Tell Me Where It Hurts (Garbage song)
Encyclopedia
"Tell Me Where It Hurts" is the 2007 lead single
from alternative rock
band Garbage
's career-spanning greatest hits
album Absolute Garbage
, and was released as a physical single
by A&E Records
in the United Kingdom
and Ireland
, and as a digital single or airplay-only release in other worldwide territories.
"Tell Me Where It Hurts" was written by Garbage members Duke Erikson
, Shirley Manson
, Steve Marker
and Butch Vig
in Los Angeles
in March 2007 after an eighteen month hiatus from working as a group, as they needed to write some new songs for inclusion on Absolute Garbage. The song was written around a string
arrangement
by the band coupled with newly written lyrics
and a title that vocalist
Manson had come up with a few years prior.
in Los Angeles, ending their self-imposed hiatus to record new tracks following the band's appearance at a benefit show in Glendale
, California
for musician Wally Ingram
who had been suffering from throat cancer
. In an interview prior to that event, drummer
Vig told Billboard
"Despite the layoff, the group has been sharing song ideas via the Internet. We need to sit down in a room and play them and get them complete".
The genesis of "Tell Me Where It Hurts" came from Garbage jamming
in a Bacharach
-style, which took shape in the recording studio once guitar
s were added. Manson did not want the song to be a "simple, lovey-dovey love song
, it had to have strange connotations".
During the sessions to write new songs for Absolute Garbage, Garbage worked on four songs - "Tell Me Where It Hurts", "Betcha", "All The Good In This Life" and "Girls Talk Shit". Of the four songs, only "Tell Me Where It Hurts" made the album, while of the other three songs, one ended up a b-side, one an iTunes
bonus and one remaining unreleased respectively. Garbage completed two versions of "Tell Me Where It Hurts": an orchestral version and a "Guitars Up" mix with a rockier arrangement.
Bass
on "Tell Me Where It Hurts" was performed by Daniel Shulman
, who had been Garbage's touring bassist
from 1995 until 2002, as well as performing on tracks from both Version 2.0
and Beautiful Garbage. This was his first appearance on a Garbage track since taking up an A&R
position with Island Def Jam Music Group in 2003.
and on two 7" formats. By June 11, that release date had been pushed back a week to July 16 and one of the 7" formats was cancelled and replaced with a DVD single
. On May 31, Garbage's MySpace
profile was updated to include "Tell Me Where It Hurts" and its b-side, a remix of "Bad Boyfriend" on streaming audio.
Promotional singles featuring radio edit
s of both versions of the track were issued to radio stations across the UK, Ireland
, Europe
, Israel
and Australia
at the end of May. By June 16, "Tell Me Where It Hurts" had been playlist
ed on XFM Scotland
's Upfront, Radio Forth
and C-Listed on UK BBC Radio 2
where it remained for five weeks prior to the single release date. In its first week at Australian radio, "Tell Me Where It Hurts" was #2 most added song. On September 14, "Tell Me Where It Hurts" peaked at #1 on Turkey
's Radyo ODTÜ chart where it stayed for two weeks.
Despite debuting on the UK Physical Singles Chart on July 29 at #15, combined sales of physical formats
and digital downloads
meant that "Tell Me Where It Hurts" charted at #50 on the main UK Singles Chart
. The following week "Tell Me Where it Hurts" fell to #137. On August 16, the full length orchestral version of the song, titled "Un Belle du Jour mix", was released digitally on iTunes UK store.
in 2004 for the Bleed Like Me
album. Vig "goofed around" with the track in 2006 while updating his home studio, and while putting the Absolute Garbage package together thought it could be included. Rather than soliciting an outside producer
to remix the song Vig finished it himself. When he presented it to the rest of Garbage, they agreed the remix should be included on the album. The new version was subtitled "Sting Like A Bee remix", and was first released on the 7" of "Tell Me Where It Hurts" as well as on the two-disc edition of Absolute Garbage (as "Garbage remix").
"Betcha" was written and produced by Garbage at the same time as "Tell Me Where It Hurts" and was exclusively released on the CD single
format. Press releases for "Tell Me Where It Hurts" gave the impression that "Betcha" was a cover version
of Pussycat Dolls
2005 worldwide hit single "Don't Cha
", however the song at most alluded
to it in the lyrics: Thomas Callaway
, Anthony Ray
and Trever Smith
, the writers of "Don't Cha" are not given any songwriting credit
for "Betcha".
While "All The Good in This Life" was initially listed for release on the b-side to a cancelled second 7" format, it was eventually released bundled
with Absolute Garbage as an exclusive online bonus track
on iTunes Australian and UK stores. In 2008, "All The Good in This Life" was physically released on the charity
compilation Songs For Tibet: The Art of Peace, and was included on a "Tell Me Where It Hurts" digital E.P.
available through 7digital
and iTunes Plus.
for "Tell Me Where It Hurts" was directed
by Sophie Muller
for Oil Factory and filmed in late April in Los Angeles
. Muller suggested an homage
to Luis Buñuel
's 1967 movie Belle de jour in her treatment
for the video, along with an ultra-modern French
-inspired set, which Garbage felt was perfect for what they wanted visually accompany the song.
