Opposites Attract

"Opposites Attract"
Single by Paula Abdul
from the album Forever Your Girl
B-side"One or the Other"
ReleasedNovember 17, 1989 (1989-11-17)
Genre
Length
LabelVirgin
SongwriterOliver Leiber
ProducerOliver Leiber
Paula Abdul singles chronology
"Cold Hearted"
(1989) 		"Opposites Attract"
(1989) 		"Rush Rush"
(1991)
Music video
"Opposites Attract" on YouTube

"Opposites Attract" is a song by American singer Paula Abdul from her debut album, Forever Your Girl (1988). It was released on November 17, 1989 as the sixth and final single from the album, through Virgin Records. It was written and produced by Oliver Leiber. Additional vocals are provided by Bruce DeShazer and Marv Gunn, also known as the Wild Pair, while on the single version, rap vocals are provided by Derrick Delite. Lyrically, the song is based on a couple who have contrasting personalities but share romantic feelings for each other.

One of the final tracks completed on the album, Minneapolis musician Oliver Leiber received an immediate request from Abdul's A&R rep Gemma Corfield to complete another track, in which the former conceptualized the pitch in less than a hour. In terms of production, Leiber used an Akai MPC drum machine to produce "Opposites Attract", with fellow musician David Z recommending the song's potential as a duet. The song was not intended to be a single, and Leiber was disappointed on how it turned out on its completion.

With the growing success of Forever Your Girl (1988), having spanned three number-one hits, Virgin Records was concerned on Abdul's overexposure until the latter came up with the music video concept of "Opposites Attract". For the release of the song as a single, the record label requested Leiber to add a rapper on the song, eventually recruiting local radio DJ Derrick Stevens to record the verses, with his lyrics written by fellow rapper and future actor Romany Malco.

Developing the music video, Abdul wanted the project to be a tribute to actor and dancer Gene Kelly, with Virgin Records recruiting animators Michael Patterson and Candace Reckinger to work on the project. Both animators created MC Skat Kat, an anthropomorphic rapping cat. The music video's concept of blending live action and animation takes inspiration from Kelly's film Anchors Aweigh (1945), particularly the segment where he dances with Jerry Mouse from Tom and Jerry. When the music video of "Opposites Attract" was filmed, stand-in dancers Michael Chambers and Bill Bohls were used as references for MC Skat Kat's animated scenes. Shooting the music video took two days, as each scene was filmed multiple times, including without the stand-in dancers.

The music video for "Opposites Attract" features both Abdul and MC Skat Kat in a "noirish, neon set", who both have contrasting personalties, in which they initially conflict before reuniting with dancing together and sharing romantic feelings. The success of the single and music video led "Opposites Attract" to top the Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks, with Abdul becoming the fourth music artist to have four number-one hits from a single album. Additionally, the single topped the Cash Box Top 100 for two weeks. For both magazines, the single generated success on multiple charts, particularly R&B and dance charts. In Canada, "Opposites Attract" topped four of its charts. Internationally, the single topped charts in Australia and Luxembourg. The music video for the song received six nominations from the 1990 MTV Video Music Awards, and won a Grammy Award for Best Music Video in 1991.

Background

Before Paula Abdul's music career breakthrough, she was primarily known as a dancer and choreographer. She served as head choreographer for the Laker Girls,[1] worked with the Jacksons on the "Torture" music video[2][3] and their Victory Tour (1984),[4] and conceptualized the choreography for various Janet Jackson music video in the mid-1980s.[5] Additionally, she choreographed the piano dance scene from Big (1988), featuring Tom Hanks.[1] On June 13, 1988, she released her debut studio album, Forever Your Girl (1988). The album took 64 weeks to top the Billboard 200, considered the longest climb in the chart's history. Preceding "Opposites Attract", the album generated three number-one singles, "Straight Up", "Forever Your Girl", and "Cold Hearted", as well as the re-release of "The Way That You Love Me", which peaked at number three.[6]

Production and composition

Development and production

David Z (pictured in 2008) recommended the idea of a duet for "Opposites Attract" to Oliver Leiber

"Opposites Attract" was written and produced by Oliver Leiber, the son of pop songwriter Jerry Leiber and a figure of the Minneapolis sound scene.[7] For Abdul's studio album, Forever Your Girl (1988), Leiber had written "The Way That You Love Me"[8] and the title track, "Forever Your Girl", which later became a number-one hit. At the time, Leiber purchased[7] an Akai MPC drum machine[1] and experimented with it until Abdul's A&R rep Gemma Corfield phoned the former to request one more track from him. During the phone call, Leiber came up with the pitch for "Opposites Attract" immediately and played the beat over the phone. He borrowed the song's title from an old paperback he found at a used bookstore.[7]

