Don't Let Me Be the Last to Know
"Don't Let Me Be the Last to Know" | |
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Song |
"Don't Let Me Be the Last to Know" is a song by American recording artist Britney Spears, taken from her second studio album, Oops!... I Did It Again (2000). It was released on January 17, 2001, by Jive Records as the fourth single of the album. After meeting with producer Robert John "Mutt" Lange in Switzerland, Spears recorded several songs for the album, including "Don't Let Me Be the Last to Know", which she considered one of her favorites on the album. Additional lyrics were written by guitar player Keith Scott and country pop singer Shania Twain. The teen-pop ballad speaks of a woman wanting to hear her boyfriend say that he needs loves her, and features a sound similar to David Bowie and Iggy Pop's song "China Girl" (1983).
"Don't Let Me Be the Last to Know" received mostly positive reviews from music critics, who considered it a good break from the album's genre and praised Spears vocals, comparing them to those of Twain and Stevie Wonder. The song attained moderate commercial success, reaching number one in Romania, and peaking inside the top ten in Austria, Europe and Switzerland, while reaching top twenty positions in many European countries. "Don't Let Me Be the Last to Know" was only released for mainstream radio in the United States; therefore, it failed to chart on the Hot 100, peaking at number 12 on the Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 and 36 on the Mainstream Top 40 due to airplay only.
An accompanying music video, directed by Herb Ritts, portrays Spears in love scenes with her fictional boyfriend, played by French model Brice Durand. The singer's real-life boyfriend at the time Justin Timberlake, however, was said to be annoyed at the kissing scenes, while the original video was considered too racy at the time by Spears mother, Lynne, because it contained sexually explicit material. Parts of the video were edited before its release to the public on March 2, 2001. As part of promotion for the song, Spears performed it at TRL, Saturday Night Live, and The View. It has also been included on four of her concert tours. "Don't Let Me Be the Last to Know" was nominated at Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards in the category of "Best Song" in 2002.
Background
In 1999, Spears began work on her second studio album, Oops!... I Did It Again (2000), in Sweden and Switzerland.[1][2] After meeting with Robert Lange in Switzerland, the singer started to record several songs for the album, including "Don't Let Me Be the Last to Know". After finishing the track, Spears revealed in an interview with Billboard that "with the first album, I didn't get to show my voice off. The songs were great, but they weren't very challenging. This song is incredible. It's going to surprise people in the best way."[2] "Don't Let Me Be the Last to Know" was written and produced by Robert Lange, while additional lyrics were written by his then-wife Shania Twain and Keith Scott.[3] Spears recorded her vocals for the song between November and December 1999 at Robert Lange's and Shania Twain's chateau in La-Tour-de Peilz, Switzerland, and it was later mixed by Nigel Green and programmed by Cory Churko, Kevin Churko and Richard Meyer.[3] During a live concert at Hawaii, included on her second home video release Live and More! (2000), Spears claimed the song as one of her favourites on Oops!... I Did It Again.[4] "Don't Let Me Be the Last to Know" was released on January 17, 2001 as the final single from the album.[5]
Composition
"Don't Let Me Be the Last to Know" is a teen pop ballad that lasts for three minutes and fifty seconds.[3][8] The song is composed in the key of E major and is set in time signature of common time with a tempo of 76 beats per minute, and Spears' vocal range spans from the low-note of F♯3 to the high-key of D♯5.[8] A NME staff reviewer said that the song takes the riff of David Bowie and Iggy Pop's "China Girl" (1983) and "puts it over schmaltzy cocktail-hour bass and love film strings."[6] Tom Terrell of MTV, however, compared the riff to the one of A Taste of Honey's cover of "Sukiyaki" (1981). Terrell further commented that the "Eagles-esque chorus" features "an '80s hair band power ballad groove" where "Britney soul-maxes with a vocal that channels both Stevie Wonder (via "Knocks Me Off My Feet") and Shania herself."[9]
