Pink Originally Wanted to Title Funhouse ‘Heartbreak Is a MotherF*cker’

Since the beginning of her career, Pink has been making music for the outcasts, for the brokenhearted, for the misunderstood, for the down on their luck, for the brave but shaken. And, Funhouse was no exception to her standard. The album features hit tracks including “So What,” “Sober,” “Bad Influence,” and “Please Don’t Leave Me.” Though the pop-rocker settled on the title Funhouse, she initially was thinking about striking a very different chord when it came to the record’s title.

During an interview with ChicagoMusicGuide, Pink discussed her career, and explained that she reached new depths of “vulnerability” when penning Funhouse. Yet, focusing solely on her heartbreak regarding the title — and the emotionally fraught narratives in each song – would have minimized the record’s various vibes. 

Pink had a very different title in mind for Funhouse…at first

Pink told the ChicagoMusic Guide:

“Heartbreak is a Motherf*cker is what I originally wanted to name the album…But this album is not all about that. It’s not just a breakup album. There is a lot of that, but there is fun happening too and that’s why I named it Funhouse in the end.”

Though she was going through heartbreak while writing Funhouse, it wasn’t the sole sentiment coming to the surface during Pink’s creative process. The music backing the lyrics is often upbeat and positive. Not to mention, “Please Don’t Leave Me” is filled with some ironically fun and romantic “da da das,” as the ChicagoMusicGuide noted.

Funhouse was Pink’s way of “letting down the armor,” but she did so in a way that was relatable to the imperfect masses. 

Pink talks about ‘Funhouse’ and the ‘love me anyway’ message 

Pink explained that “Please Don’t Leave Me,” which became one of the album’s most beloved tunes, was a relinquishing of her barriers — a deconstruction of the walls she has fortified around her. She shared: 

“It’s like letting down the armor and admitting I’m human. I’m a girl. We all want to be loved and love. That’s all we want…‘Please Don’t Leave Me’ is also kind of funny though. It’s like, ‘Okay, I’m an *sshole, but love me anyway.’ I’m trying to be better. We’re all a work in progress. And, ‘I Don’t Believe You’ is one of my favorite songs because it’s just so naked…” 

Just like Pink, many of us know we’re not perfect, but we yearn to be loved despite our flaws, and Pink’s album, especially “Please Don’t Leave Me” carried that truth throughout.