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"This Picture"
Single by Placebo
from the album Sleeping with Ghosts
Released	9 June 2003
Genre	Alternative rock
Length	3.34
Label	Hut Recordings Virgin Records
Songwriter(s)	Steve Hewitt Brian Molko Stefan Olsdal
Producer(s)	Jim Abbiss
Placebo singles chronology
"The Bitter End" (2003) "This Picture" (2003) "Special Needs" (2003)

"This Picture" is a single by British alternative rock band Placebo, from their fourth studio album, Sleeping with Ghosts, released on 9 June 2003. It was the second single off of the album.

"This Picture" was remixed by Junior Sanchez for the bonus remix CD of Once More with Feeling.

Lyrics

It tells the story of a relationship involving sadomasochism and an abusive female in a position of dominance. In the lyrics, the phrase "ashtray girl" is meant to refer to a woman who uses her partner as an "emotional ashtray"; "cigarette burns on my chest" makes reference to a supposed particular fetish of James Dean. As singer/lyricist Brian Molko commented, prior to its performance at a concert,

There's an old story that somebody told me once about James Dean. For those of you who don't know this yet, James Dean was gay. Yes, I'm sorry, it's true. He had a particular fetish where he liked to have cigarettes stubbed out on his chest. That's kind of an image that's always stayed with me, and part of the inspiration for this song.

Release

This Picture was released by Hut Recordings on 9 June 2003. Dale Price of Drowned in Sound regarded it as one of the best songs on Sleeping with Ghosts and compared it favourably to the band's earlier single "You Don't Care About Us". The single peaked at no. 23 in the UK Singles Chart.

Music video

The music video features the Italian actress Asia Argento.

Track listings

CD

Australian CD version

7"

DVD

• "This Picture" (video)
• Interview footage
• "This Picture" (acoustic version recorded by RTL2 France)
• "Jackie" – audio track

Charts

References

1. Price, Dale (7 June 2003). "Placebo – This Picture". Drowned in Sound. Retrieved 24 February 2019.
2. "Placebo". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 24 February 2019.
3. (in Italian) Asia Argento: video con i Placebo
4. Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 219.
5. "Placebo – This Picture" (in French). Ultratip. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
6. "Placebo – This Picture" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
7. "Placebo – This Picture" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
8. "Placebo – This Picture". Top Digital Download. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
9. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
10. "Placebo – This Picture" Canciones Top 50. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
11. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 September 2022.

• Placebo (band) songs
• 2003 singles
• Songs written by Brian Molko
• Songs written by Stefan Olsdal
• Songs written by Steve Hewitt
• Song recordings produced by Jim Abbiss
• 2003 songs
• Virgin Records singles