Opening with a tracking shot
of Manson arriving at a high-class brothel
, dressed like Catherine Deneuve
in Belle de jour, where inside she meets the brothel owner, several other girls and three male patrons played by Erikson, Marker and Vig. Picking up a young man in a cafe, Manson partakes in various light sexual acts
with him, shown on screen through subtle visual innuendo
, suggestive camera shots, and aggressive editing
. After night-vision scenes showing Manson with facial bruising, she returns to the brothel parlour
in defiance of the others, attending to the young man who is now blind
and uses a wheelchair
. The cafe scene featured a cameo
from members of Wisconsin
band Wandering Sons.
A short "Making of
" documenting the filming of the video for "Tell Me Where It Hurts" was included on the DVD single
. Directed by Todd Stefani (brother of Manson's friend Gwen Stefani
), it features short interviews with Manson, Vig and 1st A.D.
Andy Coffing.
On May 19, 2007, Garbage fan sites reported that the video for the song was being aired on UK
digital television
provider Virgin Media
's Video on Demand
service. On May 29, the video officially debuted on Channel 4
's Video Exclusive slot. While the video featured on WEA International's worldwide DVD
pressings of Absolute Garbage, it was not included on Geffen
/UMe
's North American DVD release.
who described the song as "epic", as did BBC Music
's Jaime Gill while Slant
described it as "lush and lilting.. an undeniable sign that, despite their extended hiatuses and internal turmoil, Garbage is very much alive with ideas and ambition". Digital Spy
's Alex Fletcher wrote "the track soars with Arcade Fire-style violins before a creepy electronic breakdown interjects towards the end. [Garbage] take a traditional message of unrequited love
and mix it with their inimitable bittersweet lyrics".
The Sunday Mail
s Avril Cadden describes Manson's vocal as "cute and sexy" while its sister publication Daily Record
"sounding more like Chrissie Hynde
from The Pretenders
than the stupid girl we're used to" and also noting that the song had "all the hallmarks of Shirley Manson, the solo artist."Rock Sound
compared the track to Scottish
band Texas
. Classic rock
s Johnny Dee praised the band's work at breaking their formula by "adding strings to the dynamic... ["Tell Me Where It Hurts"] sits well alongside their peerless early material".
Negative criticism was received from The Guardian
s Jude Rogers, who described "Tell Me Where It Hurts" as "anodyne", while The Scotsman
felt that the song "is not out of place [on Absolute Garbage], but neither does it better anything already said". Pitchfork Media
's Adam Moerder felt that the song "provides little hope for a Garbage rebound", while PopMatters
' Evan Sawdey nonchalantly wrote "majestic and sweeping, [the song] manages to accomplish the rare compilation feat of not being completely worthless".
In advance of 2008's 50th Grammy Awards
, Geffen Records submitted "Tell Me Where It Hurts" for consideration in four categories: Song of the Year
, Record of the Year
, Best Rock Song
and Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group
. However it failed to pick up a single nomination
.
Additional musicians
Other personnel
Official versions
Publishing
Deadarm Music / Almo Music Corp (ASCAP
) and Vibecrusher Music / Irving Music, Inc (BMI
). Administered by Rondor Music.
Other credits
Lead single
A lead single is usually the first single released by a musician or a band before the release of its home album.During the era of the grammophone record, all music arrived in the marketplace as what is now termed a single, one potential hit song backed by an additional song of generally less...
from alternative rock
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
band Garbage
Garbage (band)
Garbage are an alternative rock band formed in Madison, Wisconsin in 1994. The group consists of Scottish singer Shirley Manson and American musicians Duke Erikson , Steve Marker and Butch Vig . All four members are involved in songwriting and production...
's career-spanning greatest hits
Greatest hits
A greatest hits album is a music compilation album of successful, previously released songs by a particular artist or band...
album Absolute Garbage
Absolute Garbage
Absolute Garbage is the 2007 greatest hits album released by alternative rock group Garbage. The album was compiled and released by Geffen imprint Almo Sounds through Universal Music Enterprises backcatalogue division in North America and Warner Music's record label A&E Records throughout the rest...
, and was released as a physical single
Audio format
An audio format is a medium for storing sound and music. The term is applied to both the physical recording media and the recording formats of the audio content – in computer science it is often limited to the audio file format, but its wider use usually refers to the physical method used to...
by A&E Records
A&E Records
A&E Records is an United Kingdom-based record label imprint, owned by Warner Music Group, and operates under the WEA International group of labels at WMG....
in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, and as a digital single or airplay-only release in other worldwide territories.
"Tell Me Where It Hurts" was written by Garbage members Duke Erikson
Duke Erikson
Douglas Elwin Erickson , better known as Duke Erikson, is a founding member of the band Garbage. At 16 years old he formed his first band, The British. Erickson studied art history, and financed his studies with numerous jobs such as carpenter or truck driver...
, Shirley Manson
Shirley Manson
Shirley Anne Manson is a Scottish recording artist and actress, best known internationally as the lead singer of the alternative rock band Garbage. For much of her international career Manson commuted between her home city of Edinburgh to the United States to record with Garbage but now lives and...
