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Better the Devil You Know

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For the 1993 UK Eurovision Song Contest entry by Sonia, see Better the Devil You Know (Sonia song).

"Better the Devil You Know"
Single by Kylie Minogue
from the album Rhythm of Love
B-side"I'm Over Dreaming (Over You)"
Released30 April 1990 (1990-04-30)[1]
StudioLondon, England
GenreDance-pop
Length3:58
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Stock Aitken Waterman
Kylie Minogue singles chronology
"Tears on My Pillow"
(1990) 		"Better the Devil You Know"
(1990) 		"Step Back in Time"
(1990)
Music video
"Better the Devil You Know" on YouTube

"Better the Devil You Know" is a song by Australian singer-songwriter Kylie Minogue, taken from her third studio album Rhythm of Love (1990). The song was written and produced by Stock Aitken Waterman and was released as the album's lead single on 30 April 1990 by PWL and Mushroom Records. "Better the Devil You Know" is known as the song that re-invented Minogue with more sex appeal, as her previous albums were presented with her "girl next door" persona. Her music onwards presented a more independent approach.

The song's title is a reference to an idiom. Lyrically, the song was claimed by producer Pete Waterman to be about Minogue's relationship with her then-boyfriend, INXS frontman and singer Michael Hutchence.[2] However, that is disputed by the song's primary composer, Mike Stock, who insists he was unaware of Kylie's private life at the time.[2]

After becoming dissatisfied with her minimal creative role in making her first two albums, Minogue demanded creative veto on her new music, which was granted following her decision to work with other producers.[2] She exercised her veto on early mixes of the single, and the track was then extensively reworked according to her stipulations.[2]

The song was lauded by music critics, who noted the imagery change in her music. They also complimented the song itself and felt it was one of Minogue's best - a highlight of not just her studio album but her compilations as well. Commercially, it was successful. The song peaked at number two in the United Kingdom and four in her native Australia. In other regions, it managed to peak inside the top forty in all the countries it charted in, including France, Austria, Germany, Spain, Ireland, New Zealand, Sweden and Switzerland.

The accompanying music video for "Better the Devil You Know" was directed by Paul Goldman and was filmed in Melbourne, Australia. Though its imagery was criticised for her mature look, the video has also been iconic to Minogue's artistry, style and imagery beyond the song. The song has been featured in most of Minogue's concert tours. The song was later re-recorded in 2012 at the Abbey Road Studios for inclusion on Minogue's orchestral album The Abbey Road Sessions.

Background and composition

[edit]

"Better the Devil You Know" was written by Mike Stock, Matt Aitken and Pete Waterman, who also were the only producers and songwriters of Minogue's two albums after her debut. However, this album featured additional production by US producers, after Minogue became determined to exercise more creative control on her new album. Her manager, Terry Blamey, says the move was used to force creative concessions from SAW, who were worried about losing Minogue as an artist.[2]

Originally conceived in a more percussion-heavy, R&B-influenced style, the track was significantly remixed and restructured by Pete Hammond, after Minogue rejected prior versions.[2] He added a new verse by cutting up vocal segments and inserting additional effects.[2] The first verse features notes spanning from A-C♯m-D-D2-Dm-E-Bm-D.[3] When it reaches the chorus, the song spans from A-F♯m-A-D, and repeats everyline. When it reaches the bridge, the songs chords span from A-F♯m-A-F in each line.[3] According to stylist William Baker in the book Kylie: La La La: "The song also featured a more mature sound, a more polished production and a vocal that was less layered than before."[4] He added: "The track transferred well onto the dance-floor and heralded a long reign for Kylie as the new queen of disco... a pop princess".[4]

Critical reception

[edit]

Initial response

[edit]

"Better the Devil You Know" is one of Minogue's most famous singles, and ever since its release it has been lauded by music critics. David Giles from Music Week complimented SAW's songwriting, adding that it "seems to be growing increasingly sophisticated." He stated that "musically this is Kylie's best record by a mile, boosted by some invigorating chord changes and strong Seventies soul influence."[5] Mike Soutar from Smash Hits felt that Minogue's voice is in "absolutely tip-top shape - there's no doubt she's a much improved singer these days."[6] Jonathan Bernstein from Spin viewed it as a "knockout" pop single, that "mirrored her evolution from tomboy to dreamboat."[7] Jason Shawahn from About.com said along with "What Do I Have To Do" and "Wouldn't Change A Thing"; "are nothing if not pop masterpieces."[8] Hunter Felt from PopMatters said along with "Je Ne Sais Pas Pourquoi" and "Shocked" are pure pop moments.[9] He then described it "as almost soulful rave-ups".[9]

Impact and legacy

[edit]

"Better the Devil You Know" is credited with maturing Minogue's music career and contributing substantially to ensuring its longevity,[2] and is also noted as a major landmark in her relationship with her gay audience, by earning a place as a gay nightclub staple.[2] In 1998, Australian record company Mushroom Records re-issued the song as part of their 25th Anniversary Celebrations. The re-issue reached number 59 on the Australian ARIA Charts in March 1998.[10]

In 2014, Matt Dunn of WhatCulture ranked the song at number two in his "15 unforgettable Stock Aitken Waterman singles" list.[11] In 2021, British magazine Classic Pop ranked it number seven in their list of "Top 40 Stock Aitken Waterman songs", adding, "For many the moment Kylie went from virtuous pop star to racy nubile, Better The Devil You Know arrived in a mist of twirling dance-pop and palms-to-the-sky goodness, giving her a touch of avant class."[12] In 2024, the same magazine ranked the song at number five in its list of "Top 40 Kylie Minogue songs", and noted that the lyric has drawn attention from darker quarters when vampiric Aussie Nick Cave defined it as "one of pop music's most violent and distressing love lyrics".[13]

In 2020, Alexis Petridis of British daily newspaper The Guardian ranked the song at number four in his "Kylie's 30 greatest singles" list, adding that it proves that "Stock Aitken and Waterman could be masterful pop craftsmen" and described it "an effortlessly soaring melody, a perfect updating of disco's cocktail of jubilant music and lyrical heartbreak".[14] In 2023, in the same newspaper, he listed the song at number four in his "Stock Aitken Waterman's 20 greatest songs – ranked!", adding that it "was a luxurious disco homage... The strings on the 12in version are particularly luscious, the lyrics slightly at odds with the utterly jubilant music".[15] In 2023, Robert Moran of Australian daily tabloid newspaper The Sydney Morning Herald ranked the song as Minogue's fifth best song (out of 183), describing it "a classic", and added: "Kylie strains to rise above the wall of sound production (stuttering synths, piano fills, soaring strings and harmonies)".[16]

Chart performance

[edit]
Minogue performing the song during her Aphrodite: Les Folies Tour in 2011.

In the UK, "Better the Devil You Know" became Minogue's fifth non-consecutive number two single, being blocked by Adamski's "Killer".[17][18] The song stayed at number two for two consecutive weeks, and spent a total of 10 weeks in the chart. It was certified silver by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) having sold 340,000 copies.[19] In Minogue's native Australia, the song debuted at five on the week end of 10 June 1990.[20] The song peaked at number four in its third week on the chart and spent a total of thirteen weeks in the Top 50. It was certified gold by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) with sales exceeding 35,000 copies. However, in New Zealand the song was not a great success, debuting at number thirty-four, but falling out from number forty the next week, then re-entered at number twenty-seven, where it eventually peaked and charted for four weeks. In France, the song debuted at number thirty-eight, and after weeks on the chart it peaked at number thirteen for a single week.[21] The song topped the charts in Israel and reached number eleven in Spain.[22]

Music video

[edit]

The accompanying music video for "Better the Devil You Know" was directed by Paul Goldman and was filmed in Melbourne. The video caused some controversy as it presented Minogue in a much more mature image than videos from earlier years. The making of the video was the first time Minogue "felt part of the creative process". She said: "I wasn't in charge but I had a voice. I'd bought some clothes on King's Road for the video. I saw a new way to express my point of view creatively."[23]

