Wish You Were Here (Avril Lavigne song)

"Wish You Were Here"
Single by Avril Lavigne
from the album Goodbye Lullaby
Released September 9, 2011 (2011-09-09)
Format CD single, digital download
Recorded 2010; Maratone Studios, (Stockholm, Sweden)
Genre Pop rock[1]
Length 3:45
Label RCA
Writer(s)
Producer(s)
  • Max Martin
  • Shellback
Avril Lavigne singles chronology
"Smile"
(2011)		 "Wish You Were Here"
(2011)		 "Here's to Never Growing Up"
(2013)
Music video
"Wish You Were Here" on YouTube

"Wish You Were Here" is a song by Canadian recording artist Avril Lavigne from her fourth studio album, Goodbye Lullaby (2011). The song was released on September 9, 2011 by RCA Records as the third and final single from the album. "Wish You Were Here" was written by Lavigne along with the song's producers Max Martin and Shellback. According to Lavigne, the song shows her vulnerable side. Critical reception toward the song was positive, with critics praising it as a highlight on the album.

The accompanying music video for "Wish You Were Here" was directed by Dave Meyers and it premiered on September 9, 2011. Lavigne described the video as different from her previous work. Upon its release on the Internet, it received mixed to positive reviews from music critics who praised Lavigne's portrayal of emotions, and described it as dark. She further added "Wish You Were Here" to the set list of her tour, The Black Star Tour.

Background and released

"Wish You Were Here" is written by Lavigne, Max Martin, and Shellback, while produced by the latter two.[2] It was recorded at Maratone Studios in Stockholm, Sweden.[2] In a telephone interview with The Caprice, Lavigne confirmed that the song would serve as the third and possibly last single from Goodbye Lullaby.[3] During an interview with Artistdirect, Lavigne said that the song showed her vulnerable side.[4]

In an interview with MTV News, she stated that the song is the perfect tune for anyone who's not able to be with the ones they love this holiday season. "I’m excited about 'Wish You Were Here' being the single because it's a ballad and the song kind of represents the album definitely more so than the first single," she told MTV News about the song, which she performed during the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade last week. "That was kind of more my older stuff and more pop rock and aggressive and a lighter subject. Goodbye Lullaby, for me, was a record that I was writing for myself."[5] Lavigne also described her meeting with Martin and the work on "Wish You Were Here":

"He said some really kind things that really meant a lot to me. He worked with so many people and he's an artist, he's very sensitive. We wrote a couple really special songs together. It's kind of hard to work with someone new, and when I went in and did vocals on 'Wish You Were Here', I did my first take, and then Max stood up and was like, 'I'm so honored that you're here.' And it was a really special moment, where he understood me and I understood him. We connected and had a really great time. And it was really magic my first trip there."[6]

Composition
"Wish You Were Here"
A 26 second sample of the song's chorus, which features Lavigne's vulnerable side and how bad she wishes her boyfriend to be there beside her.
Problems playing this file? See media help.

"Wish You Were Here" was described as a midtempo power ballad song, while featuring soaring strings, piano and drum kits. The lyrics talk about missing someone and something we all go through in our lives.

In an interview with MTV News, Lavigne described the song as the most personal track on the album. "It was more raw and stripped-down and more emotional and I wasn't holding back," she said of working on the album. "[It's] sort of more song driven and the production was mainly just like a lot of acoustic guitars and loops and just all about the vocal; the vocal being clear and having an honest emotion to it. And saying that, yeah, the first two singles ['What the Hell' and 'Smile'] were more pop rock, and so now finally with this one, 'Wish You Were Here', being released, it feels right."

The song comes from a place deep inside and is very much about someone in Lavigne's life. "I love this song. I like this song because I wrote it about missing somebody and that's something that we all go through at some point in our lives," she explained. "It's just about looking back and remembering all those good times you shared with somebody, all the crazy moments. And that's life. We all experience that at some point, but it has a positive message."[7]

Critical reception

"Wish You Were Here" received largely positive reviews from critics. Jody Rosen, writing for Rolling Stone magazine, described "Wish You Were Here" as a "jangling power ballad".[8] Stephen Thomas Erlewine from Allmusic marked "Wish You Were Here" as a highlight of the album, Goodbye Lullaby.[9] Al Fox, an editor of BBC Music, said that the song is one of the tracks from the album where "Lavigne actually manages to communicate some real sentiment". He also commented that it is "an unassuming strum-along".[10] Bill Lamb of the website About.com found "interesting arrangements and musical settings" in the song.[11] While reviewing Goodbye Lullaby, Robert Copsey of Digital Spy concluded that the main theme of the song was based on the lines "I can be tough, I can be strong/ But with you it's not like that at all" and talked about Lavigne's divorce.[12] He further put the song in his list of "Possible future singles".[12]

