Break the Ice

Some critics have suggested that this would have been a more suitable album lead-off track than "Gimme More," since in this song, Spears re-introduces herself at the top and apologizes for being gone for so long.

This track has a second meaning where Spears is apologizing for being away so long from her love interest. The song's co-writer Keri Hilson told MTV Canada News: "It's about two people, a girl and a guy, and the girl is saying, 'You're a little cold. Let me warm things up and break the ice.' " She added that she was amazed at Spears' work ethic: "When we were arranging the vocals in the studio at her house, she was about eight months pregnant, and she was standing up in the vocal booth, just banging it out. Three weeks later, she had the baby."

The song's writers Marcella Araica, Nate Danja Hills, Keri Hilson and James Washington (Jim Beanz) were the same four who were also responsible for "Gimme More." Digital Spy asked Keri Hilson if she wished she'd kept the songs for herself. She replied "No Way," then added: "When I'm writing a song for another artist I purposefully make it not for me otherwise I get too attached. I mean, I don't party the same way Britney parties, we don't go to the same clubs and we don't have the same influence. If you tailor something to Britney, you know it's not going to be anything Keri Hilson would ever sing."