At the time, Abdul was best known as a choreographer, so her studio album wasn't a priority for Virgin Records. Despite that, Corfield told Leiber to produce "Opposites Attract" as quickly as possible,[7] as the latter responded that he would finish the song within a week.[1] Initially, Leiber didn't envision the song as a duet, until fellow Minneapolis musician David Z, known for producing the Fine Young Cannibals' "She Drives Me Crazy" (1988), recommended that the song would be better in that idea.[7] Following this, Leiber wrote the song's lyrics in less than an hour.[1]

Leiber then recorded a demo[7] with music duo the Wild Pair, consisting of Bruce DeShazer and Marv Gunn, who would provide MC Skat Kat's singing vocals in the music video.[9] At the time, the duo were members of band Mazarati, led by the Prince and the Revolution bassist Brownmark. The Wild Pair were recorded singing the entire song, as Abdul was unavailable in Minneapolis to record, leading to Leiber going to Los Angeles to take half of the Wild Pair's vocals and add Abdul's vocals. The initial version from Forever Your Girl did not feature any rap vocals. Initially not intended as a single, Leiber later revealed on Songfacts that he was "embarrassed" and "bummed" at how "Opposites Attract" turned out.[7]

Single version

By November 1989, Forever Your Girl was certified as quadruple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), spanning five singles and three number-one hits. Virgin Records was concerned about Abdul being overexposed until she had the idea of a music video for "Opposites Attract", making the record label optimistic. When the record label decided to release the song as a single, they requested Leiber to produce a new version with a rapper on it. Desiring to improve the song's quality, he got keyboardist Jeff Lorber to replace some of his parts. However, he didn't personally know any rappers. Instead, he recruited Minneapolis radio DJ Derrick "Delite" Stevens, taking interest in his voice before knowing if he could rap.[7] Stevens recorded his vocals at Prince's Paisley Park studio weeks later.[1] The additional lyrics were also written by Romany Malco, in which the latter went on to become an actor.[9]

Composition

"Opposites Attract" is a Minneapolis sound[10] and R&B[11] song at a running time of four minutes and twenty-five seconds,[8] while the single version cuts out thirty-nine seconds of the song.[12][13] Thematically, the song is based on two characters whose personalities contrast each other but share romantic feelings. Abdul prefers TV, hates cigarettes, and makes the bed, while Skat Kat prefers movies, smoking, and stealing the covers. Unlike the music video, "Opposites Attract" doesn't imply MC Skat Kat.[7]

Release

On November 17, 1989,[14] "Opposites Attract" was released on 7-inch vinyl,[13] 12-inch vinyl,[15] and cassette through Virgin Records,[16] as the sixth and final single from Abdul's debut album, Forever Your Girl (1988).[7][9] On January 21, 1990, the single was released on Mini CD in Japan.[17][18] In the United Kingdom, the single was first released in March 26,[19] and on April 16, was released on 7-inch vinyl with a poster inside, 12-inch vinyl featuring a gatefold, CD, and cassette.[20]

Music video

Pre-production

Abdul gave the idea of a "long-form video" to Virgin Records, who was initially skeptical because they were concerns about her being oversaturated on radio, as well as releasing a sixth single from Forever Your Girl (1988). Abdul further explained her project as a tribute to actor and dancer Gene Kelly, which led to Virgin taking interest in the project.[21] Record executive Jeff Ayeroff brought in animators Michael Patterson and Candace Reckinger, known for their work on A-ha's "Take on Me" (1984) and Suzanne Vega's "Luka" (1987), to work on the project. Both animators collaborated to create MC Skat Kat, an anthropomorphic cat resembling a "Disney-type animated cat" who crosses between musical theater and hip-hop culture. By that time, the animation industry was paving new advances with its live-action crossover film, Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988), and anthropomorphic cats from Oliver & Company (1988) to Garfield and Friends were increasingly prevalent.[9]

Being experienced in choreography and dancing, Abdul was heavily inspired by Kelly, as well as Patterson and Reckinger being fans of the latter. Kelly had been known for an earlier live-action and animation crossover with a sequence from Anchors Aweigh (1945) that featured him dancing with Jerry Mouse from Tom and Jerry. Taking inspiration from the material, Patterson and Reckinger wanted to use the sequence in a hip-hop perspective, also citing rapper MC Hammer's emergence as an inspiration.[9]

Conception of MC Skat Kat

MC Skat Kat as depicted in the music video for "Opposites Attract"

