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Who Knew

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For other uses, seeWho Knew (disambiguation).

"Who Knew"
SinglebyPink
from the albumI'm Not Dead
B-side"Disconnected"
ReleasedMay 8, 2006(2006-05-08)
StudioConway(Hollywood, California)
Genre
Length3:28
LabelLaFace
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Pinksingles chronology
"Stupid Girls"
(2006) 		"Who Knew"
(2006) 		"U + Ur Hand"
(2006)
Music video
"Who Knew"onYouTube

"Who Knew"is a song by American singerPinkfrom her fourthstudio album,I'm Not Dead(2006). Written by Pink,Max Martinand Lukasz "Dr. Luke"Gottwald, the song was originally released on May 8, 2006, by theLaFacelabel toradioas the album's secondsingle,but was only a moderate success. The song saw more success upon its re-release in the United States in June 2007. Musically, "Who Knew" is apopsong. Lyrically, it regards the loss of a good friend of hers.

Upon its release, "Who Knew" was well received bymusic critics,who acclaimed it as a solid song on the album and lauded the lyrical content. It faced comparisons for having similarities withKelly Clarkson's 2004 single "Since U Been Gone",also written by Martin and Dr. Luke. The song was commercially successful worldwide, where it peaked in the top five in countries including Australia, the United Kingdom, and component charts in the United States. The song is also Pink's longest chart runner on the Hot 100, spending 36 weeks on the chart. The song was later certified Platinum in the United States by theRecording Industry Association of America(RIAA).

The accompanyingmusic videoto the song was directed by Dragon and was released in May 2006, where it shows Pink singing at a county fair, with a storyline about two young lovers who end up being separated after the man begins using drugs. The song has been performed on many of Pink's world tours, includingI'm Not Dead Tour,Funhouse Tourand its extension tourFunhouse Summer Carnival Tour.

Background and composition[edit]

The NY Daily quotes Pink as writing the song to a male friend (not a boyfriend) she lost to drug abuse. "Who Knew" was written by Pink, Max Martin and Dr. Luke, while it was produced by Martin and Dr. Luke. "Who Knew" was released as the second single off the album worldwide in 2006, while it was re-released to U.S. radio as the album's fourth single in the United States in 2007, after the success of "U + Ur Hand".[3]

'Who Knew'
A 26-second sample of "Who Knew".
Problems playing this file? Seemedia help.

Pink has stated that "Who Knew" is her favorite song from her first compilation,Greatest Hits... So Far!!![4]

"Who Knew" is apopsong.[1][2]According to Musicnotes.com, which was published by Kobalt Music Publishing America, Inc., the song is written in the key ofA major.Pink's vocal's span from E3 to D5.[5]Lyrically, Pink had explained that the song is about "the death of friendship",[6]as well as friends of hers who died as a result ofdrug overdoses.[7]The song is about several people.[8]The song featuresacoustic guitar,keyboards,drums,andelectric guitars.Gottwald, Martin and Pink co-wrote another song on the album, "U + Ur Hand".

Reception[edit]

Critical[edit]

The song was compared by some critics toKelly Clarkson's hit "Since U Been Gone".

The song received universal acclaim.IGNgave a positive report stating "Pink keeps the mainstream, highly accessible pop trappings in full effect with" Who Knew, "further making her whole visual stance that much more hilarious (the contrast of a punky, bad girl doing slick pop may be" rebellious "to some, but frankly it just seems contrived). Despite the slickness, the song does reveal Ms. Pink to have a wonderfully full and mesmerizing voice and makes the fact that she's a star understandable."[1]John Murphy fromMusicOMHwrote that the song "is perfect driving, anthemic pop."[2]Stylus Magazinesaid ironically that "It’s “Since U Been Gone”spinning its wheels at half-speed, mutedly wondering where the tune went. "[9]

Sal Cinquemani fromSlant Magazinewrote that "Songs like 'Who Knew' and 'Long Way To Happy', though good, sound morehair metalthanpunk",while also noting that it" follows the steps ofClarkson's recent hits. "[10]Billboardmagazine, in its second review of the song (to accompany the U.S. re-release), called it "another cool, smart, plenty passionate melodic jewel about the death of a friend and/or friendship, with an instantly identifiable, quick-to-the-point, singalong track—maintaining Pink's stance as the smartest female millennium-era singer/songwriter, dazzling in star quality as alterna-pop's premier princess."[3]

Commercial[edit]

The song debuted at number six on theAustralian Singles Chart.The song then rose and peaked at number two for two consecutive weeks. In total, the song stayed in the charts for thirty-two weeks, becoming Pink's second longest charting single in that country. The song is also the seventy-fifth Best Of All Time single in Australia, and is certifiedplatinumfor sales of over 70,000 copies. It was ranked at number nine onARIA's Top 100 singles of 2006.[11]The song had debuted at number thirty-six on theNew Zealand Singles Chart,and eventually rose to number eleven, just missing the top ten. The song spent a total of twelve weeks on the charts.

