"The Great Escape"
Single by Boys Like Girls
from the album Boys Like Girls
ReleasedMarch 3, 2007
Recorded2006
Genre
Length3:28
LabelColumbia, Red Ink
Songwriter(s)Martin Johnson, Sam Hollander, Dave Katz
Producer(s)Matt Squire
Boys Like Girls singles chronology
"Hero/Heroine"
(2006)		 "The Great Escape"
(2007)		 "Thunder"
(2008)
Music video
"The Great Escape" on YouTube

"The Great Escape" is the second single from Boys Like Girls' eponymous debut album and is their first single to chart on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at 23. The single has been certified platinum and gold by the RIAA.[2]

Background

According to the song's writer Martin Johnson in a lyric feature on Euphonia Online, the lyrical content of the song is about his graduating from high school.[3]

This song is about leaving the town I grew up in with my best friends at my side. A graduation-type song with a “we’re up to no good, fuck this town, let’s do it up for one more night” twist. I wrote it as a last hurrah to high school, growing up, and in a sense… the last night of being a kid. It’s the end of one chapter… with an outlook on the future… sort of like a prequel to the rest of the record.

Music video

The music video was directed by Alan Ferguson. Released in late February 2007, it was added to MTV playlists and received considerable airplay on those channels along with Fuse TV. The video was #1 on MTV's Total Request Live for 9 days in the summer and fall of 2008. It features the band on the road, as well as in concert, while detailing the journey of a group of their high school aged fans on the way to and during their best concert. It goes back and forth between the band and the high schoolers showing their journey as they both make their way to the concert the band will be playing at.

The song has also appeared as a downloadable track for the Xbox 360 karaoke game, Lips, and featured on the soundtrack of 2K Sports' Top Spin 3. The song is featured in the Nintendo DS version of the game by Activision, Band Hero and was made available as a downloadable track for the Rock Band game in June 2010. The song is featured on the soundtrack to the film The House Bunny. It was also used in promotion for the NBC show Life. The song was used in episode 64 and 154 of Running Man, and was used in episode 189 of Dream Team II. The song is also a playable level in the Nintendo Wii-exclusive video game We Cheer, We Cheer 2.

Track listing

CD single

  1. "The Great Escape" (Album Version)
  2. "Heels Over Head" (Tom Lord-Alge Mix)
  3. "The Great Escape" (Live)
Bonus Content:
  1. "The Great Escape" Ringtone
  2. Wallpaper Image

Charts

Certifications

Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[13] Silver 200,000‡
United States (RIAA)[14] Platinum 1,000,000*
United States (RIAA)[14]
Mastertone 		Gold 500,000*

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Country Date Format Label
United States[15] March 3, 2007 Contemporary hit radio Columbia Records

References

  1. ↑ "The 10 best songs from the 10 worst emo bands". Louder. Retrieved November 30, 2021.
  2. ↑ RIAA Gold & Platinum Searchable Database - Boys Like Girls - The Great Escape
  3. ↑ "Euphonia Online". Lyric Feature - Boys Like Girls by Boys Like Girls.
  4. ↑ "Boys Like Girls Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard.
  5. ↑ "Boys Like Girls Chart History (Canada CHR/Top 40)". Billboard. Retrieved February 25, 2021.
  6. ↑ "Boys Like Girls Chart History (Canada Hot AC)". Billboard. Retrieved February 25, 2021.
  7. ↑ "Boys Like Girls – The Great Escape". Top 40 Singles.
  8. ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  9. ↑ "Boys Like Girls Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  10. ↑ "Boys Like Girls Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard.
  11. ↑ "Boys Like Girls Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard.
  12. ↑ "Billboard Top 100 – 2007". Billboardtop100of.com. Retrieved February 25, 2021.
  13. ↑ "British single certifications – Boys Like Girls – The Great Escape". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved September 24, 2023.
  14. 1 2 "American single certifications – Boys Like Girls – The Great Escape". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved February 25, 2021.
  15. ↑ "FMQB: Radio Industry News, Music Industry Updates, Arbitron Ratings, Music News and more!". www.fmqb.com. Archived from the original on 2005-10-31.
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