OW



performed on:
The first Plaastik song ever to feature a lead vocal from late-coming member Mitchell Blank, "Ow" was not quite as poorly recieved as "Look (Time)" but was greeted with anything but enthusiasm. It was written "in five minutes" during Science tour rehearsals because Mitch wanted something to sing on the tour and collaborated with the others to hammer something out. Some of the lyrics are from the old unreleased cut "Cool People." Blank's expectation as of the end of the tour was that it would become a b-side.

Fans were unpleasantly surprised when "Ow" made the cut of CHILD out of nowhere. The song was resurrected after Tina left because of the lyrics' relation to the supposed theme of CHILD. The album version is a universally-drubbed dirge, one of the few "rock" pieces on album. It comes off as a failed experiment. Even the song's supproters among fans feel it should be closer to the middle of the album instead of being the last "real" song, which segues into the brief final track.

If that wasn't enough, the real shock came when "Ow" was selected as the second single from CHILD (peak position: #31). It is a completely new recording, however, from the 2004 sessions of LOVE revivals, similar to a version played live in 2004 and on SNL: it is a raunchy garage band number with processed vocals by Nick Parker and breatheless pacing (removing the extraneous "rock & roll" verse). The single version was embraced by fans as an instant classic, but it couldn't get much commercial traction. The video of playground surveillance footage could not have helped. But unlike "I Thought I Loved You," for instance, "Ow" is novelty with charm.

The song has been presented with an incredible variety of approaches live. Jeff has said the band could do "a hundred versions" of this extremely flexible song, one supremely underestimated at the time of conception. It was played on the VH1 Classic series "Hangin' With..." in a weird keyboard-driven variation with Jay and Mict singing. Other versions have included a take with just Nick and Mitch on guitar and tom toms, respectively, and a full-out electric duet with the two of them, Mitch banging away on an electric piano.


I skinned my knee
A table fell on my head
I ran and fell in the ditch
I got my ass kicked

I said
Stop hurting me
Why are you kicking me?

I almost drowned
I tripped on a brick
I steped on a nail
I got a concussion

I said
Why why why why?
Ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow

It's passive, it's passive
It's passive aggressive
Rock and roll is here to stay

I said
Why why why why?
Ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow

Rock and roll is here to stay
Rock and roll is here to stay
Rock and roll is here to stay
Rock and roll is here to stay