Growing on Me
"Growing on Me" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | ||||
Single by the Darkness | ||||
from the album Permission to Land | ||||
B-side |
| |||
Released | 16 June 2003 (2003-06-16) | |||
Studio | Chapel (Lincolnshire, England) | |||
Length | 3:29 | |||
Label | Must... Destroy!!, Atlantic | |||
Songwriter(s) | Justin Hawkins, Dan Hawkins, Ed Graham, Frankie Poullain | |||
Producer(s) | Pedro Ferreira | |||
The Darkness singles chronology | ||||
|
"Growing on Me" is a song by British rock band the Darkness from their 2003 debut album, Permission to Land. It was released as the second single on 16 June 2003, peaking at number 11 on the UK Singles Chart. It also charted at number 42 and 46 in Ireland and Australia, respectively.
Background
Despite rumours surrounding the song's meaning, lead singer Justin Hawkins has refuted suggestions that the lyrics pertain to pubic lice or sexually transmitted infections: "People have said it's about pubic lice, but that's obviously wrong because pubic lice don't grow on you, do they?" Hawkins has also commented on the song's true meaning: "A sweet lady woman that you will never fully fathom or understand, but you love her so much that after a while it doesn't matter."[1]
Music video
The video opens with the spaceship that is seen in later singles being mounted by a Pterodactyl attempting to mate with it, before eventually landing over a large riverbank and dispensing four pods containing each band member as a child. The children all enter a helicopter flying towards a large estate and exit there fully grown. The band then perform the song around the estate, including various moments of humour as Justin Hawkins sings naked from a bathtub or Dan Hawkins fires missiles out of his Les Paul.[2]
Track listings
- UK CD and digital single, Australian CD single[3][4][5]
- "Growing on Me"
- "How Dare You Call This Love?"
- "Bareback"
- UK 7-inch single[6]
- A. "Growing on Me"
- B. "How Dare You Call This Love?"
- UK DVD single[7]
- "Growing on Me" (video + out-takes)
- "Growing on Me" (audio)
Credits and personnel
Credits are taken from the Permission to Land album booklet.[8]
Studios
- Recorded at Chapel Studios (Lincolnshire, England)
- Additional vocals recorded at Paul Smith Music Studios (London, England)
- Mixed at Roundhouse Recording Studios (London, England)
- Mastered at The Exchange (London, England)
Personnel
- Justin Hawkins – writing, vocals, guitar, synthesizer, piano
- Dan Hawkins – writing, guitar
- Frankie Poullain – writing, bass
- Ed Graham – writing, drums
- Pedro Ferreira – production, mixing, engineering
- Will Bartle – recording assistant
- Nick Taylor – mixing assistant
- Mike Marsh – mastering
Charts
Chart (2003–2004) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australia (ARIA)[9] | 46 |
Canada Rock Top 30 (Radio & Records)[10] | 17 |
Ireland (IRMA)[11] | 42 |
Scotland (OCC)[12] | 9 |
UK Singles (OCC)[13] | 11 |
UK Rock & Metal (OCC)[14] | 3 |
US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)[15] | 31 |
Release history
Region | Date | Format(s) | Label(s) | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
United Kingdom | 16 June 2003 |
| Must... Destroy! | [16] |
Australia | 8 December 2003 | CD | [17] | |
United States | 19 April 2004 |
| [18] |
In popular culture
The song is featured in the soundtrack to the film School of Rock, despite not actually appearing in the motion picture. The film itself contains another song by the Darkness, "Black Shuck". This change is likely due to the strong language in "Black Shuck"; changing the song on the released soundtrack would avoid an advisory sticker on the release and allow members of the target audience—namely children—to widely purchase the album. It was also featured in the 2004 film Going the Distance.
References
- ^ Justin Hawkins interview with VH1
- ^ "Darkness - Growing On Me (Official Video)".
- ^ Growing on Me (UK CD single liner notes). The Darkness. Must... Destroy!!. 2003. DUSTY010CD.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ "Growing on Me – Single". Apple Music. Retrieved 19 June 2022.
- ^ Growing on Me (Australian CD single liner notes). The Darkness. Must... Destroy!!. 2003. 5046680702.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Growing on Me (UK 7-inch single sleeve). The Darkness. Must... Destroy!!. 2003. DESTROYER10.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Growing on Me (UK DVD single liner notes). The Darkness. Must... Destroy!!. 2003. DUSTY010CVD.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Permission to Land (UK CD album booklet). The Darkness. Must... Destroy!!, Atlantic Records. 2003. 5050466-7452-2-4.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ "The Darkness – Growing on Me". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
- ^ "RR Canada Rock Top 30" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1562. 2 July 2004. p. 63. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
- ^ "Irish-charts.com – Discography The Darkness". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 19 June 2022.
- ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 16 July 2021.
- ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
- ^ "Official Rock & Metal Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 16 July 2021.
- ^ "The Darkness Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved 16 July 2021.
- ^ "New Releases – For Week Starting 16 June 2003: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 14 June 2003. p. 27. Retrieved 6 September 2021.
- ^ "The ARIA Report: New Releases Singles – Week Commencing 8th December 2003" (PDF). ARIA. 8 December 2003. p. 25. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 February 2008. Retrieved 18 July 2022.
- ^ "Going for Adds". Radio & Records. No. 1551. 16 April 2004. p. 26.
- v
- t
- e
- Live at Hammersmith
- I Believe in a Thing Called Love
- "Get Your Hands Off My Woman"
- "Growing on Me"
- "I Believe in a Thing Called Love"
- "Christmas Time (Don't Let the Bells End)"
- "Love Is Only a Feeling"
- "One Way Ticket"
- "Is It Just Me?"
- "Girlfriend"
- "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us"
- "Everybody Have a Good Time"
- "Street Spirit (Fade Out)"