Gotta Get Away (The Offspring song)

"Gotta Get Away" is a song by American rock band the Offspring. It is the fourth track and third single from their breakthrough album, Smash (1994). The song was a modest hit in several countries and peaked at No. 6 on the US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart. "Gotta Get Away" was inspired by an early track, "Cogs", written while the band was still named Manic Subsidal.^[3] Although the song was a big hit, it did not reach the heights nor achieve the popularity, success, airplay, or sales of the album's previous singles "Come Out and Play" and "Self Esteem".

"Gotta Get Away"
Single by the Offspring
from the album Smash
B-side	"Smash" (live)
Released	February 2, 1995 (1995-02-02)
Genre	Alternative rock^[1] punk rock^[1] power pop^[2]
Length	3:53
Label	Epitaph
Songwriter(s)	Dexter Holland
Producer(s)	Thom Wilson
The Offspring singles chronology
"Self Esteem" (1994) "'Gotta Get Away'" (1995) "Smash It Up" (1995)
Alternative Cover
Vinyl Cover

The song has two single covers. The first, the cover for the CD single, depicts a skeleton in the same style as the previous singles from Smash: "Come Out and Play" and "Self Esteem". The second, the cover for the 7-inch vinyl, shows the actor from the video standing outside the coliseum, his eyes covered by the song title. The song also appears as the same numbered track on the Offpsring's Greatest Hits (2005).

Content

The lyrics refer to the pressure that lead singer Dexter Holland was under to finish the album on time.^[4]

Music video

The music video for the song was directed by Samuel Bayer and filmed at the Fairgrounds Coliseum in Salt Lake City, UT on December 17, 1994.^[5] The video starts with a boy entering a coliseum where a mosh pit breaks out while the band plays. It is predominantly in black and white. The video ends with the same boy lying on the floor alone. The music video appears on the Complete Music Video Collection DVD, released in 2005.

Track listings

CD single

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Gotta Get Away"	3:56
2.	"We Are One"	4:00
3.	"Forever and a Day"	2:37

Swedish CD maxi and U.K. 7-inch black vinyl

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Gotta Get Away"	3:56
2.	"Smash" (Live version)	3:01

Personnel

The Offspring

• Dexter Holland – lead and backing vocals, rhythm guitar
• Noodles – lead guitar, backing vocals
• Greg K. – bass, backing vocals
• Ron Welty – drums

Charts

Chart (1994–1995)	Peak position
Australia (ARIA)^[6]	53
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)^[7]	36
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)^[8]	28
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)^[9]	21
Canada Top Singles (RPM)^[10]	32
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)^[11]	6
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)^[12]	37
Netherlands (Single Top 100)^[13]	33
Norway (VG-lista)^[14]	18
Scotland (OCC)^[15]	46
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)^[16]	26
UK Singles (OCC)^[17]	43
UK Rock & Metal (OCC)^[18]	1
US Radio Songs (Billboard)^[19]	58
US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)^[20]	6
US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)^[21]	15

Release history

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)	Ref.
Europe	February 2, 1995	CD	Epitaph	^[13]
United Kingdom	August 7, 1995	7-inch vinyl CD cassette	Out of Step	^[22]

References

1. "The 95 Best Alternative Rock Songs Of 1995". SPIN. August 6, 2015. Retrieved February 23, 2022.
2. Tijs, Andrew (2016). "The Offspring - Crash". In Dimery, Robert (ed.). 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. London: Cassell Illustrated. p. 734.
3. The Offspring's Greatest Hits DVD Extra
4. The Offspring's Greatest Hits "Gotta Get Away"
5. The Offspring's official Twitter account, posted and fetched on December 17, 2014.
6. "The ARIA Australian Top 100 Singles Chart – Week Ending 23 July 1995". ARIA. Retrieved June 1, 2017 – via Imgur. N.B. The HP column displays the highest peak reached.
7. "Offspring – Gotta Get Away" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
8. "Offspring – Gotta Get Away" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
9. "Offspring – Gotta Get Away" (in French). Ultratop 50.
10. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 9026." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved October 23, 2018.
11. Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin - levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN 978-951-1-21053-5.
12. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 32, 1995" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved October 23, 2018.
13. "Offspring – Gotta Get Away" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
14. "Offspring – Gotta Get Away". VG-lista.
15. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 23, 2018.
16. "Offspring – Gotta Get Away". Singles Top 100.
17. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 23, 2018.
18. "Official Rock & Metal Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 16, 2017.
19. "The Offspring Chart History (Radio Songs)". Billboard.
20. "The Offspring Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard.
21. "The Offspring Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard.
22. "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. August 5, 1995. p. 31.

External links

• "Gotta Get Away" Official music video on YouTube