{{More citations needed|date=September 2013}} {{Infobox song | name = Knocked Out | cover = Paula-Abdul-Knocked-Out.jpg | alt = | caption = U.S. promotional cover | type = single | artist = [[Paula Abdul]] | album = [[Forever Your Girl]] | B-side = "Knocked Out" (Instrumental)<br />"Next to You" | released = {{Start date|1988|05}}<ref name="gavin520"/> | recorded = | studio = {{hlist|Studio Masters|Silverlake}} ([[Hollywood, CA]]) | genre = | length = 3:52 | label = [[Virgin Records|Virgin]] | writer = {{hlist|[[L.A. Reid|Antonio "L.A." Reid]]|[[Babyface (musician)|Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds]]|[[Daryl Simmons]]}} | producer = {{hlist|L.A. Reid|Babyface}} | prev_title = | prev_year = | next_title = [[(It's Just) The Way That You Love Me]] | next_year = 1988 | misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|Y3gTLXpXxtk|"Knocked Out"}}}} }} "'''Knocked Out'''" is the debut single by American singer and dancer [[Paula Abdul]], released in May 1988 via [[Virgin Records]] as the lead single to Abdul's debut studio album, ''[[Forever Your Girl]]'' (1988). The song was written by [[Babyface (musician)|Babyface]], [[L.A. Reid]] and [[Daryl Simmons]], and produced by Babyface and Reid, the only track on ''Forever Your Girl'' produced by the duo.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Breihan |first=Tom |date=June 25, 2021 |title=The Number Ones: Paula Abdul’s “Straight Up |url=https://www.stereogum.com/2151499/the-number-ones-paula-abduls-straight-up/columns/the-number-ones/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210625130636/https://www.stereogum.com/2151499/the-number-ones-paula-abduls-straight-up/columns/the-number-ones/ |archive-date=June 25, 2021 |access-date=January 19, 2025 |website=[[Stereogum]] |language=en}}</ref> Babyface and Simmons provide background vocals along with [[Perri Reid|Pebbles]] and Yvette Marine. "Knocked Out" was later re-released to US radio in May 1990 following its re-issue in the United Kingdom and Europe.<ref>{{Cite news |date=May 18, 1990 |title=CHR National Airplay: Significant Action |work=[[Radio & Records]] |page=106 |issue=840}}</ref>
==Critical reception== Paul Mathur from ''[[Melody Maker]]'' wrote, "Paula isn't as clever as [[Jessica Fletcher|Jessica]] but she's almost as accomplished in the art of artifice. When she sings, plastic takes on whole new forms, [[Madonna (entertainer)|Madonna]] looks like [[Joni Mitchell]] and I'm humming for weeks. She cuts her soul pop jib with scissors the size of shears, but she doesn't give two hoots, and for that alone we should cherish her."<ref>{{cite magazine|first=Paul|last=Mathur|url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/nothingelseon/51164217115/|title=Singles|magazine=[[Melody Maker]]|date=September 3, 1988|page=28|access-date=October 31, 2023}}</ref> Dave Sholin of the ''[[Gavin Report]]'' responded favorably, "If you're lookin' for hooks, this is it. Produced by L.A. Reid and Babyface, the arrangement lends itself to multi-format potential. This former Los Angeles Lakers cheerleader and choreographer for the likes of [[Janet Jackson]] is gonna be big."<ref name="gavin520">{{Cite news |last=Fell |first=Ron |date=May 20, 1988 |title=Dave Sholin's Personal Picks — Singles |work=[[Gavin Report]] |page=57 |volume=1707}}</ref> Bill Coleman of [[Billboard (magazine)|''Billboard'']] called the track "an appealing number."<ref>{{Cite news |last=Coleman |first=Bill |date=April 30, 1988 |title=Dance Trax: Atlantic's Dazzling Dance Department Regroups |work=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |publisher=[[Prometheus Global Media]] |page=29 |volume=100 |issue=18 |issn=0006-2510}}</ref> Ron Wynn of ''[[The Commercial Appeal]]'' dismissed the song, calling the transition to singing "flawed" and felt that "she [is] better at constructing dance steps than structuring vocals".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Wynn |first=Ron |date=June 10, 1988 |title=Singles |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/773509148/?match=1&terms=paula%20abdul |access-date=July 26, 2025 |work=[[The Commercial Appeal]] |pages=E22}}</ref>
== Chart performance == "Knocked Out" debuted on the US [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]] on June 18, 1988 at number 93.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/paula-abdul/ |title=Paula Abdul Chart History |website=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |access-date=November 12, 2024}}</ref> peaked at number 41 on the US [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]], the first of what would be fourteen charting entries through 1995.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Warner |first=Jay |title=Notable Moments of Women in Music |publisher=[[Hal Leonard Books]] |year=2008 |isbn=9781423429517 |pages=269}}</ref>
== Music video == Abdul's first music video was directed by Danny Kleinman and Limelight Film and Video Productions. The video features Abdul and her dancers working out choreography on the dance floor. It premiered to [[BET]] on June 11, 1988.<ref>{{Cite news |date=June 11, 1988 |title=The Clip List |work=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |publisher=[[Nielsen Business Media]] |page=67 |volume=100 |issue=24 |issn=0006-2510}}</ref>
==Personnel== Taken from the ''Forever Your Girl'' booklet.<ref>{{Cite AV media notes |title=Forever Your Girl |type=album liner notes |others=Paula Abdul |publisher=Virgin Records |year=1988 |id=90943}}</ref> * [[Paula Abdul]] – lead and background vocals * [[Babyface (musician)|Babyface]] – songwriter, producer, arranger, keyboards, background vocals * [[L.A. Reid]] – songwriter, producer, arranger, [[Linn LM-1|LM-1]] programming, percussion programming * [[Daryl Simmons]] – songwriter, arranger, background vocals * [[The Deele|Kayo]] – [[Memorymoog|Memory Moog]] bass * [[Perri Reid|Perri "Pebbles" Reid]] – background vocals * Yvette Marine – background vocals
==Charts== {{col-start}} {{col-2}}
=== Weekly charts === {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |+Weekly chart performance for "Knocked Out" |- ! scope="col" |Chart (1988–90) ! scope="col" |Peak<br>position |- ! scope="row" |Australia ([[ARIA Charts|ARIA]])<ref name="aus">{{cite web|url=http://i.imgur.com/j7baC6b.png |title=Response from ARIA re: chart inquiry, received January 17, 2014 |accessdate=August 29, 2015 |publisher=imgur.com |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129020822/http://i.imgur.com/j7baC6b.png |archivedate=November 29, 2014 }}</ref> | 82 |- ! scope="row" |Australia (ARIA)<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.bubblingdownunder.com/2021/07/week-commencing-30-july-1990.html|title=Week commencing 30 July 1990|website=Bubbling Down Under|access-date=July 18, 2025}}</ref><br>{{small|''Shep Pettibone remix version''}} | 115 |- {{singlechart|Canadatopsingles|27|chartid=972|rowheader=true|accessdate=May 7, 2019|refname=rpm|note=Shep Pettibone remix version}} |- ! scope="row" |Canada Contemporary Hit Radio (''[[The Record (magazine)|The Record]]'')<ref>{{cite book|last=Lwin|first=Nanda|author-link=Nanda Lwin|date=2000|title=Top 40 Hits: The Essential Chart Guide|publisher=Music Data Canada|page=18|isbn=1-896594-13-1}}</ref> | 18 |- ! scope="row" |Europe ([[Eurochart Hot 100]])<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1990/MM-1990-08-04.pdf|title=Eurochart Hot 100 Singles|date=August 4, 1990|page=|accessdate=June 20, 2021|magazine=[[Music & Media]]}}</ref><br />{{small|''Shep Pettibone remix version''}} | 59 |- {{single chart |France|45|song=Knocked Out|artist=Paula Abdul|rowheader=true|refname=France|access-date=January 19, 2025}} |- {{singlechart|Ireland2|17|artist=Paula Abdul|rowheader=true|accessdate=February 17, 2023}} |- ! scope="row" |Luxembourg ([[Radio Luxembourg]])<ref>[http://www.umdmusic.com/default.asp?Lang=English&Chart=F&ChDate=19900722&ChMode=N Radio Luxembourg Singles. July 29, 1990.]