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"Blow Me (One Last Kiss)" is a song by American singer-songwriter
Pink Pink is the color of a namesake flower that is a pale tint of red. It was first used as a color name in the late 17th century. According to surveys in Europe and the United States, pink is the color most often associated with charm, politeness, ...
from her sixth studio album, '' The Truth About Love'' (2012). Pink wrote the song with its producer
Greg Kurstin Gregory Allen Kurstin (born May 14, 1969) is an American record producer, multi-instrumentalist, and songwriter. He has won nine Grammy Awards, including Producer of the Year, Non-Classical in 2017 and 2018, and written and produced four songs t ...
. The song was released as the
lead single A lead single (also known as a debut single) is the first single to be released from a studio album by an artist or a band, usually before the album itself is released and also occasionally on the same day of the album's release date. Release s ...
from the album on July 2, 2012, by
RCA Records RCA Records is an American record label currently owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America. It is one of Sony Music's four flagship labels, alongside RCA's former long-time rival Columbia Records; also A ...
, shortly after a demo version leaked on to the internet. It is an
uptempo A variety of musical terms are likely to be encountered in printed scores, music reviews, and program notes. Most of the terms are Italian, in accordance with the Italian origins of many European musical conventions. Sometimes, the special mus ...
electropop Electropop is a hybrid music genre combining elements of electronic and pop genres. Writer Hollin Jones has described it as a variant of synth-pop with heavy emphasis on its electronic sound. The genre was developed in the 1980s and saw a re ...
song with
synthesizer A synthesizer (also spelled synthesiser) is an electronic musical instrument that generates audio signals. Synthesizers typically create sounds by generating waveforms through methods including subtractive synthesis, additive synthesis and ...
s,
keyboard Keyboard may refer to: Text input * Keyboard, part of a typewriter * Computer keyboard ** Keyboard layout, the software control of computer keyboards and their mapping ** Keyboard technology, computer keyboard hardware and firmware Music * Musi ...
s, and bass drums as part of the instrumentation. Lyrically, it finds Pink reflecting on past relationships and life situations. The song received generally positive reviews from
music critics Music journalism (or music criticism) is media criticism and reporting about music topics, including popular music, classical music, and traditional music. Journalists began writing about music in the eighteenth century, providing commentary on w ...
, who praised the production. Some complimented its lyrics and anthemic nature, with comparisons being drawn to
Kelly Clarkson Kelly Brianne Clarkson (born April 24, 1982) is an American singer, songwriter, author, and television personality. She rose to fame after winning the first season of ''American Idol'' in 2002, which earned her a record deal with RCA. Her debu ...
's music. Commercially, "Blow Me (One Last Kiss)" attained success, peaking at number five on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and becoming Pink's 12th top-10 single on the chart. The song topped the charts in Australia, Hungary, and Scotland, while peaking within the top-10 in other countries, including Canada, Germany, and the United Kingdom. The song has received several
certifications Certification is the provision by an independent body of written assurance (a certificate) that the product, service or system in question meets specific requirements. It is the formal attestation or confirmation of certain characteristics of a ...
, including being certified quadruple platinum in Australia by the
Australian Recording Industry Association The Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) is a trade association representing the Australian recording industry which was established in the 1970s by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing th ...
(ARIA). The accompanying
music video A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotion (marketing), promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a m ...
was directed by Dave Meyers and released on July 26, 2012. It depicts Pink taking revenge and crashing the wedding of a former lover. To promote ''The Truth About Love'', the singer performed the song on several occasions, including the
2012 MTV Video Music Awards The 2012 MTV Video Music Awards, hosted by Kevin Hart, took place on Thursday, September 6, 2012, honoring the best music videos from the previous year. The awards were broadcast from the Staples Center arena at L.A. Live in Downtown Los Angeles. ...
. Pink included "Blow Me (One Last Kiss)" on the set lists for two of her world tours,
The Truth About Love Tour The Truth About Love Tour was the sixth concert tour by American recording artist P!nk. Sponsored by CoverGirl, and showcasing music from her sixth studio album '' The Truth About Love'' (2012), the tour played over 140 shows in Australia, Europ ...
(2013–2014) and the
Beautiful Trauma World Tour The Beautiful Trauma World Tour was the seventh concert tour A concert tour (or simply tour) is a series of concerts by an artist or group of artists in different cities, countries or locations. Often concert tours are named to differentiate ...
(2018–2019).


