Rock N Roll

Album: Avril Lavigne (2013)
Charted: 68 91
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This upbeat pop-punk song is a boisterous declaration of rebellion on which Lavigne sings of putting up her "middle finger to the sky" to "let 'em know that we're still rock and roll." The tune was the second cut to be lifted from the Canadian singer's eponymous fifth studio album.
  • The track was produced by Max Martin (Britney Spears, Katy Perry) and co-written by Lavigne with her husband Chad Kroeger, Dr. Luke protégé Jacob Kasher, David Hodges from Evanescence, and Peter Svensson from The Cardigans.
  • The song's music video was directed by Chris Marrs Piliero (Britney Spears, Kesha) and shot on July 21, 2013. The comic book-style clip, which was was inspired by the 1995 cult film Tank Girl, finds Lavigne battling a bearshark as well as engaging in a post-car crash kiss with Danica McKellar. The actress turned New York Times bestselling author and mathematician is best known for playing Winnie, the girl fancied by Kevin Arnold on the late-'80s coming-of-age sitcom The Wonder Years. The visual also features Sid Wilson from the band Slipknot, whilst Titanic actor Billy Zane shows up in the finale sequence on a Segway. Lavigne described the clip to Billboard magazine as "a post-apocalyptic comic book adventure." She added: "I didn't want to just make a standard music video. I wanted to step it up."
  • At the beginning of the video, Avril harkens back to her 2002 song "Sk8er Boi" when she tells a caller, "How much more obvious can I make it - he was a boy, she was a girl."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Scott Gorham of Thin Lizzy and Black Star Riders

Scott Gorham of Thin Lizzy and Black Star RidersSongwriter Interviews

Writing with Phil Lynott, Scott saw their ill-fated frontman move to a darker place in his life and lyrics.

Marc Campbell - "88 Lines About 44 Women"

Marc Campbell - "88 Lines About 44 Women"They're Playing My Song

The Nails lead singer Marc Campbell talks about those 44 women he sings about over a stock Casio keyboard track. He's married to one of them now - you might be surprised which.

Andrew Farriss of INXS

Andrew Farriss of INXSSongwriter Interviews

Andrew Farriss on writing with Michael Hutchence, the stories behind "Mystify" and other INXS hits, and his country-flavored debut solo album.

Chris Fehn of Slipknot

Chris Fehn of SlipknotSongwriter Interviews

A drummer for one of the most successful metal bands of the last decade, Chris talks about what it's like writing and performing with Slipknot. Metal-neck is a factor.

Thomas Dolby

Thomas DolbySongwriter Interviews

He wrote "She Blinded Me With Science" so he could direct a video about a home for deranged scientists.

Superman in Song

Superman in SongSong Writing

Not everyone can be a superhero, but that hasn't stopped generations of musicians from trying to be Superman.