Bad Girl (Avril Lavigne song)

Last updated

"Bad Girl"
Song by Avril Lavigne featuring Marilyn Manson
from the album Avril Lavigne
Recorded2013
Studio Henson, Hollywood
Genre
Length2:56
Label Epic
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Chad Kroeger
  • David Hodges

"Bad Girl" is a song by Canadian singer Avril Lavigne for her fifth studio album, Avril Lavigne (2013). It was written by Lavigne, Chad Kroeger and David Hodges, while the song was produced by Kroeger and Hodges and features guest vocals by American singer Marilyn Manson. After hearing "Bad Girl", Lavigne thought Manson would complement the track. Manson added his vocals to the song early one morning, and Lavigne was honored to be able to collaborate with him.

Contents

A nu metal and pop song with industrial rock, glam rock, and 1970s punk rock elements, "Bad Girl" is about BDSM and erotic asphyxiation. Critics felt it was a departure from Lavigne's previous work. Upon its release, "Bad Girl" received mostly mixed reviews; some critics complimented its energy while others found it nightmarish or disgusting. The song charted at 58 on the South Korean's Gaon Chart and at number 88 on Billboard 's Canadian Hot 100. Lavigne performed "Bad Girl" during the Avril Lavigne Tour.

Background

"Bad Girl" features vocals by Marilyn Manson. Manson en concierto 6.jpg
"Bad Girl" features vocals by Marilyn Manson.

When she was 18 years old, Avril Lavigne met American singer Marilyn Manson at one of his concerts, and eventually they became friends. [1] Lavigne has cited "This Is the New Shit" (2004), a song by Manson's band, as an influence on her music. [2] On July 7, 2012, it was reported that Lavigne was dating Manson, with the latter denying the rumor, joking that he would never date a Canadian. He continued, "I know her. I accidentally shaved her head," adding that he was unsure how the rumor originated. [3] Lavigne commented that, "I had wanted to shave the side of my head for quite some time, [...] and so it was kind of like shaving it. And then one night, it was on my adventure to France. During my adventure when I was living there, we were hanging out backstage and we were with his band having a few drinks and I was like, 'Let's shave my head. I'm ready; let's do this!'. He's like that, though. He has fun. He wears his make-up; his wardrobe is very visual. I like his style." [4]

In an interview with Billboard , Lavigne described "Bad Girl" as one of the "darker and heavier" rock songs on her self-titled album. [5] Lavigne also revealed that recruiting Manson for the track "was last minute." [1] Lavigne was listening to the track with David Hodges when she decided that Manson would be perfect for it. She texted him at four o'clock in the morning asking him to lend his vocals to the song. [6] Lavigne commented "It was meant to be. Things are never that easy when you're trying to get together with someone. He could have been anywhere in the world." [7] Upon his arrival at the Henson Recording Studios in Los Angeles about a half hour later, Manson played Lavigne some of his new songs. Then Lavigne played Manson some of her new songs, including "Give You What You Like" (2013), which he loved, and "Bad Girl". [8] [6] The moment Manson heard "Bad Girl", he knew what he wanted to add to the track. [7] The singer was honored to be able to work with Manson and was pleased with his vocal performance on the track; she told MTV News that "Bad Girl" is one of her favorite songs on the Avril Lavigne album. [9]

Composition

Chad Kroeger of Nickelback co-wrote "Bad Girl". Chad kroeger stuttgart.jpg
Chad Kroeger of Nickelback co-wrote "Bad Girl".

"Bad Girl" was written by Lavigne, Chad Kroeger and David Hodges, with production being handled by Kroeger and Hodges. [10] The song features guest vocals by American industrial rock singer Marilyn Manson. "Bad Girl" is a nu metal [11] and pop song [12] which features elements of industrial rock, glam rock, [13] and 1970s punk rock. [14] "Bad Girl" begins with Manson saying "Just lay your head head in daddy's lap, you're a bad girl." [15] Nick Catucci of Entertainment Weekly compared Manson's "croaking" vocals on the song to Cookie Monster's speaking voice. [16] The song has "crunching guitars" [17] and is about BDSM, with Lavigne asking Manson to choke her. [18] Lavigne sings "I've been a bad girl, don't you know?/Come get it now or never/I'll let you do whatever" [11] and "Miss me. Miss me. Now you wanna kiss me." [7] At different points in the song, Lavigne purrs [7] and screams. [17]

