"I Love It" is a song by Swedish duo Icona Pop, featuring vocals from British singer Charli XCX. Released in May 2012 as a digital download in Sweden, the song peaked at number two on the singles chart. It was included in Icona Pop's debut studio album, EP, and international album. Charli XCX, Patrik Berger, and Style of Eye co-wrote the song, with production by the latter two.
"I Love It" reflects a period of financial struggle and heartbreak for the Icona Pop duo, who were living in London at the time without much to their name. This frustration, anger, and heartache is evident in the song's energetic beats and lyrics, making it a very honest expression of their emotions during that time.
Charli XCX shared how her collaboration with Icona Pop on "I Love It" came about during a writing session with Patrick Berger in Sweden. She quickly wrote the song in just half an hour but felt it wasn't the right fit for her as an artist. When Icona Pop heard the song a few weeks later, they loved it and put their own twist on it, ultimately turning it into the hit we know today.
The music video was directed by Fredrik Etoall and shot in a day in Paris by friends of the band. It features Jawo and Hjelt performing for a lively crowd, interspersed with backstage and after-party scenes. Outdoor shots show the duo wearing homemade fringed jackets. Charli XCX does not appear in the video.
"I Love It" served as a cathartic release for the Icona Pop duo, doubling as a kiss-off to their then-boyfriends. Fueled by frustration and heartache, the song became a platform for expressing their anger and disappointment. Today, they humorously acknowledge the inspiration their exes provided, greeting them with a knowing smile when they cross paths.
NENEH CHERRY - BUFFALO STANCE
Publicació: 28 de novembre de 1988
Llistes: EUA: #3 Regne Unit: #3
"Buffalo Stance" és una cançó de la cantant i compositora sueca Neneh Cherry, llançada al novembre de 1988 com a senzill principal del seu àlbum debut, "Raw Like Sushi" (1989). Va arribar al número 3 tant a la llista del Regne Unit com a la dels Estats Units Billboard Hot 100, i es va assegurar el primer lloc als Països Baixos i al país natal de Cherry, Suècia.
El viatge de Neneh Cherry amb "Buffalo Stance" va començar quan la va gravar com a cara B del senzill de 1986 de Morgan McVey "Looking Good Diving". Morgan McVey estava format per Cameron McVey i Jaime J. Morgan, amb Cameron convertint-se més endavant en el marit de Neneh i en un productor destacat. Va contribuir de manera significativa al seu àlbum debut "Raw Like Sushi". Tres anys després, Cherry va reeditar "Buffalo Stance" pel seu àlbum en solitari, i un remix de Tim Simeon de Bomb The Bass la va convertir en un èxit mundial.
"Buffalo Stance" és una pista funky amb un missatge de poder i resiliència. Neneh Cherry la descriu com una reflexió de la "supervivència sexual" i destaca la força, el poder i l'actitud femenina en lloc del feminisme. El títol de la cançó fa referència al Buffalo Collective, un grup de moda i estil hip dirigit per Ray Petri. La connexió personal de Cherry amb el col·lectiu, particularment amb Cameron McVey, membre i el seu col·laborador creatiu, va influir en la cançó.
La frase "Looking good, hanging with the Wild Bunch" fan referència a un col·lectiu de DJs i enginyers amb seu a Bristol, Anglaterra, durant la dècada de 1980, que incloïa membres que més tard van formar part de Massive Attack i van contribuir al desenvolupament de la música trip-hop. La connexió de Neneh Cherry amb aquesta escena musical la va portar a reclutar Mushroom de Massive Attack per aparèixer en el videoclip de la cançó. Mushroom també va fingir les seccions de DJ per a la interpretació de "Buffalo Stance" en el programa de televisió britànic Top Of The Pops.
NENEH CHERRY - BUFFALO STANCE
Released: November 28, 1988
Charted: US: #3 UK: #3
"Buffalo Stance" is a track by Swedish singer-songwriter Neneh Cherry, released in November 1988 as the lead single from her debut album, Raw Like Sushi (1989). It reached No. 3 on both the UK Singles Chart and the US Billboard Hot 100, and secured the top spot in the Netherlands and in Cherry's home country of Sweden.
Neneh Cherry's journey with "Buffalo Stance" began when she recorded it as the B-side for Morgan McVey's 1986 single "Looking Good Diving." Morgan McVey consisted of Cameron McVey and Jaime J. Morgan, with Cameron later becoming Neneh's husband and a prominent producer. He contributed significantly to her debut album "Raw Like Sushi." Three years later, Cherry reworked "Buffalo Stance" for her solo album, and a remix by Tim Simeon of Bomb The Bass turned it into a global success.
