Back to Black is the second and final studio album by English singer and songwriter Amy Winehouse, released on 27 October 2006 by Island Records. Winehouse predominantly based the album on her tumultuous relationship with then-ex-boyfriend and future husband Blake Fielder-Civil, who temporarily left her to pursue his previous ex-girlfriend. Their short-lived separation spurred her to create an album that explores themes of guilt, grief, infidelity and heartbreak in a relationship. Influenced by the pop and soul music of 1960s girl groups, Winehouse collaborated with producers Salaam Remi and Mark Ronson, along with Sharon Jones' band The Dap-Kings, to assist her on capturing the sounds from that time period while blending them with contemporary R&B and neo-soul music.
Introduction
Back to Black
Back to Black | Introduction
It is the second and final studio album by English singer and songwriter Amy Winehouse, released on 27 October 2006 by Island Records. Sorry. I cannot find the answer based on the context. It is the second and final studio album by English singer and songwriter Amy Winehouse Back to Black is the second and final studio album by English singer and songwriter Amy Winehouse
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The album's first song and single, "Rehab", is an upbeat, contemporary, and autobiographical song about Winehouse's past refusal to attend an alcohol rehabilitation centre after a conversation she had with her father, Mitch Winehouse. Previously, her management team prodded her to go to one. The song also contains "spring reverbs" on the lead vocals and drums to obtain a "retro feel", live "handclaps", timpanis, bells, and "slight vintage effects" on the piano and bass. Winehouse mentions "Ray" and "Mr. Hathaway", in reference to Ray Charles and Donny Hathaway. However, for some time during live performances, she replaced "Ray" with "Blake", referring to her ex-husband, Blake Fielder-Civil, who served time in prison for charges relating to grievous bodily harm.
Back to Black | Songs 1–6
"Back to Black" was released in the UK on 30 October 2006. It went to number one on the UK Albums Chart for two weeks in January 2007, dropping then climbing back for several weeks in February. In the US, it entered at number seven on the "Billboard" 200. It was the best-selling album in the UK of 2007, selling 1.85million copies over the course of the year. The first single released from the album was the Ronson-produced "Rehab." The song reached the top ten in the UK and the US. "Time" magazine named "Rehab" the Best Song of 2007.
Amy Winehouse | 2006–2008: "Back to Black" and international success
So she played me some of those records ... I told her that I had nothing to play her right now but if she [lets] me work on something overnight she could come back tomorrow. So I came up with this little piano riff, which became the verse chords to 'Back to Black.' Behind it I just put a kick drum and a tambourine and tons of reverb." Winehouse's father later recalled the formulation of "Rehab" in his memoir: "One day [Ronson and Winehouse] decided to take a quick stroll around the neighborhood because Amy wanted to buy [her then-boyfriend] Alex Clare a present ...
Back to Black | Recording and production
"Back to Black" was written by Amy Winehouse and Mark Ronson with the latter also serving as its producer. The track was recorded in three studios – Chung King Studios and Daptone Studios located in New York City and Metropolis Studios in London. "Back to Black" was inspired by her relationship with Blake Fielder-Civil. He had left Winehouse for an ex-girlfriend, leaving her going to "black," which to the listener may appear to refer to drinking and depression. However, the "black" to which she refers is more likely heroin, to which she was openly addicted; "black" is the second most common street name for heroin in Los Angeles.
Back to Black (song) | Background and composition
Around the same year, she went through a period of drinking, heavy drug use, and weight loss. People who saw her during the end of that year and early 2006 reported a rebound that coincided with the writing of "Back to Black". Her family believes that the mid-2006 death of her grandmother, who was a stabilising influence, set her off into addiction. Fielder-Civil then left Winehouse to revert to his previous girlfriend, leaving her in a "devastated" mood. In an interview with "The Sun" on the day of the album's release, Winehouse explained that she "shouldn't have been in a relationship with him because he was already involved with someone else a bit too close to home".
Back to Black | Background
"Rehab" is a song written and recorded by English singer and songwriter Amy Winehouse, from her second and final studio album "Back to Black" (2006). Produced by Mark Ronson, the lyrics are autobiographical and address Winehouse's refusal to enter a rehabilitation clinic. "Rehab" was released as the lead single from "Back to Black" on 23 October 2006, and it peaked at number 7 in the United Kingdom on its Singles Chart and number 9 in the United States on the "Billboard" Hot 100, becoming Winehouse's only top 10 hit in the US. "Rehab" has become a critical and commercial success internationally, and has been referred to as Winehouse's "signature song".
Rehab (Amy Winehouse song) | Introduction
In May of that year, Winehouse's demo tracks such as "You Know I'm No Good" and "Rehab" appeared on Mark Ronson's New York radio show on East Village Radio. These were some of the first new songs played on the radio after the release of "Pumps" and both were slated to appear on her second album. The 11-track album, completed in five months, was produced entirely by Remi and Ronson, with the production credits being split between them.
Back to Black | Recording and production
on the way back Amy began telling Mark about being with Blake [Fielder-Civil, her ex], then not being with Blake and being with Alex instead. She told him about the time at my house after she'd been in hospital when everyone had been going on at her about her drinking: 'You know they tried to make me go to rehab, and I told them, no, no, no.' 'That's quite gimmicky,' Mark replied. 'It sounds hooky. You should go back to the studio and we should turn that into a song.'" The majority of the songs produced by Ronson were completed at Daptone Records—along with the instrumental help of The Dap-Kings—in Brooklyn, New York.
Back to Black | Recording and production
Back to Black is the second and final studio album by English singer and songwriter Amy Winehouse, released on 27 October 2006 by Island Records. Winehouse predominantly based the album on her tumultuous relationship with then-ex-boyfriend and future husband Blake Fielder-Civil, who temporarily left her to pursue his previous ex-girlfriend. Their short-lived separation spurred her to create an album that explores themes of guilt, grief, infidelity and heartbreak in a relationship. Influenced by the pop and soul music of 1960s girl groups, Winehouse collaborated with producers Salaam Remi and Mark Ronson, along with Sharon Jones' band The Dap-Kings, to assist her on capturing the sounds from that time period while blending them with contemporary R&B and neo-soul music.
Back to Black | Introduction
It was here that Amy Winehouse came to spend a month in 2006 to work on tracks for what became the "Back to Black" album, which features the O'Duffy/Winehouse song "Wake up Alone".
Paul Staveley O'Duffy | Hiatus and recovery
The eponymous track "Back to Black" explores elements of old-school soul music. The song's sound and beat have been described as similar to vintage girl groups from the 1960s. Its production was noted for its Wall of Sound. Winehouse expresses feelings of hurt and bitterness for a boyfriend who has left her; however, throughout the lyrics she "remains strong" exemplified in the opening lines, "He left no time to regret, Kept his wet, With his same old safe bet, Me and my head high, And my tears dry, Get on without my guy". The song was inspired by her relationship with Fielder-Civil, who had left Winehouse for an ex-girlfriend.
