"Positions" (stylized in all lowercase; originally titled "Switch Positions", "Garden" and "Garden For Writing") is the lead single and title track from Ariana Grande's sixth studio album of the same name. It was released on October 23, 2020, through Republic Records.[1]
Background[]
Grande first teased the song and shared a five second video clip on her Instagram account on September 14, 2020, sharing some of the harmonies playing in the video. She also captioned her post "brb".[2]
On October 17, 2020, Grande posted a slow-motion video of her typing the word "positions" on a keyboard and launched two countdowns on her website, counting down to October 23, 2020 and October 30, 2020.[1] Grande revealed the single's official cover art on October 21, 2020. That same day, she posted a 15 second snippet of the song.[3]
On April 19, 2023, the full visualizer for the song surfaced online and was the first visual to leak. There’s also a different outtake of her lip syncing the song, a snippet of which leaked April 15, 2023. On June 1, 2023, a writers reference demo and two other demos leaked. A few weeks later, the full sessions leaked on June 29, 2023. The final mix demo from the Pro Tools leaked on July 4, 2023.
Grande shared a clip of Positions studio sessions back on April 6th, 2022, onto her Instagram and YouTube accounts, but it wasn’t the full sessions. On October 29, 2023, she shared some extended footage of Positions that wasn’t shown before for the three year anniversary release for Positions.[4]
A scrapped early mumble writers reference sung by Nija Charles leaked on January 3, 2024, titled "Garden For Writing". The full sessions was leaked that same month on January 24, 2024. On May 4, 2024, a snippet that included Bryson Tiller leaked. The full song leaked on May 19, 2024. His cover of the song was most likely made as a track for his mixtapes on SoundCloud due to it being recorded during his "HALLOWEEN 2022" sessions, which was around the time he was working with Victoria Monét.
Audios[]
- Mumble Writers Reference 1 (Nija Charles) - ( listen)
- Writers Reference 2 (Nija Charles) - ( listen)
- Writers Reference 3 (Nija Charles & Unknown Rapper) - ( listen)
- Demo 1 - ( listen)
- Demo 2 - ( listen)
- Demo 3 - ( listen)
- Demo 4 - ( listen)
- Demo 5 - ( listen)
- Demo 6 (Pro Tools Final Mix) - ( listen)
- Positions Cover (Bryson Tiller) - ( listen)
Commercial Performance[]
Commercially, the song debuted atop of the US Billboard Hot 100, being Grande's fifth chart-topping single and extending her record for the most number-one debuts.[5] With this song debuting at number 1, she became the first artist to debut 3 number ones since The Beatles.
Positions was the #1 song on Billboard's Pop Songs Radio Airplay Chart for three consecutive weeks in a row. It was certified gold in the UK.
Live performance[]
On July 22, 2021, Grande released the first live performance of "Positions" as part of Vevo's Official Live Performance. During her performance, Grande used a loop station.
On August 7, 2021, a shortened version of the song was part of Grande's Rift Tour.
Music video[]
The song's official music video, directed by Dave Meyers, was released along with the song on October 23, 2020.[6] It features cameos from Grande's mother Joan, as well as Victoria Monét, Tyler Ford, Darrion, and Tayla Parx.[7][8][9]
A clock was shown in the music video and its hands are on the time, 6:30, an Easter egg to one of her then-unreleased songs, "Six Thirty". [10] It depicts her as president of the United States as she governs the country with her all-female cabinet. It hit 500 million views on YouTube on May 11, 2023.
Lyric video[]
A lyric video for the song was also uploaded on Grande's YouTube channel along with the song.[11]
Trivia[]
- This song was originally supposed to be the seventh track.[12]
- The original file names that were in the Pro-Tools sessions all had "Switch Positions". It could’ve been an alternate name for the song.
- This song is about how Ariana shows her commitment and love for her partner by showing her flexibility in trying to make their relationship work.
- This song is a mid-tempo song blending with pop and R&B over trap beats, plucked guitar, and violin.
- The song is about how Grande extend romantic overtures to her love interest.
- The song was met with generally positive reviews from music critics, who embraced its breezy and mellow sound.
- The song was nominated at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards for "Best Pop Solo Performance".
- "Positions" was included in the set list for the Rift Tour.
