Mark Ronson says he wouldn’t have made ‘Rehab’ if he thought Amy Winehouse was “in a bad way”
"I would definitely not be saying like, 'Hey, let's make a funny song about not going to rehab'"
Mark Ronson has said he would not have made the single ‘Rehab’ with Amy Winehouse if he thought she was “in a bad way” with addiction struggles.
The producer and musical collaborator who was close friends with the late artist said he would not have suggested the song, which referenced her real life struggles with addiction, if he thought she was going through a bad spell.
Speaking to Zane Lowe on Apple Music Hits about the iconic track from the 2006 album ‘Back to Black, he said: “When we came out with ‘Rehab’ too, it was because she was just telling me the story about how her family came over and tried to make her go to rehab.
“And she was like, ‘No, no, no.’ And I just saw the way she said it and delivered it, it had a cadence, it sounded like a song.
“So we went back to the studio, but she was really together. She wasn’t doing any drugs,” he added. “If this was a person who looked like they were in a bad way or whatever, I would definitely not be saying like, ‘Hey, let’s make a funny song about not going to rehab.'”
On July 23 the world paid tribute to Amy Winehouse to mark 10 years since her death. She died of accidental alcohol poison at the age of 27.
Ronson also explained that he believes ‘Rehab’ is painful for people to listen to, perhaps explaining why the seminal track is not her best selling single.
“It felt like such a closed chapter in the past,” he said. “I don’t know what the numbers are, but I’m curious, that’s not one of her biggest songs, even though it’s essentially her biggest hit, because now it’s a little more painful to listen to that message very specifically. It’s too on the nose or direct.”
‘Back to Black’ yesterday celebrated 15 years since its release. As part of a Spotify enhanced catalogue of the album, various artists spoke about the impact the album had on them.
“I think it’s very rare when an artist comes along like Amy because she represented more than genre, more than music,” Yungblud said. “She represented an attitude. I remember the first time I heard ‘Back to Black’, it completely changed my whole thought process and my whole identity and gave me confidence to be undeniably myself.”
In September this year, it was also announced that the late British artist would be honoured in a new design exhibition ‘Amy: Beyond the Stage’.