Back to Black | Songs 1–6
The breakup left her going to "black", which to the listener may appear to refer to drinking and depression. However, the "black" she refers to is more likely heroin, which she was openly addicted to. The song's lyrical content consists of a sad goodbye to a relationship with the lyrics being frank. John Murphy of "musicOMH" compared the song's introduction to the Martha and the Vandellas song "Jimmy Mack", adding that it continues to a "much darker place". "Love Is a Losing Game" is a sentimental ballad that invokes Winehouse's chosen metaphor as a pastime that could be "addictive and destructive".
Back to Black | Songs 1–6
Winehouse promoted the release of "Back to Black" with headline performances in late 2006, including a Little Noise Sessions charity concert at the Union Chapel in Islington, London. On 31 December 2006, Winehouse appeared on Jools Holland's Annual Hootenanny and performed a cover of Marvin Gaye's "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" along with Paul Weller and Holland's Rhythm and Blues Orchestra. She also performed Toots and the Maytals' "Monkey Man". At his request, actor Bruce Willis introduced Winehouse before her performance of "Rehab" at the 2007 MTV Movie Awards in Universal City, California, on 3 June 2007. During the summer of 2007, she performed at various festivals, including Glastonbury Festival and Lollapalooza in Chicago.
Amy Winehouse | 2006–2008: "Back to Black" and international success
"Back to Black" is a song by English singer and songwriter Amy Winehouse from her second and final studio album of the same name (2006). It was released by Island Records on 30 April 2007 as the album's third single. The song was written by Winehouse and Mark Ronson, and produced by the latter. "Back to Black" was inspired by Winehouse's relationship with Blake Fielder-Civil, who had left her for an ex-girlfriend. "Back to Black" received universal acclaim by music critics, who generally praised its throwback sound to girl groups from the 1960s. It was included on several compiled year and decade-end lists of the best in music and was further considered to be one of Winehouse's signature songs.
Back to Black (song) | Introduction
Between 2005 and 2006, she recorded the album's songs with Remi at Instrumental Zoo Studios in Miami and then with Ronson and the Dap-Kings at Chung King Studios and Daptone Records in New York. Tom Elmhirst mixed the album at Metropolis Studios in London. "Back to Black" was acclaimed by music critics, who praised Winehouse's songwriting and emotive singing style as well as Remi and Ronson's production. The album spawned five singles: "Rehab", "You Know I'm No Good", "Back to Black", "Tears Dry on Their Own" and "Love Is a Losing Game". It has also been cited as being a key influence to the widespread popularity of British soul throughout the late 2000s, paving the musical landscape for artists such as Adele, Duffy, and Estelle.
Back to Black | Introduction
"Back to Black" explores elements of old school soul music. The song's sound and beat have been described as similar to vintage girl groups from the 1960s. Its production was noted for its Wall of Sound. Winehouse expresses feelings of hurt and bitterness for a boyfriend who has left her; however, throughout the lyrics she "remains strong" exemplified in the opening lines, "He left no time to regret, Kept his dick wet, With his same old safe bet, Me and my head high, And my tears dry, Get on without my guy". The song's lyrical content consists of a sad goodbye to a relationship with the lyrics being frank.
Back to Black (song) | Background and composition
A statement issued by concert promoter Live Nation blamed "the rigours involved in touring and the intense emotional strain that Amy has been under in recent weeks" for the decision. Mitch Winehouse wrote about her nervousness before public performances in his 2012 book, "Amy, My Daughter".
Back to Black | Touring
Winehouse's battles with substance abuse were the subject of much media attention. In 2005, she went through a period of drinking, heavy drug use, and weight loss. People who saw her during the end of that year and early 2006 reported a rebound that coincided with the writing of "Back to Black". Her family believes that the mid-2006 death of her grandmother, who was a stabilising influence, set her off into addiction. In August 2007, Winehouse cancelled a number of shows in the UK and Europe, citing exhaustion and ill health. She was hospitalised during this period for what was reported as an overdose of heroin, ecstasy, cocaine, ketamine and alcohol.
Amy Winehouse | Substance abuse and mental illness
They conversed in March 2006 in Ronson's New York studio that he used to have. They worked on six tracks together: "Rehab", "Back to Black", "You Know I'm No Good", "Love Is a Losing Game", "Wake Up Alone", and "He Can Only Hold Her". Ronson said in a 2010 interview with "The Guardian" that he liked working with Winehouse because she was blunt when she did not like his work. She in turn thought that when they first met, he was a sound engineer and that she was expecting an "older man with a beard". Ronson wrote "Back to Black" the night after he met Winehouse, explaining in a 2010 "Mojo" interview: "I just thought, 'Let's talk about music, see what she likes.' She said she liked to go out to bars and clubs and play snooker with her boyfriend and listen to the Shangri-Las.
Back to Black | Recording and production
In September 2018, a documentary film based on "Back to Black", titled "", was released. It contains new interviews, as well as archival footage. It was made by Eagle Vision, produced by Gil Cang, and released on DVD on 2 November 2018. The film features interviews by producers Mark Ronson and Salaam Remi, who worked half and half on the album, along with the Dap-Kings, Remi's music team, singer from The Ronettes, Ronnie Spector and close friends of Winehouse, including Nick Shymansky, Juliette Ashby and Dionne Bromfield. The film is accompanied by "An Intimate Evening in London", footage of a show Winehouse gave at Riverside Studios in London in 2008.
Back to Black | Documentary
All tracks written by Amy Winehouse, except where noted Notes Sample credits
Back to Black | Track listing
Most of the songs on "Back to Black" were solely written by Winehouse, as her primary focus of the album's sound shifted more towards the style of the girl groups from the 1950s and 1960s. Winehouse worked with New York singer Sharon Jones's longtime band, the Dap-Kings, to back her up in the studio and on tour. Her father, Mitch Winehouse, relates in his memoir, "Amy, My Daughter", how fascinating watching her process was, especially with witnessing her perfectionism in the studio. She would also put out what she had sung on a CD and play it in his taxi outside to know how most people would hear her music.
Back to Black | Recording and production
He then played the song for Winehouse and, when she expressed interest, made a backing track for her. Harrison was not originally given a writing credit on "Back to Black", so he sued Winehouse for copyright infringement. They had a settlement over the song, and eventually, his name was added to the track. The initial "Back to Black" liner notes only said: "Original demo produced by P*Nut [John Harrison's nickname]." "Addicted", a bonus track included on the expanded versions of "Back to Black", pertains to Winehouse's experiences with marijuana. "I used to smoke a lot of weed", the singer told "Rolling Stone" in 2007.
