Oral Fixation, Vol. 2

Oral Fixation, Vol. 2(Spanish:Fijación Oral, Vol. 2,Spanish:[fi.xaˌsjõnoˌɾalβ̞oˌlu.mẽn̪ˈd̪os]) is the seventhstudio albumand second English-language album by Colombian singer-songwriterShakira,released on 28 November 2005, byEpic Records.After attaining international success with her fifth studio effort,Laundry Service(2001), Shakira decided to create a two-part follow-up record. She released the project as the follow-up to her sixth studio effort,Fijación Oral, Vol. 1,with which she had attained international success five months prior. As co-producer, Shakira enlisted producers including previous collaboratorsGustavo Cerati,Lester Mendez,Luis Fernando OchoaandRick Rubinto work alongside newer partnersJerry Duplessis,Wyclef Jean,Tim MitchellandThe Matrix.

Oral Fixation, Vol. 2
Studio albumby Shakira
Released	28 November 2005(2005-11-28)
Recorded	2004–2005
Genre	Pop rock
Length	42:36
Language	English Latin Arabic Hebrew French
Label	Epic
Producer	Jerry "Wonda" Duplessis Wyclef Jean Shakira Lester Mendez
Shakirachronology
Fijación Oral, Vol. 1 (2005) Oral Fixation, Vol. 2 (2005) Oral Fixation, Vol. 1 & 2 (2006)
SinglesfromOral Fixation, Vol. 2
"Don't Bother" Released: 11 October 2005
SinglesfromOral Fixation, Vol. 2(reissue)
"Hips Don't Lie" Released: 28 February 2006 "Illegal" Released: 14 November 2006

Musically the album follows in the vein of her earlier works: heavily influenced byLatin popstyles, it additionally incorporates elements ofdance-popandpop rock.Upon its release,Oral Fixation, Vol. 2received generally favorable reviews frommusic critics,who complimented it as her strongest project to date. The album debuted at number five on the USBillboard200with first-week sales of 128,000 copies. The album was later certified platinum by theRecording Industry Association of America(RIAA) and has sold over 1.7 million units in the country. It additionally topped charts in Denmark and Mexico.

Three singles were released from the album. Itslead single,"Don't Bother",reached number 42 on the USBillboardHot 100.The second single, "Hips Don't Lie",peaked at number one in seventeen countries including the US, becoming her first single to do so. The third and final single,"Illegal",peaked at number one on theBillboardHot Dance Club Songscomponent chart. The album was reissued in 2006 due to slow sales with a revised tracklist and two added tracks: "Hips Don't Lie" and an alternate version of "La Tortura".In December 2006, the album was included in a box set along withFijación Oral, Vol. 1,titledOral Fixation, Vol. 1 & 2.Both projects were promoted through theOral Fixation Tour,which visited 39 countries throughout 2006 and 2007.

Background

"The idea of making a double project was never planned or premeditated, it just happened. I found myself writing 60 songs and put myself on the mission of selecting my favorite ones, which happened to be 20. And those 20 songs formed this project, Oral Fixation Vol. 1 and 2."

– Shakira talking about both albums

After attaining international success with her third studio effort,Laundry Service,in 2001, Shakira opted to create a two-part follow-up record. Having co-written nearly sixty tracks forLaundry Service,she put herself "on the mission of selecting [her] favorite ones" to record forOral Fixation, Vol. 2and its predecessor, the Spanish-languageFijación Oral, Vol. 1.While recording the project, Shakira worked with previous collaboratorsGustavo Cerati,Lester Mendez,Luis Fernando Ochoa andRick Rubin,and newer partnersJerry Duplessis,Wyclef Jean,Tim MitchellandThe Matrix.

