Midlife Crisis
Encyclopedia
"Midlife Crisis" is a song by the American rock
band Faith No More
. It was released on May 26, 1992 as the first single from their fourth album, Angel Dust. It became their sole number-one hit on the Modern Rock Tracks
chart.
, as he did not know what one would feel like, but says "it's more about creating false emotion, being emotional, dwelling on your emotions and in a sense inventing them." and that:
of "Madonna" which was later maintained as a setlist name during live performances. The drum track for the song contains a sample of the first bar of the song "Cecilia
," as performed by Simon and Garfunkel
, repeated throughout. The bridge features a sample of "Rien Ne Va Plus" by Funk Factory.
, who also directed their shoestring video for the song "Everything's Ruined
". The version on the Who Cares a Lot?: Greatest Videos collection features the uncensored version that contains some shots omitted from pre-watershed broadcasts of the video. Most noticeably during the bridge which shows a man being stretched by four horses (alluding to an old French punishment for regicide
, known as "quartering
") - the censored version features additional shots of choirboys running to a big cross instead.
For the video, the sound mix of this song is slightly different than the album version (on certain promotional releases it is referred to as 'The Scream Mix'). For the DVD re-release of Who Cares a Lot?: Greatest Videos
, the album version of the song is used instead, with the accommodating edits made.
and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
, on the fictional Alternative
station Radio X, and has been covered by industrial metal
band Bile
, on their 2002 cover album
; The Copy Machine
, and by American
rock
band Disturbed trice, once earlier in their career that was originally going to be put on a Faith No More tribute album, but was instead released through the internet, the second time as a B-side to their fourth studio album Indestructible
; this re-recorded version was released on Covered, A Revolution in Sound
and third time on their B-side collection album The Lost Children
, remastered edition from the previous cover.
It is a master track song on Rock Band 3
, with the fade-out ending edited for gameplay reasons.
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band Faith No More
Faith No More
Faith No More is an American rock band from San Francisco, California, formed originally as Faith No Man in 1981 by bassist Billy Gould, keyboardist Wade Worthington, vocalist Michael Morris and drummer Mike Bordin. A year later when Worthington was replaced by keyboardist Roddy Bottum, and Mike...
. It was released on May 26, 1992 as the first single from their fourth album, Angel Dust. It became their sole number-one hit on the Modern Rock Tracks
Modern Rock Tracks
Alternative Songs is a music chart in the United States that has appeared in Billboard magazine since September 10, 1988. It lists the 40 most-played songs on modern rock radio stations, most of which are alternative rock songs...
chart.
Lyrics
Mike Patton has denied that the song is about having a midlife crisisMidlife Crisis
"Midlife Crisis" is a song by the American rock band Faith No More. It was released on May 26, 1992 as the first single from their fourth album, Angel Dust...
, as he did not know what one would feel like, but says "it's more about creating false emotion, being emotional, dwelling on your emotions and in a sense inventing them." and that:
Production
During production the song was given the working titleWorking title
A working title, sometimes called a production title, is the temporary name of a product or project used during its development, usually used in filmmaking, television production, novel, video game, or music album.-Purpose:...
of "Madonna" which was later maintained as a setlist name during live performances. The drum track for the song contains a sample of the first bar of the song "Cecilia
Cecilia (song)
"Cecilia" is a song written by US musician Paul Simon. It was first recorded by Simon and Garfunkel for their 1970 album Bridge Over Troubled Water. When released as a single, it reached #4 in the US charts...
," as performed by Simon and Garfunkel
Simon and Garfunkel
Simon & Garfunkel are an American duo consisting of singer-songwriter Paul Simon and singer Art Garfunkel. They formed the group Tom & Jerry in 1957 and had their first success with the minor hit "Hey, Schoolgirl". As Simon & Garfunkel, the duo rose to fame in 1965, largely on the strength of the...
, repeated throughout. The bridge features a sample of "Rien Ne Va Plus" by Funk Factory.
Music video
The video for this song was directed by Kevin KerslakeKevin Kerslake
Kevin Kerslake is an American music video director. He has directed videos for Stone Temple Pilots, Filter, R.E.M., 311, Faith No More, Green Day, The Used, 10 Years, Depeche Mode, The Smashing Pumpkins, Papa Roach, Nirvana, Sonic Youth, Rise Against, Insane Clown Posse, The Offspring, and Blue...
, who also directed their shoestring video for the song "Everything's Ruined
Everything's Ruined
"Everything's Ruined" is a song from Faith No More's fourth studio album Angel Dust and the final single to be released from the album's original track listing...
". The version on the Who Cares a Lot?: Greatest Videos collection features the uncensored version that contains some shots omitted from pre-watershed broadcasts of the video. Most noticeably during the bridge which shows a man being stretched by four horses (alluding to an old French punishment for regicide
Regicide
The broad definition of regicide is the deliberate killing of a monarch, or the person responsible for the killing of a monarch. In a narrower sense, in the British tradition, it refers to the judicial execution of a king after a trial...