On a more negative note, Mikael Wood of Spin magazine wrote that, in songs like "Wish You Were Here" and "Everybody Hurts", the "former brat-punk princess in dreary woe-is-me mode" can be found.[13] According to Jonathan Keefe of Slant Magazine, this song, along with others from Goodbye Lullaby, "mistake having a potty mouth for having an actual personality", stating it "fails to pass off 'Damn, damn, damn / What I'd do to have you here, here, here' as a hook".[14]

Chart performance

Even before being released as a single, the song peaked at number 99 on the Billboard Hot 100 and at number 64 on the Canadian Hot 100 on the week of the album's release.[15][16] Upon release to radio stations, the song entered the US Billboard Hot 100 Airplay at number 69 on November 13, 2011,[17] has peaked at 32, and re-entered the Canadian Hot 100 on November 19, 2011 at number 98.[18] It re-entered the Billboard Hot 100 at 84 and peaked at 65.[19] The song has sold over 500,000 units of digital copies in the USA. It was never released on radio in the UK, Germany and some other European countries.

Music video

Background and synopsis

"It's a song written about missing someone and looking back and remembering all the good times and all those awesome moments. The song is 'stripped down. It's kind of raw, but also emotional. I cry in the video and that was something that I did on purpose, but it was something that was real."

Avril Lavigne talking about "Wish You Were Here" with Billboard[20]

On August 9, on her official website, Lavigne posted pictures from the shooting of the music video for "Wish You Were Here", one of a red flower, and another of her lying on a wooden floor. Lavigne said that the video will be very raw and exposed, unlike her previous videos "What the Hell" and "Smile".[21] Dave Meyers was the director of the video.[22] On September 8, Lavigne posted on her Twitter and Facebook accounts "My music video for 'Wish You Were Here' is coming out tomorrow (and the tears are real... no onions!!)" confirming that the video will be posted on September 9.[23] She further described the video, "It's simple but emotional. Raw and real. Stripped down."[24] The video premiered on Lavigne's VEVO channel on September 8. It begins with her lying on a wooden floor wearing a black dress and barefoot, surrounded by leaves. She rises, and begins to sing. Lavigne picks up a red flower and begins picking off the petals. She sets the flower on fire,[23] and waves it in the air. As she continues singing, she starts to cry. Towards the bridge of the song, Lavigne is shown lying in a bathtub. She submerges herself, then suddenly rises, and steps out. Lavigne continues to sing, and steps towards the sunlight from a nearby window.

Reception

Shows Lavigne alone with a flower.

A writer for the magazine Billboard simply called the video "dark".[25] Leah Greenblatt of Entertainment Weekly said that Lavigne could have worn waterproof mascara in the video but she concluded that it "wouldn't be quite as cinematic."[26] Writing for AOL, Marina Galperina concluded "Unlike other recent videos 'What the Hell' and 'Smile,' this latest cut from the Goodbye Lullaby album is a bit somber."[24] Melinda Newman of HitFix concluded that Lavigne "looks beautifully anguished, but that's a lot of screen time and focus for any one artist to try to carry off." However, she added that the video doesn't "look as awkward as she did in the horrible video for 'What The Hell.'"[27] Amy Sciarretto of Pop Crush said: "It's a somber video with Avril as the only star, in a sad, dark place. It certainly resonates, though! Even a perky pop star like Avril Lavigne immune to sadness that comes with separation."[28]

According to Derek Johnson of Long Island Press was "heating up the Internet" with one million views on YouTube because Lavigne "is showing another side to fans".[22] Writing for Dose, Ottawa Citizen and The Vancouver Sun, Leah Collins gave the video a mixed review saying that Lavigne is "feeling a bit more mall-emo than mall-punk".[29][30][31] She added that Lavigne used "pyromania in the opening scenes, torching a gerbera daisy while wanly singing of lost love" before concluding "What's an Avril video without at least one act of age-inappropriate mischief, anyway?".[29][30][31] Pop Dust's Katherine St Asaph compared the scene where Lavigne is in the bathtub with the music video for Britney Spears' song "Everytime" but the two scenes have different meanings.[32]

Live performances

Lavigne performed the song on Good Morning America on November 22, 2011.[33]

