"Handlebars" is the debut single released by the indie rap rock group Flobots from Denver, Colorado. It was originally recorded for Flobots Present...Platypus but it was re-released in October 2007 on the group's commercial debut album, Fight with Tools, before its single release in April 2008.

In addition to the more common hard rock instruments, "Handlebars" features horns and strings reminiscent of the metro college indie band Cake. The song was performed live on the June 5, 2008 edition of The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.

Track Listing

CD Single

1. "Handlebars" - 3:27
2. "Rise" - 4:10

7" Vinyl

1. "Handlebars" - 3:27
2. "Handlebars" (DJ Shadow Remix) - 4:03

Meaning

The song "is about the idea that we have so much incredible potential as human beings to be destructive or to be creative," Flobots' MC Jonny 5 (a.k.a. Jamie Laurie) told MTV. "And it's tragic to me that the appetite for military innovation is endless, but when it comes to taking on a project like ending world hunger, it's seen as outlandish. It's not treated with the same seriousness."

"...at the same time, I knew there were people at that moment who were being bombed by our own country. And I thought that was incredibly powerful." It is the contrast between these "little moments of creativity, these bursts of innovation," and the way these ideas are put to use "to oppress and destroy people" that the singer feels is both "beautiful and tragic at the same time."

Music video

The video for the song is entirely animated. It starts out lighthearted, showing two young friends riding their bikes without their hands on the handlebars. They arrive at a sign that points in two directions, one labeled with a corporate-like symbol, and the other labeled by a dove. They hug and head their separate ways.

The video's events escalate in tension and culminate in the corporate friend holding a dictator-like position of power, while the other friend has become a radical against him, while he is having such a horrible time in the regular town area the corporate area eventually begins to tear it down and they rebel. The rebelious friend is shot and killed, along with all of the other followers, in front of the shocked corporate friend.

The video ends with a flash back of the two friends pedaling off riding with no handlebars into a bright light.

Chart performance

On May 1, 2008, less than three weeks after release, the song peaked at #3 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks. Fueled by radio airplay, including six straight weeks at the top of KROQ's most played list, it was the first single since Semisonic's "Closing Time" to chart in the top ten so quickly.

It has had similar success on the digital landscape, having over 1,900,000 total plays on the band's MySpace.com page and over 10,000,000 views on YouTube. Digital download purchases have placed the song at #4 on certain rap and hip-hop charts on Amazon.com.

"Handlebars" has also performed well on the Billboard charts. Peaking at number three on the Modern Rock Tracks chart, number twenty-two on the Hot Digital Songs chart, number thirty-five on the Pop 100 chart, number thirty-seven on the Hot 100 chart, number sixty-three on the Canadian Hot 100

On September 7 2008, the song entered the UK Singles Chart at #35 on downloads alone and has so far peaked at #14.

Chart (2008)	Peak position
U.S. Billboard Hot Modern Rock Tracks	3
U.S. Billboard Hot Digital Songs	20
U.S. Billboard Pop 100	34
U.S. Billboard Hot 100	37
UK Singles Chart	14
New Zealand Singles Chart	26
Canadian Hot 100	63

References