Over My Head (Cable Car)

Song meaning

The song "Over My Head" was written about lead singer and pianist Isaac Slade's relationship with his brother, Caleb, nicknamed "Cable Car". He wrote the song because he and his brother were allegedly not speaking and were at odds with each other:

"It is about a fight I got in with my brother, Caleb. After he graduated high school, we drifted apart and really hadn't spoken in a long time. One day we both realized that we needed to fight it out. We'd been friends for 20 years. That's a long time when you're only 23 years old. We fought it out, and he's one of my best friends today."

The song was originally recorded as a demo in 2004. This demo version was picked up by Denver radio station KTCL, and became one of the station's most played songs of 2005. The song gained an even bigger boost after it was used in the 2005 film Stealth; it also appeared on the film’s official soundtrack by their label Epic. There is also another slightly different version of the song which is 4:10 in length.

Reception

Critical

Billboard called the tune "a timeless pop-rock smash that soars with lightness and ease." Stylus Magazine called it a "10/10, single of the year, instant classic track".

Commercial

The song became a top 40 hit on the Modern Rock Tracks chart in late 2005. It lasted three weeks on the chart and peaked at position No. 37. The single gained airplay nationally, entering the Billboard Hot 100 chart on the issue marked February 25, 2006. 14 weeks later it reached its peak position at No. 8 on the Hot 100 chart. On the Billboard Adult Top 40 chart, the single reached the No. 2 position. The single also saw airplay on some Christian radio stations and spent several weeks on the R&R Christian charts, where it peaked at No. 27.

Internationally, the song was a Top 25 hit in Australia, Canada, Denmark, Ireland, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. In the beginning of 2007, the song became popular in the Netherlands.

Music video

The music video was directed by Elliott Lester and was filmed on July 24, 2005, at East High School and at Fox Theatre in Denver and Boulder, respectively. The video shows the members of the band as children, who attract the attention of other children by playing various instruments. Micah Slade, the youngest brother of Isaac Slade, assumes the role of Isaac as a child in the music video. The video premiered on September 21, 2005, and peaked at No. 2 in the VH1 Top 20 Countdown.

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications

A Day to Remember version

• Joe King
• pop punk
• post-hardcore "Over My Head (Cable Car)" was covered by American rock band A Day to Remember and included on their EP, Attack of the Killer B-Sides. It was also previously released on the Punk Goes Pop Volume Two compilation album.

References

References

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