, Steve Marker
Steve Marker
Steve Marker is an American musician and record producer, best known internationally as the guitarist of the Madison, Wisconsin-based alternative rock band Garbage.-Early life:...
and Butch Vig
Butch Vig
Butch Vig is an American musician and record producer, best known internationally as the drummer of the Madison, Wisconsin-based alternative rock band Garbage and the producer of multi-platinum selling album Nevermind by Nirvana....
in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
in March 2007 after an eighteen month hiatus from working as a group, as they needed to write some new songs for inclusion on Absolute Garbage. The song was written around a string
String section
The string section is the largest body of the standard orchestra and consists of bowed string instruments of the violin family.It normally comprises five sections: the first violins, the second violins, the violas, the cellos, and the double basses...
arrangement
Arrangement
The American Federation of Musicians defines arranging as "the art of preparing and adapting an already written composition for presentation in other than its original form. An arrangement may include reharmonization, paraphrasing, and/or development of a composition, so that it fully represents...
by the band coupled with newly written lyrics
Lyrics
Lyrics are a set of words that make up a song. The writer of lyrics is a lyricist or lyrist. The meaning of lyrics can either be explicit or implicit. Some lyrics are abstract, almost unintelligible, and, in such cases, their explication emphasizes form, articulation, meter, and symmetry of...
and a title that vocalist
Singing
Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
Manson had come up with a few years prior.
Song
Garbage began work on "Tell Me Where It Hurts" in earnest during February and March 2007 at Vig's home studioRecording studio
A recording studio is a facility for sound recording and mixing. Ideally both the recording and monitoring spaces are specially designed by an acoustician to achieve optimum acoustic properties...
in Los Angeles, ending their self-imposed hiatus to record new tracks following the band's appearance at a benefit show in Glendale
Glendale, California
Glendale is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. As of the 2010 Census, the city population is 191,719, down from 194,973 at the 2000 census. making it the third largest city in Los Angeles County and the 22nd largest city in the state of California...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
for musician Wally Ingram
Wally Ingram
Wally Ingram is an American drummer and musician. He is most famous as a member of the band, Timbuk 3.In recent years, he has toured with the multi-instrumentalist David Lindley, and released several records with him :* 2000 : Twango Bango Deluxe...
who had been suffering from throat cancer
Esophageal cancer
Esophageal cancer is malignancy of the esophagus. There are various subtypes, primarily squamous cell cancer and adenocarcinoma . Squamous cell cancer arises from the cells that line the upper part of the esophagus...
. In an interview prior to that event, drummer
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
Vig told Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
"Despite the layoff, the group has been sharing song ideas via the Internet. We need to sit down in a room and play them and get them complete".
The genesis of "Tell Me Where It Hurts" came from Garbage jamming
Jam session
Jam sessions are often used by musicians to develop new material, find suitable arrangements, or simply as a social gathering and communal practice session. Jam sessions may be based upon existing songs or forms, may be loosely based on an agreed chord progression or chart suggested by one...
in a Bacharach
Burt Bacharach
Burt F. Bacharach is an American pianist, composer and music producer. He is known for his popular hit songs and compositions from the mid-1950s through the 1980s, with lyrics written by Hal David. Many of their hits were produced specifically for, and performed by, Dionne Warwick...
-style, which took shape in the recording studio once guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
s were added. Manson did not want the song to be a "simple, lovey-dovey love song
Torch song
A torch song is a sentimental love song, typically one in which the singer laments an unrequited or lost love, either where one party is oblivious to the existence of the other, where one party has moved on, or where a romantic affair has affected the relationship...
, it had to have strange connotations".
During the sessions to write new songs for Absolute Garbage, Garbage worked on four songs - "Tell Me Where It Hurts", "Betcha", "All The Good In This Life" and "Girls Talk Shit". Of the four songs, only "Tell Me Where It Hurts" made the album, while of the other three songs, one ended up a b-side, one an iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
bonus and one remaining unreleased respectively. Garbage completed two versions of "Tell Me Where It Hurts": an orchestral version and a "Guitars Up" mix with a rockier arrangement.
Bass
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
on "Tell Me Where It Hurts" was performed by Daniel Shulman
Daniel Shulman
Daniel Shulman is an American performer of bass guitar. Although he has made a significant contribution as a session musician, working with Run-DMC and Meredith Brooks, he is best known for his work with the Scottish-American band Garbage from 1995 until 2002....
, who had been Garbage's touring bassist
Bassist
A bass player, or bassist is a musician who plays a bass instrument such as a double bass, bass guitar, keyboard bass or a low brass instrument such as a tuba or sousaphone. Different musical genres tend to be associated with one or more of these instruments...
from 1995 until 2002, as well as performing on tracks from both Version 2.0
Version 2.0
Version 2.0 is the second album by alternative rock group Garbage. It was released worldwide in May 1998 by Mushroom Records UK and in North America by Almo Sounds. Version 2.0 was the follow-up to the band's multi-platinum debut album Garbage. Despite a slow start, Version 2.0 went on to equal its...
and Beautiful Garbage. This was his first appearance on a Garbage track since taking up an A&R
A&R
Artists and repertoire is the division of a record label that is responsible for talent scouting and overseeing the artistic development of recording artists. It also acts as a liaison between artists and the record label.- Finding talent :...
position with Island Def Jam Music Group in 2003.
Single release
On May 22, 2007, "Tell Me Where It Hurts" was confirmed by Garbage for UK release on July 9 preceding Absolute Garbage on CD singleCD single
A CD single is a music single in the form of a standard size Compact Disc, not to be confused with the 3-inch CD single, which uses a smaller form factor. The format was introduced in the mid-1980s, but did not gain its place in the market until the early 1990s...
and on two 7" formats. By June 11, that release date had been pushed back a week to July 16 and one of the 7" formats was cancelled and replaced with a DVD single
DVD single
A DVD single is a music single in the form of a DVD. The format was introduced in the late 1990s/early 2000s as a replacement for the VHS single...
. On May 31, Garbage's MySpace
MySpace
Myspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
profile was updated to include "Tell Me Where It Hurts" and its b-side, a remix of "Bad Boyfriend" on streaming audio.
Promotional singles featuring radio edit
Radio edit
In music, a radio edit is a modification to make a song more suitable for airplay, whether it be adjusted for length, profanity, subject matter, instrumentation, or form...
s of both versions of the track were issued to radio stations across the UK, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
and Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
at the end of May. By June 16, "Tell Me Where It Hurts" had been playlist
Playlist
In its most general form, a playlist is simply a list of songs. They can be played in sequential or shuffled order. The term has several specialized meanings in the realms of radio broadcasting and personal computers.-In radio:...
ed on XFM Scotland
Galaxy Scotland
105-106 Capital is a regional radio station broadcasting to Scotland's Central Belt, an area surrounding the two cities of Glasgow and Edinburgh, and the kingdom of Fife...
's Upfront, Radio Forth
Radio Forth
Radio Forth is a group owning two radio stations based in Edinburgh. The stations broadcast to Edinburgh, The Lothians and Fife.-History:Radio Forth was launched on 22 January 1975 by current chairman Richard Findlay. His opening speech included "This, for the very first time is Radio Forth"...
and C-Listed on UK BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 2 is one of the BBC's national radio stations and the most popular station in the United Kingdom. Much of its daytime playlist-based programming is best described as Adult Contemporary or AOR, although the station is also noted for its specialist broadcasting of other musical genres...
where it remained for five weeks prior to the single release date. In its first week at Australian radio, "Tell Me Where It Hurts" was #2 most added song. On September 14, "Tell Me Where It Hurts" peaked at #1 on Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
's Radyo ODTÜ chart where it stayed for two weeks.
Despite debuting on the UK Physical Singles Chart on July 29 at #15, combined sales of physical formats
Audio format
An audio format is a medium for storing sound and music. The term is applied to both the physical recording media and the recording formats of the audio content – in computer science it is often limited to the audio file format, but its wider use usually refers to the physical method used to...
and digital downloads
Music download
A music download is the transferral of music from an Internet-facing computer or website to a user's local computer. This term encompasses both legal downloads and downloads of copyright material without permission or payment...
meant that "Tell Me Where It Hurts" charted at #50 on the main UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
. The following week "Tell Me Where it Hurts" fell to #137. On August 16, the full length orchestral version of the song, titled "Un Belle du Jour mix", was released digitally on iTunes UK store.
Track listings
- UK 7" single A&E Records WEA424
- "Tell Me Where It Hurts" – 4:10
- "Bad Boyfriend - Sting Like A Bee remix" – 5:03
- UK CD single A&E Records WEA424CD
- "Tell Me Where It Hurts" – 4:10
- "Betcha" – 4:39
- UK DVD single A&E Records WEA424DVD
- "Tell Me Where It Hurts" – 4:10
- "Tell Me Where It Hurts (Video)" – 4:13
- "Tell Me Where It Hurts (Making Of)" – 5:09
- UK Digital single
- "Tell Me Where It Hurts - Guitars Up" - 4:11
- "Tell Me Where It Hurts - Un Belle de Jour mix" - 4:18
- UK Digital E.P.
- "Tell Me Where It Hurts" – 4:10
- "Bad Boyfriend - Garbage remix" – 5:03
- "Betcha" – 4:39
- "All The Good in This Life" - 4:20
B-sides
"Bad Boyfriend" was originally written by Garbage, and produced by Garbage and John KingJohn King (producer)
John King, also known as "King Gizmo", is a music producer and one-half of the Los Angeles-based duo the Dust Brothers. As the Dust Brothers, King and Michael "E.Z...
in 2004 for the Bleed Like Me
Bleed Like Me
Bleed Like Me is the fourth studio album recorded and produced by alternative rock group Garbage. It was released in April 2005 by Warner Bros...
album. Vig "goofed around" with the track in 2006 while updating his home studio, and while putting the Absolute Garbage package together thought it could be included. Rather than soliciting an outside producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
to remix the song Vig finished it himself. When he presented it to the rest of Garbage, they agreed the remix should be included on the album. The new version was subtitled "Sting Like A Bee remix", and was first released on the 7" of "Tell Me Where It Hurts" as well as on the two-disc edition of Absolute Garbage (as "Garbage remix").