Laurence Green of musicOMH wrote that "Bad Girl" "sounds like the soundtrack to that bit in every corny teen movie where the good girl decides it's time to 'let loose' and hit the town." [19] Noting that the song was co-written by Nickelback's frontman Kroeger, AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine felt that "Bad Girl" is one of several tracks on its parent album which has the "blunt force hooks and bad taste" of a Nickelback song. [10] Conversely, Jon Caramanica of The New York Times felt that Kroeger's impact on the track, and most of the Avril Lavigne album, is "negligible." [20] Tiffany Bentley of Metal Insider connected the song's lyrics to the rumors that Lavigne and Manson were romantically involved. Bentley also found the track more similar to the music of Manson's band than Lavigne's bubblegum pop music, and "edgier" than most of Lavigne's previous work. [21] Idolator's Mike Wass said that while Lavigne's previous singles "Here's to Never Growing Up" (2013) and "Rock n Roll" (2013) covered "old ground," "Bad Girl" saw her leaving her musical comfort zone. [17] Similarly, Jon Caramanica of The New York Times felt that Lavigne "revolt[s] in small ways" with "Bad Girl". [20]

Critical reception

"Bad Girl" has received mixed reviews from music critics. Jason Lipshut of Billboard named it "salacious, sloppy, muddied rock music - as it damn well should be," praising Lavigne and Manson for turning the song into "glorious chaos." [22] Nick Catucci from Entertainment Weekly enjoyed the track's hooks and Lavigne and Manson's energetic vocals. [16] Robert Copsey of Digital Spy praised the song's punk rock elements and for "offering an indication of where her sound could be [or] go in the future." [14] Lauren Green of musicOMH called it "a riotous, pumping guitar work-out." [19] Bradley Stern of MuuMuse declared that the song is "a manic, unapologetically smutty track." [23] Metal Insider's Tiffany Bentley was shocked by Lavigne's choice to collaborate with Manson, but felt that "Bad Girl" had some of Manson's "black magic." [21] Mike Wass of Idolator said "It's great to hear that pop's original bad girl still nows [ sic ] how to push boundaries and rock the fuck out." [17] For The Guardian , Caroline Sullivan lauded the "particularly pungent" song for "raging against the dying of the light," [24] while The Denver Post called it one of the album's "pop anthems." [12]

Kyle Fowley of Slant Magazine felt that "Bad Girl" lacked the honesty of Lavigne's single "Complicated" (2002), calling it a "dull piece of nü-metal, featuring a phoned-in performance by a disinterested Marilyn Manson." [11] Chuck Eddy of Rolling Stone deemed it cartoonish and devoid of the playful spirit of "Hello Kitty" (2013), another song on Lavigne's self-titled album. [13] AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine found "Bad Girl" disgusting, partially because it was co-written by Kroeger, Lavigne's then-husband. [10] In The News & Advance , Matt Ashare opined that Manson added nothing but clichés to the "stupidly creepy" track. [18]

Live performances

During the Avril Lavigne Tour, Lavigne performed "Bad Girl" in a medley with Marilyn Manson's "The Beautiful People" (1996). [25]

Credits and personnel

Personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of Avril Lavigne (2013), Epic Records. [8]

Chart performance

Along with many other songs from the parent album, "Bad Girl" debuted at number 58 on the Gaon Music Charts, with 4,511 copies sold in its first week. [26]

Chart (2013)Peak
position
Canada (Canadian Hot 100) [27] 88
South Korea (International Downloads Chart) [26] 58

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chad Kroeger</span> Canadian musician (born 1974)

Chad Robert Kroeger is a Canadian musician who is the lead singer and guitarist of the rock band Nickelback. In addition to his work with Nickelback, Kroeger has been involved with a variety of collaborations, appearing as a guest musician in several songs and has contributed in both production and songwriting. He has co-written several songs for other artists and films.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Avril Lavigne</span> Canadian singer-songwriter (born 1984)

Avril Ramona Lavigne is a Canadian singer and songwriter. She is a key musician in the development of pop-punk music, as she paved the way for female-driven, punk-influenced pop music in the early 2000s. Her accolades include eight Grammy Award nominations.

