Boyfriend (Ashlee Simpson song)
"Boyfriend" | ||||
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Hollywood, California) | ||||
Length | 2:59 | |||
Label | Geffen | |||
Songwriter(s) |
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Producer(s) | John Shanks | |||
Ashlee Simpson singles chronology | ||||
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"Boyfriend" is a song recorded by American singer Ashlee Simpson for her second studio album, I Am Me (2005). It was written by Simpson, Kara DioGuardi and John Shanks, who also produced the song. The song was released as the lead single from the album on September 6, 2005, by Geffen Records.
Song information
The lyrics of the song consist of Simpson insisting to another girl that "You really got it wrong: I didn't steal your boyfriend." Simpson initially denied rumors that the song refers to an alleged relationship with Wilmer Valderrama, ex-boyfriend of Lindsay Lohan, saying "It's not about one person in particular, it's just something every girl can relate to...It's a song about [how] every girl out there sometimes thinks you stole her boyfriend. It's just making fun of that."[1]
Simpson has, however, said that the song was her way of making fun of something she went through, and has said that she leaves the question of who the song is about up to the imagination; in one interview,
The song has been described as "a punky love triangle jam".[4] One review noted its rock guitar positively while saying that the song lacked "distinctiveness".[5] Originally, "L.O.V.E." had been planned to be released as the first single from I Am Me, but "Boyfriend" soon replaced it[1] ("L.O.V.E." did, however, become the album's second single). Months after it was promoted in the U.S., "Boyfriend" began to be promoted in the UK; Simpson went to the UK and performed the song on television shows there in January and February 2006. It was the only song from I Am Me released in the UK due to the commitments Simpson had in the U.S.
Chart performance
"Boyfriend" debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 in September at number 71[6] thanks in part to its strong downloads, and in its second week of release, it climbed from number 71 to number 24 (also rising from number 32 to number seven on the Hot Digital Songs chart),[7] making it Simpson's second biggest hit on the Hot 100 to date ("Pieces of Me" reached number five on the Hot 100 in 2004). Though it continued to drop for a couple of weeks after reaching number 24, it later rebounded on the charts and hit a new peak of number 19, making "Boyfriend" Simpson's second top twenty U.S. hit. In its 17th week on the chart, after falling out of the top 50, "Boyfriend" rebounded from number 75 to number 34; this put it ahead of "L.O.V.E.", Simpson's second I Am Me single, which was at number 36 and also rising on the Hot 100.
"Boyfriend" was Simpson's third song to reach the top 10 in Australia, where it debuted on the chart for the week ending October 31 and had the highest debut of the week at number eight; this was her highest debut to date on the
"Boyfriend" was on the
Music video
The single's music video, directed by Marc Webb, was filmed in Los Angeles, California over two days, August 31 – September 1, 2005.[13] It was the subject of an episode of the MTV show Making the Video that aired on September 12,[14] with the completed video premiering at the end of the episode. Simpson appeared to premiere the video on Total Request Live on September 13,[15] and it debuted on the TRL top ten countdown on September 14 at number nine, rising to number three the next day, and reaching number one on September 20.[16] It spent a total of three days at number one, and was on the countdown for 32 days, with its last day being November 7.[17]
The video starts off with a car chase as Simpson is pursued by the police. Eventually she evades them and reaches a junkyard, where she and her band perform the song before a crowd of young people. At the end of the video Simpson jumps into the arms of
Live performances
Simpson performed "Boyfriend" on
Track listings
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Charts
Weekly charts
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Year-end charts
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Certifications
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Australia (ARIA)[48] | Gold | 35,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
Release history
Region | Date | Format | Label | Ref(s). |
---|---|---|---|---|
United States | September 6, 2005 | Contemporary hit radio | Geffen | [49] |
Australia | October 24, 2005 | CD single | [50] | |
United Kingdom | January 30, 2006 | [51] | ||
Germany | March 31, 2006 | [52][53] |
References
- ^ a b Corey Moss, "Ashlee Says New Single Isn't Directed At Lindsay Lohan", MTV News, August 15, 2005.
- ^ Larry King Live, October 22, 2005. (see transcript)
- ^ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: Was Ashlee Simpson’s Song About Lindsay Lohan? | Plead The Fifth | WWHL. YouTube.
- ^ Jonah Weiner, "Sister Act 2", Blender, December 2005, page 117.
- ^ Bill Lamb, "Boyfriend" review Archived September 17, 2005, at the Wayback Machine, top40.about.com.
- ^ Barry A. Jeckell, "West Mines More No. 1s With 'Gold Digger'", Billboard.com, September 15, 2005.
- ^ Barry A. Jeckell, "Kanye Keeps Digging No. 1 Single", Billboard.com, September 22, 2005.
- ^ ARIA Charts - Accreditations - 2005 Singles Archived May 15, 2011, at the Wayback Machine, Aria.com.au.
