Insensitive (song)

"Insensitive"
Single by Jann Arden
from the album Living Under June
B-side"I Just Don't Love You Anymore"
ReleasedOctober 1994 (1994-10)
StudioGroove Masters (Santa Monica, California, US)
Length4:16
LabelA&M
Songwriter(s)Anne Loree
Producer(s)
Jann Arden singles chronology
"Could I Be Your Girl"
(1994) 		"Insensitive"
(1994) 		"Wonderdrug"
(1995)
Music video
"Insensitive" on YouTube

"Insensitive" is the second single released from Canadian singer-songwriter Jann Arden's second studio album, Living Under June (1994). Written by Anne Loree and produced by Ed Cherney, the song became Arden's most successful single, reaching number one in Canada and Australia and number 12 in the United States.

Background

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Anne Loree would recall writing "Insensitive" in response to an unhappy tryst with a chef at a Calgary restaurant where Loree was waiting tables. "I sat down at my electric piano in the basement of a rented house I shared with four roommates, broke and brokenhearted, full of pain and angst, and wrote 'Insensitive'. It took me probably less than half an hour and I walked away feeling much better for it and much hipper to Prince Charmings who aren't really into you."[1] Jann Arden, then based in Calgary, optioned "Insensitive" for Living Under June after hearing Loree perform the song at a local club.[2]

"Insensitive" remains by far Arden's most successful single to date. It reached number one in her native Canada for three weeks,[3] number 12 on the US Billboard Hot 100,[4] and number four on Billboard's Adult Contemporary chart.[5] The song's US success was assisted by its presence in the film Bed of Roses; although Bed of Roses was not a major success, the video for "Insensitive" was aired on an episode of Entertainment Tonight, on which the film had been promoted.[citation needed] Its Italian success was occasioned by its use as a jingle in a TV ad campaign for department store Coin.[2] On August 20, 1995, "Insensitive" reached number one on the Australian ARIA Singles Chart for one week,[6] and it also charted in New Zealand at number 44 and in the United Kingdom at number 40.[7][8] At the Juno Awards of 1996 "Insensitive" was named Single of the Year.[citation needed]

"Insensitive" was also included on Jann's 2001 greatest hits album, Greatest Hurts, in both the original and live versions.

Music video

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For the track's US release a video was prepped comprising clips from the film Bed of Roses interspersed with footage of Jann singing the song; Jeth Weinrich directed. The video for "Insensitive" was nominated for Video of the Year at the 1995 Juno Awards.

Track listings

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Credits and personnel

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Credits are taken from the US cassette single sleeve.[12]

Studios

Personnel

Charts

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Certifications

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[22] Platinum 70,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Release history

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Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
Canada October 1994 (1994-10) Cassette A&M [2]
Europe 1994 (1994) Radio
United States January 16, 1996 (1996-01-16) Contemporary hit radio [29]

Cover versions

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Country singer LeAnn Rimes also released her own version of "Insensitive" on her 1998 album Sittin' on Top of the World. Jasper Steverlinck remade "Insensitive" for his 2004 album Songs of Innocence. Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario-based punk rock band The Decay also released a cover version on the Juicebox Recording Co. compilation Our Favourite Songs.[30]

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The popular podcast "How to Do Everything" created by the producers of the NPR news quiz "Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!" featured the song in a series of podcasts. The song was introduced by a music expert when asked if there was a song she loved, but understood was terrible. This began a segment on the podcast titled "Best-Worst Song Competition" where listeners submitted songs they secretly enjoyed, but knew were generally considered to be poor songs. Each segment opened with a clip of "Insensitive" with the hosts saying "You know what that sound means – it's time for our Best-Worst Song Competition!"[31]

References

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  1. ^ "Insensitive - Anne Loree Sparkles". anneloree.com. Anne Loree. Archived from the original on November 20, 2008.
  2. ^ a b c LeBlanc, Larry (April 13, 1996). "Work Is Prime Element of Success for A&M's Arden". Billboard. Vol. 108, no. 15. p. 20.
  3. ^ a b "Top RPM Singles: Issue 2722." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved October 27, 2018.
  4. ^ a b "Jann Arden Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved August 2, 2016.
  5. ^ a b "Jann Arden Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved August 12, 2017.
  6. ^ a b "Jann Arden – Insensitive". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved August 2, 2016.
  7. ^ a b "Jann Arden – Insensitive". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved August 2, 2016.
  8. ^ a b "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 27, 2018.
  9. ^ Insensitive (Canadian cassette single sleeve). Jann Arden. A&M Records. 1994. 3145808344.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  10. ^ Insensitive (US CD single liner notes). Jann Arden. A&M Records. 1995. 731458127628.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  11. ^ Insensitive (US maxi-CD single liner notes). Jann Arden. A&M Records. 1995. 31458 1277 2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  12. ^ a b Insensitive (US cassette single sleeve). Jann Arden. A&M Records. 1995. 31458 1274 4.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  13. ^ Insensitive (UK CD single liner notes). Jann Arden. A&M Records. 1995. 581 265-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  14. ^ Insensitive (UK cassette single sleeve). Jann Arden. A&M Records. 1995. 581 264-4.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  15. ^ Insensitive (European & Australian CD single liner notes). Jann Arden. A&M Records. 1995. 580 949-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  16. ^ "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 2709." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved October 27, 2018.
  17. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 13, no. 29. July 20, 1996. p. 13. Retrieved September 5, 2020.
  18. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 27, 2018.
  19. ^ "Jann Arden Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved August 12, 2017.
  20. ^ "Jann Arden Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved August 12, 2017.
  21. ^ "RPM Top 100 Hit Tracks of 1994". RPM. Retrieved October 27, 2018 – via Library and Archives Canada.
  22. ^ a b "1995 ARIA Singles Chart". ARIA. Retrieved October 27, 2018.
  23. ^ "RPM Top 100 Hit Tracks of 1995". RPM. Retrieved October 27, 2018 – via Library and Archives Canada.
  24. ^ "RPM Top 100 Adult Contemporary Tracks of 1995". RPM. Retrieved October 27, 2018 – via Library and Archives Canada.
  25. ^ "Billboard Top 100 – 1996". Archived from the original on March 1, 2009. Retrieved August 27, 2010.
  26. ^ "The Year in Music: Hot Adult Contemporary Singles & Tracks". Billboard. Vol. 108, no. 52. December 28, 1996. p. YE-84. Retrieved December 7, 2023.
  27. ^ "The Year in Music: Hot Adult Top 40 Singles & Tracks". Billboard. Vol. 108, no. 52. December 28, 1996. p. YE-86. Retrieved December 7, 2023.
  28. ^ "Airplay Monitor Best of '96: Top 40/Mainstream Titles". Airplay Monitor. Vol. 4, no. 53. December 27, 1996. p. 30.
  29. ^ "Selected New Releases" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1128. January 12, 1996. p. 26. Retrieved August 12, 2021.
  30. ^ "JB027 - Our Favourite Songs". JuiceBox. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016.
  31. ^ Danforth, Mike. "How to Do Everything". NPR. Retrieved July 14, 2012.
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