In the Meantime (Spacehog song)

"In the Meantime" is the debut single of English alternative rock band Spacehog, from their debut album, Resident Alien (1995). It samples the Penguin Cafe Orchestra song "Telephone and Rubber Band". Released in 1996, the single peaked atop the US Billboard Mainstream Rock chart and the UK Rock Chart. It additionally reached number 32 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 29 on the UK Singles Chart while reaching the top 50 in Australia, Canada, Iceland, New Zealand and Sweden.

"In the Meantime"
Single by Spacehog
from the album Resident Alien
B-side	"To Be a Millionaire... Was It Likely?" (live) "Zeroes"
Released	19 March 1996 (1996-03-19)
Genre	Alternative rock[1] glam rock[2]
Length	4:58
Label	Sire Elektra
Songwriter(s)	Royston Langdon
Producer(s)	Bryce Goggin
Spacehog singles chronology
"In the Meantime" (1996) "Cruel to Be Kind" (1996)
Music video
"In the Meantime" on YouTube

Meaning

In a 2018 interview, lead singer Royston Langdon said:

It's me trying to reach people. It's using some kind of metaphor of a worldly or inner-worldly search for the end of isolation, and the acceptance of one's self is in there. At the end of the day it's saying whatever you gotta do, it's OK, it's alright. And I think that's also me talking to myself, getting through my wan anxieties and fear of death. That's what it all comes down to. What's so beautiful about it is that it continues to connect with people.^[3]

Track listings and formats

• US CD and cassette single^[4][5]

1. "In the Meantime"  – 5:01
2. "To Be a Millionaire... Was It Likely?" (live) – 3:41

• Australian and European CD single^[6][7]

1. "In the Meantime" (edit) – 4:31
2. "Zeroes"  – 6:38
3. "To Be a Millionaire... Was It Likely?" (live) – 3:35

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1996–1997) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[8] 40 Canada Top Singles (RPM)[9] 33 Canada Rock/Alternative (RPM)[10] 6 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[11] 88 Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)[12] 26 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[13] 45 Scotland (OCC)[14] 28 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[15] 36 UK Singles (OCC)[16] 29 UK Rock & Metal (OCC)[17] 1 US Billboard Hot 100[18] 32 US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)[19] 2 US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[20] 1 US Pop Airplay (Billboard)[21] 37

Year-end charts Chart (1996) Position Canada Rock/Alternative (RPM)[22] 38 US Mainstream Rock Tracks (Billboard)[23] 4 US Modern Rock Tracks (Billboard)[24] 8

Release history

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)	Ref.
United States	20 February 1996	Contemporary hit radio	Elektra	[25]
	19 March 1996	CD		[26]
United Kingdom	29 April 1996	CD cassette	Sire Elektra	[27]
United Kingdom (re-release)	16 December 1996			[28]

In other media

An early demo version of the song plays over the credits of Michael Almereyda's 1994 film Nadja.

Mashup artist Girl Talk layered "In the Meantime" over the Terror Squad hip-hop song, "Lean Back" in his album All Day.

An excerpt of the re-recorded version of the song is used as the opening theme to the VH1 television series Hindsight in addition to appearing on the show's second episode.

The song features as a playable track in videogames Guitar Hero 5 (having been re-recorded by the band) and Rock Band 3 (in its original version present in Resident Alien).

The song is the opening music to David Spade's 1998 HBO special Take the Hit.

The song is featured in the series premiere and season 1 finale of the Netflix show Everything Sucks!,^[29] the 2009 comedy film Fanboys and an episode of the ABC show, Schooled, "CB Saves the Planet".

The song is featured in both the first trailer for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 and the movie itself.^[30]

The song is featured in the second season of the Netflix series That '90s Show

References

1. "The 96 Best Alternative Rock Songs of 1996". Spin. 31 August 2016. Retrieved 2 November 2020.
2. Anderson, Kyle (16 May 2013). "Spacehog's Royston Langdon on getting the band back together, auditioning for Velvet Revolver, and one fateful motorcycle ride". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2 November 2020.
3. Wiser, Carl (10 April 2018). "Royston Langdon of Spacehog". Songfacts. Retrieved 19 December 2018.
4. In the Meantime (US CD single liner notes). Spacehog. Elektra Records. 1996. 64303-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
5. In the Meantime (US cassette single liner notes). Spacehog. Sire Records. 1996. 4-64303.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
6. In the Meantime (Australian CD single liner notes). Spacehog. Sire Records. 1996. 7599643162.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
7. In the Meantime (European CD single liner notes). Spacehog. Sire Records. 1996. 7599-64316-9.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
8. "Spacehog – In the Meantime". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 27 October 2018.
9. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 2990." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 27 October 2018.
10. "Top RPM Rock/Alternative Tracks: Issue 2905." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 27 October 2018.
11. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 14, no. 4. 25 January 1997. p. 23. Retrieved 5 July 2020.
12. "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (15.6. – 21.6. '96)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 15 June 1996. p. 26. Retrieved 2 October 2019.
13. "Spacehog – In the Meantime". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 27 October 2018.
14. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 27 October 2018.
15. "Spacehog – In the Meantime". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 27 October 2018.
16. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 27 October 2018.
17. "Official Rock & Metal Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 27 October 2018.
18. "Spacehog Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 16 March 2019.
19. "Spacehog Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved 16 March 2019.
20. "Spacehog Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved 16 March 2019.
21. "Spacehog Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 16 March 2019.
22. "RPM Year End Alternative Top 50". RPM. Retrieved 27 October 2018 – via Library and Archives Canada.
23. "The Year in Music: Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks". Billboard. Vol. 108, no. 52. 28 December 1996. p. YE-76.
24. "The Year in Music: Hot Modern Rock Tracks". Billboard. Vol. 108, no. 52. 28 December 1996. p. YE-78.
25. "Selected New Releases" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1133. 16 February 1996. p. 40. Retrieved 12 August 2021.
26. "In the Meantime / To Be a Millionaire". Amazon. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
27. "Reviews – Records Out on April 29 1996: Singles". Music Week. 20 April 1996. p. 10.
28. "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 14 December 1996. p. 43. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
29. "The 16 best songs featured on Netflix's '90s nostalgia series 'Everything Sucks!'".
30. "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 Trailer". YouTube. December 2022.

External links

• https://www.allmusic.com/album/r228688