Freestyler (song)
Encyclopedia
"Freestyler" is the third single released from the Bomfunk MC's
' debut studio album
In Stereo
. It was released in January 2000
and was a worldwide success, topping the charts in Sweden
, Germany
, Australia
, Norway
, New Zealand
, Austria
, Switzerland
, Turkey
, Belgium
, the Netherlands
and Italy
. It also peaked at number two in Denmark
and the UK
, where it was the 23rd biggest-selling single of the year 2000.
The song is notable for slipping an expletive past the censors
. The line "So who the fuck
is Alice? She from Buckingham Palace
?" (a reference to Smokie
's song "Living Next Door to Alice
") was aired unedited on MTV
. Further references in the lyrics are made to the song "Karma Chameleon
" by Culture Club
, singer Celine Dion
and porn film Debbie Does Dallas
.
, an underground station on the Helsinki Metro
line, in Finland
and with platforms 21-metres below sea level. The principal "home boy" featured in the video is Marlo Snellman, a Finnish model/musician who later released his own single entitled "Dust" and today is working as producer for his own projects such as "Hipsters" and "Okta". The actor was only fifteen at the time of shooting and got the part through his mother, Finnish modelling magnate
Laila Snellman. Marlo Snellman appears briefly in another Bomfunk MC music video, "B-Boys & Flygirls".
The video begins with Snellman catching a train while listening to "Freestyler" on his MiniDisc
player. He soon discovers that the remote control for his player has the ability to control the flow of time for one or a group of individuals. Realising this ability, he spends the duration of the video pausing, rewinding and fast-forwarding dancers and people in the station until coming across the members of Bomfunk MC's, where his remote malfunctions, sending the whole video into a rapid rewind and back to the beginning. The music video may be inspired by and seems to use similar themes as System F's
1999 "Out of the blue" music video.
Throughout the music video, a large amount of Sony
-provided product placement
is visible. In particular, headphones, a portable MiniDisc
player and a somewhat out-of-place PlayStation
(original) controller. All these consumer items were considered "current", or even futuristic, in the 1999-2000 timeframe when the video was produced.
Near the start, the video features a continuity error, Metro car 178 is seen pulling into the station, but a second later the number has changed to 136.
Bomfunk MC's
The Bomfunk MC's are a Breakbeat, hip hop and electro group formed in 1998 in Finland. The group's front man is the Finnish rapper B.O. Dubb and the main producer is Jaakko "JS16" Salovaara.-History:...
' debut studio album
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
In Stereo
In Stereo
-Personnel:*B.O.W. – vocals, arrangement*Kari "Kärtsy" Hatakka – vocals *Mr. B – vocals *Rummy Nanji – vocals *J.A.K. – vocals *DJ Gismo – scratching, arrangement*JS16 – production-Sampling:...
. It was released in January 2000
2000 in music
See also:* 2000 in music Record labels established in 2000-Events:*January – Gary Glitter is released from jail, two months before his sentence for sexual offences ends.*January 1**John Tavener is knighted in the New Year's Honours List....
and was a worldwide success, topping the charts in Sweden
Sverigetopplistan
Sverigetopplistan, earlier known as Topplistan and Hitlistan and other names, is since October 2007 the Swedish national record chart, based on sales data from Swedish Recording Industry Association ....
, Germany
Media Control Charts
The official music charts in Germany are gathered and published by the company Media Control GfK International on behalf of Bundesverband Musikindustrie...
, Australia
ARIA Charts
The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June...
, Norway
VG-lista
VG-listen is a Norwegian record chart. It is weekly presented in the newspaper VG and the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation program Topp 20. It is considered the primary Norwegian record chart, charting albums and singles from countries and continent around the world. The data is collected by...
, New Zealand
Recording Industry Association of New Zealand
The Recording Industry Association of New Zealand is a non-profit trade association of record producers, distributors and recording artists who sell music in New Zealand...
, Austria
Ö3 Austria Top 40
Ö3 Austria Top 40 is the name of the official Austrian singles chart, as well as the radio show which presents it, aired Fridays on Hitradio Ö3. The show presents the Austrian singles, ringtones and downloads chart. It premiered on 26 November 1968 as Disc Parade and was presented by Ernst Grissemann...
, Switzerland
Swiss Music Charts
The Swiss Music Charts are Switzerland's main music sales charts. The charts are a record of the highest-selling singles and albums in various genres in Switzerland.The Swiss Charts include:* Singles Top 75...
, Turkey
Türkiye Top 20
The Turkey Top 20 is a music singles chart in Turkey. It has been compiled by Billboard Türkiye since November 2006. The charts were announced from the web site weekly, and monthly from the "Billboard Türkiye" magazine. Since September 2009, the charts are only announced monthly from the published...
