"Misunderstood" is a song by American rock band Bon Jovi from their eighth studio album, Bounce. The single was first released in Japan as a double A-side with "Bounce" on November 13, 2002, and was released by itself in the United States the following month. "Misunderstood" peaked at No. 34 on Billboard's Mainstream Top 40 chart and was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal.[1] The single is a version of the album cut that was remixed by Tim Palmer at Electric Lady Studios in New York.
"Misunderstood" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | ||||
Single by Bon Jovi | ||||
from the album Bounce | ||||
Released | November 13, 2002 | |||
Length |
| |||
Label | ||||
Songwriter(s) | ||||
Producer(s) |
| |||
Bon Jovi singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Alternative cover | ||||
![]() | ||||
Music video | ||||
"Misunderstood" on YouTube |
Music video
editThe video begins with a girl, Jill (played by Rachel Nichols), opening the door to her room where she and her boyfriend, Jack (played by Tom Sandoval), live. As she enters, she catches both Jack and another woman (played by Camila Alves) naked in bed.[2] Shocked and embarrassed, Jack claims that it isn't what it looks like and begs her to let him explain. The video turns into a flashback and the music begins after an extended instrumental intro. The flashback shows Jack's far-fetched explanation with his dialogue displayed at the bottom of the screen interspersed with footage of Bon Jovi playing the song throughout. Here is Jack's dialogue:
"I was buying you flowers...I slipped and hit my head...I was unconscious...someone stole my wallet...I had amnesia...I wandered aimlessly...I found the pick-pocket...and chased him...into a bad situation! They put me in a box...and dumped me into the river! I floated for hours...finally I landed ashore...I just wanted to go home...but I was mistakenly arrested...and put behind bars. They finally caught the real crook...I ended up outside a secret club...I was front row at a Bon Jovi concert...and my memory came back! I was attacked by dogs...they ripped my clothes off...finally I made it to your bedroom...and just then an earthquake hit...and this girl fell through the ceiling!"
Then the video returns to the present and ends with Jack saying, "And that's exactly how it happened."
The uncut version of the video features different footage of Bon Jovi playing the song, as well as an extended beginning and ending which strongly implies that Jack was cheating on Jill. In the extended beginning, Jack can be heard moaning inside of Jill's room just as she opens the door. This is followed by alternate dialogue from Jill where after Jack tells her that it isn't what it looks like, she expresses her disbelief by asking him how it could possibly be anything else. This is then followed by additional footage where after Jack begs Jill to let him explain, she urges him to do so. Jack pauses for a moment, clearly unsure as to what he's going to say next which suggests that his following story is a complete fabrication. In the extended ending, after Jack finishes speaking, Jill produces a picture of him in their bed with two other women (seemingly engaged in a threesome). She asks him to explain that as well to which Jack nonchalantly says, "You know, there's an even better story for that."
NOTE: The instrumental intro was removed in the uncut version.
Summary
editOriginal (Censored) Version | Uncut Version |
Jill: Jack, what the hell is going on? | Jill: Jack, What the hell is going on in here? |
Jack: It's not what it looks like | Jack: Baby, baby just wait. This is not what it looks like |
Jill: There's a naked chick in your bed | Jill: Not what it looks like? How can it not be exactly what it looks like? |
Jack: Just let me explain, okay. Just let me explain (the word "explain" then echoes) | Jack: Just let me explain, okay. Just let me explain
Jill: Explain it to me, Jack |
The song plays as Jack tells his story | The song plays as Jack tells his story |
Jack:...and that's exactly how it happened (Jack slightly sticks his tongue) | Jack: ...and that's exactly how it happened (Jack slightly sticks his tongue) |
The music video ends | Jill: (Holds a picture of Jack seemingly engaged in a threesome) How do you explain this?
