Missy Elliott - Work I
Missy Elliott - Work It


Missy Elliott - Work It Youtube Music Videos and Lyrics

Album: Under Construction
Released: 2003

Work It Lyrics


DJ, please pick up your phone
I'm on the request line

This is a Missy Elliott one-time exclusive (Come on)
Is it worth it, let me Work It
I put my thing down, flip it and reverse it
Ti esrever dna ti pilf nwod gniht ym tup I
Ti esrever dna ti pilf nwod gniht ym tup I

If you got a big, let me search it
And find out how hard I gotta work ya
Ti esrever dna ti pilf nwod gniht ym tup I
Ti esrever dna ti pilf nwod gniht ym tup I
I'd like to get to know ya so I could show ya
Put the pussy on ya like I told ya
Gimme all your numbers so I could phone ya
Your girl actin' stank then call me over
Not on the bed, lay me on your sofa
Phone before you come, I need to shave my chocha
You do or you don't or you will or won't ya
Go downtown and eat it like a vulture
See my hips and my tips, don't ya
See my ass and my lips, don't ya
Lost a few pounds and my whips for ya
This the kinda beat that go ra-ta-ta
Ra-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta
Sex me so good I say blah-blah-blah
Work it, I need a glass of water
Boy, oh, boy, it's good to know ya

Is it worth it, let me work it
I put my thing down, flip it and reverse it
Ti esrever dna ti pilf nwod gniht ym tup I
Ti esrever dna ti pilf nwod gniht ym tup I

If you got a big, let me search it
And find out how hard I gotta work ya
Ti esrever dna ti pilf nwod gniht ym tup I
Ti esrever dna ti pilf nwod gniht ym tup I
(Come on)

If you a fly gal get your nails done
Get a pedicure, get your hair did
Boy, lift it up, let's make a toast-a
Let's get drunk, that's gon' bring us closer
Don't I look like a Halle Berry poster
See the Belvedere playin' tricks on ya
Girlfriend want to be like me, never
You won't find a bitch that's even better
I make you hot as Las Vegas weather
Listen up close while I take it backwards
I'm not a prostitute, but I could give you what you want
I love your braids and your mouth full of floss
Love the way my ass go bum-bum-bum-bum
Keep your eyes on my bum-bum-bum-bum-bum
And think you can handle this gadong-a-dong-dong
Take my thong off and my ass go vroom
Cut the lights off so you see what I could do

Is it worth it, let me work it
I put my thing down, flip it and reverse it
Ti esrever dna ti pilf nwod gniht ym tup I
Ti esrever dna ti pilf nwod gniht ym tup I [Repeat: x2]

If you got a big, let me search it
And find out how hard I gotta work ya
Ti esrever dna ti pilf nwod gniht ym tup I
Ti esrever dna ti pilf nwod gniht ym tup I
(Come on)

Boys, boys, all type of boys
Black, white, Puerto Rican, Chinese boys
Why-thai,-thai-o-toy-o-thai-thai
Rock-thai,-thai-o-toy-o-thai-thai
Girls, girls, get that cash
If it's 9 to 5 or shakin' your ass
Ain't no shame, ladies do your thang
Just make sure you ahead of the game
Just 'cause I got a lot of fame supa
Prince couldn't get me change my name papa
Kunta Kinte a slave again, no sir
Picture black sayin', "Oh, yes a master"
Picture Lil' Kim dating a pastor
Minnie Me and Big Ren can out last ya
Who is the best, I don't have to ask ya
When I come out you won't even matter
Why you act dumb like "Uh, duh"
So you act dumb like "Uh, duh"
As the drummer boy go ba-rom-pop-pom-pom
Give you some-some-some of this Cinnabun

Is it worth it, let me work it
I put my thing down, flip it and reverse it
Ti esrever dna ti pilf nwod gniht ym tup I
Ti esrever dna ti pilf nwod gniht ym tup I

If you got a big, let me search it
And find out how hard I gotta work ya
Ti esrever dna ti pilf nwod gniht ym tup I
Ti esrever dna ti pilf nwod gniht ym tup I
(Come on)

To my fellas
I like the way you work that
To my ladies
You sure know how to work that

Writer/s: PRATT, KENNETH EDWARD / JACKSON, ALONZO
Publisher: Universal Music Publishing Group, UNIVERSAL MUSIC PUB GROUP, BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC, WARNER CHAPPELL MUSIC INC, MASS CONFUSION
Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Work It
  • Part of the chorus is backwards. There was a lot of speculation that she was hiding a dirty message, but when reversed, the lyrics were simply the other part of the chorus: "Put my thing down, flip it, and reverse it."
  • This samples Blondie's 1979 disco hit, "Heart Of Glass," and it also uses part of the 1984 Rock Master Scott and the Dynamic Three song "Request Line" at the beginning.
  • At the end, after Missy says, "To my ladies...." it goes into a beat taken from a song by Bob James called "Take Me To The Mardi Gras." That beat, featuring some distinctive bells, was popularized by Run-D.M.C. on their 1986 song "Peter Piper." The beat was manipulated by Run-D.M.C.'s DJ Jam Master Jay, and "Peter Piper" is his showcase song on their Raising Hell album. Shortly after this was released, Jay was shot and killed in his New York studio.
  • The video was directed by Dave Meyers, who also did "Lose Control" and "We Run This." It won Video of the Year at the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards. It also won for Best Hip Hop Video. At the beginning of the show, Missy, Madonna, Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera performed part of this. What most people will remember is Madonna kissing Spears and Aguilera before Missy came on stage.
  • This spent 10 weeks at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 without ever managing to make that final leap to the top spot.
  • Missy Elliott performed part of this song at halftime of the 2015 Super Bowl. The star of the show, Katy Perry, joined Elliott on stage and acted as a hypewoman/backup singer during this section, gamely imploring the crowd ("let's go Super Bowl!") before disappearing for a costume change.

    Elliott's appearance was a shot of hip-hop adrenaline after the bouncy pop of Perry's "Teenage Dream" and "California Gurls," which were performed in a beach scene with dancing palm trees.
  • The song returned to #35 on the Hot 100 in the week following Elliott's 2015 Super Bowl performance. "Get Ur Freak On" also re-entered the chart at #40. They marked Elliott's first appearances on the tally as a lead act since 2008.