Don't Trust Me

After signing with Photo Finish Records, the duo began recording "Don't Trust Me".{{cite magazine|url=https://www.papermag.com/3oh3-dont-trust-me|title=Does 3OH!3 Regret 'Don't Trust Me'?|magazine=Paper|author=Katherine Gillespie|date=January 28, 2019|access-date=October 19, 2024}} Being one of the duo's more controversial songs and looking back at the track, Foreman told Alternative Press that "We're different musicians now, and we've made changes in the sense of our music. And I think it will show. The times have changed, and we've changed, too, as artists."{{cite magazine|url=https://www.altpress.com/3oh3-comeback-magazine-cover-interview/|title=Here's how 3OH!3 grew as artists after 'WANT' for their comeback|magazine=Alternative Press|author=Alex Darus|date=November 23, 2020|access-date=October 19, 2024}}

"Don't Trust Me" was released on June 1, 2008, as the lead single for the band's label debut.{{cite AV media notes|title=Don't Trust Me|others=3OH!3|year=2008|type=US CD Single liner notes|publisher=Photo Finish Records|id=PRCD 515990}} "Don't Trust Me" is also featured in the game, Tap Tap Revenge for the iPhone OS.{{cite web|url=https://www.complex.com/pigeons-and-planes/a/pigeonsandplanes/new-3oh3-ft-kid-cudi-dont-trust-me-benny-blanco-remix|title=New! 3OH!3 Ft. Kid CuDi - "Don't Trust Me" (Benny Blanco Remix)|website=Complex|date=June 18, 2009|access-date=May 22, 2025}} It was also used on The Real World,{{cite web|url=https://www.timesonline.com/story/entertainment/2008/11/06/3oh-3-to-make-412/18314774007/|title=3OH!3 to make the 412 sweat|website=The Beaver County Times|author=Scott Tady|date=November 5, 2008|access-date=October 20, 2024}} Pretty Little Liars, The Vampire Diaries,{{cite web|url=https://www.tunefind.com/artist/3oh3|title=3Oh!3 - Tunefind|website=Tunefind|access-date=October 20, 2024}} and The Hills.{{cite web|url=http://melodic.net/artist/3oh3|title=Melodic: 3Oh!3 Artist Bio|website=Melodic|access-date=October 20, 2024}} The official remix features Kid Cudi.

{{Listen

| filename = 3OH!3 - Don't Trust Me.ogg

| pos = left

| title = "Don't Trust Me"

| description = A 19-second sample of 3OH!3's "Don't Trust Me" song where the chorus is played.

| format = Ogg

}}

"Don't Trust Me" was written by Sean Foreman, Nathaniel Motte and Benny Blanco, while production was handled by Matt Squire, 3Oh!3 and Blanco. The song is written in the key of G minor and is set in the time signature of common time with a tempo of 130 beats per minute.{{cite web|url=https://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mtd.asp?ppn=MN0074993|title=3OH!3 'Don't Trust Me' Digital Sheet Music|publisher=Musicnotes.com|year=2008|access-date=August 2, 2020}} Foreman and Motte's vocal range spans two octaves, from F₄ to D₆. One of lines in the song goes "our tongues always pressed to your cheeks" which Foreman stated is "about this kind of girl who always had her tongue in her cheek."{{cite web|url=https://www.theaquarian.com/2008/07/02/3oh3-what-chu-want/|title=Interview with 3OH!3: What 'Chu Want |last=Castro|first=Chris|website= The Aquarian Weekly |date=July 2, 2008 |accessdate=July 11, 2022}} Motte revealed to The Denver Post that the song was almost cut from the album because he was worried about a couple of lines in particular, but they decided to keep it after his father reassured him that people would get that it was only a joke.{{cite web|url=https://www.denverpost.com/2016/05/11/with-new-album-boulders-3oh3-still-isnt-afraid-of-having-fun/|title=With new album, Boulder's 3OH!3 (still) isn't afraid of having fun|website=The Denver Post|author=Dylan Owens|date=May 16, 2016|access-date=October 20, 2024}} The line in particular, "Shh, girl, shut your lips/Do the Helen Keller and talk with your hips" was thought of by Foreman, who asked Motte to sing that part of the song, but he originally thought that it would get them a lot of heat. Another line in the song that goes "tell your boyfriend if he says he's got beef, that I'm a vegetarian and I ain't fucking scared of him" came from Foreman who was a vegan at the time and thought the lyric was "a good punchline."{{cite web|url=https://www.wjcu.org/2023/08/28/3oh3-talks-about-dont-trust-me-lyrics-musical-influences|title=3OH!3 Talks About 'Don't Trust Me' Lyrics, Musical Influences|website=WJCU|author=Jasen Sokol|date=August 28, 2023|access-date=October 20, 2024}} Speaking about the lyrics in retrospect and if the duo had any regrets writing it, Motte told Paper that "we came up with this really funny line and we were worried about whether it would offend people, but it was like, no, man — it's funny. People will get that it's tongue-in-cheek. In retrospect if we'd known that many people were going to listen to it maybe we would've thought more about it, but that's kind of the beauty of what we did and I think people understand that."