Patterson took inspiration from the "cool, shifty felines" of Hanna-Barbera's 1960s cartoon, Top Cat, to create MC Skat Kat. When he was questioned why he decided on using a cat, he responded, "cats are cool", crediting their "natural aloofness" and juxtaposition with Abdul.[9] During pre-production, the duo worked with animator Chris Bailey to polish MC Skat Kat's character design, asking the latter to add more hip-hop elements. The revisions were initially difficult to them as hip-hop was an emerging scene at the time, but eventually made an "agreeable design". Presented to Ayeroff, he recommended the character to resemble Patterson's outfit more, which consisted of "baggy pants held up with suspenders, worn over a tank top",[9] a fade haircut, and an earring in his ear,[22] eventually finalizing MC Skat Kat's design.[9]

There are disputes on who voiced MC Skat Kat. According to KMSP-TV, he was voiced by Derrick "Delite" Stevens, who had been a pioneer in Minneapolis' hip-hop scene and one of the first rappers to perform at the nightclub First Avenue under the stage name Derrick Delite.[23] After Abdul's producer Leiber[7] heard Stevens' announcement on radio station KMOJ, he approached the latter to rap a few verses for "Opposites Attract". Stevens initially experienced disbelief of voicing a cartoon cat dancing with Abdul, and later reflected on the experience as "ancient history that I have a fond memory of".[23] On the other hand, Yahoo News wrote that rapper Romany Malco voiced MC Skat Kat. At the time, he was getting his own record deal at Virgin Records, being employed to work for other music artists. Abdul asked Malco if he was interested in writing for the character, but initially was skeptical, fearing that this endeavor would tarnish his rap career, as he was in the hip-hop group R.M.G.. Instead, the music video marked his breakthrough in the film and television industry, first being linked to comedian and actor John Leguizamo, who had the idea of rapping like MC Skat Kat in his film, The Pest (1997).[24]

Production

During the music video's production, Pattersona and Reckinger hired stand-in dancer Michael Chambers for the music video's live-action footage to use as reference for MC Skat Kat's animated scenes. At the time, Chambers had been known for his breakdancing career, being featured in films such as Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo (1984). He took an interest in his role being used for the animated scenes, considering that it was about silhouettes and that striking poses were the essence animation. In addition to pre-choreographed dance moves, Chambers provided "walks, attitude, positions, and reactions"[9] that added to MC Skat Kat's "vibrant, sassy personality".[21]

The live-action scenes of the music video took two days. Reflected on by Chambers and Abdul as grueling, the first day took 15 hours, while the other day lasted 24 hours. The main reason for the video's long production was due to each scene being shot multiple times, featuring both dancers side by side, then with just Abdul, allowing animators to use room for MC Skat Kat. Other than Chambers, Bill Bohls was hired as an additional dancer.[9]

A slippery hazard was prevalent during the music video's production, especially considering the risk when Abdul wanted to perform a tap-dance sequence in heels. In order to prevent her from falling down and injuring herself, a gaffer used what he called "an old gaffer's trick", which consisted of Coca-Cola being spilled all over the floor, then dried with a hair dryer, giving it a tacky surface that allowed Abdul to finish the sequence in one take. On the animation side of production, painted cels were used and rough sketches were cleaned up with the help of United Productions of America (UPA) animator Bill Melendez and his team.[9]

Plot

Running for three and a half minutes,[25] the music video depicts Abdul, a human, and MC Skat Kat, an anthropomorphic cat, holding romantic attractions to each other, an increasingly common trope from Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988) and Howard the Duck (1986).[7] Beginning on a "noirish, neon set", when the two first interact, MC Skat Kat taps his finger on Abdul's shoulder, where it later burns and bursts into a flurry of animated flames as the latter leaves in annoyance by slamming a door. They later reunite happily atop an alley wall in silhouette, performing a fleet routine in which Abdul tugs MC Skat Kat's tail and spins him into a cartoon blur.[25]

As the music video shifts between the pair, they stare straight at the camera while trading the lines: "Who'd have thought we could be lovers? / She makes the bed, and he steals the covers." Picking up on suggestiveness, MC Skat Kat reclines in Abdul's lap on a loveseat, exhaling live-action fumes from his cigarette after the latter says she doesn't like cigarettes, inviting a sense of chemical equivalence between the two. MC Skat Kat then flips on top of Abdul, pinning her wrists to the white leather as they both look at the camera before the latter sits up to wrangle the cat's neck. Onto the next scene, the couple are transported to an animated staircase as they two-step dance together.[25]

