"Take a Bow" is a song written by R&B singer-songwriter Ne-Yo and production-team Stargate for the re-release of Rihanna's third studio album Good Girl Gone Bad. It is the fifth single from Good Girl Gone Badoverall, but first single from the re-release edition of the album, Good Girl Gone Bad: Reloaded.

The song premiered on KZZP and KRQQ's JohnJay and Rich in the Morningon March 14, 2008, and was made available to media outlets later that same day. It was officially released to U.S. top 40 radio on April 15, 2008 and to iTunes on May 6, 2008 where it has proven to be immensely popular both in the United States and internationally. To date the single has reached the number 1 position on iTunes in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, New Zealand, Denmark, and Ireland, and has achieved top 10 chartings in over eighteen countries across the globe. In U.K the single was release on May 12. In Europe it was released a month later on June 6. Due to digital downloads, "Take a Bow" charted at number 45 in Italy before its official release set for July 28, 2008, according to an Italian music channel which has inserted "Take A Bow" in its playlist on that date. In France the song has been released nearly two months after the European release date, set for June 6, 2008, on July 21, 2008.

Bill Lamb from About.com stated that "Rihanna has the unique ability to deliver the lyrics without batting an eyelash, and this is another success, if a little lifeless, for the duo. Look for it to be Rihanna's 9th, yes 9th, top 10 pop single" and "The production [of the song] utilizes brief spoken asides by Rihanna to great effect. It's her "please!" and dismissive giggle that are likely to be the most memorable elements from this effort." He also adds, "The keyboard-based backing of "Take a Bow" is, by now, standard Stargate and does not challenge their best. However, you are likely to find yourself singing along after the first few times through, and that should be enough right now to keep Rihanna in good graces with pop radio programmers".

Chuck Taylor from Billboardmagazine reviewed the song and said: "With superstars Stargate and Ne-Yo at the helm, the velvety ballad ticks along with well-applied piano and strings, as the instantly recognizable singer delivers a convincingly bemused vocal, complete with haughty laugh". Nick Levine of Digital Spy wrote, "'Take A Bow' does what it sets out to do very well, but it's an underwhelming follow-up to the dance floor rush of 'Don't Stop The Music'."

In the issue dated May 24, 2008, "Take a Bow" jumped up 58 spots from number fifty-eight to number-one on the Hot 100. This is the sixth-best leap in the chart's history of songs climbing to number one. The song also opened with the third highest digital sales tally in BillboardChart history amassing 267,000 units sold in one week after being available only on radio. The song has become Rihanna's third BillboardHot 100 number-one single after "Umbrella" and "SOS," which topped the charts around the same time in 2007 & 2006, respectively. "Take A Bow" is Rihanna's second number-one single from the album Good Girl Gone Bad. The song remained in the top 10 for 15 weeks, is her longest stay in the BillboardHot 100 top 10. The song also shot-up from number 70 to 1 on the Canadian chart in the same week, making it the biggest jump in the chart's history.

In the United Kingdom "Take A Bow" debuted in the Top 10 at number-two on the UK Singles Chart, based on downloads alone, and the following week ascended to number-one where it remained for two consecutive weeks, becoming Rihanna's second UK number one following "Umbrella" in 2007. It spent 27 weeks on the UK Singles Chart (her fifth longest charting). With sales of 327,160, it became 2008's twentieth best-selling single in the UK and is certified silver.

The song was also a success in Oceania. "Take A Bow" debuted at number-thirty on the Australian ARIA Singles Chart, and the following week climbed 17 places to number-thirteen and was named a bullet performer for that week. It ascended into the top ten at number-ten in its third week and rose to number-six in its fourth. "Take A Bow" eventually reached its peak position at number-three two weeks later, and is the fourth top 5 hit from Good Girl Gone Badthere. In New Zealand, the single debuted at number-four on the New Zealand RIANZ Singles Chart, and has since peaked at number two for five weeks, being kept from reaching the top spot by Chris Brown's "Forever".

The single has become one of Rihanna's biggest radio hits of her entire career in the United States, only second to "Umbrella", which had the advantage of stronger Urban airplay. With the single placing in the top ten on Top 40, Rhythmic, and Urban at the same time, it has outpeaked some of her previous flagship hits such as "Don't Stop the Music" "SOS" and "Pon de Replay". The song has also reached number one on Mediabase, becoming Rihanna's second number one on this chart, after "Umbrella". In the week July 26, the single reached the top spot of Hot 100 Airplay

The "Take a Bow" music video was directed by Anthony Mandler who has directed several of her previous videos. It spent 27 days on BET's 106 & Park, eight of the days spent at #1, and is also Rihanna's first #1 video on 106 & Park. The video was nominated for Best Female Video and Best Direction at the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards.

The video featured Rihanna who had found out her boyfriend was cheating on her. She basically tells him to get lost, torches his clothes, and leaves him crying for her. This song and music video is believed to have a point: you never know what you have until it's gone.

The video has been viewed over 69 million times on the video sharing site Youtube, from September 2009.

"Take a Bow" was released on CD and 12" vinyl commercially and as "Take a Bow: Remixes" promotionally and digitally.

Side A & B

A remix was created by Channel 955, a Top 40 radio station, during the height of the song's popularity and during the height of Detroit's former mayor Kwame Kilpatrick's legal problems in the Text Message Scandal, in which anonymously sent documents implied his perjury during the Whistleblower lawsuit, in addition to frequent, previous stories of his corruption in office. His public addresses were incorporated into the song and was available for download at the radio station's website, but now can only be heard at YouTube.

A sample of this song was also used in the movie House Bunny.

The song was also used as the 'goodbye' theme on America's Best Dance Crewseason 2.

On March 20, 2009, the episode of The Gameis titled "Take a Bow" where Tasha tries to prevent Rick (Played by Rick Fox) from losing his job has been referred in season 3.

Lea Michele sang it in the "Showmance" episode of the TV series Glee, and it debuted on Billboard's Hot 100 at number 46 and UK Singles Chart at 36. This version of the song has sold over 85,000 copies so far.