What a Catch, Donnie
Encyclopedia
"What a Catch, Donnie" is Fall Out Boy
's second digital download single and third radio single from their fifth studio album Folie à Deux (2008). It was released as part of the build up to the new album on iTunes on October 14, 2008 and charted on the US and Canadian singles chart. The track features numerous musicians performing cameo appearances in the song, singing lines from other Fall Out Boy songs. As one of the very few ballads performed by the band, Fall Out Boy performed the song live on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon
. "What a Catch, Donnie" stands as the group's final studio album single before their late 2009 hiatus.
The band shot the video for the song on July 1, 2009 with Alan Ferguson. On June 30, bassist Pete Wentz posted on his Twitter that the band had 'wrapped up' a video for "What a Catch, Donnie". On July 2, guitarist Joe Trohman
stated via Twitter that they had finished shooting the video, editing will take place in the next couple days, and the video was released on MTV on August 6, 2009.
The video also includes Spencer Smith
and Brendon Urie
from Panic! at the Disco
. The two also appeared in the official music video for Fall Out Boy's "A Little Less Sixteen Candles, A Little More Touch Me" as some of the dandies, and were also featured in the video for "Headfirst Slide into Cooperstown on a Bad Bet
".
Pete Wentz said in a press statement: -
"It is my time to say that we haven't done a video like this before, a video dedicated to someone's death, the death of our best friend and rapper, Dolla
(Roderick Anthony Burton II). We hope to shoot the video for "What a Catch, Donnie" in the same place he was shot and also bring our friends round for the climax."
The official music video was released August 6, 2009 on MTV, MTV2, mtvU, and MTV Hits.
The video depicts lead singer Patrick Stump
alone at sea trying to find his way home. Throughout most of the video he is fishing, reading in his cabin, playing the piano and suffering from loneliness. Eventually, he finds a seagull trapped in ropes on his ship. He frees and befriends the bird and so the two set sail together and Patrick is no longer lonely. Towards the end of the video, Patrick starts to fish again but finds strange objects such as deer antlers (from Antler Boy in "Sugar, We're Going Down"), a black and white striped jacket (the jacket Patrick wore in "Dance, Dance
"), and a bass drum (one of Andy Hurley
's drums). Finally, he comes across a sign featuring the letters F, O, and B (the sign from "Thnks fr th Mmrs
"). He then looks up and spots a white casket (from the music video for "This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race
") as well as a sinking ship. He immediately turns the boat around to rescue the survivors on the lifeboats (who include Joe Trohman
, Andy Hurley
, Spencer Smith
, Brendon Urie
, and everyone else (except Pete Wentz) who has worked with Fall Out Boy over the past few years). After all of the survivors are on the boat celebrating because they were rescued, Patrick looks out at the sinking ship. In the top right corner you can see a man assumed to be the captain in a white uniform saluting. This man is supposedly Pete Wentz, and he had a close up in the original video but was edited out. Once all of the survivors are on the boat, and getting closer to shore, Patrick sets free his Seagull friend and watches him fly off with his family into the coast. At the end of the song it also depicts some of their greatest hits. In the background they sing chorus lines from their songs "Grand Theft Autumn/Where Is Your Boy
", "Sugar We're Goin Down", "Dance, Dance
", "This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race
", "Thnks fr th Mmrs
", and "Growing Up
".
The version of this video was that released on iTunes is missing the portion where Pete Wentz says "Thank You" to Patrick Stump. On the commentary of the Believers Never Die - Greatest Hits bonus DVD, the band states that this part was left out because of the poor CGI
special effects.
It's also considered as one of the only official ballads Fall Out Boy has ever released and/or written. As said in an interview, Pete Wentz said that the song was written in thoughts of his friendship with the lead singer Patrick Stump. He wanted to show his fondness towards 'one of his best friends in the business'. Even though the band is on a unknown hiatus, Wentz and Stump still support their album releases and new music.
At 3:00 Elvis Costello
sings the overture "I will never end up like him, behind my back I already am...." of Fall Out Boy's song "Headfirst Slide into Cooperstown on a Bad Bet
". On the band's Believers Never Die - Greatest Hits album, Fall Out Boy vocalist Patrick Stump
sings the line on the song as the legal agreements were not made in time.
Also, the title of the song is a reference to Donnie Hathaway and his writing partner, Roberta Flack
, is mentioned several times throughout the song.
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 second digital download single and third radio single from their fifth studio album Folie à Deux (2008). It was released as part of the build up to the new album on iTunes on October 14, 2008 and charted on the US and Canadian singles chart. The track features numerous musicians performing cameo appearances in the song, singing lines from other Fall Out Boy songs. As one of the very few ballads performed by the band, Fall Out Boy performed the song live on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon is an American late-night talk show hosted by Jimmy Fallon on NBC. The show premiered on March 2, 2009, as the third incarnation of the Late Night franchise originated by David Letterman....
. "What a Catch, Donnie" stands as the group's final studio album single before their late 2009 hiatus.
Music video
The music video was dedicated to Atlanta rapper Dolla who was shot and killed a few months before the song's release.The band shot the video for the song on July 1, 2009 with Alan Ferguson. On June 30, bassist Pete Wentz posted on his Twitter that the band had 'wrapped up' a video for "What a Catch, Donnie". On July 2, guitarist Joe Trohman
Joe Trohman
Joseph Mark Trohman is an American musician. He is best known as the guitarist of the Chicago-based pop punk band Fall Out Boy, as well as the lead and rhythm guitarist for heavy metal supergroup The Damned Things.-Early life:...
stated via Twitter that they had finished shooting the video, editing will take place in the next couple days, and the video was released on MTV on August 6, 2009.
The video also includes 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...
and 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:...
from 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...
. The two also appeared in the official music video for Fall Out Boy's "A Little Less Sixteen Candles, A Little More Touch Me" as some of the dandies, and were also featured in the video for "Headfirst Slide into Cooperstown on a Bad Bet
Headfirst Slide into Cooperstown on a Bad Bet
"Headfirst Slide into Cooperstown on a Bad Bet" is Fall Out Boy's first digital single 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....
".
Pete Wentz said in a press statement: -
"It is my time to say that we haven't done a video like this before, a video dedicated to someone's death, the death of our best friend and rapper, Dolla
Dolla (rapper)
Roderick Anthony Burton II better known by his stage name Dolla, was an American rapper. Burton began his music career in 2000 with rap group Da Razkalz Cru under the stage name Bucklyte. The group quickly disbanded, so Burton worked as a model for the Sean John clothing line...
(Roderick Anthony Burton II). We hope to shoot the video for "What a Catch, Donnie" in the same place he was shot and also bring our friends round for the climax."
The official music video was released August 6, 2009 on MTV, MTV2, mtvU, and MTV Hits.
The video depicts lead singer Patrick Stump
Patrick Stump
Patrick Vaughn Stump is an American singer-songwriter, composer, record producer, and music critic. He is the composer, lead singer, and multi-instrumentalist of Fall Out Boy, an American rock band from Wilmette, Illinois, and is also a solo artist...
alone at sea trying to find his way home. Throughout most of the video he is fishing, reading in his cabin, playing the piano and suffering from loneliness. Eventually, he finds a seagull trapped in ropes on his ship. He frees and befriends the bird and so the two set sail together and Patrick is no longer lonely. Towards the end of the video, Patrick starts to fish again but finds strange objects such as deer antlers (from Antler Boy in "Sugar, We're Going Down"), a black and white striped jacket (the jacket Patrick wore in "Dance, Dance
Dance, Dance
"Dance, Dance" is a song by American rock band Fall Out Boy and the second single from their third studio album, From Under the Cork Tree. Released in late 2005, in the United States it reached No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 in January 2006, becoming the band's second consecutive top 10 hit single....
"), and a bass drum (one of Andy Hurley
Andy Hurley
Andrew John Hurley is an American musician and drummer. He is best known as a member of the Chicago-based rock band Fall Out Boy. Prior to Fall Out Boy, Hurley played in several different bands. He is currently the drummer in the heavy metal supergroup The Damned Things with Fall Out Boy guitarist...
's drums). Finally, he comes across a sign featuring the letters F, O, and B (the sign from "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...
"). He then looks up and spots a white casket (from the music video for "This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race
This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race
"This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race" is a song by American rock band Fall Out Boy and the lead single from their commercially successful fourth studio album Infinity on High . The song was first played on September 30, 2006 at a Philadelphia radio station, 102.1, and leaked onto the internet...
") as well as a sinking ship. He immediately turns the boat around to rescue the survivors on the lifeboats (who include Joe Trohman
Joe Trohman
Joseph Mark Trohman is an American musician. He is best known as the guitarist of the Chicago-based pop punk band Fall Out Boy, as well as the lead and rhythm guitarist for heavy metal supergroup The Damned Things.-Early life:...
, Andy Hurley
Andy Hurley
Andrew John Hurley is an American musician and drummer. He is best known as a member of the Chicago-based rock band Fall Out Boy. Prior to Fall Out Boy, Hurley played in several different bands. He is currently the drummer in the heavy metal supergroup The Damned Things with Fall Out Boy guitarist...
, 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...
, 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 everyone else (except Pete Wentz) who has worked with Fall Out Boy over the past few years). After all of the survivors are on the boat celebrating because they were rescued, Patrick looks out at the sinking ship. In the top right corner you can see a man assumed to be the captain in a white uniform saluting. This man is supposedly Pete Wentz, and he had a close up in the original video but was edited out. Once all of the survivors are on the boat, and getting closer to shore, Patrick sets free his Seagull friend and watches him fly off with his family into the coast. At the end of the song it also depicts some of their greatest hits. In the background they sing chorus lines from their songs "Grand Theft Autumn/Where Is Your Boy
Grand Theft Autumn/Where Is Your Boy
"Grand Theft Autumn/Where Is Your Boy" is a song by American rock band Fall Out Boy and the second single taken from their 2003 album, Take This to Your Grave. The breakthrough mainstream success that Fall Out Boy received with the follow-up release of their 2005 album From Under the Cork Tree...
", "Sugar We're Goin Down", "Dance, Dance
Dance, Dance
"Dance, Dance" is a song by American rock band Fall Out Boy and the second single from their third studio album, From Under the Cork Tree. Released in late 2005, in the United States it reached No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 in January 2006, becoming the band's second consecutive top 10 hit single....
", "This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race
This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race
"This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race" is a song by American rock band Fall Out Boy and the lead single from their commercially successful fourth studio album Infinity on High . The song was first played on September 30, 2006 at a Philadelphia radio station, 102.1, and leaked onto the internet...
", "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...
", and "Growing Up
Fall Out Boy's Evening Out with Your Girlfriend
Fall Out Boy's Evening Out with Your Girlfriend is the debut mini-LP by American rock band Fall Out Boy. It was released in 2003 through Uprising Records. In 2005, Uprising released a remastered reissue as Evening Out with Your Girlfriend, following the band's very successful major label debut From...
".
The version of this video was that released on iTunes is missing the portion where Pete Wentz says "Thank You" to Patrick Stump. On the commentary of the Believers Never Die - Greatest Hits bonus DVD, the band states that this part was left out because of the poor CGI
Computer-generated imagery
Computer-generated imagery is the application of the field of computer graphics or, more specifically, 3D computer graphics to special effects in art, video games, films, television programs, commercials, simulators and simulation generally, and printed media...
special effects.
It's also considered as one of the only official ballads Fall Out Boy has ever released and/or written. As said in an interview, Pete Wentz said that the song was written in thoughts of his friendship with the lead singer Patrick Stump. He wanted to show his fondness towards 'one of his best friends in the business'. Even though the band is on a unknown hiatus, Wentz and Stump still support their album releases and new music.
Cameo appearances
"What a Catch, Donnie" features a long line-up of guest artists. Towards the end of the song from 3:48 - 4:25, lead singers from other Decaydance bands can be heard singing lyrics from other Fall Out Boy singles, behind the main vocals. The songs and artists are as follow:- 3:45 "Grand Theft Autumn/Where Is Your BoyGrand Theft Autumn/Where Is Your Boy"Grand Theft Autumn/Where Is Your Boy" is a song by American rock band Fall Out Boy and the second single taken from their 2003 album, Take This to Your Grave. The breakthrough mainstream success that Fall Out Boy received with the follow-up release of their 2005 album From Under the Cork Tree...
" featuring Gabe SaportaGabe SaportaGabriel Eduardo "Gabe" Saporta is the lead singer and primary creative force behind the synthpop band Cobra Starship. He was previously the lead singer, bassist, and lyricist for the pop punk band Midtown....
(of Cobra StarshipCobra StarshipCobra Starship is an American synthpop band created by former Midtown bassist and lead vocalist Gabe Saporta in 2003 in New York City, New York...
