Slither (song)
| "Slither" | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Single by Velvet Revolver | |||||||
| from the album Contraband | |||||||
| Released | May 24, 2004 | ||||||
| Format | CD single, 12" picture disc | ||||||
| Recorded | August–December 2003 at NRG and Pulse Recording, Los Angeles, California | ||||||
| Genre | Stoner rock, hard rock, heavy metal | ||||||
| Length | 4:08 | ||||||
| Label | RCA | ||||||
| Writer(s) | Scott Weiland, Slash, Duff McKagan, Matt Sorum, Dave Kushner | ||||||
| Producer(s) | Josh Abraham | ||||||
| Velvet Revolver singles chronology | |||||||
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"Slither" is a song by American hard rock band Velvet Revolver, featured on their 2004 debut album Contraband. When it was released as the second single from the album in 2004, "Slither" topped both the American Billboard Mainstream Rock and Modern Rock charts, as well as reaching number 56 on the main Billboard Hot 100 chart and number 35 on the UK Singles Chart.[1] The song won the 2005 Grammy for Best Hard Rock Performance.
Chart performance
The song reached No. 1 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, and stayed there for 9 weeks. It also became their sole No. 1 hit on the Modern Rock Tracks chart, maintaining the position for 4 weeks. "Slither" also charted at No. 56 on the Billboard Hot 100, making it Velvet Revolver's highest charting song and one of the highest charting songs that Scott Weiland has appeared on.
| Chart (2004) | Peak Position |
|---|---|
| Billboard Hot 100 | 56 |
| Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks | 1 |
| Billboard Hot Modern Rock Tracks | 1 |
| Irish Singles Chart | 47 |
| UK Singles Chart | 35 |
Video
The video was filmed in Prague, Czech Republic and Los Angeles. It starts with the band members playing their instruments inside a tunnel while a woman is driving a car seeking for the way to get to that tunnel. As the song continues, people become much more aggressive and the underground concert reaches a peak as band members play hard. Often in the video, Scott Weiland is seen standing before a wall made of human skulls.
Success and awards
Most famous for its instantly recognizable opening bass riff and its unmistakable guitar riff, it is arguably the band's signature song, and was frequently the closer to their shows. It was awarded a Grammy in 2005 for Best Hard Rock Performance, an award Weiland had won with his previous band, Stone Temple Pilots, for the song "Plush" in 1994. In 2009, the song was named the 85th best hard rock song of all time by VH1.[2]
Other appearances
- In 2005, professional wrestler B.J. Whitmer used the song as his entrance theme in Ring of Honor.
- In 2006, "Weird Al" Yankovic sampled a part of "Slither" for his song "Polkarama" on the album Straight Outta Lynwood.
- In 2007, the song was used in a Victoria's Secret advertising campaign.
- The song appears in the commercial for Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock. The song is available in a Velvet Revolver download pack for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.
- Slash played the song in his tours with vocalist Myles Kennedy and the band The Conspirators. Recordings include the Live in Manchester and Made in Stoke 24/7/11 live albums.
Track listings
| European 2-track edition | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
| 1. | "Slither" | Scott Weiland, Slash, Duff McKagan, Matt Sorum, Dave Kushner | 4:08 |
| 2. | "Negative Creep" (Nirvana cover) | Kurt Cobain | 4:17 |
| European 3-track edition | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
| 1. | "Slither" | Weiland, Slash, McKagan, Sorum, Kushner | 4:08 |
| 2. | "Bodies" (live Sex Pistols cover) | John Lydon, Steve Jones, Paul Cook | 3:19 |
| 3. | "Negative Creep" (Nirvana cover) | Cobain | 4:17 |
| United Kingdom double CD edition (disc one) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
| 1. | "Slither" | Weiland, Slash, McKagan, Sorum, Kushner | 4:08 |
| 2. | "Bodies" (live Sex Pistols cover) | Lydon, Jones, Cook | 3:19 |
| 3. | "Negative Creep" (Nirvana cover) | Cobain | 4:17 |
| United Kingdom double CD edition (disc two) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
| 1. | "Slither" | Weiland, Slash, McKagan, Sorum, Kushner | 4:08 |
| 2. | "Money" (Pink Floyd cover) | Roger Waters, David Gilmour | 7:38 |
| 3. | "Set Me Free" (live) | Weiland, Slash, McKagan, Sorum, Kushner | 7:11 |
| United Kingdom 12" picture disc (side A) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
| 1. | "Slither" | Weiland, Slash, McKagan, Sorum, Kushner | 4:08 |
| United Kingdom 12" picture disc (side B) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
| 1. | "Set Me Free" | Weiland, Slash, McKagan, Sorum, Kushner | 4:07 |
Personnel
- Scott Weiland – lead vocals
- Slash – lead guitar
- Duff McKagan – bass, backing vocals
- Matt Sorum – drums
- Dave Kushner – rhythm guitar
References
- ↑ UK Singles Chart info Chartstats.com. Retrieved June 2, 2009.
- ↑ "spreadit.org music". Retrieved February 5, 2009.
External links
| Preceded by "Ch-Check It Out" by Beastie Boys |
Billboard Hot Modern Rock Tracks number-one single July 3, 2004 – July 31, 2004 |
Succeeded by "Float On" by Modest Mouse |
| Preceded by "Cold Hard Bitch" by Jet |
Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks number-one single June 19, 2004 – August 14, 2004 |
Succeeded by "Just Like You" by Three Days Grace |