Vow (song)

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"Vow"
A black metal-like box, with the title "Garbage - Vow" atop it.
US single
Single by Garbage
from the album Garbage
B-side
ReleasedMarch 20, 1995 (1995-03-20)
RecordedMarch–September 1994
StudioSmart (Madison, Wisconsin)
GenreAlternative rock[1]
Length4:30
Label
Songwriter(s)Garbage
Producer(s)Garbage
Garbage singles chronology
"Vow"
(1995) 		"Subhuman"
(1995)
Alternative cover
UK single

"Vow" is a song by alternative rock band Garbage. It was released as their debut single in early 1995 by Discordant, a label set up by Mushroom Records to launch the group, and Almo Sounds in North America.

"Vow" was quietly licensed to a

limited edition logo embossed aluminium case, "Vow" went on to top the alternative charts in Australia and register on the Hot 100 singles chart in the United States
.

The song began as a

domestic abuse. In 2007, "Vow" was remastered and included as the opening track on Garbage's greatest hits compilation, Absolute Garbage. The song was also included in Garbage's second greatest hits compilation The Absolute Collection, released in Australia and New Zealand in 2012, and was remastered again in 2022 to be included on the CD and streaming edition of the band's third greatest hits collection Anthology
.

Development and composition

"Vow" began in rough

ad-libbed the lyrics "I can't use what I can't abuse" and "like Joan of Arc coming back for more".[4] The song is written in the key of A minor, set in time signature of common time with a tempo of 126 beats per minute.[5] It opens with Erikson playing a guitar through a noise gate "with a lot of echo on it",[6] and has a chord progression is A–C-F in the verses, D-B♭-A-Em-D-B♭-F in the bridge, and F-C-D-G in the chorus, with a segue into F♯ minor in the interlude.[5]

"Vow"
Sample of "Vow", showcasing the song's distorted guitar riffs and vengeful lyrics.[7]
Problems playing this file? See media help.

According to Vig, the inspiration for the song was a newspaper article about a woman who had gone back to get revenge on an

sado-masochistic couple who could not keep away from each other.[4] Lyrically, Manson claimed "'Vow' is about having feelings [of vengeance]. You have to face your feelings of revenge and work out why you feel that way. It's about that conundrum when you're really angry but in reality you're in a pitiful state. Angry, twisted, but deep down, vulnerable."[9] During promotion for the song, Garbage joked to journalists that "Vow" was about John and Lorena Bobbitt.[10]

Garbage had not initially planned to release "Vow" as their first single, as a single at all, or even include it on their

genre-hopping body of work, although they later came to appreciate the situation that led to the song becoming their debut. Manson declared that "now we can do whatever and people won't know what to expect", but if the band had instead settled for "of the more clubby tunes" as a single, "we would have been pigeonholed as a dance band and that's a hard tag to shake".[12]

Single release

United Kingdom

Midway through the recording sessions for the band's debut album, the band's label,

alternative radio stations across the country had picked up on "Vow", and it began to receive heavy rotation nationwide.[14] Garbage were still putting the finishing touches to their debut set, which was still three months away from release.[13]

On the back of the surprise attention that "Vow" had garnered, the band's UK record label Mushroom were keen to capitalise on the song. The terms of the licensing deal regarding the inclusion of "Vow" on Volume meant that the track could only be released on a limited basis.[15] Concerned that at the time that their label was only known in the UK for the Neighbours theme tune,[16] Mushroom founded the Discordant label for the sole purpose of launching Garbage.[17] Prior to its release "Vow" had already topped NME's playlist chart for 5 weeks[18] and received "Single of the Week" status in seven publications.[14]

On March 20, 1995 "Vow" was issued in a

Subhuman".[19]

United States

From the week of April 24, both

Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles, a chart which shows the most popular songs in the United States that have not yet reached the Billboard Hot 100.[28] The same week that the track hit its second peak at alternative radio, "Vow" shot up to #1 on the Bubbling Under chart.[29]

At the end of July, "Vow" debuted at #97 on the Hot 100,

Top Heatseekers album chart.[35]

Other markets

Discordant's parent label Mushroom licensed "Vow" for distribution internationally at the same time as the North American release. In Australia and New Zealand, "Vow" was released by their

ARIA singles chart dated week ending August 20, 1995,[36] and rose to #32 in its fifth week on the chart.[37] In New Zealand, "Vow" debuted at #48 at the end of September, and peaked at #41 a week later.[38] Mushroom also licensed "Vow" to local BMG labels across Europe and in South Africa as a CD single prior to the release of Garbage.[16]

Aborted re-releases

Following the international release of "Vow", Mushroom Records planned to re-release the song in the UK;[17] at the last minute, a decision was taken to issue "Subhuman" as the A-side, as they considered the song strong enough to support a single release.[17] "Vow" was included as a bonus track on the "Subhuman" CD single.[39] The "Vow" music video was sent to music channels to promote "Subhuman".[40]

In 1996, when the band's third North American single "

Only Happy When it Rains" had driven the sales of Garbage into the top half of the Billboard 200 for the first time, Almo Sounds considered re-releasing "Vow", feeling that on its initial release the song had not gotten a full chance at radio and video. Instead, the label ultimately chose to move forward with fourth single "Stupid Girl".[13]

Music video

A female singer and a male bassist and drummer perform against a golden backdrop.
The "Vow" music video marked the first time Garbage performed together live, and the band liked the experience enough to start touring.