<i>Let Go</i> (Avril Lavigne album) 2002 studio album by Avril Lavigne

Let Go is the debut studio album by Canadian singer-songwriter Avril Lavigne, released on 4 June 2002, by Arista Records. Critics have described Let Go as an alternative rock album with a pop-punk and post-grunge-oriented sound. The album is considered to have transformed the pop-punk music scene, integrating the genre to the mainstream and contributing to the rise of female-fronted pop-punk music acts. The album has sold over 16 million copies worldwide, making it Lavigne's highest-selling album to date and the best selling album of the 21st century by a Canadian artist. A Rolling Stone readers' poll named Let Go the fourth best album of the 2000s.

<i>Under My Skin</i> (Avril Lavigne album) 2004 studio album by Avril Lavigne

Under My Skin is the second studio album by Canadian singer-songwriter Avril Lavigne. It was released firstly in Europe on May 21, 2004 then it followed the release in the rest of the world on May 25, 2004 by Arista Records and RCA Records. Lavigne wrote most of the album with singer-songwriter Chantal Kreviazuk, who invited her to a Malibu in-house recording studio shared by Kreviazuk and her husband Raine Maida, where Lavigne recorded many of the songs. The album was produced by Maida, Don Gilmore, and Butch Walker. It is Lavigne's second and final studio album to be released on Arista, following Let Go (2002). It was also her first album for RCA.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sk8er Boi</span> 2002 single by Avril Lavigne

"Sk8er Boi" is a song by Canadian singer-songwriter Avril Lavigne, released as the second single from her debut album, Let Go (2002). It was written by Lavigne and the Matrix, and produced by the Matrix. The song, which combines power pop and pop-punk elements, lyrically tells a story told from the singer's viewpoint about her rocker boyfriend and a girl he knew in high school who rejected him because he was a skateboarder and she did ballet.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">How You Remind Me</span> 2001 single by Nickelback

"How You Remind Me" is a song by Canadian rock band Nickelback. With lyrics written by lead singer Chad Kroeger and music composed by the band, the track was released on July 17, 2001, as the lead single from their third studio album, Silver Side Up (2001). A "Gold Mix" was made for latter editions of the single, with the heavier guitars edited out of the chorus.

<i>The Best Damn Thing</i> 2007 studio album by Avril Lavigne

The Best Damn Thing is the third studio album by Canadian singer-songwriter Avril Lavigne. It was firstly released in Europe on April 13, 2007, then worldwide on 17 April 2007 by RCA Records. as her second studio album on the label. The album represents a musical departure from her previous studio album Under My Skin (2004), which incorporated more elements of post-grunge. The Best Damn Thing is seen by critics as Lavigne's most commercial effort. The album was noted as her first effort to feature a wide range of producers, including Matt Beckley, Rob Cavallo, Dr. Luke and Lavigne herself, who was credited as the executive producer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Take Me Away (Avril Lavigne song)</span> 2004 promotional single by Avril Lavigne

"Take Me Away" is a song by Canadian singer-songwriter Avril Lavigne, taken as a promotional single from her second studio album Under My Skin (2004). It was written by herself and Evan Taubenfeld, whilst production was handled by Don Gilmore. The song has a metal sound and started playing on Canadian rock radio in March 2004, at around the same time that the album's lead single, "Don't Tell Me", was being promoted. The song was also included as the B-side on the physical release of "Don't Tell Me" in many regions, and re-released digitally as a promotional single from the album on May 24, 2004. "Take Me Away" received mixed reviews from music critics. Some critics complimented the composition and musical styles, whilst the rest criticized her songwriting and negatively compared it to the work of fellow Canadian artist Alanis Morissette.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hot (Avril Lavigne song)</span> 2007 single by Avril Lavigne

"Hot" is a song by Canadian singer-songwriter Avril Lavigne and the third single from her third studio album, The Best Damn Thing (2007). The song was written by Lavigne and Evan Taubenfeld, and produced by Lukasz "Dr. Luke" Gottwald. A pop rock ballad, the song talks about Lavigne's feelings about a boyfriend, who makes her "hot". The song received positive reviews from music critics, who praised its "old-style" vibe and its anthemic nature.

