"Simple Song"
Single by The Shins
from the album Port of Morrow
ReleasedJanuary 10, 2012 (2012-01-10)
Recorded2011
GenreIndie rock
Length4:15
LabelAural Apothecary, Columbia
Songwriter(s)James Mercer
Producer(s)Greg Kurstin, James Mercer
The Shins singles chronology
"Sea Legs"
(2007)		 "Simple Song"
(2012)		 "It's Only Life"
(2012)

"Simple Song" is a song by American indie rock band The Shins from their fourth studio album Port of Morrow. Written by the group's frontman James Mercer, the song was released as the first single from the album.

Background

In an interview with Q, the band's frontman, James Mercer, has stated that the song was "about my wife, our relationship and this whole new life we [had] ahead of us." Additionally, Mercer stated that the song was also, in part, about the departures of drummer Jesse Sandoval and keyboardist Martin Crandall from The Shins.[1]

Explaining the origins of the song, Mercer revealed that he wrote the song in the living room of his apartment, shortly following his marriage and in the period leading to the birth of his first daughter.[1]

Musicians

Music video

The surrealist music video, staged as Mercer's funeral, was directed by DANIELS, a directing duo best known as the team behind the video for the song "Turn Down for What", and the films Swiss Army Man and Everything Everywhere All at Once. His backing band at the time, Richard Swift, Joe Plummer, Yuuki Matthews and Jessica Dobson, appeared in double roles as Mercer's children and as the performers of the song, although none of them were featured on the actual recording.

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2011) Peak
position
Belgium (Ultratip Flanders)[2] 4
Canada Alternative Rock (America's Music Charts)[3] 11
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[4] 192
Japan Hot 100 Singles (Billboard)[5] 96
Switzerland Airplay (Schweizer Hitparade)[6] 95
US Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles (Billboard)[7] 6
US Alternative Songs (Billboard)[8] 10
US Rock Songs (Billboard)[9] 19

Year-end charts

Chart (2012) Position
US Alternative Songs (Billboard)[10] 38
US Hot Rock Songs (Billboard)[11] 61

References

  1. 1 2 "Simple Song by The Shins Songfacts". Songfacts. Retrieved April 3, 2012.
  2. ↑ "Discografie The Shins". ultratop.be. Hung Medien. Retrieved April 3, 2012.
  3. ↑ "Canadian Active Rock & Alt Rock Chart Archive: Alternative Rock – April 3, 2012". America's Music Charts. April 3, 2012. Retrieved April 9, 2012.
  4. ↑ Zywietz, Tobias. "CLUK Update (31.03.2012)". Zobbel.de. Tobias Zywietz. Retrieved April 2, 2012.
  5. ↑ "Japan Hot 100 Singles" (requires registration). Billboard. Retrieved April 2, 2012.
  6. ↑ "Schweizer Airplay Charts 16/2012 - hitparade.ch". hitparade.ch. Retrieved February 25, 2022.
  7. ↑ "Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles – Issue Date: 2012-04-07" (requires registration). Billboard. Retrieved April 2, 2012.
  8. ↑ "The Shins Album & Song Chart History: Alternative Songs". Billboard. Retrieved April 2, 2012.
  9. ↑ "The Shins Album & Song Chart History: Alternative Songs" (To access peak, one must click the white area around the respective song). Billboard. Retrieved April 2, 2012.
  10. ↑ "Alternative Songs – Year-End 2012". Billboard. Retrieved September 6, 2018.
  11. ↑ "Hot Rock Songs – Year-End 2012". Billboard. Retrieved September 6, 2018.
  12. ↑ Jonah Hill/The Shins, retrieved 2020-03-09
  13. ↑ "The Shins Return to 'Letterman'". Rolling Stone. 2012-03-21. Archived from the original on 2020-07-13. Retrieved 2020-03-09.
  14. ↑ "'How I Met Your Mother' Music Supervisor Reveals Show's Top 10 Music Moments (Video)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2020-03-09.
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