Format CD single, cassette Length 3:47 | Genre Blues rock Label Capitol | |
Released May 20, 1991 (1991-05-20) Recorded November 1990—February 1991 | ||
"Something to Talk About" is a song written by Canadian singer-songwriter Shirley Eikhard and recorded by Bonnie Raitt in 1990, for her 1991 album Luck of the Draw. It was released to U.S. radio on June 3, 1991. Three single versions were released: the promo b/w the same song, the 7" single b/w "One Part Be My Lover" a song written by Raitt with her then husband actor Michael O'Keefe, which was also off Luck of the Draw, and a 12" single with these two songs and "I Ain’t Gonna Let You Break My Heart Again" off her previous album Nick of Time. In turn, this song was included on the EP version of Raitt’s 2000 single of "The Fundamental Things" taken from her 1998 album Fundamental. It was also included in 2003’s greatest hits compilation The Best of Bonnie Raitt. Live versions also appeared on 1995’s Road Tested and 2006’s Bonnie Raitt and Friends.
The song was popular on multiple formats of radio: it peaked at number 5 on Billboard's Adult Contemporary chart, number 12 on Billboard's Mainstream Rock chart, and number 5 on the Billboard Hot 100. It is among one of Bonnie Raitt's most popular songs, along with "I Can't Make You Love Me".
Raitt won the Best Female Pop Vocal Performance at the Grammy Awards of 1992 for her recording of this song (Oleta Adams, Mariah Carey, Amy Grant and Whitney Houston were the other finalists). The track also received a nomination for Record of the Year, losing to "Unforgettable" by Nat King Cole and Natalie Cole.
Anne Murray wanted to record this song in 1986, but her producers did not think it would be a hit. She still called the album that she released that year Something to Talk About even though it did not include this song.
Cover versions
"Something to Talk About" was utilized as the theme for the 1995 sitcom Women of the House (CBS-TV): this version was sung by the song's composer Shirley Eikhard.
In 2007, the country music group SHeDAISY recorded a cover of "Something to Talk About" for the soundtrack to the film The Guardian.
The song has been performed numerous times on American Idol, including by Kimberly Caldwell in season 2, Fantasia Barrino in season 3, Kellie Pickler in season 5 and Sanjaya Malakar in season 6. Sanjaya changed "how about love" from the chorus to "other than hair" during his farewell performance.
David Cross and Jon Benjamin perform a live duet on the 2007 DVD The Comedians Of Comedy: Live at the Troubadour. It was sung by Will Ferrell in the 2008 film Step Brothers and also featured in the 1995 film Something to Talk About starring Julia Roberts and Dennis Quaid.
Also, in 2008, the song was covered by Daryl Hall on his video podcast show, Live From Daryl's House with special guest, KT Tunstall.