For the album, Shakira wrote all the lyrics, and the majority of the music. "To start seeing people's first reactions, and how people start relating to these songs and appreciating every single piece of work I have done over the past two years, is the best reward an artist can have after so much hard work," says Shakira. "I will not lie to you; it was not a path of roses. It was painful at times to come up with two albums, to write more than 60 songs and to fight my own insecurities and doubts."While speaking about the difference about expressing herself in Spanish and English, Shakira said, "When I express myself in Spanish, I find elements that help me express an idea in perhaps a different way than when I do it in English. There are different aesthetics, but there is a certain style to the way I write my own songs, a particular way of describing feelings and emotions that I have developed over all these years making songs. I have gotten in touch with my own gift - I am sure, 10 years ago, I was not half as good as I can say I am today, and I am still not good enough. There is a long way to go."

Cover art

The album's cover was influenced by the biblical figure ofEve(pictured).

Shakira designed the artwork for bothOral Fixationrecords, and commented that they were inspired by the biblical figure ofEve,elaborating that she wanted "to attribute to Eve one more reason to bite theforbidden fruit,and that would be her oral fixation "and that" [she always felt] that [she has] been a very oral person. [It is her] biggest source of pleasure ". The second volume's cover sees an unclothed Shakira covered by a tree's branches and leaves while holding an apple in her hand. The baby girl she held in her arms on the cover of the first volume is sitting in the tree, alluding to psychoanalystSigmund Freud's theory that infants begin discovering the world through their mouths during theoral stageofpsychosexual development.

ForJon ParelesofThe New York Times,"For obvious reasons, it's eye-catching, as was the cover of the Spanish-language companion album,Fijación Oral, Vol. 1".OnMiddle Eastversions of the album, Shakira was covered up with leaves which left her standing behind a bush, which surprised the singer.Complexmagazine selected the album cover as the eleventh "sexiest album cover of all time", writing that it is "the hottest portrayal of Eve in theGarden of Edenwe can imagine. "Maximalso listed the album's cover as one of the "sexiest album covers", writing that, "A naked girl holding up an apple in a garden is played out, but not when the girl is hip-shaking Shakira. Damn, it could happen all over again, couldn't it?"

Music and lyrics

AtAllMusic,Stephen Thomas Erlewinenoted the album included "[the] expectedLatin rhythms","glitzyEuro disco","trashy Americanrock & roll",and" stompingBritpop".

Songwriting Universecompared the opening track "How Do You Do" toSarah McLachlan's "Dear God", calling it "bold" and noting its "eerie reciting" of theLord's Prayer.

The first single, "Don't Bother",presents the final chapter of a relationship and the confusion that faces anyone in a break-up. It includes the lyrics," For you I'd give up all I own and move to a communist country/If you came with me, of course/And I'd file my nails so they don't hurt you. "She quickly follows with:" And after all I'm glad I am not your type/I promise you won't see me cry/So don't bother/I'll be fine, I'll be fine. "For Shakira," I think 'Don't Bother' has a lot of pain in it as a song, but also a lot of humor and sarcasm. Yes, it is a way of exorcising all of these feelings, a form of catharsis, getting rid of all of those emotions that torture us women at some point in our lives. "

"Illegal" features aguitar soloby Mexican guitaristCarlos Santana,and features lyrics such as, "You said you would love me until you died/And as far as I know you're still alive", which were compared toAlanis Morissette's "You Oughta Know",according to Stephen Thomas Erlewine ofAllMusic.

"I'd like to be the owner of the zipper on your jeans," she sings on the racy "Hey You," which was compared to the works of American rock bandNo Doubt,bySlant Magazine.Mariachihorns bump up against surf guitars in "Animal City", a don't-go-there warning against fame and fake friends, whilebossa novaaccents wind through "Something", one of only two tracks reprised fromFijación Oral,being calledEn Tus Pupilason the first edition."The Day and the Time"is on the first edition, with the title" Día Especial ".Meanwhile, gypsy-caravan violin and marauder guitar complete "Your Embrace," a teardroppy, adult-contemporary ballad, whilst "Costume Makes the Clown" talks about her cheating on her guy, over battering-ram guitars.Shakira also dives into pulsating neo-disco on the closing track, "Timor", but in the form of a protest song.

