Family Portrait (song)
Encyclopedia
"Family Portrait" is an R&B
song written by Pink
and Scott Storch
for Pink's second album Missundaztood (2001).The song is about relationships and her family that was about to fall to pieces, portraying the conflict through the eyes of her as a child. It was released as the album's fourth and final single
in December 2002 (see 2002 in music
). It peaked at number twenty on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100
and number eleven on the UK Singles Chart
.
. It is written in common time
and moves at a moderate 88 beats per minute. The song is divided into four-measure
phrases
with an i-iv-III-ii-V chord progression
.
Pink told Q
magazine that the song got her into trouble with her mother. The singer commented: "She went to The National Enquirer
. We laugh about it now but it wasn't the best way to address family problems."
's father, James Moore Jr., during an E! Entertainment's E! True Hollywood Story
this song has been unofficially named the national anthem for young kids who have been through the harsh effects of divorce of their parents. "I have got letters from parents thanking us from this song". The song she wrote with Scott Storch
is still going strong with millions of hits on YouTube
and millions of albums sold from Missundaztood. "It took me a while to listen to "Family Portrait" without getting emotional" P!nk
's mom told E! True Hollywood Story. Although the song addresses how P!nk
struggled through her parents' divorce, it is also addressed to kids, to encourage them to talk with their parents about how they feel about their divorce.
AU CD Single
US 7" Single
EU DVD Single
Remix
Contemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B is a music genre that combines elements of hip hop, soul, R&B and funk.Although the abbreviation “R&B” originates from traditional rhythm and blues music, today the term R&B is most often used to describe a style of African American music originating after the demise of disco in...
song written by Pink
Pink (singer)
Alecia Beth Moore , better known by her stage name Pink , is an American singer-songwriter, musician and actress....
and Scott Storch
Scott Storch
Scott Storch is an American record producer. He produces a variety of music, particularly hip hop, reggaeton, and R&B. His label, Storch Music Company responsible for signing Brooke Hogan and Nox...
for Pink's second album Missundaztood (2001).The song is about relationships and her family that was about to fall to pieces, portraying the conflict through the eyes of her as a child. It was released as the album's fourth and final single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
in December 2002 (see 2002 in music
2002 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 2002.-Events:*February 3 – U2 perform during the halftime show for Super Bowl XXXVI...
). It peaked at number twenty on the U.S. 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...
and number eleven on the 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 ...
.
Music and structure
"Family Portrait" is a pop song composed in the key of C minorC minor
C minor is a minor scale based on C, consisting of the pitches C, D, E, F, G, A, and B. The harmonic minor raises the B to B. Changes needed for the melodic and harmonic versions of the scale are written in with naturals and accidentals as necessary.Its key signature consists of three flats...
. It is written in common time
Common Time
"Common Time" is a science fiction short story written by James Blish. It first appeared in the August 1953 issue of Science Fiction Quarterly and has been reprinted several times: in the 1959 short-story collection Galactic Cluster; in The Testament of Andros ; in The Penguin Science Fiction...
and moves at a moderate 88 beats per minute. The song is divided into four-measure
Bar (music)
In musical notation, a bar is a segment of time defined by a given number of beats of a given duration. Typically, a piece consists of several bars of the same length, and in modern musical notation the number of beats in each bar is specified at the beginning of the score by the top number of a...
phrases
Phrase (music)
In music and music theory, phrase and phrasing are concepts and practices related to grouping consecutive melodic notes, both in their composition and performance...
with an i-iv-III-ii-V chord progression
Chord progression
A chord progression is a series of musical chords, or chord changes that "aims for a definite goal" of establishing a tonality founded on a key, root or tonic chord. In other words, the succession of root relationships...
.
Pink told Q
Q (magazine)
Q is a popular music magazine published monthly in the United Kingdom.Founders Mark Ellen and David Hepworth were dismayed by the music press of the time, which they felt was ignoring a generation of older music buyers who were buying CDs — then still a new technology...
magazine that the song got her into trouble with her mother. The singer commented: "She went to The National Enquirer
The National Enquirer
The National Enquirer is an American supermarket tabloid now published by American Media Inc . Founded in 1926, the tabloid has gone through a variety of changes over the years....
