Handlebars (song): Difference between revisions
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The video for the song is entirely animated. It starts out lighthearted, showing two young friends riding their bikes without their hands on the handlebars. They arrive at a sign that points in two directions, one labeled with a corporate-like symbol that is reminiscent of the fictional [[Omni Consumer Products]] multinational corporation in the [[RoboCop]] series, and the other labeled by a dove. They hug and head their separate ways. |
The video for the song is entirely animated. It starts out lighthearted, showing two young friends riding their bikes without their hands on the handlebars. They arrive at a sign that points in two directions, one labeled with a corporate-like symbol that is reminiscent of the fictional [[Omni Consumer Products]] multinational corporation in the [[RoboCop]] series, and the other labeled by a dove. They hug and head their separate ways. |
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The person who took the direction labeled with a dove arrives in a peaceful, serene neighborhood, while the other person arrives in a commercial district. The business person goes on to become the head of a successful company and a powerful politician, disenfranchising the poor inhabitants of the peaceful neighborhood. The citizens of the city then form a rebellion against the tyrannical political system headed by the businessman, led by the person who chose the more peaceful neighborhood. As the video goes on it then shows the person who took the dove direction leading a right against a wall of troops. Behind the troops at the podium is the man who took the corporate direction leading the army. As the riot is raging against their new leader, the man at the podium, troops in riot gear are sent out to very brutally silence them. When the riot comes against a wall of troops, throwing glass bottles, the troops open fire and kill many of the citizens. The leader sees his former friend just before he is killed, and realizes what he has done was wrong, and the video ends as it shows a flashback sequence of the friends riding their bikes. |
The person who took the direction labeled with a dove arrives in a peaceful, serene neighborhood, while the other person arrives in a commercial district. When following the person who took the path of the dove foreshadowing occurs when you see the birds behind him flying away from where he is, as birds are known for flying away from dangers. When following the man on the corporate you see how he comes across man scary things, and there is even a sign that says rough times. Later it shows the man who took the peaceful direction watching the other man on a tv and shaking his head at what is happening, and then in the sky it shows the big bird grabbing a smaller one and planes show. This is to represent the coming war, which is also shown by the wall of peace being destroyed. The business person goes on to become the head of a successful company and a powerful politician, disenfranchising the poor inhabitants of the peaceful neighborhood. The citizens of the city then form a rebellion against the tyrannical political system headed by the businessman, led by the person who chose the more peaceful neighborhood. As the video goes on it then shows the person who took the dove direction leading a right against a wall of troops. Behind the troops at the podium is the man who took the corporate direction leading the army. As the riot is raging against their new leader, the man at the podium, troops in riot gear are sent out to very brutally silence them. When the riot comes against a wall of troops, throwing glass bottles, the troops open fire and kill many of the citizens. The leader sees his former friend just before he is killed, and realizes what he has done was wrong, and the video ends as it shows a flashback sequence of the friends riding their bikes. |
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==Chart performance== |
==Chart performance== |
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Revision as of 22:31, 1 September 2008
| "Handlebars" | |
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| Song |
"Handlebars" is the debut single from the indie rap rock group Flobots from Denver, Colorado. It was originally recorded for Flobots Present...Platypus but it was re-released in October 2007 on the group's commercial debut album, Fight with Tools, before its single release in April 2008.
The song debuted to great popularity in a time where rap rock genres were certainly not at the foreground of commercial music. In addition to the more common hard rock instruments, "Handlebars" features horns and strings reminiscent of the metro college indie band Cake. The song was performed live on the June 5, 2008 edition of The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.
Track Listing
7" Vinyl Release
- "Handlebars" - 3:27
- "Rise" - 4:10
Meaning
The song "is about the idea that we have so much incredible potential as human beings to be destructive or to be creative," Flobots' MC Jonny 5 (a.k.a. Jamie Laurie) told MTV. "And it's tragic to me that the appetite for military innovation is endless, but when it comes to taking on a project like ending world hunger, it's seen as outlandish. It's not treated with the same seriousness."
"...at the same time, I knew there were people at that moment who were being bombed by our own country. And I thought that was incredibly powerful." It is the contrast between these "little moments of creativity, these bursts of innovation," and the way these ideas are put to use "to oppress and destroy people" that the singer feels is both "beautiful and tragic at the same time."[1]
Music video
The video for the song is entirely animated. It starts out lighthearted, showing two young friends riding their bikes without their hands on the handlebars. They arrive at a sign that points in two directions, one labeled with a corporate-like symbol that is reminiscent of the fictional Omni Consumer Products multinational corporation in the RoboCop series, and the other labeled by a dove. They hug and head their separate ways.
The person who took the direction labeled with a dove arrives in a peaceful, serene neighborhood, while the other person arrives in a commercial district. When following the person who took the path of the dove foreshadowing occurs when you see the birds behind him flying away from where he is, as birds are known for flying away from dangers. When following the man on the corporate you see how he comes across man scary things, and there is even a sign that says rough times. Later it shows the man who took the peaceful direction watching the other man on a tv and shaking his head at what is happening, and then in the sky it shows the big bird grabbing a smaller one and planes show. This is to represent the coming war, which is also shown by the wall of peace being destroyed. The business person goes on to become the head of a successful company and a powerful politician, disenfranchising the poor inhabitants of the peaceful neighborhood. The citizens of the city then form a rebellion against the tyrannical political system headed by the businessman, led by the person who chose the more peaceful neighborhood. As the video goes on it then shows the person who took the dove direction leading a right against a wall of troops. Behind the troops at the podium is the man who took the corporate direction leading the army. As the riot is raging against their new leader, the man at the podium, troops in riot gear are sent out to very brutally silence them. When the riot comes against a wall of troops, throwing glass bottles, the troops open fire and kill many of the citizens. The leader sees his former friend just before he is killed, and realizes what he has done was wrong, and the video ends as it shows a flashback sequence of the friends riding their bikes.
Chart performance
On May 1, 2008, less than three weeks after release, the song peaked at #3 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks.[2] Fueled by radio airplay, including six straight weeks at the top of KROQ's most played list, it was the first single since Semisonic's "Closing Time" to chart in the top ten so quickly.[3]
It has had similar success on the digital landscape, having over 1,900,000 total plays on the band's MySpace.com page and the video has had over 7,000,000 views on YouTube.[4][5] Digital download purchases have placed the song at #4 on certain rap and hip-hop charts on Amazon.com.[6]
"Handlebars" has also performed well on the Billboard charts. Peaking at number three on the Modern Rock Tracks chart, number twenty-two on the Hot Digital Songs chart, number thirty-five on the Pop 100 chart, number thirty-seven on the Hot 100 chart, number sixty-three on the Canadian Hot 100[2] and number sixty-six on the UK Singles Chart
References
- ^ Montgomery, James (2008-05-05). "Flobots Fight To Make The World A Better Place - News Story". news. MTV. Retrieved 2008-05-24.
{{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - ^ a b "Billboard.com - Artist Chart History - The Flobots". Chart History. Retrieved 2008-06-17.
- ^ "Flobots Celebrate Kick Off of Debut Album Fight with Tools with Outdoor Hollywood Live Performance/In-Store".
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|accessmonthday=ignored (help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "MySpace.com - FLOBOTS - Denver, Colorado - Hip Hop / Progressive / Classical - www.myspace.com/flobots".
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|accessmonthday=ignored (help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "Flobots - Handlebars".
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|accessmonthday=ignored (help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "Product Details" (Product sales page). Retrieved 2008-05-23.Scroll to see sales information.