Misery Business
Encyclopedia
"Misery Business" is a song by American rock
band Paramore
, and is the lead single from their second studio album, Riot!
. "Misery Business" was the third Paramore video to be directed by Shane Drake
, and was nominated for the "Best Video" award at the Kerrang! Awards 2007, but lost to Fall Out Boy
's "This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race
".
This song is featured in the video games Saints Row 2
, NHL 08
, Guitar Hero World Tour
, Lips
, and Rock Band 3
.
. "Misery Business" is the third charting single for the group in the United States, and the band's highest-charting airplay single to date. In the following week the song went up 13 positions to reach #86. Due to increased digital downloads during the month of August 2007, most notably during the latter half of the month, it re-entered the Billboard Hot 100 during the chart week of September 6, 2007 at #34, which was its peak until the chart week of January 5, 2008, when the song reached #31. Its current peak is #26. It also peaked at #3 on the Hot Modern Rock Tracks chart. The song was certified Platinum in the U.S on September 17, 2008, with over 1,000,000 digital downloads, and in December 2010 the song topped the 2 million mark in paid downloads. In Australia, in 2009, the song was certified Platinum. Selling over 15,000, in New Zealand, the Song was certified Gold on February 1, 2008, shipping over 7,500 copies.
The single was re-released in the UK Accorto Record Store on February 11, 2008 and included 3 vinyl records. It had been a success in many countries, like Latin America including Mexico
, Argentina
, Chile
, Brazil
and others.
The single, to date, has peaked at #17 on the UK Singles Chart
. It is also the group's first charting single in the UK.
"Misery Business" has also debuted on the Dutch Top 40 peaking at #28 and in Finland at #23. It peaked on the German Top 40 at #12, which is the band's peak position in Germany.
Alternative Press named "Misery Business" Video of the Year in 2007
.
in Reseda, California on December 21, 2006, and features a school and a band performance. It is directed by Shane Drake
who also directed the videos for "Pressure
" and "Emergency
". It stars Amy Paffrath as the bully.
The music video starts out with the band playing the song with an assortment of "RIOT!"s (a reference to the album's name) in the background. It switches from the band playing to a high school, where a girl in a blue dress and heavy makeup walks in. The girl pushes the school cheerleaders aside as she walks into the hallway. She cuts off another girl's braid with scissors, grinning at the horrified girl while showing it to her. Later, as she is walking down the hall, a boy comes out of the nurse's office with his arm in a sling. She proceeds to push him into the wall, further injuring him. The band plays more, and the girl walks up on a girl and a boy together, obviously in love. She pushes the girl's face out of the way, and passionately kisses the boy, then leaves, grinning smugly. It switches again to the band playing, then the band comes out of a classroom together. Hayley Williams and the girl confront each other in the hall. Hayley reaches into the girl's bra and pulls out "false" pads, then uses a towel and wipes the girl's makeup off, exposing her for what she is. The video ends as the band finishes the song; and they walk away as the girl breaks down, crying.
FBR+ also released an alternate cut of the video that removes the high school clips and features only performance segments.
asking what people were ashamed of. However on the band's LiveJournal, Williams claims the song was written about a past experience involving a male friend who she felt was being manipulated by a girl, and later on when Williams and her friend began to date, she penned the lyrics to "finally explain my side of the story and feel freed of it all". Later, Williams addressed the lyrics in the chorus:
Williams felt that some might find the use of God "casually. in vain, to be blunt" as blasphemy
, and as a Christian, she doesn't want "to be held responsible for causing a lot of people to use my God's name in vain." She posted an explanation and apology on the band's LiveJournal.
The phrase "Misery Business" was first heard on a Stephen King adaptation psycho-thriller film Misery
(1990).
" by the Foo Fighters
, and "Sunday Bloody Sunday
" by U2
.
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 Paramore
Paramore
Paramore is an American rock band from Franklin, Tennessee, formed in 2004. The band consists of lead vocalist Hayley Williams, bassist Jeremy Davis, and guitarist Taylor York...
, and is the lead single from their second studio album, Riot!
Riot!
Riot! is the second studio album by American rock band Paramore, succeeding their debut album All We Know Is Falling, and was released in the United States on June 12, 2007 and in the United Kingdom on June 25, 2007...
. "Misery Business" was the third Paramore video to be directed by Shane Drake
Shane Drake
Shane C. Drake is an American music video director originally from Redding, California. He has directed videos for bands such as Trivium, Paramore, Fall Out Boy, Panic! at the Disco, Angels & Airwaves, Flo Rida, Timbaland, Blindside, The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, The Almost, Hawthorne Heights and...