Jack: You know, there's an even better story for that (then the music video ends) |
Track listings
edit
Canadian and European CD single[3][4]
Australasian CD single[5]
European maxi-CD single[6]
|
UK CD1[7]
UK CD2[8]
|
Charts
edit
Weekly chartsedit
|
Year-end chartsedit
|
Certifications
editRegion | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[30] | Gold | 30,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
Release history
editRegion | Version | Date | Format(s) | Label(s) | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Japan | "Bounce" / "Misunderstood" | November 13, 2002 | CD | Mercury | [31] |
Australia | "Misunderstood" | December 2, 2002 | CD | Island | [32] |
Belgium | December 4, 2002 | [33] | |||
New Zealand | December 9, 2002 | CD | [34] | ||
United Kingdom |
|
Mercury | [35] | ||
United States | Hot adult contemporary radio | Island | [36] |
References
edit- ^ "GRAMMY Award Results for Bon Jovi". Grammy.com. November 23, 2020.
- ^ "Pump Rules' Tom Sandoval and Camila Alves Starred in a Bon Jovi Music Video". US Weekly. May 11, 2018.
- ^ Misunderstood (Canadian CD single liner notes). Bon Jovi. Island Records. 2002. 4400638172.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Misunderstood (European CD single liner notes). Bon Jovi. Island Records. 2002. 063 817-2.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Misunderstood (Australasian CD single liner notes). Bon Jovi. Island Records. 2002. 063 813-2.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Misunderstood (European maxi-CD liner notes). Bon Jovi. Island Records. 2002. 063 814-2.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Misunderstood (UK CD1 liner notes). Bon Jovi. Mercury Records. 2002. 063 815-2.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Misunderstood (UK CD2 liner notes). Bon Jovi. Mercury Records. 2002. 063 816-2.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ "Bon Jovi – Misunderstood". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved November 11, 2012.
- ^ "Bon Jovi – Misunderstood" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved November 11, 2012.
- ^ "Bon Jovi – Misunderstood" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved November 11, 2012.
- ^ "Bon Jovi Chart History (Canadian Digital Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved January 24, 2020.
- ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 21, no. 1. December 28, 2002. p. 7. Retrieved May 11, 2020.
- ^ "Bon Jovi – Misunderstood" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved October 19, 2018.
- ^ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Single (track) Top 40 lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved January 19, 2024.
- ^ "Irish-charts.com – Discography Bon Jovi". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved January 24, 2020.
- ^ "Bon Jovi – Misunderstood". Top Digital Download. Retrieved February 1, 2015.
- ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 49, 2002" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved December 4, 2018.
- ^ "Bon Jovi – Misunderstood" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved November 11, 2012.
- ^ "Arhiva romanian top 100 – Editia 1, saptamina 13.01–19.01, 2003" (in Romanian). Romanian Top 100. Archived from the original on February 17, 2005. Retrieved May 11, 2020.
- ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 4, 2018.
- ^ "Bon Jovi – Misunderstood" Canciones Top 50. Retrieved December 4, 2018.
- ^ "Bon Jovi – Misunderstood". Singles Top 100. Retrieved November 11, 2012.
- ^ "Bon Jovi – Misunderstood". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved November 11, 2012.
- ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 11, 2012.
- ^ "Bon Jovi Chart History (Bubbling Under Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved January 24, 2020.
- ^ "Bon Jovi Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved November 11, 2012.
- ^ "Bon Jovi Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved November 11, 2012.
- ^ "The Year in Charts 2003: Most-Played Adult Top 40 Songs". Airplay Monitor. Vol. 11, no. 51. December 19, 2003. p. 22.
- ^ "Brazilian single certifications – Bon Jovi – Misunderstood" (in Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
- ^ "バウンス | ボン・ジョヴィ" [Bounce | Bon Jovi] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved October 21, 2023.
- ^ "The ARIA Report: New Releases Singles – Week Commencing 2nd December 2002" (PDF). ARIA. December 2, 2002. p. 29. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 6, 2003. Retrieved May 9, 2021.
- ^ "New Releases Singles Week 49, 04 December 2002". Ultratop. Archived from the original on February 5, 2003.
- ^ "New Releases". netcd.co.nz. December 9, 2002. Archived from the original on December 11, 2002. Retrieved November 8, 2023.
- ^ "New Releases: For Week Starting 9 December 2002: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. December 7, 2002. p. 20. Retrieved September 1, 2021.
- ^ "Going for Adds" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1482. December 6, 2002. p. 18. Retrieved May 9, 2021.