"Re-Offender"
Single by Travis
from the album 12 Memories
B-side"Definition of Wrong", "Enemy", "The Sea", "Don't Be Shy"
Released29 September 2003 (2003-09-29)[1]
Length3:48
LabelIndependiente
Songwriter(s)Fran Healy
Producer(s)Travis, Tchad Blake, Steve Orchard
Travis singles chronology
"Flowers in the Window"
(2002) 		"Re-Offender"
(2003) 		"The Beautiful Occupation"
(2003)

"Re-Offender" is a song by Scottish alternative rock band Travis, released as the first single from their fourth studio album, 12 Memories. It was released as a single in the UK on 29 September 2003 and peaked at number seven on the UK Singles Chart. The song featured in two episodes of One Tree Hill and is included in the compilation album One Tree Hill – Music from the WB Television Series, Vol. 1.[2]

Background

Re-Offender is about singer Fran Healy's dad's abusive behaviour towards to his mum. In a 2020 interview with Jaxsta, Healy revealed he had asked his mum why she stayed in the relationship for so long: 'She just always said the same thing: ‘He said, “I’m so sorry, I’ll never do it again.”’ And then he did it again.' [3]

The song reflects the darker themes of 12 Memories compared to the band's previous releases. In August 2003 Healy told NME: “I’ve always written about love and now that I’ve found that I’ve unblocked that particular thing. I’m writing about different things now. I had to change the subject matter. I’ve changed the whole way I approach songwriting".[4]

Music video

The music video depicts the band playing small venues in and around Glasgow. In the beginning the band are travelling in the same car but after several fall-outs and physical fights by the end the band are each travelling in separate vehicles. The video was directed by Anton Corbijn.

Track listing

  1. "Re-Offender" – 3:47
  2. "Definition of Wrong" – 2:44
  3. "Enemy" – 3:22
  1. "Re-Offender" – 3:47
  2. "The Sea" – 4:18
  3. "Don't Be Shy" – 4:46
  1. "Re-Offender" – 3:47
  2. "Definition of Wrong" – 2:44

Charts

Chart performance for "Re-Offender"
Chart (2003) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[5] 85
Ireland (IRMA)[6] 45
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[7] 87
Norway (VG-lista)[8] 12
Scotland (OCC)[9] 7
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[10] 84
UK Singles (OCC)[11] 7

References

  1. ^ "Key Releases: Singles". Music Week. 27 September 2003. p. 31.
  2. ^ [1] Song Facts retrieved 27/06/2023
  3. ^ [2] Jaxsta retrieved 27/06/2023
  4. ^ [3] NME retrieved 27/06/2023
  5. ^ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 284.
  6. ^ "Irish-charts.com – Discography Travis". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 17 January 2020.
  7. ^ "Travis – Re-Offender" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 9 February 2014.
  8. ^ "Travis – Re-Offender". VG-lista. Retrieved 9 February 2014.
  9. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 17 January 2020.
  10. ^ "Travis – Re-Offender". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 9 February 2014.
  11. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 9 February 2014.
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