He Liked to Feel It
{{Short description|1996 single by Crash Test Dummies}}
{{Good article}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=December 2020}}
{{Infobox song
| name = He Liked to Feel It
| cover = CTDhltfi-single.jpg
| alt = A picture of a domestic dog, facing slightly to the left, with its mouth ajar. The fur on its pricked ears and surrounding its eyes is orange-brown, while the fur on its muzzle and chest is white. The dog's nose is black. Surrounding the picture is a navy-blue border. On the top border, spanning across the entire line, is "Crash Test Dummies". On the bottom border, written in smaller print, is "He Liked To Feel It".
| type = single
| artist = Crash Test Dummies
| album = A Worm's Life
| released = {{start date|1996|9|9}}
| recorded =
| studio = Compass Point (The Bahamas)
| genre =
| length = 3:55
| label =
| writer = Brad Roberts
| producer =
- Brad Roberts
- Dan Roberts
- Michel Dorge
| prev_title = The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead
| prev_year = 1995
| next_title = My Own Sunrise
| next_year = 1997
| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|p5dpITOLFH4|"He Liked to Feel It"}}}}
}}
"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 Brad Roberts' personal reflections about teeth, telling a story in which a boy likes the removal of his baby teeth via bizarre methods.
The song is Crash Test Dummies' highest-peaking single in their native Canada, reaching number two on the RPM 100 Hit Tracks chart in 1996. "He Liked to Feel It" failed to chart elsewhere except on the US Billboard Triple-A chart, peaking at number 18. A music video directed by Ken Fox and produced by David Moskowitz was made for the song, featuring a boy who pulls out his own teeth through different means. The video generated controversy due to the graphic imagery of the boy's mouth, which utilizes prosthetic teeth and gums.
Background and composition
{{Listen|pos=left|filename=Crash Test Dummies - He Liked to Feel It.ogg|type=music|title="He Liked to Feel It"|description=A 23-second sample of the ending of "He Liked to Feel It", where the boy's father yanks out his son's tooth with a pair of pliers.|format=ogg}}
Brad Roberts wrote "He Liked to Feel It". His brother Dan Roberts helped him produce the song, as did Michel Dorge. The song was recorded at Compass Point Studios in The Bahamas along with the rest of A Worm's Life.{{cite AV media notes|title=A Worm's Life|others=Crash Test Dummies|year=1996|type=Liner notes|publisher=Arista Records|id=74321 39779 2}} The lyrical theme of "He Liked to Feel It", intended as dark humour, came about when Brad Roberts began to ponder over his own teeth. He explained, "I was sitting around one day feeling my teeth, and I noticed that they were firmly imbedded in my skull [...] Teeth are part of the human body, but I thought that it was strange that they come out."{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/90s/1996/BB-1996-10-12.pdf|title=Crash Test Dummies Vid Gets to the Root of Masochism|magazine=Billboard|last=Atwood|first=Brett|author-link=Brett Atwood|volume=108|issue=41|page=104|date=October 12, 1996|access-date=October 12, 2020|archive-date=December 4, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201204013252/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/90s/1996/BB-1996-10-12.pdf|url-status=live}}
Ellen Reid provides the backup vocals and keyboards on the song while Dan Roberts plays bass and Dorge plays drums. Murray Pulver, who would join the band in 1996, provides additional guitars on the track.{{cite news|url=https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/arts-and-life/entertainment/music/Music-community-joins-Pulver--as-he-finally-takes-centre-stage-332492922.html|title=Music community joins Pulver as he finally takes centre stage|last=Lebar|first=Erin|website=Winnipeg Free Press|date=October 13, 2015|access-date=March 3, 2021|archive-date=November 27, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201127114801/https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/arts-and-life/entertainment/music/Music-community-joins-Pulver--as-he-finally-takes-centre-stage-332492922.html|url-status=live}} Roberts began to write the lyrics, creating a story about a boy who likes to remove his baby teeth through bizarre means. At the end of the song, the boy's father forcefully rips out a tooth with a pair of pliers, which the boy does not enjoy because he is not the one removing it.