{{Album ratings

| rev1 = About.com

| rev1score = {{rating|4|5}}Bill Lamb. [https://web.archive.org/web/20120819194800/http://top40.about.com/od/singles/gr/donttrustme.htm 3OH!3 - "Don't Trust Me"] About.com. Retrieved October 20, 2024.

| rev2 = Digital Spy

| rev2score = {{rating|2|5}}{{cite web|url=https://www.digitalspy.com/music/single-reviews/a163116/3oh3-dont-trust-me-163116/|title=3OH!3: 'Don't Trust Me'|website=Digital Spy|author=Alex Fletcher|date=July 2, 2009|access-date=October 20, 2024}}

}}

The song received mixed reviews from music critics, with many criticizing the lyrics for being misogynistic. Lou Thomas of BBC called the song "lyrically disturbing", commenting that "some might go so far as to argue it's misogynistic and offensive".{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/nczb/ |title=3OH!3 Want Review |work=BBC |author=Lou Thomas |date=2009 |access-date=August 2, 2020}} Whitney Pastorek of Entertainment Weekly stated, "it's gonna take a lot more than some loincloths to make up for actually recording a line like 'Shush girl, shut your lips / Do the Helen Keller and talk with your hips'."{{cite web|url=https://ew.com/article/2009/03/29/3oh3s-dont-trus/|title=3OH!3's 'Don't Trust Me': Misogyny... or just stupid?|website=Entertainment Weekly|author=Whitney Pastorek|date=March 29, 2009|access-date=October 19, 2024}} Alex Fletcher of Digital Spy noted, "If you can dig beneath the 'irony', there's a half-decent pop tune wrestling for attention here, which explains why they've recently nabbed a support slot with Katy Perry. Sadly, however, 3OH!3's (delete where applicable) parody/misogyny is just so uninteresting and lacking in humour that it's unlikely you'll notice the music much anyway." Paul Lester of The Guardian wrote, "Auto-Tuned vocals – some rapped, some 'sung', in the loosest sense of the word – and the sort of misogynist fratboy humour that Asher Roth seems to be constantly on the verge of indulging in. 'Shush, girl, shut your lips, do the Helen Keller and talk with your hips,' go the lyrics to 'Don't Trust Me'. Elsewhere, the song advises us, 'Don't trust a ho'. Funny, we always found 'hos' to be pretty reliable as a rule."{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2009/jun/12/new-band-303|title=3OH!3 (No 567)|website=The Guardian|author=Paul Lester|date=June 12, 2009|access-date=October 20, 2024}}

A positive review came from Bill Lamb of About.com who remarked, "Bratty, insolent and irreverent, it does actually work. You can be offended, but I suggest dancing instead." Paolo Ragusa of Consequence.net also gave the track a positive review writing, "It's clear in its shiny, falsetto-laden chorus hook, with each 'woo-oo' a playful assertion that yes, these guys are pop stars." However, he felt that the "aforementioned 'jokes' about 'beef' and 'doing the Helen Keller,' a prime example of the edgy late 2000s Family Guy-style humor that, at the time, was still being celebrated."

