Rollercoaster

Album: Strange Desire (2014)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This song finds Bleachers leader Jack Antonoff looking to channel his inner Springsteen. He told Radio.com the track was his attempt at making his own modern version of his fellow New Jersey native's 1984 hit tune, "Dancing In The Dark." "He's like the greatest songwriter in history, ever," Antonoff said of Springsteen. "He's just unapologetic and not afraid to make you dance or make you cry."
  • The song's music video was filmed by writer/director Richard Shephard (Dom Hemingway, The Matador, The Hunting Party). Antonoff knew the writer/director from the eight Girls episodes he'd helmed. (Antonoff's girlfriend Lena Dunham is the creator, writer and co-star of The HBO series.)

    It was Antonoff who came to Shephard with the concept of the band playing on top of a van without realizing how dangerous that would be. "The idea of getting on top of a car and playing on a highway felt distinctly '90s in a way that excited me about videos I saw growing up. Didn't think it would be acutely dangerous — the brakes ended up going out and we literally almost died," Antonoff said via Pitchfork. "There's something special about almost dying for a video."

    "Beyond that, 'Rollercoaster' was written while I was driving home on the NJ turnpike," he added. "The song always felt like driving on a highway to me sonically."
  • The track soundtracks a commercial for Chase Bank's integration of Apple Pay. We see Jack Antonoff getting a haircut and the band eating tacos. Both are paid for using the mobile payment system via the iPhone 6.
  • The iconic riff from "Rollercoaster" came from Antonoff experimenting with a synthesizer at his home studio in New Jersey. He described the process to CBS Sunday Morning as "just playing around," demonstrating how inspiration can stem from casual creativity.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Fire On The Stage

Fire On The StageSong Writing

When you have a song called "Fire," it's tempting to set one - these guys did.

Tom Keifer of Cinderella

Tom Keifer of CinderellaSongwriter Interviews

Tom talks about the evolution of Cinderella's songs through their first three albums, and how he writes as a solo artist.

Zakk Wylde

Zakk WyldeSongwriter Interviews

When he was playing Ozzfest with Black Label Society, a kid told Zakk he was the best Ozzy guitarist - Zakk had to correct him.

70s Music Quiz 1

70s Music Quiz 1Music Quiz

The '70s gave us Muppets, disco and Van Halen, all which show up in this groovy quiz.

Dave Pirner of Soul Asylum

Dave Pirner of Soul AsylumSongwriter Interviews

Dave explains how the video appropriated the meaning of "Runaway Train," and what he thought of getting parodied by Weird Al.

Ben Kowalewicz of Billy Talent

Ben Kowalewicz of Billy TalentSongwriter Interviews

The frontman for one of Canada's most well-known punk rock bands talks about his Eddie Vedder encounter, Billy Talent's new album, and the importance of rock and roll.