Stupid in Love

Last updated
"Stupid in Love"
Song by Rihanna
from the album Rated R
Recorded2009
Studio Metropolis (London)
Genre R&B
Length4:01
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Audio video
"Stupid in Love" on YouTube

"Stupid in Love" is a song recorded by Barbadian singer Rihanna for her fourth studio album, Rated R (2009). The song was written by R&B singer Ne-Yo and pop producer duo StarGate, with the duo also handling production. Ne-Yo served as the assistant producer, and Makeba Riddick as vocal producer. It was written two days before Rihanna and then boyfriend Chris Brown's altercation on the night of the 2009 Grammy Awards, which occurred on February 8, 2009. The lyrical content, which describes an abusive relationship, led Ne-Yo to describe the song as a "premonition". [1]

Contents

"Stupid in Love" is a R&B power ballad. Instrumentation is provided by finger snapping, minor piano keys and piano riffs. The lyrics of the song revolve around a female protagonist who realizes that she needs to escape an abusive and adulterous boyfriend. "Stupid in Love" received a mixed to positive response from music critics. Some critics praised Rihanna's emotional delivery of the song whereas others criticized it as being overly dark. Upon the release of Rated R, the song peaked at number seven on the South Korea Gaon International Chart on December 27, 2009.

Background and development

Co-writer of the song Ne-Yo stated that "Stupid in Love", which contains lyrics associated with domestic violence, was written two days before Rihanna and Chris Brown's altercation on the night of the 2009 Grammy Awards, which occurred on February 8, 2009. Ne-Yo in the studio.jpg
Co-writer of the song Ne-Yo stated that "Stupid in Love", which contains lyrics associated with domestic violence, was written two days before Rihanna and Chris Brown's altercation on the night of the 2009 Grammy Awards, which occurred on February 8, 2009.

"Stupid in Love" was written by Shaffer Smith, under his stage name Ne-Yo, and Mikkel S. Eriksen and Tor Erik Hermansen, under their production name StarGate. [3] Ne-Yo served as the assistant producer. [3] The song was recorded in 2009 at Metropolis Studios, London. [3] On February 8, 2009, Rihanna's scheduled performance at the 2009 Grammy Awards was cancelled. [4] Reports later surfaced regarding an alleged altercation with then boyfriend, singer Chris Brown, who was arrested on suspicion of making criminal threats. [5] On March 5, 2009, Brown was charged with assault and making criminal threats. [6] In the months that proceeded the altercation, both Rihanna and Brown kept low profiles and avoided media attention. [7] [8]

In an interview for MTV News, co-writer of "Stupid in Love" Ne-Yo, who had collaborated with Rihanna on her previous albums A Girl like Me (2006) and Good Girl Gone Bad (2007), clarified that he would not write a song for Rihanna with regard to Brown as he found it unnecessary and because of his friendship with Brown. [9] Producer Chuck Harmony concurred with Ne-Yo's statement, saying that no matter what song Rihanna released as the lead single people would immediately think that the song is about Brown. [10] In an interview with USA Today , Ne-Yo later revealed that the song was written two days before Rihanna and Brown's altercation, citing it as "a premonition." [1] In an interview with Sway Calloway for MTV News at Rated R's preview in New York City, Rihanna stated that the album represented her honesty and vulnerbility. [11] During the preview, Calloway noted that "Stupid in Love" was the song most likely to receive comparisons to Brown, with emphasis on the lyric "I still love you, but I can't do this/ I may be dumb but I'm not stupid." [11]

