"Don't Hurt Yourself" is a song by American singer Beyoncé featuring American musician Jack White. It is the third track on her sixth studio album, Lemonade (2016), released through Parkwood Entertainment and Columbia Records. The song's music video is part of Beyoncé's 2016 film Lemonade, aired on HBO alongside the album's release.[2]
Jack White said of the song's origin in an NPR interview:
"You know, I just talked to her and she said, "I wanna be in a band with you." [Laughs.] I said, "Really? Well, I'd love to do something." I've always loved her voice — I mean, I think she has the kind of soul singing voice of the days of Betty Davis or Aretha Franklin. She took just sort of a sketch of a lyrical outline and turned into the most bodacious, vicious, incredible song. I don't even know what you'd classify it as — soul, rock and roll, whatever. "Don't Hurt Yourself" is incredibly intense; I'm so amazed at what she did with it."[6]
Writing for Pitchfork, Jillian Mapes argues that Beyoncé is "giving the world a modern-day 'Respect' in 'Don't Hurt Yourself'". Mapes continues, writing "Even on an album stacked with some of Beyoncé's best recorded vocal performances to date, 'Don't Hurt Yourself' has her belting to a whole other dimension—specifically, that of Janis Joplin and late-'60sTina Turner".[7] Amber Mackie of Revolt stresses that the song follows "Hold Up" narration with "no nonsense lyrics", with "energy and power" from "propulsive rhythms and fills of the drums".[8]
In 2021 Alexis Petridis ranking the "Beyoncé's 30 greatest songs" placed the song at 28, describing it as "rock/funk hybrid about Lemonade’s most aggressive track" and stressin that the Homecoming: The Live Album version "amps things up even further".[9]
"Don't Hurt Yourself" was part of the set list for The Formation World Tour with the first performance taking place in Miami at Marlins Park on April 27, 2016. Beyoncé also performed this as part of her medley at the 2016 MTV VMA.[12] Writing for The Guardian, Caroline Sullivan noted how during the performance of "the bitterest songs" off Lemonade, "Sorry" and "Don't Hurt Yourself", "she's a pillar of rage".[13] Beyoncé also performed the song on her setlist for her 2018 Coachella performance, as well as co-headlining On the Run II Tour with Jay-Z. Jack White opened his October 10, 2020 performance on Saturday Night Live with a portion of "Don't Hurt Yourself" as part of a medley.[14]