Man Overboard (Blink-182 song)

"Man Overboard" is a song by the American rock band Blink-182. The song was first released on September 2, 2000 through MCA Records as the lead single from the band's live album, The Mark, Tom, and Travis Show (The Enema Strikes Back!) (2000). It is the sole studio recording on the release, and was recorded as a bonus track to help promote its release. The song's lyrics, credited to bassist Mark Hoppus and guitarist Tom DeLonge, are about losing their original drummer Scott Raynor to alcohol abuse. In the song, Hoppus repeats the refrain "so sorry it’s over," and goes on to highlight occasions in which a friend was too intoxicated to be dependable.

"Man Overboard"
Single by Blink-182
from the album The Mark, Tom, and Travis Show (The Enema Strikes Back!)
ReleasedSeptember 2, 2000
RecordedJuly 2000
StudioSignature Sound, San Diego, California
GenrePop punk
Length2:48
LabelMCA
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Jerry Finn
Blink-182 singles chronology
"Adam's Song"
(2000)		 "Man Overboard"
(2000)		 "The Rock Show"
(2001)

The song was originally written during sessions for the band's third album, Enema of the State. Musically, the song is led by a distinctive bass line, accompanied by melodic guitar riffs and straightforward rock drums. Its songwriting was slow to develop, with the group unable to complete its lyrics for its placement the album. At their label's suggestion, the trio re-approached the track for inclusion on the live album. Though the band has never officially confirmed its basis, "Man Overboard" has widely been regarded as a reference to former drummer Scott Raynor. Raynor—who co-founded Blink-182—had struggled with alcohol dependency in his last years behind the kit, and was dismissed from the band midway through a 1998 tour.

The single received positive notices from music critics, many of whom have listed it among the band's best songs. Its music video—a number-one hit on MTV—was directed by Marcos Siega, and parodies the group's past clips with persons of short stature in place of the band members. The song was a success on rock charts in North America; it peaked at number two on Billboard's Modern Rock Tracks chart, and within the top 20 on Canada's rock charts compiled by RPM. The song was later included on the band's compilation album Greatest Hits. The song is the namesake of the pop punk act Man Overboard.

Background

Though officially unconfirmed, "Man Overboard" is generally believed to be written about the group's original drummer Scott Raynor,[1] who performed and recorded with the trio between 1992 and 1998. Raynor and guitarist Tom DeLonge first met in school,[2] and later met bassist Mark Hoppus to form Blink-182. In the interim years, the band recorded independent albums and toured frequently, attracting a following at the peak of punk rock’s mainstream popularity.[3] Though the band was growing successful, tensions between DeLonge/Hoppus and Raynor began to grow evident. Raynor frequently spoke of his desire to return to school,[4] and disagreed with their decision to sign to major-label MCA.[nb 1] He began to struggle with alcohol abuse, which started to affect his performance live. Raynor, interviewed by journalist Joe Shooman for an unofficial band biography, admitted that his behavior in this era was "irresponsible [...] I was drinking way too much." In one instance, Raynor broke both of his heels in an episode while inebriated, and was forced to record the band's major-label debut, Dude Ranch (1997), while on crutches.[6] Eventually, DeLonge and Hoppus phoned Raynor, issuing an ultimatum that he agree to attend an in-patient rehabilitation facility, or be removed from the band. Raynor agreed to do so, but was still dismissed from the group. He later conceded to Shooman that the duo were "right to fire him," though it caused him great grief at the time.[7]

The band would minimize the impact of the situation in future interviews and remained vague regarding his departure. Blink-182 resumed with new drummer Travis Barker, formerly of the Aquabats, at the helm. "Man Overboard"—named for the exclamation made when a passenger falls from a ship—was first demoed for the band's next album, Enema of the State. It was written by Hoppus, and credited to both he and DeLonge. Barker contributed on drums, though was at this point in their career considered a touring musician and did not receive songwriting credit.[8] Its songwriting process went unfinished, as the group had issues with its lyrics and harmonies. After completing Enema of the State, they simply decided to return to the idea another time. The following year, the band's label, MCA Records, requested they record a new song as a bonus track and single to promote their forthcoming live album, The Mark, Tom, and Travis Show (The Enema Strikes Back!). The trio found it natural to re-approach "Man Overboard", which was completed in mid-2000 with producer Jerry Finn.[9] It was recorded at Signature Sound in the band's hometown of San Diego, California, with Sean O'Dwyer serving as recording engineer. Lastly, it was mixed by Tom Lord-Alge and mastered by Brian Gardner at his studio in Hollywood.[10]