Back to Black | Songs 7–11
Winehouse promoted the release of "Back to Black" with headline performances in late 2006, including a Little Noise Sessions charity concert at the Union Chapel in Islington, London. On 31 December 2006, Winehouse appeared on Jools Holland's Annual Hootenanny and performed a cover of Marvin Gaye's "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" along with Paul Weller and Holland's Rhythm and Blues Orchestra. She also performed Toots and the Maytals' "Monkey Man". At his request, actor Bruce Willis introduced Winehouse before her performance of "Rehab" at the 2007 MTV Movie Awards in Universal City, California, on 3 June 2007. During the summer of 2007, she performed at various festivals, including Glastonbury Festival, Lollapalooza in Chicago, Belgium's Rock Werchter, and Virgin Festival in Baltimore.
Back to Black | Touring
In contrast to her jazz-influenced former album, Winehouse's focus shifted to the girl groups of the 1950s and 1960s. Winehouse hired New York singer Sharon Jones's longtime band, the Dap-Kings, to back her up in the studio and on tour. Mitch Winehouse relates in "Amy, My Daughter" how fascinating watching her process was: her perfectionism in the studio and how she would put what she had sung on a CD and play it in his taxi outside to know how most people would hear her music. In May 2006, Winehouse's demo tracks such as "You Know I'm No Good" and "Rehab" appeared on Mark Ronson's New York radio show on East Village Radio.
Amy Winehouse | 2006–2008: "Back to Black" and international success
Amy Winehouse: Back to Black is a 2018 documentary film about English singer Amy Winehouse and the making of her second studio album, "Back to Black" (2006). It contains new interviews, as well as archive footage. Directed by Jeremy Marre, the film was first broadcast on BBC Four on 14 September 2018 (on what would have been Winehouse's 35th birthday) as part of the "Classic Albums" documentary series. It was released on DVD, Blu-ray and digitally on 2 November 2018 by Eagle Vision. The film is accompanied by "An Intimate Evening in London", featuring footage of a performance by Winehouse at Riverside Studios in London in February 2008.
Amy Winehouse: Back to Black | Introduction
Alexis Petridis of "The Guardian" further explains, "Over a solitary electric guitar and subtle drums, [Winehouse's] voice takes centre stage to [set] out her resigned viewpoint that, as with gambling, you can only love for so long before ending up the loser".
Back to Black | Songs 1–6
In 2018, a documentary film based on Winehouse's album "Back to Black", "Amy Winehouse – Back to Black" was released. It contains new interviews as well as archival footage. It was made by Eagle Vision and produced by Gil Cang. Released on DVD on 2 November 2018, the film features interviews by producers Ronson & Remi, who worked half and half on the album, along with the Dap Kings, Remi's music team, Ronnie Spector from the Ronettes and close ones to Winehouse, including Nick Shymansky, Juliette Ashby and Dionne Bromfield. The film is accompanied by "An Intimate Evening in London," footage of a show Winehouse gave at Riverside Studios, London in 2008.
Amy Winehouse | Posthumous retrospectives
"I suppose if you have an addictive personality [,] then you go from one poison to the other."
Back to Black | Songs 7–11
"Tears Dry on Their Own," "Love Is a Losing Game" were also released as singles, but failed to achieve the same level of success. A deluxe edition of "Back to Black" was also released on 5 November 2007 in the UK. The bonus disc features B-sides, rare, and live tracks, as well as "Valerie." Winehouse's debut DVD "" was released the same day in the UK and 13 November in the US. It includes a live set recorded at London's Shepherd's Bush Empire and a 50-minute documentary charting the singer's career over the previous four years. "Frank" was released in the United States on 20 November 2007 to positive reviews.
Amy Winehouse | 2006–2008: "Back to Black" and international success
At the 2007 Brit Awards, Winehouse won British Female Solo Artist, and "Back to Black" was nominated for MasterCard British Album. In July 2007, the album was shortlisted for the 2007 Mercury Prize, but lost out to Klaxons' "Myths of the Near Future". This was the second time that Winehouse was nominated for the Mercury Prize; her debut album "Frank" was shortlisted in 2004. "Back to Black" won numerous awards at the 50th Annual Grammy Awards on 10 February 2008, including Record of the Year and Song of the Year for "Rehab"; while the album received nominations for Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album, winning the latter.
Back to Black | Accolades
Later on was a different story altogether, which gives a totally, completely different meaning to what I said."
Rehab (Amy Winehouse song) | Background
However, none of the four singles released from the album managed to reach the top 50 of the UK Singles Chart. Her second album, "Back to Black", was released in October 2006, reaching number one on the UK Albums Chart and number seven on the "Billboard" 200 in the United States. The album was certified 11-times platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) and was the best-selling album of 2007 in the UK. The first single from the album, "Rehab", peaked at number seven in the UK and at number nine on the "Billboard" Hot 100 in the US. The album's second single, "You Know I'm No Good", reached number 18 in the UK.
Amy Winehouse discography | Introduction
"Back to Black" received widespread acclaim from critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalised rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received an average score of 81, based on 26 reviews. AllMusic writer John Bush lauded Winehouse's musical transition from her debut record: "All the best parts of her musical character emerge intact, and actually, are all the better for the transformation from jazz vocalist to soul siren." Dorian Lynskey of "The Guardian" called "Back to Black" "a 21st-century soul classic". Sal Cinquemani of "Slant Magazine" said that Winehouse and her producers are "expert mood-setters or crafty reconstructionists".
Back to Black | Critical reception
These were some of the first new songs played on the radio after the release of "Pumps" and both were slated to appear on her second album. The 11-track album, completed in five months, was produced entirely by Salaam Remi and Ronson, with the production credits being split between them. Ronson said in a 2010 interview that he liked working with Winehouse because she was blunt when she did not like his work. She in turn thought that when they first met, he was a sound engineer and that she was expecting an older man with a beard. Promotion of "Back to Black" soon began and, in early October 2006 Winehouse's official website was relaunched with a new layout and clips of previously unreleased songs.
Amy Winehouse | 2006–2008: "Back to Black" and international success
"Back to Black" was released in the United States in March 2007, with a remix of "You Know I'm No Good" featuring rap vocals by Ghostface Killah as its lead single. A third UK single, "Back to Black", was released on 30 April 2007. Having previously peaked at number 25 on the UK chart, the track climbed to number eight in late July 2011, following Winehouse's death. Two further singles were released from the album: "Tears Dry on Their Own" was released on 13 August 2007, and peaked at number 16 in the UK, while "Love Is a Losing Game", released on 10 December 2007, reached number 33.
Back to Black | Release and promotion
"Frank" was a critical success in the UK and was nominated for the Mercury Prize. The song "Stronger Than Me" won her the Ivor Novello Award for Best Contemporary Song from the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers, and Authors. Winehouse released her follow-up album, "Back to Black", in 2006, which went on to become an international success and one of the best-selling albums in UK history. At the 2007 Brit Awards it was nominated for British Album of the Year, and she received the award for British Female Solo Artist. The song "Rehab" won her a second Ivor Novello Award.
