"Son of a Gun (I Betcha Think This Song Is About You)" is a song by American singer-songwriter

Janet Jackson Janet Damita Jo Jackson (born May 16, 1966) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and dancer. She is noted for her innovative, socially conscious and sexually provocative records, as well as elaborate stage shows. Her sound and choreog ...

with

Carly Simon Carly Elisabeth Simon (born June 25, 1943) is an American singer-songwriter, memoirist, and children's author. She rose to fame in the 1970s with a string of hit records; her 13 Top 40 U.S. hits include "Anticipation" (No. 13), " The Right Thin ...

from Jackson's seventh studio album, '' All for You'' (2001). It was written and produced by Jackson, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, with additional lyrics by Simon. The R&B and hip hop song is built around a

sample Sample or samples may refer to: Base meaning * Sample (statistics), a subset of a population – complete data set * Sample (signal), a digital discrete sample of a continuous analog signal * Sample (material), a specimen or small quantity of s ...

of 1972's "

You're So Vain "You're So Vain" is a song written in 1971 by American singer and songwriter Carly Simon and released in November 1972. It is one of the songs with which Simon is most identified, and upon its release, reached No. 1 in the United States, Canada, ...

" by Simon, who also added some new spoken parts into the song; it talks about an unidentified man who attempted to extort money from Jackson. A remix featuring

Missy Elliott Melissa Arnette Elliott (born July 1, 1971), better known as Missy Elliott or Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliot, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. She embarked on her music career with R&B girl group Sista in the earl ...

was released as the third and final single from the album on November 6, 2001, by

Virgin Records Virgin Records is a record label owned by Universal Music Group. It originally founded as a British independent record label in 1972 by entrepreneurs Richard Branson, Simon Draper, Nik Powell, and musician Tom Newman. It grew to be a worldwid ...

. The album version of "Son of a Gun (I Betcha Think This Song Is About You)" received mixed reviews from music critics, with some calling it a highlight from the album, and others criticizing Simon's rapping; the remix version received a similarly a mixed reaction from reviewers. It was also met with weak charting positions worldwide due to Virgin abruptly ending the promotional campaign for ''All For You'' due to the company's financial difficulties; in Jackson's native United States, the song reached a peak of number 28 on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100, her first single in the country to miss the top ten in over a decade, as well as her lowest-charting single since 1983. The song's 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 ...

directed by

Francis Lawrence Francis Lawrence (born March 26, 1971) is an Austrian-born American filmmaker and producer. After establishing himself as a director of music videos and commercials, Lawrence made his feature-length directorial debut with the superhero thrille ...

– which depicts Jackson stalking a man at Los Angeles' Millennium Biltmore Hotel – received positive reviews, and inspired such acts as

Britney Spears Britney Jean Spears (born December 2, 1981) is an American singer. Often referred to as the " Princess of Pop", she is credited with influencing the revival of teen pop during the late 1990s and early 2000s. After appearing in stage productio ...

. "Son of a Gun (I Betcha Think This Song Is About You)" was performed on the 2001–2002

All for You Tour The All for You Tour was the fourth concert tour by American recording artist Janet Jackson, in support of her seventh studio album '' All for You'' (2001). The show was designed by Mark Fisher and Jackson. It was originally scheduled to start in ...

Background and release

According to Jackson, she phoned American singer-songwriter

, asking for permission to use samples of her song "

", but Simon wanted to re-record her vocals. She agreed, with Simon wanting to write new lines. Jackson's producer

Jimmy Jam Jimmy may refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television * ''Jimmy'' (2008 film), a 2008 Hindi thriller directed by Raj N. Sippy * ''Jimmy'' (1979 film), a 1979 Indian Malayalam film directed by Melattoor Ravi Varma * ''Jimmy'' (2013 f ...

sent her the tracks they were already working on, and she went into a studio on

Martha's Vineyard Martha's Vineyard, often simply called the Vineyard, is an island in the Northeastern United States, located south of Cape Cod in Dukes County, Massachusetts, known for being a popular, affluent summer colony. Martha's Vineyard includes the s ...

to record some material. She

rap Rapping (also rhyming, spitting, emceeing or MCing) is a musical form of vocal delivery that incorporates "rhyme, rhythmic speech, and street vernacular". It is performed or chanted, usually over a backing beat or musical accompaniment. The ...

