Mr. Know It All
Encyclopedia
"Mr. Know It All" is a song by American singer-songwriter Kelly Clarkson
. The break-up themed song was written by Brian Kennedy
, Ester Dean
, Brett James
, and Dante Jones. It was described as the most different among the singles released by Clarkson. Clarkson described the song as a "vocally raw record" and stated that she and her producers strove to record her voice as it is heard at live performances, with as little auto-tune
processing as possible.
The song premiered on a live single event hosted by Clarkson in August 30, 2011 by RCA Records
as the first single from her fifth studio album, Stronger
. Upon its release, "Mr. Know It All" has received positive to mixed reviews from music critics. The song became Clarkson's second highest debut and her ninth top 10 ten hit on the American charts, and first number one in Australia as well as in South Korean international chart.
, Clarkson revealed that "Mr. Know It All" was the last song recorded by her on February 2011 in Nashville, Tennessee
. At the live single event, Clarkson then stated that the reason she picked the song as the first single because "it was unlike any other song that I really ever came up with." She later added that "Secondly, just because it's very different from a first single for me. Usually we go with an anthem, guitar-driven song. This is very different... It's just super sassy and it sets up the album nicely," such as "Never Again
" (2007) and "My Life Would Suck Without You
" (2009). On August 17, 2011, Clarkson revealed that the first single will be "Mr. Know It All," which was set to be released late August. On August 26, 2011, the song leaked online. The song officially impacted Australian radio on August 29, 2011. On August 30, 2011, at 5:30 PM ET, the song was played during a live webcast Clarkson hosted on her official website. The song was available as a digital download from September 5, 2011. Fans who pre-ordered Stronger on Clarkson's official store will get the single for free upon its September 5 release. "Mr. Know It All" is a mid tempo pop song with R&B influences. Clarkson described the song as "different from any of her other singles because the message is not just about relationships. Even though Clarkson admits she has a list of people that have brought her down, she states that the song is also about ignorant people who think they know everything about someone."
commented, "The song is an obvious Clarkson joint: feisty and straightforward, with a strong melody and a sing-along chorus." Entertainment Weekly
remarked, "We love it too, Kelly. Especially since we’re not the men involved." Billboard
stated that "Clarkson's lyrical message may be one of sass and strength (as fans have come to expect from her), but musically, "Mr. Know It All" is a bit softer; instead of rock-focused energy, the single goes midtempo with touches of piano and subtle strings." VH1
reluctantly admitted their positive review, stating "We don’t have to lie. The mid-tempo ballad isn’t our favorite of her tracks, and we wish her vocals were mixed higher, but we dig it nonetheless."
Some of the critics noticed the song's striking resemblance to Bruno Mars
' single "Just the Way You Are
." Rolling Stone
gave the song three stars, commenting "For her latest earworm, Clarkson narrows her octave range – no American Idol glory notes here – and sasses a controlling man with double-entendres ("Baby, I ain't goin' down") that up her R&B appeal. The only problem? Bruno Mars wants his "Just the Way You Are" hook back." Music website Popdust focused on its resemblance, remarking "The resemblance is as blatant as that of "Already Gone
" and "Halo
," but at least those two had the same songwriter (Ryan Tedder
). "Mr. Know It All" was written by a collection of non-Smeezingtons, none of whom apparently heard or cared about the resemblance." later adding, "To Clarkson’s credit–and at this point, the track really needs credit–she sells the song with all her considerable vocal worth, and she sounds punchier and more engaged on the verses than she did on much of All I Ever Wanted
. The fault lies with the songwriters, not the vocalist." Bill Lamb from About.com
rated it four-and-a-half stars out of five and went to praise "the understated vocals with perfect nuance", "the production that wisely gets out of the way of the vocals" and "the words of strength". Lamb also wrote that "Mr. Know It All" features one of the most impressive female pop vocals of 2011. The raspy approach here matches the strength informed by pain of the lyrics of the song. It is a style decision that makes the brief moments of gentle clarity in her voice even more affecting."