, and was nominated for the "Best Video" award at the Kerrang! Awards 2007, but lost to Fall Out Boy
Fall Out Boy
Fall Out Boy is an American rock band from Wilmette, Illinois, formed in 2001. The band consists of vocalist, guitarist and composer Patrick Stump, bassist and lyricist Pete Wentz, guitarist Joe Trohman, and drummer Andy Hurley. The band released five studio albums from 2003–2008...
's "This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race
This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race
"This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race" is a song by American rock band Fall Out Boy and the lead single from their commercially successful fourth studio album Infinity on High . The song was first played on September 30, 2006 at a Philadelphia radio station, 102.1, and leaked onto the internet...
".
This song is featured in the video games Saints Row 2
Saints Row 2
Saints Row 2 is an open world action-adventure video game developed by Volition, Inc. and published by THQ for the Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360 systems. It is the second title in the Saints Row series, after the release of Saints Row in 2006. It is succeeded by Saints Row: The...
, NHL 08
NHL 08
-Soundtrack:-Easter Eggs:* Wells Greeno-McNeil is the name of a child for the Make-A-Wish Foundation whose wish was to have his name and likeness in a videogame.* The default created player names are of the game's developers....
, Guitar Hero World Tour
Guitar Hero World Tour
Guitar Hero World Tour is a music video game developed by Neversoft and published by RedOctane and Activision. It is the fourth main entry in the Guitar Hero series...
, Lips
LIPS
Linguistic and Intercultural Preparation of Students for the workplace is a European Commission-funded project.It has developed pilot measures to improve students' skills and competences for their successful completion of work experiences abroad .LIPS developed an online course which is based on...
, and Rock Band 3
Rock Band 3
Rock Band 3 is a music video game, developed by Harmonix Music Systems. The game was initially published and distributed by MTV Games and Electronic Arts, respectively, with Mad Catz taking over both roles a year later. It is the third main game in the Rock Band series...
.
Chart performance
In the week ending June 25, 2007, "Misery Business" managed to debut at #99 on the Billboard Hot 100Billboard 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...
. "Misery Business" is the third charting single for the group in the United States, and the band's highest-charting airplay single to date. In the following week the song went up 13 positions to reach #86. Due to increased digital downloads during the month of August 2007, most notably during the latter half of the month, it re-entered the Billboard Hot 100 during the chart week of September 6, 2007 at #34, which was its peak until the chart week of January 5, 2008, when the song reached #31. Its current peak is #26. It also peaked at #3 on the Hot Modern Rock Tracks chart. The song was certified Platinum in the U.S on September 17, 2008, with over 1,000,000 digital downloads, and in December 2010 the song topped the 2 million mark in paid downloads. In Australia, in 2009, the song was certified Platinum. Selling over 15,000, in New Zealand, the Song was certified Gold on February 1, 2008, shipping over 7,500 copies.
The single was re-released in the UK Accorto Record Store on February 11, 2008 and included 3 vinyl records. It had been a success in many countries, like Latin America including Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
and others.
The single, to date, has peaked at #17 on the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
. It is also the group's first charting single in the UK.
"Misery Business" has also debuted on the Dutch Top 40 peaking at #28 and in Finland at #23. It peaked on the German Top 40 at #12, which is the band's peak position in Germany.
Alternative Press named "Misery Business" Video of the Year in 2007
.
Music video
The music video was filmed at Reseda High SchoolReseda High School
Reseda High School, established in 1955, is located in the Reseda section of the San Fernando Valley region of Los Angeles, California.The school currently is home to the Reseda High School Science Magnet HS and the Reseda Police Academy Magnet HS, in addition to Reseda High's four small learning...
in Reseda, California on December 21, 2006, and features a school and a band performance. It is directed by Shane Drake
Shane Drake
Shane C. Drake is an American music video director originally from Redding, California. He has directed videos for bands such as Trivium, Paramore, Fall Out Boy, Panic! at the Disco, Angels & Airwaves, Flo Rida, Timbaland, Blindside, The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, The Almost, Hawthorne Heights and...
who also directed the videos for "Pressure
Pressure (Paramore song)
"Pressure" is a song by American rock band Paramore. It was released on June 31, 2005 as the first single from their debut album, All We Know Is Falling. It failed to chart the Billboard Hot 100, however, it managed to peak at #62 on the Billboard Hot Digital Songs chart...
" and "Emergency
Emergency (song)
"Emergency" is a song by American rock band Paramore. It was released on October 21, 2006 as the second single from their debut album, All We Know Is Falling. It was released on 7" vinyl in the United Kingdom on August 26, 2006 and contained the B-side "Oh, Star," and a poster of the band. The song...
". It stars Amy Paffrath as the bully.
