Not If You Were the Last Junkie on Earth explained

Not If You Were the Last Junkie on Earth
Cover:	Not If You Were the Last Junkie on Earth.jpg
Type:	single
Artist:	the Dandy Warhols
Album:	...The Dandy Warhols Come Down
Released:	June 16, 1997
Genre:	Alternative rock^[1]
Length:	3:11
Label:	Capitol Tim/Kerr
Producer:	Tony Lash Courtney Taylor-Taylor
Prev Title:	Nothin' to Do
Prev Year:	1996
Next Title:	Every Day Should Be a Holiday
Next Year:	1997

"Not If You Were the Last Junkie on Earth" is a song by American rock band the Dandy Warhols. It was released on June 16, 1997, as the first single from their second studio album, ...The Dandy Warhols Come Down.^[2]

Background and content

As documented in the film Dig!, the song is dedicated to the band the Brian Jonestown Massacre, friends and rivals of the Dandy Warhols, who in turn dedicated their own track "Not If You Were the Last Dandy on Earth" to them. Frontman Courtney Taylor-Taylor revealed in an interview that the song is also about his girlfriend who he said had become a heroin addict while he was on tour.^[3]

The song is known for its refrain "I never thought you'd be a junkie because heroin is so passé".^[4] Because of this, the song has often been erroneously titled "Heroin Is So Passé", and the song was later subtitled with this in some markets.

Music video

The music video for the song, directed by David LaChapelle,^[5] features the group "playing among a troupe of dancing syringes" and was called an "arch, playful, taboo-shredding hoot" by Mojo.^[3]

Release

"Not If You Were the Last Junkie on Earth" was released in 1997 as the second single from ...The Dandy Warhols Come Down. It peaked at number 13 on the UK Singles Chart and number 31 on the US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart.

Track listings

All tracks were written and composed by Courtney Taylor-Taylor except where indicated.UK CD1^[6]

1. "Not If You Were the Last Junkie on Earth"
2. "Not If You Were the Last Junkie on Earth" (live)
3. "It's a Fast Drivin' Rave Up with the Dandy Warhols Sixteen Minutes" (live) – 7:17

UK CD2^[7]

1. "Not If You Were the Last Junkie on Earth"
2. "Genius" (live)
3. "Ride" (live)

UK 7-inch single^[8]

A. "Not If You Were the Last Junkie on Earth"

B. "Genius" (live)

Australian CD single^[9]

1. "Not If You Were the Last Junkie on Earth (Heroin Is So Passé)" – 3:12
2. "One (Ultra Lame White Boy)" – 3:10
3. "Head" – 3:16

Charts

Weekly chart performance for "Not If You Were the Last Junkie on Earth"!Chart (1997–1998)!Peak
position

Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)^[10]	73
US Modern Rock Tracks (Billboard)^[11]	31

Release history

Region!scope="col"

Date	Format(s)	Label(s)
United States	June 16, 1997	Rock radio
United Kingdom	April 20, 1998			^[12]

Notes and References

1. Web site: BuzzFeed. Brian Galindo, Alex Naidus & Ryan Creed. 37 Alt Rock Songs You Haven't Thought About Since The Late '90s. November 19, 2015. November 5, 2023.
2. Capitol Betting Dandy Warhols Still 'Rule OK' on 'Come Down'. Billboard. Reece. Doug. Google Books. June 14, 1997. December 22, 2020.
3. Phone Home . . John Harris . June 2003 . March 10, 2012.
4. News: Byrne. Ciar. How to get ahead in music: Make an ad!. https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220621/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/how-to-get-ahead-in-music-make-an-ad-516535.html . June 21, 2022 . subscription . live. Artists whose tracks are used in television adverts often find instant fame and riches after years of obscurity, while having to face accusations of selling out. The Guardian. August 10, 2013. London. November 23, 2005.
5. Rathe . Adam . May 31, 2012 . A Brief History of David LaChapelle's Music Videos . . March 29, 2013.
6. Not If You Were the Last Junkie on Earth. The Dandy Warhols. 1998. UK CD1 liner notes. Capitol Records, Tim/Kerr Records. CDCL 800, 7243 8 85564 2 2.
7. Not If You Were the Last Junkie on Earth. The Dandy Warhols. 1998. UK CD2 liner notes. Capitol Records, Tim/Kerr Records. CDCLS 800, 7243 8 85565 2 1.
8. Not If You Were the Last Junkie on Earth. The Dandy Warhols. 1998. UK 7-inch single sleeve. Capitol Records, Tim/Kerr Records. CL 800, 7243 8 85565 7 6.
9. Not If You Were the Last Junkie on Earth. The Dandy Warhols. 1998. Australian CD single liner notes. Capitol Records, Tim/Kerr Records. 8849822.
10. Eurochart Hot 100 Singles. Music & Media. 15. 19. 14. May 9, 1998. December 16, 2020.
11. Alternative Airplay. Billboard. September 6, 1997. subscription. February 14, 2024.
12. New Releases: Singles. Music Week. 27. April 18, 1998.