Brain Stew / Jaded
| "Brain Stew / Jaded" | |
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| Song |
"Brain Stew/Jaded" is the third single from Green Day's 1995 album Insomniac released in 1996. The two songs are transitional: "Brain Stew" ending and moving right into "Jaded" without the music stopping (similar to "Chump" and "Longview" from Dookie or "Jinx" and "Haushinka" from Nimrod, or "Holiday" and "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" from American Idiot). They are tracks 10 and 11 on the album Insomniac, and International Superhits. Due to the transition they were put out together as one single. The combination of the two became an alternative-rock radio staple.
Track listing
- "Brain Stew/Jaded" - 4:44
- "Do Da Da" (Voc. Up) - 1:30
- "Good Riddance" - 2:01
- "Brain Stew" (Clean Radio Faded Ending) - 3:12
Composition
The composition of "Brain Stew" is relatively simple. The song contains only five power chords, five bass notes, and a relatively simple drum pattern. Many of Green Day's fans consider it to be one of their first songs to appear in the repertoire of many garage bands. Billie Joe Armstrong has stated that he used as many as 10 guitar overdubs to achieve the scratchy dissonant sounds in the latter part of the song.
The intro to "Panic Song" is often played in between "Brain Stew" and "Jaded" at live performances, although the key is changed to be relevant with the songs.
Brain Stew/Jaded was one of Green Day's most popular singles, and was one of the biggest nineties rock hits. It is still played regularly on modern rock radio stations.
Other versions
"Brain Stew"
- A remix of the song featured on the Godzilla soundtrack in 1998.
- A live version featured on Bowling Bowling Bowling Parking Parking. (recorded March 26, 1996 at Sporthalle, Prague, Czech Republic)
- Another live version on Bullet in a Bible.
- Lifted from Chicago's song "25 or 6 to 4"
"Jaded"
- A live version found on Bowling Bowling Bowling Parking Parking. (recorded March 26, 1996 at Sporthalle, Prague, Czech Republic)
- A live version was performed during the Milton Keynes concert recorded for "Bullet in a Bible" but was omitted from the DVD and CD
Music videos
The "Brain Stew/Jaded" single was accompanied by a visually striking video which received heavy airplay on MTV which was split into two different halves that contrasted visual:
"Brain Stew"
The music video for "Brain Stew" is all in sepia for the "Brain Stew" part and shows the band lying on a couch being pulled through a landfill by a bulldozer. Several strange things appear, such as Hawaiian Hula dancers and an old lady with a chalkboard (both in the construction site). The video is meant to depict the effects insomnia has on the brain (for example, the hallucinations, in which Billie Joe admits to being high during the filming to give the correct feel to the video.).
"Jaded"
When the song transitions into "Jaded", the color comes back and shows the band playing the song in a fast-cut, wobbly-camera style. This video project was directed by Kevin Kerslake, who had previously directed videos for Nirvana, and would go on to make videos for Rise Against.
Chart positions
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Brain Stew/Jaded | Modern Rock Tracks (US) | 3 |
| 1996 | Brain Stew/Jaded | Mainstream Rock Tracks (US) | 8 |
| 1996 | Brain Stew/Jaded | Official UK Singles Chart | 28 |