In the European markets, the song was generally successful. "Who Knew" entered theUK Singles Chartat nineteen in early June 2006 and ascended to a peak at five the following week. It is her joint fifth highest charting single in the UK and her second longest charting behind only "So What". With a total of 26 weeks inside the top 100 songs it beats her number-one hit "Just Like a Pill".[12]The song had success throughout other charts in Europe, where it peaked in the top twenty in Switzerland, Austria, France, Belgium, Finland and Norway, while it peaked in the top fifty in The Netherlands and Sweden.[13]

When the single was originally released inNorth America,"Who Knew" was less successful. Though it peaked at number nineteen on theBDSAirplay Chart inCanada,it was virtually ignored by American radio. In theU.S.,where it was released to mainstream radio on May 8, 2006,[14]it failed to chart on theBillboardHot 100,initially reaching number 18 on theBubbling Under Hot 100 Singleschart (which comprises the most popular songs yet to enter the Hot 100).Billboardmagazine credited the poor performance of the single on radio with significantly reducing momentum of initial sales ofI'm Not Dead.[15]

Re-release[edit]

In March 2007 the song was used in promotion for theABCtelevision showOctober Road,after whichdownloadsales of the song increased; as a result, it debuted at number ninety-five on the Hot 100 at the end of the month.[16][17]During the same period, "U + Ur Hand", the third single fromI'm Not Dead,had achieved major success on pop radio and was credited with "reviving" Pink's career in the U.S.[3]

Pink performed "Who Knew" on the May 9, 2007, episode ofAmerican Idol.It was re-released to mainstream radio in the United States on June 26, 2007,[18]although it had already been receiving minor airplay onCHR/top 40andhot AC/adult top 40stations earlier in the month.[19]In week twenty-five of 2007 "Who Knew" re-entered theBillboardHot 100 at number ninety-four; it eventually climbed to number nine, giving Pink her eighth top ten single on the chart and matching the peak position of "U + Ur Hand".[20]The song is Pink's longest chart runner on theBillboardHot 100,spending 36 weeks before dropping out (a feat that would later be matched by her 2013 hit, "Just Give Me a Reason"featuringNate Ruess).[21][22]

Music video[edit]

The single'svideowas directed by Dragon,[23]a team comprisingSamuel Bayer,Robert Halesand Brian Lazzaro. It was filmed in the weekend beginning April 15, 2006, inLos Angeles,United States,[24]and it was released to the internet and to UK music channels in early May 2006. The video reached number one on MTVGermany's top ten and onTRLItaly. "Who Knew" was voted number one onTRLGermany twenty times, allowing Pink to earn the "Golden Tape". In the U.S.Total Request Livebroadcast a "First Look" of the video on May 22, and it debuted on the show's top ten countdown the following day;[25]it spent eight non-consecutive days on the countdown (until June 9), peaking at number seven.[26]

It features a young couple visiting afairgroundand going on the rides, and at one point the boy puts a necklace on the girl. The video flashes back to the boy secretly injecting himself withdrugson a previous night while the girl is sleeping. At the carnival, when the girl is playing a game, the boy walks away. The girl realizes he's gone and follows him, but when she tries to get him to stay with her he gets violent. He goes to the back of the fairground to inject himself with drugs and breaks into a sweat. His girlfriend wanders around looking for him, and finds him unconscious; he has overdosed. She gives him a kiss, gives back the necklace and phones for an ambulance; after it has arrived, she walks away crying. The final scenes depict flashback sequences showing the couple on several carnival rides together and both Pink and the lovers submerged underwater.

Track listing and formats[edit]

  • Single CD
  1. "Who Knew" (Album Version) - 3:28
  2. "Disconnected" - 3:58
  • Maxi CD
  1. "Who Knew" (Album Version) - 3:28
  2. "Who Knew" (Sharp Boys' Love Jonathan Harvey Remix) - 8:42
  3. "Who Knew" (The Bimbo Jones Radio Edit) - 3:27
  4. "Live In Europe" (Trailer)
  • Other Mixes
  1. "Who Knew" (Bimbo Jones Club Mix) - 7:49
  2. "Who Knew" (Don Diablo & Jason Nevins Edit) - 5:45
  3. "Who Knew" (Jason Nevins Radio Edit) - 3:27
  4. "Who Knew" (Eddie Baez Club Mix) - 9:45
  5. "Who Knew" (Sharp Boys' Coronation Street Dub) - 8:55

Charts[edit]

Certifications[edit]

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[74] 5× Platinum 350,000‡
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[75] Gold 30,000‡
Canada (Music Canada)[76] Platinum 80,000‡
Germany (BVMI)[77] Gold 150,000‡
New Zealand (RMNZ)[78] Platinum 30,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[80] Platinum 600,000[79]
United States (RIAA)[82] Platinum 1,667,000[81]

‡Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history[edit]

Release dates and formats for "Who Knew"
Region Date Format Label(s) Ref(s).
United States May 8, 2006 Contemporary hit radio LaFace [83]
Germany May 26, 2006 CD single
  • LaFace
  • BMG
 [84][85]
United Kingdom May 29, 2006 [86]
Australia June 12, 2006 [87]
United States June 26, 2007 Contemporary hit radio LaFace [83]

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