"Countdown" is a song performed by American singers Leon Thomas III and Victoria Justice, written by Thomas, Travis Garland, and its producer Kool Kojak, for the Nickelodeon television series Victorious. It was released on February 10, 2012, as the first promotional single from the series' first extended play, Victorious 2.0: More Music from the Hit TV Show, on which it was included as the fifth track.[1]
Background and release[]
Work on "Countdown" likely took place between December 2010 and May 2011 at least. On December 11, 2010, producer Kool Kojak tweeted he was in the studio with Leon Thomas III.[2] The next day, he made a similar post, revealing he was working on the music with Thomas and Victoria Justice.[3] On May 17, 2011, Thomas tweeted he was in the studio with Travis Garland and Kool Kojak again.[4] As of December 18, "Countdown" seemed completed; that day, Dan Schneider, the creator of Victorious, revealed Thomas had written and produced the song himself, and would be performing it in a then-upcoming episode of the series.[5] On January 26, 2012, Nickelodeon uploaded a video with Justice, Thomas, and Elizabeth Gillies about the then-upcoming third season of Victorious. They mentioned they had recorded two duets for the season, "Countdown" and "Take a Hint", pieces of which could be heard in the background. Thomas said what's great about their voices is they "marry well" in the track, which Gillies agreed with because they're so different.
In an interview with MTV News published on February 2, Thomas mentioned he would perform "Countdown" with Justice in the episode "André's Horrible Girl", which was set to premiere on February 18.[6] Thomas tweeted "Countdown" would be released on iTunes on February 14.[7] However, in a Celebuzz article, which also revealed the song's cover artwork, it was announced the song would be released on February 18 instead.[8] On February 10, eight days before the planned release, the track was released exclusively on the AOL website.[1] Idolator published a preview of the song's performance in the series on February 14.[9] When the song was later released as a digital single on iTunes, it became the first commercially released song from Victorious 2.0: More Music from the Hit TV Show, as "Don't You (Forget About Me)" was previously released exclusively on the series' website TheSlap.[10] According to the official credits, the song was written by Kool Kojak, Thomas, and Garland, with the former also serving as its producer; contrary to Schneider's blog post, there is no confirmation Thomas had any input into the song's production.
"Countdown" was also available to listen to on the TheSlap and Nickelodeon's website.[11][12] TheSlap version was shorter, and had a slightly different mix, minor changes in the lyrics, and more vocals from Justice. Columbia Records later confirmed it would be the fifth track on the soundtrack extended play, released under the title Victorious 2.0: More Music from the Hit TV Show.[13] Thomas performed "Countdown" solo live at the Premiere Event.
Appearance in Victorious[]
"Countdown" was performed by André Harris (portrayed by Leon Thomas III) and Tori Vega (portrayed by Victoria Justice) in the episode "André's Horrible Girl", that premiered on February 18, 2012. André has a new girlfriend, Hope Quincy (portrayed by Meagan Holder), but his friends quickly notice her mean attitude. Before going to Hope's birthday party at Nozu where he was supposed to perform a song, André shows up at Tori's house. He tells her he doesn't want to be Hope's boyfriend anymore, but is with her because her father is Shawn Quincy, a record producer who owns RPX Records and might make André a superstar if he liked his music. Though Tori originally tells him he should be honest and break up with Hope tonight, she changes her mind when he asks if she would like to perform with him in front of a record producer. Shortly after arriving at the party, André and Hope argue and he breaks up with her, but in order not to embarrass her at the party, he has to perform a song. André and Tori's performance receives a lot of applause, including from Hope and Shawn. Soon after, an earthquake occurs in California, which causes a sign from the restaurant to fall on Hope and she's transported by ambulance to the hospital. When her father is asked if he wants to meet her at the hospital, he seems uninterested in the accident and prefers to hear André and Tori's song again, so they perform it one more time.
A performance of this episode is later used during the closing credits of the episode "Wanko's Warehouse" that aired on September 22.
Journalistic commentary[]
The joint website of the magazines Bop and Tiger Beat gave a brief positive review of "Countdown", claiming it was a song they were "totally jamming to lately", in an article with a poll for readers to rate it themselves.[14] Retrospectively, Joey Turner made a list of the 10 best songs from Victorious for WatchMojo, on which "Countdown" wasn't included in the main ranking, but was singled out as one of the "honorable mentions".[15]
Chart performance[]
"Countdown" peaked at number 10 and spent four weeks on the now-discontinued Kid Digital Song Sales chart.