chart on September 15, 2011 at number 18, her highest single debut on the chart since "Never Again", which debuted at number 8 in 2007. It also debuted on the Billboard Digital Songs at number 9 with 107,000 downloads sold, and at the Billboard Pop Songs chart at number 29. "Mr Know It All" also debuted at number one on the digital sales chart for international artists on South Korea
's Gaon Chart
, with around 180,000 downloads. On September 26, 2011 the track debuted on the Australian ARIA
Charts at number 25 and peaked at the number 1 position following a promotional tour by Clarkson, which included a performance at the 2011 NRL Grand Final
and the The X Factor. In the United Kingdom, "Mr. Know It All" debuted at number 6 on October 23, 2011 (for the week ending date October 30, 2011), the same day she performed the single during the third live results show of season 8 of The X Factor
. On the first-week release of Stronger, "Mr Know It All" rose up on the Hot 100 chart from number 19 to number 10, becoming Clarkson's first top ten hit since "My Life Would Suck Without You" in 2009, and her ninth top ten overall. "Mr. Know It All" has sold 741,000 copies in the United States.
. Clarkson explained that "The idea behind the video is variety. The whole point of the song that I like is ‘you don’t know a thing about me. I love that concept because it’s ignorant to think you know everything about a person. There’s many sides to everybody’s personality. We’re kind of doing a variety of different Kellys." The video featured a "wall of doubt" in which headlines about Clarkson such as "Why So Single Kelly?", "Sponsors Drop Kelly Clarkson", "Too Fat", "Music Leaks" and "Kelly has no style" are posted. Clarkson remarked it as "basically all the crap that’s been said about me that’s kind of funny or ridiculous…we’re playing with that…it’s how I handle it…kind of sarcastic and funny." Another feature of the video is Clarkson dressed in a long gown with feathers on her hair which represents freedom. The video premiered on VEVO on September 26, 2011. In an interview with MTV News, Clarkson described herself in the video,
The video Clarkson was watching was actually a scene from her previous music video "I Do Not Hook Up
", the second single from All I Ever Wanted, which makes a reference to a scene of Cameron Diaz
in the film What Happens in Vegas
. And the fictional internet article featured in the video was taken from the website Kovideo.net and was edited to avoid plagiarism charges. The article featured a real life situation in Clarkson's career where several demos of the songs originally recorded for Stronger were leaked into the internet in July 2011. Clarkson responded to the situation by stating "Oh my God, have you ever been robbed? I have. I’ve been physically robbed a couple of times, but this is much worse." later adding "No point in getting angry because there's nothing I can do so I hope (everyone) likes the music."
" on a Sony Google TV
while reading an internet article about the song leaking into the internet. Clarkson later scans through the comments section and laughs at it sarcastically. The video then depicts Clarkson packing her clothes and accessories in a suitcase then leaves the man behind. The video then features Clarkson, dressed in a velvet dress, singing with feathers on her hair. In the final shot of the video, Clarkson tears some of the newspaper clippings at the wall, creating a hole and revealing a sunny, beautiful valley and a road, similar to the one featured in the music video of Madonna
's single "Don't Tell Me
", in which Clarkson enters along with her suitcase.
Several of the critics noted the video's approach to media, in which they assumed that the "Mr. Know It All" is an individual man. Brad Wete of Entertainment Weekly
, remarked that "It’s interesting how she used the video to kill two birds with one stone. The song itself is about a misinformed individual, but the clip takes a swipe at the media and blogosphere. Personally, I prefer more direct musical approaches—like Michael Jackson
’s "Tabloid Junkie
.” But Clarkson’s song is cool." VH1
remarked, "When we first heard Kelly Clarkson‘s latest single, “Mr. Know It All,” we figured that, thematically, it was a fairly straightforward kiss off to an ex that did her dirty. However, after watching the video for the song that debuted in the wee hours this morning, it’s apparent that there’s another target for her ire: The media." adding, "However, it turns that it’s not just old media that’s got Kelly down. The blogs are on her case, too!" and later concluding, "Whether you’re a big music superstar or someone whose only exposure to the rumor mill comes courtesy of Facebook, gossip is unavoidable. How you choose to react to the haters, however, is entirely up to you. You can wallow in their nasty comment sections (or op-ed pages!), but at the end of the day, wouldn’t you rather go outside and see the sunshine? Kelly Clarkson would, that’s for sure." Hollywood.com remarked "Clarkson puts a man (whose face we never see) in his place for thinking that he knows everything about her. While she's a few unicorns and eccentric costumes shy of creating a Katy Perry
or Lady Gaga
experience, she brings enough sass and glamour to the video to make it worth watching. The lyrics itself are powerful, but her meaningful looks into the camera and bold demand for independence really help to drive the message home."
