57 Channels (And Nothin' On)
Song by Bruce Springsteen
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"57 Channels (And Nothin' On)" is a song written and performed by American musician Bruce Springsteen, appearing on his ninth album, Human Touch (1992). The song was released as a single in June 1992 by Columbia Records, charting in the top 100 in various countries. A video for the song was also released. The title are a reference to cable television, which carries more channels than terrestrial television.
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| "57 Channels (And Nothin' On)" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Single by Bruce Springsteen | ||||
| from the album Human Touch | ||||
| B-side |
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| Released | June 1992 | |||
| Genre | Rockabilly[1] | |||
| Length | 2:28 | |||
| Label | Columbia | |||
| Songwriter | Bruce Springsteen | |||
| Producers |
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| Bruce Springsteen singles chronology | ||||
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| Music video | ||||
| 57 Channels (And Nothin' On) on Youtube.com | ||||
Music video
The accompanying music video for "57 Channels (And Nothin' On)" 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."[2]
Personnel
According to authors Philippe Margotin and Jean-Michel Guesdon:[3]
- Bruce Springsteen – vocals, bass
- Jeff Porcaro – drums, percussion
- Roy Bittan – keyboards
Charts
| Chart (1992) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[4] | 107 |
| Canada Top Singles (RPM)[5] | 25 |
| Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[6] | 40 |
| Ireland (IRMA)[7] | 26 |
| Italy (Musica e dischi)[8] | 18 |
| Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[9] | 29 |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100)[10] | 39 |
| Norway (VG-lista)[11] | 9 |
| Quebec (ADISQ)[12] | 46 |
| Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[13] | 32 |
| UK Singles (Official Charts)[14] | 32 |
| UK Airplay (Music Week)[15] | 20 |
| US Billboard Hot 100[16] | 68 |
| US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[17] | 6 |
Release history
| Region | Version | Date | Format(s) | Label(s) | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | Original | June 1992 |
|
Columbia | |
| Japan | June 25, 1992 | Mini-CD | Sony | [18] | |
| Australia | June 29, 1992 |
|
Columbia | [19] | |
| United Kingdom | July 13, 1992 |
|
[20] | ||
| July 20, 1992 | CD2 | [21] | |||
| Australia | Remixes | August 3, 1992 |
|
[22] | |
| Japan | August 22, 1992 | Maxi-CD | Sony | [23] |