Summary
"57 Channels (And Nothin' On)" is a song written and performed by American musician Bruce Springsteen, appearing on his album Human Touch, released in 1992. The song was released as a single, charting in the top 100 in various countries. A video for the song was also released. The title may be a reference to cable television, which carries more channels than terrestrial television.
| "57 Channels (And Nothin' On)" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Bruce Springsteen | ||||
| from the album Human Touch | ||||
| B-side |
| |||
| Released | June 1992 | |||
| Length | 2:28 | |||
| Label | Columbia | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Bruce Springsteen | |||
| Producer(s) |
| |||
| Bruce Springsteen singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Music video edit
The accompanying music video illustrates the song's narrative, culminating in a recreation of Ant Farm's infamous 1975 "Media Burn" stunt, wherein a speeding car crashes through a pyramid of television sets. The same art collective was also responsible for Cadillac Ranch, immortalized in the Bruce Springsteen song of the same name (from The River). Springsteen also plays a bass, which he also played in the recording.
In a September 2014 post on Facebook discussing the video, Springsteen wrote, "Shot back in the quaint days of only 57 channels and no flat screen TVs, I have no idea what we were aiming for in this one outside of some vague sense of 'hipness' and an attempt at irony. Never my strong suit, it reads now to me as a break from our usual approach and kind of a playful misfire."[1]
Personnel edit
According to authors Philippe Margotin and Jean-Michel Guesdon:[2]
- Bruce Springsteen – vocals, bass
- Jeff Porcaro – drums, percussion
- Roy Bittan – keyboards
Charts edit
| Chart (1992) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canada Top Singles (RPM)[3] | 25 |
| Ireland (IRMA)[4] | 26 |
| Italy (Musica e dischi)[5] | 18 |
| Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[6] | 29 |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100)[7] | 39 |
| Norway (VG-lista)[8] | 9 |
| Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[9] | 32 |
| UK Singles (OCC)[10] | 32 |
| US Billboard Hot 100[11] | 68 |
| US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[12] | 6 |
Release history edit
| Region | Date | Format(s) | Label(s) | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | June 1992 |
|
Columbia | |
| Japan | June 25, 1992 | Mini-CD | Sony | [13] |
| United Kingdom | July 13, 1992 |
|
Columbia | [14] |
| July 20, 1992 | CD2 | [15] |
References edit
- ^ Springsteen, Bruce. "Shot back in the quaint days of only 57 channels..." Facebook. Retrieved January 8, 2015.
- ^ Margotin, Philippe; Guesdon, Jean-Michel (2020). Bruce Springsteen All the Songs: The Story Behind Every Track. London: Cassell Illustrated. p. 311. ISBN 978-1-78472-649-2.
- ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 2006." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved June 1, 2022.
- ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – 57 Channels (And Nothin' On)". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved June 1, 2022.
- ^ "Classifiche". Musica e dischi (in Italian). Retrieved June 1, 2022. Set "Tipo" on "Singoli". Then, with "57 channels (and nothin' on)" in the "Titolo" field, click "cerca".
- ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Bruce Springsteen" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved June 1, 2022.
- ^ "Bruce Springsteen – 57 Channels (And Nothin' On)" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved June 1, 2022.
- ^ "Bruce Springsteen – 57 Channels (And Nothin' On)". VG-lista. Retrieved June 1, 2022.
- ^ "Bruce Springsteen – 57 Channels (And Nothin' On)". Singles Top 100. Retrieved June 1, 2022.
- ^ "Bruce Springsteen: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 1, 2022.
- ^ "Bruce Springsteen The E Street Band Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved June 1, 2022.
- ^ "Bruce Springsteen The E Street Band Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved June 1, 2022.
- ^ "57チャンネルズ | ブルース・スプリングスティーン" [57 Channels | Bruce Springsteen] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved September 12, 2023.
- ^ "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. July 11, 1992. p. 19.
- ^ "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. July 18, 1992. p. 19.