Candy Cigarettes

"Candy Cigarettes" is a song performed by British recording artist Alesha. It was released alongside "The OH in Ohio" on September 3, 2007, by Ensemble Entertainment, as the third single from her fourth studio album Alesha Is the Queen (2007). The song, written and produced by Alesha, is a darker, electro-pop ballad that compares a lover to a cigarette addiction.

Alesha chose to release "The OH in Ohio" to appeal to a new audience after the commercial failure and controversy of "Power Power," but she selected "Candy Cigarettes" as it A-side to appeal to her fan base. Praised by music critics, "The OH in Ohio"/"Candy Cigarettes" entered the chart at number two and became the best-selling single from Alesha Is the Queen (2007). The single was Alesha's first to sell 300,000 copies.

The music video for "Candy Cigarettes" was based on the story of criminal Bonnie and Clyde, co-starring Jon Farley as Alesha's lover and partner in crime. The video premiered on Channel 4. Alesha featured the song in her 2008 MTV Unplugged concert, and has performed the song on two of her world tours, 2007's The Queen Tour and 2008's Jesus Christ Supertour.

Background and composition
After scrapping an album's worth of material, Alesha explained to Ensemble Entertainment that she wanted a stronger, more pop-oriented album, hence the songs should reflect that. One of the first songs developed for the album was "Candy Cigarettes". Alesha commented that the song was about a girl, who was "in depression over a lover." The song was recorded in October 2006, and was ultimately released together with "The OH in Ohio" as the album's fifth single in September 2007.

A pop ballad, "Candy Cigarettes" is electronic-based but features piano in the background as well. A sequel to the song, "Burns," was released as a B-side to the single.

Critical reception
"Candy Cigarettes" has met mixed reviews; Heather Phares from Allmusic complimented the song, saying the ballad softens Alesha's party-girl image and celebrates "the mundane moments of a dying relationship," whereas Blender reporter Jon Dolan considered it a "forlorn single", where the singer writes about the terror of being in a relationship "with white-knuckled worry over a snip of florid piano from a ’70s soft-core porn flick." Mark Pytlik from Pitchfork Media gave a positive review, saying that "'Candy Cigarettes' is a supple piano-tickler that provides one of Alesha's sweetest lyrical moments while simultaneously leaving her peers in the dust on the balladeering front."

Music video
The music video, directed by Anthony Mandler, starred Alesha and male pop star Jon Farley as lovers and partners in crime, reminiscent of the infamous Bonnie and Clyde. Filmed in Montreal, Canada in August 2007, the video premiered on Channel 4 in the United Kingdom.

Alesha and Jon Farley are smoking marijuana and cigarettes in the city (Montreal). After they've finished, they get into a cheap, beat-up Volvo and drive to a run-down motel. Inside, they kiss and make love passionately. In the next scene, Alesha sits alone in the hotel room. The song pauses after the chorus as Alesha calls Jon to yell at him for leaving her alone again. She turns on the TV. A news report states, "The search continues for Jonathan Farley and Alesha Kurdadze, the couple who robbed a bank in Quebec two days ago. Police say that the couple could also be responsible for three other bank robberies in the country, as well as a break-in to a jewelery store where two wedding bands were stolen." The song begins again. After a romantic rendevouz, Jon is on the phone as Alesha is sleeping. He tells the accomplice on the other end that he'll "leave the bitch." Alesha wakes up to an empty room. Expecting to see Jon at the door, Alesha is greeted by police officers who handcuff her. Jon was about to turn into the parking lot, but pulls away and speeds down the highway. Alesha sings the final chorus in a prison cell.

Live performances
Alesha performed the song in the final set of her 2007 concert tour, The Queen Tour. She also performed "Candy Cigarettes" during her 2008 MTV Unplugged concert, later released on DVD as Alesha Unplugged. Alesha performed the song again on 2008's Jesus Christ Supertour, but has not performed it since then.

Track listing

 * CD1
 * 1) "The OH in Ohio"
 * 2) "Candy Cigarettes"
 * 3) "Burns (Candy Cigarettes Part II)"
 * 4) "The Turn" (M.I.A.)
 * 5) "Bitch in Heat" (Remix with Putanovska)
 * CD2
 * 1) "The OH in Ohio"
 * 2) "Candy Cigarettes"
 * 3) "Burns"
 * 4) "Creator" (Santigold)
 * 5) "The OH in Ohio" (Ethiopian Ritual Chants MetroMix)
 * DVD
 * 1) "Making the Videos"
 * 2) "The OH in Ohio" (music video)
 * 3) "Candy Cigarettes" (music video)
 * 4) "The OH in Ohio"/"Even God Hates U" (Live at Urapopstar Awards 14)
 * 5) "Power Power" (Live at Lollapalooza)
 * 6) "Keys to the House" (with Neyssa) (Live at Lollapalooza)
 * 7) "Spot the Cigarette Burns on Alesha's Baby" (Game)


 * Digital download
 * 1) "The OH in Ohio"
 * 2) "Candy Cigarettes"
 * 3) "Burns"
 * 4) "Morning Wood" (BBC Radio 1's Live Lounge)
 * 5) "Not For You" (BBC Radio 1's Live Lounge)

Chart performance
The song debuted on the official singles chart at number two, becoming the fourth top-five single to come from Alesha Is the Queen. After "London Brat" charted at number two and "Power Power" missed the top ten entirely due to a controversial promotional campaign, "The OH in Ohio"/"Candy Cigarettes" was regarded as a return-to-form for Alesha. It eventually became her highest-selling single at that point in her career, shifting 309,501 copies for a platinum certification.