, known as "quartering
Hanged, drawn and quartered
To be hanged, drawn and quartered was from 1351 a penalty in England for men convicted of high treason, although the ritual was first recorded during the reigns of King Henry III and his successor, Edward I...
") - the censored version features additional shots of choirboys running to a big cross instead.
For the video, the sound mix of this song is slightly different than the album version (on certain promotional releases it is referred to as 'The Scream Mix'). For the DVD re-release of Who Cares a Lot?: Greatest Videos
Live At The Brixton Academy, London: You Fat Bastards/Who Cares A Lot?: The Greatest Videos
Live at the Brixton Academy, London: You Fat Bastards/Who Cares A Lot?: Greatest Videos is a compilation of Faith No More's two previously released VHS tapes, put together in a 2-disc set by Rhino Records-Disc one:...
, the album version of the song is used instead, with the accommodating edits made.
Appearances and covers
"Midlife Crisis" has featured on the soundtrack for the videogames Tony Hawk's Underground 2Tony Hawk's Underground 2
Tony Hawk's Underground 2, also known as THUG 2, is the sixth installment in Neversoft's Tony Hawk's Series and sequel to Tony Hawk's Underground. Tony Hawk's Underground 2 was released on October 4, 2004 for the PlayStation 2, GameCube, Xbox, PC, and Game Boy Advance platforms...
and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is a 2004 open world action video game developed by British games developer Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games. It is the third 3D game in the Grand Theft Auto video game franchise, the fifth original console release and eighth game overall...
, on the fictional Alternative
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...
station Radio X, and has been covered by industrial metal
Industrial metal
Industrial metal is a musical genre that draws from industrial music and many different types of heavy metal, using repeating metal guitar riffs, sampling, synthesizer or sequencer lines, and distorted vocals. Founding industrial metal acts include Ministry, Godflesh, and KMFDM.Industrial metal's...
band Bile
Bile (band)
Bile is an industrial metal project based in the New York City, USA area. Although there has been many different members throughout the bands career, Krztoff is the songwriting, recording and conceptual leader...
, on their 2002 cover album
Cover Album
-Tracklisting:#Misono to Utaou! Animedley I # #...
; The Copy Machine
The Copy Machine
The Copy Machine is industrial band Bile's compilation of covers of songs by selected artists.-Track listing:# "Clones " – 3:07 # "Do You Wanna Touch Me There " – 3:45...
, and by American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band Disturbed trice, once earlier in their career that was originally going to be put on a Faith No More tribute album, but was instead released through the internet, the second time as a B-side to their fourth studio album Indestructible
Indestructible (Disturbed album)
Indestructible is the fourth studio album by American heavy metal band Disturbed. A self-produced effort, Indestructible is the first Disturbed album that did not feature Johnny K, the producer of Disturbed's previous three albums, The Sickness, Believe, and Ten Thousand Fists. Indestructible was...
; this re-recorded version was released on Covered, A Revolution in Sound
Covered, A Revolution in Sound
Covered, A Revolution in Sound is a tribute album produced and released by Warner Bros. Records to commemorate its 50th anniversary as a record label. The album consists of some of the greatest hits from previous and current artists from the late 20th century, while the songs featured on the album...
and third time on their B-side collection album The Lost Children
The Lost Children
The Lost Children is a New Zealand drama series set in 1867. It follows four children, three of whom were shipwrecked and landed on the coast off New Plymouth, New Zealand, siblings Ethan and Amy, who were travelling with their mother, Charlotte, from England to Canterbury; Meg, a young thief and...
, remastered edition from the previous cover.
It is a master track song on Rock Band 3
Rock Band 3
Rock Band 3 is a music video game, developed by Harmonix Music Systems. The game was initially published and distributed by MTV Games and Electronic Arts, respectively, with Mad Catz taking over both roles a year later. It is the third main game in the Rock Band series...
, with the fade-out ending edited for gameplay reasons.
Track list
Charts
| Chart | Peak |
|---|---|
| Australian Singles Chart ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June... |
31 |
| Austrian Singles Chart | 9 |
| Irish Singles Chart Irish Singles Chart The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured... |
13 |
| 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 ... |
10 |
| US Mainstream Rock Tracks Mainstream Rock Tracks Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks is a ranking in Billboard magazine of the most-played songs on mainstream rock radio stations, a category that includes stations that play primarily rock music. Modern rock tracks are counted in the Alternative Songs chart.This chart began with the March 21, 1981, issue... |
32 |
| US Modern Rock Tracks Modern Rock Tracks Alternative Songs is a music chart in the United States that has appeared in Billboard magazine since September 10, 1988. It lists the 40 most-played songs on modern rock radio stations, most of which are alternative rock songs... |
1 |
External links
- Allmusic [ Cassette Single page]
- Allmusic [ CD Single page]