Calcutta (Taxi Taxi Taxi)
Encyclopedia
"Calcutta" is the second single from Swedish
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
eurodance
Eurodance
Eurodance is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in the late 1980s or early 1990s primarily in Europe. It combines many elements from House, Techno, Hi-NRG and especially Italo-Disco...
artist Dr. Bombay
Jonny Jakobsen
Jonny Jakobsen is a Swedish-Danish Bubblegum dance/eurodance artist better known under his fictitious identity as Indian taxi driver Dr. Bombay. He began as a country singer called Johnny Moonshine, but became famous only after his metamorphosis into Dr. Bombay...
's album Rice & Curry
Rice & Curry
Rice & Curry is the first studio album by Swedish bubblegum dance artist Jonny Jakobsen under his pseudonym Dr. Bombay, released in 1998....
, released in 1998. The song is sung from the perspective of Dr. Bombay, an eccentric India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n taxi driver who is employed by his uncle and, despite his impaired vision and lack of a license to operate, loves to drive his taxi.
The song became Jakobsen's first major hit, topping the charts at number 1 in Sweden and 2 in Norway.
It has also been featured in the Beatmania IIDX
Beatmania IIDX
is a series of rhythm video games and the sequel to Beatmania that was first introduced by Konami in Japan on February 26, 1999. IIDX has since spawned over 19 arcade releases and over 13 console releases on the Sony PlayStation 2...
series of video games. Videos were produced for the following songs:
CD single
The following tracks are on the CD single:- Calcutta - Original Version – 3:20
- Calcutta - Extended Version – 4:16
Single CD-maxi
The following variations of the track were released on the Maxi singleMaxi single
A maxi single or maxi-single is a music single release with more than the usual two tracks of an a-side song and a b-side song.-The first maxi singles:...
:
- Calcutta - Original Version – 3:20
- Calcutta - Extended Version – 4:16
- Calcutta - Karaoke Version – 3:18
- Calcutta - Alternative Mix – 4:16
Music video
An accompanying music videoMusic video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
for the song was produced in 1998. It shows Jakobsen clad in a kurta
Kurta
A kurta is a traditional item of clothing worn in Afghanistan, Pakistan , Nepal, India, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. It is a loose shirt falling either just above or somewhere below the knees of the wearer, and is worn by both men and women...
, pagri
Pagri (turban)
Pagri or Pagadi is the term for a turban within India and Pakistan. It specifically refers to a headdress that is worn by men and needs to be manually tied. In several regional dialects it is often shortened to Pag .-The cloth:...
and dark glasses
Sunglasses
Sunglasses or sun glasses are a form of protective eyewear designed primarily to prevent bright sunlight and high-energy visible light from damaging or discomforting the eyes. They can sometimes also function as a visual aid, as variously termed spectacles or glasses exist, featuring lenses that...
, driving the streets of Calcutta as he collides with pedestrians and debris, steals the lunch of an unsuspecting restaurant customer, steals a newspaper in a similar manner and hangs outside his window in roller skates
Roller skates
Roller skates are devices worn on the feet to enable the wearer to roll along on wheels. A first basic type of roller skate consists of a boot with four wheels with ball bearings, arranged in the same configuration as the wheels of a typical car.-History:...
as various engine parts are continuously thrown from the car. Throughout the video, the action frequently cuts to a 180 degree pan of the taxi's interior, in which Jakobsen is superimposed with several instances of himself who can be seen making hand gestures, dancing, sleeping, hanging out the windows and interacting with each other.
Much of the video was filmed in Malaysia, as can be deduced from vehicle number plates on display throughout.
Remixes
A remixed version of the song by BasshunterBasshunter
Jonas Erik Altberg , better known by his stage name Basshunter, is a Swedish singer-songwriter, record producer and DJ. He is best known for his number one hits "Boten Anna", "Dota", "Now You're Gone" and "All I Ever Wanted". Basshunter has so far released a total of six albums, two of which have...
appears on Jakobsen's first compilation album The Hits as a bonus track. Videos were produced for the following songs:
Chart position
| Chart (1998) | Peak Position |
|---|---|
| Sweden | 1 |
| Norway | 2 |
| Austria | 31 |
| Switzerland | 35 |