Washington – Some people can’t understand why Butch Walker would give Avril Lavigne a hit like “My Happy Ending” instead of keeping it for his own album, but the songwriter-musician says it’s all part of his plan.
Known for penning Lavigne’s recent single, as well as “Girl All the Bad Guys Want” by Bowling for Soup, Walker says he wants to be known for more than a throwaway hit song.
“There’s a difference between a hit song and your best song and a lot of people don’t get that,” he recently told AP Radio. “The same people saying that are the same people that think Ashlee Simpson is genius.”
In addition to Lavigne, bands such as Midtown, Sevendust and American Hi-Fi have recorded Walker’s songs.
Walker says he considers “Joan” his best song, a track off his new album, “Letters.”
“But that song’ll never get on the radio,” he says. “It’s graphic. It’s too morbid” and lacks all the “drum loops and fancy whiz-nets.”
Walker says he has a lifelong plan to continue writing and recording.
“I’m building a fortress around me so that when the end comes, they can throw their darts but they’ll bounce off the wall because I wasn’t just the guy known for the funny song by Bowling for Soup or the bitter pop song that Avril Lavigne had,” he says.