Can't Be Tamed

"Can't Be Tamed" is a song by American singer Miley Cyrus for her third studio album of the same name (2010). It was released on May 3, 2010, by Hollywood Records as the lead single from the record. The song was written by Cyrus, Antonina Armato, and Tim James. A Rockangeles remix version featuring rapper Lil Jon was included as a bonus track on digital editions of the album. According to Cyrus, "Can't Be Tamed" describes a desire to break out and experience freedom. The song's lyrics deal with the themes of freedom and self-expression. "Can't Be Tamed" received favorable reviews from music critics. It also attained commercial success, peaking within the top ten in the US, Canada, New Zealand and Ireland. The song's accompanying music video was directed by Robert Hales and follows Cyrus performing with backup dancers throughout a museum. The singer is first trapped in a giant cage, being observed by spectators; she then escapes and trashes the museum. Cyrus promoted "Can't Be Tamed" by performing the song at several venues, including a performance on Britain's Got Talent that resulted in negative reactions from the media. The song was also included in the setlist of Cyrus' third and fourth world tours, the Gypsy Heart Tour and the Bangerz Tour. "Can't Be Tamed" premiered before its official release on April 30, 2010, on Cyrus' official MySpace. Background "Can't Be Tamed" was co-written by Cyrus, Antonina Armato and Tim James, who also produced the track. According to Cyrus, the track's moral is to free yourself from any biding or hindrance, in particular application to women. Cyrus said the song's message applies to different situations. Personally to her, "it is about being a cage and people looking at you." As for others, she believed it could describe high school, in a situation where "someone feeling they have to be one way to be with a clique and they want to be who they are. A relationship, or whatever, it is just breaking out and feeling free." Hollywood Records described "Can't Be Tamed" as "a self-empowering song in which Miley asserts that she has to stay true to herself in relationships". At four meetings throughout Europe, Cyrus' manager, Jason Morey, presented the album Can't Be Tamed to representatives from Universal Music Group; the representatives confirmed what Hollywood Records in the United States had already decided, that the track would be released as the lead single.