Stephanie McGrath of Jam! said the song is "a nice break from the 'baby babys', 'yeah yeahs' and insistent drum beats that pepper the other songs" of Oops! [sic].[7] David Veitch of Calgary Sun compared the backing vocals to "nicely old-fashioned shoo-be-doo-doos".[10] Lyrically, "Don't Let Me Be the Last to Know" alludes to how Spears wants to hear her boyfriend say he needs her all the way and that he loves her.[9] Spears considered it a "pure and delicate" song. "It's just one of those songs that pull you in. That's why I like it, and I like singing it as well," she continued. "I think they wrote it 'specially for me, because the lyrics of the song, if you really listen... they're more of what I can relate to, 'cause they're kind of young lyrics, I think. I don't think Shania would probably sing some of the words that I'm saying."[11]
Reception
Critical response
"Don't Let Me Be the Last to Know" received mostly positive reviews from contemporary critics. Stephen Thomas Erlewine from Allmusic deemed it a "sweetly sentimental ballad" along with the other ballads on Oops!... I Did It Again,[12] while a Rhapsody review considered them "perfectly constructed ballads".[13] Stephanie McGrath of Jam! called the song "the best showcase of Spears' talents."[7] A NME staff reviewer considered the track "absolutely frightening,"[6] with Tracy E. Hopkins of Barnes & Noble deeming "Don't Let Me Be the Last to Know" a "polished ballad", and praising Shania Twain for the songwriting.[14] Billboard journalist Michael Paoletta noted that Spears may not have the vocal range of "colleagues Jessica Simpson and Christina Aguilera, but she does have an instantly recognizable style-and Oops!... indicates that she's developing a soulful edge and emotional depth that can't be conjured with a glass-shattering not", further commenting that this can be confirmed "on the hitworthy, Shania Twain-penned ballad 'Don't Let Me Be the Last to Know'."[15] While reviewing 2011's Femme Fatale Tour, Jocelyn Vena of MTV considered the song, along with "Toxic", "old-school jams".[16] The song was nominated at Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards in the category of "Best Song" in 2002.[17]
Chart performance
"Don't Let Me Be the Last to Know" was not commercially available in the United States, and was sent only to mainstream radio on March 26, 2001, a week earlier than planned by the record label.[18][19] Therefore, the track failed to make an appearance on the Billboard Hot 100 chart; however, it peaked at number twelve on Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart due to airplay only.[20] It also peaked at number 36 on the Mainstream Top 40 component chart.[18] "Don't Let Me Be the Last to Know" was successful in Europe, debuting and peaking at number nine on the European Hot 100 Singles on the chart issue dated April 14, 2001.[21] The song was also able to reach the top ten in Austria and Switzerland, while attaining top twenty positions in Belgium (Flanders), Finland, Ireland, Norway and Sweden.[5] In the United Kingdom, it debuted and peaked at number 12 on April 7, 2001, exiting the UK Singles Chart after eight weeks.[22] "Don't Let Me Be the Last to Know" achieved commercial success in Romania, where it reached number one and was the third best-selling single of 2001.[23] Despite reaching number 14 in Denmark,[5] the song was later certified Gold by International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), for shipping over 5,000 units of the single in the county.[24] It failed to chart in Australia;[5] however, the single was included as bonus second disc of the limited edition of Oops!... I Did It Again released in the country.[25]
Music video
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/7/73/Britney_Spears_-_Don%27t_Let_Me_Be_the_Last_to_Know.png/250px-Britney_Spears_-_Don%27t_Let_Me_Be_the_Last_to_Know.png)
The music video for "Don't Let Me Be the Last to Know" was directed by the American photographer Herb Ritts, and shot at Key Biscane in Miami, Florida in the last week of January 2001.[28] According to Ritts, Spears "wanted to do something fresh. There was one outfit, no dancing, and that meant that it boiled down to her. She really had to act the song, and she was very impressive."[28] He also revealed the setting of the video was built as "a funky beach shack" similar to Madonna's "Cherish" (1989) and Chris Isaak's "Wicked Game" (1989).[28] "The story is, pretty much, Britney longing for him to tell her the words", said Ritts,[28] who was impressed with the chemistry between the singer and her fictional boyfriend, played by French model Brice Durand.[28] Spears' real-life boyfriend at the time Justin Timberlake, however, "was said to be miffed at Spears' kissing scenes with French model," according to Jennifer Vineyard of MTV.[26] Spears mother, Lynne, also criticized considered the original music video for being too racy at the time, because it contained sexually explicit material.[27] Parts of the video were edited before its release to the public.[29]