Commercial performance

"Opposites Attract" debuted on the week of December 16, 1989, and landed at number one on the week of February 10, 1990, where it remained for three weeks, matching the run of Abdul's previous hit, "Straight Up" (1988).[26] It became Abdul's fourth number-one single on the US Billboard Hot 100. In doing so, it made Abdul the fourth artist to achieve four number-one singles on a single album, following Whitney Houston, George Michael and Michael Jackson,[1] and achieved six singles in the top five or top ten.[21] With the success of the single and its music video, Forever Your Girl topped the Billboard 200 for nine consecutive weeks,[7] selling eight million units.[24] The music video's success led to Abdul, Patterson, and Reckinger receiving six nominations at the 1990 MTV Video Music Awards, and won a Grammy Award for Best Music Video in 1991.[9][27]

Involving MC Skat Kat, "Opposites Attract" is estimated to be the third number-one Hot 100 hit to feature a fictional music artist, following The Chipmunks' "The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late)" (1958) and The Archies' "Sugar, Sugar" (1969). Additionally, the single is considered the first number-one hit to feature a rap verse[7] since Blondie's "Rapture" (1981),[28] since at the time, rappers including Tone Loc and Young MC made big hits in 1989, but have yet to achieve the top.[7] The first exclusively hip-hop single to top the Hot 100 was later achieved when Vanilla Ice's "Ice, Ice Baby" (1990) peaked at number one on the week of November 3, 1990.[28]

In addition to the Billboard Hot 100, "Opposites Attract" peaked at number three on Hot R&B Singles,[29] number seven on Dance Singles Sales,[30] number 24 on Dance Club Songs,[31] and number 45 on Hot Adult Contemporary charts.[32] With competitor Cash Box, the song topped the Top 100 Pop Singles chart for two weeks,[33] and also peaked at number two on Dance Singles[34] and number three on R&B Singles charts.[35] In Canada, the song topped their Top Singles,[36] Retail Singles, Contemporary Hit Radio,[37] and Dance/Urban charts.[38] Additionally, it peaked at number two on the more independent Quebec chart from ADISQ.[39] Internationally, "Opposites Attract" topped charts in Australia[40] and Luxembourg,[41] peaked at the top five in Belgium,[42] Europe,[43] the Netherlands,[44] and the UK,[45] and the top ten in Finland,[46] Ireland,[47] New Zealand,[48] and Norway.[49] Outside of the top ten, the song charted in Austria,[50] France,[51] Sweden,[52] Switzerland,[53] and West Germany.[54]

"Opposites Attract" appeared in multiple year-end charts, ranking at number 14 on the US Billboard Hot 100,[55] number 19 on the Cash Box Top 100,[56] and number 40 on the former's Hot R&B Singles chart.[57] The song found its biggest success in Australia, where it ranked number six.[58] In Canada, the song charted at number 13 and number 22 on Top Singles and Dance/Urban charts, respectively.[59][60] Additionally, the single appeared on year-end charts from Belgium,[61] Europe,[62] Germany,[63] the Netherlands,[64] New Zealand,[65] Sweden,[66] and the UK.[67] In Canada's decade-end chart of the 1990s, it was ranked number 30.[68] In 1998, during Virgin Records' 25th anniversary page on Billboard, they estimated "Opposites Attract" to be their 22nd biggest single.[69]

In terms of record sales, "Opposites Attract" was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on March 12, 1990, having sold over 500,000 units.[14] In April 1990, the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) and Music Canada certified the single as Silver, for surpassing 200,000 units, and Gold, for surpassing 50,000 units, respectively.[70][71] Additionally, the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) certified it as Platinum for selling over 70,000 units.[58]

Critical reception

Melody Maker commented, "Lovely, lovely Paula released her fourth American Number One. This kicks off with a smart little rap then Paula jumps in and tip-taps her way through sounding happy, naive and full of herself, like the homecoming queen out on her first real date. She can do no wrong. It must be love."[72] Pan-European magazine Music & Media wrote, "For this release Abdul duets with the Wild Pair. The song also features a rap by Derrick Delite and is, of course, very danceable."[73] A reviewer from People Magazine described it as one of "the liveliest cuts" from the album.[74] Tom Breihan of Stereogum gave retrospective insight towards "Opposites Attract", rating the song 6/10. He gave criticism towards MC Skat Kat's verses, in which he described as a "horny rapping novelty-song cartoon cat", while complimenting its production.[7]

