"Losing Grip" is a song by Canadian singer-songwriter
Avril Lavigne
Avril Ramona Lavigne ( ; born September 27, 1984) is a Canadian singer and songwriter. At age 16, she signed a two-album recording contract with Arista Records. Her debut studio album, ''Let Go (Avril Lavigne album), Let Go'' (2002), is the ...
, released as the fourth single and the first track from her debut album, ''
Let Go'' (except in New Zealand, where "
Mobile
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* Mobile, Alabama, a U.S. port city
* Mobile County, Alabama
* Mobile, Arizona, a small town near Phoenix, U.S.
* Mobile, Newfoundland and Labrador
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* Mobile ...
" was released), in March 2003. The song was written by Lavigne and
Clif Magness
Clifton “Clif” Magness is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and multi-instrumentalist, best known for co-writing and producing several tracks on Avril Lavigne’s 2002 debut album, '' Let Go'' including the song "Losing Grip". ...
, and produced by Magness. The song, which is lyrically about Lavigne "losing grip" with her boyfriend as they are just not meant to be, is much heavier with
grunge
Grunge (sometimes referred to as the Seattle sound) is an alternative rock genre and subculture that emerged during the in the American Pacific Northwest state of Washington, particularly in Seattle and nearby towns. Grunge fuses elements of p ...
oriented sounds than most of the songs on ''Let Go'' that had a more poppy feel. She performed "Losing Grip" at the
Juno Awards of 2003
The Juno Awards of 2003 were presented in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada on 6 April 2003. The primary awards ceremony was hosted that evening by Shania Twain at the Corel Centre (now Canadian Tire Centre) and televised on CTV television network, CTV.
...
. The song's video single was certified Gold by the RIAA on September 22, 2003.
Background
Arista Records intended for "Anything but Ordinary" to serve as the fourth single from ''Let Go'', although Lavigne successfully pressed the label to release "Losing Grip" instead.
Music video
The music video was directed by
Liz Friedlander and was filmed on February 25 and 26, 2003 at the
Angel Orensanz Foundation
The Angel Orensanz Center is an art and performance space on the Lower East Side of Manhattan in New York City. It was originally built as a synagogue, running through a succession of congregations and continues to be used as one occasionally. T ...
in
New York City. It shows scenes of Lavigne and her band performing in front of a large crowd. There are also shots of her
moshing and surfing through the crowd while pushing, punching and shoving people from time to time. The "crowd surfing" routine was practiced by other people on the audience during the shoot before Lavigne was allowed to do so.
Reception
Christina Saraceno of
AllMusic noted that "Losing Grip" allowed Lavigne to "show off" her vocal ability during the song's "explosive rock chorus". Sal Cinquemani of ''
Slant'' magazine also praised Lavigne's vocals and compared them to Canadian singer-songwriter
Alanis Morissette
Alanis Nadine Morissette ( ; born June 1, 1974) is a Canadian-American singer, songwriter, and actress. Known for her emotive mezzo-soprano voice and confessional songwriting, Morissette began her career in Canada in the early 1990s with tw ...
.
Awards and nominations
"Losing Grip" was nominated for the
Grammy Award for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance
The Grammy Award for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance was an award presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to female recording artists for works (songs or albums) conta ...
, but lost to "
Trouble" by
Pink.
Track listings
*CD
#"Losing Grip" (album version) – 3:53
#"Losing Grip" (live) – 4:56
*Australian CD
#"Losing Grip" (album version) – 3:53
#"
I'm with You" (live) – 3:57
#"Unwanted" (live) – 4:01
#"Losing Grip" (video)
*European CD
#"Losing Grip" (album version) – 3:53
#"Losing Grip" (live) – 4:56
#"Naked" (live) – 4:24
#"Losing Grip" (video)
*Cassette
#"Losing Grip" (album version) – 3:53
#"Losing Grip" (live) – 4:56
#"Naked" (live) – 4:24
#"Losing Grip" (album version) – 3:53
#"Losing Grip" (live) – 4:56
#"Naked" (live) – 4:24
Charts
Certifications
, -
! colspan="3", Video Single
, -
Release history
References
{{Authority control
Avril Lavigne songs
2003 singles
Music videos directed by Liz Friedlander
Songs written by Avril Lavigne
Arista Records singles
Songs written by Clif Magness
Nu metal songs
Grunge songs