Absolutely (Story of a Girl)
"Absolutely (Story of a Girl)" | ||||
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Single by Nine Days | ||||
from the album The Madding Crowd | ||||
Released | March 21, 2000 | |||
Studio | Tree Sound (Atlanta, Georgia) | |||
Genre | Power pop | |||
Length | 3:11 | |||
Label | ||||
Songwriter(s) |
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Producer(s) | Nick DiDia | |||
Nine Days singles chronology | ||||
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"Absolutely (Story of a Girl)" is a song by American rock band Nine Days for the group's fourth studio album, The Madding Crowd (2000). The song was released as the lead single from The Madding Crowd in March 2000 through 550 Music and Epic Records. The song is an upbeat power pop song written by vocalist and guitarist John Hampson for his wife, who was his girlfriend at the time it was composed. Brian Desveaux, the group's other guitarist, also receives songwriting credit. The song was recorded in Atlanta, Georgia, at Tree Sound Studios with producer Nick DiDia.
The song reached number six on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, and it also peaked within the top 10 in Canada and New Zealand. The song's music video was directed by Liz Friedlander and received airplay on MTV and VH1. The band's follow-up single, "If I Am", became a minor Hot 100 hit, peaking at number 68. "Absolutely (Story of a Girl)" was later featured, both in audio and in dialogue, in the movie Everything Everywhere All at Once. Multiple alternate versions of the song were written by Hampson for the movie.[1][2]
Background
"Absolutely" ended up being the band's only
Writing and composition
The song was written in August 1998 by the band's vocalist/guitarist, John Hampson, in an attempt to write in an edgier style.[5] Though he "exaggerated things and used tons of figurative language to express something," Hampson confirmed in a 2003 interview with music magazine Impose that it was written for his wife, Teresa Savino, who was his girlfriend at the time it was composed.[6][7] Its genesis stemmed from an argument the two had prior to a concert the band was playing on Long Island.[8] After their fight, he "saw her talking to someone across the room, and she started laughing. I realized that as much as she aggravates me, I absolutely love her when she smiles."[9] It was also inspired by Hampson's uncertainty about getting married: "I just wasn't ready. I was basically stalling her and making her cry. I was good at that."[10]
Hampson picked up a guitar and worked out the song's chorus and chords in 15 minutes.[3] He later completed the bulk of the song in one night, which was unusual for him. "I don't know where it came from, but everything was about a true feeling."[9] The song first appeared as a demo on Bootleg '98, a promotional CD by radio station WLIR, who were early supporters of the band.[3] After the band's record deal, it was re-recorded for its appearance on The Madding Crowd by producer Nick DiDia at Tree Sound Studios in Atlanta, Georgia.[11]
The song's music video was shot by director Liz Friedlander[12] in Los Angeles, California. It was the band's first music video, and received airplay on MTV and VH1.[5]
Critical reception
William Ruhlmann of AllMusic deemed "Absolutely (Story of a Girl)" "catchy" and reminiscent of Barenaked Ladies.[13] People praised the song's "chunky hooks and irresistible, sing-along, stop-and-start chorus".[14] Bridget Fitzgerald of HuffPost found the song "effortlessly catchy" and "adorable".[15] Sputnikmusic's Lincoln Green called "Absolutely (Story of a Girl)" "pretty sappy and uninteresting, but at the same time, it’s catchy and there’s a little charm behind all of the cheese. It’s a harmless power pop anthem that at worst is clichéd and fun to jam out to at best." Green also said that the song encapsulated the music of the early 2000s.[16]
Commercial performance
"Absolutely (Story of a Girl)" was the band's biggest single, and it charted worldwide on multiple music charts. In the United States, it debuted at number 25 on Billboard's Modern Rock Tracks chart in the issue dated April 15, 2000;
Internationally, it was also the group's biggest hit. It fared best in New Zealand, where it reached number seven;
The song was covered by the band Four Year Strong for their cover album Explains It All (2009).[33]
Formats and track listing
U.S. 7-inch (2000)
UK maxi single (2000)
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Europe CD single (2000)
Australia maxi single (2000)[34]
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Credits and personnel
Credits are adapted from the liner notes for The Madding Crowd.[11]
Locations
- Recorded at Tree Sound Studios in Atlanta, Georgia
- Mixed at Image Recording in Los Angeles, California
- Mastering at A&M Mastering Studios in Hollywood, California
Personnel
- John Hampson – guitars
- Brian Desveaux – vocals, guitars
- Nick Dimichino – bass guitar
- Vincent Tattanelli – drums, percussion
- Jeremy Dean – Hammond organ, piano, keyboards
- Nick DiDia – production, recording
- Chris Lord-Alge – mixing
- Karl Egsieker – second engineer
- Shawn Grove – recording assistant
- Robert Hannon – recording assistant
- Mark Rains – recording assistant
- Matt Silva – second mixing engineer
- Stephen Marcusson – mastering engineer
- Andrew Garver – digital editing
Charts
Weekly charts
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Year-end charts
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Release history
Region | Date | Format(s) | Label(s) | Ref(s). |
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United States | March 21, 2000 | Alternative radio
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[45] | |
April 3, 2000 |
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[46][47] | ||
April 28, 2000 | Contemporary hit radio | [48] | ||
United Kingdom | September 25, 2000 |
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Epic | [49] |
References
- Slash Film. Retrieved April 17, 2022.