Amy Winehouse | Introduction
Winehouse herself, for the album, was presented the Grammy for Best New Artist, while Ronson earned the 2008 Grammy Award for Producer of the Year, Non-Classical.
Back to Black | Accolades
Winehouse later used his Twitter account to write "I like Beyoncé's cover and have no probs." However, upon hearing the full-length track, he wrote on his Twitter profile, "I just heard the André part of 'Back to Black'. Terrible. He should have let Beyoncé do it all."
Back to Black (song) | Background and development
On 31 July 2011, following her death, the song re-entered the UK Singles Chart at 8, also giving the song a new peak position and second top ten hit in UK. As of September 2014, "Back to Black" has sold 340.000 copies in the UK and is Winehouse's third best-selling single in that country. In America, due to strong digital sales of the single over the years, "Back to Black" was certified platinum for over one million digital sales by the RIAA in January 2015.
Back to Black (song) | Commercial performance
Slant Magazine writer Sal Cinquemani suggested that the protagonist's lover may be committed to cocaine instead of another woman. John Murphy of "musicOMH" compared the song's introduction to songs by Jimmy Mack, adding that it continues to a "much darker place" than the aforementioned artist's work.
Back to Black (song) | Background and composition
In a mixed review, "Rolling Stone"s Christian Hoard stated: "The tunes don't always hold up. But the best ones are impossible to dislike." Robert Christgau gave it an "honorable mention" in his consumer guide for "MSN Music", citing "You Know I'm No Good" and "Rehab" as highlights and writing, "Pray her marriage lasts—she's observant, and it would broaden her perspective". "Pitchfork" critic Joshua Klein criticised Winehouse's "defensive", subjective lyrics concerning relationships, but added that "Winehouse has been blessed by a brassy voice that can transform even mundane sentiments into powerful statements".
Back to Black | Critical reception
"Back to Black" was released on 27 October 2006. A deluxe edition of "Back to Black" was released in mainland Europe in November 2007 and in the United Kingdom on 3 December 2007. The reissue features the original studio album remastered as well as a bonus disc containing various B-sides and live tracks, including Winehouse's solo rendition of the single "Valerie" on BBC Radio 1's Live Lounge; the song was originally available in studio form on Ronson's "Version" album. Winehouse's debut DVD "" was released in the UK on 5 November and in the US on 13 November. It includes a live set recorded at London's Shepherd's Bush Empire and a 50-minute documentary chronicling the singer's career over the previous four years.
Back to Black | Release and promotion
Pre-release, the song charted in the UK Singles Chart on downloads alone for five consecutive weeks, peaking at number 40. The single charted at number 25 in 2007 once it had been released in physical format which also became its peak position in that country.; The song has spent 34 non-consecutive weeks on the UK Singles Chart to date. It has re-entered with "Rehab" together on the chart. The song featured on BBC Radio 1's "The B List" Playlist during the week commencing 2 May. With sales of 96,000, "Back to Black" finished as the UK's 85th biggest-selling single of 2007.
Back to Black (song) | Commercial performance
Tom Elmhirst, who mixed the single "You Know I'm No Good", was enlisted to help with the mixing of the album at Metropolis Records. He first received Ronson's original mix, which he described as being "radical in terms of panning, kind of Beatlesque". He continued, "The drums, for instance, were all panned to one side". He attempted to mix "Love Is a Losing Game" in the same manner he did with "Rehab", but felt it was not right to do so. Elmhirst mixed "Rehab", but when he first received the multitrack of the song, the track amount was minimal. Therefore, Ronson went to London to record strings, brass and percussion in one of Metropolis' tracking rooms.
Back to Black | Post-production
The first single released from the album on 23 October 2006 was "Rehab". On 22 October 2006, based solely on download sales, it entered the UK Singles Chart at number 19, and when the physical single was released the following week, it climbed to number seven. Following a performance of "Rehab" at the 2007 MTV Movie Awards on 3 June 2007, the song rose to number 10 on the US "Billboard" Hot 100 for the week of 23 June, peaking at number nine the following week. "You Know I'm No Good" was released on 8 January 2007 as the album's second single, reaching number 18 on the UK Singles Chart.
Back to Black | Release and promotion
He further commented that "it strikes us as an unusually dark side of King Bey[oncé], who's supposed to be literally the most poised human being alive". Speaking about the modification of the lyrics, he noted that it was "but a little odd" and concluded the review by saying, "It's eerie but cool, and a fitting tribute to Winehouse's legacy." The full version of the song premiered on Mark Ronson's East Village Radio show on 26 April 2013. Upon its release, Ronson, who co-wrote the original song, commented that it was a "wonderful take on our song" and added: "I'm flattered and honoured, I know Amy would be too."
Back to Black (song) | Release
We were looking for a song that would speak to the almost 'Sid and Nancy' addictive love that Gatsby and Daisy have found themselves re-engaging in. Everybody knows the Amy Winehouse version of this song, and I think this is a very interesting interpretation. It plunges you further into this particular kind of lovesickness. I think it works very well in the film, where it blends between a jazz recording that The Bryan Ferry Orchestra did and the version on the album with Beyoncé and André 3000. That combination helps to deepen the resonance of what the song is telling us.
Back to Black (song) | Background and development
The single peaked at number eight on the UK Singles Chart in the United Kingdom and is Winehouse's third best-selling single in that country. Many cover versions by various artists were recorded for the song; most notably, Beyoncé and André 3000 covered it for the of the 2013 film adaptation of the novel "The Great Gatsby" (1925). A documentary film based on the life and death of Winehouse, "Amy" (2015) features a videoed tape of Winehouse recording the song with Mark Ronson, in March 2006 and an a cappella melody was featured on the film's soundtrack.
Back to Black (song) | Introduction
During their break, she would write the bulk of the album on the state of her "relationship at the time with Blake [Fielder-Civil]" through themes of "grief, guilt, and heartache". Winehouse dated chef-musician Alex Clare briefly in 2006, and would later return to and marry Fielder-Civil in the following year.
Back to Black | Background
Writer Josh Tyrangiel praised Winehouse for her confidence, saying, "What she is is mouthy, funny, sultry, and quite possibly crazy" and "It's impossible not to be seduced by her originality. Combine it with production by Mark Ronson that references four decades worth of soul music without once ripping it off, and you've got the best song of 2007." The album's second single and lead single in the US, "You Know I'm No Good," was released in January 2007 with a remix featuring rap vocals by Ghostface Killah. It ultimately reached number 18 on the UK singles chart. The title track, "Back to Black," was released in the UK in April 2007 and peaked at number 25, but was more successful across mainland Europe.
