You Don't Treat Me No Good

"You Don't Treat Me No Good" is a song by American soul group Sonia Dada. Released in 1992 as the group's debut single outside the United States, the song reached number two in New Zealand and became an unexpected number-one hit in Australia, spending four weeks atop the ARIA Singles Chart and ending 1993 as the nation's third-best-selling hit. Eighteen years later, country music singer Jerrod Niemann released a cover version under the title "Lover, Lover", and his version reached number one on the US Hot Country Songs chart.

"You Don't Treat Me No Good"
Australian and New Zealand artwork
Single by Sonia Dada
from the album Sonia Dada
B-side	"Deliver Me (Slight Return)"
Released	October 12, 1992
Length	4:09
Label	Chameleon Festival
Songwriter(s)	Dan Pritzker
Producer(s)	Daniel Laszlo Dan Pritzker
Sonia Dada singles chronology
"You Don't Treat Me No Good" (1992) "You Ain't Thinking (About Me)" (1993)
Alternative cover
Artwork used for the 2000 US re-release

History

Glenn A. Baker of Billboard magazine described the song's chart success as "the most unexpected and honestly surprising breakout in the Australian market for many years." He also cited the song as an example of the label's success with breaking new acts outside their home markets.^[1] X102 and SAFM in Adelaide were among the first stations to play the song, and it rapidly spread to other stations owned by Austereo Network.^[1] In the United States, the single was released in January 1993;^[2] seven years later, in March 2000, it was re-serviced to hot and modern adult contemporary radio under the title "(Lover) You Don't Treat Me No Good".^[3]

Critical reception

Joe Rassenfoss of the Rocky Mountain News, in his review of the album, called the song a "catchy vocal entreaty."^[4]

Chart performance

"You Don't Treat Me No Good" debuted at number 38 on the Australian ARIA Charts on November 29, 1992.^[5] After spending six weeks at the number-two position behind Whitney Houston's version of "I Will Always Love You", the song reached its peak of number one on February 28, 1993.^[6] It held that position for four weeks, then fell to number four on March 28.^[7] It was ranked number three on the ARIA year-end chart.^[8] In neighboring New Zealand, the song debuted at number 47 on November 29, 1992,^[9] then reached its peak of number two on January 17,^[10] unable to dethrone "I Will Always Love You" from the top spot for five weeks. It remained in the top 40 for 11 more weeks and ended the year as New Zealand's 27th-best-selling single.^[11] Although the song did not chart in the United States, the self-titled album from which it was taken sold more than 100,000 copies after its 1992 release.^[12]

Track listings

US cassette single^[13]

1. "You Don't Treat Me No Good" – 4:08
2. "You Don't Treat Me No Good" (Ebersold/Paige remix) – 3:25

Australian and New Zealand CD and cassette single^[14][15]

1. "You Don't Treat Me No Good"
2. "Deliver Me (Slight Return)"

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1992–1993) Peak position Australia (ARIA)^[16] 1 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)^[17] 2

Year-end charts Chart (1993) Position Australia (ARIA)^[8] 3 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)^[11] 27

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)^[8]	3× Platinum	210,000^^
New Zealand (RMNZ)^[18]	Gold	5,000^*
^* Sales figures based on certification alone. ^^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)	Ref.
Australia	October 12, 1992	CD cassette	Chameleon Festival	^[19]
United States	January 1993	Cassette	Chameleon	^[2]
	March 27, 2000	Hot adult contemporary modern adult contemporary radio	Calliope	^[3]

Jerrod Niemann version

"Lover, Lover"
Single by Jerrod Niemann
from the album Judge Jerrod & the Hung Jury
Released	March 1, 2010
Genre	Country
Length	3:13
Label	Sea Gayle Arista Nashville
Songwriter(s)	Dan Pritzker
Producer(s)	Dave Brainard Jerrod Niemann
Jerrod Niemann singles chronology
"The One That Got Away" (2007) "Lover, Lover" (2010) "What Do You Want" (2010)

On March 1, 2010, American country music artist Jerrod Niemann released a cover version of this song under the title "Lover, Lover".^[20] It was Niemann's first release on the Sea Gayle label, a sister label of Arista Nashville, as well as his fourth single release overall. It is included on his album Judge Jerrod & the Hung Jury, which was released in July 2010.

History

Niemann's recording of the song features nine vocal tracks, all of which he recorded himself and then overdubbed. He recorded eight of the vocal tracks in one day and recorded the bass backing vocals the next day.^[21] Niemann once explained that his voice was hoarse from recording the eight vocal parts and was unable to record the bass vocal. He and a friend then visited the Nashville tavern Tin Roof, which is near the studio where the song was recorded, after Niemann recalled upon several occasions where the Tin Roof bartender would serve Niemann excessive doses of whiskey resulting in Niemann awakening in the morning after with an extremely low voice. Thus Niemann "medicated" his vocal cords by having the Tin Roof bartender serve him Jack Daniels whiskey nonstop for approximately six hours that night, returning to the studio the next morning to record the bass vocal.^[22]

Content

 

The main riff.