The music video for "Vow" was directed by Samuel Bayer and filmed over 12 hours in Los Angeles[11] at the start of June 1995.[24] The video premiered in the United States on June 12, 1995.[41]

A performance piece, the video features

eyeliner crawling on the floor, an Australian born actor and model named Greg Brown who appeared in other Samuel Bayer projects such as videos for David Bowie and Nirvana.[42]

Bayer asked the group to perform "Vow" live while he filmed the takes for the video shoot.[13] Garbage had never performed live as group prior to this, and had initially had not considered ever performing live onstage.[11] "We set up amps and played the guitars. Butch was pounding away and Shirley had a live mic. After the first run-through, we all looked at each other and said, 'This feels really good.'" Erikson later recalled.[11] The group enjoyed the experience of performing together so much that they quickly changed their minds, and scheduled tourdates later that year.[13]

The "Vow" music video was first commercially released on

Video-CD on 1996's Garbage Video.[43] A remastered version was later included on Garbage's 2007 greatest hits DVD Absolute Garbage.[44]

Critical reception

"Vow" was acclaimed by critics.[45] The song took on elements from various styles, including glam rock, punk, and art rock.[45] The Times described it as "the missing link between Courtney Love and PJ Harvey"[46] while Paul Yates of Q magazine said "Garbage's signature lies in songs like 'Vow', good pop tunes dealt a rough treatment and brazen vocals".[47] NME's Emma Morgan wrote "it's the simplicity of the lyrics that strikes the winning goal",[48] while earlier in the year NME had made "Vow" its Single of the Week, writing "["Vow" is] a shape-shifting squalling epic. It shimmers like Siouxsie's 'Christine'. It's a credit to the band's producing skills that such an ambitious thing is lashed together at all"[49] Melody Maker also named "Vow" as Single of the Week, describing the song as "surreal pop heaven mixed with industrial nightmares".[50] and later saying the song "has classic written all over it".

Bunnymen wannabes doing '90s reverb angst" and compared Erikson's guitar to Aldo Nova, but ultimately considered that "even though they sound totally prefab, the singer hints at a pleasantly pissed personality".[57] Jude Rogers of The Guardian described the song as a "Kerrang-friendly rout of skronky rawk guitars, with Ms Manson offering a gentle hello: "I came to cut you UP/I came knock you DOWN/I came around to TEAR your little WORLD a-PART!"[58]

"Vow" also appeared in a number of year-end lists: #45 in John Peel's Festive Fifty,[59] #15 in Triple J's "Hottest 100 of 1995",[60] and #66 in KROQ's "Top 106.7 of 1995".[61]

Track listings

Credits and personnel

Charts

Chart performance for "Vow"
Chart (1995) Peak
position
Australia Singles Chart (ARIA)[37] 32
New Zealand
RIANZ)[38]
 41
United Kingdom
CIN)[67]
 138
US Billboard Hot 100[30] 97
US
Hot Modern Rock Tracks (Billboard)[26]
 26

Release history

Release history and formats for "Vow"
Territory Release date Record label Format(s)
United Kingdom[62] March 20, 1995 Discordant
7" single
United States[63] June 20, 1995 Almo Sounds CD single, cassette single
Australia[66] August 7, 1995[68] White CD single, cassette single