- ^ "Boyfriend" chart positions by week , Chart Stats - UK Singles & Albums Chart Statistics.
- ^ Top 40 Singles Chart Archived March 9, 2009, at the Wayback Machine, RIANZ, weeks 7 November 2005–16 January 2006.
- ^ "Ashlee Simpson / Boyfriend". VG-Lista. Archived from the original on June 4, 2011. Retrieved June 28, 2012.
- ^ "Austria Top 40". OE3. Archived from the original on February 14, 2012. Retrieved June 28, 2012.
- ^ Making the Video; see also "For The Record: Quick News On Snoop Dogg, Mariah Carey, Andre 3000, Ashlee Simpson, Dillinger Escape Plan & More", MTV News, August 31, 2005.
- ^ "Boyfriend" Video Premiere On MTV" Archived September 27, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, AshleeSimpsonMusic.com, September 12, 2005. See also the TV.com page on this episode. Archived May 17, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Episode summary for TRL, September 13, 2005[permanent dead link], TV.com.
- ^ TRL Archive - September 2005 Archived November 3, 2006, at the Wayback Machine, Popfusion.net.
- ^ TRL Archive - November 2005 Archived November 3, 2006, at the Wayback Machine, Popfusion.net.
- ^ "Ashlee Simpson, The Veronicas Among The Winners At MTV Australia Video Music Awards" Archived September 3, 2009, at the Wayback Machine, MTV News, April 13, 2006.
- ^ "Ashlee Simpson Performs On Sessions@AOL", Popdirt.com, October 9, 2005.
- ^ "For The Record: Quick News On Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Ashlee Simpson, U2, Madonna & More", MTV News, October 10, 2005.
- ^ "Ashlee Simpson's Big Comeback" Archived February 2, 2011, at the Wayback Machine, ABC News, October 18, 2005.
- ^ TRL Archive - October 2005 Archived October 17, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, Popfusion.net.
- ^ "Ashlee Simpson Performs On 'The Tonight Show'", Popdirt.com, October 23, 2005.
- ^ Episode summary for The Ellen DeGeneres Show, October 24, 2005 Archived November 9, 2008, at the Wayback Machine, TV.com.
- ^ Ashlee Simpson Performs on 'Top of the Pops'", Popdirt.com, February 6, 2006; Episode summary at TV.com.
- ^ Boyfriend (UK CD1 liner notes). Ashlee Simpson. Geffen Records. 2006. 9850110.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Boyfriend (UK CD2 liner notes). Ashlee Simpson. Geffen Records. 2006. 9850111.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Boyfriend (Benelux CD single liner notes). Ashlee Simpson. Geffen Records. 2006. 0602498798584.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Boyfriend (Australian CD single liner notes). Ashlee Simpson. Geffen Records. 2005. 9886895.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ "Ashlee Simpson – Boyfriend". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved October 19, 2012.
- ^ "Ashlee Simpson – Boyfriend" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved October 19, 2012.
- ^ "Ashlee Simpson – Boyfriend" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
- ^ "Ashlee Simpson Album & Song Chart". Billboard. Retrieved June 28, 2012.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Ashlee Simpson – Boyfriend" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts.
- ^ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Dance Top 40 lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége.
- ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Boyfriend". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved January 15, 2020.
- ^ "Top 40 Tipparade week 11 van 2006" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved April 1, 2013.
- ^ "Ashlee Simpson – Boyfriend" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved October 19, 2010.
- ^ "Ashlee Simpson – Boyfriend". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved October 19, 2010.
- ^ "Ashlee Simpson – Boyfriend". VG-lista. Retrieved October 19, 2010.
- ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 24, 2014.
- ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 19, 2013.
- ^ "Ashlee Simpson Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved July 12, 2022.
- ^ "Ashlee Simpson Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved July 12, 2022.
- ^ "Ashlee Simpson Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved July 12, 2022.
- ^ "Pop 100". Billboard. Vol. 117, no. 48. November 26, 2005. p. 72.
- ^ "2005 The Year in Charts: Top Mainstream Top 40 Songs". Billboard Radio Monitor. Vol. 13, no. 50. December 16, 2005. p. 26.
- ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2005 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved November 10, 2012.
- ^ "FMQB: Radio Industry News, Music Industry Updates, Arbitron Ratings, Music News and more!". Archived from the original on October 31, 2005. Retrieved October 31, 2005.
- ^ "The ARIA Report: New Releases Singles – Week Commencing 24th October 2005" (PDF). ARIA. October 24, 2005. p. 29. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 19, 2005. Retrieved May 24, 2021.
- ^ "The Schedule: Singles". Music Week. January 28, 2006. p. 21.
- ^ "Boyfriend". Amazon Germany.
- ^ "Boyfriend". Amazon Germany.