Released June 6, 2006 Length 3:20 | Recorded May 2006 Label Hollywood | |
Format Compact Disc, digital download Genre Alternative metal, post-grunge | ||
"The Diary of Jane" is a song by American rock band Breaking Benjamin. It was released in June 2006 as the lead single from their third album, Phobia. The song, one of their most notable and successful, is the fastest added single ever in the history of Hollywood Records. It gained a massive amount of radio play throughout the United States and reached number-one under three rock charts. The single was certified double platinum in the United States on November 24, 2015, and is their most successful single in terms of sales based on this in their home country.
Contents
Background
The single moved rapidly up the charts in its first week of official release. It debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 at #55 before reaching #50 and spending 15 weeks on chart. It was the #1 most-added track at three formats: Rock, Modern Rock and Active Rock. This success propelled the song to #2 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart and #4 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart. "The Diary of Jane", as of June 2006, could be heard on over 100 radio stations in America. "The Diary of Jane" was the fastest added single in Hollywood Records history, topping such artists as Queen. The success of the song led it to be featured in the video game NASCAR 07 and as downloadable content for Rock Band and Rock Band 2. The song was also featured in the 2008 dance film Step Up 2: The Streets.
Alternative versions
In total, the song has three different versions, the original version, the album version and the acoustic version, with the original being the only one that is not featured on Phobia. The original version was released with the single and was the track used for the video and radio airplay. It maintains almost no difference from the album version, with an exception of the ending fading out on a lower note along with other minor differences.
The album version is included on Phobia as the second track, it features the usual Breaking Benjamin sound of heavy percussion, down-tuned guitars, and the powering vocals of Benjamin Burnley, as well as the use of death growl vocals during two vocal passages. It is initially a re-recording of the original. The song overall is notable for featuring a musical style closer to nu metal, as opposed to the band's overall alternative metal sound.
The acoustic version is featured as a bonus track on the first pressing of Phobia. It features softer vocals by Burnley and harmonized softly by Sebastian Davin (of Dropping Daylight) as well as a shift of instruments: from drums, bass and guitar to piano (played by Burnley). Orchestral string instruments such as a violin and cello are also used.
Video
The video for "The Diary of Jane", directed by Ryan Smith, made its world premiere on Yahoo! Music on June 21, 2007, after originally being scheduled for release on June 16. The video features a woman named Jane Bryan, played by Sarah Mather from Season 4 of American Idol. Jane wakes up suddenly in a bathtub, getting out and getting dressed. However, her vanity mirror is gone, and only the frame remains. Jane runs around her house, with similar results wherever there should be a mirror. It also shows scenes of the band playing in a room filled with mirrors. She eventually stumbles across the same room where all the mirrors are, and she cannot see her reflection in any of them. The video ends with Benjamin Burnley (the band's frontman) placing a rose in a book atop her tombstone, explaining the story of the video: she fell asleep and drowned in the bathtub.
At the end of the video where Burnley closes the diary on Jane's tombstone, the last name was obscured. However, in the second episode of the band's podcast, the name can be clearly seen as "Bryan" during a shot of the tombstone. A Breaking Benjamin Celtic knot can also be seen on the tombstone in a brief shot before he closes the diary.
Jane Bryan was a female filmstar in the 1930s and 1940s. She was in many films, including We Are Not Alone, which is also the title for Breaking Benjamin's second album.