| "Head On" | ||||||||||||||||||||
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| Single by The Jesus and Mary Chain | ||||||||||||||||||||
| from the album Automatic | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Released | November 1989 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Format | 4x7", 12", CD3, Cassette | |||||||||||||||||||
| Genre | Alternative rock | |||||||||||||||||||
| Length | 4:11 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Label | Blanco y Negro | |||||||||||||||||||
| Producer | Jim Reid William Reid |
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| The Jesus and Mary Chain singles chronology | ||||||||||||||||||||
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"Head On" is a song written by Jim Reid and William Reid of the Scottish alternative rock band The Jesus and Mary Chain, originally recorded for their 1989 album Automatic. It was released as a single in November 1989.
In the UK, it was released in seven different formats, including four 7" singles. One 7" single was released per week, and one of them included a cardboard box to house the full set.
Although the song only made it up to #57 in the country where the band first found fame, the United Kingdom, it peaked at #2 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart in the United States.
The song has been covered by several other groups, most notably the American alternative rock band Pixies, on their fourth studio album, Trompe Le Monde.
Contents |
All tracks written by Jim Reid and William Reid, except where noted.
| "Head On" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by Pixies | ||||
| from the album Trompe le Monde | ||||
| A-side | "Head On" (Single Mix) | |||
| B-side |
"Planet of Sound" (Live) |
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| Released | 1991 | |||
| Format | 7", cassette, Compact Disc | |||
| Recorded | 1991, Master Control and Pacifique, Burbank, California, United States; Studio des dames, Paris, Île-de-France, France; and Blackwing, London, England, United Kingdom | |||
| Genre | Alternative rock | |||
| Length | 2:14 | |||
| Label | Elektra | |||
| Writer(s) | Jim Reid and William Reid | |||
| Producer | Gil Norton | |||
| Pixies singles chronology | ||||
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"Head On" was covered by the American alternative rock band Pixies for their 1991 album Trompe le Monde. The Pixies' version was released as a single in 1991.
By 1991, the Pixies refused to film music videos for their singles. After a long debate with their record company in the United States — Elektra Records — the band relented and agree to film a video, as long as the song was done completely live. Peter Lubin, the A&R representative of Elektra at the time, later explained the situation:[1]
| “ | By completely live that means full band, vocals, cameras roll, video's done by the end of two minutes and 13 seconds. One take, that's it. So those became the ground rules, that was the only way you were going to get a Pixies video for 'Head On' or anything else. | ” |
Lubin then came up with the idea for the video. Twelve cameras would be placed, "dividing" each band member into three blocks. Frontman Black Francis was happy with this idea, so Scott Litt was then hired to produce the video.[2] After the video had been filmed, Elektra invited the "whole decision-making team from MTV" to view it. "Head On"'s video was then added onto MTV's rotation, with the video later receiving the "Breakthrough Video" award.[2]
All songs written by Black Francis, except where noted
Other groups who have recorded "Head On" include the Brazilian rock band Legião Urbana on their 1992 album, Acústico MTV, the Valencian glam punk band Gore Gore Gays and the Argentina's indie rock band El mató a un policía motorizado recorded it in Spanish. The alternative rock band squint recorded it live on a now very rare single tilted "Starkville, MS 6/02".
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