Genre Rock Label Parkwood
Columbia | Length 3:54 "Don't Hurt Yourself"
(3) "Sorry"
(4) | |
Recorded Jungle Studios, New York City Writer(s) Jack White
Beyoncé
Diana Gordon
Robert Plant
James Page
John Paul Jones
John Bonham | ||
"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). 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.
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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."-Jack White
The song's music video is part of a one-hour film with the same title as its parent album, originally aired on HBO. The video presents Beyoncé in a raw, and desperate manner similarly to the songs lyrical composition. The unlikely main scenario of a parking lot acts as juxtaposition to Beyoncé's typical glamorous and chic music video scenarios, such as the infamous simplicity of Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It) and equally as glamour oriented Freakum Dress.
Commercial performance
After the release of Lemonade, "Don't Hurt Yourself" debuted on Billboard Hot 100 chart at number 28 and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop songs chart at number 16. 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.
Live performances
"Don't Hurt Yourself" is part of the set list of the The Formation World Tour with the first performance taking place in Miami at the Marlins Park on April 27, 2016. 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".