Innocent (Our Lady Peace song)
Encyclopedia
"Innocent" is a single that was released by Canadian alternative rock
band Our Lady Peace
in late summer of 2002 from their album Gravity
. It was written by lead vocalist Raine Maida
.
", are considered to be the band's most recognizable tracks. "Innocent" is generally the second most popular song next to "Somewhere Out There".
The song is about people who suffer, including a girl with cancer
. The song also references legendary rock musicians John Lennon
and Kurt Cobain
.
Raine stated in 2002 that "Innocent" was one of his favorite songs from Gravity. "I wrote this song over a year ago and I was originally hesitant to play it for the band, but once we got into the studio and began working with Bob we were able to make it an Our Lady Peace song."
Local school children in Hawaii were used to sing background vocals on the chorus of the song.
Before Mike Turner
left the band, he recorded the rhythm guitar for this track. It would later be interlaced with Steve Mazur
's guitar playing for the final recording, but Turner's style of playing is still recognized.
.
The music video went to win two MuchMusic Video Awards
in 2003, including "Best Video."
, eventual American Idol
winner.
episode My Lawyer's in Love.
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
band Our Lady Peace
Our Lady Peace
Our Lady Peace is a Canadian alternative rock band that formed in Toronto, Ontario in 1992. Headed by lead vocalist Raine Maida since its formation, the band additionally consists of Jeremy Taggart on percussion, Duncan Coutts on bass, and Steve Mazur as lead guitarist...
in late summer of 2002 from their album Gravity
Gravity (Our Lady Peace album)
Gravity is the title of Canadian alternative rock band Our Lady Peace's fifth studio album. It was released on June 18, 2002 by Columbia Records in North America. The album became a worldwide success, charting highly both in Canada and the U.S...
. It was written by lead vocalist Raine Maida
Raine Maida
Raine Maida , is a Canadian musician best known as being the lead vocalist and primary songwriter of the alternative rock band Our Lady Peace. He has come to be known for his unique countertenor nasal falsetto singing voice, as well as his cryptic and poetry-influenced song lyrics...
.
Song information
Innocent is the fourth track and the second single on Our Lady Peace's album Gravity. The song, along with the album's first single, "Somewhere Out ThereSomewhere Out There (Our Lady Peace song)
"Somewhere Out There" is the title of a song recorded by Canadian rock band Our Lady Peace. It was released in March 2002 as the lead single from their fifth studio album, Gravity...
", are considered to be the band's most recognizable tracks. "Innocent" is generally the second most popular song next to "Somewhere Out There".
The song is about people who suffer, including a girl with cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
. The song also references legendary rock musicians John Lennon
John Lennon
John Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
and Kurt Cobain
Kurt Cobain
Kurt Donald Cobain was an American singer-songwriter, musician and artist, best known as the lead singer and guitarist of the grunge band Nirvana...
.
Raine stated in 2002 that "Innocent" was one of his favorite songs from Gravity. "I wrote this song over a year ago and I was originally hesitant to play it for the band, but once we got into the studio and began working with Bob we were able to make it an Our Lady Peace song."
Recording
According to Raine in an interview, the title of the song was originally "Arrogant" and featured different lyrics. Producer Bob Rock made him rewrite most of the songs from Gravity in order to make them more accessible and easier to understand.Local school children in Hawaii were used to sing background vocals on the chorus of the song.
Before Mike Turner
Mike Turner (musician)
Mike A. Turner is a musician and producer. He is the former lead guitarist of the band Our Lady Peace. After his departure from OLP he began producing music and played guitar in the Canadian band Fair Ground, with Harem Scarem guitarist Pete Lesperance...
left the band, he recorded the rhythm guitar for this track. It would later be interlaced with Steve Mazur
Steve Mazur
Notable InstrumentsGibson Trini LopezSteven Theodore Mazur is an American guitarist, best known as the lead guitarist for alternative rock band Our Lady Peace...
's guitar playing for the final recording, but Turner's style of playing is still recognized.
Music video
The music video for "Innocent" was filmed on August 31, 2002 at several locations including at a school and a parking lot in TorontoToronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
.
The music video went to win two MuchMusic Video Awards
MuchMusic Video Awards
The MuchMusic Video Awards are annual awards presented by the Canadian music video channel MuchMusic to honour the year's best music videos....
in 2003, including "Best Video."
Chart performance
| Chart (2002–2003) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Modern Rock Tracks | 20 |
| U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks | 35 |
| New Zealand Singles Chart | 20 |
European Pro CD
Epic LC 00199- "Innocent" (radio edit) - 3:05
- "Innocent" - 3:42
- "Innocent" (guitars-down-mix) - 3:42
European CD single
Epic EPC 673439 2- "Innocent" - 3:43
- "NaveedNaveed (song)Naveed is a single from Our Lady Peace's debut album of the same name, Naveed. It was released April 17, 1995 in the United States and in January 1996 in the United Kingdom as the fifth and final single from the album. The song performed well on the charts, and became a smash hit in Canada,...
(Live)" - 6:47 - "4 AM (Live)" - 5:01
- "ImagineImagine (song)"Imagine" is a song written and performed by the English musician John Lennon. It is the opening track on his album Imagine, released in 1971...
(Live)" - "Innocent" (Music Video)
Covers
The song has been covered many times, most notably by David CookDavid Cook (singer)
David Roland Cook is an American rock singer-songwriter, who rose to fame after winning the seventh season of the reality television show American Idol...
, eventual American Idol
American Idol
American Idol, titled American Idol: The Search for a Superstar for the first season, is a reality television singing competition created by Simon Fuller and produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment...
winner.
In other media
The song was used in the ScrubsScrubs (TV series)
Scrubs is an American medical comedy-drama television series created in 2001 by Bill Lawrence and produced by ABC Studios. The show follows the lives of several employees of the fictional Sacred Heart, a teaching hospital. It features fast-paced screenplay, slapstick, and surreal vignettes...
episode My Lawyer's in Love.