on September 20, 2011.Upon hearing Clarkson's performance on The Tonight Show, VH1 remarked, "Clarkson has always had a great voice and an even better sense of how to use it". Clarkson performed the song on The Ellen DeGeneres Show
on September 22, 2011, at the iHeartRadio
Music Festival in Las Vegas, Nevada
on September 23, 2011, and on the Australian television series The X Factor on September 28, 2011. On October 2, 2011, Clarkson performed the song at the 2011 NRL Grand Final
at the ANZ Stadium in Sydney, Australia where she was accompanied by 300 dancers. Clarkson also performed the song on Dancing With The Stars
on October 18, 2011 along with her hit Walk Away. Clarkson performed "Mr. Know It All" during the third live results show of season 8 of the British television series The X Factor
on October 23, 2011, and is scheduled to perform the song on the U.S. series of The X Factor
on November 23, 2011. Clarkson performed the song on Today on October 25, 2011, on The View on October 26, 2011, and on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
on October 28, 2011. Clarkson performed "Mr. Know It All" on the 2011 American Music Awards
.
CD Single
UK Digital/CD Single
Kelly Clarkson
Kelly Brianne Clarkson is an American pop rock singer-songwriter and actress. Clarkson came into prominence after becoming the winner of the inaugural season of the television series American Idol in 2002 and would later become the runner-up in the television special World Idol in 2003.In 2003,...
. The break-up themed song was written by Brian Kennedy
Brian Kennedy (producer)
Brian Kennedy Seals is an American songwriter, record producer and musician from Kansas City, MO. Revered as a piano prodigy, he has been making music tracks since 2001...
, Ester Dean
Ester Dean
Ester Renay Dean is an American singer and songwriter, and record producer signed to Zone 4 Records/Interscope Records. She is most notable for her dual appearance on Rio: Music From The Motion Picture and her 2009 US hit single "Drop It Low", which featured singer Chris Brown...
, Brett James
Brett James
Brett James Cornelius is an American singer, songwriter and record producer. Signed to Career Records as a solo artist in 1995, James charted three singles and released a self-titled debut album that year...
, and Dante Jones. It was described as the most different among the singles released by Clarkson. Clarkson described the song as a "vocally raw record" and stated that she and her producers strove to record her voice as it is heard at live performances, with as little auto-tune
Auto-Tune
Auto-Tune is a proprietary audio processor created by Antares Audio Technologies. Auto-Tune uses a phase vocoder to correct pitch in vocal and instrumental performances. It is used to disguise off-key inaccuracies and mistakes, and has allowed singers to perform apparently perfectly tuned vocal...
processing as possible.
The song premiered on a live single event hosted by Clarkson in August 30, 2011 by RCA Records
RCA Records
RCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. The RCA initials stand for Radio Corporation of America , which was the parent corporation from 1929 to 1985 and a partner from 1985 to 1986.RCA's Canadian unit is Sony's oldest label...
as the first single from her fifth studio album, Stronger
Stronger (Kelly Clarkson album)
Stronger is the fifth studio album by American singer-songwriter Kelly Clarkson. The album was released on October 21, 2011 in Australia and October 24, 2011 in the United States and the United Kingdom through RCA Records...
. Upon its release, "Mr. Know It All" has received positive to mixed reviews from music critics. The song became Clarkson's second highest debut and her ninth top 10 ten hit on the American charts, and first number one in Australia as well as in South Korean international chart.
Background and composition
During an interview with Ryan SeacrestRyan Seacrest
Ryan John Seacrest is an American radio personality, television host, network producer and voice actor. He is the host of On Air with Ryan Seacrest, a nationally syndicated Top 40 radio show that airs on KIIS-FM in Los Angeles and throughout the United States and Canada on Premiere Radio Networks,...
