Released February 23, 1999 Recorded 1998 Length 3:26 | Format CD, 7", 12", cassette Genre Alternative rock Label Reprise | |
"It's All Been Done" is a song by the Canadian alternative rock group Barenaked Ladies. It was released as the second single from their 1998 album, Stunt.
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Steven Page apparently wrote this song after being embarrassed at how "wordy" his song "Brian Wilson" was. He decided he wanted to write something with a simple phrase like "woo hoo hoo" in the chorus.
The song was successful in Canada, peaking at No. 1 on the Canadian Singles Chart. Although not as internationally popular as their previous single, "One Week", the song was used as the theme song for the television series Baby Blues. The song is also notable for being one of the band's first to feature an electric guitar solo by Ed Robertson.
The band performed the song on Saturday Night Live, Late Night with Conan O'Brien and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. On The Tonight Show, actor David Duchovny, who had appeared as a guest earlier in the program, joined the band for the song in the musical segment, playing an egg shaker. The band had arranged it with the actor after an impromptu meeting a week earlier while shooting a television guest appearance at a studio lot.
Since the 2008–09 NHL season, it has been played during Detroit Red Wings games played at Joe Louis Arena.
Music video
The video was directed by Doug Aitken and was filmed in the former house of comedian Andrew Dice Clay. The concept of the video was that it was seen from the point of view of various household pets (a cat, a dog, a goldfish, and a bird). Robertson was disappointed with the filming of the video while it was being shot, as he did not feel it was capturing the feeling of the concept.
Track listing
- "It's All Been Done" (album version)
- "Brian Wilson" (live version from Rock Spectacle)
- "The Old Apartment" (live version from Rock Spectacle)