The music video debuted at number one on MTV's TRL on March 2, 2001.[19][30] The video begins with Spears and her boyfriend in a hammock. Cuts of her cuddling with her love interest beside a fire are also included. We also see her and her boyfriend on the seashore doing a love scene. Inside a tiki hut, Spears exclaims the words she wants her boyfriend to know. In the second half of the video, she is seen on a tree where her boyfriend reaches for her. There are also scenes where she is running on the beach and her boyfriend is chasing after her. Spears wears only a bikini top and a pair of cutoff shorts during the whole video.[30] The music video was considered by Spears as "the funnest video I've ever done."[28] An alternate footage of the video can be found on the DVD of Spears first compilation album Greatest Hits: My Prerogative.[31] Vineyard considered the footage as the one that "makes the most use of Britney's body of work, with the spaceman from "Oops!... I Did It Again", an opening door from "My Prerogative" and one love interest from "Toxic" all making cameos".[31]
Live performances
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e8/Don%27t_Let_Me_Be_the_Last_to_Know_%28FFT_Argentina%29.jpg/220px-Don%27t_Let_Me_Be_the_Last_to_Know_%28FFT_Argentina%29.jpg)
The first performance of "Don't Let Me Be the Last to Know" was on March 8, 2000, during the Crazy 2k Tour in Pensacola, Florida, where Spears appeared onstage sitting on a magic carpet and flew over the audience while singing the song.[32][33] After releasing her second studio album, Oops!... I Did It Again, Spears performed the song on the American music show TRL,[34] on Saturday Night Live[4] and on The View.[35] She also performed the song live on 2000's Oops!... I Did It Again World Tour. After performing "Sometimes", she climbed the staircase and briefly spoke to the audience before moving into the performance of the song, for which she wore a long white dress trimmed with boa feathers.[33][36] "Don't Let Me Be the Last to Know" was performed also on 2001's Dream Within a Dream Tour. The performance consisted on Spears singing the song on an elevated platform wearing an evening gown with artificial snow falling from the ceiling, while two of her dancers performed a routine.[37][38]
Almost ten years later, "Don't Let Me Be the Last to Know" was peformed by Spears on her 2011's Femme Fatale Tour.[39] The performance consists of Spears sitting on a swing singing the song, whilst a male dancer dances beneath her, at one point attaching himself by his feet to the swing whilst midair.[40] Shirley Halperin of The Hollywood Reporter named it one of the best performances of the show along with "Piece of Me" and "3", stating that "ironically enough, [they] were the ones with fewest frills."[41] In a review of the special broadcasted by American premium television channel Epix of the tour, Jocelyn Vena of MTV summarized her thoughts about the performance saying, "It's rare these days to see Britney Spears show her soft side, but she takes a break from the nonstop, fist-pumping music during the spectacle that is the Femme Fatale Tour and kicks it old-school, showing us she still has the heart and soul to bust out a power ballad."[42]
Track listings
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Credits and personnel
Credits for "Don't Let Me Be the Last to Know" adapted from Oops!... I Did It Again liner notes.[3]
- Technical
- Recorded at Mutt Lange's and Shania Twain's chateau in La-Tour-de Peilz, Switzerland.
- Mixed by Nigel Green for Out Of Pocket Productions, Ltd.
- Personnel
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Charts and certifications
Weekly charts
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Year-end charts
Certifications
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Release history
Country | Date | Format | Label |
---|---|---|---|
Europe[5] | January 17, 2001 | CD single | Jive Records |
United States[18] | March 26, 2001 | Mainstream radio | |
Japan[54] | April 4, 2001 | CD single |
References
- ^ Basham, David (November 19, 1999). "Britney Spears Works On Next LP In Switzerland, Sweden". MTV. MTV Networks. Retrieved July 19, 2009.
- ^ a b Newman, Melinda (December 18, 1999). "Backstage At Awards". Billboard. 111 (51). Nielsen Business Media, Inc: 95. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved January 19, 2011.
