U Should've Known Better

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“U Should've Known Better”
“U Should've Known Better” cover
Single by Monica
from the album After the Storm and All Eyez on Me
Released May 2004
Format CD single, DVD single, vinyl single
Recorded Atlanta, Georgia, 2002
Genre R&B
Length 4:17
Label J
Writer(s) Monica, Jermaine Dupri, Harold Lilly
Producer Jermaine Dupri, Bryan Michael Cox
Monica singles chronology
"Knock Knock/
Get It Off"
(2003)		 "U Should've Known Better"
(2004)		 "Everytime tha Beat Drop"
(2006)

"U Should've Known Better" is an R&B ballad written by American singer Monica, Jermaine Dupri, and Harold Lilly for Monica's original third studio album, All Eyez on Me (2002). The song was co-produced by Dupri, and Bryan Michael Cox and later also included on partially re-worked After the Storm (2003). Eventually released in May 2004 as the album's fourth single, "U Should've Known Better" saw comparatively big success in the United States, peaking at number 19 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and number 6 on the R&B/Hip-Hop tracks chart.

Contents

[edit] Song information

Monica in the Benny Boom-directed video for "U Should've Known Better" (2004).
Monica in the Benny Boom-directed video for "U Should've Known Better" (2004).

Until its radio release in spring 2004 the single had to go through a lot of controversies. After "Knock Knock"s commercial failure in autumn 2003 it was uncertain if J Records would decide to release another single from After The Storm at all. However, Monica proclaimed in several interviews, she was looking forward to release her duet with DMX, "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 ..." G-Unit rapper Young Buck appears in the video as her love interest. Ironically the two dated for a short time in real life.

[edit] Chart performance

Opposed to both "Knock Knock" and "Get It Off" the ballad did pretty well on the charts, becoming another top 20 hit for Monica on Billboard's Hot 100, while even peaking at #6 on the R&B/Hip-Hop Charts.

[edit] Music charts

Chart (2004) Peak
position
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 [1] 19
U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles [1] 6
World Singles Official Top 100 47
World Airplay Official Top 100 35
World RnB Top 30 Singles 4

[edit] Credits and personnel

  • Recorded by Brian Frye at SouthSide Studios, Atlanta, Georgia
  • Assisted by Tadd Mingo, and Javier Valeverde
  • Audio mixing - Phil Tan, Jermaine Dupri
  • Assisted by John Horesco IV

[edit] Formats and tracklistings

These are the formats and track listings of major single-releases of "U Should've Known Better".

[edit] Vinyl single
  1. "U Should've Known Better" (DIO Club Mix) - 7:11
  2. "U Should've Known Better" (DIO Radio Mix) - 3:58
  3. "U Should've Known Better" (Bass/Fonseca Mixshow) - 5:39
  4. "U Should've Known Better" (Bass/Fonseca Instrumental) - 3:42
  5. "U Should've Known Better (Bass/Fonseca Acappella) - 3:41

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ a b AMG: Billboard Singles. All Music Guide. Retrieved on 2007-04-30.


v • d • e
Monica
Albums
Miss Thang (1995) • The Boy Is Mine (1998) • All Eyez on Me (2002) • After the Storm (2003) • The Makings of Me (2006) • Lessons Learned (2008)
Singles
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