Genre Pop rock Label RCA | Length 4:12 Producer(s) Matthew Wilder | |
Writer(s) Rebekah Jordan, Matthew Wilder | ||
"Beautiful Disaster" is a song recorded by American recording artist Kelly Clarkson, from her debut studio album, Thankful (2003). Written by Rebekah Jordan and Matthew Wilder, who also handled the production, "Beautiful Disaster" is a pop rock song that reflects a woman's prayer about a man whom she loves despite his iniquities. A live piano version of the song was included as the twelfth and closing track on her second studio album, Breakaway (2004).
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"Beautiful Disaster" garnered positive reviews from music critics, who complimented the song's musical structure and composition. Eight years after its release, it entered the Official UK Singles Chart at number 124. Clarkson has performed the song in the third season finale of American Idol, and has included it in her set listing in her concert tours.
Background and composition
"Beautiful Disaster" was written by Rebekah Jordan and Matthew Wilder, with Wilder handling the song's production. Jordan and Wilder pitched the song to Clarkson during recording sessions for her debut album, Thankful. Upon hearing the track, Clarkson asked Jordan why she wrote the song. She explained, "There are certain loved ones in your life, it could be a father, a mother, a brother, a boyfriend, a friend, and you want to keep them in your life because you love them, but at the same time they're dragging you down. It's easier for someone to drag you down than for you to lift them up. Rebekah told me that she had a boyfriend with a lot of drug issues, and she was really trying to help him get out of it, and she couldn't. That's why she wrote the song."
Clarkson has also expressed disappointment over the song's production. She referred to it as having "too much production", and revealed that "the label wanted all the production that was on it, and I just hated it. I thought it took away from the song, and so did the producer (Wilder)."
Critical response
Upon its initial release, "Beautiful Disaster" received generally positive reviews. In their review, the Associated Press noted that the song sounded like "good outtakes from a Debbie Gibson album circa 1987." Dave Ferman of Fort Worth Star-Telegram describes the song as "Chugging, '80s-influenced rock, in which Kelly wonders if it's a good idea to go after that handsome bad boy. And the answer is . . . maybe." Eric Danton of The Buffalo News pointed out that "Beautiful Disaster" is "one of the (Thankful) disc's best tunes"
Live performances
Clarkson has performed a piano ballad version of "Beautiful Disaster" on the Independent Tour and in televised performances, a move that her label thought that "it didn't sound 'big' enough", in which she insisted that "the production was distracting from the lyrics" She also performed it on the third season finale of American Idol on May 26, 2004, on The View, and on The Early Show on August 16, 2004. The live version of the song garnered better response that Clarkson included it as the closing track for her second studio album, Breakaway (2004).