Foo Fighters released “Everlong” as a single in 1997.
The song was the second single from The Colour and the Shape, the band’s second studio album. It was released on August 18, 1997, after being recorded in early 1997 at Grandmaster Recorders in Hollywood. The track became one of Foo Fighters’ signature songs and remains among their most recognizable recordings.
Dave Grohl wrote the song during a difficult period involving his divorce. He developed the initial idea at Bear Creek Studios in Washington before completing the song in Virginia in roughly 45 minutes. Its lyrics were inspired partly by his relationship with Louise Post of Veruca Salt, who also contributed backing vocals through telephone lines because she was away in Chicago during recording.
A common mix-up is confusing the single’s release year with the year of its album or later popularity. The Colour and the Shape also came out in 1997, while the song’s music video received an MTV Video Music Award nomination in 1998. Taylor Hawkins appears as the drummer in the video, but Grohl actually played drums on the recording.