Perfect (Simple Plan song)

2003 single by Simple Plan

"Perfect"

Single by Simple Plan
from the album  No Pads, No Helmets...Just Balls
B-side| "Happy Together"
Released| August 25, 2003 (2003-08-25)
Genre| Emo[1][2]
Length| 4:37
Label| Lava
Songwriter(s)|

* Arnold Lanni
* Simple Plan

Producer(s)| Arnold Lanni
Simple Plan singles chronology
| "Addicted"
(2003)  | "Perfect"
(2003)  | "Don't Wanna Think About You"
(2004)

|
|

"Perfect" is the fourth and final single released from Canadian rock band Simple Plan's debut album, No Pads, No Helmets...Just Balls (2002). It became a top-40 hit in the band's native Canada as well as in Australia, New Zealand, and the United States. The single's B-side, "Happy Together", is a cover of the 1967 Turtles song.

## Background and composition

[edit]

"Perfect" was written by the band with music composer Arnold Lanni. Regarding the lyric "Hey dad, look at me" and "I'm sorry I can't be perfect". Drummer Chuck Comeau stated that this song "is his idea", to tell his parents that he is not perfect, he cannot be perfect because Comeau's parents were not supportive of his career choice, so in the song Comeau tells that he made it and he is not perfect and he cannot be perfect.[3] Bassist and backing vocalist David Desrosiers also stated that this song was "about him" before he starts an acoustic version of the song. In another song of Simple Plan titled "Problem Child" (also sequel-alike for Perfect) from their fifth studio album Taking One for the Team (2016), Comeau stated that "Problem Child" is "a part 2 of Perfect". Comeau also stated that this song is about his brother who supports him in his music career.[4]

## Chart performance

[edit]

"Perfect" became Simple Plan's biggest hit on the US Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 24.[5] It was also a top-10 hit in Australia, peaking at number six,[6] and reached number 14 in New Zealand.[7] In 2005, the song become band's first top-10 single on the Canadian Singles Chart, peaking at number five.[8]

## Music video

[edit]

In the music video of the single, directed by Liz Friedlander, the band are playing on the roof of a house. Throughout the video, it shows how teens are trying to escape such pressure by letting everything out and realizing that they cannot keep their pain in any longer.

## Track listing

[edit]

Standard CD single[9][10][11]

1. "Perfect" (radio version)
2. "Perfect" (acoustic)
3. "Happy Together"

## Charts

[edit]

### Weekly charts

[edit]

| Chart (2003–2005)  | Peak
position

|

Australia (ARIA)[6] | 6
Canada (Nielsen SoundScan)[8] | 5
Canada CHR (Nielsen BDS)[12] | 13
Canada Hot AC Top 30 (Radio & Records)[13] | 28
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[7] | 14
US Billboard Hot 100[5] | 24
US Adult Pop Airplay (Billboard)[14] | 24
US Pop Airplay (Billboard)[15] | 5

### Year-end charts

[edit]

| Chart (2004)  | Position

|

Australia (ARIA)[16] | 32
US Adult Top 40 (Billboard)[17] | 80
US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)[18] | 29

## Certifications

[edit]

Region  | Certification | Certified units/sales

|
|

Australia (ARIA)[19] | Platinum  | 70,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[20] | Gold  | 15,000‡
United States (RIAA)[21] | Platinum  | 1,000,000‡

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

## Release history

[edit]

Region  | Date  | Format(s)  | Label(s)  | Ref.

