Pardon Me
Encyclopedia
"Pardon Me" is a song by American rock
band Incubus
, the song is released as the first single from their third album Make Yourself
. It was the first Incubus song to receive a considerable amount of radio airplay, reaching number three on the Billboard
Modern Rock Tracks chart and number seven on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.
for the Incubus song "Pardon Me" was directed by Steven Murashige and also gained considerable airplay. The video begins with two clones of Boyd, one young and one elderly, at opposite ends of a hallway. As the two approach each other, the more elderly clone begins to regresses younger, while the younger clone begins to grow more elderly, becoming more and more 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 topless) in a red-colored box are also shown, as is footage of the band members in red outfits being surrounded by businessmen and businesswomen.
. Lead singer Brandon Boyd
says he was inspired to write the song after making a connection between images of spontaneous combustion in a magazine and "some turmoil in [his] life, both good and bad", namely coming back from a tour to find out that his girlfriend of 7 years had been cheating on him and that both his grandmother and a close friend of his had died. After seeing a picture in a magazine of a man who had spontaneously combusted, he related the man's problems to his own and was inspired to write the lyric "Pardon me while I burst into flames" on his hand at that spot.
Musically, the song combines fast-paced, ambient verses with prominent DJ scratching and a hard-rocking mid-tempo chorus. However, the acoustic version of the song is also well regarded by fans, and helped the song become a radio hit. Initial radio reception was lukewarm, so Boyd and guitarist Mike Einziger
decided to perform the song acoustically at several radio stations that had been playing the song, including KROQ-FM
, and this acoustic version grabbed the attention of radio programmers and listeners. An acoustic version of the song was released on the When Incubus Attacks Volume 1
EP.
US promotional single
Production
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 Incubus
Incubus (band)
Incubus is an American rock band from Calabasas, California. The band was formed in 1991 by vocalist Brandon Boyd, lead guitarist Mike Einziger, and drummer Jose Pasillas while enrolled in high school and later expanded to include bassist Alex "Dirk Lance" Katunich, and Gavin "DJ Lyfe" Koppell;...
, the song is released as the first single from their third album Make Yourself
Make Yourself
Make Yourself is the third album by American rock band Incubus, released through Epic Records on October 26, 1999. The album has been certified double platinum in the United States along with featuring three charting singles, "Pardon Me", "Stellar", and "Drive", all of which reached the top three...
. It was the first Incubus song to receive a considerable amount of radio airplay, reaching number three on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Modern Rock Tracks chart and number seven on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.
Music video
The music 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...
for the Incubus song "Pardon Me" was directed by Steven Murashige and also gained considerable airplay. The video begins with two clones of Boyd, one young and one elderly, at opposite ends of a hallway. As the two approach each other, the more elderly clone begins to regresses younger, while the younger clone begins to grow more elderly, becoming more and more 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 topless) in a red-colored box are also shown, as is footage of the band members in red outfits being surrounded by businessmen and businesswomen.
Structure and style
The song describes a state of confusion, with allusions to spontaneous combustionSpontaneous combustion
Spontaneous combustion is the self-ignition of a mass, for example, a pile of oily rags. Allegedly, humans can also ignite and burn without an obvious cause; this phenomenon is known as spontaneous human combustion....
. Lead singer Brandon Boyd
Brandon Boyd
Brandon Charles Boyd is an American musician, author, and visual artist. He is best known as the lead vocalist of the American rock band Incubus.-Early Life and Incubus:...
says he was inspired to write the song after making a connection between images of spontaneous combustion in a magazine and "some turmoil in [his] life, both good and bad", namely coming back from a tour to find out that his girlfriend of 7 years had been cheating on him and that both his grandmother and a close friend of his had died. After seeing a picture in a magazine of a man who had spontaneously combusted, he related the man's problems to his own and was inspired to write the lyric "Pardon me while I burst into flames" on his hand at that spot.
Musically, the song combines fast-paced, ambient verses with prominent DJ scratching and a hard-rocking mid-tempo chorus. However, the acoustic version of the song is also well regarded by fans, and helped the song become a radio hit. Initial radio reception was lukewarm, so Boyd and guitarist Mike Einziger
Mike Einziger
Michael Aaron Einziger is a Grammy-nominated musician known as the co-writer and guitarist of the alternative rock band Incubus. Einziger is widely known as an innovator and enthusiast of the use of pedalboard guitar effects during live concerts, and was voted #41 in Total Guitar's top 100...
decided to perform the song acoustically at several radio stations that had been playing the song, including KROQ-FM
KROQ-FM
KROQ-FM — branded 106.7 KROQ — is a commercial modern rock radio station licensed to Pasadena, California serving the Greater Los Angeles. The call sign is pronounced "kay rock." It is the flagship station of Loveline hosted by Dr...
, and this acoustic version grabbed the attention of radio programmers and listeners. An acoustic version of the song was released on the When Incubus Attacks Volume 1
When Incubus Attacks Volume 1
When Incubus Attacks Volume 1 is an EP that was released on August 22, 2000 by Incubus. The title is a parody of When Animals Attack.The tracks on this EP were recorded live during the 1999 and 2000 world tour of Make Yourself, as well as 'Crowded Elevator', a song recorded during the recording of...
EP.
Track listing
US single- "Pardon Me" (Album Version)
- "Crowded Elevator"
- "Pardon Me" (Acoustic)
- "Drive" (Acoustic)
US promotional single
- "Pardon Me" (Acoustic)
Personnel
Incubus- Brandon BoydBrandon BoydBrandon Charles Boyd is an American musician, author, and visual artist. He is best known as the lead vocalist of the American rock band Incubus.-Early Life and Incubus:...
- vocals - Mike EinzigerMike EinzigerMichael Aaron Einziger is a Grammy-nominated musician known as the co-writer and guitarist of the alternative rock band Incubus. Einziger is widely known as an innovator and enthusiast of the use of pedalboard guitar effects during live concerts, and was voted #41 in Total Guitar's top 100...
- guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with... - Dirk Lance - bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- Jose PasillasJosé PasillasJosé Antonio Pasillas is an American drummer known as the drummer of alternative rock band Incubus.-Biography:José Pasillas is of Mexican descent. He grew up in Calabasas, California. He began playing drums in 1990...
- drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person .... - Chris KilmoreChris KilmoreChris Kilmore is an American DJ. He is the turntablist and keyboardist of the rock band Incubus.-References:*...
- turntablesPhonographThe phonograph record player, or gramophone is a device introduced in 1877 that has had continued common use for reproducing sound recordings, although when first developed, the phonograph was used to both record and reproduce sounds...
Production
- Produced by Scott LittScott LittScott Litt is an American record producer who mostly works with artists in the alternative rock genre and is best known for producing six R.E.M. albums.-Biography:...