Tell Me 'bout It

"Tell Me 'bout It" is a song by English singer and songwriter Joss Stone from her third studio album, Introducing Joss Stone (2007). It was written by Stone, Raphael Saadiq and Robert Ozuna (half of the duo Jake and the Phatman), and produced by Saadiq. The song was released in March 2007 as the album's lead single.

"Tell Me 'bout It"
Single by Joss Stone
from the album Introducing Joss Stone
B-side	"My God"
Released	6 February 2007 (2007-02-06)
Recorded	Compass Point Studios (Nassau, Bahamas)
Genre	Neo soul alternative hip hop funk
Length	2:49
Label	Relentless Virgin
Songwriter(s)	Joss Stone Raphael Saadiq Robert C. Ozuna
Producer(s)	Raphael Saadiq
Joss Stone singles chronology
"Cry Baby Cry" (2006) "Tell Me 'bout It" (2007) "Tell Me What We're Gonna Do Now" (2007)

Music video

Stone in the hip hop-themed video for "Tell Me 'bout It"

The music video for "Tell Me 'bout It" was directed by Bryan Barber and filmed on location at 5 Pointz, an industrial building used as a graffiti space located in Queens, New York City. In December 2006, the place's owner, graffiti artist Jonathan "Meres" Cohen, received a phone call from a representative for Stone, asking him to use 5 Pointz as the backdrop for the single's video. He was initially unaware of who Stone was, but he eventually gave permission to her crew after speaking to her. Cohen would later be in charge of Stone's body painting for the cover art and the photo shoot of Introducing Joss Stone.^[1]

Accompanying its setting, the video is noted for its hip hop-related elements such as graffiti and breakdancers. It features cameo appearances by Saadiq, who appears at the beginning playing the bass, and Cohen, who is shown at the end doing a mural of Stone's face, reminiscent of her face on the cover of her album Mind Body & Soul (2004).

Chart performance

The single debuted at number 80 on the UK Singles Chart on 24 February 2007, it fell to number 92 the second week, two weeks later it went to its peak of 28, having spent six weeks on the Top 100. Having previously topped the US Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart, "Tell Me 'bout It" debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 at number 83 in late March, becoming Stone's first solo single to enter the chart.

Use in media

The song was used in the second episode of the first season of The CW's series Gossip Girl, titled "The Wild Brunch", which originally aired on 25 September 2007. It was also used in the soundtrack to the 2007 EA Sports video game NBA Live 08, and Saints Row 2.

Track listings

UK and German CD single

1. "Tell Me 'bout It" – 2:53
2. "My God" – 3:48

Digital download – A Yam Who? Rework

1. "Tell Me 'bout It" (A Yam Who? Rework) – 4:21
2. "Tell Me 'bout It" (A Yam Who? Club Rework) – 9:38

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of Introducing Joss Stone.^[2]

Joss Stone – lead vocals, songwriting Chalmers "Spanky" Alford – guitar Oswald Bowe – assistant engineering Chuck Brungardt – mixing, recording Tom Coyne – mastering Reggie Dozier – horn recording, string recording Joi Gilliam – backing vocals Keisha Jackson – backing vocals Jeremy Mackenzie – Pro Tools operator Marlon Marcel – assistant engineering Robert Ozuna – drums, turntablism, songwriting

Khari Parker – additional drums Jermaine Paul – backing vocals Raphael Saadiq – bass, guitar, horn arrangements, production, songwriting Glenn Standridge – mixing, recording Charlie Stavish – assistant engineering Neil Symonette – percussion James Tanksley – assistant engineering John Tanksley – assistant engineering Benjamin Wright – string arrangements

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (2007) Peak position Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[3] 60 Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Flanders)[4] 2 Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Wallonia)[5] 17 Europe (European Hot 100 Singles)[6] 46 Germany (GfK)[7] 64 Greece (IFPI)[8] 29 Hungary (Single Top 40)[9] 10 Italy (FIMI)[10] 12 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[11] 8 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[12] 5 Scotland (OCC)[13] 18 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[14] 33 UK Singles (OCC)[15] 28 UK Hip Hop/R&B (OCC)[16] 6 US Billboard Hot 100[17] 83 US Adult Alternative Songs (Billboard)[18] 5 US Pop 100 (Billboard)[19] 73

Year-end charts Chart (2007) Position Brazil (Crowley)[20] 96 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[21] 73 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[22] 42

References

1. Kiper, Dmitry (24 July 2007). "Curator of an urban canvas". The Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved 22 December 2015.
2. Introducing Joss Stone (CD liner notes). Joss Stone. Virgin Records. 2007. 0946 3 76268 2 5.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
3. "Joss Stone – Tell Me 'Bout It" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 22 December 2015.
4. "Joss Stone – Tell Me 'Bout It" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved 22 December 2015.
5. "Joss Stone – Tell Me 'Bout It" (in French). Ultratip. Retrieved 22 December 2015.
6. "European Hot 100 Singles". Billboard. 31 March 2007. Archived from the original on 23 March 2007. Retrieved 4 February 2020.
7. "Joss Stone – Tell Me 'Bout It" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 22 December 2015.
8. "Top 50 Singles" (in Greek). IFPI Greece. Retrieved 16 April 2007.
9. "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Single (track) Top 40 lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved 22 December 2015.
10. "Joss Stone – Tell Me 'Bout It". Top Digital Download. Retrieved 22 December 2015.
11. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 12, 2007" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 22 December 2015.
12. "Joss Stone – Tell Me 'Bout It" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 22 December 2015.
13. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
14. "Joss Stone – Tell Me 'Bout It". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 22 December 2015.
15. "Joss Stone: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 4 February 2020.
16. "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 22 December 2015.
17. "Joss Stone Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 22 December 2015.
18. "Joss Stone Chart History (Adult Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 22 December 2015.
19. "Introducing Joss Stone – Joss Stone | Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 22 December 2015.
20. "Brazilian Top 100 Year-End 2007". Crowley Broadcast Analysis. April 3, 2018. Retrieved January 30, 2022.
21. "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 2007" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 22 December 2015.
22. "Jaaroverzichten – Single 2007" (in Dutch). dutchcharts.nl. Hung Medien. Retrieved 22 December 2015.