Why are there 2 r's in "Hot In Herre?" Because Nelly loves double entrendre? That's the way it sounds when the St. Louis Missouri native says "here" and because it's really hot.....really hot indeed. [1]
What is not a double entendre is the success of this song from Nelly's sophomore record, Nellyville, in 2002. In addition to being Nelly's first no.1 hit, it won the first Grammy Award for Best Male Rap Solo performance in 2003 (after the category was split to recognize different genders for two years). [2] The legacy of the song continues to live on in 2020: as a timeless favorite, nostalgic club classic and even a global warming anthem!?! [3] I know the guy loves multiple meanings, but I'm sure he wasn't considering global warming in 2002.....was he hanging with Al Gore?
June 29th - August 10th, 2002: "Hot In Herre" by Nelly lasts 7 weeks at no.1!
The only unexpected data in the form is the intro. 12.5 measures works out to be 4 measures in 4/4 followed by a single measure of 2/4 in the first segment. This is followed by 8 measures of a loop that will repeat for every other section in the song. Coincidentally, we saw similar intro stats ten years earlier in Madonna's "This Used to Be My Playground."
The rest of the form is standard fare. Two double verses followed by a chorus makes up two sequences of AAB. We get a bridge (C) followed by a single verse and double chorus, ABB (fancy inverse!). The end is a repeat of the bridge, no longer acting like a bridge, but a fitting way to close out the tune with the secondary hook.
Chord Progressions
"Hot In Herre" uses the same 8 measure chord progression throughout the entire song. The chord progression is comprised of 4 chords, 2 of which are only different by 1 note.
The intro actually deviates from the main progression, slightly condensing the longer version:
 |
| Intro - meas. 1-5 |
The lower line, reinforced by the bass plays mostly E, approaching the downbeats with a min.7 D. The electric keyboard starts with an Emin7 chord, which is a G major triad on top of the E in the bass. The triad moves down a 1/2 step to F#, still over the E. We hear F# again, which modulates down again, this time to F. The cycle repeats in measures 2-4, accenting an Emin triad on beat 4. The measure of 2/4 creates space before the intro continues for another 8 measures, introducing the primary loop.
On first blush, I see the intro as:
Emin7 F#/E / F/E
i II / bII
I started toying around with other harmonic implications. The Emin7 could be considered G/E, making G the III. Thinking about F#/E in terms of B7: F#, A#, C#, E is F#7, which is V/B....so the F#/E could be V/V? The chord could also spell BMaj7sus add 9, a highly unusual sub for a V chord. So the chord could play out as:
Emin7 F#/E / F/E
III V/V / bII
In any case, F#/E has a similar pull to Emin/Emin7 that F/E does. Notes either want to resolve up or down to the closest chord tones by 1/2 step or whole step. We see an equal distribution of those resolutions when stacked next to one another:
I love the first 5 measures of the intro and more readily connect the song with them than with the 8 measure loop that follows for the next 3 minutes. It foreshadows all the chords we will hear during the tune and gives a sense of the harmonic motion to come. It also presents all the material in a slightly different manner than we will see once it gets going. This is the perfect introduction for the song!
As mentioned, the 8 measure loop uses all the chords from the intro and is repeated until the last note.
 |
| Primary Chord Loop |
This time, Nelly starts off with Emin, instead of the Emin7 sound, played in a lower octave. The chords slide between Emin and F/E three times before we heard the Emin7 (G/E), resolved down a half step to F#/E. The rhythm of the chords, borrow in part from the intro, happens on the + of beat 2 each time.
The lower part, which is doubled by the bass and kick drum, plays the down beat of each measure to solidify the groove. We hear consistent accents on (3)+ with varying syncopation to fill out beat 4.
There is also a higher, guitar like chord syncopation woven in. This part consistently plays a 16th-8th rest-16th figure on beat 3 and beat 2, every two measures. It comes and goes during the verses and is even exposed at the start of the third chorus. The higher pitch sits nicely in the balance and it doesn't compete with other syncopations.
The drum groove that accompanies all of this is highly syncopated as well:
 |
| drum groove sample |
The cowbell, marked with "x", plays an offbeat, Latin like pattern that aligns with the higher chord stabs from above, beats 3 and 2, every two measures. The bass and snare, marked by the lower downward facing stems, play beats 1 and 2 consistently and double the syncopation on beat (3)+, filling out beat 4 in a few different ways as the tune progresses. The high hat, stems up at the top, provides 8th and 16ths to lock in the pulse, opening on (3)+ with the other instruments.
I love when a song has so many rhythmic events occurring simultaneously. It seems like it would be too busy, but arranged correctly, it works out nicely. This approach also allows one or two parts to drop out without having the whole thing fall apart.
