"I Don't Care" is a song by British-based female duo

Shakespears Sister Shakespears Sister is an alternative pop and rock musical duo based in the United Kingdom that was formed in 1988 by singer-songwriter Siobhan Fahey, a former member of Bananarama. Shakespears Sister was initially a solo act, but became a duo ...

, released on 4 May 1992 as the third single from their second studio album, ''

Hormonally Yours ''Hormonally Yours'' is the second studio album by British pop-rock act Shakespears Sister, released on 17 February 1992 by London Records. The album went on to become a critical and commercial success, and is their best-selling album to date. ...

'' (1992). The song reached number seven 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 ...

and had similar success internationally, reaching the top 20 in Australia, Ireland and New Zealand. It also charted on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100, peaking at number 55. Like several of Shakespears Sister's previous singles, it was heavily remixed for its release as a single, including re-recorded vocals and added instrumentals. The song incorporates a segment of the poem "Hornpipe" by Dame Edith Sitwell (from her Façade, and Other Poems poetry book), which is a surreal poem that attempts to capture the flow of a sailors jig. The poem is spoken by

Siobhan Fahey Siobhan Maire Fahey (; born 10 September 1958) is an Irish singer whose vocal range is a light contralto. She was a founding member of the group Bananarama, who have had ten top-10 hits including the US number one hit single "Venus". She later ...

on the song.

Critical reception

Tom Demalon from

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

described the song as "bouncy and resilient".

Larry Flick Larry Flick is an American journalist, former dance music columnist, single reviewer, and Senior Talent Editor for ''Billboard'' magazine, where he worked for 14 years. Now he produces and hosts Sirius XM radio shows. Flick started in the music ...

from ''

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 ...

'' wrote that a "lively, guitar-anchored ditty is fueled by finger-poppin' rhythms and shaking tambourines." He added further that the duo's "unconventional vocal style charms, as do light, retro horn fills at the close. An adventurous pop delight with strong multiformat appeal." Randy Clark from ''

Cash Box ''Cashbox'', also known as ''Cash Box'', was an American music industry trade magazine, originally published weekly from July 1942 to November 1996. Ten years after its dissolution, it was revived and continues as ''Cashbox Magazine'', an online ...

'' called it an "upbeat, slightly quirky pop cut, with an almost '60s-ish jangle to it, featuring the dual vocals of the performance artists". The Daily Vault's Michael R. Smith remarked

Marcella Detroit Marcella Levy (born June 21, 1952), known professionally as Marcy Levy and (later in her career) Marcella Detroit, is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist. She co-wrote the 1977 Eric Clapton hit "Lay Down Sally" and released her debut al ...

's "ear-piercing wail" at the beginning. A reviewer from ''Lennox Herald'' concluded, "While this is unlikely to repeat the success of "

Stay Stay may refer to: Places * Stay, Kentucky, an unincorporated community in the US Law * Stay of execution, a ruling to temporarily suspend the enforcement of a court judgment * Stay of proceedings, a ruling halting further legal process in a tri ...

", it will be a hit no doubt." Paul Lester from ''

Melody Maker ''Melody Maker'' was a British weekly music magazine, one of the world's earliest music weeklies; according to its publisher, IPC Media, the earliest. It was founded in 1926, largely as a magazine for dance band musicians, by Leicester-born ...

'' commented, "So the title reads, "I Don't Care", but the subtext is pure merciless revenge fantasy where the singer does care, deeply so.

is incredibly rich, extremely angry and quite, quite mad. There's something comforting about that." Pan-European magazine ''

Music & Media ''Music & Media'' was a pan-European magazine for radio, music and entertainment. It was published for the first time in 1984 as ''Eurotipsheet'', but in 1986 it changed name to ''Music & Media''. It was originally based in Amsterdam, but later ...

'' found that a "syncopated beat, moulded after

Pretenders Pretenders may refer to: * The Pretenders, a rock band ** ''Pretenders'' (album), the 1980 debut album by the group * ''Pretenders'' (TV series), a 1972 British television series * ''The Pretenders'' (play) (Norwegian: ''Kongs-Emnerne''), an 18 ...

' "

Don't Get Me Wrong "Don't Get Me Wrong" is a song released by British-American alternative rock group The Pretenders. It was the first single taken from the group's 1986 album, ''Get Close''. It can also be found on the band's '' The Singles'' album, released in 1 ...

", forms the backing of this remarkable piece of uptempo pop, sporting a catchy chorus." ''

People Magazine ''People'' is an American weekly magazine that specializes in celebrity news and human-interest stories. It is published by Dotdash Meredith, a subsidiary of IAC (company), IAC. With a readership of 46.6 million adults in 2009, ''People ...

'' also felt that the song "sounds like an effervescent version of the Pretenders." In an retrospective review, Pop Rescue wrote that it "bursts open with Marcella's screaming introduction before wriggling into some wonderful guitar/bass." Troy J. Augusto from ''

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

'' described the song as "perky".

Music video

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 ...

for the song, directed by British director

Sophie Muller Sophie Luise Elisabeth Muller (born 31 January 1962) is a British music video director who has directed more than 300 music videos. She won a Grammy Award for Annie Lennox's 1992 ''Diva'' video album, and an MTV Video Music Award for Lennox's son ...

, showed

and

's characters plotting to kill one another. The video ends with a climax on a mock stage - Fahey dressed in Victorian garb, in contrast to Detroit's poised and refrained character. During the first two choruses the band is performing the song, first in rehearsal and the second in concert. The video mirrored the internal struggle the duo was going through, as their personal relationship was deteriorating and eventually the duo was ended by Fahey in 1993. The video is also notable for its forefront inclusion of the duo's touring members.

Track listings

* UK 7-inch and cassette single, Japanese mini-CD single # "I Don't Care" (7-inch remix) – 4:25 # "Remember My Name" – 3:35 * UK CD1 # "I Don't Care" (7-inch remix) – 4:25 # "I Don't Care" (Henley Board mix) – 4:06 # "I Don't Care" (LP version) – 4:16 # "Remember My Name" – 3:35 * UK CD2 # "I Don't Care" (radio edit) – 4:06 # "Catwoman" (live on BBC) – 4:21 # "I Don't Care" (live on BBC) – 4:21 # "

You're History "You're History" is a song by British-based pop act Shakespears Sister, released in July 1989 as the second single from their debut album, ''Sacred Heart'' (1989). The song was the first release to present the act as a duo and their first chart ...

" (Voodoo mix) – 6:31 * European CD single # "I Don't Care" (radio edit) – 4:06 # "I Don't Care" (7-inch remix) – 4:25 # "I Don't Care" (Henley Board mix) – 4:06 # "Catwoman" (live on BBC) – 4:21 # "Remember My Name" – 3:35 * US CD and cassette single # "I Don't Care" (radio edit) – 3:56 # "Stay" (acoustic version) – 3:44 * Australian CD and cassette single # "I Don't Care" (radio edit) – 4:06 # "Catwoman" (live on BBC) – 4:21 # "You're History" (Voodoo mix) – 6:31

Charts

References

{{Authority control 1992 singles 1992 songs London Records singles Music videos directed by Sophie Muller Shakespears Sister songs Song recordings produced by Alan Moulder Songs written by David A. Stewart Songs written by Marcella Detroit Songs written by Richard Feldman (songwriter) Songs written by Siobhan Fahey