Did you know that Hayley Williams of Paramore felt conflicted about writing lyrics to one of the bands biggest hits? Or the controversy surrounding the concept of the band's breaktrhough album? Who was Hayley singing about in "Misery Business?" Watch the video as we answer these questions and more!
10 Fun Facts about RIOT! by Paramore
1. Music RIOT!
Paramore frontwoman Hayley Williams and producer David Bendeth argued over the album's title.
“For us, the title ‘RIOT!’ literally means an unbridled outburst of emotions. When we were writing, it seemed like our thoughts and emotions were coming out so fast that we couldn’t control them. It felt like there was a riot within us. So the album takes our passion to a new level; it’s just all raw energy.” - Hayley Williams; Paramore Band Info, Paramore.net (May 10, 2008)
"We argued [over the album name] for half an hour. I went to get a dictionary to tell her what “riot” meant, and after, she sat with me on the couch and she said, “You’re wrong. This is about a different kind of riot. You’re using it literally. Don’t do that... That’s not the riot I mean. I mean a riot of music of people at a show. That kind of riot." - David Bendeth; Paramore’s ‘Riot!’ Producer David Bendeth Reflects.., Taylor Weatherby, Billboard (Jun 13, 2017)
2. Creative Freedom
Fueled By Ramen allowed the band complete control over the album's developmental process.
"She was luckily on this label Fueled by Ramen... they really allowed their artists freedom. Even though it was kind of a major label, there were no constrictions on what we did, so we were able to really, literally make this record by ourselves, just the band and myself." - David Bendeth; Paramore’s ‘Riot!’ Producer David Bendeth Reflects.., Taylor Weatherby, Billboard (Jun 13, 2017)
3. Teenage Angst
The album was written while the entire band were still just teenagers.
"The drummer was 13. Zac [Farro] was just, maybe he was 14 by then, but no older, and Hayley was 17 and Josh [Farro] 17, or turning 18 – they were very, very young. But the process was awesome, because they were great musicians to begin with and Hayley could really sing, so it wasn’t like it took a whole lot of work when it came to performances. When it came to the writing part, Hayley was extremely prolific, as was Josh, so the team together, the two of them, was sensational." - David Bendeth; Paramore’s ‘Riot!’ Producer David Bendeth Reflects.., Taylor Weatherby, Billboard (Jun 13, 2017)
4.One For The Broken
Riot was created to help inspire people going through difficult times.
"We made [Riot!] for people that, at that time, were going through a lot of things at home; that were dealing with things in their life. When I was making the record, I always thought about that kid that was out there, by themselves and lonely, and certainly dealing with bulls–t at home, at school, with friends — pain and suffering, depression. I felt like this was a ray of light, this record, that that would come through and make that drive to school, or whatever, that much more fun." - David Bendeth; Paramore’s ‘Riot!’ Producer David Bendeth Reflects.., Taylor Weatherby, Billboard (Jun 13, 2017)
5. One For The Fans
"Born For This" was written as a thank you to their fans.
“We wrote it as a message to them... They’re going to take us to the next level. Everything they’ve done has helped us so much… it’s really kept us going” - Hayley Williams; Paramore Band Info, Paramore.net (May 10, 2008)
The song also borrows the line "We want the airwaves back" from the song "Liberation Frequency" by Swedish hardcore band the Refused.
6. 6/8 Single
The songs that became singles surpised the producer who expected other songs from the album to take off more than they did.
"It’s funny, when we started the record, all of the songs that we thought were going to be singles, never were. “When It Rains,” I thought for sure was going to be a smash at radio. In fact, John Mayer heard it and said, ‘If that’s not a hit song, I quit the business.’ “Hallelujah,” we thought that was going to be the first single at some point... Even with “That’s What You Get,” which I think was the third single, the song was in 6/8. It’s very difficult to make something in 6/8 sound like a normal sound for Top 40. So, I felt like the risks that had been taken paid off." - David Bendeth; Paramore’s ‘Riot!’ Producer David Bendeth Reflects.., Taylor Weatherby, Billboard (Jun 13, 2017)
7. Alternative Girl
Hayley Williams refused to become a pop-style Top 40s singer despite pressure from the label.
