Jimmy Eat World are spending this year celebrating the 25th anniversary of their landmark album Bleed American. The festivities include an anniversary tour and a video series delving into the album one song at a time. This week, the band is following up its recent episode about “Your House” with a new clip examining the hit single “Sweetness.”
“Sweetness” was the third single from Bleed American after the title track and the crossover smash “The Middle.” Powered by drummer Zach Lind’s propulsive backbeat and singer-guitarist Jim Adkins’ ultra-catchy “whoa-oh” chorus, the song was a No. 2 hit at U.S. alternative rock radio and became Jimmy Eat World’s second song to chart on the Billboard Hot 100. Its music video, directed by Tim Hope, kept the group in rotation on MTV as well.
As Adkins, Lind, and producer Mark Trombino explain, “Sweetness” dates back to the sessions for Jimmy Eat World’s prior album, 1998’s Clarity. “We had completed recording Clarity,” Adkins recalls. “It was mixed, but it was waiting for a release date. And we wrote ‘Sweetness’ in that time. We felt, ‘This is a really awesome song. We want to record this. Hey Capitol, let’s add this to the album!’” But the label was reluctant to change the album, so “Sweetness” became a part of Bleed American instead.
When Jimmy Eat World re-recorded “Sweetness” for Bleed American, “I think it ended up being a little bit heavier and a little bit more rock,” Lind says. But when Adkins plays his original demo in the video, he cites the influence of the Wedding Present’s “frantic guitar strumming.” Lind remembers hearing the demo and thinking, “If this song isn’t a hit, or a lot of people don’t like this song, there’s something wrong with the world.” And indeed, Adkins remembers live performances of “Sweetness” striking a chord with fans and peers like the Promise Ring’s Davey Von Bohlen long before it ended up on an album.
Transitioning from the demo to the studio tracks, Adkins shows how Lind’s percussive work, including the use of two drum kits, helped set apart the song’s anthemic chorus, as did additional layers of distorted guitar. He also discusses his vocal approach on the song, noting, “I definitely was on the hunt for a lot of harmonies.” Watching him dissect the track, isolating vocal takes and hidden piano tracks, will be a revelatory experience for fans.
Jimmy Eat World are currently in the midst of their Bleed American 25th anniversary tour through North America and the United Kingdom. The band is performing the album in full each night, then moving on to other highlights from throughout their career.
Listen to Jimmy Eat World’s “Sweetness” here.