| Chart | Week of | Week number | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kid Digital Song Sales | March 10, 2012[16] | 1 | 10 |
| March 17, 2012[17] | 2 | Unknown | |
| March 24, 2012[17] | 3 | ||
| June 24, 2012[18] | 4 |
Credits[]
- Personnel
- Eric Bisgyer – Assistant engineer
- Michael Corcoran – Recording engineer
- Brian Gardner – Mastering engineer
- Travis Garland – Writer
- Allan Peter "Kool Kojak" Grigg – Bongos, engineer, Hagström guitars, producer, drum programmer, synthesizer, tambourine, writer
- Ava Sebastian James – Assistant engineer
- Victoria Justice – Lead vocals
- Leon Thomas III – Acoustic guitar, lead vocals, writer
- Miles Walker – Mixing engineer
- Recording and management
- Produced for Prescription Songs
- Recorded at Mound Sound (Los Angeles, California)
- Mixed for 45th and 3rd Music at Parhelion Studios (Atlanta, Georgia)
- Mastered at Marcussen Mastering (Los Angeles, California)
- Published by I Wrote About What I Know About Publishing (ASCAP); Kobalt Songs Music Publishing (ASCAP); LT3 Sound (ASCAP); Prescription Songs (ASCAP); Hipgnosis SFH I Limited[19]
Lyrics[]
[Intro]
Yeah, yeah, yeah, oh-oh-oh
Yeah
[Verse 1]
All my attention, baby
My extra time
There's nothin' I won't give you
Girl, if you were mine
Six million times I'm thinkin'
About your face
You know I'm crazy for you
Let me count the ways
[Pre-chorus]
Too many girls I'm chasin'
I've had my fun
But all the time was wasted
Girl, you know that you're the one
[Chorus]
It's a countdown to your love (oh, oh)
You're my number one girl
It's a countdown fallin' fast (oh, oh)
Don't think I'm gon' last now
(Oh, oh) Wait a minute, oh, oh, wait a minute
(Oh, oh) Wait a minute, oh, oh, oh, yeah
(Oh, oh) Wait a minute, oh, oh, wait a minute
(Oh, oh) Wait a minute, oh, oh, oh, yeah
[Verse 2]
The only one in your life
I want it to be me
Gon' set your heart on fire
Burnin' in the fourth degree
[Pre-chorus]
Seven, eight, can wait for you
To come around
Nine, ten, back again
Count the ways I love you now
[Chorus]
It's a countdown to your love (oh, oh)
You're my number one girl
It's a countdown fallin' fast (oh, oh)
Don't think I'm gon' last now
It's a countdown to your love (oh, oh)
You're my number one girl
It's a countdown fallin' fast (oh, oh)
Don't think I'm gon' last now
(Oh, oh) Wait a minute, oh, oh, wait a minute
(Oh, oh) Wait a minute, oh, oh, oh, yeah
(Oh, oh) Wait a minute, oh, oh, wait a minute
(Oh, oh) Wait a minute, oh, oh, oh, yeah
[Bridge]
Ooh, ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh
Ten, you're beautiful
Nine, you're amazing
Eight, you're contagious
Every time I look at you
Six, you're a star
Five, who you are
Four, three, know that you want me
Don't you know that I want you, too?
You're the one (yeah)
You're the one (yeah)
You're the one (yeah, yeah, yeah)
You're the one (yeah)
You're the one (yeah)
You're the one
Yeah, you're the one
[Chorus]
It's a countdown to your love (oh, oh)
You're my number one girl
It's a countdown fallin' fast (oh, oh)
Don't think I'm gon' last now
It's a countdown to your love (oh, oh)
You're my number one girl
It's a countdown fallin' fast (oh, oh)
Don't think I'm gon' last now
(Oh, oh) Wait a minute, oh, oh, wait a minute
(Oh, oh) Wait a minute, oh, oh, oh, yeah
(Oh, oh) Wait a minute, oh, oh, wait a minute
(Oh, oh) Wait a minute, oh, oh, oh, yeah
It's a countdown to your love (oh, oh)
You're my number one girl
It's a countdown fallin' fast (oh, oh)
Don't think I'm gon' last now
It's a countdown to your love (oh, oh)
You're my number one girl
It's a countdown fallin' fast (oh, oh)
Don't think I'm gon' last now
(Oh, oh) Wait a minute, oh, oh, wait a minute
(Oh, oh) Wait a minute, oh, oh, oh, yeah
(Oh, oh) Wait a minute, oh, oh, wait a minute
(Oh, oh) Wait a minute, oh, oh, oh, yeah
(Oh, oh) Wait a minute, oh, oh, wait a minute
(Oh, oh) Wait a minute, oh, oh, oh, yeah
(Oh, oh) Wait a minute, oh, oh, wait a minute
(Oh, oh) Wait a minute, oh, oh, oh
[Outro]
It's a countdown
[Intro]
Yeah, yeah
[Verse]
All my attention, baby
My extra time
There's nothin' I won't give you
Girl, if you were mine
Six million times I'm thinkin'
About your face
You know I'm crazy for you
Let me count the ways
[Pre-chorus]
Too many girls I'm chasin'
I've had my fun
But all the time was wasted
Girl, you know that you're the one
[Chorus]
It's a countdown to your love (oh, oh)
You're my number one girl
It's a countdown fallin' fast (oh, oh)
Don't think I'm gon' last now
(Oh, oh) Wait a minute, oh, oh, wait a minute
(Oh, oh) Wait a minute, oh, oh, oh, yeah
(Oh, oh) Wait a minute, oh, oh, wait a minute
(Oh, oh) Wait a minute, oh, oh, oh, yeah
[Bridge]
Ooh, ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh
Ten, you're beautiful
Nine, you're amazing
Eight, you're contagious
Every time I look at you
Six, you're a star
Five, who you are
Four, three, know that you want me
Don't you know that I want you, too?
