Dirty Little Secret
Encyclopedia
"Dirty Little Secret" is the first single by the rock
band The All-American Rejects
from their second studio album Move Along
. It was released on June 6, 2005, to modern rock
radio stations, and later to contemporary hit radio
on July 12. "Dirty Little Secret" is an electric pop rock song that takes an unsparing look at the differences between our public and private selves. The song marked The All-American Rejects first chart topper, hitting #1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Digital Songs chart after a total of 26 weeks climbing the chart.
"Dirty Little Secret" first charted in the United States on July 30. The song was the band's first top-ten single on the Billboard Hot 100
chart, peaking at number nine for three weeks in January 2006. The song was originally released in the UK as a single in September 2005, when it peaked at number 96. It was re-released nine months later, in June 2006, following the chart success of the second single, "Move Along
". On its second run, the single became The All-American Rejects' second UK Top 20 hit with a peak of number 18. "Dirty Little Secret" was rated #48 on Billboard Magazine's "Year-End Hot 100 singles of 2006".
{| class="wikitable" border="1"
|-
! Country
! Certification
! Sales
|-
| United States
| style="text-align:center;"|Platinum
| 2,000,000+
|}
The music video
of the song was filmed at Dorney Park
and other locations in Allentown, Pennsylvania
. The video is based on the PostSecret
project, where people share their secrets on postcards. These cards are sent anonymously to the project, and some are posted on the PostSecret website. The video shows a montage of people holding up PostSecret postcards, which reveal a range of fears, embarrassment, love, deception, sadness and wishes. This video was nominated "Best International Group Video" at the MuchMusic Video Awards
.
The idea for the music video came when director Marcos Siega
, searching for inspiration, googled the word 'secrets' and came upon the PostSecret website. The band paid the website for the use of the concept and some of its postcards with the money going to The Kristin Brooks Hope Center, a non-profit organization which funds a suicide hotline. The band also auctioned off some of the postcards from the video on Ebay
with the proceeds also going to the Hope foundation.
, John Tucker Must Die
, Bring It On: All or Nothing
, and in American Pie: The Naked Mile. It was also played a few times in Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo
. "Dirty Little Secret" has appeared on many video games, especially games focused on music. The song was released with "Move Along" as a downloadable track for the music video game
series Rock Band. It also was one of five exclusive bonus songs on the Wii
version of the game. "Dirty Little Secret" is a playable track on Guitar Hero On Tour: Decades for the Nintendo DS
, and is a playable song in Band Hero
. It also was a playable song on Rock Revolution
, another music video game, as a cover. Another game it appeared on was Pro Evolution Soccer 2010. The final chorus and outro of "Dirty Little Secret" can be heard on the Smallville
season 5
episode "Hypnotic". It later was selected for the Smallville soundtrack Smallville: The Metropolis Mix. Also, The All-American Rejects had a photo shoot for an ad for the Got Milk?
advertising campaign, where "Dirty Little Secret" is parodied. Next to the picture of the band with milk-moustaches are the words "Dairy Little Secret".
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band The All-American Rejects
The All-American Rejects
The All-American Rejects are an American rock band formed in Stillwater, Oklahoma in 1999. The band consists of lead vocalist and bass guitarist Tyson Ritter, lead guitarist, Nick Wheeler, rhythm guitarist, Mike Kennerty, and drummer Chris Gaylor....
from their second studio album Move Along
Move Along
-Chart performance:Move Along charted on the US Billboard 200 for 97 weeks. The record debuted and peaked at #6 on the chart. 84 of those 97 weeks the album was inside the top 100. In UK the album charted below Top 75 for a week in July 2005, peaking at #138, before re-entering the chart in...
. It was released on June 6, 2005, to modern rock
Modern rock
Modern rock is a rock format commonly found on commercial radio; the format consists primarily of the alternative rock genre...
radio stations, and later to contemporary hit radio
Contemporary hit radio
Contemporary hit radio is a radio format that is common in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia that focuses on playing current and recurrent popular music as determined by the Top 40 music charts...
on July 12. "Dirty Little Secret" is an electric pop rock song that takes an unsparing look at the differences between our public and private selves. The song marked The All-American Rejects first chart topper, hitting #1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Digital Songs chart after a total of 26 weeks climbing the chart.
Original Release
UK limited edition 7" vinyl- Side A: "Dirty Little Secret"
- Side B: "Bite Back"
UK Re-release
UK limited edition 7" vinyl- Side A: "Dirty Little Secret"
- Side B: "Swing, Swing" (Live)
Charts and certifications
| Chart (2006) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Singles Chart | 73 |
| Irish Singles Chart | 47 |
| UK Singles Chart | 18 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 9 |
| U.S. Billboard Pop 100 Pop 100 The Pop 100 was a songs chart that debuted in February 2005 and was released weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States until its discontinuation in 2009... |
4 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Adult Top 40 Tracks Hot Adult Top 40 Tracks Adult Top 40 is a variation on the United States Billboard charts... |
15 |
| U.S. Billboard Top 40 Mainstream | 4 |
"Dirty Little Secret" first charted in the United States on July 30. The song was the band's first top-ten single on the 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...
chart, peaking at number nine for three weeks in January 2006. The song was originally released in the UK as a single in September 2005, when it peaked at number 96. It was re-released nine months later, in June 2006, following the chart success of the second single, "Move Along
Move Along (song)
"Move Along" is the title track and second single taken from The All-American Rejects' second studio album of the same name. "Move Along" is the band's most enduring single. The track stayed in the Billboard Hot 100 Top 50 for 39 weeks because of the amount of time it took to surface...