References

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  2. ^ Malins, Steve (September 1, 1996). "What's Our Problem?". Q. Detroit, Michigan: 50–53.
  3. Behind The Music, VH1
    , aired March 31, 2002"
  4. ^ a b Simpson, Dave (March 18, 1995). "Modern Life is Rubbish". Melody Maker. UK: 42–43.
  5. ^
    Alfred Publishing. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help
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  6. ^ "ROCK N ROLL EXPERIENCE - Garbage Interview!". Rock N Roll Experience. April 29, 2002. Archived from the original on August 20, 2004. Retrieved November 30, 2011.
  7. ^ a b Williams, Simon (May 1, 1995). "On a Rubbish Tip". NME. London. Archived from the original on December 18, 2002.
  8. ^ "The First UK Interview". Volume. November 1, 1994. Archived from the original on October 14, 1999. Retrieved February 5, 2008.
  9. ^ Simpson, Dave (August 12, 1995). "Vig's Atomic Dustbin". Melody Maker. UK.
  10. ^ "Butch Vig: In The Dock". RAW Magazine. Archived from the original on April 13, 2009. Retrieved February 5, 2008.
  11. ^ a b c d Berkenstadt, Jim (January 1, 1996). "Sounds Like Garbage". Musician.
  12. ^ a b Kaufman, Gil (1995). "Garbage Rise From The House That Grunge Built". Addicted to Noise. Archived from the original on October 13, 2006. Retrieved July 20, 2011.
  13. ^ a b c d e f Borzillo, Carrie (March 23, 1996). "Garbage's Serendipitous Success; Popularity Falls into Place for Almo Act". Billboard. Los Angeles. pp. 9, 97.
  14. ^ a b "Garbage advance Almo Sounds promo disc sleeve notes"
  15. ^ Finlay, Leo (September 30, 1995). "Talent; Garbage". Music Week.
  16. ^ a b c d Davis, Andy (1997). "Three Men and A Babe; Welcome to Spooner Town; Goodbye Angelfish". Record Collector (#209 ed.). London.
  17. ^ a b c ""Only Happy When It Rains" press release". Mushroom Records. Retrieved July 16, 2011.
  18. ^ "Garbage Press Release (page 1 of 5)" (Press release). London, UK: Mushroom Records. 1995.
  19. ^ Connell, Richard (1997). "Material Matters, The Problems of Packaging; Subhuman". Record Collector (#209 ed.). London: 56–57.
  20. ^ ALTERNATIVE PLAYLISTS (PDF). R&R, Inc. April 28, 1995. pp. 72, 73.
  21. ^ ALTERNATIVE PLAYLISTS (PDF). R&R, Inc. May 5, 1995. p. 76.
  22. ^ Alternative; New Music For June (PDF). R&R, Inc. May 26, 1995. p. 78.
  23. ^ R&R Alternative Top 50; June 9th, 1995 (May 29th - June 4th)/Most Added (+9)/ Most Increased Plays (+203) (PDF). R&R, Inc. June 9, 1995. p. 73.
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  25. ^ "Vow (US Cass)". Allmusic.
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  27. ^ "Modern Rock Tracks". Billboard. July 22, 1995. p. 75.
  28. ^ "Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles". Billboard. July 15, 1995. p. 91.
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  30. ^ a b "Hot 100". Billboard. July 29, 1995. p. 118.
  31. ^ a b McKenna, Jerry (July 29, 1995). "Hot 100 Singles Spotlight; Quick Cuts". Billboard. p. 119.
  32. ^ Bronson, Fred (July 29, 1995). "Arista on Top Again; "Vow" Bows Low". Billboard. p. 126.
  33. ^ "Hot 100". Billboard. August 5, 1995. p. 103.
  34. ^ "Hot Modern Rock Tracks". Billboard. August 12, 1995. p. 84.
  35. ^ "Heatseekers Album Chart". Billboard. September 2, 1995. p. 21.
  36. ^ "The ARIA Australian Top 100 Singles Chart - Week Ending 20 Aug 1995". Imgur. Archived from the original on September 25, 2015. Retrieved September 25, 2015.
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  38. ^ a b "Garbage - Vow". charts.nz. Retrieved November 7, 2007.
  39. ^ "Subhuman - Sales Notes (page 2)" (Press release). Mushroom Records. p. 2. Retrieved July 17, 2011.
  40. ^ "Subhuman Sales Notes - (page 3)" (Press release). Mushroom Records. p. 3. Retrieved July 17, 2011.
  41. ^ "Vow / Samuel Bayer". United States Copyright Office. June 12, 1995. Retrieved July 27, 2011. PA0000704797; Vow / Samuel Bayer; Videocassette; 3/4 in; Music video performed by Garbage; Almo Sounds, Inc.
  42. ^ Vow: Music Video (DVD). Almo Sounds, Inc. June 12, 1995.
  43. ^ "The Screens Are Full of Garbage". Melody Maker. UK. December 7, 1996.
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  46. ^ "Album Reviews". The Times. September 19, 1995.
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  48. ^ Morgan, Emma (September 23, 1995). "Natty Dregs". NME.
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  50. ^ ""Vow" Single of the Week". Melody Maker. March 11, 1995.
  51. ^ "Singles of The Year". Melody Maker. December 9, 1995.
  52. Subhuman". Kerrang!
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  55. ^ Flick, Larry (July 15, 1995). "Singles Reviews". Billboard. p. 67.
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  62. ^ a b Vow (UK 7-inch Vinyl Single liner notes). Garbage. Discordant. 1995. CORD001.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  63. ^ a b Vow (US CD/cassette Single liner notes). Garbage. Almo Sounds. 1995. AMSDS-88000/AMSCS-89000.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  64. ^ Vow (European CD Single liner notes). Garbage. BMG. 1995. 74321 29596 2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  65. ^ Vow (South African CD Single liner notes). Garbage. BMG. 1995. CDBMGS(WS)901.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  66. ^ a b Vow (Australian CD/cassette Single liner notes). Garbage. White. 1995. D1138/C1138.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
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  68. ^ "New Releases – Product Available from: 07/08/95 (from The ARIA Report Issue No. 286)". Imgur.com (original document published by ARIA). Retrieved February 23, 2017.

External links

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