The song is in the key of G Major, at a moderate tempo, based around a two-measure riff played on acoustic guitar. No full chords are played in the song, although the second measure of the riff includes an open fifth consisting of C and G.^[23]

Critical reception

Writing for the CMT blog, Whitney Self said that Niemann "gives the tune a new feel with his contagious beats and acoustic guitar."^[24] Bobby Peacock of Roughstock called it "soulful, catchy and distinctive," giving it a four-star rating out of five.^[25]

Music video

Potsy Ponciroli directed the music video, which features Niemann playing guitar while singing the song on a porch. It was filmed in Nashville, Tennessee. Jamey Johnson and Randy Houser make cameos at the end.^[26]

Chart performance

"Lover, Lover" debuted at number 52 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart for the week ending March 6, 2010.^[27] On the week of August 14, 2010, it became his first number one.^[28] It peaked at number 29 on the Billboard Hot 100 and at number 100 on its year-end chart; it was number 22 on the Hot Country Songs year-end chart.^[28]

Weekly charts Chart (2010) Peak position Canada (Canadian Hot 100)^[29] 49 US Billboard Hot 100^[30] 29 US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)^[31] 1

Year-end charts Chart (2010) Position US Billboard Hot 100^[32] 100 US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)^[33] 22

References

1. Baker, Glenn A. (March 6, 1993). "Festival Pushes Sonia Dada to Top". Billboard. Vol. 105, no. 10. p. 46.
2. "Popular Uprisings". Billboard. Vol. 105, no. 2. January 9, 1993. p. 82. Its second single, 'You Don't Treat Me No Good,' comes out later this month.
3. "Gavin AC/Hot AC: Impact Dates". Gavin Report. No. 2297. March 24, 2000. p. 20.
4. Rassenfoss, Joe (July 30, 1993). "Sonia Dada's debut delivers". Rocky Mountain News.
5. "Single Top 50 29/11/1992". Retrieved January 30, 2018.
6. "Single Top 50 28/02/1993". Retrieved January 30, 2018.
7. "Single Top 50 28/03/1993". Retrieved January 30, 2018.
8. "ARIA Top 100 Singles for 1993". ARIA. Retrieved December 29, 2020.
9. "Single Top 40 29/11/1992". Retrieved January 30, 2018.
10. "Single Top 40 17/01/1993". Retrieved January 30, 2018.
11. "End of Year Charts 1993". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved December 3, 2017.
12. Skelly, Richard. "Sonia Dada biography". Allmusic. Retrieved March 19, 2010.
13. You Don't Treat Me No Good (US cassette single sleeve). Sonia Dada. Chameleon Records. 1993. 4-64659.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
14. You Don't Treat Me No Good (Australian & New Zealand CD single liner notes). Sonia Dada. Chameleon Records, Festival Records. 1992. D 11324.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
15. You Don't Treat Me No Good (Australian & New Zealand cassette single sleeve). Sonia Dada. Chameleon Records, Festival Records. 1992. C 11324.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
16. "Sonia Dada – You Don't Treat Me No Good". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved January 30, 2018.
17. "Sonia Dada – You Don't Treat Me No Good". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved January 30, 2018.
18. "New Zealand single certifications – Sonia Dada – You Don't Treat Me No Good". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved October 26, 2018.
19. "Singles: New Releases". Australian Music Report. No. 948. October 12, 1992. Retrieved February 21, 2023 – via Imgur.
20. "Jerrod Niemann releases debut Arista single". All Access. Retrieved March 19, 2010.
21. Roland, Tom (April 28, 2010). "Jerrod Niemann gets repetitious". Great American Country. Retrieved April 28, 2010.
22. "JERROD NIEMANN'S LAST-MINUTE DECISION PROVES TO BE GOOD MOVE". Retrieved December 3, 2010.^{[dead link]}
23. "'Lover, Lover' sheet music". MusicNotes.com. Retrieved February 8, 2012.
24. Self, Whitney (April 16, 2010). "Jerrod Niemann's "Lover, Lover" Is Contagious". CMT. Retrieved April 19, 2010.
25. Peacock, Bobby (19 March 2010). . Roughstock. Archived from the original on 2 May 2010. Retrieved 19 April 2010.
26. Truitt, Brian (1 June 2011). "Country star Jerrod Niemann lives it up on the road and prepares for the CMT Music Awards". USA Weekend. Archived from the original on 18 July 2012. Retrieved 14 February 2012.
27. Morris, Edward (February 27, 2010). "Lady Antebellum and Josh Turner Still Ride Tallest in the Saddle". CMT. Retrieved March 19, 2010.
28. "Niemann scores his first number one". Country Standard Time. August 2, 2010. Retrieved August 3, 2010.
29. "Jerrod Niemann Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved August 28, 2010.
30. "Jerrod Niemann Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved August 28, 2010.
31. "Jerrod Niemann Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved August 28, 2010.
32. "Hot 100 Songs – Year-End 2010". Billboard. Retrieved March 1, 2021.
33. "Hot Country Songs – Year-End 2010". Billboard. Retrieved March 1, 2021.