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Pinch Me

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Wikipedia article




{{Infobox song

| name = Pinch Me

| cover = PinchMe_Single.jpg

| alt =

| type = single

| artist = Barenaked Ladies

| album = Maroon

| B-side = Falling for the First Time

| released =

| recorded =

| studio =

| venue =

| genre =

| length =

* 4:45 (album version)

* 4:37 (radio edit fade)

* 3:49 (radio edit fade)

| label = Reprise

| writer =

* Steven Page

* Ed Robertson

| producer = Don Was

| prev_title = Alcohol

| prev_year = 1999

| next_title = Too Little Too Late

| next_year = 2001

| misc =

}}

"'Pinch Me'" is a song by Canadian rock band Barenaked Ladies. It was released as the first single from their 2000 album, 'Maroon', on August 1, 2000. The song became the band's final top-forty hit in the United States, peaking at number 15 on the 'Billboard' Hot 100 on November 14, 2000. It also peaked at number two on 'Billboard's Adult Alternative Songs and Adult Top 40 charts. In Canada, the single reached number four on the 'RPM' Top Singles chart, becoming the band's most recent top-ten hit in their native country.

Background



The song was co-written by frontmen Steven Page and Ed Robertson, but the concept and base for the song came from Robertson. He wrote the song following the "roller-coaster" success of 'Stunt', and returning to Canada to find people less interested or aware of the success. "I was trying to get to the root of what I was feeling... 'this is all great, but not right here it's not not where I live, and not in my heart'... It's this notion that you know things are good they're just not quite good for you."

The fundamental guitar riff of the song (through the verses) was based on the song "Leaving Las Vegas" by Sheryl Crow. The recording (and most live performances) is based on a drum loop (along with which drummer Tyler Stewart plays). The loop was created by taking the best two bars of Stewart himself playing drums, and then looping them. The song was originally written with the chorus rap as the less prominent "underpinning" half of the vocal, with the melody being more prominent, but as the writing process went along, the rap became the foreground. Noting that the melody line was now the background, they took the lyric and also used it for the bridge of the song.

According to Ed Robertson, during the Austin, TX concert on July 21, 2012, "Pinch Me" has one of his favorite "fake lyrics". He explained, "Often when we're writing a song, we just put in fake lyrics for a while, just to fill the space, 'cause we know what we want the melody to be, but we haven't finished the lyrics." The original chorus of the song was this: "Doesn't anyone, make a Chelsea bun, like they used to back, in the day? Sticky-sweet, it's a special treat. If Chelsea Buns were men, I'd be gay."

Critical reception



Chuck Taylor, of 'Billboard' magazine, reviewed the song favorably, saying that "the production is tight, and the melody alternates between minimalist verses and Ed Robertson's trademark hyperkinetic delivery." He goes on to say that the "quirky lyric doesn't go for the wit as past hits have, but it still captures the band's friendly side, which had earned it a strong cult following long before it tore up the charts."'Billboard', August 12, 2000 Vol. 112, No. 33, Page 57.

Track listings



'US CD single'

# "Pinch Me" (radio edit)

# "Powder Blue"

'US 7-inch single'

# "Pinch Me" (radio edit) 3:48

# "Falling for the First Time" (album version) 3:40

'European and Australian CD single'

# "Pinch Me"

# "Pinch Me" (radio edit)

# "Inline Bowline"

# "Born Human"

Personnel



* Ed Robertson lead vocals, acoustic and electric guitars

* Jim Creeggan electric bass, viola, violin, backing vocals

* Kevin Hearn electric piano, organ, backing vocals

* Tyler Stewart drums, backing vocals

* Steven Page acoustic and electric guitars, backing vocals

* Rob Menegoni shaker

Charts



Weekly charts



Year-end charts



Release history



References



Category:2000 singles

Category:2000 songs

Category:Barenaked Ladies songs

Category:Music videos directed by Phil Harder

Category:Patter songs

Category:Reprise Records singles

Category:Song recordings produced by Don Was

Category:Songs written by Ed Robertson

Category:Songs written by Steven Page

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