ped, initially thinking that Jackson and the producers would not use it, but they decided to marry both tracks, as the singers thought it "worked perfectly", and it became a duet. Simon expressed that Jackson "could not have been sweeter or more appreciative". "Son of a Gun (I Betcha Think This Song Is About You)" generated media speculation of who exactly the man described in the song was. Many journalists believed the song was about Jackson's estranged husband

René Elizondo Jr. René Elizondo Jr. (born July 16, 1962) is a Mexican dancer, songwriter and music video director. He was married to American singer Janet Jackson from 1991 to 2003. Early life and career Born in Durango, Mexico, Elizondo and Jackson met in the ...

Jackson responded: "Everybody says that. Actually, that song's about a few people, not one person in particular. Everyone likes to ay 'Ah, I know that's about Rene.' It's about a few people that have entered and exited my life." Simon created a similar controversy when she released "You're So Vain". It was speculated to be about

Warren Beatty Henry Warren Beatty (né Beaty; born March 30, 1937) is an American actor and filmmaker, whose career spans over six decades. He was nominated for 15 Academy Awards, including four for Best Actor, four for Best Picture, two for Best Director, ...

Mick Jagger Sir Michael Philip Jagger (born 26 July 1943) is an English singer and songwriter who has achieved international fame as the lead vocalist and one of the founder members of the rock band the Rolling Stones. His ongoing songwriting partnershi ...

, both of which she denied. In 2000, Jackson called American rapper

to reveal that she loved her work. She asked the rapper to work with her on a remix of the song "Son of a Gun (I Betcha Think This Song Is About You)". Elliott then wrote and rapped for the remix, and became the third single from ''All for You''. It was serviced to American

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 ...

on November 6, 2001, and was released in the United Kingdom on December 10, 2001, as a CD and cassette single.

Composition

"Son of a Gun (I Betcha Think This Song Is About You)" is an R&B and hip hop song which features a "rap poem" from Simon and samples her song "You're So Vain". Its composition excoriates an unfaithful lover for attempting to extort money, described as a "mean-spirited duet that rails against enemies." Jackson unveils anger and deceit, saying "Thought you'd get the money too / Greedy motherfuckers try to have their cake and eat it too". She also offers a comeuppance to a "baby gigolo" who hollers at "everything that walks / No substance, just small talk." Simon also cited the claims of sampled song "You're So Vain" to be written about Mick Jagger, singing "The apricot scarf was worn by Nick / Nothing in the words refer to Mick". In response to critics regarding it about her divorce, Jackson explained it was directed towards several people, while Jimmy Jam revealed it to be written in regards to music executives and lawyers.

Critical reception

Both the album and remix versions of "Son of a Gun (I Betcha Think This Song Is About You)" received mixed reviews from music critics. While reviewing ''All for You'', Dan Aquilante from ''

New York Post The ''New York Post'' (''NY Post'') is a conservative daily tabloid newspaper published in New York City. The ''Post'' also operates NYPost.com, the celebrity gossip site PageSix.com, and the entertainment site Decider.com. It was established ...

'' commented that the track would be remembered as one of the highlights from the album. Michael Paoletta 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 ...

'' magazine called the song a "clever sister-to-sister" song. '' The New Rolling Stone Album Guide'' called the duet between Jackson and Simon "harsh", and found Simon's rap "silly". John Mulvey of

Yahoo! Music Yahoo! Music was a brand under which Yahoo! provided a variety of music services, including Internet radio, music videos, news, artist information, and original programming. Previously, users with Yahoo! accounts could gain access to hundreds of ...

referred to it as "bizarre", and criticized Simon's rap, classifying it as "incompetent".

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 ...

's contributor

Stephen Thomas Erlewine Stephen Thomas Erlewine (; born June 18, 1973) is an American music critic and senior editor for the online music database AllMusic. He is the author of many artist biographies and record reviews for AllMusic, as well as a freelance writer, occ ...

also was one of the reviewers who were unsatisfied with rapping by Simon. 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 ...

considered the song the album's biggest misstep. He likened it to a car wreck: "impossible not to be horrified yet strangely intrigued", and called Simon's spoken-word verses "embarrassing". Chuck Taylor from ''Billboard'' reviewed the remix version of "Son of a Gun (I Betcha Think This Song Is About You)" and considered it "more of a breakdown than anything we might regard as a standard composition, but the ingredients somehow make musical gumbo".