<i>Goodbye Lullaby</i> 2011 studio album by Avril Lavigne

Goodbye Lullaby is the fourth studio album by Canadian singer-songwriter Avril Lavigne. It was released worldwide on March 2, 2011 through RCA Records. Recording sessions for the album began in November 2008 and continued over a period of nearly two years, concluding in October 2010. Goodbye Lullaby is a primarily a pop rock album and is considered a more introspective record from Lavigne in comparison to her previous material, consisting mainly of stripped down instruments such as the piano and acoustic guitar. Lavigne assumed an integral role in the album's production and co-wrote every original track on Goodbye Lullaby, as well as collaborating with several producers including Max Martin, Shellback, Butch Walker, and her ex-husband Deryck Whibley. Goodbye Lullaby is Lavigne's third and final studio album with RCA, following The Best Damn Thing (2007) and Under My Skin (2004).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Here's to Never Growing Up</span> 2013 single by Avril Lavigne

"Here's to Never Growing Up" is a song recorded by Canadian singer-songwriter Avril Lavigne for her self-titled fifth studio album in 2013. The song was written by Lavigne, David Hodges, Chad Kroeger, Jacob Kasher, and its producer Martin Johnson. It was released as the lead single from the album on April 9, 2013, by Epic Records. "Here's to Never Growing Up" is a midtempo pop rock song that talks about a "celebration of being forever young" and features a reference to English alternative rock band Radiohead.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rock n Roll (Avril Lavigne song)</span> 2013 single by Avril Lavigne

"Rock n Roll" is a song by Canadian recording artist Avril Lavigne. It was released as the second single from her self-titled fifth studio album by Sony Music Entertainment on August 23, 2013. The song was written by Lavigne, David Hodges, Chad Kroeger, Jacob Kasher Hindlin, Rickard B. Göransson and Peter Svensson and was produced by Peter Svensson.

<i>Avril Lavigne</i> (album) 2013 studio album by Avril Lavigne

Avril Lavigne is the fifth studio album by Canadian singer-songwriter Avril Lavigne. It was released on November 1, 2013, through Epic Records in North America and Sony Music Entertainment worldwide. Lavigne collaborated with numerous producers including Martin Johnson, Peter Svensson, David Hodges, Matt Squire, and Chad Kroeger. In both musical and lyrical aspects, the album represents a departure from the acoustic-oriented production of her previous album Goodbye Lullaby (2011), featuring a more uptempo pop sound juxtaposed with power and piano ballads. Avril Lavigne also incorporates electronic music, industrial and punk rock. The album features two vocal collaborations: Kroeger and American industrial metal singer Marilyn Manson, making Avril Lavigne Lavigne's first album to contain featured vocalists. The album marks her first and only release through Epic Records, and is her second and final studio album with Sony Music, to which, from BMG, she first signed in 2000, before being moved to Sony Music following their acquisition of all BMG labels.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Let Me Go (Avril Lavigne song)</span> 2013 single by Avril Lavigne

"Let Me Go" is a song recorded by Canadian recording artist Avril Lavigne and Canadian rock band Nickelback lead vocalist Chad Kroeger for Lavigne's self-titled fifth studio album. It was written by Lavigne, Kroeger and David Hodges. The song was released on October 15, 2013, by Epic Records, as the third single of Avril Lavigne. It is Lavigne's first single to feature a guest performer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Give You What You Like</span> 2015 single by Avril Lavigne

