The Sound (John M. Perkins' Blues)
| "The Sound (John M. Perkins' Blues)" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Tim Foreman | ||||
| Producer(s) | Switchfoot, Mike Elizondo | |||
| Switchfoot singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"The Sound (John M. Perkins' Blues)" is a song written and recorded by
Song history
"The Sound" is a song that references
Inspired by his reading of Perkins' book, Let Justice Roll Down, Foreman set out to bring more awareness to the activist's story, adamant that "John Perkins is a hero whose name needs to be known."[5] So he wrote the song intentionally avoiding historical plotlines, while instead attempting to "make an impressionistic sketch" of the story.[5]
"The Sound (John Perkins Blues) is a very important song for us as a band. I see so much hatred and fear around me, I see so many people living out their pain. I hear it on the radio. I see it in the headlines. John Perkins story needs to be heard. This song was inspired by a man who sang a louder song than hatred. In a world where we are defined by our differences, Mr. Perkins's life of service and compassion is a tangible demonstration of what it means to live a life of love. Love is the loudest song we could sing. Louder than racism. Louder than fear. Louder than hatred. John Perkins said it right, love is the final fight. We're excited to hear this song on the radio, louder than pain."
Music video(s)
A music video for the song was directed and was available on iTunes on the same day Hello Hurricane was released featuring live footage and taken from the Live at Spot X in-studio performances, included in the Making of Hello Hurricane DVD. A concept music video was shot, with footage of the band filmed on May 4, 2010 and footage of John Perkins himself shot on May 14.[7] The music video was premiered on Yahoo Music on June 13, 2010 and made its way onto YouTube three days later.
Reception
The song and its accompanying video have garnered many accolades from industry sources, garnering a Video of the Day mention on
This attention fueled the song's march towards the top 10 of
Awards
The song was nominated for a
Other appearances
- "The Sound" was featured in Blackberry Storm 2 ad, which ran throughout the month of November 2009.[12]
- The song was prominently featured on several commercial outros during the 2010 BCS National Championship Game national television broadcast.[13]
- It appeared briefly in a TV spot for the movie The Sorcerer's Apprentice.[14]
- A snippet of the song's music video was featured during a segment of E! News in August.[15]
- The song was featured in promotional videos for the 9th season of CSI: Miami.[16]
- The song is featured as part of the Tony Hawk: Shred soundtrack.[17]
- The song was aired during the ESPN telecast of the 2011 BCS National Championship Game, and was also featured throughout the 2011 Bowl Championship season.[citation needed]
- The Fox Sports Midwest, use the song as part of the team's pregame introduction on that channel.[citation needed]
- The song appears on the official licensed soundtrack for the Shift 2: Unleashed video game.[18]
- The song is used in the film, The Cabin in the Woods, filmed in 2009 but released in 2012.[citation needed]
Charts
| Chart (2010) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canada | 36 |
| US | 32 |
| US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (Billboard)[21] | 15 |
Year-end charts
| Chart (2010) | Position |
|---|---|
| US Alternative Songs (Billboard)[22] | 6 |
References
- ^ https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002T6DPEG [dead link]
- ^ "AllAccess.com Alternative eWeekly". AllAccess. April 20, 2010. Retrieved July 2, 2016.
- ^ Chart Wednesday (Week of September 4, 2010): TOP 10!; "safe to say we all have a crush on red rocks." - Published August 25, 2010 (retrieved August 28, 2010)
- ^ a b Switchfoot “Hello Hurricane” Song Stories, Part II - Published September 9, 2009 (retrieved April 8, 2010)
- ^ a b Seattle Pacific University Magazine - Published April 2010 (retrieved May 12, 2010)
- ^ New Email: Lollapalooza 2010, 'Sabotage' Switchfoot Style, and more! - Published April 7, 2010 (retrieved May 12, 2010)
- ^ Bonus Coverage: TwitPics from "The Sound" music video shoot - Published May 4, 2010 (retrieved May 4, 2010)
- ^ Video Of The Day: Switchfoot, "The Sound (John M. Perkins' Blues)" - Published July 8, 2010 (retrieved August 28, 2010)
- ^ Stryker’s #1 Video: Switchfoot “The Sound” - Published August 11, 2010 (retrieved August 28, 2010)
- ^ Stryker’s #1 Requested Song: Switchfoot “The Sound” - Published August 16, 2010 (retrieved August 28, 2010)
- ^ 42nd Annual GMA Dove Awards Nominees Archived July 10, 2011, at the Wayback Machine on DoveAwards.com
- ^ "Switch them on". Khaleej Times. November 7, 2009. Retrieved March 9, 2010.
- ^ Big day in LA: Switchfoot and a Joe Jonas Brother perform before BCS Championship Game at the Rose Bowl; live webcast recap - Published January 8, 2010 (retrieved April 13, 2010)
- ^ We're Awakening! (Switchfoot's Official Blog) - n.d. published 12:47PM by user "Job" (retrieved July 16, 2010)
- ^ Switchfoot's "The Sound" video to be featured on E! News - Published August 20, 2010 (retrieved August 29, 2010)
- ^ Switchfoot invades CSI: Miami. Published September 8, 2010.
- ^ Tony Hawk: Shred details soundtrack - Published October 25, 2010 (retrieved January 4, 2011)
- ^ "Shift 2 licensed soundtrack features Jimmy Eat World, Switchfoot, Bravery". 23 March 2011.
- ^ "Train Chart History (Canada Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved September 13, 2021.
- ^ "Switchfoot Chart History (Christian Digital Song Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved September 13, 2021.
- ^ "Train Chart History (Hot Rock & Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved September 13, 2021.
- ^ "Alternative Songs – Year-End 2010". Billboard. Retrieved September 13, 2021.