You're the one (yeah)
You're the one (yeah)
You're the one (yeah, yeah, yeah)
You're the one (yeah)
You're the one (yeah)
You're the one
Yeah, you're the one
[Chorus]
It's a countdown to your love (oh, oh)
You're my number one girl
It's a countdown fallin' fast (oh, oh)
Don't think I'm gon' last now
It's a countdown to your love (oh, oh)
You're my number one girl (hey)
It's a countdown fallin' fast (oh, oh)
Don't think I'm gon' last now
(Oh, oh) Wait a minute, oh, oh, wait a minute (hey)
(Oh, oh) Wait a minute, oh, oh, oh, yeah
(Oh, oh) Wait a minute, oh, oh, wait a minute (woo)
(Oh, oh) Wait a minute, oh, oh, oh, yeah
(Oh, oh) Wait a minute, oh, oh, wait a minute
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Haha
Trivia[]
- "Countdown" is one of Victoria Justice's three duets with Leon Thomas III, the others being "Tell Me That You Love Me" and "Song 2 You". Though Thomas provided background vocals in many other songs by Justice, he isn't credited as the artist on any but these three. "Countdown" is their most recent released collaboration.
- The song appears in TeenNick's the Best of Victorious playlist on Spotify, along with other 12 songs by Justice.[20]
Videos[]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 https://web.archive.org/web/20120214220753/https://blog.music.aol.com/2012/02/10/victorious-countdown-song-premiere/
- ↑ https://x.com/KoOoLkOjAk/status/13711520781312000
- ↑ https://x.com/KoOoLkOjAk/status/14053572836597760
- ↑ https://x.com/leonthomas/status/70578861062103040
- ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20120108044603/https://danwarp.blogspot.com/2011/12/new-episodes-more-icarly-victorious.html
- ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20120203132400/https://mtv.com/news/articles/1678387/victorious-leon-thomas-victoria-justice-adele-bruno-mars.jhtml
- ↑ https://x.com/leonthomas/status/165242903663349761
- ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20120209173857/https://celebuzz.com/2012-02-09/exclusive-check-out-the-artwork-for-victoria-justices-new-single-countdown-photo/
- ↑ https://www.idolator.com/6183811/victorious-countdown-performance
- ↑ https://music.apple.com/us/album/countdown-feat-leon-thomas-iii-victoria-justice-single/501231589
- ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20120222081858/https://www.theslap.com/tunes
- ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20120404221341/https://www.nick.com/shows/victorious/
- ↑ https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/columbia-records-and-nickelodeon-announce-the-release-of-victorious-20-more-music-from-the-hit-tv-show-available-june-5-150739605.html
- ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20120225143940/https://www.bopandtigerbeat.com/2012/02/poll-what-do-you-think-of-countdown-leon-wrote-it/
- ↑ https://www.watchmojo.com/articles/top-10-best-songs-from-victorious
- ↑ https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/00s/2012/BB-2012-03-10.pdf
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 https://web.archive.org/web/20220310161438/https://www.billboard.com/charts/search/results/?chart-page=19&chart-artistname=Victoria+Justice&chart-chartcode=KDT
- ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20220318192749/https://www.billboard.com/charts/search/results/?chart-artistname=Victorious+Cast&chart-label=Nickelodeon&chart-date=2012-06-23&chart-chartcode=KDT
- ↑ https://repertoire.bmi.com/Search/Search?SearchForm.Main_Search=BMI+Work+ID&SearchForm.Main_Search_Text=35931080
- ↑ https://open.spotify.com/playlist/09xYO3Tci5rmxOsdmlV9w2