Content
Single
Infected was the third single off of Stranger Than Fiction. There are basically four different versions of the CD: Infected Live EP, Infected, Infected 1, and Infected 2.
Danny Goldberg (from Atlantic Records) said in 2004: "When it comes to picking what song should be a single from an album, it's usually better to listen to what the marketplace wants. We had an idea on what the single would be from Bad Religion's new album at Atlantic, and KROQ, a Los Angeles station, had another in mind; it kept playing 'Infected.' I said: 'We're not going to pick what one station likes. We pick what we like.' In retrospect, I wish I had done what KROQ suggested."
Video
At first, Don Knotts was considered to play Erik Estrada's (CHiPs) part. Jay: "We tried to get Don Knotts to do it (he played the deputy on the Andy Griffith show), but he would have no part of it. So we called Eric Estrada, who was totally cool about it, and he did it no prob. I don't know what the concept of the video was, except we got to crash cars in the desert!" Graffin about Estrada: "If the highway patrol could have rock stars, he would've been the one."
According to Brett, the Infected video depicting the band driving cars was shoved down their throats by the record label and has nothing to do with the song.[1]
Photo of the band with Estrada on the set of the video shoot, from Bobby's personal collection.
Song meaning
Brett explained that Infected is about an abusive obsessive relationship between a man and a woman. The line "I want to drill you like an ocean" is a metaphor for violating an unspoiled woman, or in other words making love to her in a violating fashion, like an oil rig "penetrates" the pristine sea. He said this is one of his favorite (because of its brevity) and simplest metaphors from a song. However, live, Greg once changed the lyrics to something like "You're clear, this line doesn't make sense, 'cause I didn't write it."
Brett: "Infected is a song about love."[2]
German Stranger Than Fiction promo CD booket: "Love is a many splintered thing."[3]
Trivia
At the end of the original recording, it is Brett singing the background vocals ("I wanna tie you, crucify you!" etc.).
At the end of the live version of 21st Century (Digital Boy) on Infected 2, Graffin says, "George Davis", a reference to the song "Cockney Kids Are Innocent" by Sham 69, which also ends that way.
Sometimes KABC-TV uses the intro of Infected for commercials on Dodgers games.
References
^ Matt Taylor and Mateo Rojas: A Conversation With Mr. Brett (1996)
^ Roger Vulture interview with Brett (1996)