My Happy Ending

Not to be confused with Happy Ending (song).
"My Happy Ending"

International single cover
Single by Avril Lavigne
from the album Under My Skin
B-side "Take It"
Released June 16, 2004 (2004-06-16)
(see release history)
Format CD single
Recorded 2003–2004
Ruby Red Productions,
(Atlanta, Georgia);
Ocean Way Recording,
(Hollywood, California)
Genre
Length 4:02
Label
Writer(s)
Producer(s) Butch Walker
Avril Lavigne singles chronology
"Don't Tell Me"
(2004)		 "My Happy Ending"
(2004)		 "Nobody's Home"
(2004)
Alternative cover
Japanese physical single cover
Music video
"My Happy Ending" on YouTube

"My Happy Ending" is a song by Canadian singer-songwriter Avril Lavigne, written by herself and Butch Walker for her second studio 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 No. 9 for 4 weeks). 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). Allmusic highlighted the song as one of the most significant post-grunge songs of all time.[2]

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 losing 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 her boyfriend antagonizes her, insisting that he talk to her. He grabs her and tries to pull her into his embrace. Fed up, she 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 her 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 witnessing in the restaurant leave with Lavigne who know about the breakup as they befriend each other.

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."

Reception

"My Happy Ending" has generally received favorable reviews from critics. 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] Blender also did the same.[5] PopMatters thought "The second single, "My Happy Ending", suffers from a marked similarity to a few recent hits, notably Michelle Branch's "Everywhere" and Vanessa Carlton's "A Thousand Miles" (...) The ticklish good humor of "Sk8er Boi" has been subsumed by the sardonic regret of "My Happy Ending".[6]

In an AOL Radio listener's poll, "My Happy Ending" was voted Lavigne's third best song.[7]

As of September 2015, "My Happy Ending" had sold 1.2 million digital copies in the US.[8]

Usage in media

"My Happy Ending" was used for the movie Bring It On: All or Nothing. The song was also used in the trailer for A Lot Like Love with Ashton Kutcher and Amanda Peet.

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.[9] The song was used several episodes of MTV programs Date My Mom and Next.

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.

Track listing

Australia CD single
No.TitleLength
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"  2:49
France and United Kingdom CD single
No.TitleLength
1."My Happy Ending" (album version)4:02
2."Take It"  2:49
Germany, Italy and Taiwan CD single
No.TitleLength
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
Japan CD single
No.TitleLength
1."My Happy Ending" (radio version)3:58
2."My Happy Ending" (album version)4:02
3."Don't Tell Me" (live acoustic version)3:39
United Kingdom CD single
No.TitleLength
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
United Kingdom CD promo
No.TitleLength
1."My Happy Ending" (radio version)3:58
2."My Happy Ending" (album version)4:02
United States CD promo
No.TitleLength
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 (censorship)

Charts and certifications

Weekly charts

Chart (2004) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[10] 6
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[11] 8
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[12] 30
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[13] 30
Canada (Canadian Singles Chart)[14] 11
Czech Republic (Rádio Top 100)[15] 76
France (SNEP)[16] 39
Germany (Official German Charts)[17] 17
Hungary (Rádiós Top 40)[18] 16
Ireland (IRMA)[19] 7
Italy (FIMI)[20] 7
Japan (Oricon)[21] 76
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[22] 13
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[23] 12
Norway (VG-lista)[24] 6
Romania (Romanian Top 100)[25] 30
Scottish Singles Chart[26] 4
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[27] 6
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[28] 11
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[29] 23
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[30] 5
US Billboard Hot 100[31] 9
US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)[32] 1
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[33] 37
US Adult Top 40 (Billboard)[34] 3
Venezuela Pop Rock (Record Report) 1

Year-end charts

Chart (2004) Peak
position
Australian Singles Chart[35] 62
Austrian Singles Chart[36] 45
Sweden Singles Chart[37] 66
UK Singles Chart[38] 106
US Billboard Hot 100[39] 54

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/Sales
Australia (ARIA)[40] Gold 35,000^
Brazil (ABPD)[41] Platinum 100,000*
United States (RIAA)[42] Platinum 1,200,000[8]

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone

Awards

Year Awards ceremony Award Results
2004 Imperio Music Awards Video of the Year Won
2005 MuchMusic Video Awards People's Choice: Favourite Canadian Artist Nominated
Socan Awards Pop Music Award Won
MTV Video Music Awards Japan Best Female Video Nominated
Canadian Radio Music Awards Fan Choice Award Won
2006 BMI Awards Best Pop Song Won

Release history

Country Date Label Format
United States[43] June 16, 2004 Arista, RCA Mainstream radio
Japan[44] June 22, 2004 BMG Japan CD single
Australia[45] June 24, 2004 Arista
Germany[46]
United Kingdom[47][48] June 27, 2004
France[49] June 29, 2004

