Kelly Clarkson dropped her new single, "Mr. Know It All," on her website this week. It's the first track off her Stronger album, due in October.
The song is an obvious Clarkson joint: feisty and straightforward, with a strong melody and a sing-along chorus. The midtempo breakup tune is about a girl letting her guy know that despite thinking he's got it all figured out, he doesn't.
On the chorus, she blasts, "Oh, you think that you know me/ Know me/ That's why I'm leaving you lonely/ Lonely/ 'Cause baby you don't know a thing about me/ You don't know a thing about me."
She's equally sassy on the bridge when she sings, "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."
The track was written by Brett James (who has a country pedigree, having written for Carrie Underwood), Ester Dean (Beyoncé, Usher) and Dante Jones. Brian Kennedy (Chris Brown, Rihanna, Backstreet Boys) also co-wrote and produced the track.
Stronger is Clarkson's fifth album release. It's the follow-up to 2009's All I Ever Wanted. "Usually, on most albums, I'll fight and be like, 'No, this needs to be the single.' There's no real fighting on this," she told EW.com about the album. "The label and I, we love all of them. We're just going to see what everybody digs."
She added of "Mr. Know It All" that she "can't wait to perform it. It's everything I am as a woman and a singer. I love telling men off!"
In early 2011, Clarkson teased her influences for the album on Facebook. "This album was influenced by Prince, Tina Turner, Sheryl Crow, Radiohead and there's a little bit of a country vibe/influence on a couple of songs," she said.
What do you think of Clarkson's new single, "Mr. Know It All"? Tell us in the comments.