Background and development

While conceiving ''The Truth About Love'',
Pink Pink is the color of a namesake flower that is a pale tint of red. It was first used as a color name in the late 17th century. According to surveys in Europe and the United States, pink is the color most often associated with charm, politeness, ...
worked with longtime collaborator
Greg Kurstin Gregory Allen Kurstin (born May 14, 1969) is an American record producer, multi-instrumentalist, and songwriter. He has won nine Grammy Awards, including Producer of the Year, Non-Classical in 2017 and 2018, and written and produced four songs t ...
, who had previously contributed to her fourth studio album ''
I'm Not Dead ''I'm Not Dead'' is the fourth studio album by American singer and songwriter Pink. It was released on April 4, 2006, through LaFace Records. Following the commercial underperformance of her third studio album ''Try This'' (2003), Pink parted way ...
'' (2006). Pink commented on the experience of reuniting with Kurstin, saying she was keen on working with him again and waited for the right opportunity. "Blow Me (One Last Kiss)" was developed from a nine-day songwriting session between Pink and Kurstin. Upon hearing the instrumental composition, Pink felt inspired and started penning the song's lyrics. She pictured herself "at 2 a.m., in New York, dancing, drunk, letting off steam
ith The Ith () is a ridge in Germany's Central Uplands which is up to 439 m high. It lies about 40 km southwest of Hanover and, at 22 kilometres, is the longest line of crags in North Germany. Geography Location The Ith is immediatel ...
all erpunk-rock friends" while they sang along. In an interview with ''
Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
'', Kurstin revealed that he and the singer faced difficulty in coming up with a title for the track, which also had different lyrics. He detailed, "
ink Ink is a gel, sol, or solution that contains at least one colorant, such as a dye or pigment, and is used to color a surface to produce an image, text, or design. Ink is used for drawing or writing with a pen, brush, reed pen, or quill. Thi ...
kept coming back to 'Let's throw in the towel,' and it was one of those things where we had to say, 'Is that line really the song?'" Kurstin later suggested using the phrase "Blow me … one last kiss", which ignited her interest. The writing and recording process was completed over the course of one day in 2012. Prior to the song's release, Pink considered titling it "Blow Me", but
RCA Records RCA Records is an American record label currently owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America. It is one of Sony Music's four flagship labels, alongside RCA's former long-time rival Columbia Records; also A ...
added the bracketed "One Last Kiss" to avoid a
double entendre A double entendre (plural double entendres) is a figure of speech or a particular way of wording that is devised to have a double meaning, of which one is typically obvious, whereas the other often conveys a message that would be too socially ...
.