|
|
|
|

United States  | August 25, 2003  | Contemporary hit radio | Lava | [22]
November 10, 2003  | Hot adult contemporary radio  | [23]
Australia  | April 5, 2004  | CD  | [24]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "23 Songs Every Former Emo Kid Will Never Forget". Buzzfeed. Retrieved December 22, 2019.
2. ^ "Simple Plan Have Released a Sad Song That Isn't A Sad Emo Ballad". Wall of Sound. Retrieved September 27, 2021.
3. ^ "{title}". Archived from the original on May 9, 2016. Retrieved April 22, 2016.
4. ^ "{title}". YouTube. Archived from the original on July 20, 2017. Retrieved April 22, 2016.
5. ^ a b "Simple Plan Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved February 12, 2018.
6. ^ a b "Simple Plan – Perfect". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved February 12, 2018.
7. ^ a b "Simple Plan – Perfect". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved February 12, 2018.
8. ^ a b "Simple Plan Chart History (Canadian Digital Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved January 30, 2020.
9. ^ Perfect (Canadian CD single liner notes). Simple Plan. Lava Records. 2004. CD 88304.`{{cite AV media notes}}`: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
10. ^ Perfect (European CD single liner notes). Simple Plan. Lava Records. 2004. AT0175CD.`{{cite AV media notes}}`: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
11. ^ Perfect (Australian CD single liner notes). Simple Plan. Lava Records. 2004. 7567883042.`{{cite AV media notes}}`: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
12. ^ "Canadian Top 20 in 2004" (PDF). Cross Canada Countdown. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 7, 2005. Retrieved June 3, 2024.
13. ^ "RR Canada Hot AC Top 30" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1552\. April 16, 2004. p. 55. Retrieved June 3, 2024.
14. ^ "Simple Plan Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved February 12, 2018.
15. ^ "Simple Plan Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved February 12, 2018.
16. ^ "ARIA Top 100 Singles for 2004". ARIA. Retrieved April 15, 2021.
17. ^ "2004 The Year in Charts: Most-Played Adult Top 40 Songs". Billboard Radio Monitor. Vol. 12, no. 51\. December 17, 2004. p. 26.
18. ^ "2004 The Year in Charts: Most-Played Mainstream Top 40 Songs". Billboard Radio Monitor. Vol. 12, no. 51\. December 17, 2004. p. 22.
19. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2004 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved January 23, 2015.
20. ^ "New Zealand single certifications – Simple Plan – Perfect". Radioscope. Retrieved January 22, 2025. Type Perfect  in the "Search:" field.
21. ^ "American single certifications – Simple Plan – Perfect". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved March 24, 2022.
22. ^ "Going for Adds" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1518\. August 25, 2003. p. 28. Retrieved May 18, 2021.
23. ^ "Going for Adds" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1529\. November 7, 2003. p. 23. Retrieved June 14, 2021.
24. ^ "The ARIA Report: New Releases Singles – Week Commencing 5th April 2004" (PDF). ARIA. April 5, 2004. p. 28\. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 6, 2004. Retrieved May 18, 2021.

* v
* t
* e

Simple Plan

* Pierre Bouvier
* Chuck Comeau
* Jeff Stinco
* Sébastien Lefebvre

* David Desrosiers
* Chady Awad
* Nicholas Kennedy

Studio albums|

* No Pads, No Helmets...Just Balls
* Still Not Getting Any...
* Simple Plan
* Get Your Heart On!
* Taking One for the Team
* Harder Than It Looks

Singles|

* "I'm Just a Kid"
* "I'd Do Anything"
* "Addicted"
* "Perfect"
* "Don't Wanna Think About You"
* "Welcome to My Life"
* "Shut Up!"
* "Untitled (How Could This Happen to Me?)"
* "Crazy"
* "When I'm Gone"
* "Your Love Is a Lie"
* "Save You"
* "Can't Keep My Hands off You"
* "Jet Lag"
* "Astronaut"
* "Summer Paradise"
* "I Don't Wanna Go to Bed"
* "Singing in the Rain"

Other songs|

* "Wavin' Flag" (Haiti mix)

Live albums|

* MTV Hard Rock Live

Extended plays|

* Get Your Heart On – The Second Coming!

Related|

* Discography
* Reset
* "History"

Authority control databases |

* MusicBrainz work

|

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