Thursday, January 10, 2008

Song #96: “Down” by 311 (Rizzo Music)

Today we continue with the countdown of the Top Songs of the 1990s with number 96, “Down” by 311. “Down” was released in 1996 and was the first single from 311 with widespread mainstream success. With heavy guitar riffs and rap style lyrics, 311′s “Down” garnered a lot of attention. Coming off their self-title (blue) album, “Down” stayed at #1 on the modern rock charts for 4 weeks and topped out on the Hot 100 at #37. With the help of “All Mixed Up”, the blue album went on to sell over three million copies.

311 is alternative rock back from Omaha, Nebraska. With their rebel attitude and mix of several different styles of music, they were able to maintain continued success over the years. They have released five albums since the blue album and have charted fourteen more singles on the Modern Rock Charts as well as another #1 hit with their cover of The Cure’s “Love Song”. They seem like they are constantly touring around the US and are known for being a great live band. They are planning a spring tour scheduled for this year, and are currently working on their next album. As long as they maintain their loyal fan base, there is no telling how long they will stick around.

The music video for this one is pretty simple. It features all the members of the band just performing the song. They play around with some special effects, including distorting the picture. It also features the band in some sort of mediating state when the lyrics “Keep my feet on the ground / Keep my head in the clouds” are sung. It is a fairly formulaic video and understandably as their first big single. Check it out and be stay tuned for the next song on the countdown.

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