Army of Me
Encyclopedia
"Army of Me" is a song by Björk
, released in 1995 as the first, and leading, single from her second solo album Post. The song also appeared, later in the same year on the soundtrack of Tank Girl
as well as in the soundtrack of Sucker Punch
in 2011 . This song was also ranked #316 in Blender magazine
's The 500 Greatest Songs Since You Were Born.
Björk released it again as part of a 2-CD charity benefit compilation entitled Army of Me: Remixes and Covers
in late 2004.
The song is dedicated to Björk's brother. It shows Björk daring him to move up and find a job to keep his life on, and also for him to not fall into bad things and learn to defend himself.
The song was subsequently used in the soundtrack of the 1995 film Tank Girl
and later in the 2011 film Sucker Punch
.
. It opens with Björk, clad in a black karate gi, driving a large vehicle. The vehicle begins to sputter and slow, prompting Björk to check the motor. The vehicle's engine assembly consists of a mouth in which and all of the teeth appear rotten, comically exaggerated by a shaggy-looking man engulfed in a stench-cloud crawling out of the mouth and offending passers-by.
Björk touches her cheek, appearing to have a toothache, and proceeds to a nearby dentist's office. She is examined by the dentist, a anthropomorphic
gorilla, who discovers a diamond in her mouth. The dentist attempts to steal the diamond for himself, but Björk leaps onto his back and pummels him, and retrieving the diamond, escapes the office. She takes the diamond back to her vehicle, all the while it multiplies in size until she is barely able to carry it. Björk tosses the diamond into the vehicle's mouth, apparently correcting its earlier affliction.
She then drives to a museum and proceeds inside, carrying a satchel containing a bomb. Sneaking past the museum's guards, she places the bomb on one of the exhibits, a man lying on an altar in a deep sleep. She then bolts toward the museum's exit, concerning the guards and other patrons. She makes it out of the building just moments before the bomb explodes. After the explosion, she re-enters the building to find the man from the altar, who appears to have been wakened by the blast. Björk hugs him, crying teardrops of jewels, and the shot fades to black, showing a message "To Be Continued."
The video was often shown truncated on MTV, cut off before the bomb goes off. Björk and her label refused to use footage from the film Tank Girl
(which features the track on its soundtrack) in the music video for "Army of Me".
(162TP7CD; Released: April, 1995)
UK CD2
(162TP7CDL; Released: 1995)
UK CD promo
(162TP7CD; Released: April, 1995)
UK 12" vinyl promo
(162TP12BB; Released: 24 March 1995)
Side A
Side B
UK 12" vinyl promo
(162TP12GM; Released: 1995)
Side A
UK 12" vinyl promo
(162TP12P; Released: April, 1995)
Side A
Side B
Side C
Side D
UK 7" vinyl promo
(162TP7D; Released: 1995)
Side A
Side B
UK 12" Acetate
(162 TP 12 BB; Released: 1995)
Side A
Side B
EUR CD 3
(579 153-2; Released: April, 1995)
FRA CD
(579 152-2; Released: April, 1995)
US CD promo
(PRCD 9152-2; Released: 1995)
JPN CD
(POCP-7039; Released: 1995)
|- valign="top"
| width="25%" |
{|class="wikitable"
!align="left"|Chart
!align="center"|Peak
position
|-
|align="left"|UK Singles Chart
|align="center"|10
|-
|align="left"|U.S. Billboard Hot Modern Rock Tracks
|align="center"|21
|-
|align="left"|Swedish Singles Chart
|align="center"|12
|-
|align="left"|Dutch Singles Chart
|align="center"|13
|-
|align="left"|Belgian Singles Chart (Flanders
)
|align="center"|13
|-
|align="left"|Belgian Singles Chart (Wallonia)
|align="center"|17
|-
|align="left"|Norwegian Singles Chart
|align="center"|17
|-
|align="left"|French Singles Chart
|align="center"|22
|-
|align="left"|New Zealand Singles Chart
|align="center"|25
|-
|align="left"|Swiss Singles Chart
|align="center"|27
|-
|align="left"|Australian Singles Chart
|align="center"|32
|-
|}
Björk
Björk Guðmundsdóttir , known as Björk , is an Icelandic singer-songwriter. Her eclectic musical style has achieved popular acknowledgement and popularity within many musical genres, such as rock, jazz, electronic dance music, classical and folk...
