- Cough Syrup (song)
-
"Cough Syrup" 
Single by Young the Giant from the album Young the Giant Released 2008 (as The Jakes)
October 2010 (digital download)
July 2011 (radio)[1]Format Digital download, Promo CD Recorded 2008 Genre Indie rock, alternative rock Length 4:10 Label Roadrunner Writer(s) Young the Giant, Ehson Hashemian Producer Joe Chicarelli, Young the Giant Young the Giant singles chronology "My Body"
(2011)"Cough Syrup"
(2011)"Cough Syrup" is a song by American alternative rock band Young the Giant from their eponymous debut album. It was composed when the band was named The Jakes, and first appeared on their 2008 EP Shake My Hand. Released by Young The Giant as a single in 2011, the song peaked at number three on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart.
Contents
Origins and lyrics
"Cough Syrup" predates Young the Giant, when the band was known as The Jakes. The song appeared on the band's 2008 Shake My Hand EP, received regular airplay on KROQ's Locals Only radio program, and won a "Best Song" nomination at the 2009 OC Music Awards.[2][3] Bassist Payam Doostzadeh, in a 2011 interview, said that with "Cough Syrup" being the oldest song in Young the Giant's catalog, "it's kind of hard for us to play it." Doostzadeh added, "I mean, we've had it for four years and it's just now getting on the radio? But our fans don't know that. You've got to sell it. You've got to love it."[4]
Lead vocalist Sameer Gadhia explained that "Cough Syrup" was written at a time when the band was unsigned, had no money and "didn't really know what to do with ourselves." The group, he continued, "felt somewhat oppressed by the universal expectation of what to do in Orange County...in suburbia in general. I think we really yearned to break out of that and do something a little bit different." Gadhia said the song is "kind of a cry for help" to "break free, not necessarily from oppression, but the common symptoms of suburbia like boredom, normality and homogeneity."
Music video
The music video for "Cough Syrup" debuted June 21 on MTV and played at the top of each music hour beginning at 6 a.m.[5][6] Directed by Petro, it features the band in an indoor swimming pool complex along with synchronized swimmers, fish tanks, glitter and fluorescent dyes.[7] According to Gadhia, the band "wanted more of a visual aspect to the music video because "My Body" was more of a narrative. We wanted something that would pop but still make thematic and artistic sense." The video concept, Gadhia said, centered on viscosity, "the friction of fluids and the obstacles that everyone, any object, has to face in order to evolve."[8]
Critical reception
Consequence of Sound's Caitlin Meyer, in a review of the Young the Giant album, wrote of the song: "Mellow guitar and cello contrast the sunny preceding tracks, the lyrics contemplate apathy and misdirection, and yet the chorus is still so compelling that you find yourself humming it hours later."[9] Both Chris Conaton of PopMatters and Eduardo Rivadavia of Allmusic described "Cough Syrup" as being stylistically similar to Coldplay's typical sound.[10][11] Conaton added that the song is "good, but it seems to follow the script on 'how to do anthemic rock' exactly."[10] Rolling Stone's Matt Ross called "Cough Syrup" an "album highlight,"[12] while Chris White of musicOMH suggested the song is influenced by Kings of Leon.[13]
Charts
Chart (2011) Peak
position[14]US Billboard Alternative Songs 3 US Billboard Rock Songs 11 References
- ^ "Modern Rock Available for Airplay Archive". FMQB. http://www.fmqb.com/Article.asp?id=16771. Retrieved 2011-11-03.
- ^ Fakorski, Kelly Skye (2011-08-11). "Young the Giant Invites 300 Fans to Join VMAs Performance". The Orange County Register. http://www.ocregister.com/entertainment/giant-312547-young-fans.html. Retrieved 2011-11-03.
- ^ "2009 Awards". OC Music Awards. http://ocmusicawards.com/awards/2009-awards/. Retrieved 2011-11-03.
- ^ Freedman, Peter (2011-09-29). "Young the Giant Grows Into Its Name". Dallas Observer. http://www.dallasobserver.com/2011-09-29/music/young-the-giant-grows-into-its-name/. Retrieved 2011-11-03.
- ^ "Quick Hits: MuchMusic Video Awards, Selena Gomez, AC/DC & Metallica, Coldplay, Cake, Amy Winehouse, Against Me!, Carnival Of Madness tour, Red Bull Riot Fest, POPPED! Festival, Young The Giant, Mr. Big, Jimi Hendrix". FMQB. 2011-06-20. http://www.fmqb.com/article.asp?id=2217693. Retrieved 2011-11-03.
- ^ Roa, Ray (2011-06-21). "Video: Young The Giant – 'Cough Syrup'". Consequence of Sound. http://consequenceofsound.net/2011/06/video-young-the-giant-cough-syrup/. Retrieved 2011-11-03.
- ^ Newman, Jason (2011-06-21). "Video Premiere: Young The Giant, 'Cough Syrup'". MTV. http://buzzworthy.mtv.com/2011/06/21/young-the-giant-cough-syrup-video/. Retrieved 2011-11-03.
- ^ "The Grammys At Lollapalooza With Young The Giant And DJ Lady D". Grammy.com. 2011-08-22. http://www.grammy.com/news/the-grammys-at-lollapalooza-with-young-the-giant-and-dj-lady-d. Retrieved 2011-11-03.
- ^ Meyer, Caitlin (2010-12-21). "Album Review: Young the Giant – Young the Giant". Consequence of Sound. http://consequenceofsound.net/2010/12/album-review-young-the-giant-young-the-giant/. Retrieved 2011-11-03.
- ^ a b Conaton, Chris (2011-02-21). "Young the Giant: Young the Giant". PopMatters. http://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/136751-young-the-giant-young-the-giant/. Retrieved 2011-11-03.
- ^ Rivadavia, Eduardo. "Young the Giant - Young the Giant Album Review". Allmusic (Rovi Corporation). http://allmusic.com/album/young-the-giant-r2104401/review. Retrieved 2011-11-03.
- ^ Ross, Matt (2011-05-05). "Reviews: Young the Giant - Young the Giant". Rolling Stone. http://www.rollingstoneme.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=310. Retrieved 2011-11-03.
- ^ White, Chris. "Young The Giant - Young The Giant : Album Reviews". musicOMH. http://www.musicomh.com/albums/young-the-giant_0711.htm. Retrieved 2011-11-03.
- ^ "'Billboard' Alternative Songs". Billboard. http://www.billboard.com/#/charts/alternative-songs. Retrieved 2011-11-03.
External links
Categories:- 2008 songs
- 2011 singles
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