"Betcha" was written and produced by Garbage at the same time as "Tell Me Where It Hurts" and was exclusively released on the CD single
CD single
A CD single is a music single in the form of a standard size Compact Disc, not to be confused with the 3-inch CD single, which uses a smaller form factor. The format was introduced in the mid-1980s, but did not gain its place in the market until the early 1990s...
format. Press releases for "Tell Me Where It Hurts" gave the impression that "Betcha" was a cover version
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of Pussycat Dolls
Pussycat Dolls
The Pussycat Dolls are an American pop girl group and dance ensemble based in Los Angeles; currently consisting of Lauren Bennett, Vanessa Curry, Kristal "Lyndriette" Smith, Tiffany "Taz" Zavala, Kia Hampton and Paula Van Oppen. The Pussycat Dolls were founded by choreographer Robin Antin in 1995...
2005 worldwide hit single "Don't Cha
Don't Cha
"Don't Cha" is the debut single by American R&B/pop girl group the Pussycat Dolls. The song was originally recorded by American recording artist Tori Alamaze, and was released as her debut single in March 2005, on Universal Records. After Universal Records dropped her from the label, Cee-Lo Green...
", however the song at most alluded
Allusion
An allusion is a figure of speech that makes a reference to, or representation of, people, places, events, literary work, myths, or works of art, either directly or by implication. M. H...
to it in the lyrics: Thomas Callaway
Cee-Lo
Thomas DeCarlo Callaway , better known by his stage name Cee Lo Green, is an American singer-songwriter, rapper, record producer and actor...
, Anthony Ray
Sir Mix-a-Lot
Anthony Ray , better known by his stage name Sir Mix-a-Lot, is an emcee and producer based in Seattle, Washington. The founder of the Nastymix record label, he debuted in 1988 with Swass...
and Trever Smith
Busta Rhymes
Trevor Tahiem Smith, Jr., better known by his stage name Busta Rhymes ,Smith is an American rapper, producer and actor. Chuck D of Public Enemy gave him the alias Busta Rhymes after NFL wide receiver George "Buster" Rhymes...
, the writers of "Don't Cha" are not given any songwriting credit
Credit (creative arts)
In general, the term credit in the artistic or intellectual sense refers to an acknowledgement of those who contributed to a work, whether through ideas or in a more direct sense.-Credit in the arts:...
for "Betcha".
While "All The Good in This Life" was initially listed for release on the b-side to a cancelled second 7" format, it was eventually released bundled
Product bundling
Product bundling is a marketing strategy that involves offering several products for sale as one combined product. This strategy is very common in the software business , in the cable television industry Product bundling is a marketing strategy that involves offering several products for sale as...
with Absolute Garbage as an exclusive online bonus track
Bonus track
In terms of recorded music, a bonus track is a piece of music which has been included on specific releases or reissues of an album. This is most often done as a promotional device, either as an incentive to customers to purchase albums they might otherwise not, or to repurchase albums they already...
on iTunes Australian and UK stores. In 2008, "All The Good in This Life" was physically released on the charity
Charity (practice)
The practice of charity means the voluntary giving of help to those in need who are not related to the giver.- Etymology :The word "charity" entered the English language through the Old French word "charité" which was derived from the Latin "caritas".Originally in Latin the word caritas meant...
compilation Songs For Tibet: The Art of Peace, and was included on a "Tell Me Where It Hurts" digital E.P.
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
available through 7digital
7digital
7digital is a privately held digital media delivery company based in the United Kingdom, offering downloadable music, video and movies to customers primarily within major European markets...
and iTunes Plus.
Music video
The promotional videoMusic video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
for "Tell Me Where It Hurts" was directed
Music video director
A music video director is driven by a given music track. These are called music videos and are then used as promotional tools for popular music singles...
by Sophie Muller
Sophie Muller
Sophie Muller is a British music video director, noted for her long-time collaborations with artists like Sophie Ellis-Bextor, No Doubt, Sade, Shakira, Shakespears Sister, Garbage, Blur, Annie Lennox and Eurythmics.-Background:...
for Oil Factory and filmed in late April in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. Muller suggested an homage
Homage
Homage is a show or demonstration of respect or dedication to someone or something, sometimes by simple declaration but often by some more oblique reference, artistic or poetic....
to Luis Buñuel
Luis Buñuel
Luis Buñuel Portolés was a Spanish-born filmmaker — later a naturalized citizen of Mexico — who worked in Spain, Mexico, France and the US..-Early years:...
's 1967 movie Belle de jour in her treatment
Film treatment
A film treatment is a piece of prose, typically the step between scene cards and the first draft of a screenplay for a motion picture, television program, or radio play. It is generally longer and more detailed than an outline , and it may include details of directorial style that an outline omits...
for the video, along with an ultra-modern French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
-inspired set, which Garbage felt was perfect for what they wanted visually accompany the song.
Opening with a tracking shot
Tracking shot
In motion picture terminology, a tracking shot is a segment in which the camera is mounted on a camera dolly, a wheeled platform that is pushed on rails while the picture is being taken...
of Manson arriving at a high-class brothel
Brothel
Brothels are business establishments where patrons can engage in sexual activities with prostitutes. Brothels are known under a variety of names, including bordello, cathouse, knocking shop, whorehouse, strumpet house, sporting house, house of ill repute, house of prostitution, and bawdy house...
, dressed like Catherine Deneuve
Catherine Deneuve
Catherine Deneuve is a French actress. She gained recognition for her portrayal of aloof and mysterious beauties in films such as Repulsion and Belle de jour . Deneuve was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress in 1993 for her performance in Indochine; she also won César Awards for that...
in Belle de jour, where inside she meets the brothel owner, several other girls and three male patrons played by Erikson, Marker and Vig. Picking up a young man in a cafe, Manson partakes in various light sexual acts
BDSM
BDSM is an erotic preference and a form of sexual expression involving the consensual use of restraint, intense sensory stimulation, and fantasy power role-play. The compound acronym BDSM is derived from the terms bondage and discipline , dominance and submission , and sadism and masochism...
with him, shown on screen through subtle visual innuendo
Innuendo
An innuendo is a baseless invention of thoughts or ideas. It can also be a remark or question, typically disparaging , that works obliquely by allusion...
, suggestive camera shots, and aggressive editing
Film editing
Film editing is part of the creative post-production process of filmmaking. It involves the selection and combining of shots into sequences, and ultimately creating a finished motion picture. It is an art of storytelling...
. After night-vision scenes showing Manson with facial bruising, she returns to the brothel parlour
Parlour
Parlour , from the French word parloir, from parler , denotes an "audience chamber". In parts of the United Kingdom and the United States, parlours are common names for certain types of food service houses, restaurants or special service areas, such as tattoo parlors...
in defiance of the others, attending to the young man who is now blind
Blindness
Blindness is the condition of lacking visual perception due to physiological or neurological factors.Various scales have been developed to describe the extent of vision loss and define blindness...
and uses a wheelchair
Wheelchair
A wheelchair is a chair with wheels, designed to be a replacement for walking. The device comes in variations where it is propelled by motors or by the seated occupant turning the rear wheels by hand. Often there are handles behind the seat for someone else to do the pushing...
. The cafe scene featured a cameo
Cameo appearance
A cameo role or cameo appearance is a brief appearance of a known person in a work of the performing arts, such as plays, films, video games and television...
from members of Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
band Wandering Sons.
A short "Making of
Featurette
Featurette is a term used in the American film industry to designate a film whose length is approximately three quarters of a reel, or about 20–44 minutes in running time - thus midway between a short subject and a feature film; thus it is a "small feature"...
" documenting the filming of the video for "Tell Me Where It Hurts" was included on the DVD single
DVD single
A DVD single is a music single in the form of a DVD. The format was introduced in the late 1990s/early 2000s as a replacement for the VHS single...
. Directed by Todd Stefani (brother of Manson's friend Gwen Stefani
Gwen Stefani
Gwen Renée Stefani is an American singer-songwriter and fashion designer. Stefani is the lead vocalist for the rock and ska band No Doubt. Stefani recorded her first solo album Love. Angel. Music. Baby. in 2004. The album was inspired by music of the 1980s, and was a success with sales of over...
), it features short interviews with Manson, Vig and 1st A.D.
Assistant director
The role of an Assistant director include tracking daily progress against the filming production schedule, arranging logistics, preparing daily call sheets, checking cast and crew, maintaining order on the set. They also have to take care of health and safety of the crew...
Andy Coffing.
On May 19, 2007, Garbage fan sites reported that the video for the song was being aired on UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
digital television
Digital television
Digital television is the transmission of audio and video by digital signals, in contrast to the analog signals used by analog TV...
provider Virgin Media
Virgin Media
Virgin Media Inc. is a company which provides fixed and mobile telephone, television and broadband internet services to businesses and consumers in the United Kingdom...
's Video on Demand
Video on demand
Video on Demand or Audio and Video On Demand are systems which allow users to select and watch/listen to video or audio content on demand...
service. On May 29, the video officially debuted on Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
's Video Exclusive slot. While the video featured on WEA International's worldwide DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
pressings of Absolute Garbage, it was not included on Geffen
Geffen Records
Geffen Records is an American record label, owned by Universal Music Group, and operated as one third of UMG's Interscope-Geffen-A&M label group.-Beginnings:...
/UMe
Universal Music Enterprises
Universal Music Enterprises, a.k.a. UMe is the catalogue division of Universal Music Group. It includes Hip-O Records, Universal Chronicles and UM3 ....
's North American DVD release.
Critical reception
"Tell Me Where It Hurts" received a mixed reception from music critics. Positive responses came from Music WeekMusic Week
Music Week is a trade paper for the UK record industry.Founded in 1959 as Record Retailer, it was relaunched on 18 March 1972 as Music Week . On 17 January 1981 the title was again changed, owing to the increasing importance of sell-through videos, to Music & Video Week...
who described the song as "epic", as did BBC Music
BBC Music
BBC Music is a team working in the department of Audio and Music Interactive at the BBC. Responsible for the BBC Music website - the portal site to music content across the BBC website....
's Jaime Gill while Slant
Slant Magazine
Slant Magazine is an online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New York Film Festival.- History :...
described it as "lush and lilting.. an undeniable sign that, despite their extended hiatuses and internal turmoil, Garbage is very much alive with ideas and ambition". Digital Spy
Digital Spy
Digital Spy is a British entertainment and media news website. According to Alexa Internet traffic statistics, as of February 2011, Digital Spy is the 93rd most popular website in the United Kingdom, with an overall Alexa ranking of 2,088....
