Signs (Five Man Electrical Band song)

"Signs"
Single by Five Man Electrical Band
from the album Good-byes and Butterflies
B-side"Hello Melinda Goodbye"
ReleasedMay 1971
GenreHard rock[1]
Length4:05 (album version)
3:20 (single version)
LabelLionel Records
Songwriter(s)Les Emmerson
Producer(s)Dallas Smith
Five Man Electrical Band singles chronology
"Signs"
(1971)
"Absolutely Right"
(1971)

"Signs" is the best known song by the Canadian rock group Five Man Electrical Band. It was written by the band's frontman, Les Emmerson, as he was traveling Route 66 while returning to Los Angeles from Canada and noticed all of the big signs and billboards obscuring his view of the natural scenery. The song popularized the relatively unknown band, who recorded it for their true first album, Good-byes and Butterflies, in 1970. Their actual first LP Five Man Electrical Band had begun as a Staccatos album with Brian Rading, the band's bassist suggesting the band's new name from the song title.

"Signs" was originally a 1970 B-side to the relatively unsuccessful single "Hello Melinda Goodbye" (#55 Canada), first put out on MGM Records. Re-released on Lionel Records in 1971 as the A-side, "Signs" reached No. 4 in Canada and No. 3 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. Billboard ranked it as the No. 24 song for 1971. It became a gold record. In Canada, RPM Magazine ranked it at No. 55, with Absolutely Right ranked No. 49.[2]

Some radio edits have omitted the instrumental introduction and shortened the instrumental coda for airplay, due to time constraints.

Composition

The song was written by Les Emmerson when he was road-tripping on Route 66 in California, and noticed the beautiful scenery was obscured by many billboards.[3]

The song's narrator describes four instances of encountering signs that anger or concern him, as follows:

  • A notice that "long-haired freaky people need not apply" for a job opening. He stuffs his hair into his hat in order to get an interview, then contemptuously reveals it once he has been offered the job.
  • A sign outside a house warning that trespassers will be shot on sight. He climbs onto the perimeter fence and berates the owners for keeping people out and fencing in the land's natural beauty.
  • Being told to leave a restaurant because he does not meet its dress code or have a membership card, both of which are displayed on a sign.
  • A sign inviting people to worship at a church. When an offering is taken up at the end of the service, he makes a sign telling God that he is doing well, as he has no money to contribute.

Chart performance

Tesla version

"Signs"
Cover for the 7" single
Single by Tesla
from the album Five Man Acoustical Jam
ReleasedNovember 1990
RecordedJuly 2, 1990
VenueTrocadero Theatre, Philadelphia, PA
GenreAcoustic rock
Length3:15
LabelGeffen
Songwriter(s)Les Emmerson
Producer(s)Dan McClendon
Tesla singles chronology
"Love Song"
(1989)
"Signs"
(1990)
"The Way It Is"
(1991)

"Signs" was covered and recorded live by Tesla for their Five Man Acoustical Jam album in 1990, peaking at number 8 on the Pop charts.[12] The album version of the cover had some minor changes to the lyrics: the line "blockin' out the scenery" was changed to "fuckin' up the scenery," and "made up my own little sign" was changed to "made up my own fuckin' sign," whilst the single version retained the original lyrics for radio airplay. A studio version recorded in 2007, which appeared on the EP A Peace of Time, using the original lyrics.

Track listings

7" single
Side A
No.TitleLength
1."Signs" (Clean Version)3:11
Side B
No.TitleLength
1."Down Fo' Boogie" (LP Version)3:21
12" single
Side A
No.TitleLength
1."Signs" (LP Version)3:15
Side B
No.TitleLength
1."Little Suzi" (Live Acoustic Version)3:53
2."Down Fo' Boogie" (LP Version)3:21
CD single
No.TitleLength
1."Signs" (Clean Version)3:11
2."Down Fo' Boogie" (Single Version)3:21
3."Little Suzi" (Live Acoustic Version)3:53

Chart performance

Chart (1990−1991) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[13] 155
Canada RPM Top Singles[14] 72
US Hot 100 (Billboard)[15] 8
US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[16] 2
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[17] 70
Year-end chart (1991) Position
US Top Pop Singles (Billboard)[18] 73

