Two Weeks (Grizzly Bear song)

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"Two Weeks"
Single by Grizzly Bear
from the album Veckatimest
ReleasedJune 1, 2009 (2009-06-01)
Recorded2008
Genre
Length4:03
LabelWarp
Songwriter(s)Grizzly Bear
Producer(s)Chris Taylor
Grizzly Bear singles chronology
"Knife"
(2007)
"Two Weeks"
(2009)
"While You Wait for the Others"
(2009)

"Two Weeks" is a song by the American indie rock band Grizzly Bear, and the first single from the band's third studio album, Veckatimest. Featuring backing vocals from Victoria Legrand, singer and organist for the dream pop duo Beach House, it was released as a single on June 1, 2009. The song's debut live performance was on the Late Show with David Letterman in July 2008.[5]

Music video[edit]

The video for "Two Weeks" was directed by Patrick Daughters. It features the band members sitting on an altar at an empty church, singing along to the song as slowly their heads and faces start to glow, then sparks fly from their heads and ultimately their heads catch fire as the video ends.[6] When interviewed by Amanda Petrusich, band singer Ed Droste explained:[7]

We don't ever dictate our videos, which is why they're each so different. They're always almost the opposite of what I would've imagined [for] them, which is actually what's really fun. It's sort of like getting a remix back. It's like, "What part of the song, what essence of the song, is that artist gonna pick up on and use?" Take the "Knife" video, which was really out there as well-- it was like, we liked what those artists [Encyclopedia Pictura] had done, and we said "You know what? Just do what you're gonna do and we'll release it."[7]

Reception[edit]

Upon its release, "Two Weeks" was acclaimed by music critics, and many regarded it as a highlight of Veckatimest.[8][9][10] Pitchfork Media ranked the song at No. 162 in its "Top 500 Tracks of the 2000s" list.[11] It was voted at No. 61 on Triple J's Hottest 100 for 2009.[12] Stereogum cited it as the sixth best song of the group.[13]

"Two Weeks" has gained popularity in YouTube, where its video clip (uploaded by the verified channel of the original group) has over 14 million views.[14] Das Racist refers to the song in the track "Free Jazzmatazz." They claim about their own song: "this is the best song ever. Better than 'Juicy' ... better than "Two Weeks" by Grizzly Bear. That's a pretty good song, right?"[15] Childish Gambino also sampled and rapped over the song, now called "Bitch Look At Me Now", on his 2010 mixtape I am Just a Rapper.[16][17]

The song was featured in the 2012 movie The Dictator, an episode of the television series How I Met Your Mother, and a Volkswagen commercial aired during Super Bowl XLIV.[18][19]

Track listing[edit]

No.TitleLength
1."Two Weeks"4:03
2."Two Weeks (Fred Falke Radio Mix)"3:57
3."Two Weeks (Fred Falke Extended Mix)"7:58
4."Two Weeks (Fred Falke Instrumental Mix)"7:58

Certifications[edit]

Region Certification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[20] Silver 200,000

Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References[edit]

  1. ^ Johnston, Maura (March 1, 2012). "Review: Some Nights". Spin. Archived from the original on May 23, 2012. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
  2. ^ Mitchell, Nick (May 18, 2009). "Grizzly Bear – Two Weeks". The Skinny. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
  3. ^ Beta, Andy (September 18, 2012). "Grizzly Bear, 'Shields,' (Warp)". Spin. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
  4. ^ Mapes, Jill (August 18, 2017). "Grizzly Bear: Painted Ruins Album Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
  5. ^ "Grizzly Bear Bring "Two Weeks" To Letterman". Stereogum. 24 July 2008. Retrieved November 23, 2008.
  6. ^ Richardson, Mark (May 22, 2009). "Video: Grizzly Bear's Creepy 'Two Weeks'". Pitchfork. Retrieved May 23, 2021.
  7. ^ a b Petrusich, Amanda (June 29, 2009). "Grizzly Bear". Pitchfork. Retrieved May 23, 2021.
  8. ^ "Veckatimest by Grizzly Bear reviews". AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
  9. ^ Greenblatt, Leah (20 May 2009). "Veckatimest". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved May 26, 2021.
  10. ^ Hoard, Christian (May 26, 2009). "Veckatimest : Grizzly Bear". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 27 March 2010. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
  11. ^ "Top 500 Tracks of the 2000s". Pitchfork Media. 18 August 2009. Archived from the original on 24 July 2012. Retrieved 23 November 2011.
  12. ^ "Triple J Hottest 100 Countdown 2009". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. January 2010. Retrieved November 23, 2011.
  13. ^ St. John, Colin. "The 10 Best Grizzly Bear Songs". Stereogum. Retrieved May 23, 2021.
  14. ^ Grizzly Bear - Two Weeks (music video in HD) Veckatimest out now (video). YouTube. Retrieved 22 Dec 2022.[dead YouTube link]
  15. ^ Hogan, Marc (February 2, 2012). "Das Racist Rap Over Grizzly Bear, Daniel Rossen Drops 'Silent Song'". Spin. Retrieved May 23, 2021.
  16. ^ "Childish Gambino I AM JUST A RAPPER Mixtape - Stream & Download - Stream & Download - DatPiff.com". Retrieved August 31, 2016.
  17. ^ "I Am Just a Rapper Mixtape". SoundCloud. Retrieved 2023-04-06.
  18. ^ "R.I.P., Brooklyn: How Grizzly Bear, Animal Collective, And Dirty Projectors Changed Pop".
  19. ^ "Grizzly Bear Soundtrack Volkswagon "Punchdub" Super Bowl Ad". Stereogum. 2010-02-08. Retrieved 2023-03-18.
  20. ^ "British single certifications – Grizzly Bear – Two Weeks". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved May 5, 2023.

External links[edit]