Wait A Minute (Just A Touch)

Album: Shine (2007)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This track is based around a Screaming Jay Hawkins sample of "I Put A Spell On You," which was also used on Biggie Smalls' "Kick In The Door." Estelle told I Like Music how producer Will.I.Am came up with the idea for this song: "The vibe of the song is just hype. We were in with Will.I.Am and I said, 'I'm not leaving here without a hit. I'm not leaving here without some heat at the very least. Just hell no.' And he was being his eccentric self. He started playing samples and vibing. And I said, 'I wanna go to some old school hip hop s--t but I want to sing and make it real pretty.' And I had this idea that I was gonna do this song, 'Betty Bag had a bad attitude.' I was gonna use that. And he started vibing more and he said, 'what do you think about this?' And he pulled out 'bamp, bamp, bamp, bamp' [Estelle sings a famous hip-hop sample], the original. You've heard it on the Biggie tunes and whatnot, but I hadn't heard the original forever. So we were all walking round the room doing free steps in the room. It was all of that. From that energy he pulled it up and he just started making the beat right there and then, he starting vibing, bringing in the keys, bling, bling, bling."
  • In an interview with the Daily Mail Estelle added that executive producer John Legend suggested that she wrote for this song about a girl giving a guy "just a little piece" of her love. John Legend is featured in the music video.
  • Estelle explained that this track was the one she had the most fun laying down in the studio: "Just A Touch was the most fun. Because I say 'I ain't carrying your embryo' and it took me half an hour to put that line down, because embryo is such a funny word. When you start doing lyrics and stuff, you start listening to the way things sound and 'embryo' to me is hilarious. Embryo is funny, pantyhose is funny. There are some words and you break up the words and say them, it sounds stupid don't it? Same as the word 'balls' it just sounds funny. So we had lots of time laughing until I was like, 'everybody get out of the room, I've got to do this properly.' It was hilarious."
  • This was originally released as a single in 2007 but it failed to chart.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Rickie Lee Jones

Rickie Lee JonesSongwriter Interviews

Rickie Lee Jones on songwriting, social media, and how she's handling Trump.

Cheerleaders In Music Videos

Cheerleaders In Music VideosSong Writing

It started with a bouncy MTV classic. Nirvana and MCR made them scary, then Gwen, Avril and Madonna put on the pom poms.

Experience Nirvana with Sub Pop Founder Bruce Pavitt

Experience Nirvana with Sub Pop Founder Bruce PavittSong Writing

The man who ran Nirvana's first label gets beyond the sensationalism (drugs, Courtney) to discuss their musical and cultural triumphs in the years before Nevermind.

Sarah Brightman

Sarah BrightmanSongwriter Interviews

One of the most popular classical vocalists in the land is lining up a trip to space, which is the inspiration for many of her songs.

Mac Powell of Third Day

Mac Powell of Third DaySongwriter Interviews

The Third Day frontman talks about some of the classic songs he wrote with the band, and what changed for his solo country album.

Director Mark Pellington ("Jeremy," "Best Of You")

Director Mark Pellington ("Jeremy," "Best Of You")Song Writing

Director Mark Pellington on Pearl Jam's "Jeremy," and music videos he made for U2, Jon Bon Jovi and Imagine Dragons.