Composition

"Stupid in Love" is a R&B [2] [12] power ballad [2] [13] which lasts for 4:01 (four minutes, one second). [14] Instrumentation is provided by finger snapping, [15] minor piano keys [13] [16] and piano riffs, a style of repeated chord progression. [2] The lyrics of "Stupid in Love" revolve around a woman in an abusive and adulterous relationship, progressing to the female protagonist leaving her boyfriend. [2] [13] The song begins with the line "Let me tell you somethin' / Never / Have I ever / Been a size 10 in my whole life." [2] Rihanna sings the line "This is stupid / I'm not stupid / Don't talk to me / Like I'm stupid" during the chorus. [2] The bridge consists of Rihanna singing "Trying to make this work / but you act like a jerk." [16] As noted by Rob Harvilla of The Village Voice , the bridge represents the moment when Rihanna realizes that it is not worth her while to stay in the relationship, writing "the dunce cap is off". [2] "Stupid in Love" contains a lyrical metaphor, "Blood on your hands." [1]

Critical reception

"Stupid in Love" garnered mixed to positive reviews from music critics. Leah Greenblatt for Entertainment Weekly praised Rihanna's high level of emotional conviction on "Stupid in Love", writing that it is a piece of "self-lacerating balladry." [17] Neil McCormick for The Daily Telegraph thought that the song was a direct reference to Rihanna and Brown, writing "Rihanna notoriously received a black eye prior to the 2009 Grammy awards when she was attacked by her then boyfriend, R&B singer Chris Brown. Clearly, this is a potentially life-changing incident, and we get some sense of the emotional aftermath on the ballad Stupid In Love." [18] Norman Mayers for Nu-Soul Magazine concurred with McCormick, writing that Rihanna does not shy away from what happened between herself and Brown, rather, she confronts it directly on "Stupid in Love". [19] Alex Thornton for HipHopDX wrote that it is difficult to listen to the song without thinking of "you know who," referring to Brown. [20]

Michaelangelo Matos for The A.V. Club wrote that "Stupid in Love" sounded more like a therapy sessions than a song. [21] Ryan Dombal of Pitchfork Media was critical of the song, labeling it as "quite-dim." [22] Emily Tartanella for Popmatters was not impressed by the song, writing "'Stupid in Love' might be aiming for something more, but they arrive at something less." [23] Chris Richards for The Washington Post wrote that "Stupid in Love", along with the lead single released from the album "Russian Roulette", consisted of "plodding beats" and "forgettable hooks". [24] Richards continued in his review to write that the song is about "heavyhearted confessions to the treacliest of melodies." [24] Eric Henderson for Slant Magazine was critical of the first six songs on Rated R ("Mad House", "Wait Your Turn", "Hard", "Stupid in Love", "Rockstar 101" and "Russian Roulette") were "grim and relentless." [25]

Track listing

  1. "Stupid in Love" – 4:01
  1. "Stupid in Love" (Chew Fu Small Room Fix) – 5:32

Credits and personnel

Personnel

Recording

Credits adapted from the liner notes of Rated R, Def Jam Recordings. [3]

Charts

Upon the release of Rated R, "Stupid in Love" debuted at number eight on the South Korea Gaon International Chart on December 27, 2009. [27] The following week, it peaked at number seven for two consecutive weeks. [28] [29]

Chart (2010)Peak
position
South Korea Gaon International Chart [29] 7

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rihanna</span> Barbadian singer, actress, and businesswoman (born 1988)

Robyn Rihanna Fenty is a Barbadian singer, businesswoman, actress, and songwriter. She is widely regarded as one of the most prominent recording artists of the 21st century. Rihanna signed with Def Jam Recordings in 2005 and found mainstream recognition following the release of her first two studio albums, Music of the Sun (2005) and A Girl Like Me (2006). Both influenced by Caribbean music, the albums quickly earned commercial success and peaked within the top ten on the US Billboard 200 chart. Her third album, Good Girl Gone Bad (2007), incorporated elements of dance-pop, and established her status as a major icon in the music industry. Its lead single, "Umbrella" peaked atop the US Billboard Hot 100, won her first Grammy Award from three nominations, and remains one of the best-selling singles of all time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ne-Yo</span> American singer (born 1979)