Melody
The first 5 measures of the intro are really unique. The keyboard hints at what the song has in store, but never really returns to the pattern verbatim. Nelly's vocal in the section functions similarly.
 |
| Intro Vocal - meas. 1-5 |
We get a tease of the lyrics as Nelly gives us the forecast. Melodically, he hints at a common intervallic motion to come, D-E (min7-root), but adds in C#, the 6th of E! This interval only appears a few other times throughout the song. It's interesting that he leads with it.
After we hear the looped chord progression, Nelly comes in strong with a memorable first verse:
 |
| Verse 1 - meas.1-8 |
Most of the pitches move between D and E, reinforcing the E minor tonality. He occasionally makes his way up to F#, though the almost rapid spoken delivery makes that note feel vague. The melodic theme of the verse is definitely steps moving between root and minor 7.
Rhythmically, measures 1 and 2 share characteristics, as do measures 3 and 4, containing similar entrances and syncopation. Measures 5 and 6 have more space than previous measures before he kicks on the overdrive for measure 7, winding down in measure 8, once again pounding out D's and E's.
 |
| Verse 1 - meas. 9-16 |
Measures 9 and 10 retread the (1)+ entrance from measures 5 and 6. We even get a slight dip to C# in measure 10. Measures 11 and 12 are very catchy, mostly because they use similar rhythm and he finally changes pitch, going up to the G, the minor 3rd. In fact, the "bustin' loose" melody is directly borrowed from Chuck Brown and the Soul Searchers 1978 funk classic. Measures 13-16 return to the D-E theme, introducing a new syncopation on beat 1. The final pickup into the chorus, once again, features C#.
It's worth mentioning the verse has a lot of "uh's" and "ahhs." They almost act like a percussion part in their own right, interjecting on up beats, often doubling some of the instrumental parts. We continue to see this in verse 2, which is similar to verse 1 in length and delivery. Verse 3 is only 8 measures and consistently delivers rapid rhythmic assaults.
 |
| Verse 3 |
I like the rhythmic structure of this verse, specifically how every other measure measure (except m.7) starts after beat 1 with 8th note syncopation and builds to faster 16th note runs in the next measure. Nelly starts off with the familiar E-D interval, even visiting G a few times, before he stays on D for the faster passages. It gives this entire verse a feeling a of anticipation, priming up the listener for the inevitable chorus repeats to end the tune.
In contrast to the longer, faster flowing verses, the chorus comes in with two prominent hooks and a new melodic flavor:
 |
| chorus |
Nelly kicks things off with familiar intervals, expanding up the minor 3rd with both interjections and as part of the primary melody. After 2 measures, we finally hear a new melodic structure and timbre, a response sang by Dani Stevenson. She alternates between G and F# (over the F/E chord) a few times before going up to the A, a brand new sound for the song up to this point. Her last note on "off" is a somewhat flat G, or a sharp F#? It veers close to spoken territory and despite the tonal deficiency, the delivery is perfect for the style and message.....
I do like how this 4 measure segment, repeated twice to yield an 8 measure chorus, contrasts with the longer, less repetitive verses. The entire chorus is one big hook which stands out even more with the contrasting vocal timbres. The grunting squeals of delight, introduced in the verse, elevate to even more prominence in the chorus when Nelly interjects five "uh's" on the upbeats, underneath the female vocal. He is obviously into nudity!
The bridge presents another catchy melody, blending elements of the verse and chorus:
 |
| Bridge |
We hear lots of 16th note runs, mostly moving from D to an eventual E, accompanied by syncopated "uh's." Like the chorus, it is very repetitive but does manage to change the words slightly. We also hear the high G incorporated on "let it hang all out." This part works well as a bridge and an outro, blending the fast rhythms of the verse and the repetitive catchiness of the chorus.
Lyrics
The lyrics, like the music, are redundant, simply stated yet intriguing all at the same time. Nelly pushes the envelope with double entendre and masked slang throughout. Consider the chorus as a prime example of this:
It's getting hot in herre, so take off all your clothes
I am getting so hot I wanna take my clothes off
I'm willing to bet everyone has made a similar statement during an extended heatwave. Logically, it makes sense to shed the extra layers of clothing when the weather is too hot in order to cool yourself and find relief. I seriously doubt that't what Nelly has in mind though.
The verses continue to expose his sexual appetite:
I'm waitin for the right time to shoot my steez (you know)
Waitin for the right time to flash them keys, then uhh
Steez: the quality of being effortlessly stylish or fashionable......we discover the keys are for:
Check it, got it locked at the top of the Fo' Seasons
Penthouse, roof top, birds I'm feedin
"Fo' Seasons" refers to the Four Seasons luxury hotel. "Birds" could be the British slang for women or Nelly is just expressing his passion for urban ornithology? He goes on to make a lewd threat:
Cause I feel like bustin loose
And I feel like touchin you, uh uh
And can't nobody stop the juice
What does "steez" mean again?
