Heaven Is a Halfpipe
| "Heaven Is a Halfpipe" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by OPM | ||||
| from the album Menace to Sobriety | ||||
| Released | November 6, 2000 | |||
| Format | CD single, maxi single | |||
| Recorded | 2000 | |||
| Genre | Rap rock, hip hop | |||
| Length | 4:18 | |||
| Label | Atlantic | |||
| Writer(s) |
Matthew Meschery, Geoff Turney, John Edney, Roy C. Hammond | |||
| Producer(s) | Josh Deutsch, Craig Kallman | |||
| OPM singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"Heaven Is a Halfpipe" (also known informally as "Heaven Is a Halfpipe (If I Die)"[1] or "If I Die Before I Wake")[2] is the début single by American hip hop band OPM. It was included on their début studio album, Menace to Sobriety (2000).
The song peaked at number 18 on the US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks[1] and was a hit all over the world, charting in the top 20 of five other countries, including the UK, where it was number four.[3] It was the 33rd best-selling single of 2001 in the UK, selling 265,000 copies and being certified silver. It was re-recorded in 2012 for the Heaven Can Wait EP.
Song information
"Heaven Is a Halfpipe" is about a man who loves skateboarding, getting high and being free. He imagines Heaven being like a half-pipe, where he doesn't have to worry about the police ruining his good time ("cause right now on Earth I can't do jack / without the man upon my back"). The trick skills of professional skateboarders Christian Hosoi and Mike McGill are mentioned during the bridge ("Like Christian Hosoi way back in '87" / "We'll be busting Christ airs until we get to heaven" / "With all your rules, you gots to chill" / "I'm gonna twist out like Mike McGill" / "I'm gonna twist out cos I got the skills").
Music video
The music video features OPM doing skateboarding tricks on a large half-pipe and flying around. At the end of the video, they perform to a crowd.[4] One man in the audience also wears a white T-shirt that says "FREE CHRISTIAN HOSOI", in reference to Hosoi's arrest in January 2000 for attempting to transport nearly 1.5 lb of crystal methamphetamine from Los Angeles to Honolulu.[5]
Formats and track listings
CD, Maxi
- "Heaven Is a Halfpipe" (Album Version) - 4:18
- "Space People" (Non LP Bonus Track) - 3:45
- "Group Therapy" (Non LP Bonus Track) - 2:21
UK CD, Single
- "Heaven Is a Halfpipe" (Clean Edit) - 4:00
CD, Single, Promo
- "Heaven Is a Halfpipe" (Album Version) - 4:18
- "Space People" (Non LP Bonus Track) - 3:45
- "Group Therapy" (Non LP Bonus Track) - 2:21
Charts and certifications
Weekly charts
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Certifications
Year-end charts
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See also
References
- 1 2 3 "OPM – Chart history" Billboard Alternative Songs for OPM.
- ↑ "If I Die Before I Wake - OPM". YouTube. 26 September 2008. Retrieved 26 February 2014.
- 1 2 "Archive Chart: 2001-07-14" UK Singles Chart.
- ↑ "OPM - Heaven Is a Halfpipe". YouTube.
- ↑ "Christian Hosoi Sentenced - 2001". 50-50.com.
- ↑ "Austriancharts.at – OPM – Heaven Is a Halfpipe" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
- ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – OPM – Heaven Is a Halfpipe". GfK Entertainment Charts.
- ↑ "Irish Singles Chart - OPM - Heaven Is a Halfpipe". IRMA. Retrieved 26 February 2014.
- ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – OPM – Heaven Is a Halfpipe" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
- ↑ "Charts.org.nz – OPM – Heaven Is a Halfpipe". Top 40 Singles.
- ↑ "Archive Chart: 2001-07-14". Scottish Singles Top 40.
- ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – OPM – Heaven Is a Halfpipe". Singles Top 100.
- ↑ "Swisscharts.com – OPM – Heaven Is a Halfpipe". Swiss Singles Chart.
- ↑ "British single certifications – OPM – Heaven Is a Halfpipe". British Phonographic Industry. Enter Heaven Is a Halfpipe in the field Keywords. Select Title in the field Search by. Select single in the field By Format. Select Silver in the field By Award. Click Search
- ↑ "2001 UK Singles Chart" (PDF). UKChartsPlus. Retrieved 3 March 2015.