Composition

The song opens with a distinctive solo ostinato on bass guitar performed by Hoppus, preceding a refrain that repeats the phrase "so sorry it's over."[11] As the song begins, Tom DeLonge contributes melodic guitar lines while Barker energetically drums.[12] According to sheet music published at Musicnotes.com by Kobalt Music Publishing America, "Man Overboard" is written in common time with a fast tempo[12] of 192 beats per minute. Set in the key of G major, it follows the chord progression of G–G5–A–C5 for the intro, a series of G–Em–C in the verses, and G5–E5–C5–G5 progression for the choruses.[13] Hoppus and DeLonge's vocal parts span from F♯4 to G5.[14]

Stereogum contributor Pranav Trewn observes that the song lyrically presents a "conflicted account out of two unambiguous narratives."[15] Throughout the song, Hoppus alludes to the loss of a friend to alcoholism, recalling their tendency to down "shots without a chaser," and decrying them as "out of line, and rarely sober."[16] Trewn writes that Hoppus switches between "remorseful affection and cold bitterness" toward the song's subject, suggesting that while he commiserates with this friend, DeLonge is more outwardly disdainful. DeLonge's portions, serving as backup vocals, claim "there's so much more" the duo wanted from the subject.[15] The song concludes with the understanding that Hoppus fails to miss this person's presence, demanding this friend "hand in [their] resignation."[6]

Music video
Neon sign for the Belly-Up Tavern in California, where the video was partially filmed.

The music video was directed by Marcos Siega.[17] The band first met Siega coming up in the punk rock scene,[9] and their similar ethos led them to hire him in the past for the music videos for "All the Small Things" and "What's My Age Again?". In the "Man Overboard" clip, the trio—sleeping in a tour van speeding overnight—each have nightmares that take place in their past music videos, in which persons of small stature play their parts. These shots are intercut with clips of the band performing live, filmed at the Belly-Up Tavern in Solana Beach, California. The band had previously utilized a cast of little people for its performance at the 2000 MTV Video Music Awards on September 7, 2000. The band was subsequently touring in Europe when Barker suggested they employ the same actors for their next video. Hoppus proposed it would be humorous if the actors replicate the band's "What's My Age Again?" music video, in which the three ran naked through the streets of Los Angeles. This was parlayed into a full-on parody of their past music videos, starring little people in the roles of the bandmembers, who themselves played extras in the video. The band phoned Siega, who liked the idea and wrote its treatment.[18] They also hired an artist to re-create DeLonge and Barker's tattoos on the actors.[18]

Despite the song's more serious subject matter, the band hoped to provide an entertaining video, in line with their humorous personas. The video was shot between September 18–24, 2000 in Los Angeles and San Diego. Hoppus's mother makes a cameo in the concert pit at the Belly-Up.[18] It was first added to MTV rotation for the week ending October 8, 2000,[19] and to the playlist of the Box and Canadian channel MuchMusic the following weeks.[20][21] It became MTV's most-played clip for the week ending October 22, surpassing videos by acts such as the Backstreet Boys and Christina Aguilera.[22] Aiding in the clip's popularity was a half-hour special taking viewers behind the scenes of its production. This special, Making the Video: Man Overboard, first premiered on October 18, 2000.[23]

Commercial performance

The song debuted on Billboard's Modern Rock Tracks ranking at number 31 in the issue dated September 30, 2000.[24] Billboard designated it with the signifier "Airpower" in the following issue, denoting heavy airplay rotation.[25] It rose steadily over the following weeks to reach a peak of number two on November 18, 2000, its eighth week on the chart.[26] It was held out of the top spot by "Hemorrhage (In My Hands)", a single by fellow American rockers Fuel. It last appeared on the ranking in the issue dated February 24, 2001, after which it fell out of the top 40.[27] In Canada, it peaked at number 19 in its third week on the Top 30 Rock Report, a listing compiled by the magazine RPM.[28] Outside of North America, "Man Overboard" charted in two locations. In Australia, the song reached number 40 on its national ARIA Charts,[29] while in New Zealand, the song ranked number 49.[30]

