"Pardon Me" is a song by American rock band Incubus. Released on October 5, 1999, as the lead single from their third studio album Make Yourself, it was the band's first song to receive considerable radio airplay, reaching number three on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart, number seven on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart and number two on Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart.[2][3][4]
| "Pardon Me" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Incubus | ||||
| from the album Make Yourself | ||||
| B-side | "Crowded Elevator" | |||
| Released | October 5, 1999 | |||
| Recorded | May–June 1999 | |||
| Studio | NRG (Los Angeles) | |||
| Genre | Nu metal[1] | |||
| Length | 3:44 | |||
| Label | ||||
| Songwriter(s) | Incubus | |||
| Producer(s) | Scott Litt | |||
| Incubus singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Background and writing
editIn an interview, lead singer Brandon Boyd explained the song's origins, "I was in a bookstore, browsing through an old Life magazine, when I saw a picture of what the article called spontaneous human combustion. There were an old guy's legs and shoes, perfectly intact - then, right around his knee area, was just a pile of charred ashes. I was going through some turmoil in my life, both good and bad, and the image struck a chord, so I wrote a song about it."[5] Boyd had recently returned from a tour to find out that his girlfriend of 7 years broke up with him, and that both his grandmother and a close friend of his had died. After seeing a picture in Life magazine of a man who had spontaneously combusted, he related the man's problems to his own[5] and was inspired to write the lyric "Pardon me while I burst into flames" on his hand.[citation needed]
Music video
editThe music video for "Pardon Me", directed by Steven Murashige,[5] also gained considerable airplay. The video begins with Brandon Boyd and his father Charles,[5] at opposite ends of a hallway. As the two approach each other, Charles begins to regress in age and appearance, while Boyd begins to grow more elderly, becoming increasingly alike as they advance toward each other. When they meet, they pass through each other and continue on in opposite directions. Footage of the band members in white outfits (except for Boyd, who is shirtless) in a red-colored box are also shown, as is footage of the band members in red outfits being surrounded by businessmen and businesswomen.
The video premiered on The Box the week ending on January 16, 2000.[6]
Track listing
edit- US single
- "Pardon Me" (Album Version)
- "Crowded Elevator"
- "Pardon Me" (Acoustic)
- "Drive" (Acoustic)
- US promotional single
- "Pardon Me" (Acoustic)
- UK single
- "Pardon Me" (Album Version)
- "I Miss You" (Acoustic)
- "Crowded Elevator"
Charts
edit| Chart (2000) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Scotland (OCC)[7] | 86 |
| UK Singles (OCC)[8] | 61 |
| US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)[9] | 3 |
| US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[10] | 7 |
| US Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles (Billboard)[11] | 2 |
Personnel
editIncubus
- Brandon Boyd – vocals
- Mike Einziger – guitar
- Dirk Lance – bass
- Chris Kilmore – turntables
- José Pasillas – drums
Production
- Produced by Scott Litt
Release history
edit| Region | Date | Format(s) | Label(s) | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | October 5, 1999 | Alternative radio | [12] | |
| United Kingdom | May 8, 2000 | Epic | [13] |
References
edit- ^ Shumka, Dave. "10 nu metal songs that still hold up on CBC music". CBC Music. (February 14, 2013)
- ^ "Billboard". December 18, 1999.
- ^ "Bubbling Under Hot 100 Chart". Billboard.
- ^ "Incubus". Billboard. Retrieved May 24, 2020.
- ^ a b c d "A Deep Dive Into Incubus' Pardon Me Video". Kerrang!. Wasted Talent Ltd. Retrieved April 16, 2021.
- ^ "Video Monitor". Billboard. January 25, 2000. Retrieved January 16, 2023.
- ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 6, 2021.
- ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 3, 2021.
- ^ "Incubus Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved March 3, 2021.
- ^ "Incubus Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved March 3, 2021.
- ^ "Incubus Chart History (Bubbling Under Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved March 6, 2021.
- ^ "Alternative: Going for Adds" (PDF). Radio & Records. October 1, 1999. p. 121. Retrieved January 16, 2023.
- ^ "New Releases – For Week Starting May 8, 2000: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. June 9, 2001. p. 23. Retrieved January 16, 2023.