She's Leaving You

Last updated
"She's Leaving You"
Single by MJ Lenderman
from the album Manning Fireworks
ReleasedJune 24, 2024 (2024-06-24)
Studio Drop of Sun Studios (Asheville, North Carolina)
Genre Indie rock
Length4:38
Label Anti-
Songwriter(s) MJ Lenderman
Producer(s)
  • MJ Lenderman
  • Alex Farrar
MJ Lenderman singles chronology
"Knockin'"
(2023)		"She's Leaving You"
(2024)		"Joker Lips"
(2024)

"She's Leaving You" is a song recorded by the American singer-songwriter MJ Lenderman. The song was released on June 24, 2024, through Epitaph Records, as the lead single from his fourth studio album Manning Fireworks . The song is a tragicomic anthem of a lousy middle-aged man exposed in deceit after a bender in Vegas. The song features a rollicking guitar solo and backing vocals from his Wednesday bandmate Karly Hartzman. Lenderman co-produced the song with his partner Alex Farrar, and plays nearly all instruments on the track.

Contents

Critics widely praised the song, with many considering it a highlight of Manning Fireworks and one of Lenderman's best songs.

Background

"She's Leaving You" depicts a hapless loser in middle-age unmasked in infidelity. [1] Lenderman opens the song: "You can put your clothes back on, she’s leaving you." [2] In each chorus, he concedes "it falls apart / we all got work to do." [3] [4] In a press release, the song is described as a "half-sneering portrait of a middle-aged man cheating his way through a midlife crisis, at least until he gets caught and blasts Clapton in a rented Ferrari en route to Vegas." [5] Lenderman recorded the song at Drop of Sun Studios in his hometown of Asheville, North Carolina between touring breaks, [6] and plays nearly all instruments on the song, including guitar, drums, bass, vocals, organ, and drone. Alex Farrar, who co-produced the song, adds piano. The song also contains backing vocals from Karly Hartzman of Wednesday, who was romantically linked with Lenderman. [2] [3] The song was compared to the work of Neil Young. [7]

The song's music video is set at a talent show and was directed by Clay Tatum and Whitmer Thomas. [8] In the clip, Lenderman performs alongside cheerleaders and magicians. [5] Critics interpreted the song as reminiscent of the video for "Smells Like Teen Spirit" and Drop Dead Gorgeous . [6]

Release and reception

Anti- released the song on June 24, 2024. The song's release was met with excitement and several viral "dudes rock" memes; [9] one asked, in the style of an op-ed, "Is the Cure to Male Loneliness MJ Lenderman?" [1]

"She's Leaving You" was widely lauded by contemporary music critics. The Fader called it the song of the summer, with Cady Siregar writing: "MJ Lenderman's 'She’s Leaving You' is the slacker anthem of the summer, a no-frills indie rock banger with shades of Built to Spill and Pavement that’s melancholy in tone, but with stadium-ready hooks." [10] Lindsay Zoladz of The New York Times remarked that it "expertly blends pathos and bleak humor [...] Lenderman somehow turns this chronicle of almost achingly banal male behavior into a bona fide anthem, complete with a fist-pumping chorus and a killer guitar solo." [2] The Guardian 's Damien Morris called it "superb" and his "best song yet," [11] while Jon Dolan from Rolling Stone called it the album's highlight. [12] Steven Hyden in Uproxx dubbed it one of Lenderman's finest songs, [13]

Personnel

Charts

Weekly chart performance for "She's Leaving You"
Chart (2024)Peak
position
US Rock Airplay ( Billboard ) [14] 45

References

  1. 1 2 D'Souza, Shaad (July 9, 2024). "Pixar, Catholic shame, and urine-drinking podcast bros: the mixed-up rock of MJ Lenderman". the Guardian. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
  2. 1 2 3 Zoladz, Lindsay (September 6, 2024). "Meet MJ Lenderman, Southern Rock's Tragicomic Poet". The New York Times. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
  3. 1 2 Petrusich, Amanda (August 29, 2024). "MJ Lenderman Keeps It Raw". The New Yorker. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
  4. ↑ Powers, Ann (September 11, 2024). "MJ Lenderman joins rock and roll's lineage of heartbreak kids". NPR. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
  5. 1 2 Shanfeld, Ethan (June 24, 2024). "MJ Lenderman Announces New Album 'Manning Fireworks,' Drops First Single". Variety. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
  6. 1 2 Corcoran, Nina (June 24, 2024). "MJ Lenderman Announces New Album Manning Fireworks, Shares Video for New Song". Pitchfork. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
  7. ↑ Hermes, Will (September 2, 2024). "The Timely Dude-ology of MJ Lenderman". The New York Times. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
  8. ↑ DeVille, Chris (June 24, 2024). "MJ Lenderman Announces New Album 'Manning Fireworks': Hear "She's Leaving You"". Stereogum. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
  9. ↑ Blistein, Jon (September 3, 2024). "MJ Lenderman Is Indie Rock's Favorite Guitar Hero". Rolling Stone. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
  10. ↑ Siregar, Cady (August 20, 2024). "The case for MJ Lenderman's "She's Leaving You" as 2024's Song of the Summer". The FADER. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
  11. ↑ Morris, Damien (September 6, 2024). "MJ Lenderman: Manning Fireworks review – joyously weird alt-Americana". the Guardian. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
  12. ↑ Dolan, Jon (September 4, 2024). "MJ Lenderman Delivers a Sad-Guy Indie-Rock Gem With 'Manning Fireworks'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
  13. ↑ Hyden, Steven (September 4, 2024). "In praise of the best indie rock album of 2024". UPROXX. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
  14. ↑ "Rock & Alternative Airplay: Week of December 21, 2024". Billboard . Retrieved December 18, 2024.
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