The music video starts out with the band playing the song with an assortment of "RIOT!"s (a reference to the album's name) in the background. It switches from the band playing to a high school, where a girl in a blue dress and heavy makeup walks in. The girl pushes the school cheerleaders aside as she walks into the hallway. She cuts off another girl's braid with scissors, grinning at the horrified girl while showing it to her. Later, as she is walking down the hall, a boy comes out of the nurse's office with his arm in a sling. She proceeds to push him into the wall, further injuring him. The band plays more, and the girl walks up on a girl and a boy together, obviously in love. She pushes the girl's face out of the way, and passionately kisses the boy, then leaves, grinning smugly. It switches again to the band playing, then the band comes out of a classroom together. Hayley Williams and the girl confront each other in the hall. Hayley reaches into the girl's bra and pulls out "false" pads, then uses a towel and wipes the girl's makeup off, exposing her for what she is. The video ends as the band finishes the song; and they walk away as the girl breaks down, crying.
FBR+ also released an alternate cut of the video that removes the high school clips and features only performance segments.
Concept and blasphemy post
The origin of the song is ambiguous and Williams has given conflicting explanations. The Fueled by Ramen website reports that Williams wrote the song based on feedback the band received after a question she posted on their LiveJournalLiveJournal
LiveJournal is a virtual community where Internet users can keep a blog, journal or diary. LiveJournal is also the name of the free and open source server software that was designed to run the LiveJournal virtual community....
asking what people were ashamed of. However on the band's LiveJournal, Williams claims the song was written about a past experience involving a male friend who she felt was being manipulated by a girl, and later on when Williams and her friend began to date, she penned the lyrics to "finally explain my side of the story and feel freed of it all". Later, Williams addressed the lyrics in the chorus:
Williams felt that some might find the use of God "casually. in vain, to be blunt" as blasphemy
Blasphemy
Blasphemy is irreverence towards religious or holy persons or things. Some countries have laws to punish blasphemy, while others have laws to give recourse to those who are offended by blasphemy...
, and as a Christian, she doesn't want "to be held responsible for causing a lot of people to use my God's name in vain." She posted an explanation and apology on the band's LiveJournal.
The phrase "Misery Business" was first heard on a Stephen King adaptation psycho-thriller film Misery
Misery (film)
Misery is a 1990 American Psychological Horror Film based on Stephen King's 1987 novel of the same name. Directed by Rob Reiner, the film received critical acclaim for Kathy Bates' performance as the psychopathic Annie Wilkes...
(1990).
Track listings
A CD single and two 7" vinyls were released in the UK on 18 June. The CD single features a brand new song, "Stop This Song (Love Sick Melody)", and the two vinyls feature two covers: an electronic remix of "My HeroMy Hero (song)
"My Hero" is the third single from the Foo Fighters' second album The Colour and the Shape. It was released as a single in 1998, though has been played live as early as 1995. According to Dave Grohl, the song is dedicated to ordinary, everyday heroes, as he himself never had musical or sports...
" by the Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters is an American alternative rock band originally formed in 1994 by Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl as a one-man project following the dissolution of his previous band. The band got its name from the UFOs and various aerial phenomena that were reported by Allied aircraft pilots in World War...
, and "Sunday Bloody Sunday
Sunday Bloody Sunday (song)
"Sunday Bloody Sunday" is the opening track from U2's 1983 album, War. The song was released as the album's third single on 11 March 1983 in Germany and the Netherlands. "Sunday Bloody Sunday" is noted for its militaristic drumbeat, harsh guitar, and melodic harmonies...
" by U2
U2
U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono , The Edge , Adam Clayton , and Larry Mullen, Jr. . U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music...
.
Release history
| Country | Date | Version |
|---|---|---|
| United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
July 10, 2007 | Original |
| Republic of Ireland Republic of Ireland Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,... |
January 6, 2008 | Re-release |
| United Kingdom United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages... |
Charts
| Chart (2007/2008) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Singles Chart | 65 |
| Brasil Hot 100 | 67 |
| Canadian Hot 100 Canadian Hot 100 The Canadian Hot 100 is a music singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine which ranks songs in Canada. The chart debuted in the Billboard issue dated June 16, 2007 and was made available for the first time via their online services on June 7, 2007... |
67 |
| German Singles Chart Media Control Charts The official music charts in Germany are gathered and published by the company Media Control GfK International on behalf of Bundesverband Musikindustrie... |
79 |
| Portugal Singles Chart Associação Fonográfica Portuguesa The Associação Fonográfica Portuguesa is currently the only recording industry association in Portugal. Created in 1989, it succeeded GPPFV and UNEVA .... |
23 |
| Dutch Singles Chart Dutch Top 40 The Dutch Top 40 is a weekly music chart, which started as the "Veronica Top 40", because the offshore radio station Radio Veronica was the first to introduce it. It remained "The Veronica Top 40" until 1974, when the station was forced to stop broadcasting... |
28 |
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
17 |
| 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... |
26 |
| 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... |
16 |
| 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... |
31 |
| U.S. Billboard Alternative Songs | 3 |
| South Africa (5 FM Top 40) 5FM 5FM is a South African FM radio station that follows a Top 40 music format and is owned by the South African Broadcasting Corporation , South Africa's public broadcaster... |
20 |
Certification
| Country (2008–2009) |
Certifications Music recording sales certification Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,... |
|---|---|
| U.S | Platinum |
In various media
- The song was used in professional StarCraftStarCraft professional competitionThe computer game StarCraft has an active professional competition circuit, particularly in South Korea. The two major game channels in South Korea, Ongamenet and MBCGame, each run a Starleague , viewed by millions of fans...