Composition and lyrical interpretation

Musically, "Blow Me (One Last Kiss)" is an upbeat
electropop Electropop is a hybrid music genre combining elements of electronic and pop genres. Writer Hollin Jones has described it as a variant of synth-pop with heavy emphasis on its electronic sound. The genre was developed in the 1980s and saw a re ...
song. It has a length of four minutes and fifteen seconds (4:15). The song's instrumentation incorporates
synthesizer A synthesizer (also spelled synthesiser) is an electronic musical instrument that generates audio signals. Synthesizers typically create sounds by generating waveforms through methods including subtractive synthesis, additive synthesis and ...
s,
keyboards Keyboard may refer to: Text input * Keyboard, part of a typewriter * Computer keyboard ** Keyboard layout, the software control of computer keyboards and their mapping ** Keyboard technology, computer keyboard hardware and firmware Music * Musi ...
, bass drums, guitars, and sirens. Marc Hogan of ''
Spin Spin or spinning most often refers to: * Spinning (textiles), the creation of yarn or thread by twisting fibers together, traditionally by hand spinning * Spin, the rotation of an object around a central axis * Spin (propaganda), an intentionally b ...
'' and Jonathan Bogart of ''
The Atlantic ''The Atlantic'' is an American magazine and multi-platform publisher. It features articles in the fields of politics, foreign affairs, business and the economy, culture and the arts, technology, and science. It was founded in 1857 in Boston, ...
'' both noted similarities between "Blow Me (One Last Kiss)" and
Modest Mouse Modest Mouse is an American rock band formed in 1992 in Issaquah, Washington, and currently based in Portland, Oregon. The founding members are lead singer/guitarist Isaac Brock, drummer Jeremiah Green, and bassist Eric Judy. Strongly influenced ...
's 2004 song " Float On", referring to the "punchy" rock
riff A riff is a repeated chord progression or refrain in music (also known as an ostinato figure in classical music); it is a pattern, or melody, often played by the rhythm section instruments or solo instrument, that forms the basis or accompani ...
s used. According to the sheet music published at Musicnotes.com, the song is composed in the
key Key or The Key may refer to: Common meanings * Key (cryptography), a piece of information that controls the operation of a cryptography algorithm * Key (lock), device used to control access to places or facilities restricted by a lock * Key (map ...
of
G Major G major (or the key of G) is a major scale based on G, with the pitches G, A, B, C, D, E, and F. Its key signature has one sharp. Its relative minor is E minor and its parallel minor is G minor. The G major scale is: Notable compositi ...
and set in the
time signature The time signature (also known as meter signature, metre signature, or measure signature) is a notational convention used in Western musical notation to specify how many beats (pulses) are contained in each measure (bar), and which note value ...
of common time with a moderate
tempo In musical terminology, tempo (Italian, 'time'; plural ''tempos'', or ''tempi'' from the Italian plural) is the speed or pace of a given piece. In classical music, tempo is typically indicated with an instruction at the start of a piece (often ...
of 116 beats per minute. The verses have a G–G–Bm–Em–C
chord progression In a musical composition, a chord progression or harmonic progression (informally chord changes, used as a plural) is a succession of chords. Chord progressions are the foundation of harmony in Western musical tradition from the common practice ...
, and the
chorus Chorus may refer to: Music * Chorus (song) or refrain, line or lines that are repeated in music or in verse * Chorus effect, the perception of similar sounds from multiple sources as a single, richer sound * Chorus form, song in which all verse ...
follows a G–Bm–Em–C sequence. Pink's
vocal range Vocal range is the range of pitches that a human voice can phonate. A common application is within the context of singing, where it is used as a defining characteristic for classifying singing voices into voice types. It is also a topic of stud ...
spans from E to G. Various contemporary critics viewed the song as a breakup anthem. Helena De Bertodano of ''
The Daily Telegraph ''The Daily Telegraph'', known online and elsewhere as ''The Telegraph'', is a national British daily broadsheet newspaper published in London by Telegraph Media Group and distributed across the United Kingdom and internationally. It was fo ...
'' summed the song up as an "angry, defiant ode to the implosion of a relationship".
Greg Kot Greg Kot (born March 3, 1957) is an American music journalist and author. From 1990 until 2020, Kot was the rock music critic at the ''Chicago Tribune'', where he covered popular music and reported on music-related social, political and busines ...
of the ''
Chicago Tribune The ''Chicago Tribune'' is a daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States, owned by Tribune Publishing. Founded in 1847, and formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" (a slogan for which WGN radio and television ar ...
'' characterized "Blow Me (One Last Kiss)" as "bittersweet" and described the song as a representation of "heart-break, exasperation and ink'sdesire to move on" from a relationship. On a similar note, Andrew Hampp from ''Billboard'' wrote that the song "finds the singer contemplating the end of her tumultuous 10-year relationship" with her husband
Carey Hart Carey Jason Phillip Hart (born July 17, 1975) is an American off-road truck racer, former professional freestyle motocross competitor, and former motorcycle racer. He is known for being the first motorcyclist to perform a back flip on ...
. Pink explained that the lyrics were partly inspired by the year-long separation from her husband, as well as feeling frustrated over different situations in love or life. The opening lines, "White knuckles / And sweaty palms from hangin' on too tight / Clenched shut jaw / I've got another headache again tonight", describe
self-destructive behavior Self-destructive behavior is any behavior that is harmful or potentially harmful towards the person who engages in the behavior. Self-destructive behaviors have been shown by many people throughout the years. It is on a continuum, with one extr ...
and people's fear of losing something important. The chorus finds Pink singing "I think I finally had enough / I think I maybe think too much / I think this might be it for us / Blow me one last kiss" over a "pumping" pop beat.


Release and reception

On June 19, 2012, Pink announced "Blow Me (One Last Kiss)" as the
lead single A lead single (also known as a debut single) is the first single to be released from a studio album by an artist or a band, usually before the album itself is released and also occasionally on the same day of the album's release date. Release s ...
from ''The Truth About Love'', confirming that it would be released on July 9. However, the demo version of the song leaked onto the Internet one week ahead of schedule. In response, the release date had to be pushed forward. "Blow Me (One Last Kiss)" was released for
streaming Streaming media is multimedia that is delivered and consumed in a continuous manner from a source, with little or no intermediate storage in network elements. ''Streaming'' refers to the delivery method of content, rather than the content it ...
via Pink's website on July 2, 2012, and for digital download in various countries the following day, through RCA Records. In Germany, the song was released for digital download and serviced to
contemporary hit radio Contemporary hit radio (also known as CHR, contemporary hits, hit list, current hits, hit music, top 40, or pop radio) is a radio format that is common in many countries that focuses on playing current and recurrent popular music as determined by ...
stations on July 6, 2012, through
Sony Music Sony Music Entertainment (SME), also known as simply Sony Music, is an American multinational music company. Being owned by the parent conglomerate Sony Group Corporation, it is part of the Sony Music Group, which is owned by Sony Entertainment ...
. It impacted US
hot adult contemporary Adult contemporary music (AC) is a form of radio-played popular music, ranging from 1960s vocal and 1970s soft rock music to predominantly ballad-heavy music of the present day, with varying degrees of easy listening, pop, soul, R&B, quiet ...
and contemporary hit radio on July 10, 2012. A
CD single A CD single (sometimes abbreviated to CDS) is a music single in the form of a compact disc. The standard in the Red Book for the term ''CD single'' is an 8 cm (3-inch) CD (or Mini CD). It now refers to any single recorded onto a CD of any si ...
version of the song was released in Australia and Germany on July 27, 2012, by
Sony Music Sony Music Entertainment (SME), also known as simply Sony Music, is an American multinational music company. Being owned by the parent conglomerate Sony Group Corporation, it is part of the Sony Music Group, which is owned by Sony Entertainment ...
. The release of "Blow Me (One Last Kiss)" was delayed in the United Kingdom. RCA Records distributed the song to UK mainstream radio stations on August 22, 2012, before releasing it for digital download on August 31, 2012. Upon release, "Blow Me (One Last Kiss)" was met with generally positive reviews from music critics. In her review of ''The Truth About Love'', Sarah Grant from ''
Consequence of Sound ''Consequence'' (previously ''Consequence of Sound'') is an independently owned New York-based online magazine featuring news, editorials, and reviews of music, movies, and television. In addition, the website also features the Festival Outlook ...
'' compared the song to
Kelly Clarkson Kelly Brianne Clarkson (born April 24, 1982) is an American singer, songwriter, author, and television personality. She rose to fame after winning the first season of ''American Idol'' in 2002, which earned her a record deal with RCA. Her debu ...
's 2009
single Single may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Single (music), a song release Songs * "Single" (Natasha Bedingfield song), 2004 * "Single" (New Kids on the Block and Ne-Yo song), 2008 * "Single" (William Wei song), 2016 * "Single", by ...
, "
My Life Would Suck Without You "My Life Would Suck Without You" is a song by American singer Kelly Clarkson from her fourth studio album, '' All I Ever Wanted'' (2009). The song features songwriting credits from Max Martin, Lukasz Gottwald, and Claude Kelly and production cre ...
", and noted that Pink "has a special knack for filtering the current trend through her own musical lens". Hogan applauded the song's catchiness and the "mix of bawdiness and earnestness". Writing for
MTV News MTV News is the news production division of MTV. The service is available in the US with localized versions on MTV's global network. In February 2016, MTV Networks confirmed it would refresh the MTV News brand in 2016, to compete with the likes ...
, Jocelyn Vena highlighted the song's "anthemic chorus" and "lyrical edge", further commenting that it contains "the signature girl-power sass that Kelly frequently has on her own tracks". While reviewing the album, ''
USA Today ''USA Today'' (stylized in all uppercase) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth on September 15, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headquarters in Tysons, Virgini ...
''s writer Elysa Gardner praised the song's lyrics for portraying "a blunt, graphic assessment of a failed relationship". In his review of the song, Andrew Hampp of ''Billboard'' awarded a rating of 85 out of 100 and deemed it as a return to form, and an "empowering breakup anthem in the vein of '
So What So What may refer to: Law *Demurrer, colloquially called a "So what?" pleading Music Albums * ''So What'' (Anti-Nowhere League album) or the 1981 title song (see below), 2000 * '' So What?: Early Demos and Live Abuse'', by Anti-Nowhere League, ...
'". Hampp later opined that "Blow Me (One Last Kiss)" captures the essence of ''The Truth About Love''. ''
The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
''s Caroline Sullivan lauded it as an "irresistible, hobnailed kiss-off". Bogart spotlighted "Blow Me (One Last Kiss)" among instances where "Pink's rock fetish remains as strong as ever". Tanner Stransky of ''
Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cul ...
'' viewed the song's lyrics as "sharp" and described its music direction as "something that Clarkson could have featured on her own album". Similarly, Melissa Maerz from the same publication gave "Blow Me (One Last Kiss)" a B+ rating and positively compared it to Clarkson's 2004 song "
Since U Been Gone "Since U Been Gone" is a song recorded by American singer Kelly Clarkson from her second studio album, '' Breakaway'' (2004). The song, which was written and produced by Max Martin and Lukasz "Dr. Luke" Gottwald, was released as the lead sing ...
". Robert Copsey of
Digital Spy Digital Spy (DS) is a British-based entertainment, television and film website and brand and is the largest digital property at Hearst UK. Since its launch in 1999, Digital Spy has focused on entertainment news related to television programmes, ...
selected the song as an example for "
utting Utting am Ammersee (until 1953 just Utting) is a municipality in the district of Landsberg in Bavaria in Germany. History During World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world ...
to bed any notion that
ink Ink is a gel, sol, or solution that contains at least one colorant, such as a dye or pigment, and is used to color a surface to produce an image, text, or design. Ink is used for drawing or writing with a pen, brush, reed pen, or quill. Thi ...
lost her sense of humour or the ability to laugh at herself". In a mixed review, Sal Cinquemani from ''
Slant Magazine ''Slant Magazine'' is an American online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New York ...
'' commended the song's "catchy" production, but criticized Pink for "playing it safe".