Amy Winehouse | 2006–2008: "Back to Black" and international success
The documentary film is accompanied by "An Intimate Evening in London", consisting of previously unseen footage of a performance by Winehouse at Riverside Studios in London in February 2008. It was a private show given for family, friends and record company executives on the night she won five Grammy Awards.
Amy Winehouse: Back to Black | "An Intimate Evening in London"
He then continues, "I remember saying to Amy and Salaam, "You can't call this song 'Fuckery' [...] Salaam was more of the grown up of the two but Amy was like, 'Well, why can't I?' [...] That's why I always say, you have to give everything you're thinking and give people something that's exciting." The fourth song on the album, "Just Friends", is about "[a woman] trying to pull away from an illicit affair", with lyrics indicating, "The guilt will kill you if she don't first". It is a "ska-soul" song with a "pulsing reggae groove" throughout the track. Jon Pareles of "The New York Times" elaborates that Winehouse makes songs such as "Just Friends" into "games of tone and phrasing [...] withholding a line and then breezing through it, stretching out a note over [her backing band]'s steady beat".
Back to Black | Songs 1–6
Several of Winehouse' singles have charted worldwide, including "Rehab", "You Know I'm No Good", "Back to Black", "Tears Dry on Their Own", and "Valerie". Winehouse's debut album earned several awards and recognitions, including an Ivor Novello Award for Best Contemporary Song ("Stronger Than Me"), a BRIT Award nomination for Best Female Solo Artist, and an inclusion in Robert Dimery's 2006 book, "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die". "Back to Black" produced numerous nominations, including two from the BRIT Awards (Best Female Solo Artist and Best British Album), six from the Grammy Awards, four from the Ivor Novello Awards, four from the MTV Europe Music Awards, three from the MTV Video Music Awards, three from the World Music Awards, and one each from the Mercury Prize (Album of the Year) and MOBO Awards (Best UK Female).
List of awards and nominations received by Amy Winehouse | Introduction
"You Know I'm No Good" is an uptempo song about Winehouse cheating on a "good man that loves her", and therefore cheating herself out of a healthy relationship. The lyrics also entail Winehouse as being "helpless" while trying to understand and resist her own self-destructive compulsions. In the jazz and reggae-influenced "Me and Mr Jones" song, Winehouse sings about accepting that she never made it to a Slick Rick concert, but yet refuses to skip a Nas show as they were both close friends (Nas' last name is Jones). The song's title plays off the 1972 "Me and Mrs. Jones" by Billy Paul.
Back to Black | Songs 1–6
In 2005, Winehouse returned to Miami (as she went there previously to produce her debut album) to record five songs at Salaam Remi's Instrumental Zoo Studios: "Tears Dry on Their Own", "Some Unholy War", "Me & Mr Jones", "Just Friends", and "Addicted". The recording process of Remi's album portion was "intimate", consisting of Winehouse singing while on guitar and Remi adding the other instruments played mostly by himself (chiefly played the piano and the main/bass guitars on the album), or by instrumentalist Vincent Henry (primarily played the saxophone, the flute, and the clarinet). Winehouse and producer Mark Ronson both shared a publishing company, which encouraged a meeting between the two.
Back to Black | Recording and production
On 4 April 2013 a new trailer for the film featured previews of three songs from the soundtrack; a thirty-second preview of the cover of "Back to Black" was included among those songs. Chris Payne of "Billboard" magazine praised the cover, which according to him was made unique with the downtempo and EDM wobble. A ninety-second snippet of the song also appeared online on 21 April 2013 and was made available for streaming through the iTunes Store. A writer of "Rap-Up" magazine described it as a "dark and haunting collaboration" adding that it features "[André 3000] rapping his verse, while Queen B[eyoncé] burns slow with her seductive vocals." Sam Lansky of the website Idolator wrote that the cover was "a fairly sinister, gloomy affair" because of the lyrics, which according to him were connected with Amy Winehouse's death, and the film's noirish bent.
Back to Black (song) | Release
The music video was directed by Phil Griffin and features a funeral procession in which Winehouse mourns over a grave that reads "R.I.P. the Heart of Amy Winehouse". The shot of the headstone was edited out after the singer's death in 2011. The video was primarily shot near Gibson Gardens and Chesholm Road in Stoke Newington, London. The graveyard scenes were filmed at Abney Park Cemetery in north-east London. According to the official Winehouse website, "Amy's sultry new video for Back in Black is both beautifully and artistically shot in black-and-white and compares in imagery a doomed love affair with that of a funeral." At the 2007 Music of Black Origin Awards (MOBO), the music video for the song was nominated in the category for Best Video but lost to Kanye West's "Stronger" (2007).
Back to Black (song) | Music video
After Ronson heard the line during his and Amy's conversation in New York, he suggested they turn it into a song. The book says that was the moment when the song "came to life". In the film "Amy", director Asif Kapadia showed an interview with Mitch in which he explained that "he didn't believe [Winehouse] needed treatment [for her drug and alcohol addiction]". In an appearance on the British talk show "Loose Women", Mitch clarified the comments he made in the film, saying that Kapadia misinterpreted what he actually said to Winehouse: "[...] I say that Amy didn't need to go to rehab, right? What I actually said was — referring to 2005 — Amy didn't need to go to rehab at that point.
Rehab (Amy Winehouse song) | Background
"Back to Black" has been cited to have musical stylings of contemporary R&B, neo soul, reggae, classic R&B, and 1960s "pop and soul". According to AllMusic's John Bush, "Back to Black" finds Winehouse "deserting jazz and wholly embracing contemporary R&B". David Mead of "Paste" also viewed it as a departure from "Frank" and said that it sets her singing to Salaam Remi and Mark Ronson's "synthetic Motown-style backdrop". Meanwhile, Ann Powers from NPR Music characterised "Back to Black" as "a full embrace of classic rhythm and blues." Music journalist Chuck Eddy credits Ronson and Remi's production for resembling Phil Spector's Wall of Sound technique and surrounding Winehouse with brass and string sections, harp, and the Wurlitzer.
Back to Black | Composition and sound
Around the same time, she rediscovered the 1960s music she loved as a girl, stating in a 2007 "Rolling Stone" interview: "When I fell in love with Blake, there was Sixties music around us a lot." In 2005, the couple spent a lot of time in a local Camden bar, and during their time there, Winehouse would listen to blues, , and Motown artists, explaining that "it was [her] local" and "spent a lot of time there [...] playing pool and listening to jukebox music." The music heard in the bar appealed to Winehouse when she was writing songs for her second album.
Back to Black | Background
On 2 April 2013, Amy Winehouse's father Mitchell Winehouse used his Twitter profile to reveal that Beyoncé had not informed him of her plans to cover the song and that he wanted income from the song to go to his Amy Winehouse Foundation. He wrote, "I don't know about this but what if Beyoncé gave £100,000 to the foundation? Do you know how many kids that would help? Just putting it out there." He later added, "Let me repeat. This is the first I have heard of Beyoncé doing Amy's song." Kia Makarechi of "The Huffington Post" noted that Beyoncé did not use the song as a personal record and thus it was "slightly curious" for Winehouse to request for her to pay out.
