Keep a Lid on Things

Last updated
"Keep a Lid on Things"
CTDkalot-single.jpg
Single by Crash Test Dummies
from the album Give Yourself a Hand
ReleasedJanuary 1999
RecordedRocket Carousel Studios, One on One South and David Abell Piano Studio, Los Angeles
Genre
Length2:44
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s) Greg Wells
Crash Test Dummies singles chronology
"My Own Sunrise"
(1997)
"Keep a Lid on Things"
(1999)
"Get You in the Morning"
(1999)

"Keep a Lid on Things" is a song by Canadian group Crash Test Dummies and was the first single from their 1999 album Give Yourself a Hand . The song featured a new sound for the group, most notably Brad Roberts using falsetto vocals.

Contents

Track listing

Lyrics written by Brad Roberts. Music written by Brad Roberts and Greg Wells.

  1. "Keep a Lid on Things" - 2:44
  2. "Filter Queen" - 2:55
  3. "Handy Candyman" - 3:00

Music video

The music video for the song features Brad Roberts driving robot versions of the band and having to leave on a jetpack to locate a new battery. [1] The video was filmed in Toronto in December 1998. [2] The video premiered on MuchMusic on February 8, 1999. [3]

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1999)Peak
Position
RPM Canadian Singles Chart 5
US Adult Alternative Songs ( Billboard ) [4] 6

Year-end charts

Chart (1999)Position
Canada Top Singles ( RPM ) [5] 27

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crash Test Dummies</span> Canadian rock band

Crash Test Dummies are a Canadian rock band from Winnipeg, Manitoba.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brad Roberts</span> Canadian singer and guitarist

Bradley Kenneth Roberts is the lead singer and guitarist for the Canadian folk-rock band Crash Test Dummies, of which he has also been the only constant member since its inception. He sings in the bass-baritone range. The band is best known internationally for their 1993 album God Shuffled His Feet and single "Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm" and best known in Canada for the 1991 single "Superman's Song".

<i>God Shuffled His Feet</i> Album by Crash Test Dummies

God Shuffled His Feet is the second album by Canadian band Crash Test Dummies, released in 1993. It features their most popular single, "Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm". The cover art superimposes the band members' faces over the figures of Titian's painting Bacchus and Ariadne. It was their most successful album commercially, as it sold over eight million copies worldwide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm</span> 1993 single by Crash Test Dummies

"Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm" is a song by Canadian rock band Crash Test Dummies, and written by its singer Brad Roberts. It was released in October 1993 by Arista and BMG as the band's lead single from their second album, God Shuffled His Feet (1993). The song received positive critical reviews upon its release, though retrospective reviews have been more negative. The song reached number four on the US Billboard Hot 100 and topped the national charts of Australia, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Iceland, Lithuania, Norway, Sweden. In the band's native Canada, it stalled at number 14 on the RPM 100 Hit Tracks chart. The accompanying music video was directed by Dale Heslip.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Headline News ("Weird Al" Yankovic song)</span> 1994 single by "Weird Al" Yankovic

Headline News” is a parody song by "Weird Al" Yankovic. It is a parody of the Crash Test Dummies’ 1993 hit “Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm”. It was released as the lead-off single for the compilation box set Permanent Record: Al in the Box on September 27, 1994. The song was written after Yankovic's label insisted he craft a new song to promote the album; Yankovic in turn combined the music of the Crash Test Dummies’ song with three news stories that were popular in late 1993 and early 1994.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Afternoons & Coffeespoons</span> 1994 single by Crash Test Dummies

"Afternoons & Coffeespoons" is a song by Canadian rock band Crash Test Dummies, released by Arista in June 1994 as the third single from the band's 1993 album God Shuffled His Feet. "Afternoons & Coffeespoons" has been called the band's most popular song amongst fans. It is also one of their most successful songs commercially, peaking at number two in Iceland, number seven in Canada, number 16 in Finland, and number 66 in the United States.

<i>A Worms Life</i> 1996 studio album by Crash Test Dummies

A Worm's Life is the third album by Canadian band Crash Test Dummies, released in 1996. It was the follow-up to the band's triple-platinum God Shuffled His Feet. By February 1999, A Worm's Life had sold more than 1 million copies worldwide.

<i>I Dont Care That You Dont Mind</i> 2001 studio album by Crash Test Dummies

I Don't Care That You Don't Mind is the fifth studio album by Crash Test Dummies. The album began as a solo album for Brad Roberts, while he was recuperating in the town of Argyle, Nova Scotia after suffering a near-fatal car accident in September 2000. Crash Test Dummies' name was put on the album after the band agreed to tour the album.

