Infinity on High

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Infinity on High

Released

February 5, 2007 (International)
February 6, 2007 (United States)
August 28, 2007 (New Zealand Platinum Edition)
September 7, 2007 (Australian Tour Edition)
November 20, 2007 (Deluxe Limited Edition)

Recorded

2006 in Burbank, California

Genre

Pop punk, alternative rock

Length

47:51

Label

Mercury, Island, Fueled by Ramen

Producer

Neal Avron, Babyface, Butch Walker, Patrick Stump

Professional reviews

Fall Out Boy chronology

From Under the Cork Tree
(2005)

Infinity on High
(2007)

Leaked in London
(2007)

Wal-Mart pre-order cover

Singles from Infinity on High

"This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race"
Released: January 16, 2007
"The Carpal Tunnel of Love"
Released: February, 2007
"Thnks fr th Mmrs"
Released: April 9, 2007
""The Take Over, the Breaks Over""
Released: July 2, 2007
"I'm Like a Lawyer with the Way I'm Always Trying to Get You off (Me & You)"
Released: September 11, 2007

Infinity on High is Fall Out Boy's fourth studio album. It is the follow up to their 2005 album From Under the Cork Tree. Originally planned for release at the end of 2006, it was changed to early 2007. Infinity on High debuted at number-one on the U.S. Billboard 200,^[1] and has since been certified platinum by the RIAA.^[2]

The album title comes from a letter Vincent van Gogh wrote to his brother. The line that inspired the title is, "Be clearly aware of the stars and infinity on high. Then life seems almost enchanted after all."^[3]

The photography for the album was done by Pamela Littky. The sets on the album artwork were designed by Todd Fjelsted. The artwork for the album was designed by Chuck Anderson of NoPattern. This album was #46 on Rolling Stone's list of the Top 50 Albums of 2007.^[4]

1 Track listing
2 Versions
3 Song notes
4 Singles
5 Personnel
6 Chart performance
7 References
8 Release history
9 External links

[edit] Track listing

All songs written by Fall Out Boy, except when noted.

"Thriller" – 3:29
""The Take Over, The Breaks Over"" – 3:33
"This Ain't A Scene, It's An Arms Race" – 3:32
"I'm Like A Lawyer With The Way I'm Always Trying To Get You Off (Me & You)" – 3:31
"Hum Hallelujah" – 3:50 (Fall Out Boy, Cohen)
"Golden" – 2:32
"Thnks Fr Th Mmrs" – 3:23
"Don't You Know Who I Think I Am" - 2:51
"The (After Life)Of The Party" - 3:21
"The Carpal Tunnel of Love" – 3:23 (Fall Out Boy, Eisold)
"Bang The Doldrums" - 3:31
"Fame < Infamy" - 3:06
"You're Crashing, But You're No Wave" - 3:42
"I've Got All This Ringing In My Ears And None On My Fingers" - 4:06
"G.I.N.A.S.F.S" A.K.A "Gay Is Not A Synonym For Shitty" (Limited Edition Bonus Track)
"It's Hard To Say "I Do", When I Don't" (Limited Edition Bonus Track)

[edit] Versions

The United States had to deal with two versions of the album, along with several pre-sale offers issued for certain store chains. Besides the regular edition, a limited edition "book"-style digipak version, containing tarot cards but no additional audio or video content, was released.

Bonus song "G.I.N.A.S.F.S." ("Gay Is Not a Synonym for Shitty") can be found on the Irish, British, New Zealand, Australian and Japanese releases. The Japanese release also carries "It's Hard to Say 'I Do', When I Don't", a song titled by Colin Yip, through a contest for the band's fan club members, who were sent the lyrics and asked to come up with a title. The Brazilian, the Argentinian and the Mexican release of the album has "Dance, Dance" as a bonus track, most likely due to the success of the song in those countries. Moreover, the deluxe version of Infinity on High doesn't carry the traditional plastic case and album sleeve. It contains a paperback/cardboard case, 5 "tarot" cards, and a different cover for the album sleeve (a crow perched on a pumpkin).[2]

Those who purchased a physical copy of the CD and inserted it into their computer were able to receive a free download of an EP they recorded on January 29, 2007. The EP is a live EP titled Leaked in London. The location of the recording was at London's Hammersmith Palais.^[5] It is no longer available, as it was only available for a week after the album's release.

At the end of the last song on all versions of the album, a computer-synthesized voice is heard saying "now press repeat". The voice is also heard at the end of the Wal-Mart bonus track, "It's Hard to Say 'I Do', When I Don't".

A recent article in the radio trade publication FMQB stated that the band will re-issue the album on November 20 with five bonus tracks.[3] According to MTV, three of the five bonus tracks will be live cuts of existing songs.[4]

On November 20 the Deluxe Limited Edition, was available for sale. It featured the original cd + a bonus cd, with "G.I.N.A.S.F.S.", "It's Hard To Say 'I Do' When I Don't" and 3 live songs from the Leaked In London EP.

