Self-Esteem
Encyclopedia
"Self Esteem" is a song by the American punk rock
group The Offspring
. It is the eighth (or seventh, on cassette) track from their third studio album Smash and was released as the second single from the album. The song was a worldwide hit, reaching #1 in Latvia
, Norway
, and Sweden
and was one of the most successful singles released by the band. However, frontman Dexter Holland
mentioned in the Complete Music Video Collection
that this song has not been very popular in Japan
.
"Self Esteem" was nominated for the 1995 MTV
Europe Music Awards
for Best Song, but lost to The Cranberries
' "Zombie
".
The song also appears as the third track on their Greatest Hits
(2005).
(who directed the previous video "Come Out and Play
") and was shot in August 1994 after the Offspring had just gone both gold and platinum with Smash. In the music video, several people are doing things like stunts, with flashes with the band playing on stage.
In the video, Dexter wears three different band t-shirts. In the beginning, he was wearing a Sex Pistols
t-shirt. Later he wears a t-shirt of The Germs
, and then a Vandals
t-shirt when he briefly appears as a human skeleton
.
In an interview on The Offspring's Greatest Hits DVD, Noodles claimed that he gave his Fender Stratocaster
(which he played in the video) to one of the actors who appeared in the video.
"Self Esteem" remains one of the Offspring's popular videos. It was extremely successful on MTV
, and helped launch the song to success on mainstream radio.
DVD. It was released in 2005.
" and "Pretty Fly (For a White Guy)
". It also appears on Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock
.
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
group The Offspring
The Offspring
The Offspring is an American punk rock band from Huntington Beach, California, formed in 1984. Known as Manic Subsidal until 1986, the band consists of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Dexter Holland, lead guitarist Kevin "Noodles" Wasserman, bassist Greg K. and drummer Pete Parada...
. It is the eighth (or seventh, on cassette) track from their third studio album Smash and was released as the second single from the album. The song was a worldwide hit, reaching #1 in Latvia
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, and Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
and was one of the most successful singles released by the band. However, frontman Dexter Holland
Dexter Holland
Bryan Keith "Dexter" Holland is the singer and rhythm guitarist for the California punk rock band The Offspring...
mentioned in the Complete Music Video Collection
Complete Music Video Collection
Complete Music Video Collection is an extensive DVD by The Offspring. It was created to accompany the "Greatest Hits" CD released a month earlier, and shows all of the band's videos between 1994 and 2005...
that this song has not been very popular in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.
"Self Esteem" was nominated for the 1995 MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
Europe Music Awards
MTV Europe Music Awards 1995
The second MTV Europe Music Awards took place at the Le Zénith in Paris. Jean-Paul Gaultier was the host spot and sported no fewer than 15 costume changes...
for Best Song, but lost to The Cranberries
The Cranberries
The Cranberries are an Irish rock band formed in Limerick in 1989 under the name The Cranberry Saw Us, later changed by vocalist Dolores O'Riordan. The band currently consists of O'Riordan, guitarist Noel Hogan, bassist Mike Hogan and drummer Fergal Lawler...
' "Zombie
Zombie (song)
"Zombie" is a protest song by the Irish band The Cranberries from the 1994 album No Need to Argue. The song, which laments The Troubles in Northern Ireland and in particular the killing of two children in an IRA bombing in Warrington, England, was written by Dolores O'Riordan, singer of the band...
".
The song also appears as the third track on their Greatest Hits
Greatest Hits (The Offspring album)
-International bonus tracks:*On each edition, "Next to You" appears as a hidden track on track 15.-DualDisc edition:The DualDisc edition of the album has the standard 14 track album on the CD side...
(2005).
CD single
CD maxi
12" maxi
Music video
The music video for the song was directed by Darren LavettDarren Lavett
Darren J. Lavett is an American music video director, who directed videos for The Offspring, Bad Religion, Bush, Voodoo Glow Skulls, Claw Hammer, Testament and several other bands. He is probably best known for directing the videos of The Offspring's biggest hits "Come Out and Play" and "Self Esteem"...
(who directed the previous video "Come Out and Play
Come Out and Play (song)
"Come Out and Play" is a song by the Californian punk rock group The Offspring. It is the seventh track on their third album Smash and was released as the first single from that album. The song was the second single to be released by the band, following "I'll Be Waiting/Blackball"...