"Don't Trust Me" became the band's breakout hit. The song debuted at number 99 on the Billboard Hot 100 on the week ending November 15, 2008.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-100/2008-11-15/|title=Billboard Hot 100: Week of November 15, 2008|magazine=Billboard|date=November 15, 2008|access-date=October 20, 2024}} It was their first top 10 hit in the U.S, reaching number nine on the Hot 100 on the week ending May 7, 2009, selling 123,000 copies.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/3oh3-hits-top-ten-on-billboard-hot-100-268700/ |title=3OH!3 Hits Top Ten On Billboard Hot 100 |magazine=Billboard |author=Ayala Ben-Yehuda |date=May 7, 2009 |access-date=August 31, 2010}} The song eventually peaked at number seven on the Billboard Hot 100 in its 23rd week on the chart.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-100/2009-05-30/|title=Billboard Hot 100: Week of May 30, 2009|magazine=Billboard|date=May 30, 2009|access-date=October 20, 2024}} It has also been a huge success on U.S. Mainstream Top 40 radio, topping the chart for a week.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/pop-songs/2009-07-18/|title=Pop Airplay: Week of July 18, 2009|magazine=Billboard|date=July 18, 2009|access-date=October 20, 2024}} The song peaked within the top ten on the Canadian Hot 100, at number six. "Don't Trust Me" has done particularly well in Oceania, where it has reached the top 3 in Australia, and the top 10 in New Zealand. It has also reached #5 in Finland. On July 19, 2009, the single entered the UK singles chart at #21. On April 26, 2010, "Don't Trust Me" re-entered the UK Top 40 at #22.{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/chart/singles/ |title=Radio 1 - The Official Chart with Reggie Yates - The Official UK Top 40 Singles Chart |date=April 25, 2010|publisher=BBC |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100430001158/https://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/chart/singles/|archivedate=April 30, 2010|access-date=August 31, 2010}}

In April 2009, the song was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America, denoting sales of one million units.{{cite web|url=https://www.westword.com/music/3oh-3s-debut-single-dont-trust-me-goes-platinum-5702674|title=3OH!3's debut single, "Don't Trust Me," goes platinum|website=Westword|author=Dave Herrera|date=April 17, 2009|access-date=October 20, 2024}} As of June 2013, the single has sold 3,322,000 digital units in the United States.{{cite web|url=http://music.yahoo.com/blogs/chart-watch/week-ending-june-16-2013-songs-pharrell-chart-230453610.html |title=Week Ending June 16, 2013. Songs: Pharrell Is Chart MVP|last=Grein|first=Paul|work=Chart Watch|publisher=Yahoo! Music|date=June 19, 2013|access-date=June 19, 2013}} In July 2023, the song was certified five-times platinum by the RIAA.

