I Don't Care (Apocalyptica song)

{{Infobox song

| name = I Don't Care

| cover = Apocalyptica-I_Don't_Care.jpg

| alt =

| type = single

| artist = Apocalyptica featuring Adam Gontier

| album = Worlds Collide

| released = * May 30, 2008 {{small|(US)}}

  • September 5, 2008 {{small|(Germany)}}

| recorded = 2007

| studio =

| venue =

| genre = * Alternative metal{{cite web|url=https://www.theledger.com/story/news/2009/03/12/i-dont-care-apocalyptica/25999439007/|title=I Don't Care - Apocalyptica|website=The Ledger|author=Sean Colburn|date=March 12, 2009|access-date=July 4, 2024}}

| length = * 3:57 {{small|(album version)}}

  • 3:41 {{small|(single and US album version)}}

| label = Jive

| writer = * Eicca Toppinen

| producer = Howard Benson

| chronology = Apocalyptica

| prev_title = S.O.S. (Anything But Love)

| prev_year = 2008

| next_title = End of Me

| next_year = 2010

}}

"I Don't Care" is a song by Finnish rock band Apocalyptica, the song was released in 2008 as the third and final single from their sixth album Worlds Collide and features Adam Gontier, lead singer of Three Days Grace, on lead vocals. The song reached number one on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart for one week and number two on the Alternative Songs chart where it spent a year in the top 20.{{cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/apocalyptica/chart-history/hot-mainstream-rock-tracks|title=Apocalyptica (Mainstream Rock)|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20190509072339/https://www.billboard.com/music/apocalyptica/chart-history/hot-mainstream-rock-tracks|archivedate=May 9, 2019|date=December 20, 2008|access-date=April 14, 2022}}{{cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/apocalyptica/chart-history/alternative-songs|title=Apocalyptica (Alternative Airplay)|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20190510095519/https://www.billboard.com/music/apocalyptica/chart-history/alternative-songs|archivedate=May 10, 2019|date=December 27, 2008|access-date=April 14, 2022}}

Background and composition

Eicca Toppinen spoke about the song in an interview for Dutch metal webzine Zwaremetalen in 2007: "I wrote some of the lyrics to "I Don't Care." Max Martin wrote most of the lyrics, though. The song is about a fantasy and not about anyone in particular, but I think everyone can find a sense of truth in the lyrics."{{cite web|last=Dekker|first=Jaco|url=http://www.zwaremetalen.com/interview/9155/Interview-Apocalyptica.html|title=Interview Apocalyptica|website=Zwaremetalen.com|date=September 22, 2007|language=Dutch}}

Versions

There are two recorded versions of the song. The first one (length 3:57) was released in 2007 in Europe. Adam Gontier wanted to re-record the song for the US and Canada release of "Worlds Collide" in 2008 and that version is 3:41. In this radio edit version of the song, some explicit content of the lyrics, including the chorus's second half, are replaced. The radio edit version is available only on the single and the US and Canadian edition of the album. In a February 2008 interview for Brave Words and Bloody Knuckles magazine Eicca Toppinen from Apocalyptica explains why there are two versions of the song: "Actually we've reworked the song. Adam [Gontier] originally recorded his vocals in the spring [of 2007] with our producer (Jacob Hellner), but Adam wasn't entirely happy with the result. So a couple of weeks ago, Adam went to the studio with [Three Days Grace producer] Howard Benson to record a new version of the song. It's really great. It will actually be on the US/Canadian edition."{{cite web|url=http://www.bravewords.com/news/83294|title=Exclusive: Apocalyptica Film "I Don't Care" Video in Toronto|website=Bravewords.com|date=February 13, 2008|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080217103747/http://www.bravewords.com/news/83294|archivedate=February 17, 2008|access-date=July 4, 2024}}

Music video

Speaking on the concept of the video, Eicca Topinnen said "It's going to be a bit freaky". "It'll be surrealistic in many ways, maybe a little bit in the spirit of Tim Burton. There's acrobats, strange-looking people doing strange things. It's going to be shot in an old house where nobody lives; it's a big mansion. It's really spooky. Of course, the director, Lisa Mann, is the only person who really knows at the moment, but it's exciting for us. She really wants to bring out the people inside the band. It feels completely different. It has a really special look."

The video shows the band playing in a decrepit house. The band plays in a small room with a low ceiling (Adam Gontier has to hunch over in order to stand). Next, the video shows members from the band and other women entering in and out of little doors. In the next scene, it shows the band, Gontier, and more women in a hallway standing still, dancing, walking and playing. Then, three women enter. In this dance sequence, the women dance around the three cello players, trying to seduce them, but they pay no attention. In a cutaway, it shows the three men playing. Cut back, and the three women sit in their laps. Then it shows the men playing the women like cellos. The following scene shows Gontier, rejecting a woman as she attempts to dance with him. In a cutaway scene continuing from the dance sequence, the women take their cellos away. In the last scene, it shows everybody in a room surrounding a table, eating, drinking, laughing, talking, dancing, and kissing. In the end, the band and Adam Gontier finished playing and a green light is shown shining behind them.