Commercial performance

On the issue dated July 21, 2012, "Blow Me (One Last Kiss)" debuted at number 41 on the US
Digital Songs The Digital Songs or Digital Song Sales chart (previously named Hot Digital Songs) ranks the best-selling digital songs in the United States, as compiled by Nielsen SoundScan and published by '' Billboard'' magazine. Although it originally sta ...
with 48,000 copies sold. The song entered the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 at number 58, and the Radio Songs chart at number 56, with 22 million audience impressions. The following week, it rose 49 positions, reaching number nine on the Hot 100 and giving Pink her 12th top-10 single on the chart. The song also garnered a 259% increase in digital sales, peaking at number four on the Digital Songs chart with 171,000 downloads. "Blow Me (One Last Kiss)" peaked at number five on the Hot 100 issue dated September 29, 2012. The single also achieved success on ''Billboard'' component charts. It spent three consecutive weeks at number one on the US Radio Songs chart, reaching 121 million audience impressions. The song additionally peaked atop the
Mainstream Top 40 Pop Airplay (also called Mainstream Top 40, Pop Songs, and Top 40/contemporary hit radio, CHR) is a 40-song music chart published weekly by Billboard (magazine), ''Billboard'' Magazine that ranks the most popular songs of pop music being played o ...
,
Adult Pop Songs The Adult Pop Airplay (formerly known as Adult Pop Songs and Adult Top 40) chart is published weekly by Billboard (magazine), ''Billboard'' magazine and ranks "the most popular adult top 40 as based on radio airplay detections measured by Nielsen B ...
, and
Dance Club Songs Dance Club Songs is a chart published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine in the United States. It is a national look over of club disc jockeys to determine the most popular songs being played in nightclubs across the country. It was launched as t ...
charts. By July 2013, it had sold 2.1 million digital copies in the United States. On the
Canadian Hot 100 The Canadian Hot 100 is a music industry record chart in Canada for songs, published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine. The Canadian Hot 100 was launched on the issue dated March 31, 2007, and is currently the standard record chart in Canada; a n ...
, "Blow Me (One Last Kiss)" peaked at number four, and was certified triple platinum by
Music Canada Music Canada (formerly Canadian Recording Industry Association (CRIA)) is a non-profit trade organization that was founded 9 April 1963 to represent the interests of companies that record, manufacture, produce, and distribute music in Canada. It a ...
(MC), denoting sales of 240,000 units in Canada. The song debuted at number three on the
UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
issue dated September 15, 2012. It has received a gold certification by the
British Phonographic Industry British Phonographic Industry (BPI) is the British recorded music industry's Trade association. It runs the BRIT Awards, the Classic BRIT Awards, National Album Day, is home to the Mercury Prize, and co-owns the Official Charts Company with th ...
(BPI), with over 400,000 certified units in the United Kingdom. Elsewhere, "Blow Me (One Last Kiss)" reached number one in Hungary, alongside peaking within the top 10 in Germany, Japan, and Poland. In Australia, the song debuted at number one on the
ARIA Singles Chart The ARIA Charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling songs and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA became the offici ...
, becoming Pink's sixth song to reach the summit. It was certified quadruple platinum by the
Australian Recording Industry Association The Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) is a trade association representing the Australian recording industry which was established in the 1970s by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing th ...
(ARIA) for accumulating sales of 280,000 equivalent units in Australia. "Blow Me (One Last Kiss)" peaked at number eight on the New Zealand Top 40 Singles chart and later received a platinum certification by
Recorded Music NZ Recorded Music NZ (formerly the Recording Industry Association of New Zealand (RIANZ)) is a non-profit trade association of record producers, distributors and recording artists who sell recorded music in New Zealand. Membership of Recorded Mus ...
(RMNZ) for sales of 15,000 units in the country.