- ^ Puchko, Kristy (April 6, 2022). "How a one-hit wonder became absolutely crucial to 'Everything Everywhere All At Once'". Mashable. Retrieved June 24, 2022.
- ^ a b c d Woodlief, Mark (July 5, 2000). "Nine Days 'Absolutely' Surprised By Success". MTV News. Retrieved April 29, 2017.
- ^ Celauro, Chris. "Nine Days Interview with Brian Desveaux of Nine Days: How They Escaped a Musical Deathtrap". ModernRock.com. Archived from the original on March 5, 2001. Retrieved April 27, 2010.
- ^ a b c Woliver, Robbie (May 14, 2000). "Dues Paid, Rock Band Is Climbing Charts". The New York Times. Retrieved April 30, 2017.
- ^ Wheeler, Dave (February 7, 2012). "Throwback Tuesday- Nine Days with Absolutely". Lite 98.7. Retrieved April 29, 2017.
- Today (U.S. TV program). NBC. September 16, 2016. Retrieved April 29, 2017.
- ^ Basham, David (June 12, 2000). "Nine Days Tells Story Behind The "Story Of A Girl"". MTV News. Retrieved April 29, 2017.
- ^ ISSN 0006-2510.
- ^ Interview with John Hampson, Impose, 2003
- ^ a b The Madding Crowd (liner notes). Nine Days. US: Epic/550 Music. 2000. BK 63634.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Basham, David (December 4, 2000). "Semisonic, Video Director Have 'Chemistry'". MTV News. Retrieved April 29, 2017.
- ^ Ruhlmann, William (May 16, 2000). "The Madding Crowd - Nine Days | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved August 29, 2017.
- ^ "Picks and Pans Review: The Madding Crowd". People. August 28, 2000. Retrieved August 29, 2017.
- The Huffington Post. Retrieved August 29, 2017.
- ^ Green, Lincoln (March 14, 2015). "Nine Days The Madding Crowd". Sputnikmusic. Retrieved August 29, 2017.
- ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved May 1, 2017.
- ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved May 1, 2017.
- ^ a b "Nine Days Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved April 30, 2017.
- ^ a b "Nine Days – Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved April 30, 2017.
- ^ a b "Nine Days – Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved April 30, 2017.
- ^ ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved December 16, 2023.
- ^ a b "Top RPM Singles: Issue 7180." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved October 7, 2019.
- ^ a b "Top RPM Rock/Alternative Tracks: Issue 9937." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved October 7, 2019.
- ^ a b "Nine Days – Absolutely (Story of a Girl)". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved April 30, 2017.
- ^ a b "Top Selling Singles of 2000". Retrieved October 10, 2015.
- ^ a b "Nine Days – Absolutely (Story of a Girl)". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved April 30, 2017.
- ^ a b "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 2, 2021.
- ^ a b "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 30, 2017.
- ^ "Now That's What I Call Music! 5 – Various Artists". AllMusic. Retrieved April 29, 2017.
- ^ "Summer Songs 1958-2015: The Top 10 Tunes of Each Summer". Billboard. May 8, 2015. Retrieved April 29, 2017.
- ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved May 1, 2017.
- ^ "Explains It All – Four Year Strong". AllMusic. Retrieved May 1, 2017.
- ^ "Absolutely (Story of a Girl) – Nine Days". AllMusic. Retrieved April 29, 2017.
- ^ "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 7194." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved October 7, 2019.
- ^ "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (31.9–6.10 2000)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). October 6, 2000. p. 10. Retrieved October 7, 2019.
- ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Nine Days" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved September 11, 2019.
- ^ "Nine Days – Absolutely (Story of a Girl)" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved April 30, 2017.
- ^ "Nine Days – Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved April 30, 2017.
- ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved December 16, 2023.
- Airplay Monitor. Vol. 8, no. 51. December 22, 2000. p. 54.
- ^ "Most Played Modern Rock Songs of 2000". Airplay Monitor. Vol. 8, no. 51. December 22, 2000. p. 38.
- ^ "The Best of 2000: Most Played Triple-A Songs". Airplay Monitor. Vol. 8, no. 51. December 22, 2000. p. 44.
- ^ "Most-Played Adult Top 40 Songs of 2001". Airplay Monitor. Vol. 9, no. 51. December 21, 2001. p. 54.
- ^ "Alternative: Going for Adds". Radio & Records. No. 1342. March 17, 2000. p. 104.
- ^ "Hot AC: Going for Adds". Radio & Records. No. 1344. March 31, 2000. p. 78.
- ^ "Gavin AC/Hot AC: Impact Dates". Gavin Report. No. 2298. March 31, 2000. p. 32.
- ^ "Gavin Top 40/Rhythm Crossover: Impact Dates". Gavin Report. No. 2300. April 14, 2000. p. 7.
- ^ "New Releases – For Week Starting September 25, 2000: Singles". Music Week. September 23, 2000. p. 27.