Contactmusic.com Contactmusic.com is an online magazine of cultural criticism based in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It publishes reviews, interviews, and detailed essays on most cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, films, and ...

criticized the number of guests on the single version, but said it created a "soulful and very catchy version", and noted that its "Grover Washington style sax break and the kind of infectious percussion vibe that Masters at Work are so adept at making".

Chart performance

"Son of a Gun (I Betcha Think This Song Is About You)" debuted at number 72 on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100, before reaching a peak of number 28. This peak became her lowest since 1983, when "

Come Give Your Love to Me "Come Give Your Love to Me" is the second single from Janet Jackson's self-titled debut album '' Janet Jackson'' (1982). The song was written by Glen Barbee and Charmaine Sylvers. It peaked at number fifty-eight on the U.S. pop chart, seventeen ...

" reached number 58. Since the release of ''

Control Control may refer to: Basic meanings Economics and business * Control (management), an element of management * Control, an element of management accounting * Comptroller (or controller), a senior financial officer in an organization * Controlling ...

'' in 1986, every single released by the singer had peaked within the top 10, with the exception of " The Pleasure Principle". The song additionally reached numbers 7, 20 and 26 on the Hot Dance Club Play,

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 ...

and

Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs The Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart ranks the most popular R&B and hip hop songs in the United States and is published weekly by '' Billboard''. Rankings are based on a measure of radio airplay, sales data, and streaming activity. The chart had 100 ...

component charts, respectively. In Europe, "Son of a Gun (I Betcha Think This Song Is About You)" failed to gain success. In the United Kingdom, the song peaked at number 13, remaining for 10 weeks inside the chart. On the mainland, the song fared worse, peaking at number 69 in Germany, 54 in Romania, and 56 in Switzerland. However, it did achieve moderate success in Denmark, reaching the top 20. In Oceania, the song debuted at its peak of number 20 in Australia, and reached number 49 in New Zealand.

Music video

Interior of the Millennium Biltmore Hotel-24651397143

The

for "Son of a Gun (I Betcha Think This Song Is About You)" was directed by

, with The Original Flyte Tyme Remix of the song being used. It was filmed at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel in

Downtown Los Angeles Downtown Los Angeles (DTLA) contains the central business district of Los Angeles. In addition, it contains a diverse residential area of some 85,000 people, and covers . A 2013 study found that the district is home to over 500,000 jobs. It is ...

in September 2001. In the video, Jackson is stalking a man (played by Jerell Scott) in an abandoned hotel. She summons Elliott and a legion of

zombie A zombie (Haitian French: , ht, zonbi) is a mythological undead corporeal revenant created through the reanimation of a corpse. Zombies are most commonly found in horror and fantasy genre works. The term comes from Haitian folklore, in whic ...

s, including one that was created from a

toilet A toilet is a piece of sanitary hardware that collects human urine and feces, and sometimes toilet paper, usually for disposal. Flush toilets use water, while dry or non-flush toilets do not. They can be designed for a sitting position popu ...

. Jackson is also seen eating a

spider Spiders ( order Araneae) are air-breathing arthropods that have eight legs, chelicerae with fangs generally able to inject venom, and spinnerets that extrude silk. They are the largest order of arachnids and rank seventh in total species ...

, smashing jugs of water with a baseball bat, and taunting the man using telekinetic powers. Simon does not appear in the music video. A video for the P. Diddy Remix also was released, and uses the same footage of The Original Flyte Tyme Remix, with

P. Diddy Sean Combs (born Sean John Combs; November 4, 1969), also known by his stage names Puff Daddy, P. Diddy, Puffy, or Diddy, is an American rapper, actor, record producer, and record executive. Born in New York City, he worked as a talent directo ...

appearing in some parts. The video was nominated for "Best Cinematography" at the MVPA Awards in 2002. It was also placed as the seventh best music video of 2001 by

, who said "it's been a while since we've seen the reigning Jackson crank up a little attitude. It's her own mini-'

Thriller Thriller may refer to: * Thriller (genre), a broad genre of literature, film and television ** Thriller film, a film genre under the general thriller genre Comics * ''Thriller'' (DC Comics), a comic book series published 1983–84 by DC Comics i ...