). - 3:54 "Sugar, We're Going Down" (while "Grand Theft Autumn/Where Is Your Boy" fades) featuring Travis McCoy (of Gym Class HeroesGym Class HeroesGym Class Heroes is an American hip hop rock band from Geneva, New York. They have collaborated with Fall Out Boy's Patrick Stump on numerous occasions, notably for providing backing vocals on the song "Cupid's Chokehold." Stump also produced the majority of their album The Quilt.The group formed...
). - 4:00 "Dance, DanceDance, Dance"Dance, Dance" is a song by American rock band Fall Out Boy and the second single from their third studio album, From Under the Cork Tree. Released in late 2005, in the United States it reached No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 in January 2006, becoming the band's second consecutive top 10 hit single....
" (while "Sugar, We're Going Down" fades) featuring Brendon UrieBrendon UrieBrendon 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:...
(of Panic! at the DiscoPanic! at the DiscoPanic! 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...
). - 4:08 "This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms RaceThis Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race"This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race" is a song by American rock band Fall Out Boy and the lead single from their commercially successful fourth studio album Infinity on High . The song was first played on September 30, 2006 at a Philadelphia radio station, 102.1, and leaked onto the internet...
" (while "Dance, Dance" fades) featuring Doug Neumann. - 4:15 "Thnks fr th MmrsThnks 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...
" featuring Alex DeLeonAlex DeLeonAlexander Michael DeLeon is best known for being in Las Vegas band The Cab. Alexander DeLeon formed the band in high school with Cash Colligan . The Cab was signed to Fueled By Ramen/Decaydance in 2007 and released their debut album Whisper War in April 2008. DeLeon writes the lyrics to the...
(of The CabThe CabThe Cab is an American rock band from Las Vegas, Nevada. Their debut album, Whisper War, was released on April 29, 2008. They have been called "The Band You Need to Know 2008" by Alternative Press magazine...
). - 4:22 "Growing UpFall Out Boy's Evening Out with Your GirlfriendFall Out Boy's Evening Out with Your Girlfriend is the debut mini-LP by American rock band Fall Out Boy. It was released in 2003 through Uprising Records. In 2005, Uprising released a remastered reissue as Evening Out with Your Girlfriend, following the band's very successful major label debut From...
" (while Thnks fr th Mmrs fades) featuring William BeckettWilliam Beckett (singer),William Eugene Beckett Jr. was the lead singer of the band The Academy Is... , who were signed to Atlantic Records/Fueled by Ramen/Decaydance Records. While still in high school in 2002, Beckett and guitarist Mike Carden came together from rival bands in Chicago to form The Academy Is......
(of The Academy Is...The Academy Is...The Academy Is... was an American rock band from Chicago, Illinois, formed in 2003. Before dispersing, they were signed by the Decaydance imprint of the Fueled by Ramen label. They were originally known as "The Academy", but added the "Is..." in 2004 to avoid legal complications with other...
).
At 3:00 Elvis Costello
Elvis Costello
Elvis Costello , born Declan Patrick MacManus, is an English singer-songwriter. He came to prominence as an early participant in London's pub rock scene in the mid-1970s and later became associated with the punk/New Wave genre. Steeped in word play, the vocabulary of Costello's lyrics is broader...
sings the overture "I will never end up like him, behind my back I already am...." of Fall Out Boy's song "Headfirst Slide into Cooperstown on a Bad Bet
Headfirst Slide into Cooperstown on a Bad Bet
"Headfirst Slide into Cooperstown on a Bad Bet" is Fall Out Boy's first digital single 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....
". On the band's Believers Never Die - Greatest Hits album, Fall Out Boy vocalist Patrick Stump
Patrick Stump
Patrick Vaughn Stump is an American singer-songwriter, composer, record producer, and music critic. He is the composer, lead singer, and multi-instrumentalist of Fall Out Boy, an American rock band from Wilmette, Illinois, and is also a solo artist...
sings the line on the song as the legal agreements were not made in time.
Also, the title of the song is a reference to Donnie Hathaway and his writing partner, Roberta Flack
Roberta Flack
Roberta Flack is an American singer, songwriter, and musician who is notable for jazz, soul, R&B, and folk music...
, is mentioned several times throughout the song.
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... |
95 |
| US 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... |
94 |
| US 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... |
53 |