Snow (Hey Oh) Explained

Snow (Hey Oh)
Cover:rhcpsnowheyoh.jpg
Type:single
Artist:Red Hot Chili Peppers
Album:Stadium Arcadium
Released:November 20, 2006
Recorded:2005
Studio:The Mansion, Los Angeles
Genre:Alternative rock, pop rock
Length:5:35 (album version)
4:00 (radio edit)
Label:Warner Bros.
Producer:Rick Rubin
Prev Title:Tell Me Baby
Prev Year:2006
Next Title:Desecration Smile
Next Year:2007

"Snow (Hey Oh)" (occasionally stylized as "Snow ((Hey Oh))") is a song by American band Red Hot Chili Peppers from their 2006 double album, Stadium Arcadium. The song was released as the follow-up single to "Tell Me Baby" in 2006, and became the band's third straight number one hit on the Billboard Modern Rock chart, a spot it held for five straight weeks. The single was their 11th to top that chart, setting a record they still hold, extended in 2016 to 13 number ones.

Vocalist Anthony Kiedis states that the track is "about surviving, starting fresh. I've made a mess of everything, but I have a blank slate—a canvas of snow—and I get to start over."[1]

Background

"Snow (Hey Oh)" is a characteristically soft, melodic song, much like those from the band's prior album By the Way. The song is driven by a rapid guitar riff by John Frusciante, and makes use of double stops on the bass by Flea. The song is written in the key of G♯ minor.

Reception

Frusciante.net revealed that this was going to be the third of seven songs released as a single from Stadium Arcadium. Before even being released as a single, it climbed to #53 in the UK iTunes top 100 on May 13. Like its predecessor "Tell Me Baby", it peaked at #16 in the UK Singles Chart. On January 17, 2007, "Snow (Hey Oh)" became the band's record-breaking 11th number-one Modern Rock single in the United States and is the third consecutive chart-topping Modern Rock single from Stadium Arcadium. In Germany, it was the band's most successful song, reaching #5, making it the band's only Top-10-song there.[2]

Music video

In an interview, Tony Kaye, who also directed the video for "Dani California", told MTV he would be directing the video for the song. However, his footage wasn't used. Instead, Warner commissioned director Nick Wickham to shoot a new video showing the band at the October 17 and 18, 2006 shows at the Continental Airlines Arena in East Rutherford, New Jersey, along with black and white film of fans at the parking lot and lines at the live show.

Live performances

"Snow (Hey Oh)" has been the second most performed song from Stadium Arcadium and has been performed over 250 times since 2006. On June 28, 2012, at the band's concert at Goffertpark in Nijmegen, Netherlands during the I'm with You Tour, the band performed the song for the first time since the end of the Stadium Arcadium Tour nearly five years earlier. As of 2023, the song is still featured regularly in the band's setlists.

Appearances

In 2008 "Snow (Hey Oh)" was used as one of the official themes of WWE WrestleMania XXIV.[3] It was also used in Scrubs in the two-part episode "My Finale" and during the end credits in . The song can be heard in a flashback scene in the Cold Case episode "Sabotage". It was in a scene from Brothers and Sisters season 1 episode 23.

Track listings and formats

CD single
  1. "Snow (Hey Oh)" – 5:34
  2. "Permutation" (Live) – 3:43
Maxi single 9362 42983-2
  1. "Snow (Hey Oh)" – 5:34
  2. "Funny Face" – 4:46
  3. "I'll Be Your Domino" – 3:54
International CD single/7" picture disc 5439 15624-2
  1. "Snow (Hey Oh)" – 5:34
  2. "Funny Face" – 4:46
iTunes version single
  1. "Snow (Hey Oh)" – 5:34
  2. "Funny Face" – 4:46
  3. "I'll Be Your Domino" – 3:54
  4. "Permutation" (Live) – 3:43

Personnel

Credits adapted from AllMusic.[4]

Red Hot Chili Peppers

Additional musicians

Recording personnel

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2006–2007)Peak
position
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[5] 18
Romania (Romanian Top 100)[6] 68
Venezuela Pop Rock (Record Report)[7] 4

Year-end charts

Chart (2007)Position
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[8] 38
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[9] 53
Canada Rock (Radio & Records)[10] 19
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[11] 63
Germany (Official German Charts)[12] 42
Hungary (Rádiós Top 40)[13] 3
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[14] 36
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[15] 27
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[16] 30
US Billboard Hot 100[17] 91
US Alternative Songs (Billboard)[18] 10

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Tattooed Love Boys. June 1, 2006. invisible-movement.de. July 28, 2011. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20110806193110/http://invisible-movement.net/articles/2006-press/0601-rollingstone. August 6, 2011.
  2. Web site: Die ganze Musik im Internet: Charts, News, etc.. musicline.de. July 28, 2011. October 21, 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20131021040701/http://musicline.de/de/chartverfolgung_summary/artist/RED+HOT+CHILI+PEPPERS/?type=single. dead.
  3. Web site: WWE: TV Shows & WrestleMania XXIV . . March 8, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20080331213235/http://www.wwe.com/shows/wrestlemania/ . March 31, 2008 . The Red Hot Chili Peppers' "Snow (Hey Oh)" is one of the official theme songs for WrestleMania XXIV..
  4. Web site: Stadium Arcadium - Red Hot Chili Peppers - Credits. AllMusic. March 8, 2021. September 30, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190930165108/https://www.allmusic.com/album/stadium-arcadium-mw0000400165/credits. live.
  5. Web site: The ARIA Report: European Top 20 Charts – Week Commencing 12th February 2007. ARIA. 26. February 12, 2007. dead. https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20080222222441/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/23790/20070220-0000/issue884.pdf. February 22, 2008. June 23, 2022.
  6. Web site: Romanian Top 100 – Issue nr: 2/2007 (22 Ianuarie - 28 Ianuarie 2007). ro. Romanian Top 100. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20070122141520/http://www.rt100.ro/top-100-edition.html. January 22, 2007. May 22, 2023.
  7. Web site: Pop Rock. es. February 17, 2007. https://web.archive.org/web/20061124115310/http://www.recordreport.com.ve/publico/?i=poprock. November 24, 2006 . Record Report.
  8. Web site: Jahreshitparade Singles 2007. austriancharts.at. de. May 5, 2020.
  9. Web site: Jaaroverzichten 2007. Ultratop. nl. December 18, 2019.
  10. Web site: Top Canada Rock Songs. Radio & Records. January 12, 2024.
  11. Web site: European Hot 100 Singles. Billboard. https://web.archive.org/web/20090513023130/http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/charts/yearendcharts/european_hot_singles.jsp. May 13, 2009. January 9, 2022.
  12. Web site: Singles chart 2007. https://web.archive.org/web/20090615213352/http://www.mtv.de/charts/Single_Jahrescharts_2007. June 15, 2009. de. MTV. July 28, 2011.
  13. Web site: Rádiós Top 100 – hallgatottsági adatok alapján – 2007. Mahasz. hu. December 18, 2019.
  14. Web site: Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 2007. Dutch Top 40. December 18, 2019.
  15. Web site: Jaaroverzichten – Single 2007. MegaCharts. nl. December 18, 2019.
  16. Web site: Schweizer Jahreshitparade 2007. hitparade.ch. de. December 18, 2019.
  17. Web site: Hot 100 Songs – Year-End 2007. Billboard. May 5, 2020.
  18. Web site: Alternative Songs – Year-End 2007. Billboard. December 18, 2019.
  19. Web site: Rádiós Top 100 – hallgatottsági adatok alapján – 2008. Mahasz. hu. October 5, 2020.