Won't Back Down (Eminem song)
Encyclopedia
"Won't Back Down" is a song by American hip hop artist Eminem
, recorded as the fourth track on his seventh studio album Recovery (2010). The song features a guest appearance from American pop singer Pink
, who sings the song's chorus. It also features production from Aftermath Entertainment
producer DJ Khalil
, who helped write the song along with Eminem, Erik Alcock and Columbus Smith (Rahki
). Upon the release of Recovery, the song received generally positive reviews from music critics, who praised its aggressive nature and production. The song was used several times in media.
), and along with most of the other songs from Recovery, "Won't Back Down" was recorded at 54 Sound and Effigy Studios in Ferndale, Michigan, with recording carried out by Mike Strange. Originally, the song was set to be a solo record, with Eminem singing the chorus himself: however, he explained in an interview with Skyrock FM that after recording his vocals for the song, he decided to include Pink on the song as he "felt like she would really smash this record".
' on any ego-boosting mixtape", but wrote more critically of the lyrics, denouncing the pop culture jokes featured throughout the song, particularly at Michael J. Fox
, calling the line "Make like Michael J. Fox in your drawers, playin' with an Etch-A-Sketch" "less effective" than other jokes aimed at him. Steve Jones of USA Today
described it as "rock-tinged" and stated that Pink's appearance provides "outside star power".
Although "Won't Back Down" was not released as a single, it charted on four national charts, worldwide due to digital sales on the release of Recovery. The song reached its highest peak on the US Billboard Hot 100
, where it peaked at number 62 on the chart for the week ending of July 10, 2010, although it fell off the chart the following week. The song also charted in Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom, peaking at number eighty-seven, sixty-five and eighty-two on their respective national charts, although on all three the song again only appeared for one week.
-developed video game Call of Duty: Black Ops
, being featured on a remix trailer and the credits. Additionally, in the Zombies game mode map titled "Five", an Easter egg
allows the player to play this song while playing the game. This is done by activating three special red telephones located throughout the map. Also, the official trailer for the upcoming 2011 action film
, Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol, features "Won't Back Down".
Eminem has performed the song on live
sketch comedy
show Saturday Night Live
accompanied by Lil Wayne
and hypeman and D12
member Mr. Porter
. Eminem wore a black jacket and a skull cap. Music blog Idolator
gave a positive review, stating that Eminem proved "once again what a dynamic and energetic live performer he is on this exceptionally angry tune (even by Slim Shady standards)." He also performed the song on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
.
Recording
Personnel
Eminem
Marshall Bruce Mathers III , better known by his stage name Eminem or his alter ego Slim Shady, is an American rapper, record producer, songwriter and actor. Eminem's popularity brought his group project, D12, to mainstream recognition...
, recorded as the fourth track on his seventh studio album Recovery (2010). The song features a guest appearance from American pop singer Pink
Pink (singer)
Alecia Beth Moore , better known by her stage name Pink , is an American singer-songwriter, musician and actress....
, who sings the song's chorus. It also features production from Aftermath Entertainment
Aftermath Entertainment
Aftermath Entertainment is an American record label founded by Dr. Dre. It operates as a subsidiary of, and is distributed through, Universal Music Group's Interscope Records. Current acts include Dr. Dre, Eminem, 50 Cent and Slim da Mobster, with former acts including Busta Rhymes, Game, Raekwon,...
producer DJ Khalil
DJ Khalil
Khalil Abdul-Rahman, better known by his stage name DJ Khalil, is a Los Angeles based American hip hop/soul record producer, and is the instrumental half of the hip hop duo Self Scientific, together with rapper Chace Infinite...
, who helped write the song along with Eminem, Erik Alcock and Columbus Smith (Rahki
Rahki
Rahki is an L.A. based hip-hop producer known for his work with mentor DJ Khalil as well as artists such as Eminem, Game, Curren$y, Evidence, 50 Cent and other popular artists.-2010:* Eminem - Recovery -2011:* Curren$y - Weekend At Burnie's...