"Give You What You Like" is a song recorded by Canadian singer-songwriter Avril Lavigne from her self-titled fifth studio album released in 2013. It was written by Lavigne with her then husband Chad Kroeger and David Hodges. The song has been praised by critics for expanding Lavigne's musical diversity and exposing her to new genres of music and is the sixth track on the album. Musically, "Give You What You Like" is a folk-pop song with lyrics that describe pretending one-night stand/casual sex is love and a way to feel loved. Throughout the song she describes a trade: if you act like you love me to help me forget about the loneliness I'll give you what you want which in this case is sex. As the song progress she loses interest in it and wants to forget everything that happened.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hello Kitty (song)</span> 2014 single by Avril Lavigne

"Hello Kitty" is a song by Canadian singer-songwriter Avril Lavigne, taken from her self-titled fifth studio album, Avril Lavigne (2013). It was written by Lavigne, Chad Kroeger, David Hodges and Martin Johnson. Production was handled by Kroeger and Hodges, with additional production by Brandon Paddock and Kyle Moorman. Musically, "Hello Kitty" is a J-pop, dubstep, and EDM song, featuring an electro-influenced drop. The song was influenced by Lavigne's affinity to the Japanese brand Hello Kitty, and has some sexual content.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fly (Avril Lavigne song)</span> 2015 single by Avril Lavigne

"Fly" is a song by Canadian singer Avril Lavigne. It was released on April 16, 2015, for digital download by the Special Olympics, Inc. Lavigne released the song as a charity single for the Avril Lavigne Foundation to support the 2015 Special Olympics World Summer Games. The song was written by Lavigne, Chad Kroeger and David Hodges. All the proceeds from the single will be contributed to the ongoing work being done by the Avril Lavigne Foundation.

<i>Head Above Water</i> (album) 2019 studio album by Avril Lavigne

Head Above Water is the sixth studio album by Canadian singer-songwriter Avril Lavigne. It was released on February 15, 2019, through BMG Rights Management. It is Lavigne's first studio release since her self-titled fifth studio album five years prior, marking the longest gap between two of her studio albums, and is her first and only album recorded for the new incarnation of BMG She assumed an integral role in the album's production and collaborated with several producers including Chad Kroeger, Stephan Moccio, Chris Baseford, Johan Carlsson, Lauren Christy from The Matrix, Ryan Cabrera, Travis Clark of We the Kings, Bonnie McKee, JR Rotem and Mitch Allan among others.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dumb Blonde (Avril Lavigne song)</span> 2019 single by Avril Lavigne featuring Nicki Minaj

"Dumb Blonde" is a song by Canadian singer-songwriter Avril Lavigne featuring rapper Nicki Minaj. It was released on February 12, 2019, and serves as the third single from her sixth studio album, Head Above Water (2019). The song was originally recorded by Lavigne as a solo artist, but was later recorded with an additional verse written and performed by Minaj. The solo version of the song is featured on physical editions of the album.

