Pardon Me

Album: Make Yourself (1999)
Charted: 61 102
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Songfacts®:

  • Incubus lead singer Brandon Boyd was going through a period of unrest when he wrote this song where he vents some steam, particularly on the memorable chorus line, "Pardon me while I burst into flames."

    Boyd explained the meaning: "I was in a bookstore, browsing through an old Life magazine, when I saw a picture of what the article called spontaneous human combustion. There were an old guy's legs and shoes, perfectly intact - then, right around his knee area, was just a pile of charred ashes. I was going through some turmoil in my life, both good and bad, and the image struck a chord, so I wrote a song about it." >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Tim - Pittsburgh, PA
  • I never thought I would be at 23
    On the verge of spontaneous combustion


    Boyd really was 23 when Incubus released this song on their third album, Make Yourself. He was 15 when the band formed in 1991.
  • "Pardon Me" was the first single from the Make Yourself album. It got a lot of airplay on Alternative radio and drew many new fans to the band. It dented the Hot 100 pop chart at #102 but reached #3 on the Modern Rock Tracks, the band's first Billboard showing. The next single was "Stellar," which spent a week at #107 on the Hot 100 but was also a Modern Rock hit, climbing to #2. Finally, a more mellow song from the album called "Drive" was issued, and it crossed over; Incubus fans and their moms both liked it. The song climbed to #9 on the Hot 100 and got loads of airplay. It also reached #1 on Modern Rock Tracks, giving the three singles from the album a progression of 1-2-3.
  • Incubus turntablist Chris Kilmore gets a lot of action on this one, doing some impressive scratching in the instrumental breaks. Linkin Park, with DJ Joe Hahn, was another popular band that incorporated turntables into their sound around this time.

    The scratching sounded fresh and new to young ears but disqualified the song from many radio formats that feared their older listeners would change the station as soon as they heard it.
  • Incubus came in close contact with drum-and-bass and electronic music in the mid-to-late '90s when they played on festivals with the likes of Roni Size and Chemical Brothers. Those sounds they incorporated into "Pardon Me."

    "We'd do our set at the festival at noon and then we'd go and watch all these bands," Brandon Boyd told Revolver. "We'd be in the front of like 50,000 people in the barricade, right in front of the subs. It resonated. We were filtering all these influences, and we thought, What if we played with some of those references, some of those rhythms, and then combined them somehow with all this other music that we know and love? 'Pardon Me' was the result of that: the sped-up jazz drumbeat and the slower half-time thing with the heavy guitars.

    Another track Boyd mentions with this influence is "Nice To Know You" from their next album, Morning View.
  • The music video, directed by Steven Murashige, is rather abstract and rich with special effects. Incubus has a very artistic sensibility, with drummer Jose Pasillas and lead singer Brandon Boyd both talented artists, so their videos are rarely straightforward.
  • Incubus performed this song rather memorably on a 2001 episode of the sketch comedy show Mad TV. Each member wore mullet wigs; drummer Jose Pasillas put pillows in his shirt to make him look fat, Brandon Boyd pulled off part of his pants, and Chris Kilmore had a really long goatee. >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Tim - Pittsburgh, PA
  • On September 11, 2001, Incubus was in New York City doing pre-promotion for their Morning View album, set to start a tour the would return them to the city to play the Hammerstein Ballroom on September 15 and 16. When the attacks happened, their hotel room shook and they were engulfed in the mayhem. Just about everything shut down that week, but Incubus decided to move forward with their tour and play those shows at the Hammerstein. On September 14, Clear Channel, the largest radio station owner in the United States, sent their station a list of songs to avoid, fearing they would trigger listeners. Many songs on the list referenced explosions or fire - "Great Balls of Fire" and "Disco Inferno" were both on it.

    This was an inflection point when we realized most of us are resilient enough to confront tragedy and work out way through it, and songs could help, especially in a live environment. Incubus went ahead and played "Pardon Me," complete with the chorus about bursting into flames. It was an apt metaphor for how many people were feeling, and for many in the crowd, it helped with the healing.

Comments: 17

  • Richie from Batavia, Nyanother message I've noticed from the video,is that he could be facing the inevitability of aging (staring at the future version of himself) then accepting it,and turning around and starting a band..but now with the knowledge of the pitfalls of being seen by so many, he is able to stay grounded and control himself throughout his journey.
  • Richie from Batavia, Nyi think a strong meaning behind this song is to gain a good understanding with pops before going out into the world and doing something big like forming a band (God permitting),if that option is available and rational of course
  • Tara from Dallas, TxHe's pardoning himself. Love it.
  • Corey from Richmond, VaGreat song. "I've had enough of the world
    and its people's mindless games" love that part. It how I feel most of the time in school, being picked on all the time.
  • Jackie from Vernon, CtI love this song. This song reminds me of the buddhist monk who was the first monk to self imomolat in 1963 to protest for the rights of the buddhist. He set himself on fire....I love this song....Very intense, beautiful, and I love that it's accoustic!!!
  • Ann from Scottsdale, AzThis song, and the lyrics, remind me of my son, 23, who was killed a few years ago. It was his favorite, he listened to the acoustic version all the time. It was completely about him and his short life. We played it at his funeral. It spoke to us, still does. I listen to it when I want to think of him close to those of us he left behind. It reminds us that he is like the Phoenix, rising above the flames, watching over us.
  • Jimmy from Oakdale, CtI love this song..I use this to jump start my dayy.
  • Mark from Tauranga, United StatesI love this song, it just goves me so much spiritual emotion and motivation. I feel like screw all those arrogant people in the world!!!! It's my life not yours!
  • Cassey from Dallas, Txhe is tired of all the dramma that happens . he is telling us that he is going to be better that all that
  • Dervla from Dublin, Irelandthe first time i heard this song i loved it. to me it is about being reborn, starting life over again, like a new phonix rising from the ashes its parent. i belive it is about changing perspective and starting again.
  • Tim from Pittsburgh, PaThis song is one of the ones, where the meanings are virtually infinite. Everyone has their own interpretation. That is all that matters.
  • Mel from Sydney, AustraliaBrandon is the love of my life. This is one of their most intense songs and one of my favourite songs...i dont know what id do if he burst into flames
  • Eduardo from Passo Fundo, Brazili don't know... i relate it to my depression and my great will to do auto-mutilation in that time.
  • Erika from Yuma, Azthis song is the definition of a person who is too nice to blow up in front of someone who has angered them but over time start to biuld a bomb and eventually burst into flames.
  • Kate from Wellington, New ZealandI love this song sooooo much because its amazing how much i can relate to it.
  • Helen from Dublin, IrelandIt's amazing what things can make sense when you're depressed. I had a bit of a moment like that a couple of years ago. Everything in my life was great but for some reason I just couldn't stop crying if anyone even looked at me. It was quite a scary time for me cos I didn't know what was going on but just one quote from a book cleared everything up and set me back on track. I suppose that's what's called an epiphany. People think I'm mad when I mention that and maybe I am but at least I don't know it anymore!!
  • Josiah from Minneapolis, MnThis song speaks to a different level in change in a person's heart and being. how a person can just be lost and torn and feel like they're about to just explode. But also rise from the ashes from that fire. Rise above what is going on and become someone new and better because what doesn't kill you only makes you stronger, or require brief hospitalization.
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