). Upon the release of Recovery, the song received generally positive reviews from music critics, who praised its aggressive nature and production. The song was used several times in media.
Background and development
"Won't Back Down" was written by Eminem, DJ Khalil, Erik Alcock and Columbus Smith (RahkiRahki
Rahki is an L.A. based hip-hop producer known for his work with mentor DJ Khalil as well as artists such as Eminem, Game, Curren$y, Evidence, 50 Cent and other popular artists.-2010:* Eminem - Recovery -2011:* Curren$y - Weekend At Burnie's...
), and along with most of the other songs from Recovery, "Won't Back Down" was recorded at 54 Sound and Effigy Studios in Ferndale, Michigan, with recording carried out by Mike Strange. Originally, the song was set to be a solo record, with Eminem singing the chorus himself: however, he explained in an interview with Skyrock FM that after recording his vocals for the song, he decided to include Pink on the song as he "felt like she would really smash this record".
Reception
Upon its release, "Won't Back Down" received generally positive reviews from most music critics. David Jeffries of Allmusic wrote positively of the song, describing the song as a "lurching heavy metal monster" that "could be used as the lead-in to 'Lose YourselfLose Yourself
"Lose Yourself" is an Academy Award winning song by American hip-hop artist Eminem, released as the first single from the original soundtrack to the movie 8 Mile on October 22, 2002. It was written and produced by Eminem himself, along with longtime collaborator Jeff Bass, one half of the...
' on any ego-boosting mixtape", but wrote more critically of the lyrics, denouncing the pop culture jokes featured throughout the song, particularly at Michael J. Fox
Michael J. Fox
Michael J. Fox, OC is a Canadian American actor, author, producer, activist and voice-over artist. With a film and television career spanning from the late 1970s, Fox's roles have included Marty McFly from the Back to the Future trilogy ; Alex P...
, calling the line "Make like Michael J. Fox in your drawers, playin' with an Etch-A-Sketch" "less effective" than other jokes aimed at him. Steve Jones of USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
described it as "rock-tinged" and stated that Pink's appearance provides "outside star power".
Although "Won't Back Down" was not released as a single, it charted on four national charts, worldwide due to digital sales on the release of Recovery. The song reached its highest peak on the US Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
, where it peaked at number 62 on the chart for the week ending of July 10, 2010, although it fell off the chart the following week. The song also charted in Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom, peaking at number eighty-seven, sixty-five and eighty-two on their respective national charts, although on all three the song again only appeared for one week.
Appearances in media
The song was used three times in the TreyarchTreyarch
Treyarch is an American video game developer company, founded in 1996 by Peter Akemann and Doğan Köslü , and acquired by Activision in 2001...
-developed video game Call of Duty: Black Ops
Call of Duty: Black Ops
Call of Duty: Black Ops is a first-person shooter video game developed by Treyarch, published by Activision and released worldwide on November 9, for Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii consoles, with a separate version for Nintendo DS developed by n-Space. Announced on April 30, 2010,...
, being featured on a remix trailer and the credits. Additionally, in the Zombies game mode map titled "Five", an Easter egg
Easter egg (media)
Image:Carl Oswald Rostosky - Zwei Kaninchen und ein Igel 1861.jpg|250px|thumb|right|Example of Easter egg hidden within imagerect 467 383 539 434 desc none...
allows the player to play this song while playing the game. This is done by activating three special red telephones located throughout the map. Also, the official trailer for the upcoming 2011 action film
Action film
Action film is a film genre where one or more heroes is thrust into a series of challenges that require physical feats, extended fights and frenetic chases...
, Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol, features "Won't Back Down".
