Music Review: Kelly Clarkson "Mr. Know It All"

Kelly Clarkson

Mr. Know It All

Album: Stronger

Year: 2011

        Kelly Clarkson has had enough of her controlling boyfriend in the hostile “Mr. Know It All.”

     A restrained, confrontational guitar, open the single. In the first verse, she mocks her boyfriend with the nickname “Mr. Know It All” and tells him he’s been clueless about her. For years, she has taken his belittling of her wanting to take chances and discouraging her in advancing in her career. She believed him when he said that she be fine where she is. (“Mr. Know It All/Well you think you know it all/But you don't know a thing at all/Ain't it something y'all/When somebody tells you something 'bout you/Think that they know you more than you do/So you take it down, another pill to swallow.”)

    She continues to tell him that she won’t let him call her selfish or dumb. She’s not going to sleep with him when he says or leave without a fight. She won’t allow him to condescend to her. She’s not the quiet young woman he’s trying to mold into being. (“Mr. Bring Me Down/Well you like to bring me down, don't ya? /But I ain't laying down/Baby I ain't going down/Can't nobody tell me how it's gonna be/Nobody's gonna make a fool out of me/Baby, you should know that I lead, not follow.”)

         In the chorus, she reiterates that she’s breaking up with him for his disrespectful treatment towards her. His emotional abuse is going to happen. (“Oh you think that you know me/That's why I'm leaving you lonely /'Cause baby, you don't know a thing about me/You don't know a thing about me/You ain't got the right to tell me/When and where to go, no right to tell me/Acting like you own me lately/Yeah, baby, you don't know a thing about me/
You don't know a thing about me.”)

      In the second verse, she tells him not to bother to call when he’s upset that he lost her. He won’t manipulate her with another sweet platitude like last time. She’s finally feeling like herself again, the self before she met him. The relationship is over for good. (“Mr. Play Your Games/Only got yourself to blame/When you want me back again/But I ain't fallin' back again/'Cause I'm living my truth without your lies/Let's be clear, baby – this is goodbye/I ain't comin' back tomorrow.”

        The chorus is sung again.

        In the bridge, she calls him out on his arrogance. A successful career and a college degree don’t give him permission to act like she’s a simpleton. She lets him know her independence is not a phase. (“So what, you've got the world at your feet/And you know everything about everything/But you don't/You still think I'm comin' back but baby, you'll see yeah.”).

         The chorus is sung again to finish the song.

      Kelly Clarkson has some excellent singles dealing with breakups. “Mr. Know It All” is not one of them. The topic of abuse is brought up but is brushed aside for the repetitive “you don’t know mes.” The listeners don’t get a chance to get know her, either. The nicknames are also petty and to get really nitpicky, the constant use of the word ain’t reinforces the simpleton image she’s fighting against.

         Her defensive vocals do not help, either. She’s struggling to stand up to him. She has the capacity to portray the anger necessary but has chosen to instead to dial back. “Mr Know It All” lacks the teeth, both in songwriting and vocals, to be a quality kiss-off song.

        For price, tracklisting and other album information please visit Amazon.com.