Release and promotion
"He Liked to Feel It" was included as the second track on A Worm's Life, which was released on October 1, 1996;{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/a-worms-life-mw0000071095|title=Crash Test Dummies – A Worm's Life|publisher=AllMusic|access-date=February 21, 2021|archive-date=March 24, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200324213328/https://www.allmusic.com/album/a-worms-life-mw0000071095|url-status=live}} it was released as the album's lead single in both Canada and the United States. Arista Records serviced the song to adult album alternative radio on September 9, 1996, and to modern rock and rock stations on September 23.{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/90s/1996/BB-1996-08-24.pdf|title=Crash Test Dummies Ride Success|last=Reece|first=Douglas|magazine=Billboard|volume=108|issue=34|page=14|date=August 24, 1996|access-date=October 12, 2020}} On Canada's RPM 100 Hit Tracks chart, the song debuted at number 83 on the issue dated September 16, 1996.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/image.aspx?Image=nlc008388.9685&URLjpg=http%3a%2f%2fwww.collectionscanada.gc.ca%2fobj%2f028020%2ff4%2fnlc008388.9685.gif&Ecopy=nlc008388.9685|title=RPM 100 Hit Tracks – September 16, 1996|magazine=RPM|publisher=Library and Archives Canada|access-date=January 2, 2021|archive-date=October 19, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201019223249/https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/image.aspx?Image=nlc008388.9685&URLjpg=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.collectionscanada.gc.ca%2Fobj%2F028020%2Ff4%2Fnlc008388.9685.gif&Ecopy=nlc008388.9685|url-status=live}} On September 30, it jumped from number 68 to number 36, becoming that week's highest climber.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/image.aspx?Image=nlc008388.9929&URLjpg=http%3a%2f%2fwww.collectionscanada.gc.ca%2fobj%2f028020%2ff4%2fnlc008388.9929.gif&Ecopy=nlc008388.9929|title=RPM 100 Hit Tracks – September 30, 1996|magazine=RPM|publisher=Library and Archives Canada|access-date=January 2, 2021|archive-date=October 19, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201019070344/https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/image.aspx?Image=nlc008388.9929&URLjpg=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.collectionscanada.gc.ca%2Fobj%2F028020%2Ff4%2Fnlc008388.9929.gif&Ecopy=nlc008388.9929|url-status=live}} The song continued to rise up the chart during the next several weeks, attaining its peak of number two on November 25, 1996. The song logged 21 weeks in the top 100.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/image.aspx?Image=nlc008388.7766&URLjpg=http%3a%2f%2fwww.collectionscanada.gc.ca%2fobj%2f028020%2ff4%2fnlc008388.7766.gif&Ecopy=nlc008388.7766|title=RPM 100 Hit Tracks – February 24, 1997|magazine=RPM|publisher=Library and Archives Canada|access-date=January 2, 2021}} It is Crash Test Dummies' highest-peaking single on the RPM 100 Hit Tracks chart,{{cite web|url=https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/list.aspx?OCRText=Crash+Test+Dummies&ChartEn=Top+Singles&|title=Results: RMP Weekly|date=17 July 2013 |publisher=Library and Archives Canada|access-date=March 3, 2021}} and it was the 23rd most-successful single on the chart in 1996. "He Liked to Feel It" also appeared on RPM{{'}}s Adult Contemporary and Alternative 30 weekly rankings, achieving peaks of numbers seven and 21, respectively. In the US, "He Liked to Feel It" appeared on the Triple-A chart, on which it peaked at number 18 on November 2, 1996. In the United Kingdom, a CD single and cassette single were issued on October 7, 1996, but the song did not appear on the UK Singles Chart.{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1996/Music-Week-1996-10-05.pdf|title=New Releases: Singles|magazine=Music Week|page=37|date=October 5, 1996|access-date=May 29, 2021}}{{cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/30172/crash-test-dummies/|title=Crash Test Dummies|publisher=Official Charts Company|access-date=May 29, 2021}}
The music video for the song was directed by Ken Fox and produced by David Moskowitz. Eric Barret executive produced the video for Original Films. The video features the band performing on a New York City rooftop interspersed with scenes of a boy, played by Leo Fitzpatrick, pulling his teeth out in various ways, including tying a tooth to a taxicab, tying one to a steak and throwing it to a dog on the other side of a fence, and tying a tooth to a crane. After the boy falls off the crane, a man approaches him and pulls out another tooth with pliers. Prosthetic teeth and gums were utilized to obtain the tooth effects used in the video. As a result of the graphic footage, the music video was banned from airing on Canadian television channel YTV,{{cite magazine|url=http://rpmimages.3345.ca/pdfs/Volume+64-No.+9-October+14%2C+1996.pdf|title=Walt Says...!|last=Grealis|first=Walt|author-link=Walt Grealis|others=With Elvira Capreese|magazine=RPM|volume=64|issue=9|page=4|date=October 14, 1996|access-date=February 13, 2021|archive-date=May 4, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190504090952/http://rpmimages.3345.ca/pdfs/Volume%2064-No.%209-October%2014%2C%201996.pdf|url-status=live}} and all close-ups of the boy's gums had to be removed before the video could be shown on American television network MTV.{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/90s/1996/BB-1996-10-19.pdf|title=Never Too Much Cleveland; Less Is More at MORMusic|last=Atwood|first=Brett|magazine=Billboard|volume=108|issue=42|page=97|date=October 19, 1996|access-date=October 12, 2020|archive-date=July 19, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200719180714/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/90s/1996/BB-1996-10-19.pdf|url-status=live}}
Track listings
All tracks were written by Brad Roberts.
