Drive (Incubus song)

"Drive"
Single by Incubus
from the album Make Yourself
Released	November 20, 2000
Recorded	May–June 1999 in Los Angeles, California
Genre	Alternative rock, Acoustic rock
Label	Epic, Immortal
Writer(s)	Brandon Boyd, Mike Einziger, Chris Kilmore, Alex Katunich and Jose Pasillas
Producer(s)	Scott Litt
Incubus singles chronology
"Stellar" (2000) "Drive" (2000) "Wish You Were Here" (2001) Music sample "Drive" A sample from "Drive" by Incubus

"Drive" is a song recorded by American rock band Incubus. It was released in November 2000 as a single from their third album Make Yourself. It is considered the band's biggest hit and breakthrough single, eventually reaching the top of Billboard's modern rock charts on March 3, 2001 and #9 on the Billboard Hot 100 on July 28. In 2001, "Drive" won Billboard's award for Modern Rock Single of the Year. Director Bill Draheim documented the making of "Drive". 'Save Me from my Half-Life Drive' is the result of that edited EPK footage.

The song is featured in the video games Donkey Konga 2 and Guitar Hero Live in addition to the film Surf's Up.

Content

According to lead singer, Brandon Boyd, "The lyric is basically about fear, about being driven all your life by it and making decisions from fear. It's about imagining what life would be like if you didn't live it that way".

Musical qualities and influences

The song is what is widely described as mellow, featuring mostly acoustic instruments and grounded both musically and lyrically in a very relaxing and positive ambiance making the song a departure and exception from their original alternative metal and funk metal roots.

Live

When played live, the song is performed in a number of different ways; unplugged with Mike and Brandon, the full band with Mike playing guitar, or the remixed version, centering on Ben Kenney's amplified and reconstructed bass melodies, with Mike playing an electric piano (as seen on the Alive at Red Rocks DVD).

Music video

The music video is based on M.C. Escher's Drawing Hands. Directed by Phil Harder, it features a simple musical session intercut with a rotoscoped animation of Brandon Boyd drawing himself. The animation was handled by both Boyd and drummer Jose Pasillas. The scenes from the official music video were shot in the McNamara Alumni Center on the University of Minnesota. The video was nominated for Best Group Video at the 2001 MTV Video Music Awards but lost to 'N Sync.

Tracklist

US Chillum promo single record

1. "Drive (Radio Edit)"

European EP

1. "Drive"
2. "Drive (Orchestral Studio Version)"
3. "Favorite Things (Live)"
4. "Pardon Me (Live)
5. "Clean (Live)"

Australian EP

1. "Drive"
2. "Crowded Elevator"
3. "Stellar (Acoustic)"
4. "Pardon Me (Acoustic)"
5. "Drive (Acoustic)"

US promo single

1. Drive

UK Maxi single

1. "Drive"
2. "Drive (Acoustic)"
3. "Clean (Live)"
4. "Drive (Video)"

• Includes a poster of the band

UK promo single

1. "Drive (Album Version)"
2. "Drive (Orchestral Studio Version)"

Charts

Chart (2000-2001)	Peak position
Australia (ARIA)	34
Germany (Official German Charts)	80
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)	13
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)	85
UK Singles (The Official Charts Company)	40
U.S. Billboard Hot Modern Rock Tracks	1
U.S. Billboard Hot Adult Top 40 Tracks	4
U.S. Billboard Top 40 Mainstream	8
U.S. Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks	8
U.S. Billboard Hot 100	9

Personnel

• Brandon Boyd - vocals
• Mike Einziger - guitar
• Dirk Lance - bass
• Chris Kilmore - turntables
• Jose Pasillas - drums
• Dave Holdridge - cello

Preceded by "Butterfly" by Crazy Town

Billboard Modern Rock Tracks number-one single March 3 - April 21, 2001

Succeeded by "It's Been Awhile" by Staind

External links

• "Drive" Official music video on YouTube
• Website of the animated short film 'I move so I am' (The Netherlands, 1997) of animator Gerrit van Dijk on which the official music video "Drive" was based.
• Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics