"My Happy Ending" is a song written and produced by Avril Lavigne and Butch Walker, and engineered by Russ T. Cobb for Lavigne's second album, Under My Skin (2004). It was released as the album's second internationally released single in 2004 and became Lavigne's fourth most successful single. It peaked higher than "Don't Tell Me", the album's first single. In the United Kingdom, it reached the top five; in the United States, it peaked at number nine (staying in #9 for 4 weeks), doing better in Mexico where it peaked at number 1. Structurally, the song is written in 4/4 style and has a repeated hook in both the chorus and in the intro and outro.
The RIAA certified "My Happy Ending" platinum in January 2005, making it Lavigne's second platinum single after "I'm With You" (2002).
[edit] Music video
The music video for "My Happy Ending" was written and directed by MTV and Grammy winner Meiert Avis. It was shot on location in Williamsburg, Brooklyn and Harlem, New York City. The video begins with Lavigne running down a street and entering a cinema, where she finds the film playing is a montage of her memories concerning a specific relationship she had. At first, the memories (shown in full color) are happy, depicting Lavigne at the park with her boyfriend, as he hands her a flower and they laugh together. They are also shown goofing off inside a laundromat. However, as Lavigne sings "so much for my happy ending", the memories start to lose color. Lavigne and her boyfriend lie in bed together, as she looks at him and he (obviously reeling from a disagreement) stares blankly away. The relationship culminates during the song's bridge inside a grocery store, where the boyfriend antagonizes Lavigne, insisting that he talk to her. He grabs her and tries to pull her into his embrace. Fed up, Lavigne turns and pushes him away. She proceeds to run out of the grocery store and down the street (from the beginning of the video), and to a guitar shop where she grabs a guitar and walks to the roof of the building, where she is seen performing with her band. There, she walks past the unapologetic boyfriend without looking at him. The theater film tears and the memories end, leaving the final seconds of the video as a close-up on Lavigne in the theater as she tries to decide if the break-up is happy after all. In the end, three other girls leave with Lavigne who know about the breakup as they watch from the restaurant.
Lavigne said of the video: "It's about a relationship that doesn't work out, and having to say goodbye to all of the memories and... all that stuff." When asked if the video for "My Happy Ending" actually contains a happy ending, Lavigne said: "I don't know if the video has a happy ending. It kind of depends on how you look at it? In one way, it is because me and 'the guy' in the video aren't together anymore, and I think that's a better thing."
[edit] Critical reception
David Browne of Entertainment Weekly magazine commented "Lavigne herself sounds more burdened; ... the sk8erboi of the first album has turned out to be a selfish, nasty creep who ... treats her like crap".[3] Allmusic highlighted the song as a "track pick" in a review of the album, Under My Skin.[4]
In an AOL Radio listener's poll, "My Happy Ending" was voted Lavigne's third best song.[5]
[edit] In visual media
"My Happy Ending" was used for the movie Bring It On: All or Nothing.
The song was used in a season five episode of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, "Mea culpa" (November 25, 2004), in a season four episode of Smallville, "Facade" (October 6, 2004) and in a season five episode of Gilmore Girls, with Dean's little sister listening to it.[6] The song has also appeared in video games, and has been featured in three major karaoke series: Lips, SingStar, and Karaoke Revolution.
Lavigne sang the song during the closing ceremony at the 2010 Winter Olympics and it was used in trailer of "A Lot Like Love" with Ashton Kutcher and Amanda Peet in 2005
[edit] Track listing
| 1. |
"My Happy Ending" (clean version) |
3:58 |
| 2. |
"My Happy Ending" (live acoustic version) |
3:54 |
| 3. |
"Take Me Away" (live acoustic version) |
2:51 |
| 4. |
"Take It" (music ideo) |
2:49 |
| 1. |
"My Happy Ending" (album version) |
4:02 |
| 2. |
"Take It" |
2:49 |
| 1. |
"My Happy Ending" (album version) |
4:02 |
| 2. |
"My Happy Ending" (live acoustic version) |
3:54 |
| 3. |
"Take Me Away" (live acoustic version) |
2:51 |
| 4. |
"Take It" |
2:49 |
| 5. |
"My Happy Ending" (music video) |
4:00 |
| 1. |
"My Happy Ending" (radio version) |
3:58 |
| 2. |
"My Happy Ending" (album version) |
4:02 |
| 3. |
"Don't Tell Me" (live acoustic version) |
N/A |
| 1. |
"My Happy Ending" |
4:02 |
| 2. |
"My Happy Ending" (live acoustic version) |
3:54 |
| 3. |
"Take Me Away" (live acoustic version) |
2:51 |
| 4. |
"My Happy Ending" (music video) |
4:00 |
| 1. |
"My Happy Ending" (radio version) |
3:58 |
| 2. |
"My Happy Ending" (album version) |
4:02 |
| 1. |
"My Happy Ending" (radio version) |
3:58 |
| 2. |
"My Happy Ending" (album version) |
4:02 |
| 3. |
"My Happy Ending" (callout hook) |
0:10 |
- Notes
- The radio version of the song replaces the word "shit" with "stuff"; while in the music video, the word "shit" is simply censored by removing the "-it" portion of the word.
