Why Don't You Love Me (Beyoncé song)
"Why Don't You Love Me" | ||||
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Single by Beyoncé | ||||
from the album I Am... Sasha Fierce | ||||
Released | June 11, 2010 | |||
Recorded | 2008 | |||
Genre | R&B | |||
Length | 3:37 | |||
Label | Columbia | |||
Songwriter(s) | ||||
Producer(s) |
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Beyoncé singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"Why Don't You Love Me" on YouTube |
"Why Don't You Love Me" is a song recorded by American singer
"Why Don't You Love Me" was well received by critics. It topped the United States
Development and production
"Why Don't You Love Me" was written by
The Bama Boyz almost intentionally left the instrumental for "Why Don't You Love Me" out, since they thought that the song did not sound like the tracks Beyoncé was recording for her upcoming album, at that particular time. However, Jesse Rankins explained that they later decided to put the instrumental for "Why Don't You Love Me" in the email because they knew that Solange likes weird records, but, they made sure to send it last.[2] Out of all the mainstream-inspired attempts The Bama Boyz sent to Solange, she eventually chose that last and most unexpected track and penned "Why Don't You Love Me".[1] Jonathan Wells commented: "When they heard Solange's demo, we were excited because that track was more our true sound than any of the others [sent], but we still kinda didn't believe Beyoncé would cut it...but we hoped!"[1]
Beyoncé came to Houston's Music World Studios for a recording session a few months after Solange had cut the demo.
According to "Anti-Music", the song was nearly discarded twice; the first time was when EMI Music prepared a demo of the song to send to other artists without knowing that Knowles had already recorded the song, and the second came during the track selection of I Am... Sasha Fierce's track listing, where executives felt that the song did not fit in with the other records.[2]
Composition
"Why Don't You Love Me" is different from Knowles' previous
Release and reception
Originally released as a pre-order bonus track on the deluxe edition of I Am... Sasha Fierce,[10] the song was later released as a new song on the platinum edition of the album,[11] and finally as a bonus track along with "Poison" and a remixed version of "Video Phone" featuring pop singer Lady Gaga on a digital EP titled I Am... Sasha Fierce – The Bonus Tracks.[12] The song was also released as a promotional single on September 22, 2009.[13] On July 2, 2010, "Why Don't You Love Me" was digitally released in Germany[14] while its music video was included on a separate digital EP that went on sale the same date.[15] Two remixes of the song were later made available for download in the United Kingdom on August 29, 2009.[16]
Chris Ryan of MTV called "Why Don't You Love Me" a "dirty, disco-funk track."[6] Maura Johnston of The Village Voice called "Why Do You Love Me" "the stankface tour de force bonus track from I Am... Sasha Fierce in which Beyoncé reminds a dude that she's pretty much the greatest thing around and his choice to not be with her is an entirely foolish one."[8] She further praised the song, writing, "It's one of the best songs in her catalog, being as it is a four-minute summation of why she's one of pop's premier stylists right now; her vocals are equal parts pleading and snarling, the twitchy disco-funk beat gets hips shaking, and the declarations of confused self-love throughout can cause the listener to both root for her and realize that they've been in similar situations."[8] On The Village Voice' 2010 year-end Pazz & Jop singles list, "Why Don't You Love Me" was ranked at number 549.[17]
Chart performance
It managed to top the US
On August 14, 2010, "Why Don't You Love Me" debuted at number 142 on the UK Singles chart,[25] and it moved from number seventy-one to number 40 on the R&B chart.[26] After the digital release of remixes, the song rose to number 71 on the UK Singles chart,[27] becoming the ninth consecutive single off I Am... Sasha Fierce to peak within the top 75. It also moved from number 44 to number 25 on its R&B chart on September 11, 2010.[28] The following week, on September 18, 2010, "Why Don't You Love Me" moved up twenty places on the UK Singles to land at number 51[27] and ascended to number 14 on its R&B chart.[29]
Music video
Filming and concept
The music video for the song was directed by long-time collaborator
Release
"Why Don't You Love Me" is the ninth video to be lifted from Knowles' I Am... Sasha Fierce era.[35] On May 1, 2010, a forty-second clip starring Knowles as B.B. Homemaker, was posted on Vimeo. In the sneak peek, she is seen wearing an unbuttoned blue shirt with a pair of short denim shorts and a red handkerchief on her headwears while trying to fix a broken-car.[36] The complete video premiered on May 4, 2010, and it is nearly five minutes long.[31][37] The music video was officially released to iTunes Stores in the United States on May 18, 2010, two weeks after its original premiere.[38] In May 2010, the media reported that Knowles' decision to release one more video from her album I Am... Sasha Fierce just before Kelly Rowland released "Commander" was unfair on Rowland.[39][40] These claims would be denied by Rowland who said that despite the clip for "Why Don't You Love Me" airing several days before "Commander", the media was "making too much of a big deal of release schedules and trying to create a feud where it doesn't exist."[41] She also told Hip Hop Hollywood:
"We all came out at the same time and it really doesn't matter ... I think there's room for everybody ... There's B[eyoncé], there's Ciara putting something out and [Lady] GaGa putting something out, but, because we started out together, people are going to say things like that. But I really don't care, I love her [un]til our dying days and that's all that counts.[39]
Synopsis and analysis
The video begins with a tribute and sample of the opening credits of
Reception
The music video received general acclaim from critics. Jon Caramanica of The New York Times described the video as one of Knowles' best and most vivid.[43] Brad Wete of Entertainment Weekly described Knowles as "one hot housewife in the ['Why Don't You Love Me'] video".[9] This was echoed by Tray Hova of Vibe magazine who stated that "Beyoncé makes a mighty fine housewife".[44] Jayson Rodriguez of MTV News said that she did her best impersonation of Betty Draper.[35] The Music Network complimented the production of the video while simultaneously making reference to Christina Aguilera and criticising the latter for her new video for her single "Not Myself Tonight", writing: "...housework has never looked so good ... Proving you don't have to wear bondage gear and a ball-gag to be sexy (hello Christina!), the [19]50s-style video sees the R&B queen [Knowles] getting dirty in a different way: dusting her Grammys, watering the plants and scrubbing the shower in vintage lingerie... She can come over to our house anytime."[45] Melanie Bertoldi of Billboard magazine commented on Knowles' "dominatrix costume" at the end to Rihanna's Rated R era. She finally complimented the music video by saying that "Beyoncé's shamelessly campy performance—complete with boatloads of running mascara—is generously refreshing."[42] Chris Ryan of MTV Buzzworthy noted that the video was "kind of a tour de force" and compared it with the one for "Telephone" (2010). He also noted that it showed "Beyoncé on the edge of a nervous breakdown."[6]
Recognition
Becky Bain of
Lawsuit
Philip Markowitz, a neighbor of the man on whose property the video was filmed, filed a lawsuit on May 28, 2010, in Los Angeles seeking $25,000. He sued Knowles, the companies "Klener & Company" and "Bags and Boards", and Dina Ciccotello, for the video shoot for "Why Don't You Love Me".[57] Markowitz complained that during the morning, every time he tried leaving his house, the crew was blocking his driveway. Markowitz claims that he "missed several business calls while arguing calmly in his driveway". According to him: "[He] demanded compensation for the trespass on his property and the inconvenience and delay he had already suffered."[58] The case was later dismissed by a superior court judge in September.[59]
Live performances
Beyoncé performed "Why Don't You Love Me" live for the first time the
The song was performed during Beyoncé and Jay-Z's co-headlining On the Run Tour (2014).[65] Throughout the performance of the song, Beyoncé stopped performing several times watching the crowd while fans were blowing her hair.[66] Rebecca Thomas of the MTV News felt that the performance of the song "seemed to reopen old wounds".[67] Kat Bein from the Miami New Times described the performance as one of the most dramatic moments of the concert further hailing it as "one of the rawest things we've ever seen at a stadium show".[66]
Use in visual media and Grace Potter's cover
In her second commercial for HDTV manufacturer
In late April 2011, Grace Potter from the American
Formats and track listings
- German Digital Single[14]
- "Why Don't You Love Me" – 3:37
- "Why Don't You Love Me" (Jump Smokers Club Remix) – 3:57
- German Digital EP[15]
- "Why Don't You Love Me" – 3:37
- "Why Don't You Love Me" (Jump Smokers Club Remix) – 3:57
- "Why Don't You Love Me" (Video) – 4:50
- UK Digital Remixes[16]
- "Why Don't You Love Me" (MK Ultras Remix – Radio Edit) – 3:34
- "Why Don't You Love Me" (Starsmith Remix – Radio Edit) – 3:33
Personnel
Credits are taken from I Am... Sasha Fierce's
- Vocals – Beyoncé Knowles
- Producers and recorded by – Bama Boyz, Beyoncé Knowles
- Vocal production – Beyoncé Knowles
- Writers – Beyoncé Knowles, Solange Knowles, Angela Beyince, Eddie Smith III, Jesse Rankins and Jonathan Wells
Charts
Weekly charts
|
Year-end charts
|
Release history
Region | Date | Format(s) | Label(s) | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
United Kingdom | September 22, 2009 | Digital download (promotional single) | RCA | [82] |
Italy | June 11, 2010 | Radio airplay | Sony Music | [83] |
Germany | July 2, 2010 |
|
[15] | |
United Kingdom | August 27, 2010 | Digital download (remixes) | RCA | [84] |
See also
- List of number-one dance singles of 2010 (U.S.)
References
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