U Should've Known Better

Infobox Single
Name = U Should've Known Better
Artist = Monica
from Album = All Eyez on Me
and After the Storm


Released = May 4, 2004
Format = Digital download, ring tone, 7" single, promo single
Writer = Monica Arnold, Jermaine Dupri, Harold Lilly
Recorded = 2002; SouthSide Studios
(Atlanta, Georgia)
Genre = R&B
Length = 4:17 (album version)
Label = J
Producer = Jermaine Dupri, Bryan Michael Cox (co-production)
Last single = "Knock Knock/
Get It Off"
(2003)
This single = "U Should've Known Better"
(2004)
Next single = "Everytime tha Beat Drop"
(2006)

"U Should've Known Better" is a song by American R&B singer Monica. It was written by Monica, Jermaine Dupri and Harold Lilly and produced by Dupri for her original third studio album, "All Eyez on Me" (2002), featuring addtional production by Bryan Michael Cox. As the album was retooled, the song was one out of five orginal records that were transfered into a new version, entitled "After the Storm" (2003).

The song was released as the fourth and final single from "After the Storm" in March 2004. Monica's first balladic release in over five years, "U Should've Known Better" peaked at number 19 on the U.S. "Billboard" Hot 100 and number 6 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart, becoming the album's second-biggest single release.

ong information

, "Don't Gotta Go Home", as a final single, but first plans for a video were scrapped and the idea was dropped.

A half year later the "All Eyez on Me" leftover, "U Should've Known Better" was announced as the album's last official single. The sultry ballad was written by Monica, Harold Lilly and Jermaine Dupri, who was able to finalize the track with help from co-producer Bryan Michael Cox. The lyrics deal with misunderstandings in a relationship, which conduce to doubts about love's veracity. Nonetheless Monica promises her man she'll stay with him, singing lines like: "It don't matter if you're up, matter if you're down, either way I'm gonna be around ..."

Music video

The music video for "U Should've Known Better" was directed by Benny Boom and produced by Joyce Washington for FM Rocks.

G-Unit rapper Young Buck appears in the video as her love interest.

Chart performance

Released as the album's fourth and final single in March 2004, "U Should've Known Better" opened as the "Hot Shot Debut" of the week at number 72 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart in the week of April 3, 2004. [Cite web|title=Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (2004-04-03)|url=http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/charts/search/detailed_chart_display.jsp?g=s&cd=Apr-03-2004&f=Hot_R&B/Hip-Hop_Songs&model.chartId=3053307|work=Billboard|accessdate=2008-08-10] However, it took another three month until the song entered the U.S. "Billboard" Hot 100 chart, where it debuted at number 67 in the week of June 6, 2004, the second-highest debut of the week. [Cite web|title=The Billboard Hot 100 (2004-06-05)|url=http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/charts/search/detailed_chart_display.jsp?g=s&cd=Jun-05-2004&f=The_Billboard_Hot_100&model.chartId=3054075|work=Billboard|accessdate=2008-08-10] The single remained twenty weeks on the chart, reaching its peak position of number 19 in its ninth week, making it the album's most successful release behind leading single "So Gone" following the less successful chart performances of "Knock Knock" and "Get It Off." [Cite web|title=U Should've Known Better|url=http://acharts.us/song/491|work=A-Charts|accessdate=2008-08-10]

Although never released on a CD single or CD maxi single format, "U Should've Known Better" was also successful on "Billboard"´s component charts: The single reached number 6 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks (Monica's tenth non-consecutive top ten entry on that particular chart), as well as the top ten on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay and the top 20 on the Hot 100 Airplay chart. It also appeared on the Rhythmic Top 40 at number 20.

"U Should've Known Better" was ranked #72 on Top Hot 100 Hits of 2004.

Formats and tracklistings

These are the formats and track listings of major single-releases of "U Should've Known Better.";Promotional single
# "U Should've Known Better" (radio edit) - 4:17
# "U Should've Known Better" (radio edit without guitar) - 4:17
# "U Should've Known Better" (instrumental) - 4:45
# "U Should've Known Better" (call out hook) - 0:10;7" single
# "U Should've Known Better" (DIO club mix) - 7:11
# "U Should've Known Better" (DIO radio mix) - 3:58
# "U Should've Known Better" (Bass/Fonseca mixshow) - 5:39
# "U Should've Known Better" (Bass/Fonseca a cappella) - 3:41

Credits and personnel

* Lead vocals: Monica Arnold
* Background vocals: Monica Arnold
* Audio mixing - Phil Tan, Jermaine Dupri
** Assisted by John Horesco IV
* Guitar: William Odum
* Recorded by Brian Frye at SouthSide Studios, Atlanta, Georgia
** Assisted by Tadd Mingo, Javier Valeverde
* Mastered by Tom Coyne

Charts

References

External links

*Youtube|5cmi1gGBuCA|"U Should've Known Better" music video