Turning Tables
"Turning Tables" is a song recorded by English singer-songwriter Adele for her second studio album, 21 (2011). Conceived after an altercation with her former lover, the song was co-written by Adele and singer-songwriter Ryan Tedder, whilst the production was completed by Jim Abbiss. "Turning Tables" is a pop ballad with a soulful sound; its instrumentation consists of piano, "Broadway-worthy" strings, and guitar.[1] Lyrically, the song describes a domestic dispute in which its narrator assumes a defensive stance against a manipulative ex-lover. XL Recordings sent the song to UK mainstream radio on 5 November 2011 as the fifth single from 21 along with "Rumour Has It".
For other similarly titled uses, see Turning the Tables."Turning Tables"
"Turning Tables" received acclaim from music critics, who praised its lyrics, production, and Adele's vocal performance. The song reached the top-twenty of the singles charts in four countries, including Belgium, Italy and the Netherlands. It also peaked at number 62 on the UK Singles Chart and 63 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. It was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for selling over 500,000 digital downloads. Adele performed "Turning Tables" on television shows such as Late Night with David Letterman in the US and The Jonathan Ross Show in the UK and included it on the Adele Live concert tour. American actress and singer Gwyneth Paltrow performed a cover of the single in the Glee episode "A Night of Neglect".
Writing, production and release[edit]
"Turning Tables" was written by American singer-songwriter and frontman of pop-rock band OneRepublic, Ryan Tedder and Adele herself. The production of the song was helmed by Jim Abbiss.[13] When the demos to two songs were completed, Adele approached Tedder, who was in London at the time for a radio show. Tedder had expressed interest in collaborating with the singer after they met at the 2009 Grammy Awards ceremony in February.[14] He arrived four hours early to their first studio session held at Sphere Studios in London, buying time to better familiarise himself with some of her previous work.[13][15] Although unaware of Adele's personal predicament, he composed the opening piano sequence and first few lines of "Turning Tables".[15]
Coincidentally, it perfectly captured the experience of the singer, who arrived at the studio moments after another altercation with her former lover. Angry and unfocused, she denounced her ex-lover's tendency to "turn the tables" on her during their arguments, an expression that Tedder decided to reference in the song's lyrics.[14] Adele recorded the demo with Abbis the following day. "Turning Tables" was mixed by Abbiss and Ian Dowling. Neil Cowley played the piano in the song, while the string arrangement was made by Chris Elliot. The strings were played by Patrick Kernan, Stephen Morris, Tom Pigott-Smith, Julian Leaper, Boguslaw Kostecki, Bruce White, Peter Lale, Rachel Stephanie Bolt, David Danels, Caroline Dale, Warren Zelnski, Jackie Shave, Chris Laurence, Rita Manning, Cathy Thompson, Emlyn Singleton and Chris Worsey.[13] XL Recordings serviced the song to UK mainstream radio on 5 November 2011 as fifth single from 21 alongside "Rumour Has It".[16] On 14 December 2011, the song was sent for airplay to Italian radio stations.[17]
Composition[edit]
"Turning Tables" is a pop ballad with a soulful sound that lasts for four minutes and 10 seconds.[1][18][19] John Murphy of musicOMH recognized the single as a fragile piano ballad which shows off Adele's voice to its best effect.[20] Sputnikmusic's Joseph Viney described the song as a delicate ballad that possesses an astonishing beauty.[21] Its instrumentation consists of piano, "Broadway-worthy" strings and guitar.[1][22] According to the digital sheet music published by Sony/ATV Music Publishing, "Turning Tables" is written in the key of C minor and set in common time, with 78 beats per minute. The song accompaniment uses the Seventh and Ninth chords and follows Two Chord Progressions and a Bridge(Passage) Progression of progression #1: Cm7(i7)-A♭M9(VI M9)-Fm9(iv9)-A♭(VI),Bridge progression: A♭(VI)-Fm7(iv7)-A♭(VI)-B♭(VII), Progression #2:Cm7(i7)-A♭M9(VI M9)-E♭(III)-Fm(iv). Adele's vocal range spans from the low note of G3 to the high note of C5.[22]
Lyrically, "Turning Tables" is a song of domestic dispute,[23] where its narrator assumes a defensive stance against a manipulative ex-lover. Reconciling herself with the termination of a contentious relationship, she vows emotional distance to shield herself from future heartbreak. Bryan Boyd of The Irish Times likened the singer to 1980s Welsh rocker Bonnie Tyler in delivering the vocals with a mixture of anger, pain and pathos.[1][24] According to Paste magazine, cinematic strings "serve as fitting counterpoint to [the song's] heartbroken, hollowed-out lyrics."[1] "Turning Tables" opens with a piano sequence after which Adele sings the first lines: "Close enough to start a war/All that I have is on the floor".[15] The chorus consists of the lyrics: "So I won't let you / Close enough to hurt me / No, I won't rescue / You to just desert me / I can't give you / The heart you think you gave me / It's time to say goodbye / To turning tables."[18]
Reception[edit]
Critical[edit]
"Turning Tables" received acclaim from music critics. Ian Walker of the website AbsolutePunk commented that the song "contains some of the album's greatest vocal moments, further cementing Adele's reputation as a competent vocalist showing no signs of stopping."[25] A writer from the Daily Herald said that Adele sounds "epic" on the song.[26] Entertainment Weekly's Leah Greenblatt found a "scorned-woman balladry" in the song.[27] Greg Kot of the Chicago Tribune found a "piano-based melancholy" in the song.[28] A reviewer of HauteThought wrote that "Adele's natural ease and original tone shines in Turning Tables. The song allows her to explore her upper register without ignoring the lower, soulful sound she always seems able create."[18] Lily Moayeri stated that on the "barely contained 'Turning Tables', Adele lets forth her formidable lungpower."[29] Ryan Reed of Paste called the single "tearjerking",[1] while Margaret Wappler of Los Angeles Times labeled the song as "softly sentimental".[30]
Commercial[edit]
"Turning Tables" debuted at its peak of number 63 on the US Billboard Hot 100 for the issue dated 7 May 2011.[31] The next week, the song dropped 22 places to number 85 and became the biggest fall of the week.[32] The single stayed on the chart for total of three weeks and was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for selling over 500,000 digital copies.[33] As of May 2015 "Turning Tables" has sold 883,000 digital downloads in the US alone.[34] On the Canadian Hot 100, the song debuted at number 60 for the issue dated 7 May 2011.[35] It fell to number 91 the next week becoming the biggest fall of the week.[36] "Turning Tables" was certified platinum by Music Canada for sales and streams of over 80,000 units. In the UK, it entered the singles chart at its peak of number 62 on 14 May 2011.[37] On 21 May 2011 "Turning Tables" dropped to number 80, before falling off the chart the next week. On 17 September 2011 the song re-entered the UK Singles Chart at number 68.[37] It was more successful on Belgium Ultratip singles chart where it reached number two in Wallonia[38] and number four in Flanders.[39] "Turning Tables" debuted at number nine on the Italian Singles Chart on 19 January 2012. After three weeks on the chart, the song reached its peak of number eight on 16 February 2012.
Credits adapted from the liner notes of 21, XL Recordings.[13]
Recording
Personnel