| Shocked | ||
|---|---|---|
| ||
| Single by Kylie Minogue | ||
| From the album Rhythm of Love | ||
| Released | 20 May 1991 | |
| Recorded | London, England | |
| Format |
| |
| Genre |
| |
| Length | 3:06 | |
| Label |
| |
| Writer(s) |
| |
| Producer(s) | Stock Aitken Waterman | |
| Kylie Minogue singles chronology | ||
 (1991) |
(1991) |
 (1991) |
| Rhythm of Love track listing | ||
| "The World Still Turns" (6) |
"Shocked" (7) |
"One Boy Girl" (8) |
| Music Video | ||
| ||
"Shocked" is a song by Kylie Minogue, taken from her third studio album Rhythm of Love (1991). Written and produced by Stock, Aitken and Waterman, "Shocked" was released as the album's fourth and final single from the album. The song later appeared on most of Kylie's major compilations including Greatest Hits (1992) and Ultimate Kylie (2004). The DNA Mix of the song also includes a rap in the bridge of the song which features Jazzi P.
Lyrically, the song canvasses confusion and understanding of love and relationships. Musically, the song is a dance-pop oriented song, which features house and Funk elements, and has been compared by critics to her previous single "What Do I Have to Do". "Shocked" received mostly positive reviews from critics, with many praising its catchiness. Commercially, the song was successful, peaking in the top ten in her native Australia the United Kingdom, and several other countries.
An accompanying music video was filmed for the single, shot in London. The video features Kylie entering a mansion-style home, where she is seduced by a mysterious man. The song has been noted to have a close similarity to Kylie' previous single's video "What Do I Have to Do", which featured a similar man in a similar atmosphere. The song has been noted as one of Kylie's best singles to date, despite limited success outside her native Australia and the United Kingdom.
Background
"Shocked" was written and produced by Stock, Aitken and Waterman, who had written and produced almost all of Kylie's material to that point, and went on to do the same for her fourth album Let's Get to It (1992), before Kylie parted ways with them. The song was released as the fourth and final single from the Rhythm of Love album. The single version of the song was remixed by DNA.
The single was unique in that it became Kylie's first ever, and only, PWL picture-disc single - a format which Pete Waterman decried, stating "the songs can do their own work".
Reception
Critical response
"Shocked" received many positive reviews from most music critics. Johnny Loftus from Allmusic had reviewed Kylie's compilation Greatest Hits: 87-99, and highlighted the song as an album standout. PopMatters enjoyed the song saying that, while reviewing Ultimate Kylie that they needed "even a little funk [on tracks like "Shocked"]".
However, critics had noted a misunderstood statement, as critics thought the lyric in the song said "I was fucked to my very foundations". Nick Levine from Digital Spymisunderstood the lyrics as he said "On 'Shocked', is she... would she... could she be singing "I was f**ked to my very foundations?". Stylus Magazine gave it a positive review, saying along with "Give Me Just a Little More Time" and "What Do I Have to Do"; "were great songs and suddenly Kylie was a little bit cool."
Chart performance
"Shocked" received success throughout the charts. In Australia, the song debuted at number thirteen. The song then rose to number seven, where it eventually peaked. The song then fell out the top ten, and stayed in the charts for eleven weeks in total. In the United Kingdom, the song debuted at number ten on the UK Singles Chart. The song then ascended to number six, where it eventually peaked. It stayed in the charts for a total of seven weeks. Due to the top ten chart performance of the song in the UK, Kylie became the first artist in the history of the UK charts to have their first thirteen releases go top ten.
The song had also managed to chart within several European charts, including the top ten in countries Israel, Slovenia, Ireland, South Africa, United Kingdom and Australia.
Music video
Background
The accompanying music video was shot in Paris, France as Kylie was finishing her photoshoot in Paris. The video featured Kylie in a number of disguises. According to her long-term friend William Baker, he said that her team intended to re-create her previous video "What Do I Have to Do" to this video.
Synopsis
It starts with Kylie and an assistant driving inside a mansion-esque home, and Kylie steps out the car to walk into a mysterious man's home. Though through some scenes, it features Kylie making out with the man in the car she arrived in.
It then shoots to Kylie singing in a pink bra with white shorts with pigtails, singing to the song. It then shows Kylie in an pink ostrich skirt, with a nude-torse frontal view. It then features rapper Jazzi P. rapping to her feature in the song, where it features Kylie dancing, inset off a keyhole shape. And then when Kylie finishes singing, she later leaves the mansion to be smiling, with the mysterious man standing goodbye.
Formats and track listings
These are the formats and track listings of major single releases of "Shocked".
|
UK 12" Single/Australia 7" Single/New Zealand Cassette
UK cassette single
|
iTunes digital EP
|
Charts
Weekly Charts
|
End of year chart
|
Live performances
"Shocked" has been performed on the majority of Kylie's tours; it first appeared on the Rhythm of Love Tour, where it served as the final song in the main body of the show; this tour was extended, reworked and renamed as the Let's Get to It Tour, which was so to promote the release of "Let's Get to It"; here, "Shocked" appeared as the penultimate song in the set, preceding a performance of "Better the Devil You Know"; Jazzi P, the rapper who wrote and appeared in the DNA Mix of the song, joined Kylie to perform in Dublin and London. "Shocked" was also part of the set list for the Intimate and Live tour, where it followed performances of "Did It Again" and "Limbo".
In 2001, Kylie launched the On a Night Like This Tour in support of her seventh studio album Light Years; "Shocked" was featured in the fifth section, following a performance of "Kids". "Shocked" was also performed as part of a hits medley during her "An Audience With... Kylie Minogue " performance. The song was featured as the second song in the set for the KylieFever2002 tour, where it was reworked and featured elements of "Mad Skillz Mic-Chekka". The song was also part of the Showgirl Tour and the Homecoming Tour as part of the "Smiley Kylie" medley and "Everything Taboo" medley respectively; here, the song was used as the first full song in the medley, and featured excerpts from many of Kylie's songs, such as "Do You Dare?", "It's No Secret" and "Give Me Just a Little More Time", and preceded performances of "What Do I Have to" and "Spinning Around" in both cases; this was the same for the For You, For Me Tour; the song was also performed in the "Cheer Squad" section of the KylieX2008 tour, where it was reduced to a dance interlude at some dates due to time constraints.