| "Objection (Tango)" | ||||
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| Single byShakira | ||||
| from the albumLaundry Service | ||||
| B-side | "Te Aviso, Te Anuncio (Tango)" | |||
| Released | 24 May 2002 (2002-05-24) | |||
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| Label | Epic | |||
| Songwriter | Shakira | |||
| Producer | Shakira | |||
| Shakira singles chronology | ||||
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| Music videos | ||||
"Objection (Tango)" is a song by Colombian singer-songwriterShakira for her fifth studio album and first English-language albumLaundry Service (2001). It was the first song Shakira wrote in English after being encouraged by American singerGloria Estefan to record material in the language. "Objection (Tango)" musically combines elements ofpop rock andtango, and contains instrumentation from thebandoneón and guitar. Through the lyrics of the song, Shakira aims to end a love triangle she is a part of. The song was released as the fourth single from the album on 24 May 2002. A Spanish version of the song, entitled "Te Aviso, Te Anuncio (Tango)" ("I'm Warning You, I'm Telling You"), was also recorded.
Upon its release, "Objection (Tango)" received generally favourable reviews frommusic critics, some of whom found it similar to the work of Americannew wave bandthe B-52's. Commercially, "Objection (Tango)" was a success and peaked inside the top ten ofrecord charts of various countries such as Australia, Belgium, Italy, Netherlands and France. The song became the last single from the album to chart in the United Kingdom and on theBillboard Hot 100 chart in the United States, reaching numbers 17 and 55, respectively. "Te Aviso, Te Anuncio (Tango)" charted inside the top ten of the USBillboardLatin Pop Airplay andLatin Tropical/Salsa Airplay charts. "Objection (Tango)" wascertifiedplatinum andgold in Australia and France by theAustralian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) andSyndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique (SNEP), respectively.
An accompanyingmusic video for "Objection (Tango)" was directed byDave Meyers and features Shakira fighting her unfaithful lover and his mistress in a club. A segment of the video is rendered in an animatedcartoon-form. For additional promotion, Shakira performed anAfro-punk andReggae inspired version of the song at the2002 MTV Video Music Awards. It was also included in the setlist of theTour of the Mongoose (2002-2003), which was launched to promoteLaundry Service, andLas Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour (2025). "Objection (Tango)" was also used in aPepsi commercial featuring Shakira.
In 1998, Shakira released her secondmajor label studio albumDónde Están los Ladrones? (Where Are the Thieves?), which became an immense success in Latin America and received multi-platinumrecord certifications in various countries like Argentina, Colombia, Chile, Mexico and Spain.[3] Therock en Español-influencedlatin pop album drew comparisons to the work ofCanadian-American singer songwriterAlanis Morissette[4] and "cracked the lucrative US market wide open", spending a total of 11 weeks atop theBillboardTop Latin Albums chart.[5] It became Shakira's first album to receive a platinum certification from theRecording Industry Association of America (RIAA).[6]Dónde Están los Ladrones? spawned theArabian-styled single "Ojos Así" ("Eyes Like Yours"), which became a hit and was deemed the "signature track" of the album.[5]
American singerGloria Estefan, whose husbandEmilio Estefan was managing Shakira at that time, felt that Shakira had the potential tocrossover into the mainstreampop industry.[7] However, Shakira was initially hesitant to record songs in English as it was not her first language, so Estefan offered to translate "Ojos Así" into English in order to show her that "it could translate well."[7] Shakira then began translating the song herself and showed it to Estefan, who responded "Quite honestly, I can't do this better!."[7] As Shakira wanted to have full control over her recordings, she decided to learn English better to enable her to write her own songs.[5] Wanting to "find a way to express my ideas and my feelings, my day-to-day stories in English", Shakira boughtrhyming dictionaries, started analysing the lyrics of songs byBob Dylan, reading poetry and the work of authors likeLeonard Cohen andWalt Whitman and took English lessons from a private tutor.[8][9] "Objection (Tango)" became the first song Shakira wrote in English and in an interview withFaze, she talked about the writing process of the song, saying "I prayed and asked God to send me a good song today, and I remember I started writing the song ['Objection (Tango)'] a couple of hours after. I wrote the music and lyrics at the same time, and when that happens it's really magical to me."[8] Shakira also wrote and recorded a Spanish-version of the song entitled "Te Aviso, Te Anuncio (Tango)".[10]
"Objection (Tango)" was released as the third single fromLaundry Service in a promotional CD single format on 6 July 2002.[11] It was later released on 27 August as a CD single featuring the previous single from the album "Underneath Your Clothes" as theB-side.[12]