The duo began filming the video in September 2008.{{cite web|url=https://www.westword.com/music/3oh-3-in-entertainment-weekly-5683613|title=3OH!3 in Entertainment Weekly|website=Westword|author=Dave Herrera|date=September 30, 2008|access-date=October 20, 2024}} The music video premiered on October 20, 2008.{{cite web|url=https://www.westword.com/music/3oh-3s-dont-trust-me-video-makes-its-debut-5709366|title=3OH!3's "Don't Trust Me" video makes its debut|website=Westword|author=Dave Herrera|date=October 21, 2008|access-date=October 20, 2024}} The official video begins with words being typed on the screen stating "A global virus of catastrophic proportions has attacked the entire male population. Only two male models from Colorado survive... this is their story". The screen shifts to a shot of the band in briefs at a photo shoot.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.altpress.com/3oh3_behinddonttrustme/|title=Behind the scenes of 3OH!3's "Don't Trust Me" video|magazine=Alternative Press|date=November 24, 2008|access-date=October 20, 2024}} The set resembles that of a hotel.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.altpress.com/behind_the_scenes_of_3oh3s_music_video_for_dont_trust_me/|title=Behind The Scenes Of 3OH!3's music video for Don't Trust Me|magazine=Alternative Press|date=July 5, 2009|access-date=October 20, 2024}} Another photo shoot takes place at a set resembling a high school wrestling match, where they are dressed in neon-colored singlets. The last photo shoot is in the prehistoric era, and the band is dressed as cavemen. The video ends with a shot of a mushroom cloud, and the words "Transmission terminated" are typed onto the screen, followed by an apology. The video received a nomination at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards for Best New Artist.{{cite web|url=https://hot1047.com/throwback-thursday-dont-trust-me-by-3oh3-2008/|title=Throwback Thursday 'Don't Trust Me' by 3OH!3 (2008)|website=KKLS-FM|author=Natasha|date=November 11, 2021|access-date=October 19, 2024}} In an interview with Paper, Nathaniel Motte discussed the video, commenting:

Yeah, being fun and weird is something we take pride in. I remember that was the most tired I've ever been after that video shoot, we were just going crazy for 16 to 18 hours. I'm not sure if there was a concept, really, it was so chaotic and all over the place. Just the raw energy and the raw strangeness.

{{Track listing

| headline = Digital download

| title1 = Don't Trust Me

| length1 = 3:13

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = CD single{{cite AV media notes|title=Don't Trust Me|others=3OH!3|year=2009|type=AUS CD Single liner notes|publisher=Warner Music Australia|id=7567896623}}

| title1 = Don't Trust Me

| note1 = Explicit Album Version

| length1 = 3:13

| title2 = Still Around

| note2 = Remix

| length2 = 3:23

}}

Credits for "Don't Trust Me" adapted from CD liner notes.

• Sean Foreman – vocals, producer
• Nathaniel Motte – vocals, producer
• Matt Squire – producer, mixing
• Benny Blanco – co-producer
• Travis Huff – mixing
• Eric Stenman – additional engineering
• UE Nastasi – mastering (Sterling Sound, New York, NY)

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

{{col-2}}

{{col-end}}

{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications for sales for "Don't Trust Me"}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Australia|artist=3OH!3|title=Don't Trust Me|award=Platinum|certyear=2009|type=single}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Canada|artist=3OH!3|title=Don't Trust Me|award=Platinum|number=3|relyear=2008|relmonth=6|digital=true|certyear=2009|type=single}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=New Zealand|type=single|artist=3OH!3|title=Don't Trust Me|award=Platinum|digital=true|relyear=2008|access-date=December 22, 2024|certyear=2021|source=radioscope}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|artist=3Oh3|title=Donttrustme|award=Gold|relyear=2009|certyear=2024|type=single|id=14331-4407-1|access-date=June 29, 2024}}

{{certification Table Entry|region=United States|artist=3OH!3|title=Don't Trust Me|award=Platinum|number=5|certyear=2023|type=single|access-date=July 14, 2023|refname="RIAA"}}

{{Certification Table Bottom|streaming=true}}

{{Reflist}}

{{3OH!3 songs}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:2009 singles

Category:3OH!3 songs

Category:Song recordings produced by Benny Blanco

Category:Songs written by Nathaniel Motte

Category:2008 songs

Category:Songs about groupies

Category:Songs written by Sean Foreman

Category:Songs written by Benny Blanco

Category:Songs containing the I–V-vi-IV progression

Category:Photo Finish Records singles

Category:Obscenity controversies in music