Cold Hearted (Paula Abdul song)

1989 single by Paula Abdul
the Seven Lions and Kill the Noise song

"Cold Hearted" is a song by American singer Paula Abdul, released in June 1989 as the fifth single from her debut album, Forever Your Girl (1988). It was written and co produced by Elliot Wolff and reached number one on the US Billboard Hot 100, becoming the album's third song to top the US chart.

"Cold Hearted" is written in the key of G minor and follows a tempo of 122 beats per minute. The song follows a chord progression of GmEmaj7Dm7, and Abdul's vocals span one and a half octaves, from F3 to B4.

Paul Lester from Melody Maker wrote, "'Cold Hearted' has been fabulously cluttered up and fleshed out by Chad Jackson, weighed down with details yet buoyed up by a deliciously light, slippery beat. Simply irresistible."

"Cold Hearted" topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart for one week in September 1989, giving Abdul her third US number one single. Abdul dances for music executives with a group of semi nude dancers. Abdul was wearing a black fishnet dress which exposed her belly button and was sporting a hat of the German "Kriegsmarine". The dance floor included scaffolding where Abdul and her dancers hang and dance suggestively. The video and its "late '80s energy" served as a visual inspiration for the music video of Ariana Grande's 2024 single "Yes, And? ".

RegionDateFormat(s)Label(s)Ref. (Reference)United StatesJune 2, 19897 inch vinyl, 12 inch vinyl, cassetteVirginUnited KingdomSeptember 17, 19907 inch vinyl, 12 inch vinyl, CD, cassetteVirgin America