Goldman says that Minogue filmed the video in Australia to escape the creative oversight of her UK label, PWL.[24] In the video, Minogue can be seen dancing more suggestively than in her previous efforts. At the time she was dating INXS singer Michael Hutchence, she is wearing one of his rings in the clip, a large silver 'M'. His mother, Patricia Glassop, a make up artist did the make up.[25] The reaction of some at PWL to the video was strongly negative, with Goldman claiming he was slammed by a senior staff member for "fucking up" the video, damaging Kylie's image and, potentially, hurting her career.[24]

Live performances

[edit]

Since its debut in the Enjoy Yourself Tour, "Better the Devil You Know" has been performed at almost all of Minogue's tours. In the Enjoy Yourself, Rhythm of Love and Let's Get to It tours, the song was performed as the original as the encore to each show. The song was then performed as the encore on the Intimate and Live tour where Minogue wore a red corset with red devil horns. For the performance, an array of men dressed in red briefs entered the stage for the dance section of the song. On the On a Night Like This tour, a big band version was performed where Minogue was in full white with a tailcoat and a top hat. William Baker stated in the book "La La La" this was due to the recently released Steps version and to avoid post Spinning Around fans thinking Kylie's was the cover. In 2002, Minogue performed the song as the second-to-last song on her Fever tour.

This too featured a dance section, similar to the one performed on the Intimate and Live Tour. Minogue then opened her Showgirl Tour with the song. She wore a blue corset, a showgirl crown and a blue bussel. In 2006 and 2007, Minogue again opened her Homecoming Tour with the song this time dressed in pink. In 2008/09, the song was used in a pre-encore act of her KylieX2008 tour. She performed it wearing a green feather dress. This song was then dropped and placed in the regular encore. In 2009, the same version was then performed on her North American tour as the opening to the encore. The song's most recent performance was on Minogue's Aphrodite: Les Folies Tour in 2011. The song opened her seventh act where Minogue wore a white tank top, blue hot pants and an orange feathery throw over. This version included a dance interlude at the beginning which had a very Latin-pop feel. There was also a dance interlude in the middle with the same sort of feel. Kylie performed an a cappella version of the song in the Kiss Me Once Tour, after a fan request and the album version in Dubai which was later used as an opening for Minogue's Summer 2015 tour. In 2016, a remix of the song was later used as an opening for Minogue's festival shows. The song was performed once again during her Golden Tour in 2018 and her Summer 2019 Tour. The song was also performed on:

Track listings

[edit]

Charts

[edit]

Certifications

[edit]
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[56] Platinum 70,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[57] Silver 340,000[19]

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Steps version

[edit]
"Better the Devil You Know"
Single by Steps
from the album Buzz
A-side"Say You'll Be Mine"
Released13 December 1999 (1999-12-13)[58]
Recorded1999
StudioPWL (Manchester, England)
Length3:48
LabelJive
Songwriter(s)Stock Aitken Waterman
Producer(s)
Steps singles chronology
"After the Love Has Gone"
(1999) 		"Say You'll Be Mine" / "Better the Devil You Know"
(1999) 		"Deeper Shade of Blue"
(2000)
Music video
"Better the Devil You Know" on YouTube

British pop group Steps had recorded a cover version of "Better the Devil You Know" for their second studio album Steptacular; however, it was later included as the opening track on their third studio album Buzz. The song was released as a double A-side single with "Say You'll Be Mine" in December 1999, the third single from Steptacular. A limited edition of the single was released as a digipack that included a doubled sided poster in the sleeve; one side was the group pictured in their dance outfits and the other side shows the group in their costumes and the different scenarios that are shown throughout the music video.

Though it did not manage to match the success of the original version, it did chart in some markets, including Australia, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and Belgium. The song features Claire, Lisa and Faye on lead vocals.