") and was shot in August 1994 after the Offspring had just gone both gold and platinum with Smash. In the music video, several people are doing things like stunts, with flashes with the band playing on stage.
In the video, Dexter wears three different band t-shirts. In the beginning, he was wearing a Sex Pistols
Sex Pistols
The Sex Pistols were an English punk rock band that formed in London in 1975. They were responsible for initiating the punk movement in the United Kingdom and inspiring many later punk and alternative rock musicians...
t-shirt. Later he wears a t-shirt of The Germs
The Germs
The Germs are an American punk rock band from Los Angeles, California, originally active from 1977 to 1980. The band's early lineup consisted of singer Darby Crash, guitarist Pat Smear, bassist Lorna Doom, and their most consistent drummer Don Bolles. Germs have since reformed in 2005 with Shane...
, and then a Vandals
The Vandals
The Vandals are an American rock band established in 1980 in Huntington Beach, California. They have released ten full-length studio albums and two live albums and have toured the world extensively, including performances on the Vans Warped Tour...
t-shirt when he briefly appears as a human skeleton
Human skeleton
The human skeleton consists of both fused and individual bones supported and supplemented by ligaments, tendons, muscles and cartilage. It serves as a scaffold which supports organs, anchors muscles, and protects organs such as the brain, lungs and heart....
.
In an interview on The Offspring's Greatest Hits DVD, Noodles claimed that he gave his Fender Stratocaster
Fender Stratocaster
The Fender Stratocaster, often referred to as "Strat", is a model of electric guitar designed by Leo Fender, George Fullerton, and Freddie Tavares in 1954, and manufactured continuously by the Fender Musical Instruments Corporation to the present. It is a double-cutaway guitar, with an extended top...
(which he played in the video) to one of the actors who appeared in the video.
"Self Esteem" remains one of the Offspring's popular videos. It was extremely successful on MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
, and helped launch the song to success on mainstream radio.
DVD appearances
The music video also appears on the Complete Music Video CollectionComplete Music Video Collection
Complete Music Video Collection is an extensive DVD by The Offspring. It was created to accompany the "Greatest Hits" CD released a month earlier, and shows all of the band's videos between 1994 and 2005...
DVD. It was released in 2005.
Covers and other uses
- The song has for many years been the last song played when the Offspring play a live concert.
- The song was also featured on the game SingStar Rocks!.
- The song was also transcribed in the June 1997 issue of Guitar WorldGuitar WorldGuitar World is a monthly music magazine devoted to guitarists. It contains original interviews, album and gear reviews and guitar and bass tablature of approximately five songs each month. The magazine is published 13 times per year...
. - During TriviumTrivium (band)Trivium is an American heavy metal band from Orlando, Florida, formed in 1999. Signed to Roadrunner Records, the band has released five studio albums, eleven singles, and twelve music videos...
's early days, guitarist Matt HeafyMatt HeafyMatthew Kiichi "Matt" Heafy is a Japanese-American musician, best known as the lead vocalist and lead guitarist for the American Metal band Trivium. Heafy is also the vocalist for the band Capharnaum, along with Trivium's former producer Jason Suecof.-Biography:Heafy is Japanese from his mother...
performed a cover version of this song at his middle school talent show at Lake Brantley High SchoolLake Brantley High SchoolLake Brantley High School is located in Altamonte Springs, Florida, an urban community approximately 13 miles north of Orlando, Florida, USA. It is a public high school serving grade levels 9-12 in Seminole County, FL, operated by Seminole County Public Schools...
. - The song was covered by the Cuban BoysCuban BoysThe Cuban Boys are a British band and production team, currently composed of Skreen B and Ricardo Autobahn; the band formerly also included B.L. Underwood and Jenny McLaren . Their music is characterised by fast electronic beats, heavy reliance upon samples and the repetition of the words "The...
on their album EastwoodEastwood (album)Eastwood is British Synthpop band, Cuban Boys' first and only major label album. It was released in 2000, after some delay, following the band's only UK hit single, "Cognoscenti vs...