Shaffer Chimere Smith, known professionally as Ne-Yo, is an American singer, songwriter, actor, dancer, and record producer. Regarded as a leading figure of 2000s R&B music, he is the recipient of numerous accolades including three Grammy Awards. He gained recognition for his songwriting abilities following the success of his first major credit, Mario's 2004 single "Let Me Love You". Its release prompted a meeting between Ne-Yo and Def Jam's then-president Jay-Z, resulting in a contract in which he released four successful studio albums and numerous hit songs for the label.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chris Brown</span> American singer, rapper, dancer, actor, and entrepreneur (born 1989)

Christopher Maurice Brown is an American singer, songwriter, rapper, dancer and actor. He is regarded as one of the most prominent artists in R&B music, being credited as an evolver of the genre, and often being referred to by contemporaries as the "King of R&B". His R&B has been characterized by several influences from other genres, mainly pop music and hip hop. His lyrics develop predominantly over emotional and hedonistic themes. Brown has had wide comparisons to Michael Jackson for his singing and dancing abilities.

<i>A Girl Like Me</i> (Rihanna album) 2006 studio album by Rihanna

A Girl Like Me is the second studio album by Barbadian singer Rihanna. It was released on April 10, 2006, by Def Jam Recordings. For the production of the album, Rihanna worked with Evan Rogers, Carl Sturken, Stargate, J. R. Rotem, and label-mate Ne-Yo, who wrote the album's second single. Described as a "deft mixture of island rhythms, contemporary R&B, and balladry", A Girl Like Me is a pop, reggae and R&B album influenced by Rihanna's Caribbean roots. The album also incorporates elements of dancehall, dub-pop, hip hop, club, dance and rock music as well as ballads, which music critics were ambivalent towards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Unfaithful (song)</span> 2006 song by Rihanna

"Unfaithful" is a song by Barbadian singer Rihanna from her second studio album A Girl like Me (2006). It was written by Shaffer "Ne-Yo" Smith with the song's producers Stargate. The song was released by Def Jam Recordings on May 1, 2006, as the second single from the album. "Unfaithful" is a pop, dancehall and R&B ballad and was inspired by the music of American rock band Evanescence. Originally titled "Murderer", the single speaks about a woman who regrets cheating on her partner.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hate That I Love You</span> 2007 single by Rihanna featuring Ne-Yo

"Hate That I Love You" is a song recorded by Barbadian singer Rihanna for her third studio album, Good Girl Gone Bad (2007). It features vocals by American singer and songwriter Ne-Yo, who co-wrote the song with its producers Stargate. Def Jam Recordings released the song on August 21, 2007, as the third single from Good Girl Gone Bad. A Spanglish version featuring Spanish singer David Bisbal was made available on April 28, 2008. "Hate That I Love You" is a mid-tempo pop and R&B song about the power of love, with influences of folk music. "Hate That I Love You" received generally positive reviews from critics, many of whom compared it to previous works by Ne-Yo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Take a Bow (Rihanna song)</span> 2008 single by Rihanna

"Take a Bow" is a song recorded by Barbadian singer Rihanna for Good Girl Gone Bad: Reloaded (2008), the re-release of her third studio album Good Girl Gone Bad (2007). The song was written and produced by Tor Erik Hermansen, Mikkel Eriksen, and Shaffer Smith under their stage names StarGate and Ne-Yo. "Take a Bow" was released as the first single on April 15, 2008, from the re-release and the fifth single overall from the two releases. It is an R&B song that contains elements of dance-pop. Critical reception of "Take a Bow" was mixed, with some critics praising the song's lyrics and powerful balladry, while others criticized StarGate's production as unoriginal.

<i>Rated R</i> (Rihanna album) 2009 studio album by Rihanna

Rated R is the fourth studio album by Barbadian singer Rihanna. It was released on November 20, 2009, by Def Jam Recordings and SRP Records. Recording sessions for the album began in March 2009 and took place at recording studios throughout United States and Europe. Rihanna was the executive producer of the album alongside Antonio "L.A." Reid and The Carter Administration. It features additional production by various record producers, including Chase & Status, Stargate, The-Dream, Ne-Yo, and Brian Kennedy. The record features several vocalists and instrumentalists, including Young Jeezy, will.i.am, Justin Timberlake and Slash, who played the guitars in "Rockstar 101".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Russian Roulette (Rihanna song)</span> 2009 single by Rihanna

"Russian Roulette" is a song recorded by Barbadian singer Rihanna for her fourth studio album, Rated R (2009). It premiered on radio stations worldwide on October 20, 2009, and was released as the album's lead single on October 26 by Def Jam Recordings. Written and produced by Ne-Yo and Chuck Harmony, "Russian Roulette" is a pop and R&B ballad that contains dark, morbid, and tense atmospheric elements in its composition. Lyrically, the single is about an abusive romantic relationship that ended abruptly. Music critics noted the lyrical theme to be a response to the domestic violence case between Rihanna and her former boyfriend, singer Chris Brown.

Charles T. Harmon, better known as Chuck Harmony, is an American music producer, musician, songwriter and entrepreneur, based in Nashville, Tennessee. He is a three-time Grammy Award nominee, and won a 2011 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Song for Fantasia’s "Bittersweet".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hard (song)</span> 2009 single by Rihanna

"Hard" is a song by Barbadian recording artist Rihanna from her fourth studio album, Rated R (2009). The song features a guest verse from American rapper Young Jeezy, credited only as "Jeezy" on the album. The artists co-wrote the song with its producers, The-Dream and Tricky Stewart. "Hard" was sent to radio by Def Jam Recordings on November 10, 2009, as the second United States single from Rated R. It is a hip hop song and features military horns, hissing synthesizers, sharp beats and piano chords.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wait Your Turn</span> 2009 single by Rihanna

"Wait Your Turn" is a song recorded by Barbadian singer Rihanna for her fourth studio album, Rated R (2009). It was written by Mikkel S. Eriksen, Tor Erik Hermansen, Saul Milton, Will Kennard, James Fauntleroy II, Takura Tendayi, and Rihanna herself. Stargate and Chase & Status produced the song. "Wait Your Turn" was released on November 13, 2009, as the second international and third overall single from Rated R.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rockstar 101</span> 2010 single by Rihanna

"Rockstar 101" is a song by Barbadian singer Rihanna from her fourth studio album, Rated R (2009). The song features the British-American guitarist Slash of the rock group Guns N' Roses. It was released on May 18, 2010, as the fifth single from the album. Rihanna wrote the song in collaboration with the producers The-Dream and Christopher "Tricky" Stewart; vocal production was carried out by Makeba Riddick. The album version is a grunge-crunk and hip hop song, while the remix EP's consist of dance, dubstep and electronic music adaptations, some of which were remixed by Dave Audé and Mark Picchiotti.

"Fading" is a song by Barbadian recording artist Rihanna from her fifth studio album, Loud (2010). The song was written by Darnell Dalton, Jamal Jones, Lamar Taylor, Quinton Amey and William Hodge, with production by Kuk Harrell, Willy Will, Veronika Bozeman and Jones under his production moniker Polow da Don. Originally, the song sampled Irish instrumentalist and singer-songwriter Enya's "One by One", though this was later removed post-album release. Lyrically, the song is about leaving a man in a relationship. After Loud had strong digital download sales in the United Kingdom, "Fading" charted at number 187 on that country's singles chart in November 2010. The song received generally positive reviews from music critics, who praised da Don's production, but one critic criticized Rihanna for copying herself and failing to create something different. Some critics also compared it to one of Rihanna's previous singles, "Take a Bow". The song has also been performed on select dates of the Loud Tour (2011).

"Birthday Cake" is a song by Barbadian singer Rihanna, from her sixth studio album, Talk That Talk (2011). After it leaked onto the Internet, fans expressed interest in the track being included on Talk That Talk, but it was later revealed that the 1:18 length that leaked was in fact the final cut and was not being considered for inclusion on the album. Due to a high level of fan interest, the song was included on the album as an interlude. The full length version, also known as the official remix of the track, featuring Rihanna's ex-boyfriend Chris Brown, premiered online on February 20, 2012, to coincide with Rihanna's 24th birthday. The song peaked in the top thirty on the Billboard Hot 100. The lyrics to "Birthday Cake" express the desire to have spontaneous sex. Music critics were divided on "Birthday Cake", with the majority both praising and criticising the song's sexual lyrical content. Several critics compared the song to the previous track on the album "Cockiness ", which also consists of sexually explicit lyrics. Upon the release of Talk That Talk, the song debuted on the lower regions of the singles charts in South Korea, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

<i>Rated R: Remixed</i> 2010 remix album by Rihanna

Rated R: Remixed is the second remix album by Barbadian singer Rihanna. It was released on May 8, 2010, in Brazil and Europe and on May 24, 2010, in the United States by Def Jam Recordings. It contains remixes from her fourth studio album, Rated R (2009). The songs were solely remixed by Chew Fu. The majority of the remixes were remastered to incorporate influences from the genre of house music, and incorporate heavy usage of synthesizers as part of their instrumentation.

"Nobody's Business" is a song recorded by Barbadian singer Rihanna for her seventh studio album Unapologetic (2012). Co-written by Rihanna together with its producers Terius "The-Dream" Nash and Carlos "Los" McKinney, it features guest vocals by American singer Chris Brown. It is their third collaboration following the domestic violence case that happened between them in 2009. "Nobody's Business" is a house, disco-pop and R&B-funk song that mixes Chicago stepping and features strings, piano, and a four-on-the-floor kick drum. It contains interpolation of the 1987 single "The Way You Make Me Feel" by Michael Jackson.

<i>Good Girl Gone Bad: Reloaded</i> 2008 studio album (reissue) by Rihanna

Good Girl Gone Bad: Reloaded is the reissue of Barbadian singer Rihanna's third studio album Good Girl Gone Bad (2007). It was first released digitally in selected countries on June 2, 2008, by Def Jam Recordings and SRP Records. Launched to mark the first anniversary of the original album, Good Girl Gone Bad: Reloaded features three newly recorded songs and a DVD showing exclusive behind-the-scenes footage of Rihanna's worldwide tour, the Good Girl Gone Bad Tour (2007–2009). For the new material, she worked with past collaborators Ne-Yo, Stargate, and C. "Tricky" Stewart, as well as Brian Kennedy, Mark Endert, Mike Elizondo, Mark "Spike" Stent and Maroon 5.