, Clarkson revealed that "Mr. Know It All" was the last song recorded by her on February 2011 in Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
. At the live single event, Clarkson then stated that the reason she picked the song as the first single because "it was unlike any other song that I really ever came up with." She later added that "Secondly, just because it's very different from a first single for me. Usually we go with an anthem, guitar-driven song. This is very different... It's just super sassy and it sets up the album nicely," such as "Never Again
Never Again (Kelly Clarkson song)
"Never Again" is a song written by American pop rock singer Kelly Clarkson and Jimmy Messer, and is the first single from her third studio album, My December ....
" (2007) and "My Life Would Suck Without You
My Life Would Suck Without You
"My Life Would Suck Without You" is a song performed by American pop rock singer-songwriter Kelly Clarkson. It is the first single from her fourth studio album, All I Ever Wanted. Dr. Luke and Max Martin, writers of her hit "Since U Been Gone", co-produced and co-wrote the song. Claude Kelly also...
" (2009). On August 17, 2011, Clarkson revealed that the first single will be "Mr. Know It All," which was set to be released late August. On August 26, 2011, the song leaked online. The song officially impacted Australian radio on August 29, 2011. On August 30, 2011, at 5:30 PM ET, the song was played during a live webcast Clarkson hosted on her official website. The song was available as a digital download from September 5, 2011. Fans who pre-ordered Stronger on Clarkson's official store will get the single for free upon its September 5 release. "Mr. Know It All" is a mid tempo pop song with R&B influences. Clarkson described the song as "different from any of her other singles because the message is not just about relationships. Even though Clarkson admits she has a list of people that have brought her down, she states that the song is also about ignorant people who think they know everything about someone."
Critical reception
The song has received mixed to positive reviews. Upon hearing the single, MTV NewsMTV News
MTV News is the news division of MTV, one of the first and most popular music television network in the U.S., as well as some of MTV's related channels around the world. MTV News began in the late 1980s with the program The Week In Rock, hosted by Kurt Loder, the first official MTV News correspondent...
commented, "The song is an obvious Clarkson joint: feisty and straightforward, with a strong melody and a sing-along chorus." Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
remarked, "We love it too, Kelly. Especially since we’re not the men involved." Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
stated that "Clarkson's lyrical message may be one of sass and strength (as fans have come to expect from her), but musically, "Mr. Know It All" is a bit softer; instead of rock-focused energy, the single goes midtempo with touches of piano and subtle strings." VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
reluctantly admitted their positive review, stating "We don’t have to lie. The mid-tempo ballad isn’t our favorite of her tracks, and we wish her vocals were mixed higher, but we dig it nonetheless."
Some of the critics noticed the song's striking resemblance to Bruno Mars
Bruno Mars
Peter Gene Hernandez , better known by his stage name Bruno Mars, is an Filipino-American singer-songwriter and record producer. Raised in Honolulu, Hawaii by a family of musicians, Mars began making music at a young age...
' single "Just the Way You Are
Just the Way You Are (Bruno Mars song)
"Just the Way You Are" is a song by American singer-songwriter Bruno Mars, and is the lead single from his debut studio album, Doo-Wops & Hooligans. It was released in the United States on July 20, 2010. It has also received airplay from AOL Radio's New Pop First station. The song was written by...
." Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
gave the song three stars, commenting "For her latest earworm, Clarkson narrows her octave range – no American Idol glory notes here – and sasses a controlling man with double-entendres ("Baby, I ain't goin' down") that up her R&B appeal. The only problem? Bruno Mars wants his "Just the Way You Are" hook back." Music website Popdust focused on its resemblance, remarking "The resemblance is as blatant as that of "Already Gone
Already Gone (Kelly Clarkson song)
"Already Gone" is a song performed by American singer–songwriter Kelly Clarkson from her 2009 album, All I Ever Wanted. It is co-written by Clarkson and Ryan Tedder, who also produced it. The song was released as the album's third single in August 2009...
" and "Halo
Halo (Beyoncé Knowles song)
"Halo" is a song recorded by American R&B singer Beyoncé Knowles for her third studio album I Am... Sasha Fierce . Columbia Records released the song as the fourth single of the album, to mainstream radio in the United States on January 20, 2009. It was composed by Ryan Tedder, Evan Bogart, and...