Music video

The
music video A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotion (marketing), promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a m ...
for "Blow Me (One Last Kiss)" was directed by Pink's longtime collaborator Dave Meyers and filmed at
Malibu Creek State Park Malibu Creek State Park is a state park of California, United States, preserving the Malibu Creek canyon in the Santa Monica Mountains. The park was established in 1974. Opened to the public in 1976, the park is also a component of Santa Monic ...
, California. It is entirely in
black and white Black-and-white (B&W or B/W) images combine black and white in a continuous spectrum, producing a range of shades of grey. Media The history of various visual media began with black and white, and as technology improved, altered to color. ...
, with splashes of red. According to Meyers, the video is based on a "French countryside love story". Sebastian de la Forza appears in the video as Pink's love interest. It premiered via
MTV MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...
on July 26, 2012. A colored version was also released on August 30, 2012. The video begins with Pink having a picnic with her love interest. The two lean in for a kiss, which is interrupted by him taking a phone call. Pink disappointedly splashes his face with red wine and walks away. There, Pink meets another man on his motorbike and she gets a lift. He sketches a portrait of her while Pink watches as many female guests arrive for a party the man has organized. During the party, Pink is seen dancing with one of the women until she is interrupted by a marriage proposal from her love interest. However, Pink finds out that the proposal was meant for her dance partner. Subsequently, Pink attends their wedding donning a black dress, resembling a funeral. A flying bicycle appears above the guests, which is carrying a giant heart-shaped balloon. After that, the balloon pops, and red liquid covers the guests as Pink laughs. At the end of the video, she joins the driver of the flying bicycle and they fly away together into the sunset. Hogan described the video as "cinematic" and compared the black and white style with "an
Instagram Instagram is a photo and video sharing social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. The app allows users to upload media that can be edited with filters and organized by hashtags and geographical tagging. Posts can ...
-style old-film look". David Greenwald from ''Billboard'' opined that the video pays homage to "vintage French cinema". ''
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...
'' wrote that the music video "emphasizes ink'spersonal strength". Kyle Anderson of ''Entertainment Weekly'' said Pink "casts herself as a fancy lass" from the
silent film A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound (or more generally, no audible dialogue). Though silent films convey narrative and emotion visually, various plot elements (such as a setting or era) or key lines of dialogue may, when ...
era "who has had enough with the men in her life". Caroline Frost from ''
The Huffington Post ''HuffPost'' (formerly ''The Huffington Post'' until 2017 and sometimes abbreviated ''HuffPo'') is an American progressive news website, with localized and international editions. The site offers news, satire, blogs, and original content, and ...
'' called the video's style of black and white "sombre but stylish". James Montgomery of MTV News called the video "a whimsical nod to classic French cinema" and praised the "overwrought emoting and smoky, dream-like scenery". Montgomery also noted that Pink "returns to the role she knows best: She's always the bridesmaid, never the bride".