- "Positions" was the first Just Dance Unlimited-exclusive map from the Just Dance 2022 era to be released in Just Dance Now.
- "Positions", along with "34+35" and "POV", has won "Most-Performed Songs of the Year" at the 2022 BMI Pop Music Awards.[13]
- "Positions" has more than one billion streams on Spotify.
- The song was recorded in the same sessions as "Test Drive".
- As of September 28, 2024, "Positions" has surpassed more than 602 million views, making this song her 12th music video to achieve this.[14]
Merchandise[]
Physical Releases[]
Gallery[]
“deep breaths, tight chest, life, death” To view the Positions (song) gallery, click here.
|
Videos[]
Listen[]
Lyrics[]
[Verse 1]
Heaven sent you to me
I'm just hopin' I don't repeat history
[Pre-Chorus]
Boy, I'm tryna meet your mama on a Sunday
Then make a lotta love on a Monday (Ah, ah)
Never need no (No), no one else, babe
'Cause I'll be
[Chorus]
Switchin' them positions for you
Cookin' in the kitchen and I'm in the bedroom
I'm in the Olympics, way I'm jumpin' through hoops
Know my love infinite, nothin' I wouldn't do
That I won't do, switchin' for you
[Verse 2]
Perfect, perfect
You're too good to be true (You're too good to be true)
But I get tired of runnin', fuck it
Now, I'm runnin' with you (With you)
[Pre-Chorus]
Said, boy, I'm tryna meet your mama on a Sunday
Then make a lotta love on a Monday (Ah, ah)
Never need no (No), no one else, babe
'Cause I'll be
[Chorus]
Switchin' them positions for you
Cookin' in the kitchen and I'm in the bedroom
I'm in the Olympics, way I'm jumpin' through hoops
Know my love infinite, nothin' I wouldn't do
That I won't do, switchin' for you
Cookin' in the kitchen and I'm in the bedroom
I'm in the Olympics, way I'm jumpin' through hoops
Know my love infinite, nothin' I wouldn't do (Nothin')
That I won't do, switchin' for you
[Bridge]
This some shit that I usually don't do (Yeah)
But for you, I kinda, kinda want to (Mmm)
'Cause you're down for me and I'm down too (And I'm down too)
Yeah, I'm down too
Switchin' the positions for you
This some shit that I (Yeah) usually don't do (Don't do)
But for you, I kinda, kinda want to (Mmm)
'Cause you're down for me and I'm down too ('Cause you're down for me)
[Chorus]
Switchin' them positions for you
Cookin' in the kitchen and I'm in the bedroom
I'm in the Olympics, way I'm jumpin' through hoops (Jumpin', jumpin')
Know my love infinite, nothin' I wouldn't do
That I won't do, switchin' for you (Ooh woah)
Cookin' in the kitchen and I'm in the bedroom
I'm in the Olympics, way I'm jumpin' through hoops
Know my love infinite, nothin' I wouldn't do (I wouldn't do)
That I won't do, switchin' for you
[Outro]
Yeah
Ah, yeah
Ah (Ah), yeah
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Vulture - Get Into ‘Position’ for Ariana Grande’s New Single
- ↑ Instagram - @arianagrande: "brb"
- ↑ Instagram - @arianagrande: "🤍🔃 10/21/20"
- ↑ TikTok - "♡ happy three years of #Positions ♡"
- ↑ Twitter - @billboardcharts: "@ArianaGrande's "Positions" officially debuts at No. 1..."
- ↑ Billboard - Ariana Grande Leads the White House In 'Positions' Music Video
- ↑ YouTube - Ariana Grande - positions (official video)
- ↑ Insider - Watch Ariana Grande take over the White House in her new music video for 'Positions'
- ↑ YouTube - Positions Zach Sang Interview
- ↑ Insider - Every reference and Easter egg you might have missed on Ariana Grande's new album 'Positions'
- ↑ Youtube - Ariana Grande - positions (lyric video)
- ↑ Original Position Tracklist
- ↑ Twitter - Ariana Grande Vote Stats on Twitter:".@ArianaGrande’s “34+35”, “positions” and “pov” has won “Most-Performed Songs of the Year” at the 2022 BMI Pop Music Awards."
- ↑ Twitter: “positions” by Ariana Grande has reached 600 MILLION views on YouTube."