Genre Electropop, dance-pop Label Warner Bros. | Length 3:36 | |
Released April 21, 2014 (2014-04-21) Format CD single, digital download Writer(s) Bebe Rexha
Alexander "Xplicit" Izquierdo
Stefan Johnson
Jordan Johnson
Marcus "Marc Lo" Lomax
Clarence Coffee Jr | ||
"I Can't Stop Drinking About You" is the debut solo single by American singer-songwriter Bebe Rexha. It also serves as the first single off the singer's first extended play I Don't Wanna Grow Up (2014). The song tells of the singer processing her sadness and anger over a breakup through heavy drinking. The song rceived positive reviews, with many critics complimenting Rexha's vocals and the instrumental on the track. The track did not enter the US Billboard Hot 100 but peaked at number 15 on the Bubbling Under chart, which serves as a 25-song quasi-extension to the Hot 100. The song sold 110,000 copies.
Contents
Writing and production
The song was written by Bebe Rexha after a bad breakup. Rexha said during an interview with Nylon magazine, "I fell deep for this guy who told me that he was in love with me, but that he couldn't be with me because he was still in love with his ex. I poured my heart out, and he still chose her. It killed me! So this one night, I went to the bar to try and get him off my mind. He wouldn't stop calling my phone and texting me to apologize. I finally answered my phone, and told him to leave me alone 'cause I was too busy drinking about him ". The song was produced by The Monsters and the Strangerz based in Miami, Florida. The team has also worked with artists such as Diddy, Rihanna, Kylie Minogue, Flo Rida, and Big Sean.
Critical reception
"I Can't Stop Drinking About You" received generally positive reviews. Steff Yotka from Nylon wrote that listeners would "probably have a hard time staying seated while listening to it." Brad Stern, from MTV gave another positive review, calling the track a "certifiable smash" and named it as the number one out of five must-hear pop songs of the first week of April 2014. Justin Lipshutz from Billboard gave the song a mixed review, citing that the drop in the song seemed out of place and the title of the song was dubious. However, he praised Rexha's vocals and favorably compared the track to singer-songwriter Pink. Jon Ali described the song as "thrilling" and, unlike Lipshutz, was favorable of the breakdown. Adelle Planton of Vibe wrote that the song was "hard-hitting" and "intoxicating." Alex Kritselis from Bustle expressed that the song had "all the makings of a radio hit" and had the "potential to be as big" as Eminem's "The Monster", which Rexha co-wrote.
- "I Can't Stop Drinking About You" – 3:36
- "I Can't Stop Drinking About You" (Chainsmokers Remix) – 4:23
- "I Can't Stop Drinking About You" (Quintino Remix) – 5:07
- "I Can't Stop Drinking About You" (Dawin Remix) – 4:06
- "I Can't Stop Drinking About You" (Felix Snow Remix) – 3:21
- "I Can't Stop Drinking About You" (Jumpsmokers Remix) – 3:48
Music video
The music video for the song was released on August 12, 2014, directed by Michael Mihail. Rexha stated that the video was inspired by the films Girl, Interrupted and Melancholia. She continued to describe that she "wanted the song to be a snapshot of how someone feels at that exact moment" of a break up. The video, like the song, has received positive reviews.
Synopsis
The video begins with Rexha lying on a bed in a vacant-appearing house. It proceeds to show scenes of her outside, surrounded by empty bottles and chinaware. In slow motion, she pours vodka from a teapot and later is seen shaking and pouring the contents of bottles, also in slow motion. Next, she is seen in a dark room, with more empty bottles. Rexha then begins throwing them at a nearby wall. There are also underwater shots, where she is clad in a white dress in a dark body of water. Before she surfaces, the video cuts to her face-to-face with a man, at whom she is screaming.