Weak (Skunk Anansie song)

"Weak" is a song by British rock band Skunk Anansie, released on 15 January 1996 as the fourth and final single from their debut album, Paranoid & Sunburnt (1995).

"Weak"
Single by Skunk Anansie
from the album Paranoid & Sunburnt
B-side	"Tour Hymn"
Released	15 January 1996 (1996-01-15)[1]
Length	3:33
Label	One Little Indian
Songwriters	Skin Cass Lewis Martin Kent Robbie France
Producers	Sylvia Massy Skunk Anansie
Skunk Anansie singles chronology
"Charity" (1995) "Weak" (1996) "All I Want" (1996)

Composition

Skin wrote the core of the song based on a past abusive relationship experience. The band helped build this out.^[2]

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.'^[3]

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."^[4]

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

#	Title	Length
1.	"Weak"	3:33
2.	"Selling Jesus"	3:44
3.	"Tour Hymn"	3:18

• CD single – CD2

#	Title	Length
1.	"Weak (Ackee And Saltfish Mix)"	3:56
2.	"Charity (Clit Pop Mix)"	4:34
3.	"100 Ways To Be A Good Girl (Anti Matter Mix)"	4:32
4.	"Rise Up (Bonhamoon Mix)"	5:00

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1996) Peak position Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[5] 36 Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)[6] 2 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[7] 35 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[8] 31 Scotland Singles (OCC)[9] 21 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[10] 12 UK Singles (OCC)[11] 20

Year-end charts Chart (1996) Position Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)[12] 45 Sweden (Topplistan)[13] 64

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[14]	Silver	200,000‡
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

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.