Take a Bow : Critical reception

Critical reception

Bill Lamb from About.com stated that "Rihanna has the unique ability to deliver the lyrics without batting an eyelash, and this is another success, if a little lifeless, for the duo. Look for it to be Rihanna's 9th, yes 9th, top 10 pop single" and "The production [of the song] utilizes brief spoken asides by Rihanna to great effect. It's her "please!" and dismissive giggle that are likely to the muse one is betterbe the most memorable elements from this effort" he also adds "The keyboard-based backing of "Take a Bow" is, by now, standard Stargate and does not challenge their best. However, you are likely to find yourself singing along after the first few times through, and that should be enough right now to keep Rihanna in good graces with pop radio programmers".

Chuck Taylor from Billboard magazine reviewed the song and said: "With superstars Stargate and Ne-Yo at the helm, the velvety ballad ticks along with well-applied piano and strings, as the instantly recognizable singer delivers a convincingly bemused vocal, complete with haughty laugh". Nick Levine of Digital Spy wrote, "'Take A Bow' does what it sets out to do very well, but it's an underwhelming follow-up to the dancefloor rush of 'Don't Stop The Music'."

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Take a Bow : Single release

The song premiered on KZZP and KRQQ's JohnJay and Rich in the Morning on March 14, 2008, and was made available to media outlets later that same day. It was officially released to U.S. top 40 radio on April 15, 2008 and to iTunes on May 6, 2008 where it has proven to be immensely popular both in the United States and internationally. To date the single has reached the number 1 position on iTunes in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, New Zealand, Denmark, and Ireland, and has achieved top 10 chartings in over eighteen countries across the globe. In U.K the single was release on May 12.In Europe it was released a month later on June 6. Due to digital downloads "Take a Bow" charted at number 45 in Italy before its official release set for July 28, 2008, according to an italian music channel which has inserted Take a Bow in its playlist on that date. Also in France the song has been released nearly two months after the European release date, set for June 6, 2008, on July 21, 2008.



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Take a Bow : Background and composition

"Take a Bow" is a pop/R&B song written and composed by Ne-Yo, Tor Erik Hermansen, and Mikkel Eriksen of Stargate, with whom she previously worked on "Unfaithful" and "Hate That I Love You".

The lyrics describe a female's point of view as her boyfriend is attempting to apologize after being unfaithful. She sarcastically tells him that his performance is "very entertaining", and to "take a bow" like he was performing on a stage. Although there is a gentle tone to the lyrics, at the heart of it they convey a tone of bitterness and even disgust. It is the second single with the same name to top the Billboard Hot 100 after Madonna's 1995 single "Take a Bow". "Take a Bow" is Rihanna's first song to peak at number 1 on BET's 106 & Park. In July 2008, on a promotional trip to the UK for his new album, Ne-Yo recorded a version of "Take a Bow" for Urban radio station 1Xtra. Taylor Swift has also been performing the song live on her tour.



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Formats and track listing

U.S./EU CD Single (1787139)
"Disturbia" (Album Version) — 3:58
"Disturbia" (Instrumental) — 3:58
UK Promo CD single (DISTURB CJ 2)
"Disturbia" (Main) — 3:58
"Disturbia" (Jody Den Broeder Radio Edit) — 3:52
"Disturbia" (Craig C's Master Radio Mix) — 3:54
"Disturbia" (Craig C & Nique's Master Radio Mix) — 4:02
"Disturbia" (Jody Den Broeder Remix) — 7:45
"Disturbia" (Craig C's Master Vocal Mix) — 9:18
"Disturbia" (Craig C & Nique's Tribal Mayhem Mix) — 8:21
"Disturbia" (Jody Den Broder Bum Bum Dub) — 8:15
"Disturbia" (Craig C's Disturbstramental Mix) — 9:18
"Disturbia" (Craig C & Nique's Bom Dub Mix) — 8:21
12" EU vinyl (TIME 528)
"Disturbia" (Jody Den Broeder Remix) — 7:46
"Disturbia" (Craig C's Disturbstrumental Mix) — 9:18
"Disturbia" (Jody Den Broeder Bum Bum Dub) — 8:16
"Disturbia" (Radio Edit) — 3:59

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