</ref> | 15 |- {{singlechart|UK|21|artist=Paula Abdul|date=1990-07-21|accessdate=May 7, 2019|rowheader=true|note=Shep Pettibone remix version}} |- {{singlechart|Billboardhot100|41|artist=Paula Abdul|accessdate=May 4, 2019|refname=hot100|rowheader=true}} |- {{singlechart|Billboarddanceclubplay|14|artist=Paula Abdul|accessdate=May 4, 2019|refname=|rowheader=true}} |- {{singlechart|Billboarddancesales|11|artist=Paula Abdul|accessdate=March 15, 2023|refname=|rowheader=true}} |- ! scope="row" |US [[Hot Crossover 30]] (''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'')<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Radio: Hot Crossover 30|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|page=16|date=July 30, 1988|publisher=[[Nielsen Business Media]]|volume=100|issue=31|issn=0006-2510}}</ref> | 4 |- {{singlechart|Billboardrandbhiphop|8|artist=Paula Abdul|accessdate=May 4, 2019|refname=|rowheader=true}} |- ! scope="row" | US [[Cash Box Top 100 Pop Singles|''Cash Box'' Top 100]]<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Cash Box Top 100 Singles|magazine=[[Cashbox (magazine)|Cashbox]]|page=2|date=August 20, 1988|volume=LII|issue=8|issn=0008-7289|location=[[New York, NY]]}}</ref> | 43 |- ! scope="row" | US Top 12" Dance Singles (''[[Cashbox (magazine)|Cash Box]]'')<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Cash Box Top 12" Dance Singles|magazine=[[Cashbox (magazine)|Cashbox]]|page=21|date=July 23, 1988|volume=LII|issue=4|issn=0008-7289|location=[[New York, NY]]}}</ref> | 7 |- ! scope="row" | US Top Black Contemporary Singles (''[[Cashbox (magazine)|Cash Box]]'')<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Cash Box Top Black Contemporary Singles|magazine=[[Cashbox (magazine)|Cashbox]]|page=17|date=July 30, 1988|volume=LII|issue=5|issn=0008-7289|location=[[New York, NY]]}}</ref> | 7 |- ! scope="row" | US Urban/Contemporary (''[[Gavin Report]]'')<ref>{{cite magazine|title=the Gavin Report: Urban Contemporary|magazine=[[Gavin Report]]|page=14|date=July 29, 1988|issue=1717}} {{cbignore|bot=medic}}''Note: The July 22 issue that "Knocked Out" reached its peak position has not been archived; the peak for this week is derived from the "Last Week" position in the July 29 issue.''</ref> | 5 |- ! scope="row" | US Urban Contemporary (''[[Radio & Records]]'')<ref>{{cite magazine|date=July 29, 1988|title=The Back Page|magazine=[[Radio & Records]]|page=112|id={{ProQuest|1017204959}}}}</ref> | 6 |} {{col-2}}
===Year-end charts=== {|class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |+Year-end chart performance for "Knocked Out" !Chart (1988) !Position |- !scope="row"|US Hot Black Singles (''Billboard'')<ref>{{cite magazine|title=No. 1 Awards: Top Black Singles|magazine=Billboard|volume=100|issue=52|page=Y-23|date=December 24, 1988}}</ref> | 100 |- !scope="row"|US Urban Contemporary (''Gavin Report'')<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Urban Contemporary 1988 · Top 100|magazine=Gavin Report|page=19|date=December 9, 1988|issue=1735}}</ref> | 69 |- !scope="row"|US Urban (''Radio & Records'')<ref>{{cite magazine|title=The Top 88 of Eighty-Eight – Urban|magazine=Radio & Records|page=80|date=December 16, 1988|issue=768|issn=0277-4860}}</ref> | 80 |} {{col-end}}
==References== {{reflist}}
{{Paula Abdul}}
{{authority control}}
[[Category:1988 songs]] [[Category:1988 debut singles]] [[Category:1990 singles]] [[Category:Paula Abdul songs]] [[Category:Songs written by Babyface (musician)]] [[Category:Songs written by L.A. Reid]] [[Category:Songs written by Daryl Simmons]] [[Category:Song recordings produced by Babyface (musician)]] [[Category:Virgin Records singles]] [[Category:Song recordings produced by L.A. Reid]] [[Category:New jack swing songs]]