Stupid in Love
"Stupid in Love" is a song recorded by Barbadian singer Rihanna for her fourth studio album, Rated R (2009). The song was written by R&B singer Ne-Yo and pop producer duo StarGate, with the duo also handling production. Ne-Yo served as the assistant producer, and Makeba Riddick as vocal producer. It was written two days before Rihanna and then boyfriend Chris Brown's altercation on the night of the 2009 Grammy Awards, which occurred on February 8, 2009. The lyrical content, which describes an abusive relationship, led Ne-Yo to describe the song as a "premonition".[1]
For the Korean song, see Stupid in Love (Soyou & Mad Clown song)."Stupid in Love"
"Stupid in Love" is a R&B power ballad. Instrumentation is provided by finger snapping, minor piano keys and piano riffs. The lyrics of the song revolve around a female protagonist who realizes that she needs to escape an abusive and adulterous boyfriend. "Stupid in Love" received a mixed to positive response from music critics. Some critics praised Rihanna's emotional delivery of the song whereas others criticized it as being overly dark. Upon the release of Rated R, the song peaked at number seven on the South Korea Gaon International Chart on December 27, 2009.
Composition[edit]
"Stupid in Love" is a R&B[2][12] power ballad[2][13] which lasts for 4:01 (four minutes, one second).[14] Instrumentation is provided by finger snapping,[15] minor piano keys[13][16] and piano riffs, a style of repeated chord progression.[2] The lyrics of "Stupid in Love" revolve around a woman in an abusive and adulterous relationship, progressing to the female protagonist leaving her boyfriend.[2][13] The song begins with the line "Let me tell you somethin' / Never / Have I ever / Been a size 10 in my whole life."[2] Rihanna sings the line "This is stupid / I'm not stupid / Don't talk to me / Like I'm stupid" during the chorus.[2] The bridge consists of Rihanna singing "Trying to make this work / but you act like a jerk."[16] As noted by Rob Harvilla of The Village Voice, the bridge represents the moment when Rihanna realizes that it is not worth her while to stay in the relationship, writing "the dunce cap is off".[2] "Stupid in Love" contains a lyrical metaphor, "Blood on your hands."[1]
Critical reception[edit]
"Stupid in Love" garnered mixed to positive reviews from music critics. Leah Greenblatt for Entertainment Weekly praised Rihanna's high level of emotional conviction on "Stupid in Love", writing that it is a piece of "self-lacerating balladry."[17] Neil McCormick for The Daily Telegraph thought that the song was a direct reference to Rihanna and Brown, writing "Rihanna notoriously received a black eye prior to the 2009 Grammy awards when she was attacked by her then boyfriend, R&B singer Chris Brown. Clearly, this is a potentially life-changing incident, and we get some sense of the emotional aftermath on the ballad Stupid In Love."[18] Norman Mayers for Nu-Soul Magazine concurred with McCormick, writing that Rihanna does not shy away from what happened between herself and Brown, rather, she confronts it directly on "Stupid in Love".[19] Alex Thornton for HipHopDX wrote that it is difficult to listen to the song without thinking of "you know who," referring to Brown.[20]
Michaelangelo Matos for The A.V. Club wrote that "Stupid in Love" sounded more like a therapy sessions than a song.[21] Ryan Dombal of Pitchfork Media was critical of the song, labeling it as "quite-dim."[22] Emily Tartanella for Popmatters was not impressed by the song, writing "'Stupid in Love' might be aiming for something more, but they arrive at something less."[23] Chris Richards for The Washington Post wrote that "Stupid in Love", along with the lead single released from the album "Russian Roulette", consisted of "plodding beats" and "forgettable hooks".[24] Richards continued in his review to write that the song is about "heavyhearted confessions to the treacliest of melodies."[24] Eric Henderson for Slant Magazine was critical of the first six songs on Rated R ("Mad House", "Wait Your Turn", "Hard", "Stupid in Love", "Rockstar 101" and "Russian Roulette") were "grim and relentless."[25]