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"Around My Head" is the second single and ninth track on American rock band Cage the Elephant's second album, Thank You Happy Birthday. The single was released globally on May 4, 2011. A music video for the single was released on June 7, 2011.

Live performances

The song was performed live on 92 occasions, including Lollapalooza 2012. It has not been performed live since September 2012.

Background and composition

The song starts on a soft guitar riff, over which lead singer Matthew Shultz sings a melody which matches that of the riff. The influence behind the song has been attributed to the Pixies, and Shultz has stated that he wanted his yells to "sound like Black Francis", who is the band's lead singer.

Music video

A music video for the song, directed by Chris Marrs Piliero, was released on June 7, 2011. The video features the band attending a funeral for a woman. Later, at night time, lead singer Matthew Shultz, has trouble sleeping. He goes to the graveyard and digs up the woman's grave, and then takes the woman's zombie-like carcass to parties, restaurants and barbecues. His band-mates, friends and other bystanders take great amusement in the slapstick humor that ensues. Throughout the video, Shultz accidentally grills her face and loses her arm. At the end of the video, it is revealed that Shultz was dreaming. After he wakes, he actually goes to the graveyard and digs up the grave. When he presents it to his bandmates at the end of the video, however, they are disgusted; rhythm guitarist Brad Shultz vomits when he sees the carcass, and drummer Jared Champion asks Matthew Shultz "What the fuck is wrong with you, dude?" Matthew then reluctantly states that he would put her back where he found her.

Reception

Reception to the single was generally mixed. Music review site AllMusic recommended the track as one of the best tracks of the album. However, writer Nikita Miller of music and photography site Hive Magazine states that "the song doesn’t seem thought about at all, basically just a quick in and out of the studio"., although she goes on to say that "it’s a fun song to listen to, in that they’ve added those “oohs” and “aahs” and used the guitars cleverly enough to convey an almost “Weezer-like” happiness in this song." Bradley Ray of The Celebrity Cafe criticized the video, saying "it fails to be shocking and it isn’t really that funny either." The song was not as commercially successful as the first single from the album, "Shake Me Down."

Chart performance

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications

References

1. "Cage the Elephant—Around My Head". Blog Lyrics. May 4, 2011. Archived from the original on May 6, 2011. Retrieved July 24, 2011.
2. "Around My Head Video Premiere on MTV van Cage The Elephant op Myspace". Myspace.com. Retrieved 2012-09-29.
3. "New Music Review: Cage The Elephant's New Single Sounds Too Much Like Pixies | Speak Into My Good Eye". Speak Into My Good Eye. 2011-01-01. Retrieved 2012-09-29.
4. "Bio — Cage the Elephant". Cagetheelephant.com. 2011-01-11. Archived from the original on 2012-05-11. Retrieved 2012-09-29.
5. "Around My Head | Cage The Elephant | Music Video". MTV. Archived from the original on June 11, 2011. Retrieved 2012-09-29.
6. Bradley Ray. "Video Review: "Around My Head"". TheCelebrityCafe.com. Retrieved 2012-09-29.
7. Jeffries, David (2011-01-11). "Thank You Happy Birthday – Cage the Elephant". AllMusic. Retrieved 2012-09-29.
8. "REVIEW // Cage the Elephant 'Around My Head'". Nikita Miller, Hive Magazine. May 17, 2011.
9. "REVIEW // Cage the Elephant 'Around My Head'". Hive Magazine. May 17, 2011.
10. "Video Review: "Around My Head". Bradley Ray, The Celebrity Cafe. June 7, 2011.
11. "Cage the Elephant Chart History (Canada Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved August 17, 2021.
12. "CAge the Elephant Chart History (Hot Rock & Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved August 17, 2021.
13. "Alternative Songs – Year-End 2011". Billboard. Retrieved August 17, 2021.
14. "American single certifications – Cage the Elephant – Around My Head". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved November 22, 2022.

v t e Cage the Elephant
Matt Shultz Brad Shultz Nick Bockrath Jared Champion Daniel Tichenor Matthan Minster
Studio albums	Cage the Elephant Thank You, Happy Birthday Melophobia Tell Me I'm Pretty Social Cues Neon Pill
Live albums	Unpeeled
Singles	"In One Ear" "Ain't No Rest for the Wicked" "Back Against the Wall" "Shake Me Down" "Around My Head" "Aberdeen" "Come a Little Closer" "Cigarette Daydreams" "Mess Around" "Trouble" "Cold Cold Cold" "Ready to Let Go"
Related articles	Discography
Category

• 2011 singles
• Cage the Elephant songs
• Music videos directed by Chris Marrs Piliero
• Song recordings produced by Jay Joyce
• 2011 songs
• Relentless Records singles
• Jive Records singles
• Songs written by Matt Shultz (singer)