Clumsy (Our Lady Peace song)

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“Clumsy”
“Clumsy” cover
Single by Our Lady Peace
from the album
Clumsy
Released 1997
Format CD Single
Recorded 1996-1997
Genre Alternative Rock
Length 4:29
Label Columbia Records
Writer(s) Raine Maida, Mike Turner
Producer Arnold Lanni
Our Lady Peace singles chronology
"4 A.M."
(1997)
"Clumsy"
(1998)
"One Man Army"
(1999)

"Clumsy" is the second single to be released from alternative rock band Our Lady Peace's second album, Clumsy. It was one of their most successful singles. It is one of the only tracks on the album not to feature vocalist Raine Maida's falsetto-controlled singing voice. This song is also the lightest on the album.

The song begins with a slow piano starting the introduction. At around the 0:14 mark, the song starts off fast. The chorus is then played, and after another verse and another repeat of the chorus, guitarist Mike Turner creates a soothing hum, and the song ends up in a final repeat of the chorus. Although the band has left most of their work interpretation up to the fans, guitarist Mike Turner and vocalist Raine Maida have said this about the song:

"You can be destructive without being malicious if you're clumsy. With the problems that I encounter, they're obviously not unique. Everyone goes through the same things I go through, so I think 'clumsy' was just a word that would give those problems the benefit of the doubt and then enable you to get through them rather than seeing them just from one perspective [like], 'O.K., it's bad. It's not going to change from being bad.' Because things DO change. People change" ... "It's really honest.The lyrics really match the song in that there are a lot of different colours and stuff, just as [with] personalities."
- Mike Turner and Raine Maida (1997)

This song and Somewhere Out There, Naveed, Starseed, and Superman's Dead have all become staples in Our Lady Peace's live setlist. A live version of the song is featured on their first live compilation 'Live' released in 2003. Because Raine Maida's singing style has slightly changed over the years, no longer reaching the higher notes before 'Spiritual Machines' as easily, many songs are sung using a lower, heavier tone. However, this song was in a low tone in its own right, and sounds comparable to the studio version.

[edit] Music video

The music video focuses on the lyrical content very well. Especially on the lines "I'll be waving my hand/Watching you drown.", when the cup of water spills onto the camera's point of view. Like a lot of songs from Clumsy, it has a psychotic, lonely, and even insane sense to the song and music video. The entire music video was shot in a sepia-tone. Unlike other singles like Superman's Dead, this single had only one music video internationally.

The video was directed by Matt Mahurin.

Watch "Clumsy" music video by Our Lady Peace on Youtube