Songfacts®:

• This is about a trip while using the drug Ketamine, better known as Special K. This song describes all of the feelings usually associated with using the drug. Frontman Brian Molko told Vox in 2001: "It's comparing the rush with falling head over heels in love or being infatuated with someone and coming upon controlled substances of any kind. The moral of the story is what comes up must come down." >>>

  Suggestion credit:
  Chas - Webster, NY
• Ketamine is an animal anesthetic taken illicitly for its unusual semi-hallucinogenic qualities. >>>

  Suggestion credit:
  Bertrand - Paris, France
• Molko shared another interpretation of the tune in a 2001 Virgin Mega interview, saying: "It's about suicide rates going up on public holidays: Valentine's Day, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve. All the lonely people get extremely depressed. It can be quite a dark period if you find yourself alone. Especially with birthdays for me, it always reminds me of all the things that were crap about my childhood, so I don't like them. It's that kind of vibe in the song. It's a song about desperation. It's making the link between special days being spent with people that you love and if they're not there, or if you don't have anybody, it's kind of a dark time."
• This was released as the third single from Placebo's third studio album, but it wasn't eligible for the UK singles chart because of the way it was packaged. Initially, Placebo wanted to release it as a two-part CD set as well as a 12" vinyl release, but when radio stations refused to play the song because of its drug references, the band retooled the release in defiance. Instead of the mandatory two-disc single release, they issued a one-disc EP containing seven tracks and a video. The band explained the situation on their website:
  
  "The British Music Industry which has recently been championing disposable, facile pop and music which promotes homophobia, misogyny and violence has in its infinite wisdom, taken offence to the lyrical content of our new single 'Special K.'
  
  This combined with our ongoing dissatisfaction with the two CD system, since we feel it rips off genuine music fans, has forced us to take the decision to bypass the system completely. 'Special K' will therefore be released on one single, available at regular CD single price, and comprise of 8 items which will make it non chart eligible.
  
  We feel this is the best deal for our fans and that it drives home the statement that we don't care about chart positions.
  
  Take care and have respect for each other. Keep the faith and never let the sycophants and small minded people of this world get you down."
• The futuristic music video, directed by Howard Greenhalgh ("Slave To The Wage "), opens in the microbiology unit of a scientific building, where the band are being prepped for a mission to rescue their ailing drummer, Steve Hewitt. Molko mans a spaceship and is shrunk down to miniature proportions to be sent on a journey through Hewitt's body.
  
  The clip was inspired by the 1966 movie Fantastic Voyage, starring Raquel Welch as a member of a shrunken submarine crew that ventures into the body of an injured scientist to save his life. Said Molko: "In this video I play Raquel Welch. Unfortunately, the budget didn't stretch to fake breasts." He added: "I had a great time pretending to be in a spaceship. It's like being a kid again."