Headfirst Slide into Cooperstown on a Bad Bet
Encyclopedia
"Headfirst Slide into Cooperstown on a Bad Bet" is Fall Out Boy
's first digital single (third single in the UK) from their fifth studio album Folie à Deux. It was released as part of the build up to the new album on iTunes
on October 7, 2008.
The title of the song refers to former Major League Baseball
player Pete Rose
, known for sliding headfirst into bases. Rose agreed never to work in baseball again due to an accused betting scandal while managing the Cincinnati Reds
and will likely be kept out of the Hall of Fame, located in Cooperstown, New York, because of it. The band originally intended to name-drop Rose in the song's title. They changed their minds because of concerns about the lawsuit brought against OutKast
over their 1999 single "Rosa Parks
" by the civil rights activist, who was name-dropped in the title.
This song was originally titled "Does Your Husband Know?".
. The concept of the video mirrors the 1989 dark comedy Weekend at Bernie's
. A preview was on AbsolutePunk.net the week earlier.
The video opens with Brendon Urie
and Spencer Smith
of Panic! at the Disco
jogging while discussing their favorite '80s movies (possibly referencing the parody). They head to the beach where they are expecting to meet Pete Wentz. Spencer suggests that Brendon call Pete; however, Spencer soon spots him "sitting" near the beach shore. To their surprise they find that he is dead. Brendon wishes to call for help, but Spencer suggests calling Jason Tate (the founder of AbsolutePunk) instead, in order to gain a million Twitter
followers. The two drag Pete's lifeless body from the beach into Pete's SUV. They drive into town and walk around with the body. To make it seem like Pete is alive, Brendon and Spencer do various things such as holding his arms to make him wave and tying his shoe laces to their own while they walk. After going to a carnival, they decide that they are carrying too much "dead weight", and drop Pete's body off at the beach shore. They take his hat and hoodie and thank him for his cell phone, money and "the memories" (a reference to an earlier Fall Out Boy single, "Thnks fr th Mmrs
").
During the credits of the video, Brendon and Spencer can be heard humming the ending theme to Jurassic Park
.
Fall Out Boy
Fall Out Boy is an American rock band from Wilmette, Illinois, formed in 2001. The band consists of vocalist, guitarist and composer Patrick Stump, bassist and lyricist Pete Wentz, guitarist Joe Trohman, and drummer Andy Hurley. The band released five studio albums from 2003–2008...
's first digital single (third single in the UK) from their fifth studio album Folie à Deux. It was released as part of the build up to the new album on iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
on October 7, 2008.
The title of the song refers to former Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
player Pete Rose
Pete Rose
Peter Edward Rose , nicknamed "Charlie Hustle", is a former Major League Baseball player and manager. Rose played from 1963 to 1986, and managed from 1984 to 1989....
, known for sliding headfirst into bases. Rose agreed never to work in baseball again due to an accused betting scandal while managing the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
and will likely be kept out of the Hall of Fame, located in Cooperstown, New York, because of it. The band originally intended to name-drop Rose in the song's title. They changed their minds because of concerns about the lawsuit brought against OutKast
OutKast
Outkast is an American hip hop duo based in East Point, Georgia, consisting of Atlanta native André "André 3000" Benjamin and Savannah, Georgia-born Antwan "Big Boi" Patton. They were originally known as Two Shades Deep but later changed the group's name to OutKast...
over their 1999 single "Rosa Parks
Rosa Parks (song)
"Rosa Parks" is a song by the hip hop group OutKast. It was released as the first single from their 1998 album Aquemini, and was that album's most successful single. The song's title comes from the civil rights activist Rosa Parks...
" by the civil rights activist, who was name-dropped in the title.
This song was originally titled "Does Your Husband Know?".
Music video
The "Headfirst Slide into Cooperstown on a Bad Bet" video was released on August 28, 2009 simultaneously on director Shane Valdez's Vimeo account and by 'Decaydancerecords' and 'FriendsorEnemies' official YouTube accounts. It can be considered both an official music video for the song and a short film by Shane Valdez. The title of the music video was named "A Weekend at Pete Rose's", which refers to the former Major League Baseball player, Pete RosePete Rose
Peter Edward Rose , nicknamed "Charlie Hustle", is a former Major League Baseball player and manager. Rose played from 1963 to 1986, and managed from 1984 to 1989....
. The concept of the video mirrors the 1989 dark comedy Weekend at Bernie's
Weekend at Bernie's
Weekend at Bernie's is a 1989 American comedy film directed by Ted Kotcheff. A comedy starring Andrew McCarthy and Jonathan Silverman features the two as a couple of young insurance agency employees who discover their boss is deceased...
. A preview was on AbsolutePunk.net the week earlier.
The video opens with Brendon Urie
Brendon Urie
Brendon Boyd Urie is an American musician and the lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist, pianist and singer-songwriter of Panic! at the Disco. He also plays drums, bass guitar, accordion, organ, cello, violin, and trumpet.-Early life:...
and Spencer Smith
Spencer Smith (musician)
Spencer James Smith is an American musician. Smith is a founding member and drummer of American rock band Panic! at the Disco. With the band he placed two studio albums, Pretty. Odd. and Vices & Virtues , in the top ten of the US Billboard 200 chart with the band's debut effort "A Fever You Can't...
of Panic! at the Disco
Panic! at the Disco
Panic! at the Disco is an American alternative rock duo, formed in Las Vegas, Nevada in 2005. Since its split, the band's line-up includes Brendon Urie and Spencer Smith . Former members Ryan Ross and Jon Walker left the group in 2009...
jogging while discussing their favorite '80s movies (possibly referencing the parody). They head to the beach where they are expecting to meet Pete Wentz. Spencer suggests that Brendon call Pete; however, Spencer soon spots him "sitting" near the beach shore. To their surprise they find that he is dead. Brendon wishes to call for help, but Spencer suggests calling Jason Tate (the founder of AbsolutePunk) instead, in order to gain a million Twitter
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
followers. The two drag Pete's lifeless body from the beach into Pete's SUV. They drive into town and walk around with the body. To make it seem like Pete is alive, Brendon and Spencer do various things such as holding his arms to make him wave and tying his shoe laces to their own while they walk. After going to a carnival, they decide that they are carrying too much "dead weight", and drop Pete's body off at the beach shore. They take his hat and hoodie and thank him for his cell phone, money and "the memories" (a reference to an earlier Fall Out Boy single, "Thnks fr th Mmrs
Thnks fr th Mmrs
"Thnks fr th Mmrs" is a song by American rock band Fall Out Boy, released March 27, 2007, as the second single from their fourth studio album, Infinity on High...
").
During the credits of the video, Brendon and Spencer can be heard humming the ending theme to Jurassic Park
Jurassic Park (film)
Jurassic Park is a 1993 American science fiction adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg. The film is based on the novel of the same name by Michael Crichton. It stars Sam Neill, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, Richard Attenborough, Martin Ferrero, and Bob Peck...
.
Chart performance
| Chart (2008) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canadian Hot 100 Canadian Hot 100 The Canadian Hot 100 is a music singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine which ranks songs in Canada. The chart debuted in the Billboard issue dated June 16, 2007 and was made available for the first time via their online services on June 7, 2007... |
64 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
74 |
| U.S. Billboard Digital Songs Hot Digital Songs The Hot Digital Songs chart ranks the best-selling digital singles in the United States, according to Billboard.Beginning in February 2005, digital sales have been incorporated into many of Billboards music single charts. It was decided to do so mainly because of the dramatic rise in popularity of... |
40 |