{{cite journal}}
: More than one of|pages=
and|page=
specified (help) - ^ a b c d Oops!... I Did It Again liner notes. Jive Records (2000)
- ^ a b Live and More! liner notes. Jive Records (2000)
- ^ a b c d e f "Britney Spears – Don't Let Me Be the Last to Know" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved May 13, 2011.
- ^ a b c "Oops!... I Did It Again – NME Review". NME. IPC Media. May 29, 2000. Retrieved December 19, 2010.
- ^ a b c McGrath, Stephanie (2000). "Album Review: Oops!... I Did It Again". Jam. Canadian Online Explorer. Retrieved December 19, 2010.
- ^ a b "Britney Spears Don't Let Me Be the Last to Know – Digital Sheet Music". Music Notes. Universal Music Publishing Group. Retrieved February 6, 2010.
- ^ a b Terrel, Tom (September 14, 2000). "MTV Online Review". MTV. MTV Networks. Archived from the original on September 14, 2000. Retrieved October 29, 2011.
- ^ Veitch, David (May 13, 2000). "Britney hits us one more time". Calgary Sun. Mike Power. Retrieved December 19, 2010.
- ^ Manning, Kara (May 9, 2000). "Britney Spears On Working With "Mutt," Shania". MTV. MTV Networks. Retrieved December 23, 2010.
- ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas (May 12, 2000). "Oops!... I Did It Again by Britney Spears". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved February 12, 2011.
- ^ "Oops!... I Did It Again by Britney Spears". Rhapsody Music. May 16, 2000. Retrieved February 12, 2011.
- ^ Hopkins, Tracy. "Oops!... I Did It Again, Britney Spears, Music CD". Barnes and Noble. Retrieved February 12, 2011.
- ^ Paoletta, Michael (2000). "Albums: Spotlight". Billboard. 112 (21). Nielsen Business Media, Inc: 124. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved October 29, 2011.
- ^ Vena, Jocelyn (June 17, 2011). "Britney Spears Kicks Off 'Flashiest' Tour Yet". MTV. MTV Networks. Retrieved June 17, 2011.
- ^ Martens, Todd (March 6, 2002). "Familiar Faces Lead Kids' Choice Nominations". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved July 19, 2009.
- ^ a b c Rowe, Andrea (2009-12-27). "Britney Spears (2000–2009). Her Biggest Hits". Yahoo! Voices. Yahoo! Network. Retrieved 2012-04-05.
- ^ a b "Don't Let Me Be the Last to Know Impaction Radio 4/2". Entertainment Wire. The Free Library. March 1, 2001. Retrieved December 19, 2010.
- ^ a b Whitburn, Joel (2005). Bubbling Under the Billboard Hot 100: 1959-2004: Joel Whitburn Presents. Record Research. ISBN 978–0–89820–162–8.
{{cite book}}
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(help) - ^ a b Hits of the World - Continued. Vol. 113. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. April 14, 2001. ISSN 0006-2510.
{{cite book}}
:|journal=
ignored (help) - ^ a b "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 13, 2011.
- ^ a b c "Top of the Year 2001". Romanian Top 100. January 1, 2002. Archived from the original on December 9, 2002. Retrieved February 3, 2011.
- ^ a b "Guld og Platin 2001" (in Danish). IFPI Danmark. Archived from the original on October 16, 2002. Retrieved August 6, 2011.
{{cite web}}
:|archive-date=
/|archive-url=
timestamp mismatch; October 5, 2002 suggested (help) - ^ "Oops!... I Did It Again – Special Edition". Amazon.com. March 26, 2001. Retrieved July 22, 2007.
- ^ a b Vineyard, Jennifer (March 11, 2002). "Britney Spears Denies Reports Of Split With Justin Timberlake". MTV. MTV Networks. Retrieved December 21, 2010.
- ^ a b Slotek, Jim (2001). "Britney, A to Z". Jam. Canadian Online Explorer. Retrieved December 19, 2010.
- ^ a b c d e f Scaggs, Austin (January 30, 2001). "Britney Does Miami for Video". Rolling Stone. Jann Wenner. Archived from the original on November 2, 2011. Retrieved December 23, 2010.
- ^ "Mom disaporoves video". The Gainesville Sun. James E. Doughton. March 5, 2001. Retrieved December 19, 2010.
