"Trouble" is a song by American musician Pink for her third studio album Try This. It was written by Tim Armstrong and Pink and features a prominent guitar riff. The song was released as the album's lead single peaking at number 68 on the US Billboard Hot 100, number two on the Canadian Singles Chart and number seven on the UK Singles Chart; a subsequent cover in 2005 by Shakin' Stevens was also commercially successful in the UK, peaking at number 20. The song won Pink a Grammy Award for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance in 2004.
Background
Tim Armstrong had originally written the song for his own band Rancid's 2003 album, Indestructible; however, the song failed to make the final cut, so when asked to work with Pink, he brought the song to her attention, and it was partially re-written with her. In 2012, Armstrong would finally record the song himself under the name Tim Timebomb.
Critical reception
"Trouble" has received positive reviews from critics. Allmusic highlighted the song and noted that the similarities of "Trouble" and Nirvana's cover of the Vaselines' "Molly's Lips" may be on purpose. David Browne of Entertainment Weekly complimented: "Fans of Pink's earlier records may not be thrilled -- in fact, the punk-lite first single, 'Trouble,' is running into trouble of its own on the pop charts -- but one has to admire Pink's musical fearlessness, equal in its way to Justin Timberlake's." The Guardian wasn't that positive at all: "Trouble blusters crossly, without ever revealing what the matter is, a state of affairs not helped by its clumsy phraseology. 'If you see me coming down the street,' she snarls, 'you know it's time to go' - well, you said it." Rolling Stone wasn't either: "Pink seems to be on autopilot through the first few tracks of Try This; she swaggers her way through insubstantial, predictable rants about going out on the town and battling emotionally challenged losers. 'I'm trouble, yeah, trouble now/I'm trouble, y'all, I disturb my town,' she brags in 'Trouble.'" Sal Cinquemani of Slant Magazine wrote: "The stiff-wristed herky-jerky first chords of the album's opening song (and lead single), "Trouble," pointedly announce Pink's new punk-rock sound. The repetitive hook of the raucous 'Trouble,' one of 10 new tracks co-written and produced by Rancid's Tim Armstrong, wears a bit thin but there's no denying its infectious b-section."
Stylus Magazine was favorable: "Try This opens with 'Trouble', the first of eight tracks on the album co-helmed by Rancid's Tim Armstrong. Pink and Armstrong cram as many ideas as possible into 'Trouble', from an Any Trouble (ha!) guitar solo to a Huey Lewis and the News-esque brass-laden breakdown, Hammond organ, layered vocals... whatwhatwhat?" Nick Catucci of The Village Voice was proud, too: "Album opener and settled-upon single "Trouble" isolates Rancid's primary strains: spare, beat-propelled verse poised for a declarative, kick-guitar chorus; that warm organ; a simple, squealing solo; wistful, throaty bridge to furious finale. Vacillating subtly between soulful and snotty, Pink's voice speaks more to her conflicts as an artist than as the daughter and girlfriend who stomped through Missundaztood." Yahoo! Music Canada was favorable: "Raw guitars mesh effortlessly with dance beats on middle-finger waving anthems like 'Trouble' and they noted that this song is miles ahead of the "likeminded efforts on Pink's mixed-up Missundaztood, and further benefit from Armstrong's scruffy but generally unerring pop sense." The A.V. Club was positive: "On 'Trouble,' the first single, she builds back-off sentiment from tired declaration to giddy decree, touching on a vocal range spread over the album to great effect. Sliding from yearning growl to grainy yowl and hitting all points between, Pink's voice is an expressive, embattled marvel. And she needs it to navigate Try This jarring tonal shifts."
Music video
The song's music video is western-themed. It was directed by Sophie Muller. The video opens with Pink galloping with speed through a forested area while checking over her shoulder indicating that she is possibly being pursued. She rides her horse until she pauses at the edge of a small town (population 96) which is called Sharktown. The town is depicted as a dull place and even a tumbleweed blowing down the street is seen. Pink looks to her right and sees a flag with three black stars which pays homage to the flag of Tennessee and indicates that events depicted in the video are likely to have occurred prior to the turn of the 20th century. She then looks down and sees a crude grave marker which bears the name 'Corky'. She checks her makeup briefly in a small compact and proceeds to ride deeper into the town.