European CD single{{cite AV media notes|title=He Liked to Feel It|others=Crash Test Dummies|year=1996|type=European CD single liner notes|publisher=Arista Records|id=74231 40283 2}}
- "He Liked to Feel It" (radio edit){{spaced en dash}}3:38
- "He Liked to Feel It" (Omnichord version){{spaced en dash}}3:55
European maxi-CD single{{cite AV media notes|title=He Liked to Feel It|others=Crash Test Dummies|year=1996|type=European maxi-CD single liner notes|publisher=Arista Records|id=74321 40192 2}}
- "He Liked to Feel It" (radio edit){{spaced en dash}}3:38
- "He Liked to Feel It" (Omnichord version){{spaced en dash}}3:55
- "Afternoons & Coffeespoons" (live at The Chance in Poughkeepsie, New York){{spaced en dash}}3:52
- "Swimming in Your Ocean" (live at The Chance in Poughkeepsie, New York){{spaced en dash}}3:30
Credits and personnel
Credits are lifted from the liner notes of A Worm's Life and the European maxi-single of "He Liked to Feel It".
Studio
- Recorded at Compass Point Studios (The Bahamas).
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
Crash Test Dummies
- Brad Roberts{{spaced en dash}}lead vocals, guitars, writing, production
- Ellen Reid{{spaced en dash}}back-up vocals, keyboards
- Dan Roberts{{spaced en dash}}bass, production
- Mitch Dorge{{spaced en dash}}drums, percussion, production, digital work
Additional musicians
- Murray Pulver{{spaced en dash}}additional guitars
{{col-2}}
Recording
- Chris Anderson{{spaced en dash}}recording
- Peter Robertson{{spaced en dash}}recording assistance
- Maria Miccio{{spaced en dash}}recording assistance
- Tom Lord-Alge{{spaced en dash}}mixing
- Nevessa Production{{spaced en dash}}mobile recording facility for live tracks
{{col-end}}
Charts
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{{col-2}}
=Weekly charts=
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+ Weekly chart performance for "He Liked to Feel It" !scope="col"|Chart (1996) !scope="col"|Peak |
| {{single chart|Canadatopsingles|2|chartid=9930|rowheader=true|access-date=April 30, 2018|refname="can"}} |
| {{single chart|Canadaadultcontemporary|7|chartid=9934|rowheader=true|access-date=February 26, 2019|refname="canac"}} |
| {{single chart|Canadarock|21|chartid=9896|rowheader=true|access-date=February 26, 2019|refname="canrock"}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardadultalternativesongs|18|artist=Crash Test Dummies|rowheader=true|access-date=February 26, 2019|refname="usaas"}} |
{{col-2}}
=Year-end charts=
{{col-end}}
Release history
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
|+ Release dates and formats for "He Liked to Feel It" !scope="col"|Region !scope="col"|Date !scope="col"|Format(s) !scope="col"|Label(s) !scope="col"|ID !scope="col"|{{abbr|Ref.|Reference(s)}} |
| scope="row"|Canada
|1996 |Promotional CD |rowspan="3"|Arista |KCDP 51386 |
|---|
| scope="row" rowspan="2"|United States
|September 9, 1996 |Adult album alternative radio |rowspan="2"|ASCD-3231 |
| September 23, 1996
|{{hlist|Modern rock|rock radio}} |
| scope="row" rowspan="2"|United Kingdom
|rowspan="2"|October 7, 1996 |CD |rowspan="2"|RCA |74321402002 |
| Cassette
|74321402004 |
| scope="row" rowspan="3"|Europe
|rowspan="2"|1996 |CD |rowspan="2"|Arista |74231 40283 2 |
| Maxi-CD
|74321 40192 2 |
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Crash Test Dummies}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Arista Records singles
Category:Crash Test Dummies songs