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	74/100
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic
Blender
Boston Herald
Entertainment Weekly	B−
The Guardian
Los Angeles Times
PopMatters	9/10
Rolling Stone
Slant
Stylus	B−

AtMetacritic,which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, "Oral Fixation" received an average score of 74 based on 15 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".Stephen Thomas Erlewine ofAllmusicgave the album a rating of 4 stars (out of 5), calling it "a deadly serious, ambitious pop/rock album, most assuredly not frivolous dance-pop, [...] it's pop, but it's unconventional".Erlewine also wrote thatOral Fixation"is not only a markedly different album fromFijación Oral,but from every other record in her catalog -- or, most importantly, from any other pop album in 2005. "Matt Cibula ofPopMattersagreed, writing thatOral Fixationis "the best pop record of the year".Alexis Petridis ofThe Guardianwrote that "Oral Fixation is the sound of an utterly unique voice in a uniform world."Agustin Gurza of theLos Angeles Timeswrote the album "is a stronger work as a whole, with sharper edges and darker undertones," praising its music, writing that "this work stands on its own, squarely within the mainstream of U.S. pop and rock with a lot less Latin flavor."

David Browne ofEntertainment Weeklygave the album aB-rating, writing that, "AlthoughOral Fixationis hardly the first time a Latina act has aimed straight for the middle of the North American road and nearly lost control of the wheel in the process, it's among the most disappointing. For all the musical ingredients at her disposal, Shakira winds up with a relatively bland dish. "Sal Cinquemani ofSlant Magazinewrote that the weakest part in some songs on the album are "the main(stream) hook, an attempt at radio-accessibility that white-washes the personality that sets Shakira apart from her competition."Barry Walters ofRolling Stoneacknowledged that, "Occasionally clumsy but most often clever, Shakira's English lyrics and performances still lack the confidence of her Spanish tracks, yetOral Fixationmanages to maintain the musical credibility thatFijacion Oralwon back. "Edward Oculicz ofStylus Magazineconcluded that, "Oral Fixation Volume 2 strikes a good balance between the creative audacity of its more extreme songs, all of which work as good pop, and the filler, which is well crafted and catchy."

Commercial performance

In Austria,Oral Fixation, Vol. 2entered theÖ3 Austria Top 40albums chart at number seven and began descending the albums chart during the following 13 weeks when it felt out of the chart.Oral Fixation, Vol. 2re-entered the albums chart at number 59 in the first week of April 2006, and reached its peak position of number six, ten weeks later where it remained for two consecutive weeks and spent four weeks in the top ten and began descending on the albums chart, spending a total of 45 weeks in the chart. The album was certified platinum by theIFPI Austriafor sales over 30,000 copies. In the Dutch-speaking Flanders region of Belgium, it peaked at number eight and spent 51 weeks in the chart. It peaked at number 12 in the French-speaking Wallonia region of the country, spending 48 weeks in the chart. The album was certified Gold in Belgium for sales of 25,000 shipped copies. InDenmark,the new edition of the album debuted at number thirty-seven in the week of April 21, 2006 and reached number one eight weeks later aided by the success of the single "Hips Don't Lie", where it remained for five non-consecutive weeks and spent 25 weeks in the chart. It was certified Gold by theIFPI Danmarkfor sales of 20,000 copies based on sales certifications. In Finland,Oral Fixation, Vol. 2had some commercial troubles to replicate the same success ofLaundry Service(2002) her previous English-language album. It debuted at number at number thirty-one and descended to number thirty-nine the next week, and felt out of the chart for one week and re-entered the albums chart at number thirty-five the following week where it spent five weeks in the chart and reached number twenty-nine. It made its second re-entry at number twenty-one and reached its peak position of number 13 for two consecutive weeks, spending 19 weeks in the chart. By the end of 2007, it was certified Gold for sales of 15,085 copies. In France,Oral Fixation, Vol. 2peaked at number eight in May 2006. It spent 65 weeks in the chart and was certified platinum bySyndicat national de l'édition phonographique(SNEP) for sales over 200,000 copies. In Germany, peaked at number four on theMedia Controlchart and charted for 71 weeks.Bundesverband Musikindustrie(BVMI) certifiedOral Fixation, Vol. 2triple-gold in Germany for shipments of 300,000 units.Oral Fixation, Vol. 2peaked at number six on theItalian Albums Chart.The album was the 18th best-selling album of 2006 in Italy and sold 130,000 copies according toFederazione Industria Musicale Italiana(FIMI). In Spain,Oral Fixation, Vol. 2peaked at number three. The album was certified Platinum for byPROMUSICAEfor sales over 80,000 copies. In Sweden,Oral Fixation, Vol. 2peaked at number four. The album was certified gold bySwedish Recording Industry Association(GLF). In Switzerland,Oral Fixation, Vol. 2peaked at number three. The album was certified platinum by the IFPI Switzerland.

