Semi-Charmed Life

"Semi-Charmed Life"
Single by Third Eye Blind
from the album Third Eye Blind
Released	June 17, 1997 (1997-06-17)
Format	CD single
Genre	Alternative rock, power pop
Length	4:29 (Album Version) 4:00 (Video Edit) 3:40 (Radio Edit)
Label	Elektra
Writer(s)	Stephan Jenkins
Producer	Eric Valentine
Third Eye Blind singles chronology
"Semi-Charmed Life" (1997) "Graduate" (1997)

"Semi-Charmed Life" is the title of a song by American alternative rock band Third Eye Blind. It was released in June 1997 as the lead off their self-titled debut album, released in 1997. It was a major hit of the 1990s, reaching number four in the U.S., number one on the Modern Rock Tracks and the Top 40 in the UK. Furthermore, it has had a pervasive cultural impact, being featured in numerous movie soundtracks. VH1 has named the song as the 34th best of the 1990s.

Background and writing

According to lead singer Stephan Jenkins, the song was meant as a response to Lou Reed's "Walk on the Wild Side" but from a San Francisco perspective. The style of the song reflects changes that were occurring in the San Francisco music scene, particularly a growing interest in hip-hop.

Content

Beneath a catchy, upbeat melody, with rapidly spoken lyrics and references to popular culture, the song contains dark lyrics about a drug user's descent into crystal meth addiction and his implied sexual activities while trying to "want something else." The video features many scenes with motor scooters and a 1960 Chevrolet Impala filmed around San Francisco.

Alternative versions

Demo

Several changes were made for the studio recording. In the demo version, Jenkins spoke during the verses as opposed to singing it. The chorus lyrics were originally "I want nothing else to get me through this…" as opposed to "I want something else to get me through this…" In the second verse, instead of "Doing crystal meth will lift you up until you break," the demo version went, "Crystal methylene will lift you up until you break." Finally, the reprise of the beginning of the second verse at the end of the song is omitted in the demo version.

Radio edits

Released on the single were a "clean edit" and the "radio edit." Both edits cut to 2:20 from 3:07 on the album version. The differences between the two edits is that the clean edit has the words "crystal meth" censored through backmasking. Radio stations that chose not to edit the drug reference played the radio edit.

The music video also shortened the song, but in a different section. The song was cut to 2:41 from 3:09. The drug references were either intact or edited out of the video, depending on which television channel the video aired.

Charts

Peak positions

Chart (1997-1998)	Peak position
Australia (ARIA)	8
Canada (RPM)	2
Canada Alternative 30 (RPM)	3
Germany (Media Control Charts)	91
United Kingdom (The Official Charts Company)	33
U.S. Billboard Hot 100	4
U.S. Billboard Modern Rock Tracks	1

End of year charts

End of year chart (1997)	Position
Canada (RPM)	12
U.S. Billboard Hot 100	17
End of year chart (1998)	Position
U.S. Billboard Hot 100	57

Chart successions

Preceded by "The Freshmen" by The Verve Pipe	Billboard Modern Rock Tracks number one single May 24, 1997 – June 21, 1997 (5 weeks)	Succeeded by "The Impression That I Get" by The Mighty Mighty Bosstones
Preceded by "The Impression That I Get" by The Mighty Mighty Bosstones	Billboard Modern Rock Tracks number one single July 5, 1997 - July 19, 1997 (3 weeks)	Succeeded by "Push" by Matchbox Twenty