My two favorite moments come in verse 3. First, this question and answer sequence:
I got a friend with a pole in the basement (what?)
I'm just kidding like Jason (oh)
I imagine the basement pole is a stripper pole? According the entertaining Genius annotations for this song, "kidding like Jason" refers to the NBA player Jason Kidd. I'm not sure about his past dealings with strip clubs, but given his past domestic issues, he seems like the kind of guy who may enjoy a shoe show now and then?
And then there's this final statement:
Nelly took a trip from the Lou' to the Neptunes
Came back with somethin thicker than fittin in Sasoons
Say she got a thing about cuttin in restrooms - ohhhhh!
"Lou" refers to St. Louis, Nelly's hometown, and "Neptunes" refers to the track's producer. "Sasoon," though spelled differently, may refer to the popular line of hair products? The last line makes me wonder if "lou" could refer to a bathroom, once again using British slang terminology, therefore insinuating the woman wants to cut the line to the bathroom to get an "out of this world" experience with Nelly that results in a viscous, hair gel like product? Whoah Nelly.....
Common Threads
What common musical elements do no.1 hits through decades share? That's one of the mission statements of this project. After I complete each analysis, I attempt to find some of these common threads. So far, I have used songs from 2011, 2001, 1991, 1981, 1971, 1961, 1962, 1972, 1982 and 1992 to inform this list. Let's see what "Hot In Herre" contributes.
Repetitive Melody - The melodic content in the song is repetitive in general. The entire melody can be summed up with "minor 7 - root movement." The chorus is also structurally repetitive.
Hook that Uses Title of the Song - The entire chorus is the hook, which constantly refers to the title.
Stepwise Motion Common in Melody - this tune may have the fewest melody notes of any analysis I have done. B, D, E, F#, G and A are the only pitches sang, split between two people!
- Use of Vocal Harmony - while there are additional vocals, they do not harmonize any melodies The background vocals act more like a percussion track than anything.
- New Material at the End - the tune works with little source material. The end is a repeat of the bridge, which is not often seen in pop song endings.
- Texture Changes - There are some, but they are minimal. At most, one of the primary loop elements drops out for a few bars, usually the high pitches syncopated chords.
- Strong motion of V- I - While F#/E could be considered V, and does resolve to E minor, I wouldn't call it a strong resolution.
Chord Count: 4 - Emin7, Emin, F/E, F#/E - minimal chords doesn't always mean minimal musicality. I like the harmonic motion of this one a lot and feel these chords get a lot of mileage on little source material.
While there are only 3 common threads, I think the hook and repetitive melody count for double. They have to be the strongest musical elements of the tune that account for the "extreme ear worm" status this song enjoys, even 20 years after being released.
Final Takeaways
When I analyzed 1981's "Jesse's Girl," I was reminded of playing the song 20 years ago in a bar band and learning it on the gig, incorrectly. I have similar memories of learning "Hot in Herre." I remember being told to "play a groove in E," having never heard the actual tune. Regardless, I have fond memories of the crowd's reaction, especially when this song was modern and hyper relevant.
I do enjoy listening to this tune. I love half step motion in harmony, a frequently used movement in heavier music. While it doesn't come off heavy, it has a dark vibe that I gravitate to. Musically, the intro is my favorite part and it's interesting that it only occurs as is at the very start of the song.
Nelly's rap flow is strong. I like how he uses actual pitches, though limited, to flow through the verses. When he moves between syncopated lines into 16th note blasts, it's a powerful rush of energy. The percussive attack of the second and third verses is fun and, without a doubt, gets people up and moving. While his words are somewhat cringe worthy and even head scratching, they are entertaining and provocative, especially to anyone on a dance floor.
What do you think of "Hot In Herre?" Does it hold up as a hit worthy of no.1 almost 20 years later? Leave me a comment!
Next time, the last stop "on the 2's!" June 23rd - August 18th, 2012 - 8 weeks at no. 1...a juggernaut of pre-teen pop music, at least in my experience, "Call Me Maybe" by Carly Rae Jepsen. Like it or not, I am interested to see the number of shared musical elements in this one!
[1]https://www.sfweekly.com/music/allshookdown/earworm-weekly-nellys-hot-herre/
[2]http://www.rockonthenet.com/archive/2003/grammys.htm
[3]https://psmag.com/social-justice/how-hot-in-herre-became-a-climate-change-anthem
No comments:
Post a Comment