| "Flagpole Sitta" | ||||||||
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| Single by Harvey Danger | ||||||||
| from the album Where Have All the Merrymakers Gone? | ||||||||
| B-side | "The Ballad of the Tragic Hero (Pity and Fear)" | |||||||
| Released | April 21, 1998 (US) June 27, 1998 (UK) |
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| Format | CD single, 7" single | |||||||
| Recorded | 1996 | |||||||
| Genre | Pop punk | |||||||
| Length | 3:37 | |||||||
| Label | Slash | |||||||
| Producer(s) | John Goodmanson, Harvey Danger | |||||||
| Harvey Danger singles chronology | ||||||||
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"Flagpole Sitta" is a song by American rock band Harvey Danger from their 1997 debut album, Where Have All the Merrymakers Gone?. It was released as a single in April 1998. The song gained popularity after Sean Nelson gave a copy of the album to a KNDD DJ. Shortly after this, it was picked up by KROQ-FM. It then appeared at #38 on the Billboard Hot 100 Airplay chart. A music video was produced to promote the single.[1] Notably, the song was used in the film American Pie, during a montage of the protagonists' quest to help each other get laid. The song was not included on the DVD release. In 2009, Capitol Records filed a lawsuit against Vimeo about a 'Lip Dub' version of "Flagpole Sitta". The Vimeo version shows the staff of Connected Ventures acting out the song. It went viral when it was released.
Charts[edit]
| Chart (1998-1999) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[2] | 50 |
| Canada Alternative 30 (RPM) | 9 |
| France (SNEP)[3] | 98 |
| UK Singles (The Official Charts Company) | 57 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Adult Top 40 Tracks | 31 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks | 33 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Modern Rock Tracks | 3 |
| U.S. Billboard Top 40 Mainstream | 32 |
Use in other media[edit]
The song has been the theme song for the British comedy Peep Show since its second series. It also appeared briefly in the first series as background music in a bowling alley. Sean Nelson has stated that its use in Peep Show is "...the only pop culture item the song has been associated with that feels like a kindred spirit to the original attitude of the lyric."[4]
It was featured in the film Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star during the scenes of news and talk shows when Dickie is rising to fame again. The song is also featured in the film American Pie, during a montage of the protagonists' quest to help each other get laid. It was also used in the trailer of Disturbing Behavior as well as in part of the movie itself. After the song proved to be popular, it replaced part of a piece titled "Unplugged at Bishop Flats" in the film itself.
Comedy site CollegeHumor also made a lip dub of their employees singing the song. The song was featured in the TV series October Road episode, "Best Friend Windows." It was also featured on the TV series Psych on the episode "Tuesday the 17th." Most recently, the American version of The Office performed an homage to the CollegeHumor lip dub for its cold open.
"Weird Al" Yankovic used the chorus of the song in his polka medley, "Polka Power!", on his 1999 album, Running with Scissors.
Chiodos have also covered this song on the album Punk Goes Pop 2.
American alt-country band Deer Tick performed a version of the song in July 2012 for The A.V. Club 's A.V. Undercover series.[5]
The first part of the song was used in various title sequences in the British satire show "Russell Howard's Good News".
References[edit]
- ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVOD5D4IArw
- ^ "Australian-charts.com – Harvey Danger – Flagpole Sitta". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
- ^ "Lescharts.com – Harvey Danger – Flagpole Sitta" (in French). Les classement single.
- ^ "Harvey Danger interview". 21 June 2008. Retrieved 2009-01-08.
- ^ "Deer Tick covers Harvey Danger". Retrieved April 2, 2013.
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