Back to Black (song) | Background and development
Other singles included the title track, which peaked at number eight in the UK, "Tears Dry on Their Own" and "Love Is a Losing Game". A deluxe edition of the album was released in the UK in November 2007 and also topped the UK chart. By October 2018, "Back to Black" had sold 3.93 million copies, becoming the 13th best-selling album in the UK of all time. Winehouse collaborated with other artists, as a vocalist on the song "Valerie" on Mark Ronson's solo album, "Version". The song peaked at number two in the UK. She also collaborated with former Sugababes member Mutya Buena on "B Boy Baby", the final single from Buena's debut solo album, "Real Girl".
Amy Winehouse discography | Introduction
Usually in live performances, she would start with the slower version of the song before proceeding into a more uptempo version. "He Can Only Hold Her" interpolates "(My Girl) She's a Fox" by brothers Robert and Richard Poindexter. Joshua Klein of "Pitchfork" describes Winehouse in the song as "an objective observer, [and] able to see her personal issues for what they are". The chorus goes, "So he tries to pacify her, 'cause what's inside her never dies". Klein assumes that from "this new vantage [,] Winehouse has moved on". John Harrison, the original demo producer of "He Can Only Hold Her", explained at a BIMM London masterclass that he was "introduced to '(My Girl) She's a Fox' by his sister".
Back to Black | Songs 7–11
A "one-take" demo of the song recorded in March 2006 by O'Duffy later appeared on Winehouse's posthumous album, "". Nick Shymansky, Winehouse's first manager, revealed that the inspiration of "Some Unholy War", a mid-tempo soul song, came into fruition after Winehouse heard a radio broadcast on the War in Afghanistan. As she heard the term "holy war", a war being primarily caused or justified by differences in religion, Winehouse immediately thought of an idea to spin the religious conflict into her own personal issues with Fielder-Civil. The idea is further bolstered with the song's opening lines, "If my man was fighting some unholy war, I would be behind him".
Back to Black | Songs 7–11
On the "Billboard" Hot 100, "You Know I'm No Good" debuted at number 91 spot ahead of "Rehab", which also debuted on the chart the same week. The single peaked on the UK Singles Chart at number 18 for the week ending 14 January 2007, in an excellent week for Winehouse that saw "Back to Black" achieve a new UK peak of number one, previous single "Rehab" return to the UK top 20, and "Frank" re-enter the UK chart at number 62 more than three years after its first release. To date, the single, which spent a total of 11 consecutive weeks on the UK Singles Chart, has sold 53,272 copies in the UK.
You Know I'm No Good | Reception
Charley Rogulewski of "Vibe" magazine commented that the cover was "a drugged-out slow burner in comparison to the doo-wop original, which boasted Winehouse's robust vocals". C. Vernon Coleman of "XXL" magazine simply described it as "dope". Describing it as a shift in Beyoncé's usual approach, Ann Powers of NPR noted that "[she] gets stuck in the 1950s, sounding far more like a torch singer than a blues queen" but added that it was not a problem since "Lurhmann's [sic] postmodernism has plenty of room for the juxtaposition of historic and current styles." She further added that André 3000 sings in a "dandyish snarl that's been off-putting to some, but his radical rearrangement of the song comes closer than anything else here to Lurhmann's [sic] own nearly surrealist aesthetic".
Back to Black (song) | Critical reception
"Back to Black" debuted at number seven on the "Billboard" 200 in the United States with first-week sales of 51,000 copies, becoming the highest debut entry for an album by a British female solo artist at the time—a record that would be broken by Joss Stone's "Introducing Joss Stone", which debuted at number two on the "Billboard" 200 the following week. Following Winehouse's multiple wins at the 50th Annual Grammy Awards, the album jumped from number 24 to a new peak of number two on the "Billboard" 200 chart issue dated 1 March 2008 with sales of 115,000 copies. The album was certified double-Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on 12 March 2008, and has since sold nearly three million copies in the US.
Back to Black | Commercial performance
Another writer of the same website also gave a negative review for it, saying "I think the arrangement of this is sleepy and practically smothers the angst out of the song. Also, Beyoncé lives such a perfect life that she can't convey the same bitter pain in her voice that Amy could."
Back to Black (song) | Critical reception
Winehouse performed the song at the 50th Annual Grammy Awards ceremony while in London, along with her hit single "Rehab". The performance was broadcast internationally via satellite. The song's performance on the awards ceremony subsequently led to an increase in digital downloads, notably on iTunes, where the song re-entered the Top Songs chart at number 55 in the United States. This resulted in a new peak for the song on the "Billboard" Hot 100, of number 77, one spot ahead of its previous peak. Arctic Monkeys performed a cover of the song on their 2007 tour. A remix by Ghostface Killah appears on the reissue of "Back to Black", featuring one verse by Ghostface, and a second remix, featuring more Ghostface verses, appears on his album "More Fish".
You Know I'm No Good | Reception
"Back to Black" was covered by American singer Beyoncé and American rapper André 3000 for the of the 2013 film "The Great Gatsby". The song premiered in April 2013 after several snippets of it appeared online and it was used in the trailer for the film. Jay Z, who served as an executive producer for the soundtrack, suggested the song to its producer Baz Luhrmann. It was the final song recorded for the album and was included after the producers wanted a darker moment on "The Great Gatsby: Music from Baz Luhrmann's Film". Amy Winehouse's father Mitchell Winehouse reported that Beyoncé had not informed him about covering the song and requested that the income coming from it should be included in his Amy Winehouse Foundation.
Back to Black (song) | Beyoncé and André 3000 version
Sierra, Binzer, and Carey agreed to enter a transitional sober living home in the season finale. All three, as well as Laurer and Foxworth, would eventually relapse; some re-entered treatment. VH1 aired a reunion special detailing the patients' lives since filming. Although Conaway was able to maintain sobriety from alcohol and cocaine, he continued to abuse analgesics for his back pain, and would re-enter treatment in the show's second season. Binzer also appeared in several episodes of the second season for his relapses, as well as the "Sober House" spin-off series. Laurer was hospitalized in December 2008 and was reportedly going back to rehab.
Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew | Season 1
"Spin" magazine music editor Charles Aaron was quoted as saying, "Amy Winehouse was the Nirvana moment for all these women [...] They can all be traced back to her in terms of attitude, musical styles or fashion." According to Keith Caulfield, chart manager for "Billboard", "Because of Amy, or the lack thereof, the marketplace was able to get singers like Adele, Estelle and Duffy [...] Now those ladies have brought on the new ones, like Eliza Doolittle, Rumer and Ellie [Goulding]." Linda Barnard of "The Toronto Star" finds Winehouse to be amongst "the British women who claimed chart-topping ownership [...] with powerful voices" and that her "impressive" five Grammy wins for "Back to Black" put her at the "pinnacle of pop music".
