Swallowed (song)
1996 single by Bush
title: "Swallowed (song)" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1996-songs", "1996-singles", "1990s-ballads", "bush-(british-band)-songs", "grunge-songs", "interscope-records-singles", "mca-records-singles", "rock-ballads", "song-recordings-produced-by-steve-albini", "songs-written-by-gavin-rossdale", "trauma-records-singles"] description: "1996 single by Bush" topic_path: "arts/music" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swallowed_(song)" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary 1996 single by Bush ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox song"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | Swallowed |
| cover | Bush_-_Swallowed.jpg |
| type | single |
| artist | Bush |
| album | Razorblade Suitcase |
| B-side | Broken TV |
| released | |
| * Alternative rock<ref name | "SPIN" |
| * hard rock{{cite news | last1 |
| * post-grunge{{cite news | last1 |
| writer | Gavin Rossdale |
| producer | Steve Albini |
| prev_title | Machinehead |
| prev_year | 1996 |
| next_title | Greedy Fly |
| next_year | 1997 |
| misc | |
| header | Alternative covers |
| type | single |
| cover | swallowed2.jpg |
| caption | UK CD2 cover |
| :: |
| name = Swallowed | cover = Bush_-_Swallowed.jpg | alt = | type = single | artist = Bush | album = Razorblade Suitcase | B-side = Broken TV | released = | recorded = | studio = | venue = | genre =
- Alternative rock
- hard rock
- post-grunge | length =
- 4:51 (album version)
- 4:08 (UK radio edit)
- 4:22 (Australian radio edit) | label =
- Trauma
- Interscope | writer = Gavin Rossdale | producer = Steve Albini | prev_title = Machinehead | prev_year = 1996 | next_title = Greedy Fly | next_year = 1997 | misc = | header = Alternative covers | type = single | cover = swallowed2.jpg | border = | alt = | caption = UK CD2 cover
"Swallowed" is a song by British rock band Bush, released in October 1996 as the lead single from the band's second studio album, Razorblade Suitcase (1996). It also appeared on both Bush greatest-hits albums, with live versions appearing on Zen X Four (2005) and Live in Tampa (2020), with remixed editions featured on Deconstructed (1997) and Loads of Remixes (2024).
Composition
A power ballad, the song is in A-flat major. Gavin Rossdale opined in 1999 that, despite a musical dissimilarity, the song was "[his] version" of the Beatles' song "Help!".
Critical reception
British magazine Music Week rated the song four out of five, adding that "the successful British exports look set for their first big UK hit with this melodic cut." David Sinclair from The Times described it as "an undeniably catchy tune, once you get past the meaningless lyric and self-conscious Nirvana-isms." It was nominated for Best Hard Rock Performance at the 1998 Grammy Awards, losing to the Smashing Pumpkins' "The End Is the Beginning Is the End".
Commercial performance
"Swallowed" was released as the lead single from the follow-up to their debut album, Sixteen Stone, which was released two years prior. Upon release, the song topped the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart for seven consecutive weeks (their longest stay at number one on the chart) and peaked at number 27 on the Billboard Hot 100 Airplay chart. It was also Bush's biggest hit in their native Britain, where it peaked at number seven on the UK Singles Chart.
Music video
The accompanying music video for "Swallowed", directed by Jamie Morgan, was filmed in October 1996 and released later that month, is set in a retro apartment with myriad alternative youths. A neon crucifix (which would later become the album cover for Deconstructed) is frequently interspersed amongst the antics of houseguests. The video was shot at Twickenham Studios England and in Florida. The video was nominated for several MTV Video Music Awards.
American rock band Third Eye Blind opted to work with Jamie Morgan for their "Semi-Charmed Life" music video after seeing his work on "Swallowed".
Track listings
- UK CD single 1
- "Swallowed" (radio edit) – 4:08
- "Broken TV" – 4:28
- "Glycerine" – 4:26
- "In a Lonely Place" – 5:58
- UK CD single 2
- "Swallowed" (LP version) – 4:53
- "Swallowed (Toasted Both Sides Please)" (Goldie remix) – 5:50
- "Insect Kin" (live on Saturday Night Live) – 4:09
- "Cold Contagious" (16"oz demo version) – 5:57
- Australian CD single
- "Swallowed" (radio edit) – 4:22
- "Broken TV" – 4:28
- "Communicator" – 4:24
- "Glycerine" (live at Pinkpop, Holland) – 4:42
Charts
Weekly charts
::data[format=table] | Chart (1996–1997) | Peak position | Europe (Eurochart Hot 100) | Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40) | Quebec Airplay (ADISQ) | UK Airplay (Music Week) | US CHR/Pop Top 50 (Radio & Records) | US Pop/Alternative Top 20 (Radio & Records) | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | 59 | | | | | | | | | 21 | | | | | | | | | 16 | | | | | | | | | 44 | | | | | | | | | 50 | | | | | | | | | 4 | | | | | | | | ::
Year-end charts
::data[format=table]
| Chart (1996) | Position | Canada Rock/Alternative (RPM) | US Mainstream Rock Tracks (Billboard) | US Modern Rock Tracks (Billboard) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40 | ||||
| 94 | ||||
| 86 | ||||
| :: |
::data[format=table]
| Chart (1997) | Position | Canada Top Singles (RPM) | Canada Rock/Alternative (RPM) | US Mainstream Rock Tracks (Billboard) | US Modern Rock Tracks (Billboard) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 52 | |||||
| 42 | |||||
| 27 | |||||
| 35 | |||||
| :: |
Release history
::data[format=table]
| Region | Date | Format(s) | Label(s) | Ref. | United States | Japan | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22 October 1996 | Contemporary hit radio | ||||||
| 4 December 1996 | CD | Interscope | |||||
| 17 February 1997 | |||||||
| :: |
References
References
- "The 96 Best Alternative Rock Songs of 1996".
- (22 March 1997). "Bush: America's Band". Sun Sentiel.
- (10 April 2012). "Bush Returns To Canada".
- (2004). "The New Rolling Stone Album Guide". Simon and Schuster.
- (1999). "Bush: Twenty-seventh Letter : the Official History". Virgin.
- (8 February 1997). "Reviews: Singles".
- Sinclair, David (22 February 1997). "The week's top pop releases; Records". ''[[The Times]]''.
- "Site Maintenance".
- "Music Video History at OneSecondBush.com – A Comprehensive Fan Site for the Band Bush".
- (6 April 2017). "'There Was No Overnight Success': An Oral History of Third Eye Blind's Self-Titled Debut". Billboard.
- (15 March 1997). "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles".
- (13 December 1996). "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40". [[DV (newspaper).
- "Palmarès de la chanson anglophone et allophone au Québec". [[Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec.
- (8 March 1997). "The Airplay Chart".
- (17 January 1997). "CHR/Pop Top 50".
- (6 December 1996). "Pop/Alternative Top 20".
- "RPM Year End Alternative Top 50".
- (27 December 1996). "Airplay Monitor Best of '96: Mainstream Rock Tracks".
- (27 December 1996). "Airplay Monitor Best of '96: Modern Rock Tracks".
- "RPM '97 Year End Top 100 Hit Tracks".
- "RPM '97 Year End Top 50 Alternative Tracks".
- (December 27, 1997). "The Year in Music 1997".
- (18 October 1996). "Selected New Releases".
- "ブッシュ {{!}} スワロウド". [[Oricon]].
- (15 February 1997). "New Releases: Singles".
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