"Sweet Disposition" is a song by Australian indie rock[1] band the Temper Trap. Described by critics as an "indie anthem",[2] the song was written by Dougy Mandagi and Lorenzo Silitto. Upon the song's release, it peaked at No. 14 in Australia and reached the top 10 in Flanders, Ireland, and the United Kingdom. Renewed interest in the song was generated after it was included in the soundtrack for the 2009 film 500 Days of Summer—eventually reaching No. 9 on the BillboardAlternative Songs chart in the United States.
Chart performance and sales
Despite the Temper Trap originating from Australia, "Sweet Disposition", the lead single from the debut album Conditions, proved to be more popular in the United Kingdom and Ireland, reaching No. 6 (in the week beginning 11 October 2009) and No. 8, respectively, while it only reached a peak of No. 14 in Australia. However, it was eventually certified 3× Platinum in Australia for sales exceeding 210,000 copies, becoming the band's highest-selling single in their home country.
The song reached No. 9 on Billboard's Alternative Songs chart due to interest in the song after it appeared in the film 500 Days of Summer. In 2014, it was featured in the action film 3 Days to Kill starring Kevin Costner. In 2023, it was used in promotional trailers for the final instalment of The Crown. A dance remix made by Axwell and Dirty South of this song reached No. 1 on Billboard's Hot Dance Airplay chart in April 2010. It received a Platinum certification from the RIAA in 2013 for more than 1,000,000 copies sold.
There are three music videos for the song. The Australian/domestic version, directed by Madeline Griffith, features the band performing alongside slow motion footage of light bulbs smashing on the floor.
The UK/international version directed by Barnaby Roper, begins with a gradual descent towards the lights on a runway before featuring a girl roller blading through space, past transparent images of each band member. That version was also played in Australia following the song's increase in popularity in 2010.
The US version, directed by Daniel Eskils, was released in March 2010. This version displays the band members playing around with musical instruments as well as demolishing them, this all being taped with a high-speed camera.
^Sweet Disposition (Australian 12-inch single liner notes). The Temper Trap. Liberation Music. 2008. LMLP0023.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^Sweet Disposition (UK 7-inch picture disc sleeve). The Temper Trap. Liberation Music, Infectious Records. 2009. INFECT103S.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^Sweet Disposition (US promo CDR liner notes). The Temper Trap. Columbia Records. 2008. ORAW 08993 JK.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^"iTunes Top 300 Songs (Australia)"(XML). Apple Inc. 2 April 2009. Archived from the original(XML) on 2 April 2009. Retrieved 4 April 2022. 133. Sweet Disposition - The Temper Trap [...] Sweet Disposition - Single [...] Release Date: Sep 16, 2008 [...] 2008 Liberation Music