Knocked Out

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title: "Knocked Out" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1988-songs", "1988-debut-singles", "1990-singles", "paula-abdul-songs", "songs-written-by-babyface-(musician)", "songs-written-by-l.a.-reid", "songs-written-by-daryl-simmons", "song-recordings-produced-by-babyface-(musician)", "virgin-records-singles", "song-recordings-produced-by-l.a.-reid", "new-jack-swing-songs"] topic_path: "arts" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knocked_Out" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::data[format=table title="Infobox song"]

FieldValue
nameKnocked Out
coverPaula-Abdul-Knocked-Out.jpg
captionU.S. promotional cover
typesingle
artistPaula Abdul
albumForever Your Girl
B-side"Knocked Out" (Instrumental)
"Next to You"
released
studio(Hollywood, CA)
length3:52
labelVirgin
writer
producer
next_title(It's Just) The Way That You Love Me
next_year1988
misc
::

| 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) "Next to You" | released = | recorded = | studio = (Hollywood, CA) | genre = | length = 3:52 | label = Virgin | writer = | producer = | prev_title = | prev_year = | next_title = (It's Just) The Way That You Love Me | next_year = 1988 | misc = "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, L.A. Reid and Daryl Simmons, and produced by Babyface and Reid, the only track on Forever Your Girl produced by the duo. Babyface and Simmons provide background vocals along with 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.

Critical reception

Paul Mathur from Melody Maker wrote, "Paula isn't as clever as Jessica but she's almost as accomplished in the art of artifice. When she sings, plastic takes on whole new forms, 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." 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." Bill Coleman of Billboard called the track "an appealing number." 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".

Chart performance

"Knocked Out" debuted on the US Billboard Hot 100 on June 18, 1988 at number 93. peaked at number 41 on the US Billboard Hot 100, the first of what would be fourteen charting entries through 1995.

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.

Personnel

Taken from the Forever Your Girl booklet.

Charts

Weekly charts

::data[format=table title="Weekly chart performance for "Knocked Out""] | Chart (1988–90) | Peak position | Australia (ARIA) | Australia (ARIA) Shep Pettibone remix version | Canada Contemporary Hit Radio (The Record) | Europe (Eurochart Hot 100) Shep Pettibone remix version | Luxembourg (Radio Luxembourg) | US Hot Crossover 30 (Billboard) | US Cash Box Top 100 | US Top 12" Dance Singles (Cash Box) | US Top Black Contemporary Singles (Cash Box) | US Urban/Contemporary (Gavin Report) | US Urban Contemporary (Radio & Records) | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | 82 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 115 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 18 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 59 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 15 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 43 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | ::

Year-end charts

::data[format=table title="Year-end chart performance for "Knocked Out""]

Chart (1988)PositionUS Hot Black Singles (Billboard)US Urban Contemporary (Gavin Report)US Urban (Radio & Records)
100
69
80
::

References

References

  1. Breihan, Tom. (June 25, 2021). "The Number Ones: Paula Abdul’s “Straight Up".
  2. (May 18, 1990). "CHR National Airplay: Significant Action". [[Radio & Records]].
  3. Mathur, Paul. (September 3, 1988). "Singles".
  4. Fell, Ron. (May 20, 1988). "Dave Sholin's Personal Picks — Singles". [[Gavin Report]].
  5. Coleman, Bill. (April 30, 1988). "Dance Trax: Atlantic's Dazzling Dance Department Regroups". [[Prometheus Global Media]].
  6. Wynn, Ron. (June 10, 1988). "Singles". [[The Commercial Appeal]].
  7. "Paula Abdul Chart History".
  8. Warner, Jay. (2008). "Notable Moments of Women in Music". [[Hal Leonard Books]].
  9. (June 11, 1988). "The Clip List". [[Nielsen Business Media]].
  10. (1988). "Forever Your Girl". Virgin Records.
  11. "Response from ARIA re: chart inquiry, received January 17, 2014". imgur.com.
  12. "Week commencing 30 July 1990".
  13. Lwin, Nanda. (2000). "Top 40 Hits: The Essential Chart Guide". Music Data Canada.
  14. (August 4, 1990). "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles".
  15. [http://www.umdmusic.com/default.asp?Lang=English&Chart=F&ChDate=19900722&ChMode=N Radio Luxembourg Singles. July 29, 1990.]
  16. (July 30, 1988). "Radio: Hot Crossover 30". [[Nielsen Business Media]].
  17. (August 20, 1988). "Cash Box Top 100 Singles".
  18. (July 23, 1988). "Cash Box Top 12" Dance Singles".
  19. (July 30, 1988). "Cash Box Top Black Contemporary Singles".
  20. (July 29, 1988). "the Gavin Report: Urban Contemporary".
  21. (July 29, 1988). "The Back Page".
  22. (December 24, 1988). "No. 1 Awards: Top Black Singles".
  23. (December 9, 1988). "Urban Contemporary 1988 · Top 100".
  24. (December 16, 1988). "The Top 88 of Eighty-Eight – Urban".

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1988-songs1988-debut-singles1990-singlespaula-abdul-songssongs-written-by-babyface-(musician)songs-written-by-l.a.-reidsongs-written-by-daryl-simmonssong-recordings-produced-by-babyface-(musician)virgin-records-singlessong-recordings-produced-by-l.a.-reidnew-jack-swing-songs