"Objection (Tango)" was written and produced by Shakira, with additional production byLester Mendez.[14] It is a combination ofpop rock andtango, a style of fast-paced ballroom dance music that originated in Argentina and Uruguay.[10] According to the sheet music of "Objection (Tango)" published at MusicNotes.com bySony/ATV Music Publishing, it is written in the key ofB minor and has a half notemetronome of 66 beats per minute.[15] Shakira's vocal range spans from E3 to B4.[15] The song contains instrumentation from thebandoneón, which is played at a "breakneck speed," and also features a "twanging" guitar solo.[16] Lyrically, "Objection (Tango)" is dramatic and humorous in approach[13] and focuses on an angered Shakira ordering her love interest to choose between her and his other leading lady; it was said to be afeministanthem[17] and a "hell-hath-no-fury it's-her-or-me steam train".[18] It contains a line in which Shakira asserts to her lover that "Next to hercheap silicone I look minimal/ That's why in front of your eyes I'm invisible/ But you gotta know small things also count," which a critic commented was a "brave statement in these days of suspiciously ripe teenybop flesh peddlers."[13] During thebridge of the song, Shakira deliversrap-like vocals and instructs her lover to end the love triangle, declaring that "Tango is not for three, was never meant to be."[16]
Alex Henderson fromAllMusic selected the song as one of the highlights fromLaundry Service and commented that "[Shakira] successfully combines pop/rock with [...] tango on 'Objection (Tango)'."[10]Chuck Taylor fromBillboard gave it a very positive review, praising Shakira's vocal delivery, the spoken bridge, and its radio-friendly sound, saying that it is "perfectly timed for the singalong days of summer and adds fuel to the bonfire that this amiable talent [Shakira] has ignited."[11] The critic compared "Objection (Tango)" toPuerto Rican singerRicky Martin's song "Livin' la Vida Loca", and the work of Americannew wave bandthe B-52's.[11] Alexis Petridis fromThe Guardian picked "Objection (Tango)" as an example of Shakira's unusual style of production and opined that it "sounds like the B-52's jamming with a wedding reception combo [sic]."[16] Matt Cibula fromPopMatters complimented Shakira's songwriting and termed the song a "fine rockcraft with drama and a sense of humor."[13] The critic too enjoyed the bridge of the song, saying "the little growly semi-rap break at the end is fun as hell."[13] Lisa Oliver fromYahoo! Music, however, felt the song was on the "mingers side" of the album.[18]
At the 18th AnnualInternational Dance Music Awards ceremony in 2003, "Objection (Tango)" was nominated for Best Latin Dance Track, but lost toMexican singerThalía's song "Dance Dance (The Mexican)".[19] Shakira and Mendez won aBMI Latin Award in 2003 for their work on "Te Aviso, Te Anuncio (Tango)", the Spanish-language version of the song.[20] "Te Aviso, Te Anuncio (Tango)" was also nominated forBest Rock Song at the2003 Latin Grammy Awards,[21] but lost to Colombian musicianJuanes's song "Mala Gente".[22]
Although it was not a commercial success as big as the previous singles from the album, "Whenever, Wherever" and "Underneath Your Clothes", "Objection (Tango)" performed well onrecord charts nevertheless. In the Dutch-speaking Flanders region of Belgium, it became Shakira's third consecutive top ten hit after it peaked at number nine on theUltratop chart.[23] Similarly, it became her third consecutive top ten in the French-speaking Wallonia region of the country after it peaked at number eight.[24] "Objection (Tango)" debuted at number 31 on theFrench Singles Chart and peaked at number ten for two weeks.[25] It charted for a total of 24 weeks and wascertifiedgold by theSyndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique (SNEP) for sales of 250,000 units.[26] In Hungary, the song topped the national airplay chart.[27] It appeared on the chart for a total of 54 weeks and thus became Shakira's longest charting song in the country.[27] After debuting at number 11 on theItalian Singles Chart, "Objection (Tango)" peaked at number six and charted for a total of 17 weeks.[28] In Netherlands, the song entered theDutch Top 40 chart at a low chart position of 48[29] but leaped to number 12 the following week.[30] It later peaked at number five and spent a total of 20 weeks on the chart.[31] "Objection (Tango)" debuted at number ten on theNorwegian Singles Chart and peaked at number eight two weeks later.[32] TheInternational Federation of the Phonographic Industry Norway (IFPI Norway) certified it gold for sales of 5,000 units.[33] In Sweden, the song made a high entry on theSverigetopplistan chart at number nine and peaked at number seven.[34] It lasted for a total of 17 weeks on the chart.[34] "Objection (Tango)" became the last single from the album to chart in the United Kingdom, where it peaked at number 17 on theUK Singles Chart.[35] It also became Shakira's first single to miss charting inside the top ten in the country.[35]
"Objection (Tango)" became a hit in Australia, where it debuted and peaked at number two on theARIA Singles Chart for three weeks.[36] It was kept from attaining the top position byCanadian singerAvril Lavigne's song "Complicated"[37] and later byGermantechno bandScooter's "The Logical Song".[38] Its total stay on the chart lasted for 18 weeks.[36] "Objection (Tango)" was certifiedplatinum by theAustralian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) for shipments of 70,000 units.[39] It became the third consecutive single from the album to attain platinum status in the country.[39] The single also performed well in New Zealand and peaked at number eight on theRIANZ singles chart.[40]
The song performed moderately well in the United States. It became the last single fromLaundry Service to appear on theBillboard Hot 100 chart on which it peaked at number 55.[41] The song also peaked at numbers 21 and 25 on theTop 40 Mainstream[42] andHot Dance Club Songs[43] charts, respectively. "Te Aviso, Te Anuncio (Tango)" charted on the Latin record charts, peaking at number 16 on theHot Latin Songs chart.[44] It performed better on theLatin Pop Airplay andLatin Tropical/Salsa Airplay charts, reaching numbers seven[45] and ten,[46] respectively.