Back to Black | Impact and legacy
Mackenzie Phillips had accomplished several months of sobriety before checking into the Pasadena Recovery Center. Joey Kovar, who previously sought treatment for his addiction to cocaine and alcohol during his stint on 2008's "", was spurred to return to rehab for his recurring addiction by the impending birth of his and his girlfriend Nikki's child. Pinsky commented on Lisa D'Amato by saying, "I would classify her as an addict in denial. This is the only disease you have to convince people they have." Following her ejection from "Sex Rehab with Dr. Drew", Kari Ann Peniche was allowed back to the Pasadena Recovery Center after she called Pinsky and asked for help.
Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew | Season 3
Six of the tracks on Amy Winehouse's 2006 album "Back to Black" feature various members of the Dap-Kings, including two hits from the album, "Rehab" and "You Know I'm No Good". Several tracks recorded at Daptone Studios are miscredited as "Dapking Studios". Various members of the band feature on all but one of the track on Mark Ronson's second album, "Version" (2007). The Dap-Kings became the backing band for Amy Winehouse's first U.S. tour. After Winehouse's passing, Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings joined Nas, Florence Welch, Wanda Jackson, and The Roots in tribute to her during "VH1 Divas Celebrates Soul".
Sharon Jones &amp; the Dap-Kings | Collaborations
The documentary features various unheard tracks Winehouse had completed from when her career began in 2003 until her death. The film includes live sessions, such as: "There Is No Greater Love", "Stronger Than Me", "In My Bed", "Rehab" and "What Is It About Men", covers of Johnny Mercer's "Moon River" from when Winehouse was 16 at the National Youth Jazz Orchestra in 2000 and Donny Hathaway's "We're Still Friends" and never-before heard songs the star wrote, such as "Detachment" and the lyrics to "You Always Hurt The Ones You Love", combined with Pinto's composition "Amy Lives". Winehouse is recorded in March 2006 when she is recording her 2007 single "Back to Black" and there are also cuts and edits of her well-known tracks, which helps unveil every piece of footage in the film.
Amy (2015 film) | Music
The song "Tears Dry on Their Own" samples the main chord progression from Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell's 1967 song "Ain't No Mountain High Enough". Remi stated that he thought the album needed something "up-tempo" and suggested to Winehouse that she procure a "slower, sadder conception" of the song. Laura Barton of "The Guardian" explicated the track as Winehouse giving herself a stern "talking-to" with lyrics such as, "I cannot play myself again, I should be my own best friend" and "Not fuck myself in the head with stupid men". The "HelloBeautiful" staff views "Wake Up Alone", written by both Winehouse and Paul O'Duffy, as another sentimental ballad that "chronicles [the] time right after a breakup [and] when you're trying not to think of the person by keeping busy." They add, "[B]ut when night time comes, so do [the] thoughts of said person." Winehouse spent a month in O'Duffy's North London studio working on tracks of the album, and "Wake Up Alone" was the first song recorded during the sessions and the only tune that made it onto the album.
Back to Black | Songs 7–11
Scott Fitzgerald, the author of the novel "The Great Gatsby" on which the film was based, would be "baffled" by it. Kathy McCabe from "The Daily Telegraph" wrote that the song was the most controversial musical moment from the soundtrack and added that it seemed "unrecognisable from the original, darker and so cut and pasted, it gives you the jitters after a couple of minutes". Keith Murphy of "Vibe" magazine described the cover version as the soundtrack's "weakest link", although he called it "credible". He added that Beyoncé sounds "way too pristine" on it and wrote, "Please avoid covering the late Amy Winehouse if you are unable to project her heartbreaking anguish." Stacy Lambe of VH1 panned the cover of "Back to Black" as "the biggest disappointment on the soundtrack".
Back to Black (song) | Critical reception
Credits adapted from the liner notes of "Back to Black".
Back to Black | Personnel
I wasn't happy by that point in time. I was losing myself." Houston told Oprah that she had attended a 30-day rehabilitation program. Houston also acknowledged to Oprah that her drug use had continued after rehabilitation, and that at one point, her mother obtained a court order and the assistance of law enforcement to press her into receiving further drug treatment. (In her 2013 book, "Remembering Whitney: My Story of Love, Loss, and the Night the Music Stopped", Cissy Houston described the scene she encountered at Whitney Houston's house in 2005 as follows: "Somebody had spray-painted the walls and door with big glaring eyes and strange faces.
Whitney Houston | 2006–2012: Return to music, "I Look to You", tour and film comeback
Several musicians have released covers and alternate versions of the song.
Rehab (Amy Winehouse song) | Covers
During the opening credits of the show the music provided was AC/DC's "Back in Black".
Sport Relief 2010 | Trivia
"The New Yorker"s Sasha Frere-Jones praised Winehouse's "mush-mouthed approach [on the album]". Nathan Rabin, writing in "The A.V. Club", was impressed by "the incongruity between Winehouse's trifling lyrical concerns and "Back To Black"s wall-of-sound richness". "Entertainment Weekly"s Will Hermes felt that her "smartass" lyrics "raise [the album] into the realm of true, of-the-minute originality". Douglas Wolk, writing for "Blender", said that the album "sounds fantastic—partly because the production nails sample-ready '60s soul right down to the drum sound [...] Winehouse is one hell of an impressive singer, especially when she's not copping other people's phrasing". Some reviewers were more critical of the album.
Back to Black | Critical reception
Sal Cinquemani of "Slant Magazine" said that "Rehab" proves that Timberlake "is better off penning lyrics about sexy backs or dicks in boxes"—a reference to Timberlake's 2006 singles "SexyBack" and "Dick in a Box".
Rehab (Rihanna song) | Critical reception
The album debuted at number 61 on the Billboard 200 chart. In addition to her own album, she collaborated with other artists on singles. Winehouse was a vocalist on the song "Valerie" on Ronson's solo album "Version". The song peaked at number two in the UK, upon its October single release. "Valerie" was nominated for a 2008 Brit Award for "Best British Single." Her work with ex-Sugababe Mutya Buena, "B Boy Baby," was released on 17 December 2007. It served as the fourth single from Buena's debut album, "Real Girl". Winehouse was also in talks of working with Missy Elliott for her album "Block Party".
Amy Winehouse | 2006–2008: "Back to Black" and international success
Newman from the website HitFix wrote in her review that the original version was stronger than the cover and added that it felt like it was a song by André 3000 featuring Beyoncé as the song mainly featured his vocals. She finished her review by grading the cover with a B-side and wrote, "André 3000 and Beyoncé aren't afraid to rework the track and make it their own, for which they deserve credit, but their remake won't make anyone forget Amy's version." Jim Farber of "New York Daily News" wrote in his review that "unfortunately" Beyoncé only makes a cameo appearance in the song while André 3000 dominates with a "rank rap and a woeful vocal".
