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Don't Hurt Yourself (Beyoncé song)

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"Don't Hurt Yourself"
Song by Beyoncé featuring Jack White
from the album Lemonade
ReleasedApril 22, 2016
Recorded2014
StudioJungle Studios, New York City
Genre
Length3:54
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)

"Don't Hurt Yourself" is a song by American singer Beyoncé featuring American musician Jack White. It is the third track on her sixth studio album, Lemonade (2016), released through Parkwood Entertainment and Columbia Records. The song's music video is part of Beyoncé's 2016 film Lemonade, aired on HBO alongside the album's release.[2]

The song was produced by Jack White, Beyoncé, and Derek Dixie, and written by White, Beyoncé, and Diana Gordon. The song contains samples of "When the Levee Breaks" written by Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, John Paul Jones, and John Bonham, and performed by Led Zeppelin. Some critics compared the song to Beyoncé's "Ring the Alarm" (2006).[3][4] The song received a nomination for the 59th Annual Grammy Awards in the category of Best Rock Performance. Billboard ranked "Don't Hurt Yourself" at number 61 on their "Billboard's 100 Best Pop Songs of 2016" list.[5]

Background

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Jack White said of the song's origin in an NPR interview:

"You know, I just talked to her and she said, "I wanna be in a band with you." [Laughs.] I said, "Really? Well, I'd love to do something." I've always loved her voice — I mean, I think she has the kind of soul singing voice of the days of Betty Davis or Aretha Franklin. She took just sort of a sketch of a lyrical outline and turned into the most bodacious, vicious, incredible song. I don't even know what you'd classify it as — soul, rock and roll, whatever. "Don't Hurt Yourself" is incredibly intense; I'm so amazed at what she did with it."[6]

The song's music video is part of a one-hour film with the same title as its parent album, which originally aired on HBO.

Critical reception

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Writing for Pitchfork, Jillian Mapes argues that Beyoncé is "giving the world a modern-day 'Respect' in 'Don't Hurt Yourself'". Mapes continues, writing "Even on an album stacked with some of Beyoncé's best recorded vocal performances to date, 'Don't Hurt Yourself' has her belting to a whole other dimension—specifically, that of Janis Joplin and late-'60s Tina Turner".[7] Amber Mackie of Revolt stresses that the song follows "Hold Up" narration with "no nonsense lyrics", with "energy and power" from "propulsive rhythms and fills of the drums".[8]

In 2021 Alexis Petridis ranking the "Beyoncé's 30 greatest songs" placed the song at 28, describing it as "rock/funk hybrid about Lemonade’s most aggressive track" and stressin that the Homecoming: The Live Album version "amps things up even further".[9]

Chart performance

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After the release of Lemonade, "Don't Hurt Yourself" debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 chart at number 28[10] and the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop songs chart at number 16.[10] As featured artist on the song, Jack White notched his first solo top 40 Hot 100 hit. In a prior appearance as a soloist, White reached number 81 in 2008 with the duet "Another Way to Die" with Alicia Keys, the theme from the James Bond film Quantum of Solace.[11]

Live performances

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"Don't Hurt Yourself" was part of the set list for The Formation World Tour with the first performance taking place in Miami at Marlins Park on April 27, 2016. Beyoncé also performed this as part of her medley at the 2016 MTV VMA.[12] Writing for The Guardian, Caroline Sullivan noted how during the performance of "the bitterest songs" off Lemonade, "Sorry" and "Don't Hurt Yourself", "she's a pillar of rage".[13] Beyoncé also performed the song on her setlist for her 2018 Coachella performance, as well as co-headlining On the Run II Tour with Jay-Z. Jack White opened his October 10, 2020 performance on Saturday Night Live with a portion of "Don't Hurt Yourself" as part of a medley.[14]

Charts

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Chart (2016) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[15] 93
Australia Urban Singles (ARIA)[16] 10
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[17] 53
France (SNEP)[18] 47
Scotland (OCC)[19] 30
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[20] 77
UK Singles (OCC)[21] 36
UK Hip Hop/R&B (OCC)[22] 12
US Billboard Hot 100[23] 28
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[24] 16

Certifications

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[25] Gold 500,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[26] Silver 200,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

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  1. ^ "Beyoncé's Surprise 'Lemonade' Album: Instant Track-by-Track Analysis". Fuse.
  2. ^ "Beyoncé Releases New Album Lemonade Featuring Kendrick Lamar, Jack White, the Weeknd, James Blake". Pitchfork Media. April 23, 2016. Archived from the original on April 25, 2016. Retrieved April 23, 2016.
  3. ^ Farber, Jim (21 April 2016). "A guide to all the samples on Beyoncé's 'Lemonade'". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 23 October 2024.
  4. ^ Horowitz, Steven J. (25 April 2016). "Breaking Down Beyoncé's Lemonade Samples". Pitchfork. Retrieved 23 October 2024.
  5. ^ "Billboard's 100 Best Pop Songs of 2016: Critics' Picks". Billboard. December 12, 2016. Retrieved December 12, 2016.
  6. ^ "Jack White on Detroit, Beyoncé and Where Songs Come from". NPR.org.
  7. ^ Mapes, Jillian (April 26, 2016). "Beyoncé: Lemonade". Pitchfork. Retrieved March 10, 2024.
  8. ^ Mackie, Amber (April 24, 2016). "Beyoncé's 'Lemonade': A Track-By-Track Review". Revolt. Retrieved March 10, 2024.
  9. ^ Petridis, Alexis (19 March 2021). "Beyoncé's 30 greatest songs ranked!". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 23 October 2024.
  10. ^ a b "All 12 of Beyonce's 'Lemonade' Tracks Debut on Hot 100". Billboard.biz. Retrieved April 30, 2016.
  11. ^ "Hot 100 Chart Moves: Prince & Beyonce's Record-Breaking Week". Billboard. Retrieved April 30, 2016.
  12. ^ "Beyoncé Kicks Off 'Formation' Tour in Miami, Jay Z Shows Support But Doesn't Perform". ET. Retrieved April 30, 2016.
  13. ^ Sullivan, Caroline (June 29, 2016). "Beyoncé, Formation World Tour, Sunderland review – she slays". The Guardian. Retrieved July 5, 2016.
  14. ^ Coulston, John (October 11, 2000). "'SNL': Jack White Plays His Beyonce Collaboration, and Fans Can't Believe It". popculture. Retrieved October 21, 2020.
  15. ^ "CHART WATCH #366 - auspOp". auspOp. Retrieved April 28, 2022.
  16. ^ "ARIA Australian Top 40 Singles". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved May 9, 2016.
  17. ^ "Beyonce Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved April 3, 2016.
  18. ^ "Le Top de la semaine : Top Singles Téléchargés". SNEP. Archived from the original on September 5, 2015. Retrieved April 29, 2016.
  19. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 29, 2016.
  20. ^ "Sverigetopplistan - Sveriges Officiella Topplista". Archived from the original on 2015-12-26. Retrieved 2014-08-13.. Retrieved May 7, 2016.
  21. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 29, 2016.
  22. ^ "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 6, 2016.
  23. ^ "Desiigner Holds Off Drake Atop Hot 100, Prince & Beyonce Hit Top 10". Billboard. 2 May 2016. Retrieved May 2, 2016.
  24. ^ "Beyonce Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved March 19, 2016.
  25. ^ "American single certifications – Beyonce – Hurt Yourself (feat. Jack White)". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved August 9, 2022.
  26. ^ "British single certifications – Beyonce Ft Jack White – Don't Hurt Yourself". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved July 14, 2024.
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