 The first part of " Call the Shots " to be composed was the instrumentation , which was done by Xenomania in 2005 . The lyrics of the song were written in 2006 , when songwriter Miranda Cooper was " inspired by an article she read on something called ( coincidentally ) the Miranda Complex , named after the ambitious lawyer in Sex and the City , about how women are earning more than men and pushing ahead . " Polydor Records originally intended to release it as a single for The Sound of Girls Aloud : The Greatest Hits ( 2006 ) the same year , but was deemed " too downbeat , when a greatest hits single needs to be a celebration . " Nicola Roberts , Cheryl Cole , Sarah Harding and Kimberley Walsh recorded vocals for the song in London , England , while Nadine Coyle recorded her vocals in Los Angeles . Cole deemed the song her favourite from Tangled Up , adding that it gave her " goosebumps " . An early version of " Call the Shots " leaked online in September 2007 . On 16 November 2007 , Tangled Up was released , with " Call the Shots " being released for digital download on 26 November 2007 , through Polydor Records , while it was also made available on two different CD single formats the same day . The first disc included a live cover version of Amy Winehouse 's 2007 single " Rehab " , as performed on the BBC Radio 1 programme Jo Whiley 's Live Lounge . The second CD format featured an original composition entitled " Blow Your Cover " , co @-@ written by Girls Aloud with Xenomania . The Tony Lamenza Remix of " Call the Shots " was being included on the CD single also at first , however , the Xenomania Club Mix was selected instead . The Tony Lamenza Remix was then included on the Singles Box Set , released in 2009 . 