Release and reception

"Man Overboard" was first alluded to in an August 2000 article on MTV.com, which reported the band were back in the studio to record a studio track accompanying its new live album, The Mark, Tom, and Travis Show (The Enema Strikes Back!).[31] The song debuted online, streaming exclusively on MTV.com, the website for L.A.-based radio station KROQ-FM and the band's official site on September 2, 2000. The song was later serviced to radio on September 18 of that year.[32] A maxi CD single for the song was issued on December 5, 2000. Its release prompted fans to speculate about whether or not it was referring to Raynor. Raynor, in the Shooman interview, claims to have never listened to the song.[33] A live version of the song was initially slated as a bonus track for the band's 2005 Greatest Hits compilation,[34] but was left off.

Original reviews of the song were positive. An uncredited Billboard writer, reviewing the single, complimented the song's "infectious" guitar riff and Barker's "aggressive" percussion, suggesting its potential to crossover between multiple radio formats.[12] Natalie Nichols of the Los Angeles Times characterized it as a "brash-yet-pretty heartbreak anthem."[35] Stereogum contributor Pranav Trewn extolled it as among the band's best songs, commenting that its structure is "composed solely of hooks. There’s not a single section that couldn’t function as the song’s center, with one of Hoppus’ all-time best bass lines reigning most identifiable as a chorus."[15] Consequence of Sound, in a 2015 top 10 of the band's best songs, ranked it as number three, with writer Randall Colburn calling it "triumphant": "Such straight-faced commentary on friendship was fairly uncharted territory for Blink at the time, and that "Man Overboard" transcends the band's relationship with Raynor speaks to the strength of the songwriting. It's also one of the finest displays of one of Blink's more indelible musical touches: Hoppus' bass."[1]

Format and track listing
US promo CD (2000)
  1. "Man Overboard" (Radio Edit) – 2:48
  2. "Man Overboard" (Album Version) – 2:48
European promo CD (2000)
  1. "Man Overboard" (Radio Edit) – 2:48
Mexican promo CD (2000)
  1. "Man Overboard" (Radio Edit) – 2:48
Australian CD (2000)
  1. "Man Overboard" (Album Version) – 2:50
  2. "13 Miles" (Live) – 2:11
  3. "Words of Wisdom" (Teaser Version) – 3:01

Live tracks were recorded at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco, California, on November 4, 1999.[10]

Charts
Chart (2000) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[29] 40
Canada Top 30 Rock Report (RPM)[28] 19
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[30] 49
US Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles (Billboard)[36] 17
US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)[37] 2

Radio and release history
Country Date Format Label
United States September 2, 2000 Streaming audio[32] MCA Records
September 18, 2000 Contemporary hit radio, modern rock[32]
December 5, 2000 CD single[38]

Notes
  1. Raynor had no qualms about major-label distribution, remarking to journalist Joe Shooman that "I always had aspirations for the band that went beyond the independent paradigm [...] I loved being on the radio and MTV." He was simply more interested in affiliating with Epitaph Records, which he felt offered "less pressure and more creative freedom due in part to the relatively minimal financial investment on [behalf] of the executives."[5]

References

Footnotes
  1. Dan Caffrey; Collin Brennan & Randall Colburn (February 9, 2015). "Blink-182's Top 10 Songs". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved February 14, 2015.
  2. Toombs, Mikel (March 30, 1995). "With a wink to a sound that's fast, fun, Blink set to run for the tundra". San Diego Union Tribune.
  3. Bush, John. "Blink-182 | Biography & History". AllMusic. Archived from the original on January 13, 2015. Retrieved February 25, 2020.
  4. Walker, Morgan (November 6, 1996). "Blink-182". Thrasher. High Speed Productions. p. 88. Retrieved February 25, 2020.
  5. Shooman 2010, p. 55.
  6. Eveland, Emily (May 30, 2014). "18.2 reasons why Blink-182 is the greatest band of all time". City Pages. Retrieved February 25, 2020.
  7. Shooman 2010, p. 56.
  8. Barker, Travis; Edwards, Gavin (2015). Can I Say: Living Large, Cheating Death, and Drums, Drums, Drums. William Morrow. p. 155. ISBN 978-0-062-31942-5.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  9. Hoppus, Mark; DeLonge, Tom; Barker, Travis (2000). "Interview With Blink-182". Dumpweed (CD Promo) – MCAR-25268-2 (Interview). Interviewed by Michael Halloran. MCA Records.
  10. Man Overboard - Single (liner notes). Blink-182. Australia: MCA Records. 2000. 155 786-2.CS1 maint: others (link)
  11. Easterhouse, Jim (July 16, 2014). "Blink-182 reveals news of a new album on Instagram". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 25, 2020.
  12. Paoletta, Michael (Ed.) (October 7, 2000). "Reviews & Previews: Rock Tracks: Blink-182 – "Man Overboard"". Billboard. 112 (46): 24. ISSN 0006-2510.CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link)
  13. blink-182 - Greatest Hits (Songbook). Hal Leonard Corporation. 2006. ISBN 978-1423467502.
  14. Hoppus, Mark; DeLonge, Tom (2011). "Digital Sheet Music – Blink-182 – Man Overboard". Musicnotes.com/Kobalt Music Publishing America, Inc.
  15. Trewn, Pranav (September 26, 2016). "The 10 Best Blink-182 Songs". Stereogum. Retrieved February 25, 2020.
  16. Hale, Clint (July 29, 2016). "10 Times Blink-182 Showed Their Serious Side". Houston Press. Retrieved February 25, 2020.
  17. Mancini, Rob (September 1, 2000). "Papa Roach, Blink-182 Return To Siega For New Videos". MTV.com. Retrieved February 25, 2020.
  18. Barker, Travis. DeLonge, Tom. Hoppus, Mark. Siega, Marcos. (October 18, 2000). Making the Video: Blink-182 – Man Overboard. MTV Networks.
  19. "Billboard Video Monitor" (PDF). Billboard. 112 (43): 94. October 21, 2000. ISSN 0006-2510.
  20. "Billboard Video Monitor" (PDF). Billboard. 112 (44): 91. October 28, 2000. ISSN 0006-2510.
  21. "Billboard Video Monitor" (PDF). Billboard. 112 (47): 110. November 18, 2000. ISSN 0006-2510.
  22. "Billboard Video Monitor" (PDF). Billboard. 112 (45): 71. November 4, 2000. ISSN 0006-2510.
  23. ""Making the Video" Blink 182: Man Overboard". IMDb. Retrieved February 25, 2020.
  24. "Modern Rock Tracks" (PDF). Billboard. 112 (40): 87. September 30, 2000. ISSN 0006-2510.
  25. "Modern Rock Tracks" (PDF). Billboard. 112 (41): 71. October 7, 2000. ISSN 0006-2510.
  26. "Alternative Songs". Billboard. Retrieved February 24, 2020.
  27. "Modern Rock Tracks" (PDF). Billboard. 113 (8): 77. February 24, 2001. ISSN 0006-2510.
  28. RPM (November 6, 2000). "RPM Top 30 Rock Report Chart - Rock/Alternative - Volume 71, No. 26, November 06 2000". (Ottawa: Library and Archives Canada). OCLC 352936026. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 22, 2015. Retrieved January 27, 2014.
  29. "Australian-charts.com – Blink 182 – Man Overboard". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved January 27, 2014.
  30. "Charts.nz – Blink 182 – Man Overboard". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved January 27, 2014.
  31. Basham, David (August 28, 2000). "Blink-182 Records New Song For Live Album". MTV. Retrieved February 24, 2020.
  32. Mancini, Robert (August 30, 2000). "Blink-182 To Debut New Track Online". MTV. Retrieved February 24, 2020.
  33. Shooman 2010, p. 80.
  34. "For The Record: Quick News On Ashlee Simpson, 3 Doors Down, Blink-182, Axl Rose, Deftones & More". MTV.com. August 29, 2005. Retrieved February 25, 2020.
  35. Nichols, Natalie (November 5, 2000). "In Brief". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 25, 2020.
  36. "Man Overboard – Blink-182". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved March 25, 2016.

Sources
  • Shooman, Joe (2010). Blink-182: The Bands, The Breakdown & The Return. Independent Music Press. ISBN 978-1-906191-10-8.
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