Nothingness (song)
Encyclopedia
"Nothingness" is a song by Living Colour
and the third single
off their third studio album
, Stain
. The ballad
reached #17 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks
chart in 1993. It was later included on two greatest hits
compilations, Pride
(1995) and Everything Is Possible: The Very Best of Living Colour
(2006). An acoustic
version, allegedly intended for Dutch
radio, was also included on 1994's Japan-exclusive Dread compilation.
This particularly moody track serves as a break from the more upbeat songs on the album. It opens with cricket
s chirping and a synthesizer
-like guitar progression. A prominent bass
rhythm carries the song and provides flashy funk
-style fill
s. Lyrically, "Nothingness" delves into bleak themes of isolation and loneliness. Corey Glover
's powerful voice is demonstrated toward the song's end as he wails its final chorus. The double-track effect of Glover's vocals were accomplished by having Glover sing directly into an outdoor satellite dish (with the microphone placed in the feedhorn location of the dish), hence the satellite-themed artwork of the single.
relies on brief clips of musical performance and atmosphere with no obvious story concept. It hosts dark, ambient background visuals such as clouds flowing across a piercing sun. Shots are brief and frequently fade to black with the band members seen in heavily shadowed or silhouetted form. As depicted on the CD single cover, satellite dishes are also seen in various settings.
Living Colour
Living Colour is an American rock band from New York City, formed in 1984. Stylistically, the band's music is a creative fusion influenced by free jazz, funk, neo-psychedelia, hard rock, and heavy metal...
and the third single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
off their third studio album
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
, Stain
Stain (album)
Stain is the third album by Living Colour. It was released on March 2, 1993, by Epic Records. It is the first album to feature bassist Doug Wimbish. Stain features a much heavier and aggressive Living Colour, containing elements of thrash metal and industrial music...
. The ballad
Ballad
A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads were particularly characteristic of British and Irish popular poetry and song from the later medieval period until the 19th century and used extensively across Europe and later the Americas, Australia and North Africa. Many...
reached #17 on the Billboard 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 in 1993. It was later included on two greatest hits
Greatest hits
A greatest hits album is a music compilation album of successful, previously released songs by a particular artist or band...
compilations, Pride
Pride (Living Colour album)
Pride is Living Colour's 1995 greatest hits album. It contains four rare tracks recorded for the follow-up of their third album Stain. However, this collection is now out of print...
(1995) and Everything Is Possible: The Very Best of Living Colour
Everything Is Possible: The Very Best of Living Colour
-Personnel:* Corey Glover - Vocals* Vernon Reid - Guitar* Doug Wimbish - Bass * Will Calhoun - Drums* Muzz Skillings - Bass -References:...
(2006). An acoustic
Acoustic music
Acoustic music comprises music that solely or primarily uses instruments which produce sound through entirely acoustic means, as opposed to electric or electronic means...
version, allegedly intended for Dutch
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...
radio, was also included on 1994's Japan-exclusive Dread compilation.
This particularly moody track serves as a break from the more upbeat songs on the album. It opens with cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
s chirping and a synthesizer
Synthesizer
A synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
-like guitar progression. A prominent bass
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
rhythm carries the song and provides flashy funk
Funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground...
-style fill
Fill (music)
In popular music, a fill is a short musical passage, riff, or rhythmic sound which helps to sustain the listener's attention during a break between the phrases of a melody....
s. Lyrically, "Nothingness" delves into bleak themes of isolation and loneliness. Corey Glover
Corey Glover
Corey Glover is an American singer, guitarist and actor. He is best known as the lead singer of the hard rock band Living Colour.-Career:...
's powerful voice is demonstrated toward the song's end as he wails its final chorus. The double-track effect of Glover's vocals were accomplished by having Glover sing directly into an outdoor satellite dish (with the microphone placed in the feedhorn location of the dish), hence the satellite-themed artwork of the single.
Music video
The "Nothingness" videoMusic video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
relies on brief clips of musical performance and atmosphere with no obvious story concept. It hosts dark, ambient background visuals such as clouds flowing across a piercing sun. Shots are brief and frequently fade to black with the band members seen in heavily shadowed or silhouetted form. As depicted on the CD single cover, satellite dishes are also seen in various settings.
Chart performance
| Chart | Peak | |
|---|---|---|
| U.S. Modern Rock 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... |
17 | |
| RIANZ Singles Chart | 28 |
External links
- "Nothingness" music video @ YouTubeYouTubeYouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....