Don't Tell Me

Album: Under My Skin (2004)
Charted: 5 22
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Songfacts®:

  • "Don't Tell Me" finds Avril Lavigne taking a stand against a guy who's trying to get in her pants. He turns on the charm when he wants sex, but otherwise he's emotionally absent. Avril considers it a "girl power" song, as she tells this guy how it's going to be. Lavigne was 19 when it was released.
  • Lavigne wrote the lyrics; her guitarist, Evan Taubenfeld, came up with the music. It was their first collaboration together - Taubenfeld was just screwing around on his guitar and came up with a beat. Lavigne liked it and began singing some lyrics from a song she was working on. Taubenfeld also worked with Lavigne on the Under My Skin track "Take Me Away," and contributed to her next two albums.
  • Lavigne implied this song was inspired by Limp Bizkit frontman Fred Durst. "He took a private jet out to one of my shows, expecting me to bang him," she told Rolling Stone. "He was disappointed that I wouldn't even go near him."

    Durst denied it, saying, "I don't really know her."
  • Butch Walker produced this song, which was issued as the lead single from Lavigne's second album, Under My Skin. Avril wanted "My Happy Ending," a song she wrote with Walker, to be the first single, but her record company insisted on "Don't Tell Me."
  • The video was directed by Liz Friedlander, whose other work includes "The Great Beyond" by R.E.M. and "You Learn" by Alanis Morissette. It finds Lavigne casting the guy off as she walks the streets of Los Angeles.

Comments: 19

  • Katrina from Philippines#IdolSince2004
  • Aviva from Somewhere, Mdi went to avril lavigne's concert in virginia on april 15 and dang it was awesome!!! it was my 2nd time seeing her in concert, and evan taubenfeld sang this song with her :)
  • Amanda from Galt, Cawow thats funny some ppl say i look like avril and ppl say my ex looks like fred, and my ex tried 2 fuk me and thats all he wanted how ironic lolz
  • Morgan from Gratnsville, Utthis song is so awesome parts of it are perfect for things to say to my ex
  • Faxmachine from Nyc, NdI luv this song!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Its gorgeous!!!!!1
  • Jen from Westville, NjLawrance, thank you for the correction, well put.
  • Kourtlyn from Helotes, TxI doubt she thinks she is punk.
    She is just a girl.
    That likes certain things.
    chill kids.
  • Heather from Stony Brook Long Island, Nystupid song avril levine is such a poser
  • Kimmy from Somewhere Out There, MalaysiaI totally agree with this song.. eventhough the lyrics r a lil lame n i think Avril is old enough to have sex.. but i totally agree that a lot of guys juz use gurls 4 sex n stuff like that.. not all guys can b trusted..Y can't some guyz c dat not all girls r willing 2 give up everything just 4 them..
  • E from Vancouver, CanadaQuite possibly the worst song ever written, and the video is just as dumb.
  • Lola from Worcester, MaThis song has a positive message about not giving into a guy. Let me give Avril credit for writing a song with such a message that her peers wouldn't be able to deliver i.e. Britney, Christina etc. When I listened to this song, I replayed it over and over, the lyrics although somewhat childish, are still very honest. I can relate to this song "I guess it wasn't enough, to take up some of my love, guys are so hard to trust,..." and "If you get in my pants, I'll have to kick your ass and make you never forget..." and "Did I not tell you that I'm not like that girl-the one who throws it all away" Good job avril for not playing into the whole skanky aspect of fame like Britney. Her vocals are pretty good too, at least she sings her music with passion unlike Britney, or Ashlee Simspon.
  • Casie from Denver, CoThe lyrics could be a little on the left side but what can u say the second album was more like who cares now,my ex boyfriend was an idiot so he broke my heart and this album will be about how i hate him and how things feel without him at the same time.
  • Casie from Denver, CoThis song means that guys are so sweet and they try to act it and when u see who they really are their not even one bit how sweet they were. They tell you they trust you when they dont know what their saying,guys sometimes just want sex,thats it. Avril wrote this song because her ex bf in the first album the blonde hair dude just left her like that. I mean how can guys be so like that!
  • Brittany from Waverly, Nyi think she's old enough to have sex and not have to write a song about saying no..it sounds like a song they would play in a sex ed. class
  • Jl from Bretagne, FranceWhat a nice little angry girl. When she's a grown up, she might write actual rebel songs.
  • Zac from Gastonia, NcDoes she really think she is punk? Because those lyrics are far from punk....
  • Alexandra from Ontario, Canadai love this song! even when you tell a guy that your not going to give it up that easy and you dont want to do that stuff yet they always think that maybe they still have a little bit of a chance. you have to stand up for yourselves ladies! dont let a guys "charm" make you do soemthing your not ready to do.
  • Darlene from Sunnyside, NyThe song is awesome, the lyrics are a little iffy. Could be a bit better, I love Avril though.
  • Shawna from San Diego, Cagreat song, unfortunately it's the heartbreak kind of song and those songs suck. =D
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