Legacy

Friendship with Gene Kelly

After the music video for "Opposites Attract" was completed, Abdul received an invitation to meet Kelly at his Beverly Hills home to play it for him. Abdul described herself being a "nervous wreck" circling the block for 45 minutes due to her excitement of meeting him and having arrived at the appointment too early. Once the two met, Abdul and Kelly became friends and lasted until the latter's death in 1996.[21] Following "Opposites Attract", in 1991,[1] Kelly arranged for Abdul to be in a Diet Coke commercial that digitized the former's footage from Anchors Away (1945), with the latter replacing the film's co-lead, Frank Sinatra.[21][1]

MC Skat Kat's initial run

Following the success of "Opposites Attract", Virgin Records attempted to make MC Skat Kat a marketable character, dropping his duo act with Abdul to expand his own world with other cat characters including Fatz, Taboo, Micetro, Leo, Katleen, and Silk. In 1991, the record label released The Adventures of MC Skat Kat and the Stray Mob. Patterson and Reckinger returned to direct "Skat Strut" (featuring a cameo from Abdul). Despite receiving heavy rotation on MTV,[9] the single failed to succeed commercially, peaking at number 80 on the Billboard Hot 100.[7] Another music video was made for the album's track, "Big Time", but was withheld from release.[9] That year, he appeared alongside Stevie Wonder, Tone Loc, Kenny Loggins, Pat Benetar, Bette Midler, and Barry White in "Yakety Yak, Take It Back", a PSA recycling music video based on an updated version of The Coasters' "Yakety Yak" (1958).[1]

Additionally, MTV planned an unsuccessful offer to make MC Skat Kat their official mascot, and nearly commissioned an animated series based on the character, but lost to the much successful Beavis and Butt-head. Universal Pictures also took interest in a live-action/animation crossover film, but never went in production. For merchandise, Patterson and Reckinger designed MC Skat Kat dolls that were never published. Following the conclusion of the character's initial run, the duo went on to direct music videos for music artists including Sting, Electric Light Orchestra, and Donald Fagan.[9]

Media appearances

In 1997, Abdul performed "Opposites Attract" on Muppets Tonight, instead with "different indeterminate-species Muppet monsters" replacing MC Skat Kat's role. The music video for the song was parodied on a 2005 episode of Family Guy, with Peter Griffin cosplaying as MC Skat Kat and singing "I'm dressed like a cat".[1] On July 22, 2015, Abdul and English comedian James Corden lip-synced "Opposites Attract" on The Late Late Show, with the latter cosplaying as MC Skat Kat.[75]

In 2016, MC Skat Kat, voiced by Stevens, was parodied on American Dad!, asking for a janitor job. The character became more prominent when he appeared alongside Abdul on Dancing With the Stars and the latter's concert tour in 2017. In 2019, MC Skat Kat made a guest appearance during a medley of Abdul's hits at the Billboard Music Awards. The pair later made a brief cameo in Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers (2022).[1]

Track listings and formats

Credits and personnel

Credits and personnel are adapted from the single's[13] and Forever Your Girl liner notes.[8]

Locations
  • Recorded at Creation Audio, Minneapolis, Minnesota
  • Recorded at Kren Studio, Hollywood, California
  • Recorded at JHL Studio, Palisades, California
  • Mixed at Skip Saylor Studio, Los Angeles, California
Musicians
Technical
  • Chris Bailey – character design
  • Russell Bracher – engineering
  • Keith "K.C." Cohen – mixing
  • Larry Frazin – platinum management
  • Cliff Jones – engineering
  • Jeff Lorber – engineering, additional drum programming
  • Pete Martinsen – engineering
  • Michael Patterson – character design
  • Sarajo Frieden Studio – design, illustration
  • Larry Tollin – platinum management

Charts

Certifications and sales

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[58] Platinum 70,000^
Canada (Music Canada)[71] Gold 50,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[70] Silver 200,000^
United States (RIAA)[14] Gold 500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
United States November 17, 1989
  • 7-inch vinyl
  • 12-inch vinyl
  • cassette
 Virgin [14]
Japan January 21, 1990 Mini-CD [17]
United Kingdom March 26, 1990
  • 7-inch vinyl
  • 12-inch vinyl
 Siren [19]
April 16, 1990
  • 7-inch vinyl with poster
  • 12-inch gatefold vinyl
  • CD
  • cassette
 [20]

References

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  2. ^ "Abdul Delivers More Than the Same Old Song and Dance". San Jose Mercury News. August 11, 1989. Archived from the original on January 28, 2012. Retrieved May 3, 2009.
  3. ^ Dennis Hunt (February 12, 1989). "Ex-Laker Girl Slam-Dunks : Paula Abdul scores with new singing career and debut album". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 18, 2022.
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