," but at least those two had the same songwriter (Ryan Tedder
Ryan Tedder
Ryan Benjamin Tedder is an American singer-songwriter and record producer. He is best known as the frontman of the pop rock band, OneRepublic, though he has an independent career as songwriter and producer for various artists such as Beyoncé, Kelly Clarkson, Far East Movement, Jordin Sparks, Leona...
). "Mr. Know It All" was written by a collection of non-Smeezingtons, none of whom apparently heard or cared about the resemblance." later adding, "To Clarkson’s credit–and at this point, the track really needs credit–she sells the song with all her considerable vocal worth, and she sounds punchier and more engaged on the verses than she did on much of All I Ever Wanted
All I Ever Wanted (album)
All I Ever Wanted is the fourth studio album by American pop rock singer-songwriter Kelly Clarkson, released on March 6, 2009 in Australia and Germany and the United States on March 10. It was her second album to debut at #1 on the Billboard 200...
. The fault lies with the songwriters, not the vocalist." Bill Lamb from About.com
About.com
About.com is an online source for original information and advice. It is written in English, and is aimed primarily at North Americans. It is owned by The New York Times Company....
rated it four-and-a-half stars out of five and went to praise "the understated vocals with perfect nuance", "the production that wisely gets out of the way of the vocals" and "the words of strength". Lamb also wrote that "Mr. Know It All" features one of the most impressive female pop vocals of 2011. The raspy approach here matches the strength informed by pain of the lyrics of the song. It is a style decision that makes the brief moments of gentle clarity in her voice even more affecting."
Chart performance
"Mr. Know It All" debuted in number 30 on Billboard Adult Pop Songs chart just hours after its release and peaked at number 20. The song then debuted on the Billboard Hot 100Billboard 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...
chart on September 15, 2011 at number 18, her highest single debut on the chart since "Never Again", which debuted at number 8 in 2007. It also debuted on the Billboard Digital Songs at number 9 with 107,000 downloads sold, and at the Billboard Pop Songs chart at number 29. "Mr Know It All" also debuted at number one on the digital sales chart for international artists on South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
's Gaon Chart
Gaon Chart
The Gaon Chart is a national record chart of South Korea. It is complied by the Korea Music Content Industry Association and sponsored by South Korea's Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism; with an aim to create a national chart for Korea similar to the Billboard charts and Oricon charts...
, with around 180,000 downloads. On September 26, 2011 the track debuted on the Australian ARIA
Aria
An aria in music was originally any expressive melody, usually, but not always, performed by a singer. The term is now used almost exclusively to describe a self-contained piece for one voice usually with orchestral accompaniment...
Charts at number 25 and peaked at the number 1 position following a promotional tour by Clarkson, which included a performance at the 2011 NRL Grand Final
2011 NRL Grand Final
The 2011 NRL Grand Final was the conclusive and premiership-deciding game of the NRL's 2011 Telstra Premiership season. It was played between the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles and the New Zealand Warriors on the afternoon of Sunday, 2 October, and it was the first time the two sides have met in a...
and the The X Factor. In the United Kingdom, "Mr. Know It All" debuted at number 6 on October 23, 2011 (for the week ending date October 30, 2011), the same day she performed the single during the third live results show of season 8 of The X Factor
The X Factor (UK)
The X Factor is a British television music competition to find new singing talent. Created by Simon Cowell, it began in September 2004 and is contested by aspiring singers drawn from public auditions. It is the originator of the international X Factor franchise. The seven series of the show to date...
. On the first-week release of Stronger, "Mr Know It All" rose up on the Hot 100 chart from number 19 to number 10, becoming Clarkson's first top ten hit since "My Life Would Suck Without You" in 2009, and her ninth top ten overall. "Mr. Know It All" has sold 741,000 copies in the United States.
Background
Filming of the music video for the song took place on August 25, 2011 in Nashville and was directed by Justin FrancisJustin Francis
Justin Francis is a New York-based director/photographer. He has directed music videos for Alicia Keys,Nickelback, Mariah Carey, Kelly Clarkson, Nicole Scherzinger, Modest Mouse, Amos Lee, Weezer, Jaguar Wright, Timbaland, Obie Trice, Cashis, Stat Quo, Kill Hannah, Young the Giant, Dropping...