Track listing

[edit]
  1. "Say You'll Be Mine" – 3:32
  2. "Better the Devil You Know" – 3:49
  3. "Better the Devil You Know" (2T's 2 Go Mix) – 5:53

Credits and personnel

[edit]

Charts

[edit]
Chart (1999) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[61] 21
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[61] 42
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[61] 47
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[61] 93
UK Singles (OCC)[62] 4

Other cover versions

[edit]

Australian singer Penny Flanagan recorded a cover version for the 1997 film Dust Off The Wings.[63]

In 2009, European pop group Village Boys made a version of the song.[64] In 2010, Miss Fitz, from Eurovision: Your Country Needs You, sang this song. Miss Fitz was also in X Factor the year before but only made it to bootcamp stage.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "BPI > Certified Awards > Search results for "Better the Devil You Know" (from bpi.co.uk)". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 2 May 2017 – via Imgur.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i "A Journey Through Stock Aitken Waterman: Ep 57: Better The Devil You Know Part 1: the song on Apple Podcasts". Apple Podcasts. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
  3. ^ a b Better The Devil you Know Chords.
  4. ^ a b Inner lines: Pg 35 – la la la – Written by William Baker and Kylie Minogue ISBN 0-340-73440-X
  5. ^ Giles, David (12 May 1990). "Singles" (PDF). Music Week. p. 27. Retrieved 30 October 2020.
  6. ^ Soutar, Mike (2 May 1990). "Review: Singles". Smash Hits. No. 298. p. 53. Retrieved 8 March 2020.
  7. ^ Bernstein, Jonathan (December 1992). "Heavy Rotation". Spin. p. 26. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
  8. ^ Jason Shawahn Review of Kylie Minogue – Ultimate Kylie Archived 3 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved in 2004.
  9. ^ a b Hunter Felt >> Kylie Minogue: The Ultimate Kylie. Retrieved 22 March 2005.
  10. ^ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988-2010. Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.
  11. ^ Dunn, Matt (16 January 2014). "15 unforgettable Stock Aitken Waterman singles". WhatCulture. Retrieved 1 February 2024.
  12. ^ "Top 40 Stock Aitken Waterman songs". Classic Pop. 18 August 2021. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
  13. ^ "Top 40 Kylie Minogue songs". Classic Pop. 27 March 2024. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
  14. ^ Petridis, Alexis (24 September 2020). "Kylie's 30 greatest singles – ranked!". The Guardian. London. ISSN 1756-3224. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
  15. ^ Petridis, Alexis (23 November 2023). "Stock Aitken Waterman's 20 greatest songs – ranked!". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 16 January 2024.
  16. ^ Moran, Robert; Ross, Annabel (25 September 2023). "Every Kylie Minogue song ranked". The Sydney Morning Herald. Sydney. ISSN 0312-6315. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
  17. ^ "Kylie Minogue – Full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 20 January 2016.
  18. ^ "Kylie Minogue's Official Number 2 Singles Revealed". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 20 January 2016.
  19. ^ a b Myers, Justin (23 May 2018). "Kylie Minogue's Official Top 40 biggest selling songs". Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on 15 December 2017.
  20. ^ "Australian-charts.com - Kylie Minogue - Better the Devil You Know". Archived from the original on 12 October 2012. Retrieved 1 October 2012.
  21. ^ Kylie Minogue – Better The Devil You Know (song)" (in Danish). charts.de. Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 October 2012.
  22. ^ "Better the Devil You Know | Kylie Minogue". Archived from the original on 15 April 2012. Retrieved 1 October 2012.
  23. ^ Joye, Paula (30 November 2011). "Kylie: Pop Culture Princess". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 15 August 2019. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
  24. ^ a b "A Journey Through Stock Aitken Waterman: Ep 58: Better The Devil You Know Part 2: the video and legacy on Apple Podcasts". Apple Podcasts. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
  25. ^ Brown, Helen (1 July 2019). "Kylie Minogue's 20 best songs: ranked and rated". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 12 December 2020.
