Erase/Rewind

"Erase/Rewind"
CD Single, part 1
Single by The Cardigans
from the album Gran Turismo
Released	15 March 1999
Format	CD Single 12"
Genre	Pop rock
Length	3:35
Label	Stockholm Polydor
Writer(s)	Peter Svensson Nina Persson
Producer(s)	Tore Johansson
The Cardigans singles chronology
"My Favourite Game" (1998) "Erase/Rewind" (1999) "Hanging Around" (1999)
Alternative cover CD Single part 2

"Erase/Rewind" is a pop rock song written by Peter Svensson and Nina Persson for The Cardigans' 1998 album Gran Turismo. The song is the album's second track, and was released as its second single. It was also featured in The Thirteenth Floor during the ending credits. The music video, which features science-fiction references to Star Wars and 2001: A Space Odyssey, was directed by Swedish director Adam Berg.

Credits and personnel

• Vocals: Nina Persson
• Guitar: Peter Svensson
• Bass: Magnus Sveningsson
• Keyboard: Lars-Olof Johansson
• Drums: Bengt Lagerberg
• Recorded at Country Hell, Tambourine Studios, Skurup, Sweden
• Producer: Tore Johansson
• Engineer: Tore Johansson, Janne Waldenmark
• Assistant engineer: Lars Göransson
• Audio mixing: Tore Johansson
• Mixing assistant: Jim Caruana
• Mastering by: Björn Engelmann Cutting Room Studios

Interpretation

Erase/Rewind explores the concept of not only forgetting one's past and/or mistakes, but actively seeking to change the future. The most significant theme, then, is the sense and act of upheaval, which runs throughout the song. The opening lines "Hey, what did you hear me say?/You know the difference it makes" exemplify the realization of both past events and their importance. There is a clear desire for others to also come to accept this. The song stresses that, while things were once "fine before", some event (unbeknownst to the listener) has brought about a change of heart ("I don't think so no more"), necessitating the "erase(ing)" and "rewind(ing)" of the past, in order to tread away from what was "not the right way". A question is asked in the second verse ("Where did you see me go?") that indicates and stresses a loss of bearing and direction in one's life, further making the "changing (of) my mind" necessary in order to find a purpose, or indeed a way out. This interpretation can be most clearly seen in the official music video accompanying the song, where as the song progresses (thereby increasing the desire for change), the band become trapped, seemingly with no means of escape. The original version of the video implies that the band members are unsuccessful in escaping their past, or are indeed erased/rewound themselves. The 'TV Edit' of the music video ends with a bright light in the shape of a door appearing before the band; a literal "ray of hope", finally offering them the "right way (out)".

Charts

Appearances in other media

• The song is played on the movie Never Been Kissed.
• The song is played at the end of the movie The Thirteenth Floor.
• The song is included in the Gran Turismo 2 on-game soundtrack.
• Erase/Rewind also appears as a downloadable track on the Xbox 360 karaoke game, Lips.
• Erase/Rewind also appears as a downloadable track on the PlayStation 3 karaoke game, Sing Star.

Cover versions

• In 2008 Sabrina Salerno released her dance version of this song as the lead single for her compilation album Erase/Rewind Official Remix.

References

External links

• The Cardigans' official website