". On its second run, the single became The All-American Rejects' second UK Top 20 hit with a peak of number 18. "Dirty Little Secret" was rated #48 on Billboard Magazine's "Year-End Hot 100 singles of 2006".
Certifications and sales
"Dirty Little Secret" has been awarded a Gold award by the RIAA for sales of a half million, and also a Platinum award for sales for over a million. Yahoo! Chart Watch has credited "Dirty Little Secret" for over two million downloads, but The All-American Rejects' label Interscope Records has not requested an award to date.{| class="wikitable" border="1"
|-
! Country
! Certification
! Sales
|-
| United States
| style="text-align:center;"|Platinum
| 2,000,000+
|}
Music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
of the song was filmed at Dorney Park
Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom
Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom is an American amusement and water park located in Allentown, Pennsylvania. The park features nine roller coasters, other adult and children's rides, and a waterpark, Wildwater Kingdom....
and other locations in Allentown, Pennsylvania
Allentown, Pennsylvania
Allentown is a city located in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is Pennsylvania's third most populous city, after Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, and the 215th largest city in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 118,032 and is currently...
. The video is based on the PostSecret
PostSecret
PostSecret is an ongoing community mail art project, created by Frank Warren, in which people mail their secrets anonymously on a homemade postcard...
project, where people share their secrets on postcards. These cards are sent anonymously to the project, and some are posted on the PostSecret website. The video shows a montage of people holding up PostSecret postcards, which reveal a range of fears, embarrassment, love, deception, sadness and wishes. This video was nominated "Best International Group Video" at the MuchMusic Video Awards
MuchMusic Video Awards
The MuchMusic Video Awards are annual awards presented by the Canadian music video channel MuchMusic to honour the year's best music videos....
.
The idea for the music video came when director Marcos Siega
Marcos Siega
Marcos Siega is a film, television, commercial, and music video director. He has also worked as a producer and a musician....
, searching for inspiration, googled the word 'secrets' and came upon the PostSecret website. The band paid the website for the use of the concept and some of its postcards with the money going to The Kristin Brooks Hope Center, a non-profit organization which funds a suicide hotline. The band also auctioned off some of the postcards from the video on Ebay
EBay
eBay Inc. is an American internet consumer-to-consumer corporation that manages eBay.com, an online auction and shopping website in which people and businesses buy and sell a broad variety of goods and services worldwide...
with the proceeds also going to the Hope foundation.
Appearances in popular culture
"Dirty Little Secret" has appeared in a few movies, such as She's the ManShe's the Man
She's the Man is a 2006 American romantic comedy film directed by Andy Fickman, based on Twelfth Night, a play by William Shakespeare. The film stars Amanda Bynes, Channing Tatum, Laura Ramsey and Vinnie Jones....
, John Tucker Must Die
John Tucker Must Die
John Tucker Must Die is a 2006 American high school comedy romance film, directed by Betty Thomas.The film is about a trio of girls who plot to break the heart of manipulative basketball star John Tucker after they learn he has been secretly dating all three and pledging each is "the one"...
, Bring It On: All or Nothing
Bring It On: All or Nothing
Bring It On: All or Nothing is the third installment in the Bring it On series of films that revolves around high school cheerleading. Directed by Steve Rash, the movie was released direct-to-DVD on August 8, 2006 by Universal Pictures....
, and in American Pie: The Naked Mile. It was also played a few times in Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo
Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo
Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo is the 2005 sequel to the 1999 film Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo, from Happy Madison Productions. Rob Schneider returns in the role of a male prostitute Deuce Bigalow who visits his former pimp T.J...
. "Dirty Little Secret" has appeared on many video games, especially games focused on music. The song was released with "Move Along" as a downloadable track for the music video game
Music video game
A music video game, also commonly known as a music game, is a video game where the gameplay is meaningfully and often almost entirely oriented around the player's interactions with a musical score or individual songs...
series Rock Band. It also was one of five exclusive bonus songs on the Wii
Wii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
version of the game. "Dirty Little Secret" is a playable track on Guitar Hero On Tour: Decades for the Nintendo DS
Nintendo DS
The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...
, and is a playable song in Band Hero
Band Hero
Band Hero is a spinoff video game as part of the Guitar Hero series of music video games, released by Activision on November 3, 2009, for the PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii and Nintendo DS consoles...
. It also was a playable song on Rock Revolution
Rock Revolution
Rock Revolution is a music video game developed by Zoë Mode and HB Studios and published by Konami. It was first revealed on May 15, 2008, and released on October 15, 2008 for the Nintendo DS, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360...
, another music video game, as a cover. Another game it appeared on was Pro Evolution Soccer 2010. The final chorus and outro of "Dirty Little Secret" can be heard on the Smallville
Smallville (TV series)
Smallville is an American television series developed by writers/producers Alfred Gough and Miles Millar based on the DC Comics character Superman, originally created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. The television series was initially broadcast by The WB Television Network , premiering on October...
season 5
Smallville (Season 5)
Season five of Smallville, an American television series, began airing on September 29, 2005. The series recounts the early adventures of Kryptonian Clark Kent as he adjusts to life in the fictional town of Smallville, Kansas, during the years before he becomes Superman...
episode "Hypnotic". It later was selected for the Smallville soundtrack Smallville: The Metropolis Mix. Also, The All-American Rejects had a photo shoot for an ad for the Got Milk?
Got Milk?
Got Milk? is an American advertising campaign encouraging the consumption of cow's milk, which was created by the advertising agency Goodby Silverstein & Partners for the California Milk Processor Board in 1993 and later licensed for use by milk processors and dairy farmers. It has been running...
advertising campaign, where "Dirty Little Secret" is parodied. Next to the picture of the band with milk-moustaches are the words "Dairy Little Secret".