  26. ^ Better the Devil You Know (Australian CD single liner notes). Kylie Minogue. Mushroom Records. 1990. D10004.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  27. ^ Better the Devil You Know (UK CD single liner notes). Kylie Minogue. PWL Records. 1990. PWCD 56.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  28. ^ Better the Devil You Know (Australian 7-inch single sleeve). Kylie Minogue. Mushroom Records. 1990. K 10004.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  29. ^ Better the Devil You Know (UK 7-inch single sleeve). Kylie Minogue. PWL Records. 1990. PWL 56.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  30. ^ Better the Devil You Know (Australian cassette single sleeve). Kylie Minogue. Mushroom Records. 1990. C10004.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  31. ^ Better the Devil You Know (Australian 12-inch single sleeve). Kylie Minogue. Mushroom Records. 1990. X13439.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  32. ^ Better the Devil You Know (UK 12-inch single sleeve). Kylie Minogue. PWL Records. 1990. PWLT 56.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  33. ^ Better the Devil You Know (Australian maxi-cassette single sleeve). Kylie Minogue. Mushroom Records. 1990. C13439.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  34. ^ "Better the Devil You Know / I'm Over Dreaming (Over You) [Remixes] – EP". Apple Music. Archived from the original on 17 March 2022. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
  35. ^ "Kylie Minogue – Better the Devil You Know". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 20 February 2018.
  36. ^ "Kylie Minogue – Better the Devil You Know" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 20 February 2018.
  37. ^ "Kylie Minogue – Better the Devil You Know" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 20 February 2018.
  38. ^ Danish Singles Chart. 3 August 1990.
  39. ^ "Hits of the World" (PDF). Billboard. 26 May 1990. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
  40. ^ Nyman, Jake (2005). Suomi soi 4: Suuri suomalainen listakirja (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN 951-31-2503-3.
  41. ^ "Kylie Minogue – Better the Devil You Know" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 20 February 2018.
  42. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Better the Devil You Know". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 20 February 2018.
  43. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 26, 1990" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 20 February 2018.
  44. ^ "Kylie Minogue – Better the Devil You Know" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 20 February 2018.
  45. ^ "Kylie Minogue – Better the Devil You Know". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 20 February 2018.
  46. ^ Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  47. ^ "Kylie Minogue – Better the Devil You Know". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 20 February 2018.
  48. ^ "Kylie Minogue – Better the Devil You Know". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 20 February 2018.
  49. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 20 February 2018.
  50. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Kylie Minogue – Better the Devil You Know" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 20 February 2018.
  51. ^ "The ARIA Australian Top 100 Singles Chart". Australian Recording Industry Association. 5 April 1998. Retrieved 24 July 2016.
  52. ^ "The ARIA Australian Top 100 Singles 1990". No. 50. Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
  53. ^ "Jaaroverzichten 1990" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Archived from the original on 21 June 2020. Retrieved 13 July 2020.
  54. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 of 1990" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 7, no. 51. 22 December 1990. p. 60. OCLC 29800226. Retrieved 12 February 2019 – via World Radio History.
  55. ^ "1990 Top 100 Singles". Music Week. London, England: Spotlight Publications. 2 March 1991. p. 41.
  56. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 1990 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 2 December 2021.
  57. ^ "British single certifications – Kylie Minogue – Better The Devil You Know". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 13 July 2020.
  58. ^ "New Releases – For Week Starting 13 December, 1999: Singles". Music Week. 11 December 1999. p. 23.
  59. ^ Steptacular (Liner notes). Steps. Jive Records, EBUL. 1999. 0519112.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  60. ^ Buzz (Liner notes). Steps. Jive Records, EBUL. 2000. 0518492.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  61. ^ a b c d "Steps – SAY YOU'LL BE MINE / BETTER THE DEVIL YOU KNOW" Archived 30 December 2013 at the Wayback Machine Hung Medien. hitparade. Retrieved 1 October 2012.
  62. ^ "Steps: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.
  63. ^ "Dust off the Wings (1997) - IMDb". IMDb.
  64. ^ Baker, William; Minogue, Kylie (2002). La, La, La. Hodder & Stoughton Ltd. pp. 48–49. ISBN 0-340-73439-6.
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