References

  1. ^ "Top Quality Rock Helps Labels Turnaround Their Profit Picture". Billboard. 6 November 1971. p. RN-34. ISSN 0006-2510.
  2. ^ "RPM Top 100 Singles of 1971 - January 8, 1972" (PDF).
  3. ^ "Signs".
  4. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970-1992. St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  5. ^ "RMP100 Singles, July 24, 1971". Library and Archives Canada. 17 July 2013. Retrieved 30 March 2017.
  6. ^ Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-1990 - ISBN 0-89820-089-X
  7. ^ "Cash Box Top 100 9/04/71". tropicalglen.com. 4 September 1971. Archived from the original on 7 June 2015. Retrieved 28 December 2016.
  8. ^ Australian-charts.com
  9. ^ "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved 3 June 2016.
  10. ^ "Top 100 Hits of 1971/Top 100 Songs of 1971". Music Outfitters. Retrieved 29 March 2017.
  11. ^ "Cash Box YE Pop Singles - 1971". tropicalglen.com. 25 December 1971. Archived from the original on 6 October 2016. Retrieved 28 December 2016.
  12. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2008). Joel Whitburn Presents Rock Tracks 1981-2008. Record Research. p. 255. ISBN 978-0-89820-174-1.
  13. ^ "Tesla ARIA Chart History (albums) complete to 2024". ARIA. Retrieved 26 July 2024 – via Imgur.com. N.B. The High Point number in the NAT column represents the release's peak on the national chart.
  14. ^ "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. 23 March 1991. Retrieved 27 September 2019.
  15. ^ "Tesla Chart History - Hot 100". Billboard. Eldridge Industries. Retrieved 8 August 2018.
  16. ^ "Tesla Chart History". Billboard. Eldridge Industries. Retrieved 8 August 2018.
  17. ^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 554. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  18. ^ Nielsen Business Media, Inc (21 December 1991). "1991 The Year in Music & Video: Top Pop Singles". Billboard. Vol. 103, no. 51. p. YE-14. {{cite magazine}}: |last1= has generic name (help)

Read other articles:

Halaman depan suburban biasa pada pertengahan 1980-an Greenwood, Indiana, Amerika Serikat. Kebun depan di Prancis Halaman depan adalah bagian transisi dari rumah ke jalan perumahan yang merupakan ruang luar. Halaman depan pada dasarnya dimiliki oleh suatu individu, namun memiliki potensi tinggi untuk menjadi ruang publik. Halaman depan bersifat pribadi, tetapi akan dianggap publik apabila terlihat dari jalan. Oleh karena itu, halaman depan dapat menampung kegiatan campuran.[1] Halaman...

 

 

U.S.-based educational campaign Logo for the campaign Choosing Wisely is a United States-based health educational campaign, led by the ABIM Foundation (American Board of Internal Medicine), about unnecessary health care.[1] The campaign identifies over 500 tests and procedures and encourages doctors and patients to discuss, research, and possibly get second opinions, before proceeding with them.[2] To conduct the campaign, the ABIM Foundation asks medical specialty societies t...

 

 

2016 Hindi film directed by Karan Johar Ae Dil Hai MushkilTheatrical release posterDirected byKaran JoharScreenplay byKaran JoharNiranjan Iyengar (dialogues)Story byKaran JoharProduced byHiroo Yash JoharKaran JoharApoorva MehtaStarringRanbir KapoorAnushka Sharma Aishwarya Rai BachchanCinematographyAnil MehtaEdited byManik DawarMusic byPritamProductioncompanyDharma ProductionsDistributed byFox Star Studios (India)Magic Cloud Media & Entertainment (Overseas)Release date 28 October ...

University town in Lower Bavaria, Germany This article is about the town. For the district, see Passau (district). Batavis redirects here. For the plural, see Batavi (disambiguation). Town in Bavaria, GermanyPassau TownDonaulände and Old town FlagCoat of armsLocation of Passau Passau Show map of GermanyPassau Show map of BavariaCoordinates: 48°34′28″N 13°27′53″E / 48.57444°N 13.46472°E / 48.57444; 13.46472CountryGermanyStateBavariaAdmin. regionNiederbayern...

