Don't Hurt Yourself (Beyoncé song)

"Don't Hurt Yourself" is a song recorded by American singer Beyoncé for her sixth studio album, Lemonade. The song was produced by Jack White, Beyoncé and Derek Dixie, and written by White, Beyoncé, and Diana Gordon. It 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).[2] The song received a nomination for the 59th Annual Grammy Awards in the category Best Rock Performance. Billboard ranked "Don't Hurt Yourself" at number 61 on their "Billboard's 100 Best Pop Songs of 2016" list.[3]

"Don't Hurt Yourself"
Taken from the Lemonade digital booklet
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)
  • Jack White
  • Beyoncé
  • Derek Dixie
Lemonade track listing
12 tracks
  1. "Pray You Catch Me"
  2. "Hold Up"
  3. "Don't Hurt Yourself"
  4. "Sorry"
  5. "6 Inch"
  6. "Daddy Lessons"
  7. "Love Drought"
  8. "Sandcastles"
  9. "Forward"
  10. "Freedom"
  11. "All Night"
  12. "Formation"

Background

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."[4]

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

Critical reception

Writing for Pitchfork, Jillian Mapes says 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".[5]

Tim Guillot, from Medium, says that "Don't Hurt Yourself" is "one of the best rock songs of recent years", continuing by stating that the track "is full-on rebellion, emotional and stylistic."[6]

Chart performance

After the release of Lemonade, "Don't Hurt Yourself" debuted on Billboard Hot 100 chart at number 28[7] and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop songs chart at number 16.[7] As featured artist on the song, Jack White notched his first solo top 40 Hot 100 hit. In his lone prior appearance as a soloist, he reached number 81 in 2008 with the Alicia Keys duet "Another Way to Die", the theme from the James Bond film Quantum of Solace.[8]

Live performances

"Don't Hurt Yourself" is part of the set list of The Formation World Tour with the first performance taking place in Miami at the Marlins Park on April 27, 2016. She also performed this as part of her Medley at the 2016 MTV VMA[9] The Guardian writer Caroline Sullivan noted how during the performance of "the bitterest songs" of Lemonade, "Sorry" and "Don't Hurt Yourself", "she's a pillar of rage".[10] She also performed the song on her setlist for her 2018 Coachella performance, as well as co-headlining OTR II tour with Jay-Z.

Charts
Chart (2016) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA) 93
Australia Urban Singles (ARIA)[11] 10
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[12] 53
France (SNEP)[13] 47
Scotland (Official Charts Company)[14] 30
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[15] 77
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[16] 36
UK R&B (Official Charts Company)[17] 12
US Billboard Hot 100[18] 28
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[19] 16

References
  1. "Beyoncé's Surprise 'Lemonade' Album: Instant Track-by-Track Analysis".
  2. "Beyonce's 'Lemonade': Track-By-Track Album Review". Music News, Reviews, and Gossip on Idolator.com. Retrieved 21 May 2016.
  3. "Billboard's 100 Best Pop Songs of 2016: Critics' Picks". Billboard. December 12, 2016. Retrieved December 12, 2016.
  4. https://www.npr.org/2016/09/10/493177019/jack-white-on-detroit-beyonc-and-where-songs-come-from?sc=tw
  5. "Beyoncé: Lemonade". Pitchfork. Retrieved 2020-03-24.
  6. Guillot, Tim (2018-01-04). "On Repeat: "Don't Hurt Yourself," by Beyoncé". Medium. Retrieved 2020-04-29.
  7. "All 12 of Beyonce's 'Lemonade' Tracks Debut on Hot 100". Billboard.biz. Retrieved April 30, 2016.
  8. "Hot 100 Chart Moves: Prince & Beyonce's Record-Breaking Week". Billboard. Retrieved April 30, 2016.
  9. "Beyoncé Kicks Off 'Formation' Tour in Miami, Jay Z Shows Support But Doesn't Perform". ET. Retrieved April 30, 2016.
  10. Sullivan, Caroline (June 29, 2016). "Beyoncé, Formation World Tour, Sunderland review – she slays". The Guardian. Retrieved July 5, 2016.
  11. "ARIA Australian Top 40 Singles". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved May 9, 2016.
  12. "Beyonce Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved April 3, 2016.
  13. "Le Top de la semaine : Top Singles Téléchargés". SNEP. Archived from the original on September 5, 2015. Retrieved April 29, 2016.
  14. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 29, 2016.
  15. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2015-12-26. Retrieved 2014-08-13.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link). Retrieved May 7, 2016.
  16. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 29, 2016.
  17. "Official R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 6, 2016.
  18. "Desiigner Holds Off Drake Atop Hot 100, Prince & Beyonce Hit Top 10". Billboard. Retrieved May 2, 2016.
  19. "Beyonce Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved March 19, 2016.
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