Ain't It Funny Explained

Ain't It Funny
Cover:Ain't It Funny.png
Border:yes
Type:single
Artist:Jennifer Lopez
Album:J.Lo
B-Side:Pleasure Is Mine
Released:June 20, 2001
Genre:
Label:Epic
Producer:
Prev Title:I'm Real
Prev Year:2001
Next Title:Ain't It Funny (Murder Remix)
Next Year:2002

"Ain't It Funny" is a song by American singer Jennifer Lopez. It was written by Lopez and Cory Rooney for the Adam Shankman-directed romantic comedy The Wedding Planner (2001). Shankman, however, felt that the song had too much of a Latin-influence to be featured in the film, and it was instead included on Lopez's second studio album, J.Lo (2001). "Ain't It Funny" was released as the fourth single from the album on December 4, 2001, by Epic Records.

The song was used as background music in three television advertisements in Japan to promote the 2001 Subaru Legacy for a special campaign which was known as Three Keys Legacy. Lopez herself was also featured in all three ads.[2] [3] [4] The song shares the same title with Lopez's 2002 song "Ain't It Funny (Murder Remix)", which is a completely different song.[5]

Writing and production

While watching a rough cut of The Wedding Planner (2001) in Canada, Jennifer Lopez and Cory Rooney brainstormed ideas for its accompanying soundtrack. The two "pulled different thoughts and feelings" from the film's scenes. The scene where Lopez's character is in the backseat of a car listening to Matthew McConaughey and Bridgette Wilson's characters talk about the wedding made Rooney think of the line "ain't it funny how some feelings you just can't deny and you can't move on even though you try". According to Rooney, "all those words and melodies just started coming" to him while watching the scene.[6] After he conceived the idea for "Ain't It Funny", Rooney returned to his home and "roughed out the track" and composed the song's chorus. He then worked with Lopez for an hour to complete the song.[6] Tommy Mottola was so enthusiastic about the song that he contributed to its melody.[7] Adam Shankman, however, felt that "Ain't It Funny" had too much of a Latin influence for the film, due to its usage of timbales. Lopez disagreed with Shankman and the two later agreed to use "Love Don't Cost a Thing" in the film.[6]

Composition

"Ain't It Funny" is a Latin pop song, with a duration of four minutes and six seconds (4:06).[8] The song contains a Mecca disco beat and a "bullfight trumpet",[8] [9] as well as a "solid dancefloor thump".[5] Lyrically, Lopez sings about "creating the perfect romance in your mind, then facing reality when Mr. Right is less than ideal".[5]

Critical response

The song received mixed to positive reviews. Josh Freedom du Lac of Wall of Sound wrote that "Ain't It Funny" steals its melody "wholesale" from Madonna's "La Isla Bonita", although it has a better rhythmic base. He concluded that it still "sort of runs in place, as though Lopez recorded it while standing on a treadmill".[10] Sal Cinquemani of Slant Magazine responded positively to the song, calling it "terribly infectious". However he criticized the "overpowering choir of back-up vocalists" that sing the chorus.[11] Jake Barnes of Dot Music called the song bland, writing that Lopez should "check out" Jill Scott's 2000 song "One Is the Magic Number" for how Latin pop "should be done properly".[8] Billboards Chuck Taylor praised the song's production as "Grade A" and its lyrics as "smart".[5]

Chart performance

"Ain't It Funny" was a commercial success, peaking within the top ten in multiple countries. In Poland, the song peaked at No. 1 for eight weeks on the Polish Singles Chart.[12] In the United Kingdom, the song peaked at No. 3, making it her fifth top-ten single there, gaining popularity there it is still played on many radio stations regularly.[13] "Ain't It Funny" charted at No. 3 in several other countries including the Netherlands, Romania and Sweden. In Sweden, it exceeded sales of 10,000 copies and was certified Gold by the Swedish Recording Industry Association. In Belgium, the song peaked at No. 8 in Flanders and No. 5 in Wallonia. "Ain't It Funny" debuted and peaked at No. 25 in Australia on September 2, 2001. "Ain't It Funny" peaked at No. 9 in Norway, and Ireland for the week ending August 9, 2001. The single debuted at No. 14 in Switzerland on July 29, 2001, and peaked at No. 9 three weeks later. It had a successful chart run in Switzerland, remaining on the Swiss Singles Chart for a total of twenty-six weeks. In Spain, "Ain't It Funny" peaked at No. 10 for the week ending July 28, 2001. Additionally, it reached the top twenty in Germany, Austria, Denmark, Hungary and Italy.

