Boss of Me
Encyclopedia
"Boss of Me" is a song by alternative rock
band They Might Be Giants
. The song was written as the theme song
for the television show Malcolm in the Middle
, and was released as the single from the soundtrack to the show. In 2002, "Boss of Me" won the band their first Grammy Award
, in the category of Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media
. The song was one of the band's most commercially successful singles and is one of their most well-known songs.
, Australia
and Europe
. Europe was given a separate release from the British release, which had different cover artwork and a different track listing. The single was marketed as the single from the soundtrack album, Music from Malcolm in the Middle
, but the B-sides to all releases were all tracks from They Might Be Giants albums, as opposed to being other tracks from the soundtrack album. "Reprehensible" comes from the band's 1999
internet-only album, Long Tall Weekend
. "Mr. Xcitement" went on to be included on their album Mink Car
, released two months after the single. "Boss of Me" charted in three countries, reaching number 21 in the UK, 89 in the Netherlands
, and saw the band's first appearance on the Australian Singles Chart, reaching number 29.
, and Reese is getting something out of a tree. Dewey opens the box, revealing toy versions of the band. But whenever there's a close-up in the box, its the real band, shrunken a lot. There is now a Hawaiian hula dancer toy in the box, and Dewey sways back and forth with her. Then, Malcolm and Reese take out paintball guns and begin to shoot the toys. The toys fall out of the box and lie on the ground, as they continue to play the song.
The music video can be watched at: http://new.music.yahoo.com/They-Might-Be-Giants/videos/view/Boss-Of-Me--2152027
covered the short televised version of the song for their album TV/EP
.
UK / Australian CD single
UK cassette single
European CD single
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
band They Might Be Giants
They Might Be Giants
They Might Be Giants is an American alternative rock band formed in 1982 by John Flansburgh and John Linnell. During TMBG's early years Flansburgh and Linnell were frequently accompanied by a drum machine. In the early 1990s, TMBG became a full band. Currently, the members of TMBG are...
. The song was written as the theme song
Theme music
Theme music is a piece that is often written specifically for a radio program, television program, video game or movie, and usually played during the title sequence and/or end credits...
for the television show Malcolm in the Middle
Malcolm in the Middle
Malcolm in the Middle is an American television sitcom created by Linwood Boomer for the Fox Network. The series was first broadcast on January 9, 2000, and ended its six-and-a-half-year run on May 14, 2006, after seven seasons and 151 episodes...
, and was released as the single from the soundtrack to the show. In 2002, "Boss of Me" won the band their first Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
, in the category of Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media
Grammy Award for Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media
The Grammy Award for Best Song Written for Visual Media has been awarded since 1988 and is awarded to songs written for films, television, video games or other visual media...
. The song was one of the band's most commercially successful singles and is one of their most well-known songs.
Release
"Boss of Me" was released commercially in the United KingdomUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. Europe was given a separate release from the British release, which had different cover artwork and a different track listing. The single was marketed as the single from the soundtrack album, Music from Malcolm in the Middle
Music from Malcolm in the Middle
Music from Malcolm in the Middle is the soundtrack to the television series, Malcolm in the Middle released on November 21, 2000.-Track listing:#"Boss of Me" - They Might Be Giants #"Washin' + Wonderin'" - Stroke 9...
, but the B-sides to all releases were all tracks from They Might Be Giants albums, as opposed to being other tracks from the soundtrack album. "Reprehensible" comes from the band's 1999
1999 in music
-Events:*January 7**After eight years of marriage, Rod Stewart and supermodel wife Rachel Hunter announce their separation.**Paul McCartney attends the first of his stepdaughter Heather's first housewares collection in Georgia....
internet-only album, Long Tall Weekend
Long Tall Weekend
Long Tall Weekend is a downloadable album released by They Might Be Giants in 1999. It was released exclusively on-line through eMusic . It was the first major full-length album released exclusively on the Internet by an established major label band. Many of these songs were outtakes from the...
. "Mr. Xcitement" went on to be included on their album Mink Car
Mink Car
Mink Car is the eighth studio album by They Might Be Giants, released in 2001 on Restless Records, on the same morning as the September 11 attacks....
, released two months after the single. "Boss of Me" charted in three countries, reaching number 21 in the UK, 89 in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, and saw the band's first appearance on the Australian Singles Chart, reaching number 29.
Music video
The "Boss of Me" music video was directed by Ted Crittenden. It is based on Malcolm in the Middle, and contains the characters and set from the show. It begins with Dewey going through a dumpster that says "TMBG Toys". He climbs out of the dumpster, gets on his bike to ride home, with a cardboard box following after him with the "toys" inside it. The box goes into Dewey's backyard where Malcolm is present, the father, Hal, is cooking on a barbecueBarbecue
Barbecue or barbeque , used chiefly in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Australia is a method and apparatus for cooking meat, poultry and occasionally fish with the heat and hot smoke of a fire, smoking wood, or hot coals of...
, and Reese is getting something out of a tree. Dewey opens the box, revealing toy versions of the band. But whenever there's a close-up in the box, its the real band, shrunken a lot. There is now a Hawaiian hula dancer toy in the box, and Dewey sways back and forth with her. Then, Malcolm and Reese take out paintball guns and begin to shoot the toys. The toys fall out of the box and lie on the ground, as they continue to play the song.
The music video can be watched at: http://new.music.yahoo.com/They-Might-Be-Giants/videos/view/Boss-Of-Me--2152027
Cover Versions
The ska-punk band Less Than JakeLess Than Jake
Less Than Jake is an American ska punk band from Gainesville, Florida. Originally formed in 1992 as a power pop trio, the band evolved into a hybrid of ska punk. Less Than Jake have also been cited as showing influences from a wide variety of genres including post-grunge, heavy metal, alternative...
covered the short televised version of the song for their album TV/EP
TV/EP
TV/EP is the fifth EP by Less Than Jake. Apart from re-masters of their earlier albums, this EP is the second Less Than Jake release to be distributed by their own label Sleep It Off Records, following 2008's full length album GNV FLA. The recording consists of covers of TV theme songs and product...
.
Formats and track listing
All songs written by They Might Be Giants, unless otherwise noted.UK / Australian CD single
- "Boss of Me" – 2:56
- "Reprehensible" – 3:17
- "Mr. Xcitement" (D. Levine, The Elegant Too, They Might Be Giants, M. Doughty) – 2:23
UK cassette single
- "Boss of Me" – 2:56
- "Reprehensible" – 3:17
European CD single
- "Boss of Me" – 2:56
- "Mr. Xcitement" (D. Levine, The Elegant Too, They Might Be Giants, M. Doughty) – 2:23
- "Birdhouse in Your SoulBirdhouse in Your Soul"Birdhouse in Your Soul" is a song by American alternative rock band They Might Be Giants. It was released in March 1990 as a single from the album Flood. It reached #3 on the United States Modern Rock Tracks chart and #6 on the UK Singles Chart and remains their highest-charting single in both...
" (live) – 3:11
Chart positions
| Chart (2001) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Singles Chart | 29 |
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
21 |
| Dutch Top 100 | 89 |
External links
- "Boss of Me" at This Might Be A Wiki