 

 

Tram route in metropolitan Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Route 16D1 class tram on Swanston Street, August 2022OverviewSystemMelbourneOperatorYarra TramsDepotMalvernVehicleZ classD1 classBegan service26 April 1936RouteStartMelbourne UniversityViaSwanston StreetSt Kilda RoadFitzroy StreetThe EsplanadeBalaclava RoadGlenferrie RoadEndKewLength20.2 kilometresTimetableRoute 16 timetableMapRoute 16 map Route map {{{map}}} ← Route 12  {{{system_nav}}}  Route 19 → Melbourne tr...

 

 

Electricity transmission and distribution company in Haryana, India This article relies excessively on references to primary sources. Please improve this article by adding secondary or tertiary sources. Find sources: Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (November 2008) (Learn how and when to remove this message) Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (UHBVN) is the power company responsible for power distribution in ...

2020年夏季奥林匹克运动会波兰代表團波兰国旗IOC編碼POLNOC波蘭奧林匹克委員會網站olimpijski.pl(英文)(波兰文)2020年夏季奥林匹克运动会(東京)2021年7月23日至8月8日(受2019冠状病毒病疫情影响推迟,但仍保留原定名称)運動員206參賽項目24个大项旗手开幕式:帕维尔·科热尼奥夫斯基(游泳)和马娅·沃什乔夫斯卡(自行车)[1]闭幕式:卡罗利娜·纳亚(皮划艇)&#...

 

 

 烏克蘭總理Прем'єр-міністр України烏克蘭國徽現任杰尼斯·什米加尔自2020年3月4日任命者烏克蘭總統任期總統任命首任維托爾德·福金设立1991年11月后继职位無网站www.kmu.gov.ua/control/en/(英文) 乌克兰 乌克兰政府与政治系列条目 宪法 政府 总统 弗拉基米尔·泽连斯基 總統辦公室 国家安全与国防事务委员会 总统代表(英语:Representatives of the President of Ukraine) 总...

 

 

Latvian trainer aircraft VEF I-17 VEF I-17 at the VEF factory, 1940 Role Trainer aircraftType of aircraft National origin Latvia Manufacturer VEF Designer Kārlis Irbītis First flight 1940 Introduction 1940 Primary users Latvian Air ForceLuftwaffe Number built 6 VEF I-17 was a Latvian trainer aircraft (intended also as a fighter) designed in 1939 by Kārlis Irbītis. The I-17 was test flown in early 1940 and almost immediately accepted by Latvian Air Force. It was produced by the VEF fa...

The Promised NeverlandGambar sampul manga volume pertama約束のネバーランド(Yakusoku no Neverland)GenreFantasi gelap[1]Fiksi ilmiah[2]Thriller[3] MangaPengarangKaiu ShiraiIlustratorPosuka DemizuPenerbitShueishaPenerbit bahasa InggrisNA Viz MediaPenerbit bahasa IndonesiaElex Media KomputindoImprintJump ComicsMajalahWeekly Shōnen JumpMajalah bahasa InggrisNA Weekly Shonen JumpDemografiShōnenTerbit8 Agustus 2016 – 15 Juni 2020Volume20 (Daftar volume) MangaOyak...

 

 

Coluccio Salutati BiografiKelahiran(it) Lino Coluccio Salutati 16 Februari 1331 Stignano (Republik Firenze) Kematian4 Mei 1406 (75 tahun)Firenze (Republik Firenze) Data pribadiPendidikanUniversitas Bologna KegiatanSpesialisasiFilsafat Pekerjaanpolitikus, penulis, filsuf PeriodeRenaisans AliranHumanisme Renaisans Murid dariManuel Chrysoloras dan Pietro da Moglio MuridLeonardo Bruni dan Pier Paolo Vergerio the Elder Coluccio Salutati (16 Februari 1331[1] – 4 Mei 1406)[2 ...

 

 

British author, journalist, and film writer This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.Find sources: Alan Hyman – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (January 2021) (Learn how and when to remove this message) Alan HymanBorn(1910-01-10)10 January 1910EnglandDied23 February 1999(1999-02-23) (aged 89)Restin...