Live performances

From September 22–23, 2001, Lopez performed a set of two concerts in Puerto Rico, entitled Let's Get Loud. These served as the first concerts of her career, in which she was "flanked by a 10-piece orchestra, a five-person choir and 11 dancers." "Ain't It Funny", among other songs, was included on the concerts' set list.[14] [15] [16] In December 2001, Lopez, Kid Rock and Ja Rule headlined a concert for the USO troops in a German military base. Lopez opened her set with "Ain't It Funny". After emerging from a center-stage trapdoor, she performed the song while backed by a line of male dancers "outfitted in military garb".[17] On January 1, 2002, the concert aired as a special on the MTV Network hosted by Carson Daly, For the Troops: An MTV/USO Special.[18] Joe D'Angelo of MTV News noted that she wore "a series of skimpy outfits despite chilly temperatures."

Music video

The music video was filmed in sepia tone and directed by Herb Ritts. It opens with Lopez traveling on a road where she finds a fortune-teller who shows Lopez her future with the cards. A group of female gypsies (one of them played by The Pussycat Dolls member Carmit Bachar) show up and make over Lopez so as to make her one of their own. Then Lopez finds a man (played by Mexican soap opera actor Eduardo Verástegui) she could not resist, falling in love with him. In the middle of the video, there is an extended dance sequence, in which she performs a flamenco-influenced routine. Eventually all the people there start dancing together, including Lopez and her lover. The video debuted the week of July 2, 2001, internationally and in late 2001 in the US.

Track listings

"Ain't It Funny"

  1. "Ain't It Funny" – 4:05
  2. "Ain't It Funny" (Silk's house mix 7-inch) – 3:59
  3. "Ain't It Funny" (Brandnew radio mix) – 3:45
  4. "Ain't It Funny" (Silk's house mix pt. 1 & 2) – 8:28
  5. "Play" (Gene Lefosse remix) – 7:16
  1. "Ain't It Funny" (album version) – 4:05
  2. "Ain't It Funny" (Brandnew radio mix) – 3:45
  1. "Ain't It Funny" (album version) – 4:05
  2. "Ain't It Funny" (Silk's house mix pt. 1 & 2) – 8:28
  3. "Ain't It Funny" (Brandnew extended) – 4:54
  4. "Ain't It Funny" (Tropical dance remix) – 3:49
  5. "Ain't It Funny" (D'Hip mix) – 4:20

A1. "Ain't It Funny" (Silk's house mix pt. 1 & 2) – 8:28

A2. "Ain't It Funny" (album version) – 4:05

B1. "Ain't It Funny" (Brandnew extended) – 4:54

B2. "Play" (Rui da Silva mix) – 7:19

  1. "Ain't It Funny" – 4:05
  2. "Ain't It Funny" (Silk's house mix pt. 1 & 2) – 8:28
  3. "Ain't It Funny" (Almighty mix) – 7:22
  4. "Ain't It Funny" (video)

A1. "Ain't It Funny" (Silk's house mix pt. 1 & 2) – 8:28

B1. "Ain't It Funny" (original mix) – 4:05

B2. "Play" (Rui da Silva mix) – 7:19

  1. "Ain't It Funny" – 4:05
  2. "Ain't It Funny" (Silk's house mix 7-inch) – 3:59
  3. "Ain't It Funny" (Brandnew radio mix) – 3:45
  1. "Ain't It Funny" – 4:08
  2. "Qué Ironía (Ain't It Funny)" – 4:08
  3. "Pleasure Is Mine" – 4:18

"Qué Ironía (Ain't It Funny)"

  1. "Qué Ironía (Ain't It Funny)" (Tropical dance remix) – 3:47
  2. "Qué Ironía (Ain't It Funny)" (Radio Traffic mix) – 3:12
  3. "Qué Ironía (Ain't It Funny)" (Tribal mix) – 6:02
  4. "Qué Ironía (Ain't It Funny)" – 4:07
  5. "Ain't It Funny" (Silk's house mix 7-inch) – 3:59
  6. "Ain't It Funny" (Brandnew radio mix) – 3:45

Charts

Weekly charts

2001 Weekly chart performance for "Ain't It Funny"!Chart (2001)!Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[28] 25
Canada AC (Nielsen BDS)[29] 29
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[30] 5
Greece (IFPI)[31] 5
Hungary (Mahasz)[32] 2
Poland (Music & Media)[33] 3
Poland (Nielsen Music Control)[34] 1
Romania (Romanian Top 100)[35] 3
Chart (2024)! scope="col"
Peak
position
Kazakhstan Airplay (TopHit)[36] 29

Year-end charts

Year-end chart performance for "Ain't It Funny"!Chart (2001)!Position
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[37] 57
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[38] 52
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[39] 56
France (SNEP)[40] 86
Germany (Official German Charts)[41] 80
Ireland (IRMA)[42] 93
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[43] 13
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[44] 37
Romania (Romanian Top 100)[45] 9
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[46] 34
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[47] 63
UK Singles (OCC)[48] 112

Release history

RegionDateFormatLabel
JapanJune 20, 2001CD singleSony[49]
GermanyJuly 16, 2001[50]
United KingdomAugust 6, 2001[51]
AustraliaAugust 20, 2001CD singleEpic[52]
United StatesDecember 4, 2001[53]
January 7, 2002Contemporary hit radio[54]

Notes and References

  1. Book: Jennifer Lopez. Berger. Arion . Brackett . Nathan. . 2004 . . 4th . Brackett . Nathan . Hoard . Christian . 0-7432-0169-8 . 494.
  2. Web site: subaru legacy b4 ad . September 18, 2007 . YouTube . March 16, 2018 .
  3. Web site: subaru legacy touring wagon ad . . September 21, 2007 . March 16, 2018 .
  4. Web site: subaru legacy lancaster ad 3 . . February 25, 2009 . March 16, 2018 .
  5. Taylor. Chuck. Reviews & Previews. Billboard. December 22, 2001. 113. 51. 18. April 9, 2013. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 0006-2510.
  6. Book: The Billboard Book of Number One Hits: Updated and Expanded 5Th Edition – Fred Bronson – Google Boeken . 9780823076772 . April 7, 2013. Bronson . Fred . 2003 .
  7. Web site: Cory Rooney Interview . SongwriterUniverse . April 7, 2013.
  8. Web site: Album Review – Jennifer Lopez – 'J-Lo' (Columbia) . Dotmusic.com . https://web.archive.org/web/20010129141800/http://www.dotmusic.com/reviews/Albums/January2001/reviews17555.asp . January 29, 2001 .
  9. Jon . Pareles . J. Lo | Album Reviews . Rolling Stone . February 5, 2001 . April 7, 2013.
  10. Web site: Wall of Sound Review: J.Lo . Wall of Sound . April 7, 2001 . https://web.archive.org/web/20010407210655/http://wallofsound.go.com/reviews/stories/jenniferlopez_jloIndex.html . April 7, 2001.
  11. Web site: Jennifer Lopez: J. Lo | Music Review . Slant Magazine . February 11, 2001 . April 7, 2013.
  12. Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20071017002323/http://www.pifpaf.com.pl/airplay/number1_2001.html. Nielsen Music Control. October 17, 2007 .
  13. Web site: Jennifer Lopez Artist. Official Charts Company. April 5, 2013.
  14. Web site: Wiederhorn. Jon. J. Lo's Puerto Rico Concerts Set For DVD. https://web.archive.org/web/20121105114314/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1451676/j-los-puerto-rico-concerts-set-dvd.jhtml. dead. November 5, 2012. MTV News. MTV Networks.. February 13, 2013. January 7, 2002.
  15. Web site: The Buzz"Jennifer Lopez in Concert . November 20, 2001 . September 6, 2010 . WHDH Boston . Sunbeam Television Corporation . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110928201518/http://www1.whdh.com/features/articles/buzz/32/ . September 28, 2011 .
  16. Web site: Jennifer Lopez – Let's Get Loud (2001). Amazon.com, Inc.. March 24, 2013.
  17. Web site: D'Angelo. Joe. J. Lo, Kid Rock, Ja Rule Salute Troops At USO Show. https://web.archive.org/web/20140202192641/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1451399/j-lo-kid-rock-ja-rule-salute-troops.jhtml. dead. February 2, 2014. MTV News. MTV Networks. February 16, 2013. December 10, 2001.
  18. Web site: Tonight on TV. https://archive.today/20130411160457/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/newsday/access/97568840.html?dids=97568840:97568840&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Jan+01,+2002&author=&pub=Newsday+(Combined+editions)&desc=TONIGHT+ON+TV&pqatl=google. dead. April 11, 2013. Newsday. Fred Groser. February 16, 2013. January 1, 2002.
  19. Ain't It Funny. Jennifer Lopez. 2001. Australian CD single liner notes. Epic Records. 671735.2.
  20. Ain't It Funny. Jennifer Lopez. 2001. European CD single liner notes. Epic Records. EPC 671202 1.
  21. Ain't It Funny. Jennifer Lopez. 2001. European maxi-CD single liner notes. Epic Records. EPC 671202 2.
  22. Ain't It Funny. Jennifer Lopez. 2001. European 12-inch single sleeve. Epic Records. 671202 6.
  23. Ain't It Funny. Jennifer Lopez. 2001. UK CD single liner notes. Epic Records. 671759 2.
  24. Ain't It Funny. Jennifer Lopez. 2001. UK 12-inch single sleeve. Epic Records. 671759 6.
  25. Ain't It Funny. Jennifer Lopez. 2001. UK cassette single sleeve. Epic Records. 671759 4.
  26. Ain't It Funny. Jennifer Lopez. 2001. Japanese CD single liner notes. Sony Records. SRCS 2482.
  27. Qué Ironía (Ain't It Funny). Jennifer Lopez. 2001. Spanish maxi-CD single liner notes. Epic Records. EPC 671737 2.