Eminem has performed the song on live
Live television
Live television refers to a television production broadcast in real-time, as events happen, in the present. From the early days of television until about 1958, live television was used heavily, except for filmed shows such as I Love Lucy and Gunsmoke. Video tape did not exist until 1957...
sketch comedy
Sketch comedy
A sketch comedy consists of a series of short comedy scenes or vignettes, called "sketches," commonly between one and ten minutes long. Such sketches are performed by a group of comic actors or comedians, either on stage or through an audio and/or visual medium such as broadcasting...
show Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
accompanied by Lil Wayne
Lil Wayne
Dwayne Michael Carter, Jr. , better known by his stage name Lil Wayne, is an American rapper. At the age of nine, Lil Wayne joined Cash Money Records as the youngest member of the label, and half of the duo, The B.G.'z, with B.G.. In 1997, Lil Wayne joined the group Hot Boys, which also included...
and hypeman and D12
D12
D12, an acronym for The Dirty Dozen, is an American hip hop group from Detroit, Michigan. D12 has had chart-topping albums in the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia...
member Mr. Porter
Kon Artis
Denaun Porter , known by his stage name Kon Artis or his alter ego Mr. Porter, is an American rapper and record producer, who is best known for being an original member of the Detroit rap group D12, as well as the co-founder of Runyon Ave. record label...
. Eminem wore a black jacket and a skull cap. Music blog Idolator
Idolator (website)
Idolator is a music blog. Created by the blog network Gawker Media in August 2006, Idolator was later sold to rival blog network Buzz Media, which also owns music blog Stereogum. From the 2007 departure of original head writer Brian Raftery until November 2009, the blog's head writer was Maura...
gave a positive review, stating that Eminem proved "once again what a dynamic and energetic live performer he is on this exceptionally angry tune (even by Slim Shady standards)." He also performed the song on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon is an American late-night talk show hosted by Jimmy Fallon on NBC. The show premiered on March 2, 2009, as the third incarnation of the Late Night franchise originated by David Letterman....
.
Credits and personnel
The credits for "Won't Back Down" are adapted from the liner notes of Recovery.Recording
- Recorded at: Effigy Studios in Ferndale, MichiganFerndale, MichiganFerndale is adjacent to the cities of Detroit to the south, Oak Park to the west, Hazel Park to the east, Pleasant Ridge to the north, Royal Oak Township to the southwest, and Royal Oak to the north....
.
Personnel
- EminemEminemMarshall Bruce Mathers III , better known by his stage name Eminem or his alter ego Slim Shady, is an American rapper, record producer, songwriter and actor. Eminem's popularity brought his group project, D12, to mainstream recognition...
– vocals, audio mixingAudio mixingAudio mixing may refer to:*Audio mixing *Audio mixing *Live sound mixing...
and songwritingSongwriterA songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer... - DJ KhalilDJ KhalilKhalil Abdul-Rahman, better known by his stage name DJ Khalil, is a Los Angeles based American hip hop/soul record producer, and is the instrumental half of the hip hop duo Self Scientific, together with rapper Chace Infinite...
– producer, additional keyboards and drum programming - Mike Strange – recording and audio mixing
- Joe Strange – engineering assistant
- Eric Alcock – guitarGuitarThe 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...
- PinkPink (singer)Alecia Beth Moore , better known by her stage name Pink , is an American singer-songwriter, musician and actress....
– vocals - RahkiRahkiRahki is an L.A. based hip-hop producer known for his work with mentor DJ Khalil as well as artists such as Eminem, Game, Curren$y, Evidence, 50 Cent and other popular artists.-2010:* Eminem - Recovery -2011:* Curren$y - Weekend At Burnie's...
– keyboards and additional drum programming
Charts
| Chart (2010) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June... ) |
87 |
| Canada (Canadian Hot 100 Canadian Hot 100 The Canadian Hot 100 is a music singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine which ranks songs in Canada. The chart debuted in the Billboard issue dated June 16, 2007 and was made available for the first time via their online services on June 7, 2007... ) |
65 |
| UK Singles (The Official Charts Company) | 82 |
| US Billboard Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
62 |