Chart performance

"I Don't Care" debuted at number 92 on the Billboard Hot 100.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-100/2008-11-01/|title=Billboard Hot 100: Week of November 1, 2008|magazine=Billboard|date=November 1, 2008|access-date=July 4, 2024}} The song peaked at number 78 on the chart and also reached number two on the Alternative Airplay chart.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/apocalyptica-records-naked-recruits-gavin-rossdale-for-7th-symphony-957302/|title=Apocalyptica Records Naked, Recruits Gavin Rossdale for '7th Symphony'|magazine=Billboard|author=Gary Graff|date=July 19, 2010|access-date=July 4, 2024}} Additionally, the song topped the Mainstream Rock chart and remained on the chart for 40 weeks.{{cite web|url=https://www.mcall.com/2011/03/16/lv-music-metal-music-on-cellos-apocalyptica-still-fighting-stereotypes-finding-fans/|title=LV Music: Metal Music on Cellos Apocalyptica Still Fighting Stereotypes Finding Fans|website=The Morning Call|date=March 16, 2011|access-date=July 4, 2024}}

In other media

The track was used in The CW's series Smallville in season eight, episode 16, called "Turbulence".

Track listing

{{Tracklist

|headline = CD single – radio edit

|title1 = I Don't Care

|note1 = radio edit

|length1 = 3:40

}}

{{Tracklist

|headline = Digital download

|title1 = I Don't Care

|length1 = 3:41

}}

{{Tracklist

|headline = Maxi-CD

|title1 = I Don't Care

|note1 = US version

|length1 = 3:43

|title2 = Severe Area

|length2 = 4:21

}}

Personnel

Credits for "I Don't Care" adapted from album's liner notes.{{cite AV media notes|title=Worlds Collide|year=2007|type=booklet|publisher=Jive}}

{{Col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

Apocalyptica

Additional musicians

{{col-2}}

Production

  • Ted Jensen – mastering
  • Rich Costey – mixing
  • Paul Decarli – digital editing
  • Hatsukazu Inagaki – engineering
  • Mike Plotnikoff – recording
  • Marc Vangool – guitar technician

{{col-end}}

Chart positions

{{col-start}}

{{col-2}}

=Weekly charts=

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"

|+Weekly chart performance for "I Don't Care"

! scope="col"| Chart (2008–2009)

! scope="col"| Peak
position

{{single chart|Billboardcanadianhot100|59|artist=Adam Gontier|song=I Don't Care|rowheader=true|access-date=April 14, 2022}}
{{single chart|Billboardcanadarock|4|artist=Adam Gontier|song=I Don't Care|rowheader=true|access-date=April 14, 2022}}
{{single chart|Finland|13|artist=Apocalyptica|song=I Don't Care|rowheader=true|access-date=December 24, 2021}}
{{singlechart|Billboardhot100|78|artist=Adam Gontier|song=I Don't Care|rowheader=true|access-date=April 14, 2022}}
{{single chart|Billboardrocksongs|14|artist=Adam Gontier|song=I Don't Care|rowheader=true|access-date=April 14, 2022}}

{{col-2}}

=Year-end charts=

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

|+ Year-end chart performance for "I Don't Care"

! scope="col"| Chart (2008)

! scope="col"| Position

scope="row"| US Alternative Songs (Billboard){{cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2008/alternative-songs/|title=Alternative Airplay Songs – Year-End 2008|work=Billboard|accessdate=April 14, 2022}}

| 26

scope="row"| US Mainstream Rock Songs (Billboard){{cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2008/mainstream-rock-songs-artists/|title=Mainstream Rock Songs – Year-End 2008|work=Billboard|accessdate=April 14, 2022}}

| 18

scope="col"| Chart (2009)

! scope="col"| Position

scope="row"| US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (Billboard){{cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2009/hot-rock-songs|title=Hot Rock & Alternative Songs – Year-End 2009|work=Billboard|accessdate=January 19, 2022}}

| 6

{{col-end}}

Certifications

{{Certification Table Top}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Canada|type=single|award=Gold|relyear=2008|certyear=2018|artist=Apocalyptica|title=I Don't Care|access-date=February 9, 2018}}

{{Certification Table Bottom|streaming=true|nosales=true | noshipments=true}}

Release history

class="wikitable plainrowheaders"

|+ Release dates and formats for "I Don't Care"

! scope="col" | Region

! scope="col" | Date

! scope="col" | Format

! scope="col" | Label

! scope="col" | {{abbr|Ref.|Reference}}

scope="row"| Various

| May 30, 2008

| Digital download

| Harmageddon

| align="center"| {{cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/au/album/i-dont-care-single/1647655004|title=I Don't Care (feat. Adam Gontier) - Single by Apocalyptica|website=Apple Music|access-date=July 4, 2024}}

scope="row" rowspan="2"| United States

| rowspan="2"| July 1, 2008

| Alternative radio

| rowspan="2"| Jive

| align="center"| {{cite web|title=Available for Airplay Archive: 2006 – September |url=http://www.fmqb.com/Article.asp?id=16771#2003 |website=FMQB |access-date=July 4, 2024 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130322142732/http://www.fmqb.com/Article.asp?id=16771 |archive-date=March 22, 2013}}

Mainstream rock

| align="center"| {{cite web|title=Available for Airplay Archive: 2006 – September|url=http://www.fmqb.com/Article.asp?id=16698|website=FMQB|access-date=July 4, 2024|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111125210945/http://www.fmqb.com/Article.asp?id=16698|archive-date=November 25, 2011}}

scope="row"| Germany

| September 5, 2008

| CD

| Zomba

| align="center"| {{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.ca/I-Dont-Care/dp/B00186LLXK|title=I Don't Care: Amazon.ca: Music|publisher=Amazon|access-date=July 4, 2024}}

References