Out of My Head (Fastball song)

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"Out of My Head"
Single by Fastball
from the album All the Pain Money Can Buy
B-side
  • "Altamont"
  • "Human Torch"
ReleasedJanuary 25, 1999 (1999-01-25)
StudioA&M (Hollywood)
Length2:32
LabelHollywood
Songwriter(s)Tony Scalzo
Producer(s)
Fastball singles chronology
"Fire Escape"
(1998)
"Out of My Head"
(1999)
"You're an Ocean"
(2000)
Music video
"Out of My Head" on YouTube

"Out of My Head" is a song by the American band Fastball from their second studio album, All the Pain Money Can Buy (1998). The song is a rock ballad with gospel influence, dominated by Hammond organ and piano. Bassist Tony Scalzo is the lead singer on the song, with guitarist Miles Zuniga coming in with harmony during the last chorus. The song was serviced to American rock radio in January 1999 and to contemporary hit radio two months later.

"Out of My Head" peaked at number 20 on the US Billboard Hot 100, number 11 on the Canadian RPM 100 Hit Tracks chart, and number 19 on the Icelandic Singles Chart. A music video directed by Jim Gable features the band performing the song in sepia tone. In 2016, an adapted version of the chorus was used in the song "Bad Things" by Machine Gun Kelly and Camila Cabello.[1]

Critical reception[edit]

Reviewing the song for Billboard, Chuck Taylor compared the track to material by the Partridge Family, citing its short length and "plucky, air-light" guitar riff. He wrote that the song was "ultra-simple and super-catchy", adding that although the song was too "lightweight" for rock radio, it "illustrates Fastball's consistent ability to combine obvious melodies with ear-plucking lyrics."[2]

Chart performance[edit]

In the United States, on the week of July 3, 1999, "Out of My Head" debuted at number 64 on the Billboard Hot 100,[3] reaching its peak of number 20 nine weeks afterward, on September 4.[4] It spent a total of 20 weeks on the Hot 100 and ended 1999 as the country's 88th-best-performing song.[5] It also appeared on three other Billboard charts, peaking at number 14 on the Adult Alternative Songs chart,[6] number eight on the Mainstream Top 40,[7] and number three on the Adult Top 40.[8] On Canada's RPM 100 Hit Tracks chart, after debuting at number 44 on June 21, 1999,[9] it climbed to number 11 on September 6,[10] ending the year as Canada's 59th-most-successful hit.[11] On the RPM Adult Contemporary listing, the single peaked at number 33 the following issue.[12]

The song did not make as big of an impact worldwide, charting only in Australia and Iceland. In the latter country, "Out of My Head" received airplay before its official American release, allowing it to make its first chart appearance at number 22 on March 5, 1999.[13] Two weeks later, it peaked at number 19 on the Íslenski Listinn Topp 40.[14] In Australia, the song made its debut on July 19, 1999, peaking at number 65.[15]

Track listing[edit]

All songs were written by Tony Scalzo except "Altamont", written by Miles Zuniga.

Australian CD single[16]

  1. "Out of My Head"
  2. "Altamont"
  3. "Human Torch"

Credits and personnel[edit]

Credits are adapted from the Australian CD single liner notes.[16]

Studios

Personnel

Charts[edit]

Release history[edit]

Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
United States January 25, 1999 Active rock radio Hollywood [19]
March 30, 1999 Contemporary hit radio [20]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Gracie, Bianca (October 14, 2016). "Stream Machine Gun Kelly and Camila Cabello's 'Bad Things' Collab". Fuse TV. Retrieved November 8, 2016.
  2. ^ Taylor, Chuck (April 10, 1999). "Reviews & Previews – Singles" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 111, no. 15. p. 21. Retrieved October 2, 2020.
  3. ^ "The Hot 100 – Week of July 3, 1999". Billboard. Retrieved October 2, 2020.
  4. ^ a b "Fastball Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved June 20, 2019.
  5. ^ a b "Billboard Top 100 – 1999". Archived from the original on November 10, 2006. Retrieved August 28, 2010.
  6. ^ a b "Fastball Chart History (Adult Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved June 20, 2019.
  7. ^ a b "Fastball Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved June 20, 2019.
  8. ^ a b "Fastball Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved June 20, 2019.
  9. ^ "RPM 100 Hit Tracks – June 21, 1999". RPM. Retrieved October 2, 2020 – via Library and Archives Canada.
  10. ^ a b "Top RPM Singles: Issue 8460." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved February 4, 2019.
  11. ^ a b "RPM 1999 Top 100 Hit Tracks". RPM. Retrieved February 4, 2019 – via Library and Archives Canada.
  12. ^ a b "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 8457." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved February 4, 2019.
  13. ^ "Íslenski Listinn (5.3–12.3. 1999)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). March 5, 1999. p. 10. Retrieved October 2, 2020.
  14. ^ a b "Íslenski Listinn (19.3–26.3. 1999)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). March 19, 1999. p. 10. Retrieved October 5, 2019.
  15. ^ a b Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010. Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.
  16. ^ a b Out of My Head (Australian CD single liner notes). Fastball. Hollywood Records. 1999. D1899.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  17. ^ "1999 The Year in Music: Hot Adult Top 40 Tracks" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 111, no. 52. December 25, 1999. p. YE-100. Retrieved April 2, 2020.
  18. ^ "Most Played Mainstream Top 40 Songs of 1999". Airplay Monitor. Vol. 7, no. 52. December 24, 1999. p. 54.
  19. ^ "Adds for January 25 & 26". Gavin Report. No. 2239. January 22, 1999. p. 36.
  20. ^ "New Releases". Radio & Records. No. 1292. March 26, 1999. p. 42.