, released in 1995 as the first, and leading, single from her second solo album Post. The song also appeared, later in the same year on the soundtrack of Tank Girl
Tank Girl (film)
Tank Girl is a 1995 science fiction action film loosely based on the Tank Girl comic book created by Alan Martin and Jamie Hewlett. It was directed by Rachel Talalay and stars Lori Petty as Rebecca Buck, aka the eponymous Tank Girl, who had originally appeared in the UK comic magazine...
as well as in the soundtrack of Sucker Punch
Sucker Punch (film)
Sucker Punch is a 2011 action-fantasy thriller film, directed by Zack Snyder and co-written by him and Steve Shibuya. It is Snyder's first film based on an original script. The film stars Emily Browning, Abbie Cornish, Jena Malone, Vanessa Hudgens, Jamie Chung, and Oscar Isaac...
in 2011 . This song was also ranked #316 in Blender magazine
Blender (magazine)
Blender was an American music magazine that billed itself as "the ultimate guide to music and more". It was also known for sometimes steamy pictorials of celebrities....
's The 500 Greatest Songs Since You Were Born.
Björk released it again as part of a 2-CD charity benefit compilation entitled Army of Me: Remixes and Covers
Army of Me: Remixes and Covers
- Charts :- External links :*...
in late 2004.
Background
The song "Army of Me" was the first single of Björk's second album Post. Björk explained,The song is dedicated to Björk's brother. It shows Björk daring him to move up and find a job to keep his life on, and also for him to not fall into bad things and learn to defend himself.
The song was subsequently used in the soundtrack of the 1995 film Tank Girl
Tank Girl (film)
Tank Girl is a 1995 science fiction action film loosely based on the Tank Girl comic book created by Alan Martin and Jamie Hewlett. It was directed by Rachel Talalay and stars Lori Petty as Rebecca Buck, aka the eponymous Tank Girl, who had originally appeared in the UK comic magazine...
and later in the 2011 film Sucker Punch
Sucker Punch (film)
Sucker Punch is a 2011 action-fantasy thriller film, directed by Zack Snyder and co-written by him and Steve Shibuya. It is Snyder's first film based on an original script. The film stars Emily Browning, Abbie Cornish, Jena Malone, Vanessa Hudgens, Jamie Chung, and Oscar Isaac...
.
Music video
The music video for the song was directed by filmmaker Michel GondryMichel Gondry
Michel Gondry is an Academy Award winning filmmaker, whose works include being a commercial director, music video director, and a screenwriter. He is noted for his inventive visual style and manipulation of mise en scène. - Life and career :...
. It opens with Björk, clad in a black karate gi, driving a large vehicle. The vehicle begins to sputter and slow, prompting Björk to check the motor. The vehicle's engine assembly consists of a mouth in which and all of the teeth appear rotten, comically exaggerated by a shaggy-looking man engulfed in a stench-cloud crawling out of the mouth and offending passers-by.
Björk touches her cheek, appearing to have a toothache, and proceeds to a nearby dentist's office. She is examined by the dentist, a anthropomorphic
Anthropomorphism
Anthropomorphism is any attribution of human characteristics to animals, non-living things, phenomena, material states, objects or abstract concepts, such as organizations, governments, spirits or deities. The term was coined in the mid 1700s...
gorilla, who discovers a diamond in her mouth. The dentist attempts to steal the diamond for himself, but Björk leaps onto his back and pummels him, and retrieving the diamond, escapes the office. She takes the diamond back to her vehicle, all the while it multiplies in size until she is barely able to carry it. Björk tosses the diamond into the vehicle's mouth, apparently correcting its earlier affliction.
She then drives to a museum and proceeds inside, carrying a satchel containing a bomb. Sneaking past the museum's guards, she places the bomb on one of the exhibits, a man lying on an altar in a deep sleep. She then bolts toward the museum's exit, concerning the guards and other patrons. She makes it out of the building just moments before the bomb explodes. After the explosion, she re-enters the building to find the man from the altar, who appears to have been wakened by the blast. Björk hugs him, crying teardrops of jewels, and the shot fades to black, showing a message "To Be Continued."
The video was often shown truncated on MTV, cut off before the bomb goes off. Björk and her label refused to use footage from the film Tank Girl
Tank Girl (film)
Tank Girl is a 1995 science fiction action film loosely based on the Tank Girl comic book created by Alan Martin and Jamie Hewlett. It was directed by Rachel Talalay and stars Lori Petty as Rebecca Buck, aka the eponymous Tank Girl, who had originally appeared in the UK comic magazine...
(which features the track on its soundtrack) in the music video for "Army of Me".
Track listing
UK CD1(162TP7CD; Released: April, 1995)
- "Army of Me" – 3:57
- "Cover Me" (Cave Version)1 – 3:07
- "Aftur Efur Þú Verið Að Daðra" (Icelandic version of "You've Been Flirting Again") – 2:25
- "Sweet Intuition" – 4:43
UK CD2
(162TP7CDL; Released: 1995)
- "Army of Me" (ABA All-Stars Mix) – 3:46
- "Army of Me" (Masseymix) – 5:12
- "Army of Me" (featuring Skunk AnansieSkunk AnansieSkunk Anansie is an English rock band whose members include Skin , Cass , Ace and Mark Richardson .Skunk Anansie formed in March 1994, disbanded in 2001 and reformed in 2009...
) – 4:33 (Different vocal take, not simply a remix) - "Army of Me" (Instrumental ABA All-Stars Mix) – 3:46
UK CD promo
(162TP7CD; Released: April, 1995)
- "Army of Me" – 3:56
UK 12" vinyl promo
(162TP12BB; Released: 24 March 1995)
Side A
- "Army of Me" (ABA All-Stars Mix)
Side B
- "Army of Me" (Instrumental ABA All-Stars Mix)
UK 12" vinyl promo
(162TP12GM; Released: 1995)
Side A
- "Army of Me" (Masseymix) – 5:15
UK 12" vinyl promo
(162TP12P; Released: April, 1995)
Side A
- "Army of Me"
Side B
- "Army of Me" (featuring Skunk Anansie)2
Side C
- "Army of Me" (ABA All-Stars Mix)
Side D
- "Army of Me" (Instrumental ABA All-Stars Mix)
UK 7" vinyl promo
(162TP7D; Released: 1995)
Side A
- "Army of Me"
Side B
- "Army of Me" (Instrumental ABA All-Stars Mix)
UK 12" Acetate
(162 TP 12 BB; Released: 1995)
Side A
- "Army of Me" (Beastie BoysBeastie BoysBeastie Boys are an American hip hop trio from New York City. The group consists of Mike D who plays the drums, MCA who plays the bass, and Ad-Rock who plays the guitar....
Vocal Mix)
Side B
- "Army of Me" (Beastie Boys Instrumental Mix)
EUR CD 3
(579 153-2; Released: April, 1995)
- "Army of Me" – 3:58
- "Army of Me" (ABA All-Stars Mix) – 3:46
- "Army of Me" (Masseymix) – 5:12
- "Army of Me" (featuring Skunk AnansieSkunk AnansieSkunk Anansie is an English rock band whose members include Skin , Cass , Ace and Mark Richardson .Skunk Anansie formed in March 1994, disbanded in 2001 and reformed in 2009...
) – 4:33 - "Army of Me" (Instrumental ABA All-Stars Mix) – 3:46
FRA CD
(579 152-2; Released: April, 1995)
- "Army of Me" – 3:58
- "Cover Me" (Cave Version)1 – 3:08
US CD promo
(PRCD 9152-2; Released: 1995)
- "Army of Me" – 3:38
JPN CD
(POCP-7039; Released: 1995)
- "Army of Me" – 3:58
- "Army of Me" (ABA All-Stars Mix) – 3:46
- "Army of Me" (Masseymix) – 5:12
- "Army of Me" (featuring Skunk AnansieSkunk AnansieSkunk Anansie is an English rock band whose members include Skin , Cass , Ace and Mark Richardson .Skunk Anansie formed in March 1994, disbanded in 2001 and reformed in 2009...
) – 4:33 - "Army of Me" (Instrumental ABA All-Stars Mix) – 3:46
Charts
{| width="0%"|- valign="top"
| width="25%" |
{|class="wikitable"
!align="left"|Chart
!align="center"|Peak
position
|-
|align="left"|UK Singles Chart
|align="center"|10
|-
|align="left"|U.S. Billboard Hot Modern Rock Tracks
|align="center"|21
|-
|align="left"|Swedish Singles Chart
|align="center"|12
|-
|align="left"|Dutch Singles Chart
|align="center"|13
|-
|align="left"|Belgian Singles Chart (Flanders
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
)
|align="center"|13
|-
|align="left"|Belgian Singles Chart (Wallonia)
|align="center"|17
|-
|align="left"|Norwegian Singles Chart
|align="center"|17
|-
|align="left"|French Singles Chart
|align="center"|22
|-
|align="left"|New Zealand Singles Chart
|align="center"|25
|-
|align="left"|Swiss Singles Chart
|align="center"|27
|-
|align="left"|Australian Singles Chart
|align="center"|32
|-
|}
Remixes
- ABA All-Stars mix
- Featuring Skunk AnansieSkunk AnansieSkunk Anansie is an English rock band whose members include Skin , Cass , Ace and Mark Richardson .Skunk Anansie formed in March 1994, disbanded in 2001 and reformed in 2009...
- Featuring Skunk Anansie with SkinDeborah DyerDeborah Anne Dyer, known by the stage name Skin, is a singer and occasional model. As Deborah Dyer, Skin studied Interior Design at Teesside University in Middlesbrough and they later honoured her with an honourary degree. She is currently the lead vocalist of English band Skunk Anansie...
- Instrumental ABA All-Stars mix
- Masseymix
- Several other remixes (and covers) appear on Army of Me: Remixes and CoversArmy of Me: Remixes and Covers- Charts :- External links :*...
. - Sucker Punch remix featuring Skunk AnansieSkunk AnansieSkunk Anansie is an English rock band whose members include Skin , Cass , Ace and Mark Richardson .Skunk Anansie formed in March 1994, disbanded in 2001 and reformed in 2009...
appears on the soundtrack to the movie Sucker Punch.
"Army of Me" released by other bands
- German metalcore band CalibanCaliban (band)Caliban are a five-piece metalcore band from Germany. They have released seven studio albums to-date, and two split albums with the band Heaven Shall Burn.-History:...
covered this song on their 2006 album The Undying DarknessThe Undying Darkness-Track listing:-Personnel:*Andy Dörner – vocals*Marc Görtz – guitar*Patrick Grün – drums*Denis Schmidt – guitar/vocals*Marco Schaller – bass-Additional personnel:*Mille Petrozza – guest on track 11*Tanja Keilen – guest on track 12...
. The female vocals on the chorus were recorded by Tanja Keilen (Sister Love). - Belgian metal band Silent covered this song on their 2005 self-titled demo.
- The alternative metalAlternative metalAlternative metal is a genre of alternative rock and heavy metal that gained popularity in the early 1990s. Most notably, alternative metal bands are characterized by heavy guitar riffs and experimental approaches to heavy music.-Origins:...
/post-hardcorePost-hardcorePost-hardcore is a genre of music that developed from hardcore punk, itself an offshoot of the broader punk rock movement. Like post-punk, post-hardcore is a term for a broad constellation of groups...
band HelmetHelmet (band)Helmet is an alternative metal band from New York City formed in 1989. Founded by vocalist and lead guitarist Page Hamilton, Helmet has had numerous lineup changes, and Hamilton has been the only constant member....
recorded a cover of "Army of Me" which was released on a Music for Our Mother Ocean benefit compilation. - The Australian metal band Many Machines on Nine covered "Army of Me" on their self-titled 2000 EP.
- A jazz cover was released by the Yaron HermanYaron HermanYaron Herman is an Israeli jazz pianist now living in Paris, France.- Biography :Yaron Herman was born in Tel-Aviv on 12 July 1981. He started to learn the piano at 16 using a methodology based on philosophy, mathematics and psychology. Two years later, Yaron earned the prestigious Rimon School of...
