"Black Dog" is a song by the British singer and poet Arlo Parks from her first studio album, Collapsed in Sunbeams (2021).[1] Named after Winston Churchill's term for depression,[2] the song focuses on mental health.[3] "Black Dog" was Parks' first song to have mainstream radio airplay in the UK, on the A List of the BBC Radio 1 Playlist in July 2020.[4] Critics at NME ranked "Black Dog" as the fourth best song of 2020.[5]
| "Black Dog" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Arlo Parks | ||||
| from the album Collapsed in Sunbeams | ||||
| A-side | "Eugene" | |||
| Released | May 4, 2020 | |||
| Genre | Contemporary R&B | |||
| Length | 3:45 | |||
| Label | Transgressive | |||
| Songwriter(s) |
| |||
| Producer(s) | Gianluca Buccellati | |||
| Arlo Parks singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Music video | ||||
| "Black Dog" on YouTube | ||||
Background and release
The song was released a month before Parks became an ambassador for the British mental health charity, Campaign Against Living Miserably.[6] It was released as a double-sided single with the song "Eugene" on 4 May 2020. Both songs were produced by Gianluca Buccellati, who also wrote them with Parks.[7] Referring to "Black Dog", Parks said, "It's supposed to make people who are struggling feel less isolated and start a conversation surrounding the prevalence of mental health issues in today's world."[8]
Critical reception
The song was placed on Amazon Music's UK Rising playlist within a week of its initial release.[9] NME described the single as "the years most devastating song".[3][1] DIY explained the song as being directed at those having to deal with mental health issues.[10] Narzra Ahmed of When The Horn Blows revealed that the meaning of "Black Dog" is a metaphor for depression with the song intended for people suffering with mental health as a result of isolation, and encourages a conversation around the issue.[11] Malvika Padin of Euphoria describes the song as starting a conversation around how people feel about themselves especially with the advent of social media making people question if they are a perfect person and their life.[12] "Black Dog" was also reported on by Redbrick and Office magazines, both of which described the song as one that explores human relationships.[13]
Music video
In May 2020, a music video directed by Molly Burdett was released.[14] The 4K video has scenes depicting depression, sadness and family issues.[15]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Black Dog" |
| Buccellati | 3:45 |
| 2. | "Eugene" |
| Buccellati | 3:42 |
| Total length: | 7:27 | |||
Charts
| Chart (2020) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Flanders)[16] | 44 |
| Belgium Urban (Ultratop Flanders)[17] | 32 |
| UK Singles Downloads (OCC)[18] | 61 |
| Scotland (OCC)[19] | 92 |