Gel (song)

Last updated

"Gel"
Single by Collective Soul
from the album Collective Soul
ReleasedJanuary 1995 (1995-01)
RecordedOctober 1994
Studio Criteria (Miami, Florida)
Genre
Length
  • 2:58
Label Atlantic
Songwriter Ed Roland
Producers
Collective Soul singles chronology
"Wasting Time"
(1994)		"Gel"
(1995)		"December"
(1995)
Music video
"Gel" on YouTube

"Gel" is a song by American alternative rock band Collective Soul. It served as the lead single for their 1995 eponymous album and was released to radio in January 1995. Written by singer and guitarist Ed Roland, "Gel" reached number two on the US Billboard Mainstream Rock charts, number 14 on the Alternative Airplay charts, and number 49 on the Radio Songs chart. Internationally, the song reached number eight in Canada and number 52 in Australia. Aside from the single's radio success, "Gel" was also featured in the 1995 comedy film The Jerky Boys and its eponymous soundtrack.

Contents

Overview and composition

"Gel" is a hard rock song in 4/4 time in the key of B major with a tempo of 143 BPM. [1] [2] The band's rhythm guitarist, Dean Roland, said about the single, "We put what they call a “bridge track” with the song “Gel” off that record on The Jerky Boys soundtrack, which was huge at the time. That song kind of connected us from the first record to the second, and then it went into “December”, “The World I Know”, and the rest has been history." [3] [4]

Music video

The song's music video, directed by David Cameron, was released along with the single in January 1995. It features the band performing on a soundstage with a futuristic set design and strobe lighting. It also includes people dancing in front of a poster for The Jerky Boys. [5] The video received heavy airplay on MTV. [6]

Critical reception

"Gel" experienced great success with fans, radio stations, critics, and TV networks. [6] AllMusic's Tom Demalon chose "Gel" as one of his AMG Track Picks, calling the song "infectious." [7]

Charts

Chart (1994–1995)Peak
position
Australia (ARIA) [8] 52
US Radio Songs ( Billboard ) [9] 49
US Alternative Airplay ( Billboard ) [10] 14
US Mainstream Rock ( Billboard ) [11] 2

References

  1. ↑ "BPM and Key for Gel by Collective Soul". songbpm.com. Blendist. Retrieved October 8, 2025.
  2. ↑ "Collective Soul - Gel - Guitar Tab". musicnotes.com. Musicnotes, Inc. Retrieved October 8, 2025.
  3. ↑ Gaudiosi, Jeff (April 23, 2024). "A Conversation With Collective Soul Guitarist Dean Roland". misplacedstraws.com. Misplaced Straws. Retrieved October 8, 2025.
  4. ↑ Gaudiosi, Jeff (April 23, 2024). "Dean Roland of Collective Soul" (video). youtube.com. Jeff Gaudiosi.
  5. ↑ "Collective Soul - Gel (Music Video 1995) - IMDb". IMDb.com. IMDb . Retrieved October 8, 2025.
  6. 1 2 Atwood, Brett (March 18, 1995). "Collective Soul 'Gels' with Sophomore Set". Billboard . Vol. 107, no. 11. p. 12, 73.
  7. ↑ Demalon, Tom (March 14, 1995). "Collective Soul – Collective Soul". AllMusic. Retrieved February 10, 2012.
  8. ↑ "Collective Soul – Gel". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
  9. ↑ "Collective Soul Chart History (Radio Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved October 8, 2025.
  10. ↑ "Collective Soul Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved October 8, 2025.
  11. ↑ "Collective Soul Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved October 8, 2025.
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