[edit] Song notes

The song "This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race" is reportedly about lyricist/bassist Peter Wentz's frustration with the so-called "emo scene". As he told Rolling Stone, "There may be other songs on the record that would be bigger radio hits, but this one had the right message."^[6]
The song title for ""The Take Over, the Breaks Over"" is a reference to a line in the Jay-Z song "Takeover".
The song "You're Crashing, But You're No Wave" is based on the trial of Fred Hampton, Jr.. Many believe Hampton was unjustly found guilty for an arson case involving the firebombing of a Korean grocery store following the nationwide protests in 1992 after the acquittal of the LAPD officers who beat Rodney King.
The song "Don't You Know Who I Think I Am?" is yet another John Hughes reference repeating the concept from "A Little Less Sixteen Candles, a Little More 'Touch Me'" on From Under the Cork Tree. In the movie The Breakfast Club, the kids are instructed to write a one thousand word essay entitled, "Who I Think I Am". Also, in spite of rumors, the song is not the same song as "I Liked You a Whole Lot Better Before You Became a Fucking MySpace Whore". The latter song has never been officially released and was only played live. The song also refers to an online scuffle that took place between Wentz and former good friend Christopher Gutierrez, or "HeyChris."
The song "Thnks fr th Mmrs" is about two lovers who have broken up, but still have sex and question whether their relationship has really died, or if it's just for their needs. The line "It tastes like you, but sweeter" (as "he tastes like you, only sweeter") is a line from Patrick Marber's play Closer and its subsequent film adaptation in 2004.
The title for the song "The Carpal Tunnel of Love" is a reference to carpal tunnel syndrome, which is a medical condition that comes from repeating a certain action with the hand or fingers too many times. It may be a reference to typing the same words over and over again on a keyboard,as Hey Chris discovered the relation between Wentz and Ms.Guttierez through a message sent on MySpace by the bassist. It combines carpal tunnel syndrome with the well-known tunnel of love ride.
The "hallelujah" choir part in the bridge of "Hum Hallelujah" is taken from the song "Hallelujah" by Leonard Cohen.
The line "You're a canary, I'm a coal mine..." from "I've Got All This Ringing in My Ear and None on My Fingers" is a reference to the song "Canary in a Coalmine" by the Police from their album, Zenyatta Mondatta.
The first line in "G.I.N.A.S.F.S." ("I love everything about you that hurts, so...") is also another line taken from Closer.
"G.I.N.A.S.F.S." reportedly stands for "Gay Is Not A Synonym for Shitty". This has caused many rumors to circulate that this song is about Pete Wentz and Patrick Stump.
"It's Hard to Say, 'I Do', When I Don't" is actually a title chosen by a fan through a contest conducted by 'Fall Out Boy.'^[7]
Several lyrics from Bang the Doldrums are taken from Pete Wentz's blog written during the Warped Tour 2005.
At the end of the song "I've Got All This Ringing in My Ear and None on My Fingers," there are a few seconds of an audience clapping, and then someone says, "Now press repeat." The same thing occurs, just without the applause, at the end of "It's Hard to Say, 'I Do', When I Don't", and at the end of "G.I.N.A.S.F.S."

[edit] Singles

Single information
"This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race" Released: January 16, 2007 Chart positions: #2 (UK Singles Chart) #2 (U.S. Billboard Hot 100) #1 (U.S. Billboard Pop 100) #8 (U.S. Modern Rock Tracks) #5 (United World Chart)
"The Carpal Tunnel of Love" Released: February 5, 2007 Chart positions: #81 (U.S. Billboard Hot 100) #67 (U.S. Billboard Pop 100)
"Thnks fr th Mmrs" Released: March 27, 2007 Chart positions: #12 (UK Singles Chart) #11 (U.S. Billboard Hot 100) #9 (U.S. Billboard Pop 100) #19 (U.S. Modern Rock Tracks) #3 (Australia) #18 (United World Chart)
""The Take Over, the Breaks Over"" Released: July 2, 2007 Chart positions: #48 (UK Singles Chart)
"I'm Like a Lawyer with the Way I'm Always Trying to Get You off (Me & You)" Released: September 11, 2007 Chart positions: #89 (UK Singles Chart) #68 (U.S. Billboard Hot 100] #31 (U.S. Billboard Pop 100)

[edit] Personnel

Andy Hurley – drums
Joe Trohman – guitar, backing vocals
Patrick Stump – lead vocals, guitar, piano on "Golden"
Pete Wentz – bass, backing vocals, Keyboards on "Thnks Fr Th Mmrs"
Jay-Z – intro and outro on "Thriller"
Chad Gilbert (of New Found Glory) – guitar solo in ""The Take Over, the Breaks Over"" ^[8]
Ryan Ross (of Panic at the Disco) – guitar solo in ""The Take Over, the Breaks Over""
Butch Walker– guest vocalist in "You're Crashing, But You're No Wave"; crowd vocals on "This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race", "Hum Hallelujah", and "Bang the Doldrums" ^[9]
Sofia Toufa - crowd vocals on "This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race", "Hum Hallelujah", and "Bang the Doldrums"
Rahul Ramburn - crowd vocals on "This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race", "Hum Hallelujah", and "Bang the Doldrums" + back-up on "Thnks Fr Th Mmrs"
Lindsey Blaufarb - crowd vocals on "This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race", "Hum Hallelujah", and "Bang the Doldrums"
Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds - mandolin on "Thnks fr th Mmrs" and B3 organ on "I'm Like a Lawyer with the Way I'm Always Trying to Get You off (Me & You)".^[10]
Ken Wiley - French horn
Nick Lane - bass trombone
Darrell Leonard - trombonium
Guy Bettison - Pan Flute
Wesley Eisold - co-writer and producer on "The Carpal Tunnel of Love"

[edit] Chart performance

Chart	Peak	Certification	Sales/shipments
Billboard 200	#1	Platinum	1,500,000+
UK Albums Chart	#3	Platinum	350,000+
Australian ARIA Albums Chart	#4	Platinum	75,000+
New Zealand RIANZ Albums Chart	#1	Platinum	15,000
United World Chart 2007 Countdown	#29	TBA	1,716,000+