- ^ a b Anitai, Tamar (May 20, 2009). "Buzzworthy's Top 10 Favorite Short-Shorts Videos". MTV. MTV Networks. Retrieved December 21, 2010.
- ^ a b Vineyard, Jennifer (October 27, 2004). "Britney DVD Has Alternate Takes Of Her Videos, Plus More Skin". MTV. MTV Networks. Retrieved December 21, 2010.
- ^ An MTV News staff report (April 12, 2000). "Britney Ponders "Baby" Follow-Up". MTV. MTV Networks. Retrieved December 24, 2010.
- ^ a b Blandford, James R. (2002). Britney. Omnibus Press. ISBN 978-0-7119-9419-5.
{{cite book}}
: Invalid|ref=harv
(help) - ^ "Total Request Live – Episode Guide 2000". TV Guide. OpenGate Capital. Retrieved December 24, 2010.
- ^ "The View – Episode Guide 2000". TV Guide. OpenGate Capital. Retrieved December 24, 2010.
- ^ Miller, Andrew (2000-07-20). "Britney Spears/Mikaila". The Pitch. Village Voice Media. Retrieved 2010-01-20.
- ^ Larry Nager (November 12, 2001). "Lip-synching Britney wows teens with wizardry". The National Enquirer. American Media, Inc. Retrieved 2010-01-24.
- ^ Catherine McHugh (September 1, 2002). "Britney's Big Splash". Live Design. Penton Media. Retrieved 2010-02-04.
- ^ Corner, Lewis (June 13, 2011). "Britney Spears unveils 'Femme Fatale' tour setlist". Digital Spy. Retrieved June 13, 2011.
- ^ Walters, Barry (June 17, 2011). "Britney Spears Proves She's Still Got It at 'Femme Fatale' Tour Kickoff". Rolling Stone. Jann Wenner. Archived from the original on November 2, 2011. Retrieved June 17, 2011.
- ^ Halperin, Shirley (June 21, 2011). "Britney Spears at Staples Center: Concert Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Lynne Segall. Retrieved July 8, 2011.
- ^ Vena, Jocelyn (November 11, 2011). "Britney Spears Concert Special: 3 Can't-Miss Moments". MTV. MTV Networks. Retrieved November 11, 2011.
- ^ (Media notes).
{{cite AV media notes}}
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suggested) (help); Unknown parameter|Year=
ignored (|year=
suggested) (help) - ^ "Amazon.com: Don't Let Me Be Last to Know / Stronger CD2: Britney Spears: Music". Amazon.com. March 26, 2001. Retrieved February 22, 2011.
- ^ (Media notes).
{{cite AV media notes}}
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{{cite AV media notes}}
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suggested) (help); Unknown parameter|Year=
ignored (|year=
suggested) (help) - ^ "Britney Spears – Don't Let Me Be the Last to Know" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved May 13, 2011.
- ^ "Britney Spears – Don't Let Me Be the Last to Know" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved May 13, 2011.
- ^ "Britney Spears – Don't Let Me Be the Last to Know". Tracklisten. Retrieved May 13, 2011.
- ^ "Britney Spears: Don't Let Me Be the Last to Know" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat. Retrieved May 13, 2011.
- ^ "Britney Spears – Don't Let Me Be the Last to Know" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved May 13, 2011.
- ^ "Chart Track: Week 14, 2001". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved May 13, 2011.
- ^ Federation of the Italian Music Industry (2001). "Italian Singles Chart". Retrieved December 16, 2010.
- ^ a b "ブリトニー・スピアーズのCDアルバムランキング、ブリトニー・-ORICON STYLE" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved August 8, 2010.
- ^ "Britney Spears – Don't Let Me Be the Last to Know" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved May 13, 2011.
- ^ "Britney Spears – Don't Let Me Be the Last to Know". VG-lista. Retrieved May 13, 2011.
- ^ "Britney Spears – Don't Let Me Be the Last to Know". Singles Top 100. Retrieved May 13, 2011.
- ^ "Britney Spears – Don't Let Me Be the Last to Know". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved May 13, 2011.
- ^ "Britney Spears Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 2011-04-02.
External links