Track listing

Digital download[34]
  1. "Wish You Were Here" – 3:45
  2. "Wish You Were Here" (Acoustic Version) – 3:45
CD single
  1. "Wish You Were Here" – 3:45
  2. "Wish You Were Here" (Acoustic Version) - 3:45
CD Single Deluxe Edition / Deluxe edition digital download[35]
  1. "Wish You Were Here" – 3:45
  2. "Wish You Were Here" (Acoustic Version) – 3:45
  3. "Smile" (Acoustic Version) – 3:33
  4. "Wish You Were Here" (music video) – 3:45
Limited fan edition CD single
  1. "Wish You Were Here" – 3:45
  2. "Wish You Were Here" (Acoustic Version) – 3:45
  3. "Smile" (Acoustic Version) – 3:33
  4. "What The Hell" (Acoustic Version) – 3:41

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from Goodbye Lullaby album liner notes.[2]

Charts and certifications

Chart (2011–12) Peak
position
Belgium (Ultratip Flanders)[36] 4
Belgium (Ultratip Wallonia)[37] 34
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[20] 64
Hungary (Rádiós Top 40)[38] 35
Japan Adult Contemporary Airplay (Billboard)[20] 33
Japan (Japan Hot 100)[20] 90
Lebanon (The Official Lebanese Top 20)[39] 3
Russia (Tophitru)[40] 47
Slovakia (Rádio Top 100)[41] 68
South Korea (Gaon Chart)[42] 6
US Billboard Hot 100[43] 65
US Adult Top 40 (Billboard)[44] 20
US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)[45] 30

Release history

Region Date Format Label
New Zealand[46] July 31, 2011 Radio airplay Sony Music/RCA
Australia[47] September 9, 2011 Digital download
Austria[48]
Belgium[49]
Germany[50]
Ireland[51]
Italy[52]
Luxembourg[53]
Mexico[50]
Netherlands[54]
New Zealand[55]
Norway[56]
Switzerland[57]
France[58] September 12, 2011
Australia[59] Radio airplay
Poland[60]
Finland[61] September 13, 2011 Digital download
Spain[62]
United Kingdom[63][64] October 23, 2011 Epic Records
Belgium[65] October 31, 2011 Digital download
(deluxe edition)		 Sony Music/Epic Records
Canada[66]
France[67]
Greece[68]
Ireland[69]
Italy[70]
Luxembourg[71]
Netherlands[72]
Portugal[73]
Spain[74]
Switzerland[75]
United Kingdom[76]
United States[77]
United States[78] November 1, 2011 Mainstream radio Epic Records

Awards

Year Awards ceremony Award Results
2012 Juno Awards Juno Fan Choice Nominated
VEVOCertified Awards 100.000.000 Views Won