[edit] Charts and certifications
[edit] Charts
|
[edit] Certifications
[edit] Year-end charts
| Chart (2004) |
Peak
position |
| Australian Singles Chart[33] |
62 |
| Austrian Singles Chart[34] |
45 |
| Sweden Singles Chart[35] |
66 |
| UK Singles Chart[36] |
106 |
| US Billboard Hot 100[37] |
54 |
|
[edit] Awards
| Year |
Awards ceremony |
Award |
Results |
| 2004 |
Imperio Music Awards |
Video of the Year |
Won |
| 2005 |
Socan Awards |
Pop Music Award |
Won |
| Canadian Radio Music Awards |
Fan Choice Award |
Won |
| 2006 |
BMI Awards |
Best Pop Song |
Won |
[edit] Release history
[edit] References
- ^ a b "My Happy Ending Avril Lavigne". Allmusic. http://allmusic.com/album/my-happy-ending-r702813. Retrieved 13 April 2011.
- ^ "MUSICA ONLINE - ALTERNATIVO - AVRIL LAVIGNE - MY HAPPY ENDING". Sonicomusica.com. http://www.sonicomusica.com/alternativo/avril-lavigne/cancion/my-happy-ending/. Retrieved 13 April 2011.
- ^ Browne, David (24 May 2004). "Under My Skin (2004)". Entertainment Weekly. http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,640572,00.html. Retrieved 18 March 2009.
- ^ Thomas Erlewine, Stephen. "Under My Skin: Avril Lavigne". Allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/album/r688178. Retrieved 2009-03-18.
- ^ Cheung, Nadine. "Top 10 Avril Lavigne Songs". AOL Radio. Archived from the original on 15 January 2011. http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aolradioblog.com%2F2011%2F01%2F15%2Ftop-avril-lavigne-songs%2F&date=2011-01-15. Retrieved 15 January 2011.
- ^ "Avril Lavigne Music" Tunefind.com.
- ^ "Avril Lavigne - My Happy Ending". Acharts.us. Retrieved March 6, 2011.
- ^ "Billboard Music - Allmusic.com". http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p529805/charts-awards/billboard-singles.
- ^ 'My Happy Ending' in Top40-Charts.com. Top40-Charts.com. 2006-10-02.
- ^ "Australian-charts.com – Avril Lavigne – My Happy Ending". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Hung Medien. Retrieved January 29, 2011.
- ^ "Avril Lavigne – My Happy Ending – Austriancharts.at" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Hung Medien. Retrieved January 29, 2011.
- ^ "Ultratop.be – Avril Lavigne – My Happy Ending" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Ultratop & Hung Medien / hitparade.ch. Retrieved January 29, 2011.
- ^ "Ultratop.be – Avril Lavigne – My Happy Ending" (in French). Ultratop 40. Ultratop & Hung Medien / hitparade.ch. Retrieved January 29, 2011.
- ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Radio Top100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: insert 200618 into search. Retrieved January 29, 2011.
- ^ "Lescharts.com – Avril Lavigne – My Happy Ending" (in French). Les classement single. Hung Medien. Retrieved January 29, 2011.
- ^ "Die ganze Musik im Internet: Charts, News, Neuerscheinungen, Tickets, Genres, Genresuche, Genrelexikon, Künstler-Suche, Musik-Suche, Track-Suche, Ticket-Suche – musicline.de" (in German). Media Control Charts. PhonoNet GmbH. Retrieved January 29, 2011.
- ^ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ – Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége" (in Hungarian). Rádiós Top 40 játszási lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved 2010-12-08.
- ^ "Chart Track". Irish Singles Chart. Irish Recorded Music Association. Retrieved January 29, 2011.