's Alex Fletcher wrote "the track soars with Arcade Fire-style violins before a creepy electronic breakdown interjects towards the end. [Garbage] take a traditional message of unrequited love
Unrequited love
Unrequited love is love that is not openly reciprocated or understood as such, even though reciprocation is usually deeply desired. The beloved may or may not be aware of the admirer's deep affections...
and mix it with their inimitable bittersweet lyrics".
The Sunday Mail
Sunday Mail (Scotland)
The Sunday Mail is a Scottish tabloid newspaper published every Sunday. It is the sister paper of the Daily Record and is owned by Trinity Mirror and as such has a left-wing outlook which in turn tends to guide Scottish political debate in that direction.The Sunday Mail is read by over one million...
s Avril Cadden describes Manson's vocal as "cute and sexy" while its sister publication Daily Record
Daily Record (Scotland)
The Daily Record is a Scottish tabloid newspaper based in Glasgow. It had been the best-selling daily paper in Scotland for many years with a paid circulation in August 2011 of 307,794 . It is now outsold by its arch-rival the Scottish Sun which in September 2010 had a circulation of 339,586 in...
"sounding more like Chrissie Hynde
Chrissie Hynde
Christine Ellen "Chrissie" Hynde is an US musician best known as the leader of the rock/new wave band the Pretenders. She is a singer, songwriter, and guitarist, and has been the only constant member of the band throughout its history.-Early life and career:Hynde is the daughter of a part-time...
from The Pretenders
The Pretenders
The Pretenders are an English rock band formed in Hereford, England in March 1978. The original band consisted of initiator and main songwriter Chrissie Hynde , James Honeyman-Scott , Pete Farndon , and Martin Chambers...
than the stupid girl we're used to" and also noting that the song had "all the hallmarks of Shirley Manson, the solo artist."Rock Sound
Rock Sound
Rock Sound is a British magazine which champions rock music. The magazine aims at being more "underground" and less commercial, whilst also giving coverage to more well known acts.-History:...
compared the track to Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
band Texas
Texas (band)
Texas are a Scottish pop band from Bearsden, near Glasgow, Scotland. They were founded by Johnny McElhone in 1986 and feature Sharleen Spiteri on lead vocals. Texas made their performing debut in March 1988 at Scotland's University of Dundee...
. Classic rock
Classic rock
Classic rock is a radio format which developed from the album-oriented rock format in the early 1980s. In the United States, the classic rock format features music ranging generally from the late 1960s to the late 1980s, primarily focusing on the hard rock genre that peaked in popularity in the...
s Johnny Dee praised the band's work at breaking their formula by "adding strings to the dynamic... ["Tell Me Where It Hurts"] sits well alongside their peerless early material".
Negative criticism was received from The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
s Jude Rogers, who described "Tell Me Where It Hurts" as "anodyne", while The Scotsman
The Scotsman
The Scotsman is a British newspaper, published in Edinburgh.As of August 2011 it had an audited circulation of 38,423, down from about 100,000 in the 1980s....
felt that the song "is not out of place [on Absolute Garbage], but neither does it better anything already said". Pitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media, usually known simply as Pitchfork or P4k, is a Chicago-based daily Internet publication established in 1995 that is devoted to music criticism and commentary, music news, and artist interviews. Its focus is on underground and independent music, especially indie rock...
's Adam Moerder felt that the song "provides little hope for a Garbage rebound", while PopMatters
PopMatters
PopMatters is an international webzine of cultural criticism that covers many aspects of popular culture. PopMatters publishes reviews, interviews, and detailed essays on most cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, films, books, video games, comics, sports, theater,...
' Evan Sawdey nonchalantly wrote "majestic and sweeping, [the song] manages to accomplish the rare compilation feat of not being completely worthless".
In advance of 2008's 50th Grammy Awards
50th Grammy Awards
The 50th Annual Grammy Awards took place at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California, on February 10, 2008. Kanye West received the most nominations, with eight. Amy Winehouse was the big winner, winning a total of five awards. Herbie Hancock's River: The Joni Letters won Album of the Year,...
, Geffen Records submitted "Tell Me Where It Hurts" for consideration in four categories: Song of the Year
Grammy Award for Song of the Year
The Song of the Year is one of the four most prestigious awards in the Grammy Awards ceremony, if not in all of the American music industry. It has been awarded since 1959 and unlike the Record of the Year award, which goes to the performer and production team of a single song, Song of the Year...
, Record of the Year
Grammy Award for Record of the Year
The Record of the Year is one of the four most prestigious Grammy Awards presented annually. It has been awarded since 1959.-History:The honorees through its history have been:*1959-1965: Artist only.*1966-1998: Artist and producer....
, Best Rock Song
Grammy Award for Best Rock Song
The Grammy Award for Best Rock Song is an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for quality songs in the rock music genre...
and Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group
Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal
The Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal was awarded between 1980 and 2011.The award was discontinued after the 2011 award season in a major overhaul of Grammy categories...
