"Misery Business" is the first single from Paramore's second studio album, Riot!... along with it being the album's fourth track.
This is also their first mainstream hit on all genre's that Paramore gets pushed toward. It reached number 26 on the US Hot 100, number 3 on US Alternative Songs, and number 12 on US Pop Songs.
| All We Know (2006/2007) | Misery Business (2007) | Hallelujah (2007) |
|---|
Origin
The origins of Misery Business - the first single of the album - came from a message Hayley Williams posted on the band's LiveJournal, asking fans to post what they're ashamed of. "I found that people really were reaching out to someone to spill their guts to," she recalls, "so I did the same thing lyrically in the song and let everything out." The song became an instant hit, eventually receiving heavy rotation on MTV and other music television networks.
Music Video
The music video was filmed at Template:W in Template:W on December 21, 2006, and features a school and a band performance. It is directed by Shane Drake who also directed the videos for "Pressure" and "Emergency". It stars Amy Paffrath as the bully.
The music video starts out with the band playing the song with an assortment of "RIOT!"s (a reference to the albums name) in the background. It switches from the band playing to a high school, where a girl in a blue dress and heavy makeup walks in. The girl pushes the school cheerleaders aside her as she walks into the hallway. She cuts off a girl's braid with scissors, grinning at the girl while showing it to her. Later, as she is walking down the hall, a boy comes out of the nurse's station with his arm in a sling. She proceeds to push him into the wall, further injuring him. The band plays more, and the girl walks up on a girl and a boy together, obviously in love. She pushes the girl's face out of the way, and goes into a passionate kiss with the boy, then leaves, smiling. It switches again to the band playing, then the band comes out of a classroom together. Hayley Williams (a student body president and incharge of the high school) and the girl confront each other in the hall. Hayley reaches into the girl's bra and pulls out "false" pads, then uses a towel and wipes the girl's makeup off, exposing her for what she is. The video ends as the band finishes the song; and they walk away as Zac Farro turns around and laughs.
FBR+ also released an alternate cut of the video that removes the high school clips and features only performance (a low quality can be found here).
Chart Performance
| Chart (2007) |
Peak Position |
|---|---|
| Australia | 65 |
| Canadian Singles Chart | 67 |
| German Singles Chart | 79 |
| Dutch Top 40 | 28 |
| UK Singles | 17 |
| US Billboard Hot 100 | 26 |
| US Billboard Pop Songs | 12 |
| US Billboard Alternative Songs | 3 |
| US Billboard Adult Pop Songs | 31 |
Lyrics
I'm in the business of misery,
Let's take it from the top.
She's got a body like an hourglass it's ticking like a clock.
It's a matter of time before we all run out,
When I thought he was mine she caught him by the mouth.
I waited eight long months,
She finally set him free.
I told him I couldn't lie he was the only one for me.
Two weeks and we caught on fire,
She's got it out for me,
But I wear the biggest smile.
Whoa, I never meant to brag
But I got him where I want him now.
Whoa, it was never my intention to brag
just steal it all away from you now.
But God does it feel so good,
Cause I got him where I want him now.
And if you could then you know you would.
Cause God it just feels so,
It just feels so good.
Second chances they don't ever matter, people never change.
Once a whore you're nothing more, I'm sorry, that'll never change.
And about forgiveness, we're both supposed to have exchanged.
I'm sorry honey, but I'm passin' up, now look this way.
Well there's a million other girls who do it just like you.
Looking as innocent as possible to get to who,
They want and what they like it's easy if you do it right.
Well I refuse, I refuse, I refuse!
Whoa, I never meant to brag
But I got him where I want him now.
Whoa, it was never my intention to brag
just steal it all away from you now.
But God does it feel so good,
Cause I got him where I want him right now.
And if you could then you know you would.
Cause God it just feels so,
It just feels so good.
I watched his wildest dreams come true
Not one of them involving you
Just watch my wildest dreams come true
Not one of them involving.
Whoa, I never meant to brag,
But I got him where I want him now.
Whoa, I never meant to brag
But I got him where I want him now.
Whoa, it was never my intention to brag
just steal it all away from you now.
But God does it feel so good,
Cause I got what I wanted now
And if you could then you know you would.
Cause God it just feels so,
It just feels so good.
Trivia
- Misery Business is often shortened to 'Miz Biz'. Template:Clean
- An acoustic version of the song is available on the deluxe edition of Riot!.
- This song is playable on Guitar Hero World Tour,in which Hayley is a playable character having "video game texture."
- This song is featured on the in-game radio in the video game Template:W.
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