"Buffalo Stance" is a funky track with a message of empowerment and resilience. Neneh Cherry describes it as a reflection of "sexual survival" and emphasizes female strength, power, and attitude rather than feminism. The song title is a nod to the Buffalo Collective, a hip fashion and style group led by Ray Petri. Cherry's personal connection to the collective, particularly with Cameron McVey, a member and her creative collaborator, influenced the song.
The lyrics "Looking good, hanging with the Wild Bunch" reference a collective of DJs and engineers based in Bristol, England, during the 1980s, which included members who later formed Massive Attack and contributed to the development of trip-hop music. Neneh Cherry's connection to this scene led her to recruit Mushroom of Massive Attack to appear in the song's music video. Mushroom also mimed the DJ sections for Cherry's performance of the song on the UK TV show Top Of The Pops.
THE SUGARCUBES - BIRTHDAY
Released: August 1987
Charted: UK: #65
"Birthday" is a song by the Icelandic band the Sugarcubes. Released in 1987, it marked their first international single and was included on their debut album "Life's Too Good" the following year. The Icelandic version, titled "Ammæli," was released on a local single in 1986 and included as the B-side on the international release. Björk, the band's frontwoman, also included it in her box set "Family Tree" in 2002.
"Birthday" stands out for Björk's distinct vocal style and its quirky lyrics, which depict a girl engaged in unusual activities like collecting fly wings and keeping spiders in her pocket. Initially inspired by a grocer near her, Björk later realized the song was about older men who had left an impression on her during her childhood, despite not necessarily doing anything inappropriate. She aimed to capture a blend of innocence and a subtle sense of danger or unease in the song's atmosphere.
"Birthday" marked a significant shift in Björk Guðmundsdóttir's musical journey, as she transitioned from covering Beatles and Stevie Wonder songs in Icelandic to leading her own bands. The Sugarcubes, formed as a subversive pop experiment, released their debut single "Ammæli" on Björk's 21st birthday in 1986, which garnered modest success. The re-recorded English version, "Birthday," launched them to international fame after a rave review in Melody Maker. The lyrics explore themes of childhood innocence and the complexity of early emotions, showcasing Björk's ability to convey the unexplainable through music.
After gaining critical acclaim and attention, "Birthday" became their first chart entry in the United Kingdom, reaching number 65 on the charts and peaking at number two on the indie charts. In the United States, it ranked at number 15 on The Village Voice's "Pazz & Jop" critics' poll for the best music of 1988. The Sugarcubes performed "Birthday," along with "Motorcrash," on Saturday Night Live in October 1988 during an episode hosted by Matthew Broderick.
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DEBBIE HARRY - BACKFIRED / FRENCH KISSIN’ IN THE USA
BACKFIRED
Publicació: juliol de 1981
Llistes: Regne Unit: #32 EUA: #43
"Backfired" va significar el debut com a solista de Debbie Harry i va ser una pista del seu primer àlbum d'estudi "KooKoo", llançat el 1981. La cançó va assolir un èxit moderat, arribant al número 32 al Regne Unit i al número 43 a les llistes Billboard Hot 100 dels Estats Units. És destacable que "Backfired" segueix sent el senzill en solitari de Harry amb millor posició a les llistes als Estats Units. A més del seu rendiment al Hot 100 "Backfired" va destacar en altres llistes de Billboard, arribant al número 71 a la llista Hot Soul Singles dels Estats Units i al número 29 a la llista de música de ball.
Produïda per Nile Rodgers i Bernard Edwards de Chic, coneguts pel seu treball col·laboratiu amb Diana Ross, "Backfired" va veure Harry endinsar-se més en influències de dansa i funk, construït sobre el so inspirat en Chic que ja es podia apreciar en l'èxit anterior de Blondie, "Rapture".
"Backfired" va marcar un canvi en l’imatge establerta de Debbie amb Blondie, ja que buscava redefinir-se com a artista en solitari, mostrant una aparença més fosca inspirada en la ciència-ficció i tenyint-se el cabell d'un altre color. Dirigit per H.R. Giger, el videoclip de reflectia l'estètica nova de Harry, amb Giger mateix fent una aparició amb una màscara fent els cors vocals masculins de la cançó.
La versió llarga de "Backfired", inclosa a l'àlbum com a pista de bonus, oferia als oients una experiència immersiva en el món del funk.