Back to Black (song) | Critical reception
The music video was directed by Phil Griffin and released in September 2006. It features Winehouse's band playing their instruments while she sings to the camera. The band members are wearing dressing gowns/bath robes throughout the video, with one member dressed similarly to Donny Hathaway. It begins with Winehouse rising from bed and then moving to the bathroom. For the second verse, Winehouse is on a chair in a psychiatrist's office, presumably explaining herself to an unseen therapist. In contrast to the lyrics, the video ends with Winehouse in rehab, sitting on a bed in a white-tiled clinical ward room with her band around her.
Rehab (Amy Winehouse song) | Music video
After the release of "Back to Black", record companies sought out more experimental female artists. Adele and Duffy were the second wave of artists with a sound similar to Winehouse's. A third wave of female musicians that has emerged since the album was released are led by V V Brown, Florence and the Machine, La Roux and Little Boots. During the nearly three-year period since "Back to Black" was released, Dan Cairns of "The Sunday Times" noted that there was a "notion [by A&R executives, radio playlisters and the public] that women are the driving commercial force in pop". In March 2011, the "New York Daily News" ran an article attributing the continuing wave of British female artists that have been successful in the United States to Winehouse and her absence.
Back to Black | Impact and legacy
After signing with Island Records in 2002, Winehouse released her debut album, "Frank", on 20 October 2003. She dedicated the album to her ex-boyfriend, Chris Taylor, as she gradually lost interest in him. Produced mainly by Salaam Remi, many songs were influenced by jazz, and apart from two cover versions, every song was co-written by Winehouse. The album received positive reviews, with compliments over the "cool, critical gaze" in its lyrics, while her vocals drew comparisons to Sarah Vaughan, Macy Gray and others. The album reached number 13 on the UK Albums Chart at the time of its release, and was eventually certified triple Platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI).
Back to Black | Background
for the dark undertones of "The Great Gatsby", but not terribly satisfying outside that context. Winehouse's vocals had a visceral, emotional punch, whereas here, there's little connection between the sound of the voices and the meaning of the lyrics. 'Life is like a pipe/ And I'm a tiny penny rolling up the walls inside' doesn't feel as meaningful coming from Beyoncé as it did from Winehouse." Thomas Conner from the "Chicago Sun-Times" wrote that Beyoncé surprises by downshifting into "indie-chanteuse mode" for the cover which he noted that was sung "with a sad sexual tension that approaches torch song but never ignites it".
Back to Black (song) | Critical reception
"Love Is a Losing Game" is a song by English singer and songwriter Amy Winehouse from her second and final studio album "Back to Black" (2006). It was chosen as the fifth and final single from "Back to Black" and was also the final single released in Winehouse's lifetime. The single was released on 10 December 2007 in the United Kingdom. The song was added to BBC Radio 1's playlist on 7 November 2007.
Love Is a Losing Game | Introduction
Back to Black was a band formed in Minneapolis around 1970. They changed their name to The Family, a name later adopted by Prince for The Family. They were the house band at The Way community center, and performed at the Phyllis Wheatley Community Center (both now demolished). Prince considered them a lifelong influence. Their bassist, Sonny Thompson, worked with Prince in the New Power Generation from 1991–1996.
Back to Black (band) | Introduction
After the release of "Back to Black," record companies sought out female artists with a similar sound and fearless and experimental female musicians in general. Adele and Duffy were the second wave of artists with a sound similar to Winehouse's. A third wave of female musicians that has emerged since the album was released are led by V V Brown, Florence and the Machine, La Roux and Little Boots. In March 2011, the New York "Daily News" ran an article attributing the continuing wave of British female artists that have been successful in the United States to Winehouse and her absence.
Amy Winehouse | Influence
On 12 March 2007, Winehouse performed the song live for her US television debut on the "Late Show with David Letterman". For a while, she replaced "Ray" with "Blake", referring to her ex-husband, Blake Fielder-Civil, in live performances. She also replaced several times the lyrics, "I'm gonna lose my baby", with, "I'll never lose my baby".
Rehab (Amy Winehouse song) | Live performances
Describing the cover as "distinguishable", Logan Smithson of "PopMatters" further commented, "Though the cover doesn't top Winehouse's original, it is good in its own right and feels right at home on "Gatsby". Besides, who doesn't love hearing André 3000's voice?". Kelly Dearmore from the "American Songwriter" described the cover as "synthy [and] trippy", writing that the singers turn it into a "wondrously hypnotic effect, and in turn, setting the tone for the entire album by blending brash audacity with dark surrealism". In a more mixed review, AllMusic's David Jeffries called the song an "icy cold reading" of the original. Nothing that it had a "lavish-yet-empty feeling", Aisha Harris from "Slate" magazine wrote in her review: "The song has the feel of a blurry stupor—fitting...
Back to Black (song) | Critical reception
It won three Grammy Awards at the 50th ceremony, including Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. It also won an Ivor Novello Award for Best Contemporary Song. Winehouse's public battle with drug and alcohol addiction, and subsequent death, have contributed to the song's continuing popularity and appearance in the media. The song has been covered by a list of artists, such as Hot Chip, Lea Salonga, Seether, and the Jamaican Mento band The Jolly Boys.
Rehab (Amy Winehouse song) | Introduction
Plus teenagers love death."
Back in Black | Critical reception
After these instruments were added, the song had garnered a "retro, '60s soul, R&B" feel to it. Elmhirst added a contemporary sound to the song as well, while Ronson wanted to keep the mix sparse and not overproduced. The album was mastered by Stuart Hawkes at Metropolis.
Back to Black | Post-production
The media reported that Cousins was missing and had failed to attend treatment in Malibu, and he was admitted to hospital several days later after an alleged cocaine binge. No charges were laid by US police. He returned to Australia and told a packed media conference that he was "overcoming a drug addiction". A week later he flew to the Gold Coast for a three-day alcohol and drug binge during Schoolies week.
Ben Cousins | Rehabilitation commences
Blige, Mariah Carey, Sidney Poitier, director Spike Lee, and comedian Chris Rock accompanied Oprah Winfrey when she opened her Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa. They were given writing credit on Amy Winehouse's 2007 CD "Back to Black" for the single "Tears Dry on Their Own". The track is based on a sample of Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell's 1967 Motown hit "Ain't No Mountain High Enough". They had begun performing their act in small, intimate venues, such as Feinstein's at the Regency in New York and the Rrazz Room in San Francisco, and in January 2009, they released a CD and DVD of their live performances titled "The Real Thing".
Ashford &amp; Simpson | Recent years and Ashford's death