The accompanying music video for "Objection (Tango)" was directed byDave Meyers[47] and choreographed byTina Landon.[48] It begins with Shakira and her love interestdoing tango[citation needed] in a bar-like setting, starting with a low paced routine. Earlier on, Shakira decides to leave him but gets pulled back as their dancing continues. Later, the tango becomes faster and more intricate as the opening beat of the song kicks in. Shakira's love interest exits the bar abruptly, leaving her alone to dance to the song. She follows her love interest in a yellow car and arrives at a club where she sees him with another woman, played byHawaiian actress Tabitha Taylor.[49] An animated cartoon-styled sequence follows as Shakira jumps over the crowd and fights her unfaithful lover and Taylor. While wrestling the latter, Shakira pokes holes in both implants of the villainess's huge bosom with her sharp fingernails and her big breasts gushes out air from the holes in her breasts and is shown to deflate and reduce in size as the line "Next to her cheap silicone I look minimal" plays. As she grabs her deflating bosom in terror as her bosom deflates and shrinks. After the buxom villainess is deflated and defeated Shakira defeats the man, the animated sequence ends and the fight is shown to happen only in Shakira's imagination. When she tries to fight the man and Taylor in reality, she is quickly defeated and crashes into a glass table. Two men resemblingcomical superheroes, one of whom is played byDan Southworth, appear to her aid and quickly defeat the man, while Shakira defeats Taylor. The two are shown gagged up in the boot of Shakira's car and are then tied up on spinning discs in an industrial engine room while Shakira performs with a band. The discs spin faster and faster until they come off and are sent flying off at a high speed. Scenes of Shakira dancing at the bar and performing the song with a band are interspersed throughout the video. The music video reached number one on theTotal Request Live chart.[50]
On 29 August 2002, Shakira performed "Objection (Tango)" at the2002 MTV Video Music Awards inNew York City.[51] Instead of tango, the performance of the song was inspired bysamba and featured a large number ofpercussionists on the stage. Shakira incorporatedbelly dancing moves in her choreography and near to the end of the performance, shefell backward into the crowd and "was delivered back to the stage quickly enough not to miss a single line."[52] Jon Wiederhorn fromMTV praised Shakira's stage presence and called her belly dancing routine "seductive."[52] "Objection (Tango)" was included in thesetlist ofTour of the Mongoose, Shakira's first worldwide tour that was launched in support ofLaundry Service. Similar to the MTV Video Music Awards, a samba-oriented version of the song was performed and it was the final performance before theencore segment.[53] The performance boasted instrumentation from numerousbongo drums.[53] Corey Moss from MTV opined that it "featured Shakira's best belly dancing yet" and "had the audience screaming for an encore."[53] Steve Baltin fromRolling Stone selected the performance of the song as one of the highlights of the show, saying "surrounding herself with bongo drums during "Objection (Tango)" [...] she embodied all the glitz and glamour of good old-fashionedrock & roll."[54] At the2011 Latin Grammy Awards ceremony, Spanish music duoEstopa performed a live cover of the song inrumba as part of theLatin Grammys tribute to Shakira, where she was honoredLatin Recording Academy Person of the Year.[55] Shakira also performed the Afro-Punk version at the2023 MTV Video Music Awards[56] and included the song in the setlist ofLas Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour (2025).[57]
As part of her global sponsorship and advertising agreement with American multinational food and beverage corporationPepsiCo to promote theircarbonated soft drinkPepsi,[58] Shakira starred in a television commercial for the brand's "Dare For More" campaign.[59] The commercial was released in 2004 and shows Shakira dancing to "Objection (Tango)" with a clerk in a convenience store.[59]
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Weekly charts[edit]
| Year-end charts[edit]
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| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[105] | Platinum | 70,000^ |
| France (SNEP)[106] | Gold | 250,000* |
| Mexico (AMPROFON)[107] | Gold | 30,000‡ |
| Mexico (AMPROFON)[108] for "Te Aviso Te Anucio (Tango)" | 2× Platinum+Gold | 150,000‡ |
| Norway (IFPI Norway)[109] | Gold | |
| United Kingdom | — | 80,000[110] |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. | ||
| Region | Date | Version(s) | Format(s) | Label(s) | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Germany | 24 May 2002 |
| Sony Music | ||
| United States | 25 June 2002 | "Objection (Tango)" | Contemporary hit radio | Epic | |
| Australia | 2 September 2002 | CD | Sony Music | ||
| Denmark | 28 October 2002 | ||||
| France | 4 November 2002 |
| Maxi CD | ||
| United Kingdom | 11 November 2002 | "Objection (Tango)" | CD | RCA | |
| Belgium | 27 November 2002 |
| 12-inch vinyl | Dancity |