. However it failed to pick up a single nomination
Nomination
Nomination is part of the process of selecting a candidate for either election to an office, or the bestowing of an honor or award.In the context of elections for public office, a candidate who has been selected by a political party is normally said to be the nominee of that party...
.
Release history
| Release Date | Territory | Record Label | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| June 2007 | Australia Australia Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area... |
Warner Music Australia Warner Music Group Warner Music Group is the third largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry, making it one of the big four record companies... |
Airplay Airplay * Airplay is the amount of time a song is played on the radio.It may also refer to:* AirPlay, an audio & video streaming technology from Apple Inc.* Airplay , Foster & Graydon music project from 1980* Citroën C1, Citroën C1 Airplay... |
| United Kingdom United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages... |
A&E Records A&E Records A&E Records is an United Kingdom-based record label imprint, owned by Warner Music Group, and operates under the WEA International group of labels at WMG.... |
||
| July 9, 2007 | Digital single ("Guitars Up mix") | ||
| July 13, 2007 | Ireland Ireland Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth... |
7" vinyl, CD single CD single A CD single is a music single in the form of a standard size Compact Disc, not to be confused with the 3-inch CD single, which uses a smaller form factor. The format was introduced in the mid-1980s, but did not gain its place in the market until the early 1990s... , DVD single DVD single A DVD single is a music single in the form of a DVD. The format was introduced in the late 1990s/early 2000s as a replacement for the VHS single... |
|
| July 16, 2007 | United Kingdom | ||
| August 16, 2007 | Digital single ("Un Belle de Jour remix") |
Comprehensive charts
| Chart (2007) | Peak |
|---|---|
| Belgium (Wallonia) Ultratip 50 (GfK GfK The GfK Group, established in 1934 as Gesellschaft für Konsumforschung is Germany's largest market research institute, and the fourth largest market research organisation in the world, after Nielsen Company, Kantar Group, and IMS Health... ) |
24 |
| Italy (FIMI) | 96 |
| Macedonia Top 30 (IFPI IFPI The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry is the organisation that represents the interests of the recording industry worldwide. It is a not-for-profit members' organisation registered in Switzerland... ) |
1 |
| Romania Top 100 Romanian Top 100 The Romanian Top 100 is the national airplay-based singles chart of Romania. It is weekly and it started running in 1996. It is recognized as an official chart by the European division of Billboard, Music & Media.... (Music & Media) |
80 |
| United Kingdom Singles UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... (The Official Charts Company) |
50 |
| United Kingdom Physical Singles (The Official Charts Company) | 15 |
Credits and personnel
Production- Music and lyrics: Garbage
- RecordedSound recording and reproductionSound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...
& producedRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
by Garbage - EngineerAudio engineeringAn audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including...
: Billy Bush - Recorded at Kung Foo Sound & GrungeIsDead, Los AngelesLos ÁngelesLos Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, CACaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area... - MasteredAudio masteringMastering, a form of audio post-production, is the process of preparing and transferring recorded audio from a source containing the final mix to a data storage device ; the source from which all copies will be produced...
: Emily Lazar & Sarah Register (The Lodge) - Mastering Assistant: Joe LaPorta
Additional musicians
- Daniel ShulmanDaniel ShulmanDaniel Shulman is an American performer of bass guitar. Although he has made a significant contribution as a session musician, working with Run-DMC and Meredith Brooks, he is best known for his work with the Scottish-American band Garbage from 1995 until 2002....
- BassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
Other personnel
- Art Direction and DesignDesignDesign as a noun informally refers to a plan or convention for the construction of an object or a system while “to design” refers to making this plan...
: Tom Hington Studios. - PhotographyPhotographyPhotography is the art, science and practice of creating durable images by recording light or other electromagnetic radiation, either electronically by means of an image sensor or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film...
by David Hughes. - Original silkscreen and foil blockingFoil stampingFoil stamping, typically a commercial print process, is the application of pigment or metallic foil, often gold or silver, but can also be various patterns or what is known as pastel foil which is a flat opaque color or white special film-backed material, to paper where a heated die is stamped onto...
printed by Something Else.
Official versions
- "Album version / Guitars Up mix" – 4:10
- "Guitars Up - Single edit" – 3:45
- "Un Belle du Jour mix / Orchestral mix" – 4:18
- "Orchestral - Single edit" – 3:48
Publishing
- Written by Garbage c.2007
Deadarm Music / Almo Music Corp (ASCAP
American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers
The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers is an American not-for-profit performance-rights organization that protects its members' musical copyrights by monitoring public performances of their music, whether via a broadcast or live performance, and compensating them...
) and Vibecrusher Music / Irving Music, Inc (BMI
Broadcast Music Incorporated
Broadcast Music, Inc. is one of three United States performing rights organizations, along with ASCAP and SESAC. It collects license fees on behalf of songwriters, composers, and music publishers and distributes them as royalties to those members whose works have been performed...
). Administered by Rondor Music.
Other credits
- Shirley Manson appears courtesy of Radioactive RecordsRadioactive RecordsRadioactive Records was an American record label. It was formed as a joint venture between talent manager Gary Kurfirst and MCA Records, and it is now out of business....
.
External links
- Garbage official website
- "Tell Me Where It Hurts" music video at YouTubeYouTubeYouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
.