References

  1. ↑ Sensitive Thugs: 25 Songs for a Lonely Valentine's Day–Avril Lavigne "My Happy Ending" (2004) "This post-grunge banger got heavy rotation in the 'burbs."
  2. ↑ http://www.webcitation.org/682WFnGFX Significant Post-Grunge songs
  3. ↑ Browne, David (May 24, 2004). "Under My Skin (2004)". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved March 18, 2009.
  4. ↑ Thomas Erlewine, Stephen. "Under My Skin: Avril Lavigne". Allmusic. Retrieved 2009-03-18.
  5. ↑ http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.blender.com%2Fguide%2Fnew%2F52201%2Funder-my-skin.html&date=2010-12-19
  6. ↑ http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http%3A%2F%2Fpopmatters.com%2Fmusic%2Freviews%2Fl%2Flavigneavril-under.shtml&date=2010-12-19
  7. ↑ Cheung, Nadine. "Top 10 Avril Lavigne Songs". AOL Radio. Archived from the original on January 15, 2011. Retrieved January 15, 2011.
  8. 1 2 Trust, Gary (6 September 2015). "Ask Billboard: Avril Lavigne's Best-Selling Songs & Albums". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 6 September 2015.
  9. ↑ "Avril Lavigne Music" Tunefind.com.
  10. ↑ "Australian-charts.com – Avril Lavigne – My Happy Ending". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved January 29, 2011.
  11. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Avril Lavigne – My Happy Ending" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved January 29, 2011.
  12. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Avril Lavigne – My Happy Ending" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved January 29, 2011.
  13. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Avril Lavigne – My Happy Ending" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved January 29, 2011.
  14. ↑ 'My Happy Ending' in Top40-Charts.com. Top40-Charts.com. 2006-10-02.
  15. ↑ "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: insert 200618 into search. Retrieved January 29, 2011.
  16. ↑ "Lescharts.com – Avril Lavigne – My Happy Ending" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved January 29, 2011.
  17. ↑ "Musicline.de – Lavigne, Avril Single-Chartverfolgung" (in German). Media Control Charts. PhonoNet GmbH. Retrieved January 29, 2011.
  18. ↑ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Rádiós Top 40 játszási lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved 2010-12-08.
  19. ↑ "Chart Track: Week 34, 2004". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved January 29, 2011.
  20. ↑ "Italiancharts.com – Avril Lavigne – My Happy Ending". Top Digital Download. Retrieved January 29, 2011.
  21. ↑ "Avril Lavigne Ranking CD Single・ORICON STYLE" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved November 4, 2013.
  22. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 35, 2004" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40 Retrieved January 29, 2011.
  23. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Avril – My Happy Ending" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved January 29, 2011.
  24. ↑ "Topp 20 Single uke 39, 2004 – VG-lista. Offisielle hitlister fra og med 1958" (in Norwegian). VG-lista. Retrieved January 29, 2011.
  25. ↑ "Internet Archive Wayback Machine". Web.archive.org. October 13, 2004. Archived from the original on 2004-10-13. Retrieved 2012-04-09.
  26. ↑ http://www.officialcharts.com/charts/scottish-singles-chart/20040808/41
  27. ↑ "Spanishcharts.com – Avril Lavigne – My Happy Ending" Canciones Top 50. Retrieved January 29, 2011.
  28. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Avril Lavigne – My Happy Ending". Singles Top 100. Retrieved January 29, 2011.
  29. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Avril Lavigne – My Happy Ending". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved January 29, 2011.
  30. ↑ "14, 2004/ Archive Chart: August 14, 2004" UK Singles Chart. Retrieved January 29, 2011.
  31. ↑ "Avril Lavigne – Chart history" Billboard Hot 100 for Avril Lavigne. Retrieved February 9, 2011.
  32. ↑ "Avril Lavigne – Chart history" Billboard Pop Songs for Avril Lavigne. Retrieved February 9, 2011.
  33. ↑ "Avril Lavigne – Chart history" Billboard Adult Contemporary for Avril Lavigne. Retrieved April 19, 2015.
  34. ↑ "Avril Lavigne – Chart history" Billboard Adult Pop Songs for Avril Lavigne. Retrieved February 9, 2011.
  35. ↑ "ARIA Charts – End Of Year Charts – Top 100 Singles 2004". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 2010-12-28.
  36. ↑ "Austrian Annual Charts 2004". AustrianCharts.at. Retrieved 2011-01-14.
  37. ↑ http://www.webcitation.org/5hboclA4v
  38. ↑ "2004 UK Official Singles Chart" (PDF). Charts Plus. Retrieved 2010-12-28.
  39. ↑ http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/charts/yearendcharts/2004/hsititl.jsp
  40. ↑ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2004 Singles". Australian Recording Industry Association.
  41. ↑ "Brazilian single certifications – Avril Lavigne – My Happy Ending" (in Portuguese). Associação Brasileira dos Produtores de Discos.
  42. ↑ "American single certifications – Avril Lavigne – My Happy Ending". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH
  43. ↑ "®R&R :: Going For Adds™ :: CHR/Top 40". Gfa.radioandrecords.com. 2004-06-16. Retrieved 2012-12-29.
  44. ↑ "My Happy Ending – Single by Avril Lavigne – CD Single on Amazon.co.jp". Amazon.co.jp. July 7, 2004. Retrieved 2010-12-28.
  45. ↑ "My Happy Ending – Single by Avril Lavigne – CD Single on Sonymusic.com.au". Sonymusic.com.au. July 19, 2004. Retrieved 2010-12-28.
  46. ↑ "My Happy Ending – Single by Avril Lavigne – CD Single on Avril.de". Avril.de. July 19, 2004. Retrieved 2010-12-28.
  47. ↑ "My Happy Ending – Single by Avril Lavigne – CD Single on Amazon.co.uk". Amazon.co.uk. August 2, 2004. Retrieved 2010-12-28.
  48. ↑ "My Happy Ending – Single by Avril Lavigne – CD Single on Amazon.co.uk". Amazon.co.uk. August 2, 2004. Retrieved 2010-12-28.
  49. ↑ "My Happy Ending – Single by Avril Lavigne – CD Single on Amazon.fr". Amazon.fr. November 8, 2004. Retrieved 2010-12-28.
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