||||
| Producer(s) | |||||||||||||
| SWV singles chronology | |||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||
"Can We" is a song by American R&B trio SWV. It featured guest vocals by Missy Elliott and production by Timbaland and Elliott. The song was eventually included on SWV's third album, Release Some Tension (1997), but was originally a hit earlier in the year when it was included on the soundtrack to the 1997 film, Booty Call. "Can We" was a huge hit that received major airplay on Urban radio stations in the US, but it was not commercially available for the public to purchase as a cassette or CD single in America. Despite topping the airplay chart, its modest overall chart performance was due to its limited availability as a 12-inch vinyl single, which was no longer a popular format with the music buying public at the time.
At the time of its release, Billboard prevented album cuts from entering any Singles charts; however, because of its attachment to the Booty Call soundtrack, "Can We" was able to chart on Billboard Hot 100.[1]
Outside the United States the song reached #1 on the New Zealand Singles Chart and peaked at #18 on the UK Singles Chart.[2][3] To date, "Can We" is SWV's first and only international number one hit.
Music video
A music video for the single was directed by Jesse Vaughan and premiered on music video stations in March 1997.[4] The synopsis of the video primarily focuses on SWV, dressed in cheetah-print attire, dancing in front of matching backgrounds with their love interests. Missy Elliott is also featured in the video, where she is seen dancing in a newspaper-covered background.
Track listings and formats
- UK/European Maxi-CD[5]
- Can We (LP Version) — 4:51
- Can We (Instrumental) — 4:49
- Can We (Acappella) — 4:49
- Can We (Radio Edit No.1) — 4:15
- Can We (Radio Edit No.2) — 4:15
- Can We (No Rap Radio) — 3:56
- US 12" vinyl[6]
- "Can We" (Radio Edit #1) — 4:15
- "Can We" (Radio Edit #2) — 4:15
- "Can We" (No Rap Radio) — 3:56
- "Can We" (LP Version) — 4:51
- "Can We" (Instrumental) — 4:49
- "Can We" (Acapella) — 4:49
Chart performance
| Charts (1997) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| New Zealand Singles Chart[2] | 1 |
| UK Singles Chart[3] | 18 |
| US Billboard Hot 100[1] | 75 |
| US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs[1] | 31 |
| US Billboard Rhythmic Top 40[1] | 3 |
| US Billboard Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales[1] | 26 |
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 "Release Some Tension - SWV > Awards". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved April 7, 2013.
- 1 2 "SWV - Can We". charts.org.nz. Retrieved April 7, 2013.
- 1 2 "SWV > Artist > Official Charts". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 7, 2013.
- ↑ "mvdbase.com - SWV - "Can we?"". mvdbase.com. Retrieved July 3, 2013.
- ↑ "SWV - Can We (CD) at Discogs". Discogs. Discogs.com. Retrieved July 3, 2013.
- ↑ "SWV - Can We (Vinyl)". Discogs. Discogs.com. Retrieved July 3, 2013.