References

  1. ↑ MuuMuse Approved: Avril Lavigne – Wish You Were Here
  2. 1 2 3 Lavigne, Avril (2011). Goodbye Lullaby (Liner Notes) (Compact Disc). Avril Lavigne. RCA Records.
  3. ↑ "Avril Lavigne announces third single off Goodbye Lullaby". Shuffle Me. Retrieved August 13, 2011.
  4. ↑ Sciarretto, Amy (December 8, 2010). "Avril Lavigne to Release "Goodbye Lullaby" on March 8". Artistdirect. Retrieved September 12, 2011.
  5. ↑ http://www.mtv.com/news/1675006/avril-lavigne-wish-you-were-here/
  6. ↑ Vena, Jocelyn (March 8, 2011). "Avril Lavigne Describes The 'Magic' Of Working With Max Martin". MTV News. MTV Networks. Retrieved September 12, 2011.
  7. ↑ http://www.mtv.com/news/1675006/avril-lavigne-wish-you-were-here/
  8. ↑ "Goodbye Lullaby by Avril Lavigne". Rolling Stone. Retrieved August 13, 2011.
  9. ↑ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Goodbye Lullaby Avril Lavigne". Allmusic. Archived from the original on March 4, 2011. Retrieved March 4, 2011.
  10. ↑ Fox, Al (February 25, 2011). "Goodbye Lullaby Review". BBC Music. BBC. Retrieved March 23, 2011.
  11. ↑ Lamb, Bill. "Avril Lavigne – Goodbye Lullaby". About.com. The New York Times Company. Retrieved September 12, 2011.
  12. 1 2 Copsey, Robert. "Avril Lavigne: 'Goodbye Lullaby'". Digital Spy. Hachette Filipacchi Médias. Retrieved September 12, 2011.
  13. ↑ Wood, Mikael. "Avril Lavigne 'Goodbye Lullaby'". Spin magazine. Archived from the original on March 4, 2011. Retrieved March 4, 2011.
  14. ↑ Jonathan Keefe (March 6, 2011). "Music Review: Avril Lavigne: Goodbye Lullaby". Slant Magazine. Retrieved March 7, 2011.
  15. ↑ "Week of March 26, 2011". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media Inc. March 23, 2011. Retrieved March 28, 2011.
  16. ↑ Corner, Lewis (September 9, 2011). "Avril Lavigne debuts new single 'Wish You Were Here' music video". Digital Spy. Hachette Filipacchi Médias. Retrieved September 12, 2011.
  17. ↑ US Airplay Top 100 (November 13, 2011) – Music Charts. Acharts.us (November 13, 2011).
  18. ↑ Canada Singles Top 100 (November 19, 2011) – Music Charts. Acharts.us (November 19, 2011).
  19. ↑ "Wish You Were Here – Avril Lavigne". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media Inc. Retrieved March 23, 2011.
  20. 1 2 3 4 Aguila, Justino (September 19, 2011). "Avril Lavigne 'Cried for Real' in Raw 'Wish You Were Here' Video". Billboard. Los Angeles: Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved September 20, 20112. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
  21. ↑ The Official Avril Lavigne Site. Avril Lavigne.
  22. 1 2 Johnson, Derek (September 10, 2011). "Wish You Were Here Lyrics and Video". Long Island Press. Morey Publishing. Retrieved September 12, 2011.
  23. 1 2 Daw, Robbie (September 9, 2011). "Avril Lavigne Cries Through Her "Wish You Were Here" Video". Idolator. Buzz Media. Retrieved September 12, 2011.
  24. 1 2 Galperina, Marina (September 9, 2011). "Avril Lavigne Cries 'Real Tears' Alone in New 'Wish You Were Here' Video". AOL. Retrieved September 11, 2011.
  25. ↑ "Billboard Bits: Carrie Underwood Halfway Done New Album, New Avril Lavigne Video". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. September 9, 2011. Retrieved September 11, 2011.
  26. ↑ Greenblatt, Leah (September 9, 2011). "Avril Lavigne's new 'Wish You Were Here' video: Watch it here, and have a good Canadian cry". Entertainment Weekly. Time Inc. Retrieved September 11, 2011.
  27. ↑ Newman, Melinda (September 9, 2011). "Watch: Avril Lavigne emotes in new video for 'Wish You Were Here'". HitFix. Retrieved September 11, 2011.
  28. ↑ Sciarretto, Amy (September 9, 2011). "Avril Lavigne Cries Her Eyes Out in 'Wish You Were Here' Video". Pop Crush. Retrieved September 12, 2011.
  29. 1 2 Collins, Leah (September 10, 2011). "Watch as Avril Lavigne burns stuff and cries her mascara off in her new video". Vancouver Sun. Postmedia Network. Retrieved September 12, 2011.
  30. 1 2 Collins, Leah (September 10, 2011). "Crying in the bathtub and burning stuff". Ottawa Citizen. Postmedia Network. Retrieved September 12, 2011.
  31. 1 2 Collins, Leah (September 10, 2011). "Watch as Avril Lavigne burns stuff and cries her mascara off in her new video". Dose. Postmedia Network. Retrieved September 12, 2011.
  32. ↑ Katherine St Asaph (September 9, 2011). "Avril Lavigne Is Not Happy According to "Wish You Were Here" Video". Pop Dust. Retrieved September 12, 2011.
  33. ↑ null | Video – ABC News. Abcnews.go.com.
  34. ↑ "Wish You Were Here – Single by Avril Lavigne". Amazon. Retrieved 2011-11-02.
