"Playing God" is a song by American rock band Paramore. It was released on November 15, 2010 as the fifth and last single from the band's third studio album, Brand New Eyes. It was written by Hayley Williams, Josh Farro, and Taylor York.
Release
In October, 2010, it was announced "Playing God" would be Paramore's next single on the Alter the Press! website, to be released on November 15, 2010. Lead singer Hayley Williams said on her Twitter: "Miss Anne will be making her final appearance in our new video for “Playing God”… She was the best car. She’ll live in our hearts 4ever".Writing and composition
The song was written by Hayley Williams, Josh Farro and Taylor York. Hayley said she wrote the song at a time when she felt "very angry". Williams also said the song is about people who judge issues concerning faith.When asked about the development of music during an interview on each track, Hayley said:
"The five of us met at the home of Josh and Zac and sat in the living room with two guitars and [the] bass of Jeremy. Josh and Taylor began playing guitar lines. Of course, we did. I had all sorts of letters on my old Sidekick and used that song was a completely different kind of music in my head. I had it all quickly and with a rude sound. I changed the melody a little and added a few things since Josh created the melody for the chorus. I'm screaming at people who think themselves right, with my own band mates and all that ever made me feel not good enough. But the tone of the music is completely different. It's pretty quiet and fun. When we arrived at the studio, the song still needed a bridge. So I sat at a piano and composed. It's one of my favorite places on the album - I love the call and response that I and Josh did. I feel this is one of those who've been waiting to write for a long time.
Reception
James Montgomery of MTV praised the video, noting: "Paramore are coming home, looking back, wrapping things ... It's a story that began with the band's future in serious doubt and ends with them stronger, happier and better than ever." He also stated; "So if "God" really is the end of the BNE line, well, then it's a fitting farewell. It is time for the band to turn the page, move on." His conclusion was that the video "was a bit of professionalism and fun, and I can not wait to see where they go from here." Emma Gaedeke Billboard magazine said: "'Playing God' plays off the same momentum that the video for 'Ignorance' did, as Williams is seen poisoning, detaining and interrogating her male bandmates with a magnifying glass in a dark basement ... While the video is an accurate representation of the ill-harbored feelings that the band once shared, there is no doubt that Paramore has since recovered. By the end of the video, Williams has untied the guys just enough so they can still rock out together, suggesting that while she may not be forgetting the past, she's definitely forgiving."Music video
The music video to promote the single was filmed on November 2, 2010 and was directed by Brandon Chesbro, who directed the band's previous videos, "The Only Exception" and "Careful". During the video's recording, Brandon posted several comments on his Twitter account, giving the news that the video was recorded during the day, and also revealing the first image from the filming of the video, depicting Hayley as what appears to be a housewife, with a pink hair color. The video was released on November 16. It was the last video to feature former band members Josh Farro and Zac Farro before the departure in 2010.Plot
The video was filmed entirely in the home of Williams in Franklin, Tennessee. The video begins with Hayley getting out of her car and entering the house. She then enters into a basement where there are four men (Josh, Taylor, Jeremy and Zac) seated and fastened with rope, and a single light bulb hanging over their heads. During the video, Hayley sits at a table with friends, where she starts to remember the moment in which she "poisoned" the men who are now in the basement. The video also shows Hayley as a "bad girl", which many Paramore fans found surprising and amusing. Hayley's friends shown in the video are also personal friends of the band in real life; seen on screen are the wife of Jeremy Davis; Kathryn Camsey, ex-member Hunter Lamb, Brandon Chesbro's wife and new member of the band on tour, Jon Howard. The video is supposed to be a sequel to Ignorance (song), as she is getting revenge on her band mates for doing exactly the same thing to her not too long ago.Chart positions
| Chart (2010) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Rock Singles (The Official Chart Company) | 5 |
| Portugal Singles Top (AFP) | 18 |