Little Bit Explained

Little Bit
Cover:Lykke Li - Little Bit single cover.jpg
Caption:Swedish single release cover
Type:single
Artist:Lykke Li
Album:Youth Novels
Genre:
Length:4:33
Label:LL
Composer:
Lyricist:Lykke Li
Producer:
  • Björn Yttling
  • Lasse Mårtén
Next Title:I'm Good, I'm Gone
Next Year:2008

"Little Bit" is a song by Swedish singer Lykke Li from her debut studio album, Youth Novels (2008). Produced by Björn Yttling and co-produced by Lasse Mårtén, the track was released on 24 September 2007 as the album's lead single. It was included on the soundtrack to the HBO series Bored to Death,[3] while a snippet of the song was used in the commercial for Victoria's Secret Ipex bra starring Heidi Klum.[4] Also, rapper Charles Hamilton sampled the song on his track Starchasers from his mixtape It's Charles Hamilton. Canadian singer Drake remixed the song for his 2009 mixtape So Far Gone.[5]

Critical reception

"Little Bit" received positive reviews from many music critics. In a review for Blogcritics, Tan The Man wrote that the song is "mesmerizing, evoking a sensual striptease fantasy by a former love" and that it "fuses so many sounds, from quasi-bossa nova to soul, while maintaining a simplistic and raw, non-explicitly erotic beat in the background."[6] Matthew Perpetua from Spin rated the track seven out of ten, stating it is "built upon the clack and clang of acoustic percussion and little else, aside from occasional bits of guitar or saxophone", addind that it sounds "exceptionally intimate, to the point where it's easy to feel voyeuristic when listening on the title cut to her unguarded declaration of love."[7] Q magazine noticed "a breathless intensity to [the] lyrics that takes the song beyond the realm of throwaway pop. 'I would do it, push the button, pull the trigger, jump off a cliff...' she sings, clearly not just 'a little bit' in love as she tries to convince herself, but rather in the grip of an overwhelming infatuation."[8] Jon Lusk of BBC Music called it "metronomic, infectiously hummable" and viewed it as "a great new example of the emotional conflict which 10cc and Smokey Robinson lyrically documented so well."[9] Adrien Begrand of PopMatters felt that the song's "approach is far more subtle than most contemporary pop singles would ever dare to be, its gentle, slightly distorted bass synth propelled by the faintest traces of percussion, both electronic and acoustic, Yttling providing mandolin accents during the choruses. But it's Lykke Li who commands our attention, delivering as perfect a hook in the chorus that rivals Robyn's best work, but not before making us fall off our chairs with a second verse that tosses aside all nuance in favor of direct, unadulterated lust."[10] Rolling Stones Will Hermes opined that "[a] quietly intoxicating electropulse drives the reluctant lover's confession in 'Little Bit' while Li memorably rhymes 'legs apart' with 'tainted heart.'"[11]

Track listings

  1. "Little Bit" – 4:34
  2. "Everybody but Me" – 3:17
  3. "Time Flies" – 3:15

A1. "Little Bit" – 4:34

B1. "Everybody but Me" – 3:17

B2. "Time Flies" – 3:15

  1. "Little Bit" – 4:41
  2. "Dance, Dance, Dance" – 3:43
  3. "Everybody but Me" – 3:18
  4. "Time Flies" – 3:22
  1. "Little Bit" – 4:35
  2. "Little Bit" (Loving Hand Remix) – 9:26
  3. "Little Bit" (CSS Remix) – 4:40
  4. "After Laughter" – 3:40

A. "Little Bit" – 4:34

B. "Dance, Dance, Dance" – 3:42

A1. "Little Bit" (Loving Hand Remix) – 9:26

B1. "Little Bit" (CSS Remix) – 4:40

B2. "Little Bit" (Staygold's Skansen Remix)

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of Youth Novels.[12]

Release history

RegionDateFormatLabel
Sweden24 September 2007Digital downloadLL Recordings[13]
200710-inch single[14]
United Kingdom25 February 20087-inch singleMoshi Moshi[15]
United States6 May 2008EPThe Control Group[16]
United Kingdom24 October 2008Digital downloadAtlantic[17]
27 October 200812-inch single[18]

Notes and References

  1. Lykke Li Dives Into Heartbreak on 'I Never Learn': Album Review . Billboard . 1 June 2016.
  2. The Billboard Reviews . Billboard . 23 August 2008 . 1 June 2016.
  3. Web site: Grimm . Beca . TV on the Radio, Lykke Li, M. Ward Featured on Bored to Death Soundtrack . . 23 August 2010 . 23 January 2011.
  4. Web site: Brandon . Lykke Li And Heidi Klum Sell A Smoother, Lighter Bra . . 25 September 2008 . 23 January 2011.
  5. Web site: Breihan . Tom . Drake: So Far Gone . . 29 June 2009 . 23 January 2011.
  6. Web site: Tan The Man . Music Review: Lykke Li – Little Bit EP . . 5 May 2008 . 23 January 2011.
  7. News: Perpetua . Matthew . Lykke Li, 'Little Bit EP' . . 29 May 2008 . Spin Media LLC . 23 January 2011.
  8. Web site: Track of the Day: Lykke Li . . 10 December 2007 . 23 January 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110726010139/http://news.qthemusic.com/2007/12/track_of_the_day_135.html . 26 July 2011 . dead .
  9. Web site: Lusk . Jon . Review of Lykke Li – Youth Novels . . 6 June 2008 . 23 January 2011.
  10. Begrand . Adrien . Lykke Li: Youth Novels . . 26 March 2008 . 23 January 2011.
  11. Hermes . Will . Youth Novels : Lykke Li . . 21 August 2008 . https://web.archive.org/web/20080822220137/http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/album/22190049/review/22209192/youth_novels . 22 August 2008 . dead . 23 January 2011.
  12. . liner notes . . LL Recordings . 2008 . 50999 520279 2 5.
  13. Web site: Little Bit – EP by Lykke Li . . Sweden . 3 January 2011 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20121111001733/https://itunes.apple.com/se/album/little-bit-ep/id263466088 . 11 November 2012 .
  14. Web site: Lykke Li – Little Bit (10") . . 3 January 2011.
  15. Web site: Lykke Li – Little Bit (7") . 25 February 2008 . discogs . 3 January 2011.
  16. Web site: Little Bit [EP]

    Lykke Li ]

    . Amazon . United States . 3 January 2011.
  17. Web site: Little Bit – EP by Lykke Li . January 2007 . . United Kingdom . 3 January 2011.
  18. Web site: Lykke Li – Little Bit (12") . 27 October 2008 . discogs . 3 January 2011.