References

  1. 1 2 Garibaldi, Christina (May 22, 2013). "Marilyn Manson Helped Avril Lavigne Find 'Bad Girl' ... And Shave Her Head". MTV News . Archived from the original on February 22, 2014. Retrieved February 15, 2014.
  2. Stephen Thomas Erlewine. "Influences: Avril Lavigne – Various Artists | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic . Rovi. Archived from the original on May 2, 2016. Retrieved August 5, 2016.
  3. Rowley, Alison (July 7, 2012). "Marilyn Manson: 'Me dating Avril Lavigne? F*** that, she's Canadian'". Digital Spy . Archived from the original on February 3, 2014. Retrieved February 15, 2014.
  4. Corner, Lewis (May 23, 2013). "Avril Lavigne talks Marilyn Manson duet: 'He helped me shave my head'". Digital Spy . Archived from the original on August 12, 2013. Retrieved February 15, 2014.
  5. "igne 2013, iHeartRadio Q&A: New Album, Marilyn Manson Collab". Billboard . Archived from the original on August 25, 2015. Retrieved February 15, 2014.
  6. 1 2 Hyman, Dan (December 4, 2013). "Avril Lavigne Texted Marilyn Manson To Be On Her New Album". Elle . Archived from the original on November 19, 2015. Retrieved October 29, 2018.
  7. 1 2 3 4 Krishnamurthy, Sowmya (December 15, 2013). "Avril Lavigne on Growing Up and Staying Young". Rolling Stone . Retrieved October 29, 2018.
  8. 1 2 Lavigne, Avril (2013). Avril Lavigne (liner notes) (Compact Disc). Avril Lavigne. Epic Records.
  9. Garibaldi, Christina (October 28, 2018). "Avril Lavigne Commits To 'Never Growing Up': 'Motherfucking Princess' Explains 4 Key Tracks". MTV News . Archived from the original on June 28, 2014. Retrieved February 15, 2014.
  10. 1 2 3 "Avril Lavigne - Avril Lavigne | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards | AllMusic". AllMusic . Archived from the original on January 28, 2014. Retrieved February 10, 2014.
  11. 1 2 3 "Avril Lavigne: Avril Lavigne | Music Review". Slant Magazine . Archived from the original on November 8, 2013. Retrieved November 10, 2013.
  12. 1 2 "Album reviews: Celine Dion, Avril Lavigne, David Bowie, more". The Denver Post . November 4, 2013. Archived from the original on October 31, 2018. Retrieved October 30, 2018.
  13. 1 2 Eddy, Chuck (November 18, 2013). "'Avril Lavigne' Album Review | Album Reviews". Rolling Stone . Archived from the original on December 3, 2013. Retrieved December 15, 2013.
  14. 1 2 "Avril Lavigne: 'Avril Lavigne' album review - Here's to never growing up? - Music Review". Digital Spy . October 29, 2013. Archived from the original on November 6, 2013. Retrieved November 6, 2013.
  15. Corner, Lewis (October 29, 2013). "Avril Lavigne, Marilyn Manson duet 'Bad Girl' appears online - listen". Digital Spy. Retrieved November 6, 2013.
  16. 1 2 "Avril Lavigne's new self-titled album, streaming today: Read EW's review | The Music Mix &#124". Entertainment Weekly . Archived from the original on October 6, 2014. Retrieved October 2, 2014.
  17. 1 2 3 4 Wass, Mike (October 28, 2013). "Avril Lavigne Teams Up With Marilyn Manson For "Bad Girl": Listen To The Industrial-Pop Duet". Idolator . Retrieved October 29, 2018.
  18. 1 2 Ashare, Matt (November 7, 2013). "Prodigal fun: Avril Lavigne enjoys playing the bad girl on new album". The News & Advance . Archived from the original on October 31, 2018. Retrieved October 29, 2018.
  19. 1 2 "Avril Lavigne – Avril Lavigne | Album Reviews | musicOMH". musicOMH. November 4, 2013. Archived from the original on January 7, 2014. Retrieved February 10, 2014.
  20. 1 2 Caramanica, Jon (December 4, 2013). "A By-The-Numbers Rebel". The New York Times . Archived from the original on July 12, 2018. Retrieved October 30, 2018.
  21. 1 2 Bentley, Tiffany (October 28, 2013). "Marilyn Manson helps Avril Lavigne be a "Bad Girl'". Metal Insider. Archived from the original on October 27, 2018. Retrieved October 26, 2018.
  22. "Avril Lavigne, 'Avril Lavigne': Track-By-Track Review | Billboard". Billboard . Archived from the original on November 5, 2013. Retrieved February 10, 2014.
  23. Stern, Bradley. "Avril Lavigne, 'Avril Lavigne' (Album Review)". MuuMuse. Archived from the original on March 10, 2014. Retrieved February 16, 2014.
  24. Sullivan, Caroline (November 7, 2013). "Avril Lavigne: Avril Lavigne – review". The Guardian . Archived from the original on October 2, 2018. Retrieved October 30, 2018.
  25. Ruiz, Paula; Jasso, Alejandro (May 14, 2014). "Encanta Avril Lavigne en Monterrey" [You love Avril Lavigne in Monterrey]. Reforma (in Spanish). Archived from the original on December 5, 2017. Retrieved December 4, 2017.
  26. 1 2 "Gaon Download Chart". Gaon Chart . Archived from the original on December 3, 2013. Retrieved February 15, 2014.
  27. "Avril Lavigne - Avril Lavigne - Awards". AllMusic . Archived from the original on March 12, 2016. Retrieved May 11, 2014.