"Bad Girlfriend" is a song by Canadian rock band Theory of a Deadman and is the second single from their third studio album Scars & Souvenirs (2008). The track's lyrics describe the circumstances of when lead singer and guitarist Tyler Connolly met his now ex-wife in a bar in Vancouver. The band collectively composed the song which was produced by Howard Benson. It peaked at number 42 on the Billboard Canadian Hot 100 chart and number 75 on the Billboard Hot 100, and was their first single to reach number one on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart, making it the band's most successful release in the United States at the time.
| "Bad Girlfriend" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Theory of a Deadman | ||||
| from the album Scars & Souvenirs | ||||
| Released | May 14, 2008 | |||
| Recorded | September 2007–January 2008 | |||
| Genre | Hard rock[1] | |||
| Length | 3:25 | |||
| Label | ||||
| Songwriter(s) |
| |||
| Producer(s) | Howard Benson | |||
| Theory of a Deadman singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Music video | ||||
| "Bad Girlfriend" on YouTube | ||||
Background and development
edit"Bad Girlfriend" has been defined as a "tongue in cheek", "party-rocking tune",[2][3] with lead singer and guitarist Tyler Connolly labeling it a "stripper song".[4] The lyrics describe the events of when Connolly met his now ex-wife, Canadian actress Christine Danielle, at a bar called The Roxy in Vancouver. Howard Benson produced the track and Danielle assisted in the composition of the lyrics, including the explicit opening line, "My girlfriend's a dick magnet".[5][6][7]
Guitarist Dave Brenner acknowledged that the "raunchy, funny" tone of the single did not reflect the usual fashion of previous tracks, saying, "It shows a different side of Theory of a Deadman. The past albums have been pretty heavy content-wise and this one shows more of a sense of humor to Theory of a Deadman."[8] Connolly has also addressed that the record label despised the song and didn't want it on the album.[9]
Release and commercial performance
editThe song was released on May 14, 2008, as the second single off the band's third studio album, Scars & Souvenirs (2008). It peaked at number 42 on the Billboard Canadian Hot 100 chart.[10] In the United States, it reached number 75 on the Billboard Hot 100, making it the first of the band's songs to appear on this particular chart and their most successful single at the time.[11] It peaked at number eight on Billboard's Alternative Songs chart and spent two weeks at number one on the Mainstream Rock chart.[12][13]
Music video
editThe music video for "Bad Girlfriend" was directed by Colin Minihan and depicts the band performing as a woman leaves for work at a strip club unbeknownst to her significant other, who attends the club with friends and is surprised to see his girlfriend dancing on stage.[14]
Charts
edit| Chart (2008) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[10] | 42 |
| US Billboard Hot 100 (Billboard)[11] | 75 |
| US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)[12] | 8 |
| US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[13] | 1 |
Certifications
edit| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Canada (Music Canada)[15] | 2× Platinum | 160,000‡ |
| United States (RIAA)[16] | 3× Platinum | 3,000,000‡ |
|
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
References
edit- ^ Mervis, Scott (May 5, 2011). "Canadian Rockers Theory of a Deadman Take Cues from Seattle Grunge Era". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved April 26, 2019.
- ^ Ouellette, Mary (October 27, 2011). "Frontman Tyler Connolly Spills the 'Truth' on Theory of a Deadman's New Album". Loudwire. Retrieved April 1, 2019.
- ^ Erickson, Anne (October 20, 2015). "Theory of a Deadman's Tyler Connolly on 'Angel', Modern Rock and Go-to Gibsons". Gibson. Archived from the original on January 13, 2019. Retrieved January 12, 2019.
- ^ Benson, John (October 22, 2015). "Deadman Has a Theory About Writing Hit Songs". The Vindicator. Archived from the original on July 27, 2019. Retrieved January 12, 2019.
- ^ Divita, Joe (December 19, 2018). "Meet Howard Benson, the Producer Making Your Favorite Bands Hit Machines". Loudwire. Retrieved April 1, 2019.
- ^ Theory of a Deadman – Wikipedia: Fact or Fiction?. Loudwire. September 3, 2014. Event occurs at 10:27. Archived from the original on 2021-12-15. Retrieved December 29, 2018.
- ^ "Theory of a Deadman Frontman Says Marrying 'Bad Girlfriend' Is Good Idea". 105.7 The Point. November 24, 2008. Archived from the original on September 23, 2018. Retrieved December 29, 2018.
- ^ "Theory of a Deadman Sing Praises of 'Bad Girlfriend'". 105.7 The Point. July 10, 2008. Archived from the original on January 13, 2019. Retrieved January 12, 2019.
- ^ Marchand, Francois (July 11, 2011). "Theory of a Deadman Takes a Low-life Route to Truth". Calgary Herald. Retrieved April 1, 2019.
- ^ a b "Theory of a Deadman – Chart History: Billboard Canadian Hot 100 – Bad Girlfriend". Billboard. Retrieved October 14, 2019.
- ^ a b "Theory of a Deadman – Chart History: Hot 100 – Bad Girlfriend". Billboard. Retrieved October 14, 2019.
- ^ a b "Theory of a Deadman – Chart History: Alternative Songs – Bad Girlfriend". Billboard. Retrieved October 14, 2019.
- ^ a b "Theory of a Deadman – Chart History: Mainstream Rock Songs – Bad Girlfriend". Billboard. Retrieved October 14, 2019.
- ^ "Bad Girlfriend - Theory of a Deadman". MTV Networks. October 13, 2008. Archived from the original on March 17, 2009. Retrieved January 12, 2019.
- ^ "Canadian single certifications – Theory – Bad Girlfriend". Music Canada. January 13, 2021. Retrieved January 13, 2018.
- ^ "American single certifications – Theory of a Deadman – Bad Girlfriend". Recording Industry Association of America. February 16, 2023. Retrieved February 17, 2023.