. Clarkson explained that "The idea behind the video is variety. The whole point of the song that I like is ‘you don’t know a thing about me. I love that concept because it’s ignorant to think you know everything about a person. There’s many sides to everybody’s personality. We’re kind of doing a variety of different Kellys." The video featured a "wall of doubt" in which headlines about Clarkson such as "Why So Single Kelly?", "Sponsors Drop Kelly Clarkson", "Too Fat", "Music Leaks" and "Kelly has no style" are posted. Clarkson remarked it as "basically all the crap that’s been said about me that’s kind of funny or ridiculous…we’re playing with that…it’s how I handle it…kind of sarcastic and funny." Another feature of the video is Clarkson dressed in a long gown with feathers on her hair which represents freedom. The video premiered on VEVO on September 26, 2011. In an interview with MTV News, Clarkson described herself in the video,
"I think there's that free-spirit side of me, and then there's that feisty performer in me, Then there's the funny side of me. I mean, obviously you have to be funny to have a big giant wall of doubt with actual headlines of your life on the wall. It's a little fun, a little feisty."
The video Clarkson was watching was actually a scene from her previous music video "I Do Not Hook Up
I Do Not Hook Up
"I Do Not Hook Up" is a song by American singer Kelly Clarkson. It served as the second single from her fourth album All I Ever Wanted. The song, in addition to another track on the album , was recorded by Katy Perry for her unreleased album Katy Perry ."I Do Not Hook Up" was sent to American...
", the second single from All I Ever Wanted, which makes a reference to a scene of Cameron Diaz
Cameron Diaz
Cameron Michelle Diaz is an American actress and former model. She became famous during the 1990s with roles in the movies The Mask, My Best Friend's Wedding, and There's Something About Mary. Other high-profile credits include the two Charlie's Angels films, voicing the character Princess Fiona...
in the film What Happens in Vegas
What Happens in Vegas
What Happens in Vegas is a 2008 American romantic comedy film from 20th Century Fox starring Cameron Diaz and Ashton Kutcher. The title is based on the marketing catchphrase, "What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas."-Plot:...
. And the fictional internet article featured in the video was taken from the website Kovideo.net and was edited to avoid plagiarism charges. The article featured a real life situation in Clarkson's career where several demos of the songs originally recorded for Stronger were leaked into the internet in July 2011. Clarkson responded to the situation by stating "Oh my God, have you ever been robbed? I have. I’ve been physically robbed a couple of times, but this is much worse." later adding "No point in getting angry because there's nothing I can do so I hope (everyone) likes the music."
Synopsis and reception
The video features Clarkson singing behind a wall full of newspaper articles, both derogatory and favorable, about Clarkson's music career and personal life. The video continually cuts Clarkson confronting a man as a metaphor for "Mr. Know It All" by singing angrily at him. Throughout the chorus, silhouettes Clarkson's touring band fade into the wall as she sings. The video then features Clarkson watching the music video of her single "I Do Not Hook UpI Do Not Hook Up
"I Do Not Hook Up" is a song by American singer Kelly Clarkson. It served as the second single from her fourth album All I Ever Wanted. The song, in addition to another track on the album , was recorded by Katy Perry for her unreleased album Katy Perry ."I Do Not Hook Up" was sent to American...
" on a Sony Google TV
Google TV
Google TV is a Smart TV platform from Google. It was announced on May 20, 2010, at Google’s Google I/O event and was co-developed by Google, Intel, Sony and Logitech...
while reading an internet article about the song leaking into the internet. Clarkson later scans through the comments section and laughs at it sarcastically. The video then depicts Clarkson packing her clothes and accessories in a suitcase then leaves the man behind. The video then features Clarkson, dressed in a velvet dress, singing with feathers on her hair. In the final shot of the video, Clarkson tears some of the newspaper clippings at the wall, creating a hole and revealing a sunny, beautiful valley and a road, similar to the one featured in the music video of Madonna
Madonna (entertainer)
Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
's single "Don't Tell Me
Don't Tell Me (Madonna song)
"Don't Tell Me" is a song by American singer-songwriter Madonna. It was released as the second single from her eighth studio album Music on November 21, 2000 by Maverick Records. The single has sold around 4.5 million copies to date.-History:...