. - The song was made available as downloadable content in the Rock BandRock BandRock Band is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems, published by MTV Games and Electronic Arts. It is the first title in the Rock Band series. The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions were released in the United States on November 20, 2007, while the PlayStation 2 version was...
series on October 7, 2008. - The song appears on the music video game Guitar Hero: Warriors of RockGuitar Hero: Warriors of RockGuitar Hero: Warriors of Rock is a music video game and the sixth main entry in the Guitar Hero series for the PlayStation 3, Wii, and Xbox 360 consoles. The game was released September 24, 2010 in Europe, September 28, 2010 in North America and September 29, 2010 in Australia...
. - Charles HamiltonCharles Hamilton-People:* Charles Hamilton 1st Anglican bishop of Ottawa* Charles Hamilton, 5th Earl of Abercorn , Scottish peer* Charles Hamilton, Lord Binning , Scottish politician* Charles Hamilton , Member of Parliament for Truro...
sampled this song for his song "Rockstar Girl". - Swedish singer/songwriter Veronica MaggioVeronica MaggioVeronica Sandra Karin Maggio is a Swedish singer of Swedish and Italian origin. She won the category "Årets nykomling" in the Grammisgalan 2007....
has made an acoustic cover of this song. - The song was used by professional wrestler Bryan DanielsonBryan DanielsonBryan Danielson is an American professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE where he wrestles on its SmackDown brand as Daniel Bryan, and currently holds the SmackDown Money in the Bank briefcase, which enables him to have a World Heavyweight Championship match at any time of his choosing...
as his entrance themeMusic in professional wrestlingMusic in professional wrestling serves a variety of purposes. The most common uses of music in professional wrestling is that of the entrance theme, a song or piece of instrumental music which plays as a performer approaches the ring...
for several years on the independent wrestling scene and in Ring of HonorRing of HonorRing of Honor ' is an American professional wrestling promotion, founded in 2002 by Rob Feinstein and Gabe Sapolsky. From 2004 to 2011, the promotion was under the ownership of Cary Silkin before being sold to the Sinclair Broadcast Group in May 2011...
.
Game appearances
The song was released as downloadable content for the video game Rock Band. The song was released in the first "Offspring pack" which was released on October 7, 2008 along with "Gone AwayGone Away
-Sales:The single reached Gold in Australia, selling 35,000 copies. It was the first single released by the Offspring to reach Gold status in any country.-Music video:...
" and "Pretty Fly (For a White Guy)
Pretty Fly (for a White Guy)
-Australia CD Maxi:-Europe CD Maxi:-Composition and lyrics:Beginning with a sample of the pseudo-German nonsense phrase "Gunter glieben glauchen globen" from Def Leppard's song "Rock of Ages," chanted as a replacement for the traditional "1, 2, 3, 4" to start the recording, the song ridicules a...
". It also appears on Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock
Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock
Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock is a music video game and the sixth main entry in the Guitar Hero series for the PlayStation 3, Wii, and Xbox 360 consoles. The game was released September 24, 2010 in Europe, September 28, 2010 in North America and September 29, 2010 in Australia...
.
Peak positions
| Chart (1995) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian ARIA Singles Chart | 6 |
| Austrian Singles Chart | 4 |
| Belgian (Flanders) Singles Chart | 8 |
| Belgian (Wallonia) Singles Chart | 8 |
| Canadian Top Singles Chart | 34 |
| Dutch Top 40 Dutch Top 40 The Dutch Top 40 is a weekly music chart, which started as the "Veronica Top 40", because the offshore radio station Radio Veronica was the first to introduce it. It remained "The Veronica Top 40" until 1974, when the station was forced to stop broadcasting... |
4 |
| French SNEP Singles Chart | 20 |
| German Singles Chart | 4 |
| Irish Singles Chart | 27 |
| New Zealand RIANZ Singles Chart | 39 |
| Norwegian Singles Chart | 1 |
| Swedish Singles Chart | 1 |
| UK Singles Chart | 37 |
| U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks | 7 |
| U.S. Billboard Modern Rock Tracks | 4 |
End of year charts
| End of year chart (1995) | Position |
|---|---|
| Australian Singles Chart | 35 |
| Austrian Singles Chart | 18 |
| Belgian (Flanders) Singles Chart | 16 |
| Belgian (Wallonia) Singles Chart | 20 |
| Dutch Top 40 | 15 |
| French Singles Chart | 70 |
Certifications
| Country | Certification | Date | Sales certified |
|---|---|---|---|
| Norway | Platinum | 1995 | 10,000 |
| Sweden | Gold | June 12, 1995 | 10,000 |