  35. ↑ "Wish You Were Here – Deluxe Single by Avril Lavigne". Amazon. Retrieved 2011-11-02.
  36. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Avril Lavigne – Wish You Were Here" (in Dutch). Ultratip.
  37. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Avril Lavigne – Wish You Were Here" (in French). Ultratip.
  38. ↑ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Rádiós Top 40 játszási lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége.
  39. ↑ "Lebanese Top 20 chart - January 15, 2012". 2012-01-15.
  40. ↑ "Основные параметры ротации трека на радиостанциях, работающих в системе TOPHIT.RU". Retrieved January 23, 2013.
  41. ↑ "SNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: insert 201151_52 into search.
  42. ↑ "Digital Comprehensive Chart: Overseas Week 12" (in Korean). Gaon Chart. Retrieved August 14, 2011.
  43. ↑ "Avril Lavigne – Chart history" Billboard Hot 100 for Avril Lavigne. Retrieved December 17, 2011.
  44. ↑ "Avril Lavigne – Chart history" Billboard Adult Pop Songs for Avril Lavigne. Retrieved December 17, 2011.
  45. ↑ "Avril Lavigne – Chart history" Billboard Pop Songs for Avril Lavigne. Retrieved December 17, 2011.
  46. ↑ "Most Added, July 31, 2011 – Avril Lavigne – Wish You Were Here". Radioscope. Retrieved August 13, 2011.
  47. ↑ iTunes – Music – Wish You Were Here – Single by Avril Lavigne. Itunes.apple.com (September 9, 2011).
  48. ↑ Wish You Were Here (2011) | Avril Lavigne | MP3 Musikdownloads 7digital Österreich. At.7digital.com.
  49. ↑ Wish You Were Here (2011) | Avril Lavigne | MP3 downloads 7digital België. Nl-be.7digital.com (September 9, 2011).
  50. 1 2 Wish You Were Here: Avril Lavigne: Amazon.de: MP3-Downloads. Amazon.de (January 1, 1970).
  51. ↑ Wish You Were Here (2011) | Avril Lavigne | MP3 Downloads 7digital Ireland. Ie.7digital.com.
  52. ↑ Wish You Were Here (2011) | Avril Lavigne | Downloads di MP3 7digital Italia. It.7digital.com.
  53. ↑ Wish You Were Here (2011) | Avril Lavigne | Téléchargements MP3 7digital Luxembourg. Lu.7digital.com.
  54. ↑ Wish You Were Here (2011) | Avril Lavigne | MP3 downloads 7digital Nederland. Nl.7digital.com (September 9, 2011).
  55. ↑ iTunes – Music – Wish You Were Here – Single by Avril Lavigne. Itunes.apple.com (September 9, 2011).
  56. ↑ Wish You Were Here (2011) | Avril Lavigne | MP3 Downloads 7digital Norge. No.7digital.com.
  57. ↑ Wish You Were Here (2011) | Avril Lavigne | MP3 Musikdownloads 7digital Schweiz. De-ch.7digital.com.
  58. ↑ Wish You Were Here (2011) | Avril Lavigne | Téléchargements MP3 7digital France. Fr.7digital.com.
  59. ↑ AVRIL LAVIGNE – Wish You Were Here – Issue 853. The Music Network.
  60. ↑ "Premiera nowego klipu Avril Lavigne" (in Polish). Empik.com. Retrieved September 9, 2011.
  61. ↑ Wish You Were Here (2011) | Avril Lavigne | MP3 Downloads 7digital Suomi. Fi.7digital.com (December 9, 2011).
  62. ↑ Wish You Were Here (2011) | Avril Lavigne | Descargas de MP3 7digital España. Es.7digital.com (September 13, 2011).
  63. ↑ "Wish You Were Here". play.com.
  64. ↑ hmvdigital UK – Wish You Were Here by Avril Lavigne. Hmvdigital.com (October 23, 2011).
  65. ↑ iTunes – Music – Wish You Were Here – Single by Avril Lavigne. Itunes.apple.com (October 31, 2011).
  66. ↑ iTunes – Music – Wish You Were Here – Single by Avril Lavigne. Itunes.apple.com (October 31, 2011).
  67. ↑ iTunes – Musique – Wish You Were Here – Single par Avril Lavigne. Itunes.apple.com (October 31, 2011).
  68. ↑ iTunes – Music – Wish You Were Here – Single by Avril Lavigne. Itunes.apple.com (October 31, 2011).
  69. ↑ iTunes – Music – Wish You Were Here – Single by Avril Lavigne. Itunes.apple.com (October 31, 2011).
  70. ↑ iTunes – Musica – Wish You Were Here – Single di Avril Lavigne. Itunes.apple.com (October 31, 2011).
  71. ↑ iTunes – Music – Wish You Were Here – Single by Avril Lavigne. Itunes.apple.com (October 31, 2011).
  72. ↑ iTunes – Muziek – 'Wish You Were Here – Single' van Avril Lavigne. Itunes.apple.com (October 31, 2011).
  73. ↑ iTunes – Music – Wish You Were Here – Single by Avril Lavigne. Itunes.apple.com.
  74. ↑ iTunes – Música – Wish You Were Here – Single de Avril Lavigne. Itunes.apple.com (October 31, 2011).
  75. ↑ iTunes – Musik – "Wish You Were Here – Single" von Avril Lavigne. Itunes.apple.com (October 31, 2011).
  76. ↑ Wish You Were Here [+Video]: Avril Lavigne: Amazon.co.uk: MP3 Downloads. Amazon.co.uk.
  77. ↑ iTunes – Music – Wish You Were Here – Single by Avril Lavigne. Itunes.apple.com (October 31, 2011).
  78. ↑ Radio Industry News, Music Industry Updates, Arbitron Ratings, Music News and more!. FMQB.
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