", in which Clarkson enters along with her suitcase.
Several of the critics noted the video's approach to media, in which they assumed that the "Mr. Know It All" is an individual man. Brad Wete of Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
, remarked that "It’s interesting how she used the video to kill two birds with one stone. The song itself is about a misinformed individual, but the clip takes a swipe at the media and blogosphere. Personally, I prefer more direct musical approaches—like Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
’s "Tabloid Junkie
Tabloid Junkie
"Tabloid Junkie" is a pop song performed by American recording artist Michael Jackson. The song appeared as the album's eleventh track on Jackson's ninth studio album, entitled HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I, which was released in 1995 as a two-disc set...
.” But Clarkson’s song is cool." VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
remarked, "When we first heard Kelly Clarkson‘s latest single, “Mr. Know It All,” we figured that, thematically, it was a fairly straightforward kiss off to an ex that did her dirty. However, after watching the video for the song that debuted in the wee hours this morning, it’s apparent that there’s another target for her ire: The media." adding, "However, it turns that it’s not just old media that’s got Kelly down. The blogs are on her case, too!" and later concluding, "Whether you’re a big music superstar or someone whose only exposure to the rumor mill comes courtesy of Facebook, gossip is unavoidable. How you choose to react to the haters, however, is entirely up to you. You can wallow in their nasty comment sections (or op-ed pages!), but at the end of the day, wouldn’t you rather go outside and see the sunshine? Kelly Clarkson would, that’s for sure." Hollywood.com remarked "Clarkson puts a man (whose face we never see) in his place for thinking that he knows everything about her. While she's a few unicorns and eccentric costumes shy of creating a Katy Perry
Katy Perry
Katy Perry is an American singer, songwriter and actress. Born in Santa Barbara, California, and raised by Christian pastor parents, Perry grew up listening to only gospel music and sang in her local church as a child. After earning a GED during her first year of high school, she began to pursue a...
or Lady Gaga
Lady GaGa
Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta , better known by her stage name Lady Gaga, is an American singer and songwriter. Born and raised in New York City, she primarily studied at the Convent of the Sacred Heart and briefly attended New York University's Tisch School of the Arts before withdrawing to...
experience, she brings enough sass and glamour to the video to make it worth watching. The lyrics itself are powerful, but her meaningful looks into the camera and bold demand for independence really help to drive the message home."
Live performances
Clarkson performed "Mr. Know It All" for the first time on Stars for Free music festival in Berlin, Germany on September 10, 2011. She then performed it on The Tonight Show With Jay LenoThe Tonight Show with Jay Leno
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno is an American late-night talk show hosted by Jay Leno that initially aired from May 25, 1992 to May 29, 2009, and resumed production on March 1, 2010. The fourth incarnation of the Tonight Show franchise made its debut on May 25, 1992, three days following Johnny...
on September 20, 2011.Upon hearing Clarkson's performance on The Tonight Show, VH1 remarked, "Clarkson has always had a great voice and an even better sense of how to use it". Clarkson performed the song on The Ellen DeGeneres Show
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
The Ellen DeGeneres Show, often shortened to Ellen, is an American television talk show hosted by comedian/actress Ellen DeGeneres. Debuting on September 8, 2003, it is produced by Telepictures and airs in syndication, including stations owned by NBC Universal. For its first five seasons, the show...
on September 22, 2011, at the iHeartRadio
Iheartradio
iHeartRadio is a Clear Channel Radio network to aggregate local radio brands, personalities and on-demand content. It is best known as a mobile application...
Music Festival in Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
on September 23, 2011, and on the Australian television series The X Factor on September 28, 2011. On October 2, 2011, Clarkson performed the song at the 2011 NRL Grand Final
2011 NRL Grand Final
The 2011 NRL Grand Final was the conclusive and premiership-deciding game of the NRL's 2011 Telstra Premiership season. It was played between the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles and the New Zealand Warriors on the afternoon of Sunday, 2 October, and it was the first time the two sides have met in a...
at the ANZ Stadium in Sydney, Australia where she was accompanied by 300 dancers. Clarkson also performed the song on Dancing With The Stars
Dancing with the Stars
Dancing with the Stars is the name of several international television series based on the format of the British TV series Strictly Come Dancing, which is distributed by BBC Worldwide – the commercial arm of the BBC. Currently the format has been licensed to over 35 countries...