- ^ "Italiancharts.com – Avril Lavigne – My Happy Ending". Top Digital Download. Hung Medien. Retrieved January 29, 2011.
- ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 35, 2004" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40 Stichting Nederlandse Top 40. Retrieved January 29, 2011.
- ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Avril – My Happy Ending" (in Dutch). Mega Single Top 100. Hung Medien / hitparade.ch. Retrieved January 29, 2011.
- ^ "Topp 20 Single uke 39, 2004 – VG-lista. Offisielle hitlister fra og med 1958" (in Norwegian). VG-lista. Verdens Gang AS. Retrieved January 29, 2011.
- ^ "Spanishcharts.com – Avril Lavigne – My Happy Ending" Canciones Top 50. Hung Medien. Retrieved January 29, 2011.
- ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Avril Lavigne – My Happy Ending". Singles Top 60. Hung Medien. Retrieved January 29, 2011.
- ^ "Avril Lavigne – My Happy Ending – swisscharts.com". Swiss Singles Chart. Hung Medien. Retrieved January 29, 2011.
- ^ "Archive Chart" UK Singles Chart. The Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 29, 2011.
- ^ "Avril Lavigne Album & Song Chart History" Billboard Hot 100 for Avril Lavigne. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved February 9, 2011.
- ^ "Avril Lavigne Album & Song Chart History" Billboard Pop Songs for Avril Lavigne. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved February 9, 2011.
- ^ "Avril Lavigne Album & Song Chart History" Billboard Adult Pop Songs for Avril Lavigne. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved February 9, 2011.
- ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2004 Singles". Australian Recording Industry Association. http://www.aria.com.au/pages/aria-charts-accreditations-singles-2004.htm. Retrieved 2010-12-28.
- ^ "Associação Brasileira dos Produtores de Discos (ABPD)" (in Portuguese). ABPD. http://www.abpd.org.br/certificados_interna.asp. Retrieved 2010-12-28.
- ^ "RIAA – Gold & Platinum – Avril Lavigne". Recording Industry Association of America. 2004-11-18. http://riaa.org/goldandplatinumdata.php?resultpage=1&table=SEARCH_RESULTS&title=Happy%20Ending&perPage=25. Retrieved 2010-12-28.
- ^ "ARIA Charts – End Of Year Charts – Top 100 Singles 2004". Australian Recording Industry Association. http://www.aria.com.au/pages/aria-charts-end-of-year-charts-top-100-singles-2004.htm. Retrieved 2010-12-28.
- ^ "Austrian Annual Charts 2004". AustrianCharts.at. http://www.austriancharts.at/2004_single.asp. Retrieved 2011-01-14.
- ^ http://www.webcitation.org/5hboclA4v
- ^ "2004 UK Official Singles Chart" (PDF). Charts Plus. http://www.ukchartsplus.co.uk/ChartsPlusYE2004.pdf. Retrieved 2010-12-28.
- ^ http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/charts/yearendcharts/2004/hsititl.jsp
- ^ "My Happy Ending - Single by Avril Lavigne - CD Single on Amazon.co.jp". Amazon.co.jp. 2004-07-07. http://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B0002DRT54. Retrieved 2010-12-28.
- ^ "My Happy Ending - Single by Avril Lavigne - CD Single on Sonymusic.com.au". Sonymusic.com.au. 2004-07-19. http://www.sonymusic.com.au/cd/releaseDetails.do?catalogueNo=82876632342. Retrieved 2010-12-28.
- ^ "My Happy Ending - Single by Avril Lavigne - CD Single on Avril.de". Avril.de. 2004-07-19. http://www.avril.de/cd_detail.php?id=204&ac=lesen. Retrieved 2010-12-28.
- ^ "My Happy Ending - Single by Avril Lavigne - CD Single on Amazon.co.uk". Amazon.co.uk. 2004-08-02. http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0002LNB9E. Retrieved 2010-12-28.
- ^ "My Happy Ending - Single by Avril Lavigne - CD Single on Amazon.co.uk". Amazon.co.uk. 2004-08-02. http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0002LNB9O. Retrieved 2010-12-28.
- ^ "My Happy Ending - Single by Avril Lavigne - CD Single on Amazon.fr". Amazon.fr. 2004-11-08. http://www.amazon.fr/dp/B0002E4A8M. Retrieved 2010-12-28.
[edit] External links