Live performances and other usage

Pink's first live performance of "Blow Me (One Last Kiss)" took place during the
2012 MTV Video Music Awards The 2012 MTV Video Music Awards, hosted by Kevin Hart, took place on Thursday, September 6, 2012, honoring the best music videos from the previous year. The awards were broadcast from the Staples Center arena at L.A. Live in Downtown Los Angeles. ...
. For the performance of the song, Pink wore a sleeveless white T-shirt, short black pants, suspenders, fishnets, and heels. The performance began with the intro of "
Get the Party Started "Get the Party Started" is a song by American singer Pink, released on October 16, 2001, as the lead single from her second album, ''Missundaztood'' (2001). It received positive reviews and became an international success and reached the top ten ...
" (2001) as Pink stood on a small platform, playing on a keyboard and a
drum pad A practice pad or drum pad, is a piece of equipment used by drummers and other percussionists to practice quietly, or to warm up before a performance. Construction A variety of practice pads have been developed to assist percussionists in diff ...
. She then strapped into a harness and floated above the crowd to the main stage to perform "Blow Me (One Last Kiss)". Pink was accompanied by her band and surrounded by her background dancers who wore costumes shaped like giant red lips. She concluded the performance by floating above the audience on a pair of oversized lips. On September 10, 2012, as part of the promotion of ''The Truth About Love'', Pink sang the song on ''
The Ellen DeGeneres Show ''The Ellen DeGeneres Show'' (often shortened to ''Ellen'' or ''The Ellen Show'') is an American daytime television variety comedy talk show that was created and hosted by its namesake Ellen DeGeneres. Debuting on September 8, 2003, it was prod ...
'' and '' Le Grand Journal''. On September 14, 2012, Pink performed the song during a special concert at
Circus Krone Circus Krone, based in Munich, is one of the largest circuses in Europe and one of the few in Western Europe (along with Cirque d'hiver, Cirque d'hiver de Paris, Cirque d'hiver d'Amiens and Cirque Royal in Brussels) to also occupy a building. Hi ...
, in
Munich Munich ( ; german: München ; bar, Minga ) is the capital and most populous city of the States of Germany, German state of Bavaria. With a population of 1,558,395 inhabitants as of 31 July 2020, it is the List of cities in Germany by popu ...
. Pink later performed "Blow Me (One Last Kiss)" on television shows including '' Alan Carr: Chatty Man'', ''
Today Today (archaically to-day) may refer to: * Day of the present, the time that is perceived directly, often called ''now'' * Current era, present * The current calendar date Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Today'' (1930 film), a 1930 A ...
'', '' The View'', ''
The Daily Show ''The Daily Show'' is an American late-night talk and satirical news television program. It airs each Monday through Thursday on Comedy Central with release shortly after on Paramount+. ''The Daily Show'' draws its comedy and satire form from ...
'', and Australia's ''
Today Today (archaically to-day) may refer to: * Day of the present, the time that is perceived directly, often called ''now'' * Current era, present * The current calendar date Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Today'' (1930 film), a 1930 A ...
''. On November 13, 2012, Pink performed the song for ''
VH1 Storytellers ''Storytellers'' is a television music series produced by the VH1 network. In each episode, artists perform in front of a (mostly small and intimate) live audience, and tell stories about their music, writing experiences and memories, somewhat ...
''. She also played the song at music festivals, including the iTunes Festival on September 13, the
iHeartRadio Music Festival The iHeartRadio Music Festival is a two-day music concert festival held every year in September since 2011 by iHeartRadio along the Las Vegas Strip in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States. From 2011 to 2015, the festival was held at the MGM Grand ...
on September 22, the "Power of Pink" benefit concert on November 12, and the
Jingle Bell Ball The Jingle Bell Ball is a concert held annually in December since 2008 (except for 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic), by the radio station Capital FM at The O2. Artists that have headlined the concert include Katy Perry, Taylor Swift, Li ...
on December 9. On
The Truth About Love Tour The Truth About Love Tour was the sixth concert tour by American recording artist P!nk. Sponsored by CoverGirl, and showcasing music from her sixth studio album '' The Truth About Love'' (2012), the tour played over 140 shows in Australia, Europ ...
(2013–2014), Pink performed "Blow Me (One Last Kiss)" as the penultimate track of the tour's
setlist A set list, or setlist, is typically a handwritten or printed document created as an ordered list of songs, jokes, stories and other elements an artist intends to present during a specific performance. A setlist can be made of nearly any materi ...
, before the show's
encore An encore is an additional performance given by performers after the planned show has ended, usually in response to extended applause from the audience.Lalange Cochrane, in ''Oxford Companion to Music'', Alison Latham, ed., Oxford University Pres ...
"
So What So What may refer to: Law *Demurrer, colloquially called a "So what?" pleading Music Albums * ''So What'' (Anti-Nowhere League album) or the 1981 title song (see below), 2000 * '' So What?: Early Demos and Live Abuse'', by Anti-Nowhere League, ...
". She sang the song surrounded by her dancers while dancing around an oversized
chaise longue A chaise longue (; , "long chair") is an upholstered sofa in the shape of a chair that is long enough to support the legs of the sitter. In modern French the term ''chaise longue'' can refer to any long reclining chair such as a deckchair. A ...
. In 2017, Pink performed an
Afrobeat Afrobeat is a Nigerian music genre that involves the combination of West African musical styles (such as traditional Yoruba music and highlife) and American funk, jazz, and soul influences, with a focus on chanted vocals, complex intersecting ...
reggae Reggae () is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1960s. The term also denotes the modern popular music of Jamaica and its diaspora. A 1968 single by Toots and the Maytals, " Do the Reggay" was the first popular song to use ...
version of the song at music festivals
Summerfest Summerfest is an annual music festival held in downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin. First held in 1968, Summerfest is located at Henry Maier Festival Park, adjacent to Lake Michigan and Milwaukee's central business district. Summerfest attracts app ...
,
Festival d'été de Québec Festival d'été de Québec (FEQ) is the biggest outdoor musical event in Canada. The event was held since 1968, the 11-day festival takes place every year in July. FEQ's programming includes many international stars and emerging artists from ar ...
, Atlantic City Beachfest Concert Series, and the V Festival. She again performed "Blow Me (One Last Kiss)" at the
2017 MTV Video Music Awards The 2017 MTV Video Music Awards were held on August 27, 2017 at The Forum in Inglewood, California, honoring music videos released between June 25, 2016 and June 23, 2017. It was hosted by Katy Perry. The 34th annual award show aired live from th ...
as part of a greatest-hits medley. "Blow Me (One Last Kiss)" was included on the setlist of Pink's
Beautiful Trauma World Tour The Beautiful Trauma World Tour was the seventh concert tour A concert tour (or simply tour) is a series of concerts by an artist or group of artists in different cities, countries or locations. Often concert tours are named to differentiate ...
(2018–2019), where it was performed as the last song before the encore. For the performance of the song, Pink performed an energetic choreography with 10 background dancers. On October 5, 2019, Pink performed "Blow Me (One Last Kiss)" during her show at the
Rock in Rio ''Rock in Rio'' is a recurring music festival originating in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It later branched into other locations such as Lisbon, Madrid and Las Vegas. Nine incarnations of the festival have been held in Rio de Janeiro, in 1985, 1991, ...
festival, held in
Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro ( , , ; literally 'River of January'), or simply Rio, is the capital of the state of the same name, Brazil's third-most populous state, and the second-most populous city in Brazil, after São Paulo. Listed by the GaWC as a b ...
. In 2012,
Marley Rose Marley Rose is a fictional character from the Fox musical comedy-drama series '' Glee''. The character is portrayed by actress Melissa Benoist, and has appeared in ''Glee'' since the premiere of the fourth season, " The New Rachel", first broa ...
(
Melissa Benoist Melissa Marie Benoist ( ; born October 4, 1988) is an American actress, singer and producer. Her first major role was Marley Rose on the Fox musical comedy drama ''Glee'' (2012–2014), where she was a series regular during the fifth season. S ...
) and
Wade "Unique" Adams Unique Adams is a fictional character from the Fox musical comedy-drama series ''Glee'' who first appeared in "Saturday Night Glee-ver", the sixteenth episode of the show's third season. Portrayed by actor Alex Newell, Unique is notable for bei ...
(
Alex Newell Alex Eugene Newell (born August 20, 1992) is an American actor and singer. They are known for their role as Unique Adams on the Fox musical series ''Glee'' and Mo on ''Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist''. Newell also starred as Asaka in the Broadway ...
) performed "Blow Me (One Last Kiss)" in the 2012 ''
Glee Glee means delight, a form of happiness. Glee may also refer to: * Glee (music), a type of English choral music * ''Glee'' (TV series), an American musical comedy-drama TV series, and related media created by Ryan Murphy * ''Glee'' (Bran Van 30 ...
'' episode "
The Role You Were Born to Play "The Role You Were Born to Play" is the fifth episode of the Glee (season 4), fourth season of the American musical television series ''Glee (TV series), Glee'', and the seventy-first episode overall. It was written by Michael Hitchcock and direct ...
".


