Come Clean (Hilary Duff song)

"Come Clean"
Single by Hilary Duff
from the album Metamorphosis
B-side	"Why Not"
Released	January 13, 2004 (2004-01-13)
Format	CD single digital download
Recorded	2003
Genre	Pop rock
Length	3:35
Label	Buena Vista Hollywood
Writer(s)	Kara DioGuardi John Shanks
Producer(s)	John Shanks
Hilary Duff singles chronology
"So Yesterday" (2003) "Come Clean" (2004) "Little Voice" (2004)

"Come Clean" is a song recorded by American singer Hilary Duff for her second studio album, Metamorphosis (2003). It was written by Kara DioGuardi and John Shanks, while production was handled by Shanks. The song contains influences of electronica, with the lyrics chronicling the protagonist wanting to "come clean" with her love interest, from a strained relationship. The critics received "Come Clean" with mixed reviews. The song was released on January 13, 2004 as the album's second single.

The song peaked at number thirty five, becoming Duff's first top forty single in the US. But, the song failed to match the success of its predecessor "So Yesterday" (2003) in many other countries. It reached a peak of number seventeen in Australia and eighteen in the UK, while charting inside top twenty in Canada, Netherlands, Ireland and New Zealand. A remix of the song by Chris Cox was included on Duff's 2005 compilation album, Most Wanted, and in 2008, another remix of the song by Chico Bennett & Richard "Humpty" Vission was included on Duff's first greatest hits album Best of Hilary Duff.

The song was accompanied by a music video, directed Dave Meyers, which showed Duff inside a house on a rainy day, waiting for her love interest. The video was nominated in the category of Best Pop Video at the 2004 MTV Video Music Awards, but lost. The song was used in the theatrical trailer for the 2004 film A Cinderella Story, which stars Duff. It was used as the theme song for the MTV reality television shows Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County and Newport Harbor: The Real Orange County, and it is included on the soundtrack album for Laguna Beach.

Composition

"Come Clean"

The chorus of the song, backed by drums. It also incorporates elements of electronica music.

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In a 2005 interview with News Times, Duff said that the song is "obviously about a boy and a girl's relationship and it's just talking about how somebody thinks they're in the dark." "She's tired of it and he's tired of it and they're coming clean, whether it means they're gonna be together or not. They're laying all the cards out on the table and coming out with everything that hasn't been said basically.", she said. Duff cited the song as her favorite on Metamorphosis, saying it is "a little more mellow" than her previous single, "So Yesterday", "but it's not really pop. It sounds sort of like techno, but it's slow. It's really cool."

Musically, "Come Clean" is a moderately fast song in a tempo of 120 beats per minute. Written in the key of B Major, it features the sequence of G#mj7—E2—G#mj7 as its chord progression. Duff's vocals span from the note of F#3 to the note of B4.

Music video

Development and release

The single's music video was directed by Dave Meyers and filmed in Los Angeles on November 23, 2003. Meyers said of the video, "I'm trying to do something where you're taking her [Duff] very seriously ... very dramatic and very feminine, and sort of almost sensual. I don't think we've ever seen that from her. She's been a bit of a pop icon, so I'm just trying to give her a bit more credibility on an artist front."

In the U.S., the video premiered on MTV's Total Request Live on January 14, 2004. It entered the show's top ten video countdown the following day at number eight, and spent twenty-five days on the countdown, peaking at number three. It also reached the top 5 of Total Request Live UK.

Synopsis

In the video, Duff is shown in her house during a rainy day (reflecting the rain reference in the song), walking from room to room. Her friends arrive and watch television with her in the living room. The rainstorm intensifies over the course of the day, and the interior scenes are intercut with shots of a man in a car. At the end of the video, the man arrives at her house, and Duff ventures into the rain to talk to him. According to Meyers, "We never do know if the guy in the end is a boyfriend or friend or what the drama is. It's just all very photogenic and sophisticated and not too colorful." Duff said that the video "really shows that she's kind of in this monotone mood throughout the whole thing. She doesn't show too much emotion except that she's waiting for this boy, this guy, to come. You can't tell when they're running toward each other if they're gonna kiss or they're gonna hug or they're gonna hit each other. It's a bunch of different emotions."

Reception

The video was nominated in the category of Best Pop Video at the 2004 MTV Video Music Awards. The song won her a TMF Award in the Fake ID Category, and assisted her in winning the 2004 World Music Award for Best New Artist. The song was also shortlisted for the 47th Annual Grammy Awards in the category for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.

Chart performance

The song debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 chart of February 28, 2004, at number 53, and eventually peaked at number 35. As of July 27, 2014, the song had sold 655,000 copies in the United States.

Track listing

Australian maxi single
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Come Clean" (Radio Remix)	3:26
2.	"Come Clean" (Rhythmic Mix)	3:32
3.	"Come Clean" (Acoustic Version)	3:22
4.	"Hilary Speaks" (Exclusive Australian Interview)	3:26
5.	"Come Clean" (Video)
Total length:		13:46

CD Single (Canada)

1. "Come Clean" (Radio Edit) – 3:35
2. "Come Clean" (Rhythmic Mix) – 3:33

CD Single 1 (UK)

1. "Come Clean" (Radio Edit) – 3:35
2. "Why Not" – 2:59
3. "Come Clean" (Music Video) – 3:33

CD Single 2 (UK)

1. "Come Clean" (Radio Edit) – 3:35
2. "Come Clean" (Joe Mermudez & Josh Harris Main Mix) – 3:35
3. "Come Clean" (Cut to the Chase Club Mix — Radio Edit) – 3:29
4. "Come Clean" (Music Video) – 3:33

The Remixes (UK)

1. "Come Clean" (Cut to the Chase Club Mix — Radio Edit) – 3:29
2. "Come Clean" (Flood Remix Radio) – 3:44
3. "Come Clean" (Joe Bermudez & Josh Harris Main Mix) – 3:35
4. "Come Clean" (Cut to the Chase Club Extended Club Mix) – 5:31
5. "Come Clean" (Chris Cox Flood Remix) – 9:42

Credits and personnel

• Songwriters: Kara DioGuardi, John Shanks
• Production: John Shanks
• Recording and mixing: Rob Chiarelli

Source

Charts

Chart (2004)	Peak position
Australia (ARIA)	17
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)	33
Belgium (Ultratip Wallonia)	2
Canada (Nielsen SoundScan)	7
France (SNEP)	29
Ireland (IRMA)	16
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)	8
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)	17
Spain (AFYVE)	12
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)	78
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)	18
US Billboard Hot 100	35
US Billboard Pop Songs	9
US Billboard Adult Pop Songs	37

Certifications

Region	Certification	Sales/shipments
United States (RIAA)	Gold	500,000
*sales figures based on certification alone ^shipments figures based on certification alone

Release history

Country	Date	Format	Label
United States	January 13, 2004	Mainstream radio	Buena Vista Records Hollywood Records
Australia	January 19, 2004	Maxi single	WEA International
United Kingdom	April 12, 2004	CD single
		Maxi single
Germany	June 28, 2004	Maxi single
United States	October 19, 2004	Digital download (AOL Broadband Rocks! November 22, 2003)	Hollywood Records

External links

• Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics