Fuck Was I
{{Short description|2007 single by Jenny Owen Youngs}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Fuck Was I
| cover =
| alt =
| border = yes
| type = single
| artist = Jenny Owen Youngs
| album = Batten the Hatches
| B-side =
- "Hot in Herre"
| released = {{Start date|2007}}
| recorded =
| studio =
| genre = Folk rock
| length = {{Duration|m=3|s=30}}
| label = Nettwerk
| writer = Jenny Owen Youngs
| producer = Dan Romer
| chronology = Jenny Owen Youngs
| prev_title =
| prev_year =
| next_title = Things We Don't Need Anymore
| next_year = 2007
| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|3M-bH3YGsTo|"Fuck Was I"}}}}
}}
"Fuck Was I" is a song by Jenny Owen Youngs, from her 2005 album Batten the Hatches. Its name refers to the phrase "What the fuck was I thinking?"[http://www.laweekly.com/music/rock-picks-iron-and-wine-mika-miko-the-vaselines-extra-golden-2159684 Rock Picks: Iron & Wine, Mika Miko, the Vaselines, Extra Golden], at LA Weekly; published May 6, 2009; retrieved July 11, 2017
Youngs wrote it "between (her) junior and senior years at SUNY Purchase".[https://www.autostraddle.com/annotated-jenny-owen-youngs-fuck-was-i/ Annotated: Jenny Owen Youngs “Fuck Was I”], at Autostraddle; published June 28, 2016; retrieved July 11, 2017 She is accompanied by Dan Romer (organ) and Patrick Petty (cello).[http://www.popmatters.com/review/jenny-owen-youngs-batten-the-hatches1/ Batten the Hatches], reviewed by Michael Metivier, at PopMatters; published July 5, 2007; retrieved July 11, 2017
Reception
Spin called it a "stand-out"[http://www.spin.com/2007/04/jenny-owen-youngs/ Spotlight: Jenny Owen Youngs], at Spin; published April 10, 2007; retrieved July 11, 2017 — an opinion shared by Autostraddle, who also called it a "stirring anthem for the regretful".[https://www.autostraddle.com/jenny-owen-youngs-is-super-gay-the-autostraddle-interview/ Jenny Owen Youngs Is Super Gay: The Autostraddle Interview], at Autostraddle; published June 12, 2013; retrieved July 11, 2017 MusicOMH considered it "rueful",[https://www.musicomh.com/reviews/albums/jenny-owen-youngs-batten-the-hatches Jenny Owen Youngs – Batten The Hatches], by Andy Jex, at MusicOMH; published September 24, 2007; retrieved July 11, 2017 while LA Weekly described it as an "antilove song" that evinces Youngs' "unexpectedly wicked sense of humor". Pop Matters described it as "attention-grabbing" and "charming at first", but faulted it for being "a little too self-conscious" with some lyrics that are "overwrought", judging that it was "an example of all that is both right and wrong with Batten the Hatches".
Track listings and formats
- CD single{{cite AV media notes|title=Fuck Was I|others=Jenny Owen Youngs|year=2007|type=European CD single liner notes|publisher=Nettwerk|id=5 037703 220324}}
- "Fuck Was I" (uncensored) – 3:32
- "Fuck Was I" (Morgan Page remix edit) – 3:49
- "Hot in Herre" – 4:18
- "Fuck Was I" (Morgan Page remix) – 6:47
Credits and personnel
Credits and personnel are adapted from the Batten the Hatches album liner notes.{{cite AV media notes|others=Jenny Owen Youngs|title=Batten the Hatches|year=2007|type=CD liner notes|publisher=Nettwerk|id=0 6700 30648 2 8}}
- Jenny Owen Youngs – vocals, writer
- Dan Romer – producer, engineering, mixing, arrangement, electric piano
- Andrew Futral – arrangement assistance
- Andrew Platt – bass
- Patrick Petty – cello
- Adam Christgau – drums
- Hawk – viola, voice
- Bob Pycior – violin
- Jay Newland – mastering