Track listings


Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of the CD single and ''The Truth About Love''. Management * Published by EMI Blackwood Music, Inc./P!nk Inside Publishing (BMI), Kurstin Music/EMI April Music, Inc. (ASCAP) * Engineered at Earthstar Creation Center,
Venice Venice ( ; it, Venezia ; vec, Venesia or ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto Regions of Italy, region. It is built on a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by over 400  ...
,
California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...
, and at Echo Studios,
Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
, California * Mixed at MixStar Studios,
Virginia Beach Virginia Beach is an independent city located on the southeastern coast of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. The population was 459,470 at the 2020 census. Although mostly suburban in character, it is the most populous city ...
, VA Personnel *
Pink Pink is the color of a namesake flower that is a pale tint of red. It was first used as a color name in the late 17th century. According to surveys in Europe and the United States, pink is the color most often associated with charm, politeness, ...
 –
songwriter A songwriter is a musician who professionally composes musical compositions or writes lyrics for songs, or both. The writer of the music for a song can be called a composer, although this term tends to be used mainly in the classical music gen ...
*
Greg Kurstin Gregory Allen Kurstin (born May 14, 1969) is an American record producer, multi-instrumentalist, and songwriter. He has won nine Grammy Awards, including Producer of the Year, Non-Classical in 2017 and 2018, and written and produced four songs t ...
 – songwriter, producer,
keyboard Keyboard may refer to: Text input * Keyboard, part of a typewriter * Computer keyboard ** Keyboard layout, the software control of computer keyboards and their mapping ** Keyboard technology, computer keyboard hardware and firmware Music * Musi ...
s, guitar, bass, programming,
engineer Engineers, as practitioners of engineering, are professionals who invent, design, analyze, build and test machines, complex systems, structures, gadgets and materials to fulfill functional objectives and requirements while considering the l ...
*
Jesse Shatkin Jesse Samuel Shatkin (born 1979) is an American songwriter, producer and engineer. He has worked with Sia, Kelly Clarkson, Jennifer Lopez, Fitz and the Tantrums and One Direction, among others. Shatkin was nominated in 2014 for Grammy Awards a ...
 – additional engineering *
Serban Ghenea Șerban Ghenea (born October 13, 1969) is a Grammy award-winning Romanian-Canadian audio engineer and mixer. Early life and education Ghenea was born in Bucharest, Romania in 1969. In 1976 he moved to Montreal with his family. He later attended ...
 – mixing * John Hanes – engineered for mix * Phil Seaford – assistant engineered for mix


Charts


Weekly charts


Monthly charts


Year-end charts


Certifications


Release history


See also

* List of number-one singles of 2012 (Australia) *
List of Adult Top 40 number-one songs of the 2010s The '' Billboard'' Adult Top 40 chart ranks the most popular songs on Adult Top 40 radio stations in the United States, based on airplay detections as measured by Nielsen BDS and published weekly by ''Billboard''. These are the songs which reached ...
* List of ''Billboard'' Dance Club Songs number ones of 2012 *
List of number-one dance airplay hits of 2012 (U.S.) These are the ''Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billb ...
* List of ''Billboard'' Mainstream Top 40 number-one songs of 2012


References


Footnotes


Sources

* * * {{Authority control Songs about parting Songs about kissing 2012 singles 2012 songs Pink (singer) songs Number-one singles in Australia Number-one singles in Hungary Number-one singles in Scotland Music videos directed by Dave Meyers (director) Songs written by Pink (singer) Songs written by Greg Kurstin RCA Records singles Song recordings produced by Greg Kurstin Black-and-white music videos Electropop songs