In the United States,Oral Fixation, Vol. 2debuted at number 5 on theBillboard200with first-week sales of 128,000 copies. The album rebounded in theBillboard200 albums chart with the success of "Hips Don't Lie"from the album reissue, the album moved from number 98 to number 6 on the week of May 6, 2006, selling 81,000 copies.By 2007, the album sold over 1.7 million units in the country.The album was certified Platinum by theRIAAin the United States. Shakira additionally received 18 Platinum certifications for the sales ofOral Fixation, Vol. 2in the following countries:Argentina,Austria,Canada,Chile,Germany,Greece,Hungary,India,Italy,Mexico,Norway,Peru,Portugal,Spain,Switzerland,United States,United Kingdom,and her home country,Colombia.Oral Fixation, Vol. 2was named the ninth best selling album of 2006 worldwide. In Canada,Oral Fixation, Vol. 2debuted and peaked at number three and spent 15 weeks in the chart. It was certified double-platinum byMusic Canadafor sales of 200,000 copies.

In the United Kingdom,Oral Fixation, Vol. 2peaked at number twelve.Oral Fixation, Vol. 2spent a total of 30 weeks on the chart and was certified platinum by theBritish Phonographic Industry(BPI) for sales of over 300,000 copies.

Promotion

Shakira performing during theOral Fixation Tour,2006

Main article:Oral Fixation Tour

To further promoteFijación Oral, Vol. 1andOral Fixation, Vol. 2,Shakira embarked on theOral Fixation Tour.It was launched on 14 June 2006, at the Feria De Muestras inZaragoza,Spain.With the assistance of theCreative Artists Agency,she visited ninety-four cities and performed forty-one shows across five continents.The tour concluded on 9 July 2007, at theTurkcell Kuruçeşme ArenainIstanbul,Turkey.It grossed over $42 million in North and Latin America, and grossed $100 million worldwide.Theset listprimarily consisted of Spanish-language tracks, and additionally included earlier singles from Shakira's albumsPies Descalzos(1996),Dónde Están los Ladrones?(1998), andLaundry Service(2001).

In November 2007,Epic Recordsreleased theOral Fixation Tourlive album,filmed during a show inMiami,Floridain December 2006. Robert Silva fromAbout.comprovided a positive review, describing the recording as a "very entertaining and lively performance"; he expressed an additional interest in the bonus behind-the-scenes footage.William Ruhlmann fromAllmusicshared a similar sentiment, complimenting her vocals and dancing abilities.

Singles

The lead single, "Don't Bother",was released on 4 October 2005. The song received mixed reviews from music critics, who were ambivalent towards its production and songwriting. Commercially, the song was a moderate success, reaching the top ten in Austria, Germany, Italy, Switzerland and UK, while it only peaked at number 42 in the US, reaching a lower peak than"La Tortura",the lead single ofFijación Oral.

After the moderate success of "Don't Bother" and of the album, her labelEpic RecordsaskedWyclef Jean,in early 2006, to remake his song "Dance Like This" with Shakira, attempting to revive sales of the album. After that, "Hips Don't Lie"was released as the second single from the album (first from the reissue) on 28 February 2006. The song received positive reviews from critics, while it gained 6 awards. Commercially, the single proved to be more successful than" Don't Bother ", peaking at number one in more than 13 countries, includingAustralia,France,Ireland,theUKand theUS,becoming her most successful single to date.