's Shinhan Bank Pro League. - The song was featured in an episode of the BritishUnited KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
television soap operaSoap operaA soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
HollyoaksHollyoaksHollyoaks is a long-running British television soap opera, first broadcast on Channel 4 on 23 October 1995. It was originally devised by Phil Redmond, who has also devised shows including Brookside and Grange Hill...
in March 2008 ("Born for ThisRiot!Riot! is the second studio album by American rock band Paramore, succeeding their debut album All We Know Is Falling, and was released in the United States on June 12, 2007 and in the United Kingdom on June 25, 2007...
" was also used in another episode in September 2008, and then later "HallelujahHallelujah (Paramore song)"Hallelujah" is the second single from rock band Paramore's second album Riot!. The single peaked at #139 on the UK Singles Chart. The song is not to be confused with the Leonard Cohen song of the same name, although on the Final Riot! summer 2008 tour, lead singer Hayley Williams performs an...
" in October 2008). - The song is a playable track in the games Guitar Hero World TourGuitar Hero World TourGuitar Hero World Tour is a music video game developed by Neversoft and published by RedOctane and Activision. It is the fourth main entry in the Guitar Hero series...
, in which Hayley Williams is also a playable character, as well as Rock Band 3Rock Band 3Rock Band 3 is a music video game, developed by Harmonix Music Systems. The game was initially published and distributed by MTV Games and Electronic Arts, respectively, with Mad Catz taking over both roles a year later. It is the third main game in the Rock Band series...
. - The song is featured in the 2008 video game, Saints Row 2Saints Row 2Saints Row 2 is an open world action-adventure video game developed by Volition, Inc. and published by THQ for the Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360 systems. It is the second title in the Saints Row series, after the release of Saints Row in 2006. It is succeeded by Saints Row: The...
. - The song is featured on the soundtrack of video game NHL 08.
- It is used in a season 7 episode of Degrassi: The Next GenerationDegrassi: The Next GenerationDegrassi: The Next Generation is a Canadian teen drama television series set in the Degrassi universe, which was created by Linda Schuyler and Kit Hood in 1979. Degrassi is the fourth fictional series in the Degrassi franchise, and follows The Kids of Degrassi Street, Degrassi Junior High, and...
, and included in the Music from Degrassi: The Next Generation soundtrack.
Covers
- MetalcoreMetalcoreMetalcore is a subgenre of heavy metal combining various elements of extreme metal and hardcore punk. The name is a portmanteau of the names of the two genres. The term took on its current meaning in the mid-1990s, describing bands such as Earth Crisis, Deadguy and Integrity...
band Sea of TreacherySea Of TreacherySea of Treachery is an American metalcore/deathcore band from Hebron, Kentucky formed in 2004. Since forming, they have released three EPs and two full-length studio albums, the first being At Daggers Drawn, which was released on April 29, 2008 on Sumerian Records, and the second being Wonderland,...
has covered "Misery Business". Hayley WilliamsHayley WilliamsHayley Nichole Williams is an American singer, songwriter, and the lead vocalist of the band Paramore.- Life and career :...
was noted for praising their cover of the song. - Aaron MarshAaron MarshAaron Marsh is an American singer-songwriter, musician and producer from Florida. He first gained prominence as the lead singer, guitarist, and pianist for the Florida-based indie rock band Copeland, who formed in 2000...
of CopelandCopeland- Places :Canada* Copeland Islands * Copeland Islands Marine Provincial Park, in the Strait of Georgia, British Columbia* Mount Copeland, also Copeland Ridge and Copeland Creek in same vicinity, in the Monashee Mountains of British Columbia...
did a live cover. Hayley Williams, was noted praising the cover on Twitter.