Allison Road (song)

"Allison Road" is a song by the American alternative rock band Gin Blossoms.

"Allison Road"
Single by Gin Blossoms
from the album New Miserable Experience
Released1994
Genre
Length3:21
LabelA&M
Songwriter(s)Robin Wilson
Gin Blossoms singles chronology
"Found Out About You"
(1994)		 "Allison Road"
(1994)		 "Til I Hear It from You"
(1995)

Background

In 1989, Robin Wilson passed by a sign on his way to El Paso that read "Next Exit Allison Road." The friend with whom he was riding had a sister named Allison, and so they stopped to take a picture. Five months later, Wilson had the picture and was bored. In a Billboard interview from 1994, he recalled:

I walked to the other room, sat down in front of the television and turned on CNN. And the moment the TV turned on I heard that little melody in my head; 'On Allison Road.' And I was like, 'Shit!' So I turned off the TV, climbed over the couch and went back in my bedroom and the song was pretty much done 20 minutes later.[4]

The exit sign for Allison Road is located on Interstate 10 in Roosevelt, Texas.

At this point in the band's history, Wilson had struggled in convincing his bandmates to record the songs he had written: in particular, guitarist Doug Hopkins would often refuse to rehearse Wilson's tracks or help him finish songs. However, "Allison Road" had impressed his bandmates sufficiently to earn a place on the band's album. Wilson recalled, "When I came in with 'Allison Road,' it was hard for everybody, even Doug, to deny that I had a significant contribution to make to the songs."[5]

Release

"Allison Road" was a moderate hit when released as the fourth single from New Miserable Experience, charting on the Airplay charts in the US as well as reaching number 21 in Canada.

Critical reception

"Allison Road" saw praise from music critics. Ed Masley of The Arizona Republic listed the song as the Gin Blossom's ninth best song on his list of the band's top 30 tracks, dubbing the song a "jangle-rocking gem."[2]

Charts
Chart (1994) Peak
position
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[6] 21[7]
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[8] 31
US Adult Top 40 (Billboard)[9] 38
US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)[10] 39
US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[11] 20
US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)[12] 11

Footnotes
  1. Unterberger, Andrew. "Top Ten Mediocre Post-Grunge / Alternative Bands". Stylus Magazine. Archived from the original on August 15, 2015. Retrieved July 30, 2015.
  2. Masley, Ed. "30 best Gin Blossoms songs including 'Hey Jealousy,' 'Follow You Down' and 'Mrs. Rita'". The Arizona Republic. Retrieved 7 April 2021.
  3. "The 100 Best Alternative Rock Songs Of 1994". SPIN. August 18, 2014. Archived from the original on August 17, 2021. Retrieved March 19, 2022.
  4. Boehlert, Eric (15 October 1994), "The modern age". Billboard. 106 (42):95
  5. "Robin Wilson Invites Us To His Front Yard Show, Talks Gin Blossoms". American Songwriter. 5 August 2020. Retrieved 7 April 2021.
  6. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 2382." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved March 15, 2018.
  7. "Top Singles - Volume 60, No. 16". RPM (Library and Archives Canada). November 7, 1994. Archived from the original on October 21, 2012. Retrieved March 10, 2011.
  8. "Gin Blossoms Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved March 15, 2018.
  9. "Gin Blossoms Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved March 15, 2018.
  10. "Gin Blossoms Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved March 15, 2018.
  11. "Gin Blossoms Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved March 15, 2018.
  12. "Gin Blossoms Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved March 15, 2018.


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