The third (second from the reissue) and final single, "Illegal",was released on 14 November 2006. The song received favorable reviews from music critics, due to the inclusion ofCarlos Santanaon it. However, the song didn't perform well on the charts, after the huge success of "Hips Don't Lie",only managing to peak inside the top ten inAustria,Italyand theNetherlands,while elsewhere it reached the top forty, including theUK.In theUS,the song didn't enter theBillboardHot 100chart.

Track listing

Credits adapted from the liner notes ofOral Fixation, Vol. 2.

Oral Fixation, Vol. 2– Original release

No.	Title	Lyrics	Music	Production	Length
1.	"How Do You Do"	Shakira	Shakira Lauren Christy Scott Spock Graham Edwards	Shakira Lester Mendez[a] Gustavo Cerati[b] The Matrix[c]	3:46
2.	"Don't Bother"	Shakira	Shakira Christy Spock Edwards	Shakira Mendez[a] Cerati[b]	4:18
3.	"Illegal"(featuringCarlos Santana)	Shakira	Shakira Mendez	Shakira Mendez[a]	3:54
4.	"The Day and the Time"(featuringGustavo Cerati)	Shakira Pedro Aznar	Shakira Cerati Luis F. Ochoa	Shakira Cerati[a]	4:23
5.	"Animal City"	Shakira	Shakira Ochoa	Shakira Ochoa[a]	3:17
6.	"Dreams for Plans"	Shakira	Shakira Brendan Buckley	Shakira Mendez[a]	4:04
7.	"Hey You"	Shakira	Shakira Tim Mitchell	Shakira Mitchell[a]	4:11
8.	"Your Embrace"	Shakira	Shakira Mitchell	Shakira Mendez[a]	3:34
9.	"Costume Makes the Clown"	Shakira	Shakira Buckley	Shakira Mendez[a]	3:13
10.	"Something"	Shakira	Shakira Ochoa	Shakira Ochoa[a]	4:24
11.	"Timor"	Shakira	Shakira	Shakira Mendez[a]	3:32
Total length:					42:36

Oral Fixation, Vol. 2– 2006 reissue

No.	Title	Lyrics	Music	Production	Length
1.	"How Do You Do"	Shakira	Shakira Christy Spock Edwards	Shakira Mendez[a] Cerati[b] The Matrix[c]	3:47
2.	"Illegal" (featuring Carlos Santana)	Shakira	Shakira Mendez	Shakira Mendez[a]	3:56
3.	"Hips Don't Lie"(featuringWyclef Jean)	Shakira Jean	Jean Jerry "Wonda" Duplessis Shakira Omar Alfano LaTravia Parker	Jean Duplessis Shakira	3:40
4.	"Animal City"	Shakira	Shakira Ochoa	Shakira Ochoa[a]	3:18
5.	"Don't Bother"	Shakira	Shakira Christy Spock Edwards	Shakira Mendez[a] Cerati[b]	4:19
6.	"The Day and the Time" (featuring Gustavo Cerati)	Shakira Aznar	Shakira Cerati Ochoa	Shakira Cerati[a]	4:25
7.	"Dreams for Plans"	Shakira	Shakira Buckley	Shakira Mendez[a]	4:04
8.	"Hey You"	Shakira	Shakira Mitchell	Shakira Mitchell[a]	4:11
9.	"Your Embrace"	Shakira	Shakira Mitchell	Shakira Mendez[a]	3:34
10.	"Costume Makes the Clown"	Shakira	Shakira Buckley	Shakira Mendez[a]	3:13
11.	"Something"	Shakira	Shakira Ochoa	Shakira Ochoa[a]	4:24
12.	"Timor"	Shakira	Shakira	Shakira Mendez[a]	3:33
13.	"La Tortura"(Alternate Version) (featuringAlejandro Sanz)	Shakira	Shakira Ochoa	Shakira Mendez[a] Jose "Gocho" Torres[b]	3:37
Total length:					50:01

Oral Fixation, Vol. 2– 2006 reissue (Japanese limited edition bonus track)