"Cold Case Love" is a song recorded by Barbadian singer Rihanna for her fourth studio album, Rated R (2009). It was written and produced by The Y's. Following Chris Brown's assault on Rihanna, she started working on the sound of her new album. Timberlake, who co-wrote "Cold Case Love", labeled the sound of Rihanna's new project as a step forward for the singer. In February 2010, Rihanna admitted that the song's lyrics are about her complicated relationship with Brown.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Gardner, Elysa (2009-12-06). "For Rihanna, 'Rated R' doesn't reveal it all". USA Today . Retrieved 2012-01-24.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Harvilla, Rob (2009-10-24). "Review: Rated R". The Village Voice . Archived from the original on 2012-03-07. Retrieved 2009-11-25.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Rated R (liner notes). Rihanna. Def Jam Recordings, SRP Records. 2009.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  4. ↑ Swash, Rosie (2009-02-09). "Grammys 2009: Rihanna cancels appearance after boyfriend Chris Brown arrested". The Guardian . London. Retrieved 2012-01-24.
  5. ↑ Friedman, Roger (2009-02-10). "Chaos in Chris Brown-Rihanna Mess". Fox News Channel . News Corporation . Retrieved 2012-01-24.
  6. ↑ Lee, Ken (2009-03-05). "Chris Brown Charged with Two Felonies in Rihanna Beating". People . Retrieved 2009-05-30.
  7. ↑ Blas, Lorena (2009-02-10). "Chris Brown, Rihanna keeping a low profile". USA Today . Retrieved 2012-01-24.
  8. ↑ "Rihanna tries to keep a low-profile". Evening Standard . Daily Mail and General Trust. 2009-04-09. Retrieved 2012-01-24.
  9. ↑ Rodriguez, Jayson (2009-06-22). "Ne-Yo Won't Write A 'Chris Brown Bash Song' For Rihanna". MTV News. Viacom . Retrieved 2012-01-24.
  10. ↑ Vena, Jocelyn (2009-10-21). "Rihanna May Have Released 'Russian Roulette' For 'Shock Value,' Producer Says". MTV News. Viacom. Retrieved 2009-10-21.
  11. 1 2 Rodriguez, Jayson (2009-10-10). "Rihanna Album Preview: Rated R Is Her 'Mini-Movie'". MTV News. Viacom. Retrieved 2012-01-24.
  12. ↑ Hines, Will (2009-10-19). "Album Review: Rihanna – Rated R". Consequence of Sound . Retrieved 2012-01-24.
  13. 1 2 3 Slavik, Nathan. "Rihanna - Rated R". DJ Booth. Archived from the original on 2015-01-07. Retrieved 2012-01-24.
  14. 1 2 "Rated R – Rihanna". iTunes Store (US). Apple . Retrieved 2012-01-24.
  15. ↑ Kot, Greg (2009-11-20). "Album review: Rihanna, Rated R". Chicago Tribune . Retrieved 2012-01-24.
  16. 1 2 Allen, Kris (2009-11-23). "New CDs". The New York Times . Retrieved 2012-01-24.
  17. ↑ Greenblatt, Leah (2009-11-18). "Rated R (2009)". Entertainment Weekly . Archived from the original on 2014-11-29. Retrieved 2009-11-21.
  18. ↑ McCormick, Neil (2009-11-20). "Review: Rated R". The Daily Telegraph . London. Retrieved 2009-12-17.
  19. ↑ Mayers, Norman. "Rihanna - Rated R". Nu-Soul Magazine. Archived from the original on 2012-11-10. Retrieved 2009-12-27.
  20. ↑ Thorton, Alex (2009-10-20). "Rihanna's Rated R Planned For November Release". HipHopDX. Retrieved 2009-10-24.
  21. ↑ Matos, Michaelangelo (2009-12-03). "Rihanna: Rated R". The A.V. Club . The Onion. Retrieved 2010-03-07.
  22. ↑ Dombal, Ryan. "Review: Rated R". Pitchfork Media . Retrieved 2009-12-03.
  23. ↑ Tartanella, Emily. "Rihanna: Rated R - Reviews". PopMatters . Retrieved 2009-12-12.
  24. 1 2 Richards, Chris (2009-11-22). "Recordings: Chris Richards reviews the album Rated R by Rihanna". The Washington Post . Retrieved 2009-11-22.
  25. ↑ Henderson, Eric (2009-11-22). "Rihanna - Rated R". Slant Magazine. Archived from the original on 2009-11-29. Retrieved 2009-11-22.
  26. ↑ "iTunes - Music - Rated R: Remixed - Rihanna". iTunes Store (Finland). Apple. 2010-05-08. Retrieved 2012-02-11.
  27. ↑ "South Korea Gaon International Chart (Week: December 27, 2009 to January 2, 2010)". Gaon Chart. Archived from the original on February 25, 2012. Retrieved 2012-01-24.
  28. ↑ "South Korea Gaon International Chart (Week: January 3, 2010 to January 9, 2010)". Gaon Chart. Archived from the original on February 25, 2012. Retrieved 2012-01-24.
  29. 1 2 "South Korea Gaon International Chart (Week: January 10, 2010 to January 16, 2010)". Gaon Chart. Archived from the original on February 25, 2012. Retrieved 2012-01-24.

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.