  28. Web site: australian-charts.com - Jennifer Lopez - Ain't It Funny. Hung Medien. August 26, 2019. N.B. The 2002 chart run is mistakenly listed on australian-charts.com as a re-entry for the original version, when it was actually a separate entry for the Murder Remix, which is shown correctly in the following source:Web site: The ARIA Report: Issue 634 (Week Commencing 22 April 2002). https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20020423140000/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/23790/20020424-0000/www.aria.com.au/Issue634.pdf. dead. April 23, 2002. Australian Recording Industry Association. 2. August 26, 2019.
  29. Book: Lwin, Nanda. Nanda Lwin. 2003. The Essential 2002 Chart Yearbook. Music Data Canada. 58. 1-896594-15-8.
  30. Eurochart Hot 100 Singles. Music & Media. 18. 35. 8. August 25, 2001. February 10, 2020.
  31. Top National Sellers. Music & Media. 19. 44. 19. October 27, 2001. June 9, 2020. See LW column.
  32. Top National Sellers. Music & Media. 19. 45. 15. November 3, 2001. June 9, 2020.
  33. Major Market Airplay – Week 32/2001. Music & Media. 19. 32. 19. August 4, 2001. January 21, 2024.
  34. Web site: Nielsen Music Control. https://web.archive.org/web/20071017002323/http://www.pifpaf.com.pl/airplay/number1_2001.html. October 17, 2007. January 21, 2024.
  35. Web site: 2001. https://web.archive.org/web/20021209050311/http://www.rt100.ro/2001.html. December 9, 2002. rt100.ro.
  36. Web site: Top Radio Hits Kazakhstan Weekly Chart: Aug 15, 2024. TopHit. August 16, 2024.
  37. Web site: Ultratop Belgian Charts . ultratop.be . February 24, 2012.
  38. Web site: Ultratop Belgian Charts . fr. ultratop.be/fr . April 9, 2014.
  39. Year in Focus – Eurochart Hot 100 Singles 2001. Music & Media. 18. 52. 14. December 22, 2001. February 10, 2020.
  40. Web site: Classement Singles - année 2001 . SNEP . November 27, 2013 . fr . https://web.archive.org/web/20120924122553/http://www.snepmusique.com/fr/pag-259376-Classements-Annuels.html?year=2001&type=2 . September 24, 2012 . dead .
  41. Web site: Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts 2001. GfK Entertainment. December 16, 2018.
  42. Web site: Ireland - Top Singles For 2001. Allcharts.org. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120505011812/http://allcharts.org/music/years/ireland-singles-2001.htm. May 5, 2012. December 16, 2018.
  43. Web site: Top 100–Jaaroverzicht van 2001. Dutch Top 40. February 5, 2020.
  44. Web site: Steffen Hung . Dutch charts portal . dutchcharts.nl . February 24, 2012.
  45. Web site: 2001 – Top of the Year. Rt100.ro. 2001. January 15, 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20021209050311/http://www.rt100.ro/2001.html . December 9, 2002.
  46. Web site: Årslista Singlar - År 2001 . Sverigetopplistan . February 26, 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110719010315/http://www.hitlistan.se/netdata/ghl002.mbr/lista?liid=43&dfom=20010001&newi=0&height=420&platform=Win32&browser=MSIE&navi=no&subframe=Mainframe . July 19, 2011 .
  47. Web site: Steffen Hung . Schweizer Jahreshitparade 2001 . hitparade.ch . February 24, 2012.
  48. Web site: The Official UK Singles Chart 2001. UKChartsPlus. May 22, 2018.
  49. Web site: 最新のCD リリース一覧. Latest CD Releases. Oricon. ja. https://web.archive.org/web/20010721093330/http://www.oricon.co.jp/release/index.asp?week=-4. July 21, 2001. August 23, 2023.
  50. Web site: Ain'T It Funny: Amazon.de: Musik . Amazon.de . April 7, 2013.
  51. New Releases – For Week Starting August 6, 2001: Singles. Music Week. 23. August 4, 2001. August 16, 2021.
  52. Web site: The ARIA Report: ARIA New Releases Singles – Week Commencing 20th August 2001. https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20020220130000/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/23790/20020221-0000/www.aria.com.au/issue599.PDF. dead. February 20, 2002. ARIA. 24. August 20, 2001. April 23, 2021.
  53. Web site: Records & Radio. PDF. 17. November 30, 2001. Worldradiohistory.com. March 15, 2022.
  54. Web site: Records & Radio. PDF. 28. December 21, 2001. Worldradiohistory.com. March 15, 2022.

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