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"Decode" | "Ignorance" | "Brick By Boring Brick" | ![]() |
"Ignorance" is the second track off of Paramore's third album Brand New Eyes and the first single. It is Paramore's eighth US single and ninth UK single. The song was made available for digital download on July 7, 2009, but was shown on Paramore.net the day before. "Ignorance" is the band's highest-peaking single in the UK, coming in at number #14.
Background[]
"In my eyes, this song is a huge turning point for the band. The truth of it is, growing up is not easy. We’re five different people who have to work towards the same goal on a daily basis. There were a lot of times when I felt really alone or angry or insecure. I don’t always feel good at confronting people, especially people that I love, like these guys. Sometimes it takes songs to get the point across. The song is from one person’s perspective. It’s unfair that I’m the one who gets to talk about it but it helped me a lot. The line ‘ignorance is your new best friend’ is about how I felt I was losing people, and I think the band did too. But it’s okay, we’re growing up. I love that song. I tried to mumble all the way through, but Taylor [York, guitarist] was right next to the speaker and heard every word. He gave me this fierce look – I thought he was going to kill me – and said, ‘So do you want to tell me about those lyrics?’ I ran into the bathroom, I was so nervous. But we talked for two hours and reconciled a lot of tough, heavy things. That song saved our band. Let’s see, what hasn’t already been said about this song? The guys and I needed this song. We really did. I don’t think any of those words were going to be said had they not been written to music. We were at our practice space and no one was coming up with anything. I could tell Josh was really bummed. He looked up at us and was like, ‘Listen, guys, I’m never gonna write another song like ‘Misery Business’ so get over it.’ Then he turned around and started playing this riff. I thought, “Well, that one will do”. Then I took the demo of it with me and wrote the lyrics on the way home in my car. “Ignorance” is like word-vomit put to guitars and spastic drumming."
- Hayley Williams
Music Video[]
Paramore Ignorance OFFICIAL VIDEO
The music video was filmed on July 23, 2009, and directed by Honey. It was released to the public Thursday, August 13, 2009, at 7:00 AM on AMTV, as well as all MTV platforms, networks, and websites. The full video leaked at midnight on August 13, 2009. The video shows Williams being singled out and ignored by other members of the band. She shines a light bulb directly in their faces, whilst describing how they ignore her and treat her like just another stranger in the lyrics. The cramped and bare setting emphasizes the inescapable, rising tensions between the band members. The video cuts between the band performing in a cramped little room, a larger performance area and a different personality of Williams being laid bare in white clothes, hair pulled back in the style of Björk's hair from her music video "Big Time Sensuality," as confirmed on her Twitter account. The video ends with the other members of the band being able to wrap the light bulb wire around Williams.
Alternative Music Video[]
There is an alternative version of the Ignorance music video that is very similar to the official video, in the same setting just with different shots of the band.
Alternative Ignorance Video
Audio[]
Ignorance
Lyrics[]
If I'm a bad person, you don't like me
Well, I guess I'll make my own way
It's a circle, a mean cycle
I can't excite you anymore
Where's your gavel? Your jury?
What's my offense this time?
You're not a judge but if you're gonna judge me
Well, sentence me to another life
Don't wanna hear your sad songs
I don't wanna feel your pain
When you swear it's all my fault
'Cause you know we're not the same
No, we're not the same, oh, we're not the same
Yeah, The friends who stuck together
We wrote our names in blood
But I guess you can't accept that the change is good
It's good, it's good
Well, you treat me just like another stranger
Well, it's nice to meet you, sir
I guess I'll go, I best be on my way out
You treat me just like another stranger
Well, it's nice to meet you, sir
I guess I'll go, I best be on my way out
Ignorance is your new best friend
Ignorance is your new best friend
This is the best thing that could've happened
Any longer, and I wouldn't have made it
It's not a war, no, it's not a rapture
I'm just a person, but you can't take it
The same tricks that, that once fooled me
They won't get you anywhere
I'm not the same kid from your memory
Well, now I can fend for myself
Don't wanna hear your sad songs
I don't wanna feel your pain
When you swear it's all my fault
'Cause you know we're not the same
No, we're not the same, oh, we're not the same
Yeah, we used to stick together
We wrote our names in blood
But I guess you can't accept that the change is good
It's good, it's good
Well, you treat me just like another stranger
Well, it's nice to meet you, sir
Well, I guess I'll go, I best be on my way out
You treat me just like another stranger
Well, it's nice to meet you, sir
Well, I guess I'll go, I best be on my way out
Ignorance is your new best friend
Ignorance is your new best friend
Ignorance is your new best friend
Ignorance is your new best friend
Well, you treat me just like another stranger
Well, it's nice to meet you, sir
Well, I guess I'll go, I best be on my way out
You treat me just like another stranger
Well, it's nice to meet you, sir
I guess I'll go, I best be on my way out
Charts[]
Chart (2009) | Peak
position |
---|---|
Australian ARIA Singles Chart | 35 |
Austrian Singles Chart | 17 |
Canadian Hot 100 | 96 |
Belgium Singles Chart | 14 |
Japan Hot 100 | 10 |
European Hot 100 | 34 |
German Singles Chart | 42 |
Swiss Singles Chart | 82 |
Irish Singles Chart | 49 |
New Zealand Singles Chart | 32 |
UK Singles Chart | 14 |
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 67 |
U.S. Billboard Alternative Songs | 7 |
U.S. Billboard Rock Songs | 20 |
Trivia[]
- The song was featured as a downloadable song on Rock Band 3 and can be transferred over to Rock Band 4.
Streaming[]
Brand New Eyes
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"Careful" | "Ignorance" | "Playing God" | ![]() |
Paramore MTV Unplugged
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- | "Ignorance" | "That's What You Get" | ![]() |
2010 Summer Tour EP
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- | "Ignorance" | "My Heart" | ![]() |
Alive In Europe
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Brand New Eyes |
---|---|
Songs | Careful • Ignorance • Playing God • Brick By Boring Brick • Turn It Off • The Only Exception • Feeling Sorry • Looking Up • Where the Lines Overlap • Misguided Ghosts • All I Wanted |
Bonus Tracks | Decode • Ignorance (Acoustic Version) • Where the Lines Overlap (Acoustic Version) • Brick By Boring Brick (Acoustic Version) • Turn It Off (Acoustic) |
Members | Hayley Williams • Josh Farro • Taylor York • Jeremy Davis • Zac Farro |
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Paramore MTV Unplugged |
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Songs | Ignorance • That's What You Get • Misery Business • Brick By Boring Brick • Decode |
Members | Hayley Williams • Josh Farro • Taylor York • Jeremy Davis • Zac Farro |
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2010 Summer Tour EP |
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Songs | Ignorance • My Heart |
Members | Hayley Williams • Josh Farro • Taylor York • Jeremy Davis • Zac Farro |
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Alive In Europe |
---|---|
Songs | Fast In My Car • That's What You Get • Decode • Ignorance • Now • Daydreaming • When It Rains • Last Hope • Interlude: Holiday • Crushcrushcrush • Ain't It Fun • The Only Exception • In the Mourning • Pressure • Misery Business • Still Into You |
Members | Hayley Williams • Taylor York • Jeremy Davis |