Head On (song)

Infobox Single
Name = Head On


Artist = The Jesus and Mary Chain
from Album = Automatic
B-side =
Released = 1990
Format = 3x7"
Recorded =
Genre = Alternative rock
Length = 4:11
Label = Blanco y Negro
Writer =
Producer = Jim Reid
William Reid
Certification =
Last single = "Blues from a Gun" (1989)
This single = "Head On" (1990)
Next single = "Rollercoaster" (1990)
Misc = Infobox Single
Name = Head On


Artist = Pixies
from Album = Trompe le Monde
B-side =
Released = 1992
Format =
Recorded =
Genre = Alternative rock
Length = 2:14
Label = 4AD (UK)
Elektra (U.S.)
Writer = Jim Reid
William Reid
Producer = Gil Norton
Certification =
Chart position =
Last single = "Alec Eiffel"
(1991)
This single = "Head On"
(1991)
Next single = "Debaser"
(1997)
Misc =

"Head On" is a song written by Jim Reid and William Reid of the British alternative rock band The Jesus and Mary Chain. "Head On" was originally recorded by The Jesus and Mary Chain for their 1989 album "Automatic". It was released as a single in the U.S. and UK in 1990.

Although the song peaked at #2 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart in the US, it only made it up to #57 in the band's native United Kingdom.

The song has been covered by several other groups, most notably the American alternative rock band Pixies, on their fourth and final studio album, "Trompe Le Monde".

Pixies cover

"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 1992.

Video

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: [Frank, Ganz, 2005. p. 157]

Lubin then came up with the idea for the video. 12 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.Frank, Ganz, 2005. p. 158] 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.

Other cover versions

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.

References

*Frank, Josh; Ganz, Caryn. "." Virgin Books, 2005. ISBN 0-312-34007-9.

Notes

External links

* [http://dag.wieers.com/debaser/lyrics/headon.php "Head On" lyrics]
* [http://www.last.fm/music/Pixies/_/Head+On "Head On"] at Last.fm
* [http://www.google.com/musics?lid=IZ7kPxUonJH&aid=qe-FXrQD4RF&sid=ghljbMnahFG "Head On" at Google Music]