Losing Grip Explained

Losing Grip
Cover:Avril Lavigne Losing Grip single cover.jpg
Type:single
Artist:Avril Lavigne
Album:Let Go
Genre:
    • Grunge nu metal[1]
Label:Arista
Producer:Clif Magness
Prev Title:I'm with You
Prev Year:2002
Next Title:Mobile
Next Year:2003

"Losing Grip" is a song by Canadian singer-songwriter Avril Lavigne, released as the fourth single and the first track from her debut album, Let Go (except in New Zealand, where "Mobile" was released), in March 2003. The song was written by Lavigne and Clif Magness, 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 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 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.[2]

Music video

The music video was directed by Liz Friedlander and was filmed on February 25 and 26, 2003 at the Angel Orensanz Foundation 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.

Awards and nominations

"Losing Grip" was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance, but lost to "Trouble" by Pink.

Award/Publisher! scope="col"
YearCategoryResult
align=center 2003align=center Best New Rock/Alternative Solo align=center [3]
Grammy Awardsalign=center 2004align=center Best Female Rock Vocal Performancealign=center [4]

Track listings

  1. "Losing Grip" (album version) – 3:53
  2. "Losing Grip" (live) – 4:56
  1. "Losing Grip" (album version) – 3:53
  2. "I'm with You" (live) – 3:57
  3. "Unwanted" (live) – 4:01
  4. "Losing Grip" (video)
  1. "Losing Grip" (album version) – 3:53
  2. "Losing Grip" (live) – 4:56
  3. "Naked" (live) – 4:24
  4. "Losing Grip" (video)
  1. "Losing Grip" (album version) – 3:53
  2. "Losing Grip" (live) – 4:56
  3. "Naked" (live) – 4:24
  4. "Losing Grip" (album version) – 3:53
  5. "Losing Grip" (live) – 4:56
  6. "Naked" (live) – 4:24

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2003)! scope="col"
Peak
position
Canada CHR (Nielsen BDS)[9] 8
Canada Rock (Nielsen BDS)[10] 39
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[11] 46

Year-end charts

Chart (2003)! scope="col"
Position
US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)[12] 99

Release history

Region! scope="col"
DateFormat(s)Label
United StatesMarch 24, 2003Contemporary hit radioArista[13]
AustraliaMay 5, 2003CD[14]
DenmarkJune 30, 2003[15]
Germany[16]
United KingdomJuly 7, 2003[17]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Cox . Jamieson . Avril Lavigne: Let Go Album Review . Pitchfork . December 17, 2018 . They also came up with roaring album opener 'Losing Grip,' which beat Evanescence to the nu-metal-pop punch by a solid year..
  2. Little Miss Can't Be Wrong . Eliscu . Jenny . 20 March 2003 . Rolling Stone . 16 March 2009 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090324020441/http://www.rollingstone.com/news/coverstory/avril_lavigne_five_feet_one/page . 24 March 2009 .
  3. Web site: Canadian Radio Music Awards - 2003 Winners. https://web.archive.org/web/20061207031519/http://www.cmw.net/2002/awards/popup_crma%20new.html. dead. December 7, 2006. 2003. Canadian Radio. November 21, 2009.
  4. Web site: MTV News: 2004 GRAMMY Winners . MTV.com . July 24, 2015 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20150502134948/http://www.mtv.com/news/topics/g/grammy/2004/nominees/nominees.jhtml . May 2, 2015 .
  5. Losing Grip. Avril Lavigne. 2003. UK CD Single liner notes. Arista Records. 82876534552.
  6. Losing Grip. Avril Lavigne. 2003. AUS CD Single liner notes. Arista Records. 82876524322.
  7. Losing Grip. Avril Lavigne. 2003. UK Maxi Single liner notes. Arista Records. 82876 53454 2.
  8. Losing Grip. Avril Lavigne. 2003. UK Cassette liner notes. Arista Records. 82876 53454 4.
  9. Web site: Canadian Top 20 in 2003. Cross Canada Countdown. https://web.archive.org/web/20050407223203/http://www.crosscanadacountdown.com/pdfs/2003.pdf. April 7, 2005. November 13, 2023.
  10. Book: Lwin, Nanda. Nanda Lwin. 2003. The Essential 2002 Chart Yearbook. Music Data Canada. 67. 1-896594-15-8.
  11. Eurochart Hot 100 Singles. Music & Media. 22. 31. 9. July 26, 2003. June 11, 2021.
  12. The Year in Charts 2003: Most-Played Mainstream Top 40 Songs. Airplay Monitor. 11. 51. 14. December 19, 2003.
  13. March 21, 2003. RR-2003-03-21.pdf. Radio & Records. 24.
  14. Web site: The ARIA Report: New Releases Singles – Week Commencing 5th May 2003. ARIA. 28. May 5, 2003. dead. https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20030506140000/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/23790/20030507-0000/Issue689.pdf. May 6, 2003. May 10, 2021.
  15. Web site: Avril Lavigne: Single. click2music.dk. da. https://web.archive.org/web/20030618130525/http://www.click2music.dk/denmark/default.asp. June 18, 2003. November 5, 2023. To view release date, select Lavigne Avril from Vælg kunster (A - Å), then click on Losing Grip.
  16. Web site: Losing Grip. Amazon Germany .
  17. New Releases – For Week Starting 7 July 2003: Singles. Music Week. 21. July 5, 2003. September 8, 2021.

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