"I Choose" is a punk rock song by the Offspring. It is the eighth track on their fourth studio album, Ixnay on the Hombre (1997), and was released as its fourth and final single.
| "I Choose" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by The Offspring | ||||
| from the album Ixnay on the Hombre | ||||
| Released | December 5, 1997 | |||
| Recorded | 1996 | |||
| Genre | Punk rock | |||
| Length | 3:54 | |||
| Label | Columbia[1] | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Dexter Holland | |||
| Producer(s) | Dave Jerden[1] | |||
| The Offspring singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
The single enjoyed less commercial success compared with the previous singles from the album and was omitted from the band's Greatest Hits album (2005). However, it became another top 10 Hot Mainstream Rock Track for The Offspring.
Literary reference
editThe song, in its second verse, contains a literary reference to J. D. Salinger's short story, "A Perfect Day for Bananafish." In the story, the protagonist, who is suicidally depressed, tells a little girl at a Florida beach a story about bananafish, a fictional species of fish that hides in its burrow, eating bananas, until it is trapped inside forever and dies of banana fever.[2] In the original work, the bananafish is a tragic creature, but the song looks at the tragedy and laughs anyway, saying it "doesn't really matter" and shrugging off the self-pity of the original.
Music video
editThe video for the song was directed by the band's lead singer and songwriter, Dexter Holland. The video takes place in an airport, where the band members depart from a taxi cab. While people are dancing, a skateboarder skates through. When his bag is checked, the x-ray sees a "ticking clock". Thinking that it is a bomb, a security guard chases him down only to open his bag and find a Flava Flav style clock necklace. This footage is spliced with footage of the band performing antics of their own (such as lead guitarist Noodles playing the solo on a conveyor belt) and performing in a completely different place where heavy winds blow trash into their equipment.
On the Greatest Hits DVD, the band joked about the idea of making a video like this now, with the seriousness of airport security. The band considered it one of their best music videos.
DVD appearances
editThe music video also appears on the Complete Music Video Collection DVD. It was released in 2005.
Track listing
edit| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "I Choose" | 3:54 |
| 2. | "All I Want" (Live) | 2:02 |
| 3. | "Mota" | 2:55 |
Personnel
editThe Offspring
edit- Dexter Holland – lead and backing vocals, rhythm guitar
- Noodles – lead guitar, backing vocals
- Greg K. – bass, backing vocals
- Ron Welty – drums
Additional musicians
edit- Paulinho da Costa – additional percussion
Charts
edit| Chart (1997) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[3] | 79 |
| Australia Alternative (ARIA)[4] | 18 |
| US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)[5] | 24 |
| US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[6] | 5 |
References
edit- ^ a b "Offspring, The – I Choose". Discogs. Retrieved July 15, 2013.
- ^ Salinger, J. D. "A Perfect Day for Bananafish." The New Yorker. 31 Jan. 1948: 21-25. 4 Oct. 2010 [1].
- ^ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 207.
- ^ "Top 20 Alternative Charts". ARIA Report. No. 410. January 11, 1998. p. 12. Retrieved May 18, 2024.
- ^ "The Offspring Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard.
- ^ "The Offspring Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard.