What does What the Hell mean?

Avril Lavigne: What the Hell Meaning

Album cover for What the Hell album cover
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What the Hell Lyrics

You say that I'm messing with your head (yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)
All 'cause I was making out with your friend (yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)
Love hurts whether it's right or wrong (yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)
I can't stop 'cause I'm having too much fun...

  1. 1TOP RATED

    #1 top rated interpretation:
    anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Jan 28th 2011 !⃝

    Although Lavigne simply described the song as "a broad message about personal freedom",critics have interpreted the song in a number of different ways; Gil Kaufman of MTV.com suggests that the song is a "declaration of independence from a former teen star who is storming back onto the scene". Kaufman suggests Lavigne's public divorce from Sum 41 singer Deryck Whibley and friction between her and her record company are also possible themes within the song. Jody Rosen of Rolling Stone magazine calls "What the Hell", "an anthem about a good girl who goes on a crazy-bender, staying out late, swapping boys and exacting psychological revenge." Bill Lamb of About.com also suggests that the song is about Lavigne and Whibley's divorce, but goes on to say "the song leaves significant room for interpretation which does add to its intrigue." Heather McDaid of Stereoboard.com was critical of the song's theme being about Whibley, stating "with such an upbeat song it’s hard to envisage divorce as the underlying subject matter as you listen."Holly Thomas of Frost Magazine suggested that the lyrics are about being "starved of affection from the one she truly loves."

    Lavigne describes the song as "more reminiscent of some of my old pop rock stuff" and calls it her "most pop track on the record" and the least personal song from the album.

  2. 2TOP RATED

    #2 top rated interpretation:
    anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Mar 6th 2011 !⃝

    The marriage didn't work out for reasons unknown and that has to be hard so this is her way of venting..she is a song writer/singer so i mean i think its a damn good way of getting it out! to the people out there calling her a "slut" because of the song what the heck is wrong with you? Haven't you ever been in a bad break up and you want to get revenge? Avril I LOVE the song and hope you make MANY more like it!

  3. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Sep 16th 2020 !⃝

    I think this song basically means there is a girl who is in a horrible relationship and she makes out with her bf's best friend to get back at him and because of this the girls bf just gets worse, she goes on a lot of dates with other boys because he never calls or listen's to her anyway and at this point she doesn't care if he loves or hates her so she acts like him and all she wants is to be free and her bf wants her back but he's too late.

    personally I think that the guy in the song deserved it he got Karma from acting that way

    relationships are like glass sometimes it better to leave it broken than to hurt yourself trying to fix it

    if someone has broken up with you I hope they look back and regret hurting you I mean WHAT THE HELL who would break up with an amazing person like you

  4. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Feb 2nd 2020 !⃝

    So, many people mention her actual relationship, or they think she's in a bad relationship and broke it off because she deserves better.
    I only saw one comment that says something else, and it's what I first interpreted myself:

    She cheated. She was making out with his friend and they were STILL TOGETHER:
    "All cause I was making out with your friend."
    "You're on your knees, begging 'please
    Stay with me'
    But honestly
    I just need to be a little crazy"

    Avril WAS making out with his/her friend, yet he/she IS begging to stay with her. That means they hadn't split yet, but she already made out with the best friend. All this with an upbeat tone and glorifying sleeping around, which is absolutely fine, IF SHE'S SINGLE.

    I acknowledge that it might be that she was in a bad relationship and just wanted to split and go "a little crazy". But if that's the case then there is a glaring error in tense between those two lines. But I don't think that's what is happening here.

    Cheating is wrong, always.

  5. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Jul 23rd 2016 !⃝

    I think she care about this guy or else she wouldn't be doing all that. Why go all the way for attention if u didnt care that much ? She is just crying out for attention from him. She doesn't mean anything by what she says or does as she is messing with him. It's jus make believe. It's like stepping out of your comfort zone, changing things up and see what happens... He was probably becoming to complacent. If you notice in the end after all that's said and done, it's both of them. Comfort zone are the places we return to buy a place to stay in.

    This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
  6. anonymous
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    Oct 6th 2015 !⃝

    Love hurts even if it is right or wrong, like WHAT THE HELLLL??!!

  7. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Jul 23rd 2014 !⃝

    I think the song is about a boy who loves her but does not show it. She does not want to wait for him anymore so she makes out with his friends. Maybe she is trying to make him jalous. In my opinion she wants him to believe that he is not important to her as she can get a lot of boys and not only that one. ♡what do you think about it?

  8. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Nov 11th 2013 !⃝

    Considering the music video, I think that what the hell is just Avril's way of getting back at her boyfriend for not "giving her what she needs" or like getting back at him for cheating or something. Or at least that's what I think

  9. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Feb 6th 2013 !⃝

    The song is about being a slut, plain and simple. Sex sells now and that is what she has to sing about to keep up with the competion. The difference between girls sleeping around and guys, is that guys don't care if they are called sluts. "Oh, I'm going to go fuck a bunch of guys to get back at my boyfriend!" That's the stupidest way to get revenge and clearly not a good role model for young teens. What a whore

  10. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Feb 3rd 2013 !⃝

    To me, it sounds like it's told from a young girl, a teenager's point of view. She's probably frustrated with her boyfriend/girlfriend, and she's saying, "What the hell, man? I'm not putting up with this crap." Anyone else?

  11. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Nov 9th 2012 !⃝

    Okay, I would rather not insult anyone, to the fans, to Avril Lavigne herself, or to any dude.

    I think "What The Hell" is about when the spark in your relationship is practically gone, and actually being in it is sort of pointless. Plus the lover isn't actually doing anything for the relationship. So this song might actually just be a way, a very punky and "slutty" way to teach him a lesson. And also to vent some anger to the dude.

    And finally, you learn the lesson, and that for now, try to find the fun yet true love in your relationships. And if there's still nothing, it's best to peace out. Whatever style you do, it's your choice: you know your goal.

  12. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Sep 11th 2012 !⃝

    ya'll have it wrong...I understand how Avril must have felt when she sang this (assuming she wrote it and it had personal meaning to her).....basically her boyfriend is a total pussy who doesn't pay any attention to her and at that point it's like "why be little miss perfect for someone like that?"...or basically for the moment she's done trying to look for love and just wants to have a little fun for once in her life...ya'll don't have to be such uptight assholes...

  13. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Jun 11th 2011 !⃝

    You guys are stupid! I'm guessing it means that she doesn't care if her husband cheated on her or if she is a slut she just wants to have fun

  14. anonymous
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    May 12th 2011 !⃝

    It's about throwing your morale away because you were weak enough to let a man destroy you. If one man can mess you up so bad that it makes you want to sleep with countless men, then you are nothing more than a tool FOR men. A slut. As she clearly is. The song is a child-like celebration of sugar-coated, kid-friendly, fluid-swapping. What's scary is that it's meant to sound adorable, in an attempt to garner younger teen fandom. All this concluded, you can only assume that the song is a call to cocks, for all young girls to be sluts.

  15. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    May 2nd 2011 !⃝

    she's trying to get back at her husband, well, maybe. she's a singer and a songwriter after all. plus, that isn't wrong either. after all, it's up to her if she wants to be a whore or whatever

    This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
  16. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Apr 30th 2011 !⃝

    The song is about being a skank.
    If your partner is cheating on you, you don't cheat back, that's just a terrible revenge.
    Have some respect for yourself and leave the relationship, don't sleep with random people.
    Horrible song for teenagers.

  17. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Feb 27th 2011 !⃝

    it is a punishment in return to her boyfriend, she's seeking an attention that she never get. and for her boyfriend to show some care to her she's doing the worst she can be.

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