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"Animal"
"Animal"
Single by Jebediah
from the album Of Someday Shambles
A-side	"Animal"
B-side	"Simple"
Released	9 August 1999
Recorded	April–June 1999
Genre	Alternative rock
Length	4:29
Label	Murmur
Songwriter(s)	Chris Daymond, Brett Mitchell, Kevin Mitchell, Vanessa Thornton
Producer(s)	Mark Trombino
Jebediah singles chronology

"Animal" is a song by Australian alternative rock band Jebediah's, released on 9 August 1999 as the lead single from the band's second studio album. The song reached number 16 on the Australian ARIA Singles Chart and polled at number 19 on national radio station, Triple J's Hottest 100 for 1999. The track was co-written by all four band members: Chris Daymond, Brett Mitchell, Kevin Mitchell and Vanessa Thornton.

Background

"Animal" was recorded during the sessions for Of Someday Shambles, from April to June 1999, by Jebediah with American producer, Mark Trombino (Knapsack, Jimmy Eat World, Blink 182).^[1]^[2] The group's line-up was Chris Daymond on guitar, Kevin Mitchell on lead vocals and rhythm guitar, Vanessa Thornton on bass guitar and Kevin's older brother, Brett Mitchell, on drums.^[1] All four members co-wrote the track.^[3] Brett Mitchell explained that "Animal" is "a flat out pop-song with all the associated cool energy. What's unusual for us is that it doesn't have a breakdown section, the rhythm is constant from the word go to the end. One of the simplest songs we've ever done as far as arrangements go. It sounds like nasty Ratcat or something."^[4]

The 7" vinyl record version has "Simple" as the B-side.^[1] The CD single version includes two previously unreleased tracks, "Supposed to Say" and "The Less Trusted Pain Remover". "Supposed to Say" features Lisa Jayne on guest vocals (aka LJ), a singer-songwriter with Melbourne dance-pop outfit, Jubestar.^[5]^[6]

"Animal" and "The Less Trusted Pain Remover" were both included on the split EP, Jimmy Eat World/Jebediah, with United States band, Jimmy Eat World.^[7] That EP contained three tracks by each artist and was released in August 2000 on Redline Records (an independent label co-founded by Jebediah with its management company) in Australia and Big Wheel Recreation in the US.^[7]^[8] "Simple" was also included on the 2001 re-issue of the Jimmy Eat World/Jebediah split EP instead of "Animal".^[9]

Music video

The music video for "Animal" featured a "behind-the-scenes of a music video" narrative and depicted the band members in various production roles.

Soundtrack appearances

"Animal" was used on the soundtrack for season one, episode 11, of the Australian TV drama series, McLeod's Daughters (2001–2002).^[10] It was used again in season three, episode 21 (2002–2003), and in season four, episode 6 (2003–2004).^[10] The B-side, "Simple", had been used for the feature film, Occasional Coarse Language (1998).^[11]

Reception

"Animal" was released as a single on 9 August 1999 which reached number 16 on the Australian ARIA Singles Chart^[12] and polled at number 19 on Triple J's Hottest 100 for 1999.^[13]

AllMusic's Melissa Giannini described "Animal" in her review of the split EP with Jimmy Eat World. She compared "Animal" with Jimmy Eat World's "Cautioners", "'[Animal'] suffers from Kevin Mitchell's too-prominent nasal vocals, which might have been less apparent had the song not held its position immediately after the remarkably pleasant 'Cautioners'."^[7] Greg Lawrence at WHAMMO.com.au reviewed Of Someday Shambles and felt that "Animal" "sets the tone of an album that’s strong but still fun – a real indication of a band honing its craft, growing up in public in the most enviable of ways."^[14]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Chris Daymond, Brett Mitchell, Kevin Mitchell and Vanessa Thornton^[3]

7" vinyl version
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Animal" (single version)	4:29
2.	"Simple"	3:45

All tracks are written by Chris Daymond, Brett Mitchell, Kevin Mitchell and Vanessa Thornton^[3]

CD single version
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Animal" (single version)	4:29
2.	"Supposed to Say"	1:55
3.	"The Less Trusted Pain Remover"	6:27
4.	"Animal" (live video)

Credits

Jebediah members

Chris Daymond – guitar
Brett Mitchell – drums
Kevin Mitchell – vocals
Vanessa Thornton – bass guitar

Additional musicians

Lisa Jayne (aka LJ) – vocals ("Supposed to Say")

Recording details

Andrew Christie – artwork layout, design
Dave Davis – assistant producer, assistant recorder, assistant mixing
Matt Duffy – assistant producer, assistant recorder, assistant mixing
Brian Gardner – mastering
Ben Steele – artwork layout, design
Christie Steele – photography
Mark Trombino – producer, recorder, mixing

Charts

Chart (1999)	Peak position
Australia (ARIA)^[15]	16

References

^ ^a ^b ^c McFarlane, Ian (1999). "Encyclopedia entry for 'Jedediah'". Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop. St Leonards, NSW: Allen & Unwin. ISBN 1-86508-072-1. Archived from the original on 3 August 2004. Retrieved 10 February 2015.
^ Nimmervoll, Ed. "Jebediah". Howlspace – The Living History of Our Music. White Room Electronic Publishing Pty Ltd (Ed Nimmervoll). Archived from the original on 26 July 2012. Retrieved 10 February 2014.
^ ^a ^b ^c "'Animal' at APRA search engine". Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA). Archived from the original on 17 November 2015. Retrieved 5 February 2015. Note: User may have to click 'Search again' and provide details at 'Enter a title:' e.g Animal; or at 'Performer:' Jebediah
^ Kim. "Song Meanings". The Jebediah Lair. Geocities. Retrieved 5 May 2014.^{[permanent dead link‍]} Alt URL
^ "Decibels". City of Darebin. 3 March 1999. Archived from the original on 1 August 2000. Retrieved 10 February 2015.
^ "Jubestar". Australian Music Online. Archived from the original on 19 December 2004. Retrieved 10 February 2015.
^ ^a ^b ^c Giannini, Melissa. "'Jimmy Eat World/Jebediah' [Split Single]". AllMusic. Retrieved 10 February 2015.
^ MacKenzie Wilson (2012). "Jimmy Eat World". SongFreaks. SongFreaks Inc. Archived from the original on 2 February 2013. Retrieved 29 September 2012.
^ Jebediah; Jimmy Eat World (2001), Jimmy Eat World/Jebediah, Redline Records Australia: Shock Records [Distributor]. National Library of Australia, retrieved 11 February 2015
^ ^a ^b "McLeod's Daughters: music credits". Australian Television Information Archive. T. Zuk. 25 February 2006. Archived from the original on 6 March 2006. Retrieved 30 June 2011.
^ "Occasional Coarse Language Original Soundtrack". Aussie Sound Tracks. Archived from the original on 11 February 2015. Retrieved 11 February 2015.
^ Hung, Steffen. "Jebediah - Animal". Australian Charts Portal. Hung Medien. Archived from the original on 2 March 2015. Retrieved 2 February 2015.
^ "Hottest 100 1998". Triple J. Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). 1999. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
^ Lawrence, Greg (30 June 2004). "Jedediah – Jedediah Discography Of Someday Shambles". WHAMMO Interviews. Worldwide Home of Australasian Music and More Online (WHAMMO). Archived from the original on 2 August 2004. Retrieved 10 February 2015.
^ "Jebediah – Animal". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 26 December 2021.