The Best Damn Thing (song)

"The Best Damn Thing"
Single by Avril Lavigne
from the album The Best Damn Thing
Released	24 June 2008 (2008-06-24)
Format	CD single, digital download
Recorded	2006
Genre	Pop punk,[1] pop[2]
Length	3:09
Label	RCA
Writer(s)	Avril Lavigne, Butch Walker
Producer	Butch Walker
Certification	Platinum (ABPD)
Avril Lavigne singles chronology
"Hot" (2007) "The Best Damn Thing" (2008) "Alice" (2010)
The Best Damn Thing track listing 12 tracks "Girlfriend" "I Can Do Better" "Runaway" "The Best Damn Thing" "When You're Gone" "Everything Back But You" "Hot" "Innocence" "I Don't Have to Try" "One of Those Girls" "Contagious" "Keep Holding On" Music video "The Best Damn Thing" on YouTube

"The Best Damn Thing" is a song by Canadian singer-songwriter Avril Lavigne. The song was written by Lavigne and Butch Walker, and produced by Walker for Lavigne's third studio album, The Best Damn Thing (2007).

The song was released on June 24, 2008, as the fourth and final single from The Best Damn Thing.^[3] The song received mixed reviews from music critics, some citing its similarities to Toni Basil's song "Mickey", and comparing it to her previous single "Girlfriend".

Chart performance

Though the single had no physical release in North America, it charted at number seven on the U.S. Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart and at number seventy-six on the Canadian Hot 100. However, it failed to re-enter the Billboard charts. In Germany, it debuted at number sixty-four, becoming her lowest peaking single there. The song was planned for a UK release, but the idea was dropped because of poor charting worldwide. However, the music video had frequent airplay on UK music channels.

Critical reception

Allmusic highlighted the song as a 'track pick' in a review of the album, The Best Damn Thing.^[4] Darryl Sterdan of JAM! described the song as "Another cheerleader beat, another killer chorus and another brash vocal about how Avril hates having to open her own door. Call it Girlfriend Pt. 2".^[5]

Sal Cinquemani of Slant magazine noted similarities between The Best Damn Thing and Toni Basil's song "Mickey".^[6]

Music video

The music video was directed by Wayne Isham and was filmed on February 28, 2008. It premiered on Total Request Live Italy on April 4, and on the website Imeem on April 9 following an introduction by Lavigne.

Similar to the video for Girlfriend (Avril Lavigne song), the video shows Lavigne as three distinct characters: the leader of a cheerleading group called "Team Avril", herself wearing a bobbed pink wig and dress whilst playing an electric guitar, and herself with her band. She plays the drums towards the end of the video. Her brother Matthew and former band members Evan Taubenfeld and Devin Bronson appeared in the video.

Live performances

Lavigne performed the song and "I Can Do Better" on an episode of the American talk show Live with Regis and Kelly in April 2008. She also performed "The Best Damn Thing" on Music Station Japan on 12 September 2008.^[7]

Track listing

CD single^[8]

1. "The Best Damn Thing" – 3:10
2. "Girlfriend" (MSN Control Room) – 4:16
3. "Innocence" (MSN Control Room) – 3:59
4. "Hot" (MSN Control Room) – 3:36
5. "Losing Grip" (MSN Control Room) – 3:48

Charts

Chart (2008)[9]	Peak position
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 75)[10]	51
Belgium (Ultratip Flanders)[11]	14
Belgium (Ultratip Wallonia)[12]	18
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[13]	76
Czech Republic (IFPI)[14]	84
Germany (Media Control AG)[15]	64
US Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles	7
US Billboard Pop 100[16]	91

Certifications

Country	Certification
Brazil	Platinum[17]

References

1. ^ "Avril Lavigne Announces Release of Third Album". starpulse.com. 30 January 2007. http://www.starpulse.com/news/index.php/2007/01/30/avril_lavigne_announces_release_of_third. Retrieved 25 June 2010. "....up-tempo pop-punk anthems like "I Can Do Better," "The Best Damn Thing," and "Girlfriend"...." 
2. ^ "Avril Lavigne on SortMusic". SortMusic. http://www.sortmusic.com/_a/avril-lavigne-best-songs,len.html. Retrieved 25 April 2010. 
3. ^ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named allmusicmaxi; see Help:Cite errors/Cite error references no text
4. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Allmusic review, The Best Damn Thing". allmusic.com. http://www.allmusic.com/album/r1027173/review. Retrieved 25 June 2010. 
5. ^ Sterdan, Darryl (14 April 2007). "Jam! review". http://jam.canoe.ca/Music/Artists/L/Lavigne_Avril/AlbumReviews/2007/04/12/3992925-winsun.html. Retrieved 11 August 2010. 
6. ^ Cinquemani, Sal (15 April 2007). "Avril Lavigne - The Best Damn Thing". http://www.slantmagazine.com/music/review/avril-lavigne-the-best-damn-thing/1084. Retrieved 11 August 2010. 
7. ^ Avril Lavigne Live Music Station with performance of The Best Damn Thing and interview
8. ^ "The Best Damn Thing [Maxi Single - Avril Lavigne"]. AllMusic. 2008-06-24. http://allmusic.com/album/the-best-damn-thing-maxi-single-r1400771. Retrieved 2011-01-30. 
9. ^ aCharts
10. ^ "Avril Lavigne – The Best Damn Thing – Austriancharts.at" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Hung Medien. Retrieved January 29, 2011.
11. ^ "Ultratop.be – Avril Lavigne – The Best Damn Thing" (in Dutch). Ultratip. ULTRATOP & Hung Medien / hitparade.ch. Retrieved January 29, 2011.
12. ^ "Ultratop.be – Avril Lavigne – The Best Damn Thing" (in French). Ultratip. ULTRATOP & Hung Medien / hitparade.ch. Retrieved January 29, 2011.
13. ^ "Avril Lavigne Album & Song Chart History" Canadian Hot 100 for Avril Lavigne. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved January 29, 2011.
14. ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Radio Top100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: insert 200828 into search. Retrieved January 29, 2011.
15. ^ "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.
16. ^ Avril Lavigne - The Best Damn Thing Billboard Pop 100
17. ^ "Associaçăo Brasileira de Produtores de Disco". ABPD. http://abpd.org.br/certificados_interna.asp?sArtista=Avril%20Lavigne. Retrieved 2011-01-30. 

External links

• "The Best Damn Thing" music video on YouTube