<i>Give Yourself a Hand</i> 1999 studio album by Crash Test Dummies

Give Yourself a Hand is the fourth album by Crash Test Dummies, released in 1999 through ViK. Recordings. It is their final album for BMG. The album spawned a quirky hit "Keep a Lid on Things". The Times review of the album described it as "the best music of their career...an album of rare wit and vitality."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ellen Reid</span> Canadian musician

Ellen Lorraine Reid is a Canadian musician. She provides backing vocals, piano, keyboards and accordion for the Canadian rock band Crash Test Dummies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Superman's Song</span> 1991 single by Crash Test Dummies

"Superman's Song" is the first single of Canadian folk-rock group Crash Test Dummies, appearing on their 1991 debut album The Ghosts That Haunt Me. The single was the group's first hit, reaching number four in Canada, number 56 in the United States and number 87 in Australia. It was featured in the pilot of the Canadian TV series Due South.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead</span> 1992 single by XTC

"The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead" is a song written by Andy Partridge of English rock band XTC for their 1992 album Nonsuch. It was their second number-one hit on the US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart, after "Mayor of Simpleton", and reached number 71 on the UK Singles Chart. The song tells the story of Peter Pumpkinhead, a man who comes to an unspecified town and provides aid for the poor and homeless. He gains widespread public approval, but the government comes to resent his success and tries in vain to malign his reputation. Peter is ultimately nailed to a block of wood by his enemies, and his death is broadcast on live television.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">He Liked to Feel It</span> 1996 single by Crash Test Dummies

"He Liked to Feel It" is a song by Canadian rock band Crash Test Dummies, released as the second track on their third studio album, A Worm's Life (1996). The song was written by the band's lead singer, Brad Roberts, and was produced by Brad alongside his brother and bassist Dan Roberts alongside drummer Michel "Mitch" Dorge. Arista Records released it as the lead single from A Worm's Life on September 9, 1996. The lyrics of the song originated from originated from Brad Roberts' personal reflections about teeth, telling a story in which a boy likes the removal of his baby teeth via bizarre means.

<i>The Best of Crash Test Dummies</i> 2007 greatest hits album by Crash Test Dummies

The Best of Crash Test Dummies is a 2007 compilation album by the Crash Test Dummies. It is released by Sony BMG and it includes songs from both the band's BMG and independent releases. It was released on October 1, 2007 and re-released on March 10, 2008 with the inclusion of two previously unreleased tracks. The re-release carries a slightly different title of, "Best Of Crash Test Dummies – Collections".

<i>Oooh La La!</i> (Crash Test Dummies album) 2010 studio album by Crash Test Dummies

Oooh La La! is the ninth and most recent studio album by Crash Test Dummies, released 11 May 2010 on Deep Fried Records, distributed by MRI Records. The songs on the album are inspired by the Optigan and Omnichord toy instruments.

<i>Crash Test Dude</i> 2001 Canadian film

Crash Test Dude: Brad Roberts Live Singing Your Favorite Hits is a live album performed by Crash Test Dummies lead singer Brad Roberts during his solo acoustic tour following the Give Yourself a Hand tour. The album was released, along with an accompanying rockumentary film, exclusively through the MapleMusic.com e-commerce portal.

The discography of Canadian folk rock/alternative rock band Crash Test Dummies consists of eight primary studio albums, 23 singles, one live album, a greatest hits compilation, and two video releases. This list does not include material recorded by band members individually or with other side projects.

And It's Beautiful is a song by Canadian group Crash Test Dummies and was the promotional single from their 2010 album Oooh La La!. Brad Roberts describes the song as the first love song he has ever written, with the song being more happy and upbeat than the band's previous material.

"Now You See Her, Now You Don't" is a song by Canadian group Crash Test Dummies and was the second promotional single from their 2010 album Oooh La La!. As with most songs from the album, the song is based on an Optigan melody, with this song emulating a Big band swing style.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Promised Land (Crash Test Dummies song)</span> 2015 single by Crash Test Dummies

"Promised Land" is a collaboration between producer/composer/singer/guitarist Marc Mysterio, rock band Crash Test Dummies and Mark Crozer meant to honor and benefit the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies whose resources, doctors, nurses and lawyers were severely stressed -- to near breaking point -- by the influx of refugees descending upon Europe in 2015. Mysterio and Crash Test Dummies previously collaborated in March 2015, when Mysterio released a remix of the band's 1993 hit Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm.

References

  1. "Keep a Lid on Things (music video)". YouTube .
  2. "Crash Test Dummies News". Archived from the original on 2001-01-09. Retrieved March 17, 2021.
  3. "Win the CD single: "Keep A Lid on Things"". Archived from the original on 2001-05-28. Retrieved February 18, 2019.
  4. "Crash Test Dummies Chart History (Adult Alternative Songs)". Billboard.
  5. "Top Singles - Volume 70, No. 8, December 13, 1999". RPM. December 13, 1999. Archived from the original on March 10, 2016. Retrieved February 9, 2016.