Maps (Yeah Yeah Yeahs song)
| "Maps" | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Single by Yeah Yeah Yeahs | |||||||
| from the album Fever to Tell | |||||||
| Released | February 10, 2004 | ||||||
| Format | CD, 12" | ||||||
| Genre | |||||||
| Label | Interscope | ||||||
| Writer(s) | Brian Chase, Karen Lee Orzolek, Nick Zinner | ||||||
| Producer(s) |
David Andrew Sitek Yeah Yeah Yeahs | ||||||
| Yeah Yeah Yeahs singles chronology | |||||||
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"Maps" is a single by Yeah Yeah Yeahs from their debut full-length album, Fever to Tell (2003). The song is about the relationship between Liars frontman Angus Andrew and Yeah Yeah Yeahs lead singer Karen O.[2] It was released on February 10, 2004, and the band performed the song at that year's MTV Movie Awards. The music video received much play on MTV. It reached #9 on Billboard's Alternative Songs chart and was included in the popular video game Rock Band.
Track listing
- "Maps"
- "Countdown"
- "Miles Away" (John Peel Session) track
"Miles Away" is a newly recorded version of the song from the band's self-titled EP.
Music Video
The video shows the band playing in an audition in a high school gymnasium, with different light filters changing the color of the room. The tears cried by Karen O in the video are real. She explains: "They were real tears. My boyfriend at the time [Angus Andrew] was supposed to come to the shoot – he was three hours late and I was just about to leave for tour. I didn't think he was even going to come and this was the song that was written for him. He eventually showed up and I got myself in a real emotional state."[3] The video received substantial play on MTV.[4] It was nominated for four MTV Video Music Awards: Best Art Direction, Best Editing, Best Cinematography, and the MTV2 Award.[5] The video was directed by Patrick Daughters.
Cover versions
"Maps" has been covered by:
- The White Stripes at the Reading Festival 2004.[6]
- Arcade Fire, on The Jo Whiley Show's Live Lounge,[7] Duke Special.
- Ted Leo as part of a medley with Kelly Clarkson's "Since U Been Gone."[8]
- Jazz trio The New Standards on their album Rock and Roll.
- Radiohead performed a segment of the song as the introduction to the set-closer, "Everything in Its Right Place" at the 2009 Reading and Leeds Festival.
- Rogue Wave for Sweetheart, a Valentine's Day-themed compilation of covers produced in 2009 by Starbucks.
- In "Meet Me Halfway" by The Black Eyed Peas, the guitar and drum part is used during the solos in the background.
- Garbage performed the chorus at the end of their live version of "Vow" in Rockpalast, Germany in 2005.
- Biffy Clyro for Jo Whiley's last Radio 1 show in March 2011.
- Macy Gray on her album Covered.
- Keaton Henson on the The Lucky EP.
- Covered by The Fray at Radio City Music Hall on April 12, 2012.
- Referenced by the Brazilian rap/rock band Charlie Brown Jr. in their song "Lutar Pelo Que E Meu" singing, "Stop, they don't love you like I love you. Stop, they don't love you like I love you. Stop".
- Cary Brothers on his Covers Vol. 1 album.
- Adventure Club sampled the song in their track entitled "Wait".
- Bryce Avary of The Rocket Summer for the charity organization Hello Somebody's first album Hello Somebody, Vol. 1.[9]
- "Maps" was used as an interpolation in Beyoncé's song "Hold Up" from her album Lemonade.
- The Bad Plus on their album It's Hard.
Reception
"Maps" is widely regarded as one of the greatest songs of the 2000s:
- In 2009, it was voted the best alternative love song of all time by NME.[10]
- The song was also listed at #6 on Pitchfork Media's top 500 songs of the 2000s.[11]
- Rolling Stone ranked "Maps" as the 7th best song of the 2000s.[12]
- On April 7, 2011, Rolling Stone ranked "Maps" #386 on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.[13]
- In October 2011, NME placed it at number 55 on its list "150 Best Tracks of the Past 15 Years".[14]
- NME ranked "Maps" at number 1 on their list of "Indie Weddings Songs: 20 Tracks Perfect For Your First Dance."[15]
Charts
| Chart (2003) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Official Charts | 26 |
| Chart (2004) | Peak position |
| US Billboard Hot Modern Rock Tracks | 9 |
| US Billboard Hot 100 | 87 |
References
Notes
- ↑ "500 Greatest Songs of All Time: 386 - Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Maps". Rolling Stone. Retrieved October 28, 2015.
- ↑ Sheffield, Rob (April 7, 2006). "Yeah Yeah Yeahs: Goth, Nerd, Slut". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 2007-11-21. Retrieved 2007-07-05.
- ↑ "Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Karen O's Video Crying Was For Real". contactmusic.com. July 12, 2007. Retrieved November 22, 2010.
- ↑ Endelman, Michael. ""Yeah Yeah Yeahs explain their disturbing new video"". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 20 October 2016.
- ↑ "2004 VMA Winners". MTV. Retrieved 2009-03-10.
- ↑ "ARCHIVES // SEPTEMBER 2004: 08.29.04 // THE READING FESTIVAL". WhiteStripes.net. August 29, 2004. Retrieved 2007-11-19.
A stellar set was played with the addition of the Yeah Yeah Yeah's tune, Maps.
- ↑ "Arcade Fire Cover Maps by Yeah Yeah Yeahs". BrooklynVegan. September 9, 2005. Retrieved 2007-11-19.
- ↑ "Served Three Ways: Three Covers of Yeah Yeah Yeahs' Maps". Turntable Kitchen.
- ↑ "Hello Somebody : Volume One by Hello Somebody on Apple Music".
- ↑ "Greatest Alternative Love Songs". NME. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
- ↑ Harvell, Jess. "The Top 500 Tracks of the 2000s". Pitchfork. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
- ↑ "100 Best Songs of the 2000s". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
- ↑ "Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time". Rolling Stone. April 7, 2011. Retrieved October 1, 2015.
- ↑ Schiller, Rebecca (October 6, 2011). "150 Best Tracks Of The Past 15 Years". NME.
- ↑ "Indie Weddings Songs: 20 Tracks Perfect For Your First Dance". NME. Retrieved 21 October 2016.