Behind These Hazel Eyes
Encyclopedia
"Behind These Hazel Eyes" is the third single
(the second in Europe
) from Breakaway, the second album by pop
singer Kelly Clarkson
.
, and Dr. Luke
and was co-produced by Max Martin and Dr. Luke.
In the song, Clarkson laments her relationship with a man who has broken her heart and who does not care about how much he hurt her. The lyrics are based on a true story, and are about an ex-boyfriend of Clarkson's (David Hodges
, formerly of Evanescence
) who left her in order to marry his other girlfriend.
In a 2008 interview, Clarkson revealed that at one point "Behind These Hazel Eyes" was going to be the working title for her album Breakaway (later considering being dropped from the album completely), but quickly changed due to the growing popularity of the single of the same name "Breakaway
". Other titles she said were considered were "Walk Away
" (later released as a single) and "Hear Me".
The video was shot in Toronto
, Ontario in Canada
.
CD Maxi single
CD Promo
" and "Since U Been Gone
", the song hit the top ten of the U.S. Billboard Hot 100
, peaking at number 6 for four consecutive weeks and spending a further six consecutive weeks at number 7. When it first reached the top ten, "Since U Been Gone" was still in the top ten. Both songs were also in the top three of the Pop 100 Airplay
charts at the same time, making her the only artist to accomplish this.
On Top 40 radio, the song soared into the Top 3, and eventually would spend 9 weeks at number 2, stuck behind Mariah Carey
's hit single "We Belong Together". Like all of the singles from Breakaway, the song also had huge longevity, spending 30 weeks inside the Top 40. Despite being unable to reach number 1 on Top 40 Radio, the song did reach number 1 on Hot Adult Top 40 Tracks
chart, making it Clarkson's first number 1 on that format. "Behind These Hazel Eyes" was, at the time Clarkson's only song to reach the top ten in New Zealand
, peaking at number seven.
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
(the second in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
) from Breakaway, the second album by pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
singer Kelly Clarkson
Kelly Clarkson
Kelly Brianne Clarkson is an American pop rock singer-songwriter and actress. Clarkson came into prominence after becoming the winner of the inaugural season of the television series American Idol in 2002 and would later become the runner-up in the television special World Idol in 2003.In 2003,...
.
Song information
Released in 2005, the song was co-written by Clarkson, Max MartinMax Martin
Martin Karl Sandberg, known professionally as Max Martin, is a Swedish music producer and songwriter. Raised in Stenhamra, a suburb of Stockholm, Sweden, he broke through as a producer and songwriter in the mid to late 1990s after crafting a string of hits for pop artists like the Backstreet Boys,...
, and Dr. Luke
Dr. Luke
Lukasz Gottwald , better known as Dr. Luke, is an American songwriter, record producer, and remixer. Luke performed with the Saturday Night Live Band for ten seasons until 2007. He has co-written and co-produced a string of commercially successful songs...
and was co-produced by Max Martin and Dr. Luke.
In the song, Clarkson laments her relationship with a man who has broken her heart and who does not care about how much he hurt her. The lyrics are based on a true story, and are about an ex-boyfriend of Clarkson's (David Hodges
David Hodges
David Hodges is a songwriter, producer, composer, keyboardist and vocalist from Little Rock, Arkansas. He is best known for his work with the band Evanescence, which he left in 2002. He has also been part of the bands Trading Yesterday, The Age of Information, Avox, and David Hodges solo...
, formerly of Evanescence
Evanescence
Evanescence is an American rock band founded in Little Rock, Arkansas in 1995 by singer/pianist Amy Lee and guitarist Ben Moody. After recording private albums, the band released their first full-length album, Fallen, on Wind-up Records in 2003. Fallen sold more than 17 million copies worldwide...
) who left her in order to marry his other girlfriend.
In a 2008 interview, Clarkson revealed that at one point "Behind These Hazel Eyes" was going to be the working title for her album Breakaway (later considering being dropped from the album completely), but quickly changed due to the growing popularity of the single of the same name "Breakaway
Breakaway (Kelly Clarkson song)
"Breakaway" is a 2004 song co-written by Avril Lavigne, Bridget Benenate and Matthew Gerrard and produced by John Shanks. It was recorded by pop rock singer Kelly Clarkson for the soundtrack to the film The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement by Disney Records, where it quickly became a charting...
". Other titles she said were considered were "Walk Away
Walk Away (Kelly Clarkson song)
"Walk Away" is a song by American singer Kelly Clarkson on her second album, Breakaway, and was the album's fifth and final single.In March 2006, the single was certified gold by RIAA and has sold over 500,000 copies in all formats in the United States...
" (later released as a single) and "Hear Me".
Music video
At the beginning of the music video, (her first of many that Joseph Kahn directed,) Clarkson appears in a wedding dress in a room, surrounded by her bridesmaids as they prepare for her wedding. She sits down so her friends can fix her hair and she sees a picture of her fiance with another woman; he is in a tuxedo while the woman is in a wedding dress. When Clarkson sees the picture, a storm forms outside and the women are unable to close the windows; the storm blows leaves into the room from the window. Her bridesmaids run out of the room while Clarkson stays, allowing her hair and dress to be swept up by the strong winds. She is then seen walking down the aisle of the church, her dress now black, but there is a woman standing at the altar already with Clarkson's fiance. Clarkson unveils the other bride to be the woman from the picture. Clarkson then runs out of the church and into a dark swampland, where she collapses as her ex and the other woman kiss. Throughout the video, she was seen singing with her band in the same dark swampland. They see each other and the Clarkson that was singing in the dark swampland then sings to the bride, comforting her. She then appears back at the church, exchanging vows with her fiance. Before he puts the ring on her finger, she looks at the guests and sees the other woman. She sees a tiny smile the two exchange, the woman blows her fiance a kiss. Clarkson then reaches for the ring, and throws it at him and then she leaves him at the altar, throwing her wedding bouquet into the lap of the other woman in the process. Clarkson then shoves her way past the wedding guests who try to stop her from leaving. The video ends with her stepping out the doors into the bright sunlight, although it was raining and gloomy the entire video.The video was shot in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
Track listings
Promo CD maxi single- "Behind These Hazel Eyes" – 3:18
- "Behind These Hazel Eyes" (Joe Bermudez & Josh Harris mixshow edit) – 3:26
- "Behind These Hazel Eyes" (live @ Sony Connect) – 3:39
CD Maxi single
- "Behind These Hazel Eyes" – 3:18
- "Beautiful Disaster" (live) – 4:35
- "Hear Me" (AOL live) – 3:54
CD Promo
- "Behind These Hazel Eyes" – 3:18
- "Behind These Hazel Eyes" (Video) - 3:20
Mixes
- Album Version 3:18
- Bermudez & Harris Lasik Surgery Mixshow 5:20
- Bermudez & Harris Lasik Surgery Mixshow Edit 3:26
- Bermudez & Harris Lasik Surgery Mixshow Instrumental 5:20
- Bermudez & Harris Lasik Surgery Top 40 Radio Mix 3:10
- Bermudez & Harris Lasik Surgery A Cappella 2:58
- Bermudez & Harris Lasik Surgery Ulti-Remix 5:20
- Al B. Rich Remix (aka Mynt Remix) 3:08
Chart performance
"Behind These Hazel Eyes" continued Clarkson's streak of domination in radio airplay. Like "BreakawayBreakaway (Kelly Clarkson song)
"Breakaway" is a 2004 song co-written by Avril Lavigne, Bridget Benenate and Matthew Gerrard and produced by John Shanks. It was recorded by pop rock singer Kelly Clarkson for the soundtrack to the film The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement by Disney Records, where it quickly became a charting...
" and "Since U Been Gone
Since U Been Gone
"Since U Been Gone" is a song written and produced by Max Martin and Lukasz "Dr. Luke" Gottwald for American singer Kelly Clarkson. The song was released as the second single from her second album, Breakaway in the US and Australia and was released as the first single in Europe...
", the song hit the top ten of the U.S. Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
, peaking at number 6 for four consecutive weeks and spending a further six consecutive weeks at number 7. When it first reached the top ten, "Since U Been Gone" was still in the top ten. Both songs were also in the top three of the Pop 100 Airplay
Pop 100 Airplay
The Pop 100 Airplay was a chart created in 2005 and released weekly by Billboard in the United States. It measured mainstream radio airplay, and was one of the three component charts, along with the Hot 100 Singles Sales and Hot Digital Songs charts, that determined the chart positions of singles...
charts at the same time, making her the only artist to accomplish this.
On Top 40 radio, the song soared into the Top 3, and eventually would spend 9 weeks at number 2, stuck behind Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. She made her recording debut with the release of her eponymous studio album in 1990, under the guidance of Columbia Records executive Tommy Mottola, whom she later married in 1993...
's hit single "We Belong Together". Like all of the singles from Breakaway, the song also had huge longevity, spending 30 weeks inside the Top 40. Despite being unable to reach number 1 on Top 40 Radio, the song did reach number 1 on Hot Adult Top 40 Tracks
Hot Adult Top 40 Tracks
Adult Top 40 is a variation on the United States Billboard charts...
chart, making it Clarkson's first number 1 on that format. "Behind These Hazel Eyes" was, at the time Clarkson's only song to reach the top ten in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, peaking at number seven.
Charts
| Chart (2005) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Country | Certification | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| United States | Platinum | 1,310,000 |