Trio on their album A Time for Everything in 2007. - Abandoned PoolsAbandoned PoolsTommy Walter is an American musician and songwriter, best known for his Alternative rock band, Abandoned Pools, as well as being the former bassist and one of the founding members of Eels....
, an alternative rock band have also covered the song, which is available on The Reverb EP. - Powerman 5000Powerman 5000Powerman 5000 is an American Metal band formed in 1991. Through the span of over two decades, the group has released several albums and gained their highest commercial success with 1999's science fiction themed Tonight the Stars Revolt!...
released a cover of this song on their The Good, the Bad and the Ugly Vol. 1The Good, the Bad and the Ugly Vol. 1The Good, the Bad and the Ugly Vol. 1 is a compilation album by Powerman 5000 released in 2004. It contains rare and unreleased tracks from the early days of Powerman 5000.-Track listing:#"B.S. One" - 0:54#"City of the Dead" - 3:13#"Slumlord" - 3:39...
compilation. - Grisbi performed a cover of this song on Army of Me: Remixes and CoversArmy of Me: Remixes and Covers- Charts :- External links :*...
. - Sin, a French industrial band, covered the song, available on Errare Digital Est, Recall 2003.
- Oliver Weers, a Danish rock vocalist made semi-famous by his participation in the Danish X FactorX Factor (Denmark)X Factor is the Danish version of The X Factor, a show originating in the United Kingdom and is created by talent show judge and record and TV producer Simon Cowell.-Series summary: "Under 25 boys" or "Under 25s" category "Under 25 girls" category...
in 2008, released a heavy metalHeavy metal musicHeavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
-style cover version of "Army of Me" in 2008 on an album entitled Get Ready. - Australian alternative metalAlternative metalAlternative metal is a genre of alternative rock and heavy metal that gained popularity in the early 1990s. Most notably, alternative metal bands are characterized by heavy guitar riffs and experimental approaches to heavy music.-Origins:...
band BeanbagBeanbag (band)Beanbag was an Australian band that formed in 1995 and broke up in late 2002.The group comprised core members vocalist Hans Van Vliet, guitarist Michael Mullins, bassist Phil "Hirvy" Hirvela, and drummer Phil Usher. Steven Lewis-Driver assumed the bass position when Hirvy left the band in early 2002...
covered the song on their 2001 second album Welladjusted. - English rockRock musicRock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band DramaDrama (band)Drama are a 4-piece rock band formed in Bolton, Greater Manchester, England in 2007. The band comprises vocalist, guitarist and keyboardist Ian Gordon, guitarist and backing vocalist Rob Heyes, bassist Rik Hindle and drummer Alan Taylor. The band are currently promoting their self-titled EP,...
recorded a cover of the song to perform at the 2010 UK Live & Unsigned regional final in ManchesterManchesterManchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, March 7. - Polish progressive metalProgressive metalProgressive metal is a subgenre of heavy metal originating in the United Kingdom and North America in the late 1980s...
/post-metalPost-metalPost-metal is a music genre, a mixture between the genres of post-rock and heavy metal.Hydra Head Records owner and Isis frontman Aaron Turner originally termed the genre "thinking man's metal", demonstrating that his band was trying to move away from common metal conventions...
band Proghma-C recorded a cover version on their debut album Bar-do Travel, 2009. - French progressive metalProgressive metalProgressive metal is a subgenre of heavy metal originating in the United Kingdom and North America in the late 1980s...
band Klone also recorded a cover of the song as a bonus track on their 2010 album Black Days. - Italian nu metalNu metalNu metal is a subgenre of heavy metal. It is a fusion genre which combines elements of heavy metal with other genres, including grunge and hip hop...
band ExiliaExiliaExilia is an Italian nu metal band. They combine elements of alternative metal, rock, and hard rock in their music.-History:Exilia formed in 1993 in Milan, Italy, when Masha met guitarist Elio Alien....
recorded a cover of this song on their album Can't Break Me Down in 2005.