Weak (Skunk Anansie song)

"Weak" is a song by British rock band Skunk Anansie, released on 15 January 1996, by One Little Indian, as the fourth and final single from their debut album, Paranoid & Sunburnt (1995). It reached number two in Iceland and became a top-20 hit in Sweden and on the UK Singles Chart.

Composition

Skin wrote the core of the song based on a past abusive relationship experience. The band helped build this out.

Recording

The song was produced by the band with Sylvia Massy. The band 'made a kind of “battle zone” in the studio for Skin, with all these banners and placards all over the place. She’d put on war paint.'

Critical reception

Roy Wilkinson from Select wrote, "'Weak' could be their 'Under the Bridge', an understated, casually memorable verse leading into a chorus thas has as much to do with Heart as Metallica."

Music video

The music video for "Weak" was directed by duo Hammer & Tongs. It is filmed primarily (with cutaways to third party views) from the point of view of a collapsed cameraman in what appears to be a restaurant carpark (Route 66). The cameraman collapses behind a car which then drives off to show Skin and the band forming to perform for the offset camera. The recording is interrupted by a little boy who, after being pulled out of the way of the camera abruptly, decides to run off with it and the band gives chase after him.

Track listings

• CD single – CD1

• CD single – CD2

Charts

Certifications

Later and cover versions

Skin performs a slower, more ballad-like version at many of her solo gigs.

The song was covered by Rod Stewart on his 1998 album, When We Were the New Boys.