FRENCH KISSIN’ IN THE USA
Publicació: 3 de novembre de 1986
Llistes: EUA: #57 Regne Unit: #8
"French Kissin" (també coneguda com a "French Kissin in the USA") és una vibrant cançó inclosa al segon àlbum d'estudi en solitari, "Rockbird" (1986). Originalment enregistrada per Carol Chapman el 1985 i escrita per Chuck Lorre abans de dedicar-se a les sitcoms. La cançó ràpidament es va popularitzar i va assolir un èxit notable, convertint-se en un top 10 en diversos països, incloent-hi Austràlia, Irlanda, Nova Zelanda, Sud-àfrica i el Regne Unit.
Després de la pausa provocada per la lluita del guitarrista Chris Stein contra una malaltia, Harry es va embarcar en la seva aventura en solitari amb el llançament de la cançó com a senzill principal del seu àlbum "Rockbird" el 1986. Produït per Seth Justman, conegut pel seu treball amb The J. Geils Band, "French Kissin'" engloba l'estil i el carisma característics de Harry. El títol i la lletra reflecteixen la naturalesa juganera i coqueta dels petons francesos, un fenomen cultural que va penetrar en el llenguatge nord-americà a la dècada de 1980.
El videoclip musical va ser una col·laboració creativa amb el director Jeff Stein, conegut per la seva narrativa visual innovadora. El vídeo va incloure l'actriu Katey Sagal, que més tard assoliria la fama com a Peg Bundy a "Casats... amb fills," fent una aparició destacada, incloent el fet d’enviar un petó a la càmera. Un element notable del vídeo va ser la incorporació de seqüències de la innovadora pel·lícula francesa de 1902 "Un viatge a la lluna." Aquesta pel·lícula muda clàssica, dirigida per Georges Méliès, és coneguda per les seves imatges innovadores i ser pionera amb els efectes especials.
DEBBIE HARRY - BACKFIRED / FRENCH KISSIN’ IN THE USA
BACKFIRED
Released: July, 1981
Charted: UK: #32 US: #43
"Backfired" marked Debbie Harry's debut solo single and served as a track from her inaugural solo studio album, “KooKoo”, released in 1981. The song achieved moderate success, reaching number 32 in the UK and number 43 on the US Billboard Hot 100 charts. Notably, "Backfired" remains Harry's highest-charting solo single in the United States. In addition to its chart performance, "Backfired" made notable appearances on other Billboard charts, peaking at number 71 on the US Hot Soul Singles chart and reaching number 29 on the Dance chart.
Produced by Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards of Chic, renowned for their work with Diana Ross, "Backfired" saw Harry delving deeper into dance and funk influences, building on the Chic-inspired sound that had been evident in Blondie's earlier hit, "Rapture."
"Backfired" marked a departure from Debbie’s established image with Blondie, as she sought to redefine herself as a solo artist, embracing a darker, sci-fi-inspired look and dyeing her hair a different shade. Directed by H.R. Giger, the music video for "Backfired" reflected the Harry's newfound aesthetic, with Giger himself making a notable appearance wearing a mask and miming the male back-up vocals on the song.
The extended version of "Backfired," featured on the album as a bonus track, offered listeners an immersive experience into the funk-infused world of Harry's solo endeavors. With its extended instrumental breaks and pulsating beats, the remix highlighted the infectious energy and groove-driven nature of the song.
FRENCH KISSIN’ IN THE USA
Released: November 3, 1986
Charted: US: #57 UK: #8
"French Kissin" (also known as "French Kissin in the USA") is a vibrant track by American singer Debbie Harry, featured on her second solo studio album, “Rockbird” (1986). Originally recorded by Carol Chapman in 1985 and penned by Chuck Lorre prior to his sitcom creations. The song quickly gained traction and achieved notable success, becoming a top-10 hit in several countries including Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, and the United Kingdom.
Following the hiatus prompted by guitarist Chris Stein's battle with pemphigus vulgaris, Harry embarked on her solo venture with the release of the track as the lead single from her album "Rockbird" in 1986. Produced by Seth Justman, known for his work with The J. Geils Band, "French Kissin'" encapsulates Harry's signature style and charm. The song's title and lyrics reflect the playful and flirtatious nature of French kissing, a cultural phenomenon that permeated the American lexicon in the 1980s.
Debbie Harry's music video for "French Kissin'" was a creative collaboration with director Jeff Stein, known for his innovative visual storytelling. The video featured actress Katey Sagal, who would later gain fame as Peg Bundy on "Married... With Children," making a memorable appearance, including blowing a kiss to the camera. A notable element of the video was the incorporation of footage from the groundbreaking 1902 French film "A Trip to the Moon." This classic silent film, directed by Georges Méliès, is renowned for its imaginative visuals and pioneering special effects.