. We laugh about it now but it wasn't the best way to address family problems."
A Divorced National Anthem
According to P!nkP!nk
Alecia Beth Moore , better known by her stage name Pink , is an American singer-songwriter, musician and actress....
's father, James Moore Jr., during an E! Entertainment's E! True Hollywood Story
E! True Hollywood Story
E! True Hollywood Story is an American documentary series on E! that deals with famous Hollywood celebrities, movies, TV shows and well-known public figures...
this song has been unofficially named the national anthem for young kids who have been through the harsh effects of divorce of their parents. "I have got letters from parents thanking us from this song". The song she wrote with Scott Storch
Scott Storch
Scott Storch is an American record producer. He produces a variety of music, particularly hip hop, reggaeton, and R&B. His label, Storch Music Company responsible for signing Brooke Hogan and Nox...
is still going strong with millions of hits on YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
and millions of albums sold from Missundaztood. "It took me a while to listen to "Family Portrait" without getting emotional" P!nk
P!nk
Alecia Beth Moore , better known by her stage name Pink , is an American singer-songwriter, musician and actress....
's mom told E! True Hollywood Story. Although the song addresses how P!nk
P!nk
Alecia Beth Moore , better known by her stage name Pink , is an American singer-songwriter, musician and actress....
struggled through her parents' divorce, it is also addressed to kids, to encourage them to talk with their parents about how they feel about their divorce.
Track listings and formats
UK/EU CD Single- "Family Portrait" (Radio Edit) - 3:50
- "Family Portrait" (Album Version) - 4:56
- "My Vietnam" (Live At La Scala) - 5:19
- "Family Portrait" (Video)
AU CD Single
- "Family Portrait" (Radio Edit) - 3:49
- "Just Like a Pill" (Jacknife Lee Mix) - 3:46
- "Just Like a Pill" (Instrumental Version) - 3:52
US 7" Single
- "Family Portrait" (Radio Edit) - 3:49
- "Don't Let Me Get Me" - 3:31
EU DVD Single
- "Family Portrait" (Music Video)
- "Don't Let Me Get Me" (Music Video)
- "Numb" (Live at Scala, London)
- "Family Portrait" (Live at Scala, London)
Remix
- "Family Portrait" (Peter Rauhofer Club Mix) - 7:56
- "Family Portrait" (Peter Rauhofer Radio Edit) - 3:48
Charts
| Chart (2002-03) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian ARIA Australian Recording Industry Association The Australian Recording Industry Association is a trade group representing the Australian recording industry which was established in 1983 by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing the Association of Australian Record Manufacturers which was formed in 1956... Singles Chart |
11 |
| Australian Airplay Chart | 4 |
| Austrian Singles Top 75 | 11 |
| Belgium UltraTop 50 | 8 |
| Canadian Singles Chart | 30 |
| Danish Top 20 Singles | 6 |
| Dutch Top 40 Dutch Top 40 The Dutch Top 40 is a weekly music chart, which started as the "Veronica Top 40", because the offshore radio station Radio Veronica was the first to introduce it. It remained "The Veronica Top 40" until 1974, when the station was forced to stop broadcasting... |
5 |
| Finland Top 20 Singles | 12 |
| French Top 100 Singles | 23 |
| Germany Top 100 | 8 |
| New Zealand Top 50 Singles | 5 |
| Romanian Top 100 Singles | 2 |
| Swedish Singles Top 60 | 5 |
| Swiss Singles Top 100 | 18 |
| UK Singles Top 75 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 ... |
11 |
| U.S. 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... |
20 |
| U.S. Billboard Pop Songs | 5 |
Certifications
| Country | Certification Music recording sales certification Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,... (sales thresholds) |
|---|---|
| United States | Gold |