Been Caught Stealing
| "Been Caught Stealing" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Jane's Addiction | ||||
| from the album Ritual de lo habitual | ||||
| B-side | "Had a Dad" (Radio Tokyo Demo) | |||
| Released | November 15, 1990 | |||
| Recorded | 1989–1990 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 3:34 | |||
| Label | Warner Bros. | |||
| Songwriter(s) | ||||
| Producer(s) |
| |||
| Jane's Addiction singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Music video | ||||
| "Been Caught Stealing" on YouTube | ||||
"Been Caught Stealing" is a song from Jane's Addiction's 1990 album, Ritual de lo Habitual. It was the band's biggest hit, spending four weeks at No. 1 on the U.S. modern rock chart.[3] Different versions appear on the compilations Kettle Whistle, Up from the Catacombs – The Best of Jane's Addiction and Rev.
Among its highlights are what Rolling Stone dubbed "the best use of dog barks since Pet Sounds". "That was Annie," recalled singer Perry Farrell. "I'd got her from a dog shelter and she was quite needy, so I brought her down to the studio that day rather than leave her at home… I'm singing in the booth with the headphones on and Annie gets all excited and starts going, 'Ruff! Ruff! Ruff!'… The fact that she ended up on the track was just pure coincidence."[4]
Critical reception
Greg Prato from AllMusic described the song as a "cheerful ditty" in his review of Ritual de lo Habitual.[5] Larry Flick from Billboard wrote, "After a long and impressive reign at modern rock radio, cut from acclaimed band's current set is well-poised to click at top 40." He added, "Trippy psychedelic rave-fueled with nifty acoustic and electric guitar trade-offs-kicks hard but doesn't risk intimidating weak-atheart mainstreamers."[6] The Daily Vault's Christopher Thelen stated that this is "the song that will probably define Jane's Addiction for the remainder of time."[7]
Music video
The song's music video humorously depicted people (including the band members) shoplifting at a grocery store. Directed by Farrell's girlfriend Casey Niccoli,[8] it was voted No. 47 on VH1's 100 Greatest Videos.
Awards and accolades
The song is featured on The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll (the list has no particular ranking).
It was chosen by Alice Cooper as one of his eight selections on the UK radio program Desert Island Discs.
The music video won Best Alternative Video at the 1991 MTV Video Music Awards.[9]
In popular culture
The song has regularly featured on television and in films; for example during the opening scene of NBC's Chuck episode 214 (Chuck Vs. The Best Friend) in 2009; in the pilot for My Name Is Earl; the credits of Eric Bogosian's Sex, Drugs, and Rock & Roll; and in an episode of Hindsight.
It features in the 2004 video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas on the fictional Alternative radio station Radio X, and is heard in the films Gone in 60 Seconds and Cape Fear. It appeared in the soundtracks for the video games Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock, Rock Band 3, Power Gig: Rise of the SixString, and The Darkness II.
The song is featured on The Prodigy's The Dirtchamber Sessions Volume One (1999).
The Angels Stadium of Anaheim plays a clip of "Been Caught Stealing" whenever the home team steals a base.
The title of the song is parodied in the TISM song "Been Caught Wankin'" from the album www.tism.wanker.com.
Cover versions
It was covered by Richard Cheese on Aperitif for Destruction and by jacksoul on mySOUL, the former being a parody that satirizes the barking dog heard in the song.
Arcade Fire covered the song live in 2014.[10]
See also
References
- ^ Gallucci, Michael. "Top 10 Alt-Rock Videos From 1990". Diffuser.fm. Retrieved July 11, 2017.
- ^ "KROQ Almost Acoustic Christmas 2011 Night 2". CBS. December 11, 2011. Retrieved July 11, 2017.
- ^ "Alternative Songs: Top Alternative Songs Chart". Billboard. Retrieved November 6, 2019.
- ^ Halbert, James (August 2001). "Nasy habits". Classic Rock. No. 30. p. 59.
- ^ Prato, Greg. "Jane's Addiction – Ritual de lo Habitual". AllMusic. Retrieved November 4, 2020.
- ^ Flick, Larry (November 10, 1990). "Single Reviews" (PDF). Billboard. p. 91. Retrieved October 28, 2020.
- ^ Thelen, Christopher (December 31, 1998). "Ritual De Lo Habitual – Jane's Addiction". The Daily Vault. Retrieved November 20, 2020.
- ^ "Been Caught Stealing". Janesaddiction.org.
- ^ "Live performances showcased at MTV awards". UPI. Retrieved November 6, 2019.
- ^ Minsker, Evan (August 2, 2014). "Arcade Fire Cover Jane's Addiction's "Been Caught Stealing", Steal Fans' Cell Phones". Pitchfork. Retrieved December 21, 2014.