No.	Title	Producer(s)	Length
14.	"Don't Bother" (Jrsnchz Radio Mix)	Shakira Mendez[a] Cerati[b] Junior Sanchez[b]	4:24

Oral Fixation, Vol. 2– 2006 reissue (Japanese limited edition bonus DVD)

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Don't Bother" (Music video)
2.	"Hips Don't Lie" (Music video)

Oral Fixation, Vol. 2– 2006 reissue (Latin America and Spain bonus track)

No.	Title	Lyrics	Music	Producer(s)	Length
13.	"Hips Don't Lie"(En Español) (featuringWyclef Jean)	Jean Shakira	Jean Jerry "Wonda" Duplessis Shakira Omar Alfano LaTravia Parker	Jean Duplessis Shakira	3:40

Oral Fixation, Vol. 2– 2006 reissue (UK bonus track)

No.	Title	Producer(s)	Length
13.	"Don't Bother" (Jrsnchz Radio Mix)	Shakira Mendez[a] Cerati[b] Junior Sanchez[b]	4:24

Notes

• ^{^a}signifies a co-producer
• ^{^b}signifies an additional producer
• ^{^c}signifies a pre-producer

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2005–06)	Peak position
Argentine Albums (CAPIF)	4
Australian Albums (ARIA)	9
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)	6
Belgian Albums (UltratopFlanders)	8
Belgian Albums (UltratopWallonia)	12
Canadian Albums(Billboard)	3
Danish Albums (Hitlisten)	1
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)	2
Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista)	13
French Albums (SNEP)	8
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)	4
Hungarian Albums (MAHASZ)	5
Italian Albums (FIMI)	6
Japanese Albums (Oricon)	69
Mexican Albums (AMPROFON)	1
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)	2
Portuguese Albums (AFP)	2
Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE)	3
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)	4
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)	3
Taiwanese Albums (Five Music)	10
UK Albums(OCC)	12
USBillboard200	5

Chart (2020)	Peak position
USBillboard200	166

Year-end charts

Chart (2005)	Position
Mexican Albums (AMPROFON)	89

Chart (2006)	Position
Australian Albums (ARIA)	93
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)	21
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)	28
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)	46
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)	19
European Hot 100 Albums (Billboard)	7
French Albums (SNEP)	52
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)	12
Greek Albums (IFPI)	19
Greek Foreign Albums (IFPI)	2
Mexican Albums (AMPROFON)	5
Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE)	13
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)	20
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)	15
UK Albums (OCC)	70
USBillboard200	23
Worldwide Albums (IFPI)	40

Certifications and sales

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Argentina (CAPIF)	Platinum	40,000^
Australia (ARIA)	Gold	35,000^
Austria (IFPIAustria)	Platinum	30,000*
Belgium (BEA)	Gold	25,000*
Canada (Music Canada)	3× Platinum	300,000‡
Colombia	Gold
Chile	Gold
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)	Gold	20,000^
Finland (Musiikkituottajat)	Gold	15,085
France (SNEP)	Platinum	200,000*
Germany (BVMI)	2× Platinum	400,000‡
Greece (IFPI Greece)	Platinum	20,000^
Hungary (MAHASZ)	Platinum	10,000^
India	Gold	80,000
Ireland (IRMA)	2× Platinum	30,000^
Italy⁠	Gold
Japan (Oricon Charts)	—	30,416
Mexico (AMPROFON)	Platinum+Gold	150,000^
Netherlands (NVPI)	Platinum	80,000^
Norway⁠	Gold
Portugal (AFP)	Platinum	20,000^
Romania	Platinum
Russia (NFPF)	2× Platinum	40,000*
Spain (PROMUSICAE)	Platinum	80,000^
Sweden (GLF)	Gold	30,000^
Switzerland (IFPISwitzerland)	Platinum	40,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)	Platinum	404,000
United States (RIAA)	Platinum	1,745,000
Summaries
Europe (IFPI)	Platinum	1,000,000*
*Sales figures based on certification alone. ^Shipments figures based on certification alone. ‡Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.