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"Trouble" is a song by American alternative rock band Cage the Elephant, released as the second single from the band's fourth studio album Tell Me I'm Pretty on April 26, 2016. Produced and co-written by Dan Auerbach of the Black Keys, it topped the Billboard Alternative Songs chart in the United States, becoming the band's seventh overall chart-topper.

Background

Lead singer Matt Shultz said the song is "about honesty and adversity and struggle".

Shultz explained to ABC Radio that the song was inspired by a conversation he had with someone close to him. "We were both presenting ourselves as being very honest in the conversation. And I felt there were several places where I was holding back, or kind of curating the idea of what I wanted projected pretty heavily as inside the conversation. So I was curious at what level they were doing the same."

Music video

The official music video for "Trouble" was released on April 21, 2016. The video combines the story of a western-style duel and its delusional results with shots of the band performing in the desert. Schultz wanted to suggest the likes of John Wayne and Clint Eastwood, and present "A metaphorical journey that hopefully people could read between the lines."It was filmed at the Joshua Tree National Park and it also marks Shultz' directorial debut.

Charts

The song was a hit on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart, peaking at number one and staying on the chart for a total of 51 weeks. It was also a hit on the Adult Alternative Songs chart, peaking at four and charting for 28 weeks. The song also charted on several other charts, mainly charting in North America.

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications

Release history

Reception

Rolling Stone praised "Trouble" as the standout song of the album, saying it "sounds gorgeously burnt, with a vaguely hounded feel that evokes red eyes hidden behind mirror-shades." DrownedInSound called it "a wickedly left-field dirge that sees Shultz hush up his usually manic delivery" and The A.V. Club called it "uncharacteristically restrained". The Guardian noted the obvious influence of 1990s era Frank Black.

In media

• The song plays during the final scene of the first season of The Lincoln Lawyer.
• It plays at the end of season one, episode eleven of Bull and season one, episode two of Santa Clarita Diet.
• In May 2023, the song was featured in an Amazon commercial where two brothers are bickering and their mother orders them space-themed tents for their beds to get them to stop their bickering.
• In 2024, the song was featured in the trailer for The Strangers: Chapter 1.

References

1. ^ "FMQB: Radio Industry News, Music Industry Updates, Nielsen Ratings, Music News and more!". Archived from the original on April 20, 2016. Retrieved April 20, 2016.
2. Dolan, Jon (December 22, 2015). "Cage the Elephant 'Tell Me I'm Pretty' Album Review". Rolling Stone. Retrieved June 7, 2021.
3. Rolling Stone Staff (December 3, 2015). "50 Best Songs of 2015". Rolling Stone. Retrieved November 4, 2022. The Black Keys' Dan Auerbach helps the Kentucky garage-rock crew stir up some exquisitely sweet, red-eyed psych-pop...
4. ^ Rutherford, Kevin (August 25, 2016). "Cage the Elephant & Kaleo Collect New Airplay Chart No. 1s". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved April 1, 2024.
5. ^ "Trouble by Cage the Elephant". Songfacts.com. 2015. Archived from the original on November 25, 2016.
6. "Cage the Elephant Share "Trouble" Video: Watch". Pitchfork. April 21, 2016. Retrieved August 31, 2016.
7. Michelle Geslani (April 21, 2016). "Cage the Elephant channel John Wayne in new video for "Trouble" -- watch". Consequence.net.
8. "Trouble: Music Video". Cage The Elephant. Archived from the original on November 25, 2016.
9. "Cage the Elephant Chart History (Canada Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved August 31, 2021.
10. "Cage the Elephant Chart History (Hot Rock & Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved August 31, 2016.
11. "Cage the Elephant Chart History (Rock Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved August 31, 2016.
12. "Hot Rock Songs – Year-End 2016". Billboard. Retrieved September 6, 2018.
13. "Rock Airplay Songs – Year-End 2016". Billboard. Retrieved September 6, 2018.
14. "Rock Airplay Songs – Year-End 2017". Billboard. Retrieved September 6, 2018.
15. "American single certifications – Cage the Elephant – Trouble". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved October 16, 2024.
16. Dolan, Jon (December 22, 2015). "Cage the Elephant 'Tell Me I'm Pretty' Album Review". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on July 8, 2018.
17. Philip Cosores (December 18, 2015). "Cage The Elephant chills out on the radio-ready Tell Me I'm Pretty". The A.V. Club.
18. "Album Review: Cage the Elephant - Tell Me I'm Pretty". DrownedInSound. December 18, 2015.
19. Mackay, Emily (December 13, 2015). "Cage the Elephant: Tell Me I'm Pretty review – puppyish energy, obvious influences". The Observer. The Guardian. Trouble is a dead ringer for 1990s Frank Black
20. Hough, Quinn (June 18, 2022). "Soundtracks of Television: 'The Lincoln Lawyer'". Vague Visages.
21. Caitlin Flynn (February 2, 2017). "The 'Santa Clarita Diet' Soundtrack Is To Die For, So Create Your Own Playlist With These Songs". Bustle.com.
22. Colangelo, BJ (May 17, 2024). "Don't Let The Trailer Fool You – The Strangers: Chapter 1 Isn't A Prequel". /Film. Retrieved May 29, 2024.

External links

• "Trouble" Music video on YouTube

v t e Cage the Elephant
Matt Shultz Brad Shultz Nick Bockrath Jared Champion Daniel Tichenor Matthan Minster
Studio albums	Cage the Elephant Thank You, Happy Birthday Melophobia Tell Me I'm Pretty Social Cues Neon Pill
Live albums	Unpeeled
Singles	"In One Ear" "Ain't No Rest for the Wicked" "Back Against the Wall" "Shake Me Down" "Around My Head" "Aberdeen" "Come a Little Closer" "Cigarette Daydreams" "Mess Around" "Trouble" "Cold Cold Cold" "Ready to Let Go"
Related articles	Discography
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