Miss Murder

"Miss Murder"
Song

"Miss Murder" is the first single and music video from AFI's seventh studio recorded album, Decemberunderground. "Miss Murder" was released on April 24 2006 with the U.S. release of Decemberunderground on June 6 2006.

The single was released to three separate radio stations on April 13 2006. Several audio stream rips appeared on a fan-run site that had gained exclusive permission from the band, but they have since been removed from the sites since the song's release to digital retailers such as iTunes.

There are eight known versions of this song. These are:

1. Miss Murder (Album Version) 3:26
2. Miss Murder (Radio Edit) 3:19
3. Miss Murder (UK Radio Edit) 3:00
4. Miss Murder (Extended Version) 3:53
5. Miss Murder (VNV Nation Remix) 6:02
6. Miss Murder (VNV Nation Instrumental Remix) 6:02
7. Miss Murder (Broken Spindles Remix) 4:12
8. Miss Murder (Broken Spindles Instrumental Remix) 4:12

Music video

The "Miss Murder" video, which was directed by Marc Webb, was world premiered on MTV's TRL on May 8 2006. AFI was also featured on the show the same day. The video was premiered at the Nokia Theater in New York City, New York. Over 1,000 AFI fans gathered in the theater for an exclusive listening party of the new album prior to the premiere of the video. Recently the video has taken the top spot on MTV2's T-Minus Rock.

A director's cut of the video was released first on Yahoo! Music, and later broadcasted on various television stations. This cut featured the song "Prelude 12/21", making the original Yahoo! release of this video the first ever appearance of Decemberunderground's introductory track in full studio quality, being that the album was not yet available in stores.

The video features a pale woman (presumably "Miss Murder") sitting at an ornately carved desk, and stamping an AFI "Decemberunderground" logo (3 rabbits evenly spaced around an AFI logo), then folding the paper and placing it in her mouth. In a separate ornately decorated building, Davey sits at a similar desk with a mirror, and pulls the same paper out of his mouth. Upon unfolding it, he sees the symbol, knowing that it is the indication of his imminent end.

The song begins, Hunter, Jade, and Adam spaced in a triangular fashion in the Grand Hall of the building, playing the song. Davey walks to the balcony, and standing on the ledge, begins saluting and rallying the massive mob that has gathered in the streets below. Davey is rallying the crowd to him, knowing that Miss Murder is coming for him.

Just before the bridge of the song, Miss Murder's face is revealed for the first time. She carries with her a black rabbit, and sets it on the ground. There is a shot of Davey turning in the chair of his desk, and seeing 16 black rabbits on the floor behind his desk. Davey picks one up and places it on his lap, seeming to resign to the fact that he is inevitably going to die. Suddenly the crowd in the street beneath the ledge disappears and Davey sees Miss Murder exiting out of the doorway of the building across the street. He becomes enraged, and returns to his desk to await his death. As the song finishes, Miss Murder approaches behind him, and touches his shoulder. Davey closes his eyes with a sigh, suggesting he's passed, while the rabbit cowers.

The video went on to receive three nods in the MTV Video Music Awards, but took home just one: that of the Best Rock Video.

Tracklisting

Miss Murder UK 5"

1. Miss Murder (Edit) 3:26
2. Don't Change (INXS Cover)
3. Silver and Cold (Live and Acoustic) - 4:07
4. Miss Murder (Video)

7" vinyl picture disc

1. Miss Murder (Edit) 3:26
2. Don't Change (INXS Cover) 3:16

Charts

Australia ARIA Top 50 Singles Chart
Week	01	02	03	04	05	06	07	08	09	10	11	12	13
Position	14	16	14	15	16	15	18	23	24	35	42	45	46

Trivia

• The song was played in the background at the beginning of an episode of ER.
• It is used as an entrance theme by professional wrestler LuFisto.
• Black rabbits appeared in the video like the ones on the cover of the album.
• Supposedly, Davey Havok wrote the song in response to Jeffree Star's "Plastic Surgery Slumber-Party" (Jeffree Star is a friend of Davey) in Jeffree Star's song he says: "...pageant parade, Suicide past beauty will never last..." in Miss Murder Davey says "...Hey Miss Murder can I make beauty stay if I take my life?" Both songs reference suicide and beauty.
• The video takes place in L.A. City Hall.

References

This song was performed on Saturday Night Live (on January 20) along with Love Like Winter. Before the band went on to play Miss Murder, the soundboard crashed causing muted lyrics.

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