Losing a Whole Year

"Losing a Whole Year" is a song by American rock band Third Eye Blind from their eponymous debut studio album, Third Eye Blind (1997). It was released to radio as the fourth single from the album in March 1998, by Elektra Records. According to frontman Stephan Jenkins, the song is about lamenting the end of a relationship.

"Losing a Whole Year"
Single by Third Eye Blind
from the album Third Eye Blind
ReleasedMarch 1998
Recorded1996
Studio
Toast Studios, Skywalker Ranch and H.O.S. (San Francisco)
GenreAlternative rock[1]
Length3:20
LabelElektra
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Third Eye Blind singles chronology
"How's It Going to Be"
(1997)		 "Losing a Whole Year"
(1998)		 "Jumper"
(1998)
Music video
"Losing a Whole Year" on YouTube

The song was written by Stephan Jenkins and Kevin Cadogan. The song received positive reviews from music critics and charted on the Billboard Alternative Songs and Mainstream Rock charts. A music video was released in support of the single.

Background
"I'm really proud of my contributions to the different voices on the guitar on that one. I just messed around and got these chords that would made this lush sound. I had this little Tascam four-track and we were at Stephan's having some beers and working on it acoustically and this beer spilled on the recorder and we had a bit of "Losing" with this warped falsetto and someone said, "Losing a whole beer," which became "Losing a Whole Year."[2]

—Kevin Cadogan talking to Billboard about the origin of the song.

"Losing a Whole Year" was written by Stephen Jenkins and Kevin Cadogan. The song originated from a guitar riff that Cadogan had written, with Jenkins commenting that "the words were how that riff made me feel".[3] Jenkins further discussed the meaning of the song, stating that it is about "a rich girl from Bernal Heights" and that it is "just lamenting the end of a relationship and all of its wasted time".[3]

The band intended to release "Losing a Whole Year" as the lead single from Third Eye Blind (1997), although "Semi-Charmed Life" was released instead at the suggestion of Elektra Records.[2]

Composition

According to the sheet music published at Musicnotes.com by Alfred Publishing, the song is written in the key of E major and is set at a tempo of 108 beats per minute with a time signature of 4
4 for most of the song except for two measures of 11
8 before the guitar solo and four during the ending.[4] Jenkin's vocal range spans one octave, from F#4 to A5.[4]

Critical reception

"Losing a Whole Year" was released as a single from Third Eye Blind's 1997 self-titled album.[5] The song received a positive reaction from music critics. Chuck Eddy of Spin magazine called it one of the band's "catchiest" songs.[6] Allmusic's Mike DeGagne agreed, writing that "its pop-friendly makeup of frolicking guitar and a welcoming tempo make it one of the band's most catchiest tunes."[7]

Chart performance

"Losing a Whole Year" stayed on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart for 14 weeks and peaked at number 13 on May 2, 1998.[8] The song also appeared on the Mainstream Rock chart in 1998, peaking at number 36.[9]

Music video

Third Eye Blind planned to make two music videos for "Losing a Whole Year", but ultimately only one was released.[10] The video features the band performing the song in front of an audience of three laughing women. At the end of the video, two cars crash into each other right in front of the band members.

Track listings and formats
  1. "Losing a Whole Year" (LP Version) – 3:21
  2. "Horror Show"  – 4:02
  3. "Graduate" (Remix) – 3:26
  1. "Losing a Whole Year" (Remix - Strings Up) – 3:01
  2. "Losing a Whole Year" (Radio Mix) – 3:18
  3. "Losing a Whole Year" (Remix) – 3:12

Credits and personnel

Credits and personnel adapted from Third Eye Blind album liner notes.[15]

Charts
Chart (1998) Peak
position
US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)[16] 13
US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[17] 36

Covers
  • In 2009, American post-hardcore band A Lot Like Birds, on their album Plan B, included a cover of "Losing A Whole Year" at the end of their song "Sesame Street is No Place for Vengeance" as a hidden track.

References
  1. "The 88 Best Alternative Rock Songs of 1998". Spin. p. 5. Retrieved September 18, 2020.
  2. "'There Was No Overnight Success': An Oral History of Third Eye Blind's Self-Titled Debut". Billboard. April 6, 2017. Retrieved June 25, 2020.
  3. "Losing a Whole Year". stephanjenkins.com. Retrieved October 17, 2010.
  4. Third Eye Blind (1997). "Third Eye Blind 'Losing a Whole Year' Digital Sheet Music". Musicnotes.com. Retrieved June 23, 2020.
  5. Tirone, Mike. "San Fran Band, Third Eye Blind to perform at Loyola" Archived 2011-07-13 at the Wayback Machine. loyolagreyhound.com. January 21, 2008. Retrieved March 19, 2011.
  6. Eddy, Chuck. "Third Eye Blind / Smash Mouth". Spin. May 1998, p. 142.
  7. DeGagne, Mike. "Losing a Whole Year". allmusic.com. Retrieved March 19, 2011.
  8. "Losing a Whole Year - Third Eye Blind". billboard.com. Retrieved March 19, 2011.
  9. "Third Eye Blind". allmusic.com. Retrieved March 19, 2011.
  10. "Third Eye Blind Really Wants To Direct". mtv.com. April 13, 1998. Retrieved March 19, 2011.
  11. Losing a Whole Year (GER CD-one Single liner notes). Third Eye Blind. Elektra Records. 1997. 7559-63882-2.CS1 maint: others (link)
  12. Losing a Whole Year (JP CD Single liner notes). Third Eye Blind. Elektra Records. 1997. AMCY-2384.CS1 maint: others (link)
  13. Losing a Whole Year (GER CD-two Single liner notes). Third Eye Blind. Elektra Records. 1997. 7559-63832-2.CS1 maint: others (link)
  14. Losing a Whole Year (AUS CD Single liner notes). Third Eye Blind. Elektra Records. 1997. 755963832 2.CS1 maint: others (link)
  15. Third Eye Blind (Inlay cover). Third Eye Blind. Elektra. 1997. 62012-2.CS1 maint: others (link)
  16. "Third Eye Blind Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved November 21, 2020.
  17. "Third Eye Blind Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved November 21, 2020.
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