"The problem was, we didn’t know where we were going to go with [Riot!] with radio. The plan from the beginning with the label was to get [Hayley] to be a top 40 artist, a pop artist like P!nk and Britney. They thought we had gone too rock.
But [Hayley] was angry. She wasn’t going to write about sappy love. There was no way. She appreciated it, she loved *NSYNC and the Backstreet Boys... but that was not what she was about to do... She wanted to be able to be an alternative-type artist, in the sense that she could take risks and sort of follow her heart lyrically." - David Bendeth; Paramore’s ‘Riot!’ Producer David Bendeth Reflects.., Taylor Weatherby, Billboard (Jun 13, 2017)
8. Mexico Business
Producer David Bendeth didn't think that "Misery Business" would ever get played on the radio.
"“Misery Business” was called “Mexico” at the time, and it was pretty well together... Everybody in the band and the A&R guy ended up loving that song from the beginning — and I liked the song, but I thought it was kind of kitschy... I didn’t think it was going to get on the radio.
9. Big D*** Energy
"Misery Business" is undeniably one of the
band's biggest hits, leaving many to speculate who the song was written
about. In a 2020 interview with Alternative Press, Hayley revealed that
the song was about bandmate Josh Farro.
"When I was 13 or 14 and I had a
crush on Josh, he didn’t like me back... He would go hang
out with his girlfriend, who I wrote 'Misery Business' about because I
was a dick." - Hayley Williams; Hayley Williams finally revealed who "Misery Business" is about, Koltan Greenwood, Alternative Press (May 8, 2020) - https://www.altpress.com/hayley-williams-says-who-paramore-misery-business-is-about/
10. Hayley's Regret
In 2015, Hayley Williams confessed that she no longer relates to the lyrics of one of the band's biggest hits.
"Misery Business is not a set of lyrics that I relate to as a 26 year old woman. I haven’t related to it in a very long time. those words were written when i was 17… admittedly, from a very narrow-minded perspective. it wasn’t really meant to be this big philosophical statement about anything. it was quite literally a page in my diary about a singular moment i experienced as a high schooler." - Hayley Williams; the girl from Paramore., Hayley Williams, Tumblr (May 31, 2015)
The band retired the song from their set-list in 2018 due to some uptight people's controversy over some of the lyrics. Fortunately, the song has since returned to the band's set-list as of 2022.
"Hayley was upset about that girl [who was the subject of “Misery Business”]. In fact, in the lyrics she wrote, “Once a whore, you’re nothing more” — and I remember at the time, she looked at me and said, “I don’t think I can sing this. I don’t think I can say this. This just isn’t me,” and I said, “Hayley, it is you and you wrote it. You have to sing it,” and she says, “I just don’t think it’s right. I think morally it’s wrong to call somebody that.” I said, “You’re not [calling somebody that]. You’re explaining the situation,” and she said, “Okay, I’m going to sing it. I’m not going to like it, but I’m going to sing it.”" - David Bendeth; Paramore’s ‘Riot!’ Producer David Bendeth Reflects.., Taylor Weatherby, Billboard (Jun 13, 2017)
Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riot!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Misery_Business
Hayley Williams finally revealed who "Misery Business" is about, Koltan Greenwood, Alternative Press (May 8, 2020) - https://www.altpress.com/hayley-williams-says-who-paramore-misery-business-is-about/
Hot Dogs by Tycho, Penny Arcade, April 7, 2008 - https://www.penny-arcade.com/news/post/2008/04/07/hot-dogs
Paramore Band Info; Paramore.net, May 10, 2008 - https://web.archive.org/web/20080510222857/http://www.paramore.net/about
the girl from Paramore., Hayley Williams, Tumblr (May 31, 2015) - https://yelyahwilliams.tumblr.com/post/120396521867