"Symphony in X Major" was the second and final single released from Xzibit's fourth album named Man vs. Machine. It features Dr. Dre, is produced by Rick Rock and samples a portion of Johann Sebastian Bach's "Brandenburg Concerto No. 3". Dr. Dre mixed the song.
| "Symphony in X Major" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Single by Xzibit featuring Dr. Dre | ||||
| from the album Man vs. Machine | ||||
| B-side | "Harder" | |||
| Released | December 9, 2002 | |||
| Genre | Rap | |||
| Length | 3:55 | |||
| Label | Loud | |||
| Songwriter(s) | ||||
| Producer(s) | Rick Rock | |||
| Xzibit singles chronology | ||||
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| Dr. Dre singles chronology | ||||
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A music video was shot for the song directed by Joe Hahn of Linkin Park.[1] Dr. Dre does not appear in the video. It reached number 43 in the Australian singles chart.[2]
Composition
"Symphony in X Major" samples two extracts of Johann Sebastian Bach's "Brandenburg Concerto No. 3" as interpreted by Wendy Carlos on her 1968 Switched-On Bach album. These two samples are taken from the composition's middle section where it transitions into the relative minor key, "useful in reinforcing the menacing tone of the hip-hop track."[1]
The first corresponds to bars 70-71 of the concerto and appears in the introduction and choruses of the song, while the second is taken from bars 68-69, and is used in the verses and the outro, giving the song a contrasting verse-chorus structure.[1]
Charts
| Chart (2002–2003) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[2] | 43 |
| Australian Urban (ARIA)[3] | 16 |
| US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[4] | 63 |
Release history
| Region | Date | Format(s) | Label(s) | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | November 25, 2002 | [5] |