', if you will". The video was included on the 2004 video compilation '' From Janet to Damita Jo: The Videos''. A reported Jackson admirer, American singer

was inspired by the "Son of a Gun (I Betcha Think This Song Is About You)" music video. The following year, she used the Milennium Baltimore Hotel in the music video for her single " Overprotected (Darkchild Remix)". Spears made several references to Jackson's video in her own, such as walking down the hotel lobby.

Live performance

"Son of a Gun (I Betcha Think This Song Is About You)" was performed by Jackson during the

in 2001 and 2002. Gina Vivinetto from ''

St. Petersburg Times The ''Tampa Bay Times'', previously named the ''St. Petersburg Times'' until 2011, is an American newspaper published in St. Petersburg, Florida, United States. It has won fourteen Pulitzer Prizes since 1964, and in 2009, won two in a single ...

'', while reviewing the concert, noted that fans cheered with the performance. The February 16, 2002, final date of the tour at the

Aloha Stadium Aloha Stadium is a closed multi-purpose stadium located in Halawa, Hawaii, a western suburb of Honolulu (though with a Honolulu address). It is the largest stadium in the state of Hawaii. , the stadium ceased fan-attended operations indefinitely ...

Hawaii Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only stat ...

, was broadcast by HBO, and had an appearance by Elliott on the performance of the song. This rendition was also added to the setlist at its DVD release, '' Janet: Live in Hawaii'', in 2002. The song was also used during the DJ Intermission session on the 2017

State of the World Tour The State of the World Tour was the eighth concert tour by American singer Janet Jackson. Launched in promotion of her eleventh studio album ''Unbreakable'' (2015), the tour is produced by Live Nation and is under the creative direction of Gil ...

Track listings

US 12-inch single :A1. P. Diddy Super Extended Remix Edited featuring Missy Elliott and P. Diddy – 7:59 :A2. The Original Flyte Time Remix Video Version featuring Missy Elliott – 4:13 :B1. Rock Remix featuring Missy Elliott – 4:10 :B2. P. Diddy Super Extended Instrumental – 7:55 European 12-inch single :A1. P. Diddy Extended Remix featuring Missy Elliott and P. Diddy – 7:59 :A2. Route 80 Remix featuring Missy Elliott – 4:09 :B1. Cottonbelly Dub – 5:27 :B2. The Original Flyte Tyme Remix featuring Missy Elliott – 4:13 European CD maxi single #The Original Flyte Tyme Remix featuring Missy Elliott – 4:13 #P. Diddy Remix featuring Missy Elliott and P. Diddy – 5:01 #Cottonbelly Remix – 5:31 #Rock Remix featuring Missy Elliott – 4:10 #Album Version – 5:56 UK CD single #The Original Flyte Tyme Remix featuring Missy Elliott – 4:13 #P. Diddy Extended Remix featuring Missy Elliott and P. Diddy – 7:59 #Route 80 Remix featuring Missy Elliott – 4:09

Personnel

Credits are adapted from Japanese promo CD single liner notes. *

- vocals, songwriter, producer *

- vocals, songwriter *

James Harris III James Samuel "Jimmy Jam" Harris III (born June 6, 1959) and Terry Steven Lewis (born November 24, 1956) are an American R&B/ pop songwriting and record production team. They have enjoyed great success since the 1980s with various artists, most ...

- songwriter, producer * Terry Lewis - songwriter, producer * Alex Al - bass * Brian Gardner - mastering * Mike Bozzi - mastering assistant * Alex Richbourg - programming * Steve Hodge - recording * Jason Elmore - vocal recording assistant * Mike Abbott - vocal recording * Brad Yost - vocal recording assistant * Xavier Smith - vocal recording assistant * Jimmy Parr - vocal recording * Tom Sweeney - vocal recording assistant * Dave Rideau - vocal recording

Charts

Release history

References

{{Authority control 2001 singles 2002 singles Carly Simon songs Janet Jackson songs Missy Elliott songs Music videos directed by Francis Lawrence Sean Combs songs Songs written by Carly Simon Songs written by Janet Jackson Songs written by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis Song recordings produced by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis 2001 songs Diss tracks Songs about infidelity