Jennifer A. Doudna. Jennifer A. Doudna (lahir 19 Februari 1964) merupakan seorang ahli biokimia berkebangsaan Amerika. Ia meraih gelar sarjana nya pada tahun di jurusan biokimia Perguruan Tinggi Pomona, California. kemudian pada tahun 1989 ia meraih gelar PhD nya di Universitas Harvard. Pada tahun 1994 ia pindah ke Yale setelah beberapa posisi posdoktoral. Ia memimpin sebuah tim yang bekerja pada tiga struktur dimensi RNA ribosom.[1] Pada tahun 2020, dia berhasil mendapatkan hadiah da...

 

 

У этого термина существуют и другие значения, см. Лотарингский дом (значения). Лотарингский дом Страна  Священная Римская империя Родоначальный дом Матфридинги Основатель Герхард I Нынешний глава Николаус фон Гогенберг (род. 1961) или Карл Габсбург-Лотарингский[К 1] Г...

 

 

Haltérophilie aux Jeux olympiques d'été de 1976 Généralités Sport Haltérophilie Éditions 15e Lieu(x) Montréal Participants ? Épreuves 9 Navigation Munich 1972 Moscou 1980 modifier Résultats des épreuves d'haltérophilie dans le cadre des Jeux olympiques d'été de 1976 à Montréal. Neuf épreuves furent disputées. Tableau des médailles Rang Pays Total 1 Union soviétique 7 1 0 8 2 Bulgarie 2 3 1 6 3 Allemagne de l'Est 0 1 2 3 Pologne 0 1 2 3 5 Hongrie 0 1 1 2 6 France 0 1 ...

Cette page d’homonymie répertorie les différents sujets et articles partageant un même nom. Corne peut désigner : Cornes de chèvre girgentane Biologie Corne, une extrémité protubérante de la peau chez certains animaux, notamment portée sur la tête, Corne, une matière première issue de cornes animales, des ongles ou des sabots, Corne, composant de la griffe des vertébrés amniotes, Corne, un type de peau épaissie et rugueuse, Corne d'Ammon  peut faire référence à&...

 

 

Rural locality in Khmelnytskyi Oblast, Ukraine Rural settlement in Khmelnytskyi Oblast, UkraineSataniv СатанівRural settlementHoly Trinity convent FlagCoat of armsSatanivLocation of SatanivShow map of Khmelnytskyi OblastSatanivSataniv (Ukraine)Show map of UkraineCoordinates: 49°15′05″N 26°15′52″E / 49.25139°N 26.26444°E / 49.25139; 26.26444Country UkraineOblastKhmelnytskyi OblastRaionKhmelnytskyi RaionHromadaSataniv settlement hromadaPopulation&...

 

 

Questa voce sull'argomento calciatori argentini è solo un abbozzo. Contribuisci a migliorarla secondo le convenzioni di Wikipedia. Segui i suggerimenti del progetto di riferimento. Javier PinolaNazionalità Argentina Altezza182 cm Peso79 kg Calcio RuoloDifensore Termine carriera15 novembre 2022 CarrieraGiovanili  Huracán (TA) Squadre di club1 2000-2002 Chacarita Juniors45 (1)2002-2003 Atlético Madrid B13 (0)2003-2004 Atlético Madrid2 (0)2004-2005 Racing...

Form of Renaissance dance For other uses, see Galliard (disambiguation). Galliard in Siena, Italy, 15th century The galliard (/ˈɡæljərd/; French: gaillarde; Italian: gagliarda) was a form of Renaissance dance and music popular all over Europe in the 16th century. It is mentioned in dance manuals from England, Portugal, France, Spain, Germany, and Italy. Dance form The galliard is not an improvised dance, but rather, it consists of choreographed patterns of steps, which occupy one or more ...

 

 

جزء من سلسلة مقالات حولالإسلام حسب البلد الإسلام في إفريقيا أنغولا بنين بوتسوانا بوركينا فاسو بوروندي الكاميرون الرأس الأخضر أفريقيا الوسطى نشاد الجزائر جزر القمر الكونغو الديمقراطية الكونغو ساحل العاج جيبوتي مصر غينيا الاستوائية إريتريا إثيوبيا الغابون غامبيا غانا غي...