on October 18, 2011 along with her hit Walk Away. Clarkson performed "Mr. Know It All" during the third live results show of season 8 of the British television series The X Factor
The X Factor (UK)
The X Factor is a British television music competition to find new singing talent. Created by Simon Cowell, it began in September 2004 and is contested by aspiring singers drawn from public auditions. It is the originator of the international X Factor franchise. The seven series of the show to date...
on October 23, 2011, and is scheduled to perform the song on the U.S. series of The X Factor
The X Factor (U.S.)
The X Factor is an American television music competition to find new singing talent. The show is produced by creator Simon Cowell's company SYCOtv. It premiered on September 21, 2011 on Fox....
on November 23, 2011. Clarkson performed the song on Today on October 25, 2011, on The View on October 26, 2011, and 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....
on October 28, 2011. Clarkson performed "Mr. Know It All" on the 2011 American Music Awards
American Music Awards
-Conception:The AMAs were created by Dick Clark in 1973 to compete with the Grammys after the move of that year's show to Nashville, Tennessee led to CBS picking up the Grammy telecasts after its first two in 1971 and 1972 were broadcast on ABC...
.
Track listing
Digital Download- "Mr. Know It All" – 3:52
CD Single
- "Mr. Know It All" – 3:52
- "My Life Would Suck Without You (Chriss Ortega Radio Mix)" – 3:40
UK Digital/CD Single
- "Mr. Know It All (Radio Edit)" - 3:52
- "My Life Would Suck Without You (Chriss Ortega Radio Mix)" – 3:40
Charts
| Chart (2011) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Japan (Japan Hot 100 Japan Hot 100 The Japan Hot 100 is a music singles chart in Japan. It is compiled by Billboard and Hanshin Contents Link ever since February 2008. The chart is updated every Wednesday at billboard-japan.com and every Thursday at billboard.com .... ) |
33 |
| K-Pop Hot 100 Korea K-Pop Hot 100 The Korea K-Pop Hot 100 is a music singles chart in the United States and South Korea. It is launched in conjunction with Billboard and Billboard Korea on August 25, 2011 and is based on digital sales via leading websites as well as downloads from mobile service sites using an industry-standard... (Billboard Billboard (magazine) Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis... ) |
78 |
| South Korea (Gaon Chart Gaon Chart The Gaon Chart is a national record chart of South Korea. It is complied by the Korea Music Content Industry Association and sponsored by South Korea's Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism; with an aim to create a national chart for Korea similar to the Billboard charts and Oricon charts... ) |
1 |
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) |
|---|---|
| Australia 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... |
Platinum |
| New Zealand Recording Industry Association of New Zealand The Recording Industry Association of New Zealand is a non-profit trade association of record producers, distributors and recording artists who sell music in New Zealand... |
Gold |
Release history
| Country | Date | Format | Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | August 29, 2011 | Contemporary Hit Radio Contemporary hit radio Contemporary hit radio is a radio format that is common in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia that focuses on playing current and recurrent popular music as determined by the Top 40 music charts... |
RCA Records RCA Records RCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. The RCA initials stand for Radio Corporation of America , which was the parent corporation from 1929 to 1985 and a partner from 1985 to 1986.RCA's Canadian unit is Sony's oldest label... |
| N/A | August 30, 2011 | Live Webcast Premiere | |
| United States | September 5, 2011 | Digital download | |
| Canada | Sony Music | ||
| France | |||
| Germany | |||
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| Finland | |||
| Greece | |||
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| Italy | |||
| Netherlands | |||
| New Zealand | |||
| Norway | |||
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| Spain | |||
| Sweden | |||
| Switzerland | |||
| United States | September 12, 2011 | Hot/Modern/AC radio | RCA Records |
| September 13, 2011 | Top 40/Mainstream radio | ||
| United Kingdom | October 16, 2011 | Digital download | RCA Label Group (UK) |
| Germany | October 21, 2011 | CD single | Sony Music |
| United Kingdom | October 25, 2011 | CD single | RCA Label Group (UK) |