selfie#theinternetisforever

Album: Love and War (2017)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Here, Brad Paisley pokes fun at people's obsessions with taking "selfies," a form of photography in which a person takes a snap of oneself with a digital camera or camera phone and shares the picture via social media. Other artists that have recorded songs about selfies include Chainsmokers, Nina Nesbitt and Santigold.
  • Brad Paisley namechecks the American football quarterback Brett Favre.

    Go on and take one at the Grand Canyon
    Or if you get to meet Ringo Starr
    But if you're texting some girl that you just met
    Pictures of your little Brett Favre


    In 2010, the NFL investigated Favre for allegedly sending below-the belt photos and inappropriate voice messages for Jets "Gameday host" Jenn Sterger during the 2008 season The ex-quarterback admitted leaving voicemails, but denied sending the nude images. Most Americans will pick up the reference to the Brett Favre sexting scandal. However Paisley was aware that in the UK, audiences would not recognize where he's coming from. He explained to Billboard magazine how he decided to change the lyric to fit a foreign market.

    "I was going to sing 'Selfie' there, but the thing I realized was there's a line in there that deals with an American football star who made a bad decision. So I asked someone, 'Has anyone in the U.K. or England taken a bad selfie or something?' And they were like, 'Oh yes, Vernon Kay would be the one you want! He's married but he was texting some pictures of his private parts to some girls and he did it again. He did it like two times.' And I'm like,' "Really? We need to put it in this song!'

    So I rewrote 'Selfie.' They laughed at every line like they were in America and when I get to the last verse, I changed it. I said, 'So you can go on and take one of Big Ben or Stonehenge, that's okay, but if you're texting some girl that you've just met, pictures of Little Vernon Kay, you ought to be ashamed.' They went insane, and it was so neat to see, 'Wow, we're all stupid in the same ways.' We share the exact same stupid decisions and dumb technology addictions I guess."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Album Cover Inspirations

Album Cover InspirationsSong Writing

Some album art was at least "inspired" by others. A look at some very similar covers.

Harry Wayne Casey of KC and The Sunshine Band

Harry Wayne Casey of KC and The Sunshine BandSongwriter Interviews

Harry Wayne Casey tells the stories behind KC and The Sunshine Band hits like "Get Down Tonight," "That's The Way (I Like It)," and "Give It Up."

Roger McGuinn of The Byrds

Roger McGuinn of The ByrdsSongwriter Interviews

Roger reveals the songwriting formula Clive Davis told him, and if "Eight Miles High" is really about drugs.

Into The Great Wide Open: Made-up Musicians

Into The Great Wide Open: Made-up MusiciansSong Writing

Eddie (played by Johnny Depp in the video) found fame fleeting, but Chuck Berry's made-up musician fared better.

James Bond Theme Songs

James Bond Theme SongsMusic Quiz

How well do you know the 007 theme songs?

Gary LeVox

Gary LeVoxSongwriter Interviews

On "Life Is A Highway," his burgeoning solo career, and the Rascal Flatts song he most connects with.