, Belgium
Ultratop 40
Ultratop 40 singles, often just Ultratop 40, is the weekly chart of best-selling singles in Wallonia and Brussels Capital Region, the french-speaking parts of Belgium. Its equivalent covering the Flanders region is Ultratop 50. Both charts are produced and published by the Ultratop organization...
, the Netherlands
Dutch Top 40
The Dutch Top 40 is a weekly music chart, which started as the "Veronica Top 40", because the offshore radio station Radio Veronica was the first to introduce it. It remained "The Veronica Top 40" until 1974, when the station was forced to stop broadcasting...
and Italy
Federation of the Italian Music Industry
The Federation of the Italian Music Industry is an umbrella organization that keeps track of virtually all aspects of the music recording industry in Italy....
. It also peaked at number two in Denmark
Tracklisten
Tracklisten is a Danish top 40 record chart that is presented every Thursday midnight at .The weekly Danish Singles Chart also known as Track Top-40 combines the 40 best selling tracks from legal music downloads and the sales of music singles on either CD or vinyl...
and the UK
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
, where it was the 23rd biggest-selling single of the year 2000.
The song is notable for slipping an expletive past the censors
Censorship
thumb|[[Book burning]] following the [[1973 Chilean coup d'état|1973 coup]] that installed the [[Military government of Chile |Pinochet regime]] in Chile...
. The line "So who the fuck
Fuck
"Fuck" is an English word that is generally considered obscene which, in its most literal meaning, refers to the act of sexual intercourse. By extension it may be used to negatively characterize anything that can be dismissed, disdained, defiled, or destroyed."Fuck" can be used as a verb, adverb,...
is Alice? She from Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace, in London, is the principal residence and office of the British monarch. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is a setting for state occasions and royal hospitality...
?" (a reference to Smokie
Smokie (band)
Smokie is an English rock band from Bradford, Yorkshire who found success in Europe in the 1970s.-Early years:Originally called The Yen, then The Sphynx and later Essence, the band was formed in 1964 at St. Bede's Grammar School in Heaton, Bradford as The Yen. The Yen's first gig was at Birkenshaw...
's song "Living Next Door to Alice
Living Next Door to Alice
"Living Next Door to Alice" is a song co-written by Nicky Chinn and Mike Chapman. Originally released by the Australian vocal harmony trio New World in 1972, the song charted at # 35 on the Australian chart...
") was aired unedited on MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
. Further references in the lyrics are made to the song "Karma Chameleon
Karma Chameleon
"Karma Chameleon" is a song by British New Wave band Culture Club, featured on the group's 1983 album Colour by Numbers. The song spent three weeks at #1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in 1984, becoming the group's biggest hit and only US #1 among their many top ten hits...
" by Culture Club
Culture Club
Culture Club are a British rock band who were part of the 1980s New Romantic movement. The original band consisted of Boy George , Mikey Craig , Roy Hay and Jon Moss...
, singer Celine Dion
Celine Dion
Céline Marie Claudette Dion, , , is a Canadian singer. Born to a large family from Charlemagne, Quebec, Dion emerged as a teen star in the French-speaking world after her manager and future husband René Angélil mortgaged his home to finance her first record...
and porn film Debbie Does Dallas
Debbie Does Dallas
Debbie Does Dallas is a 1978 pornographic film starring Bambi Woods. The plot of the film focuses on a team of cheerleaders attempting to earn enough money to send the title character to Dallas, Texas, to try out for the famous “Texas Cowgirls” cheerleading squad. The fictional name "Texas...
.
Music video
The music video was mainly filmed at the Hakaniemi metro stationHakaniemi metro station
Hakaniemi or Hagnäs is a station on the Helsinki Metro. It serves the central Helsinki districts of Hakaniemi and Kallio....
, an underground station on the Helsinki Metro
Helsinki Metro
The Helsinki Metro , is the metro system in Helsinki, Finland. It is the World's most northern metro system, and currently the only one in Finland. The system was opened to the general public on 2 August 1982 after 27 years of planning...
line, in Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
and with platforms 21-metres below sea level. The principal "home boy" featured in the video is Marlo Snellman, a Finnish model/musician who later released his own single entitled "Dust" and today is working as producer for his own projects such as "Hipsters" and "Okta". The actor was only fifteen at the time of shooting and got the part through his mother, Finnish modelling magnate
Business magnate
A business magnate, sometimes referred to as a capitalist, czar, mogul, tycoon, baron, oligarch, or industrialist, is an informal term used to refer to an entrepreneur who has reached prominence and derived a notable amount of wealth from a particular industry .-Etymology:The word magnate itself...
Laila Snellman. Marlo Snellman appears briefly in another Bomfunk MC music video, "B-Boys & Flygirls".
The video begins with Snellman catching a train while listening to "Freestyler" on his MiniDisc
MiniDisc
The disc is permanently housed in a cartridge with a sliding door, similar to the casing of a 3.5" floppy disk. This shutter is opened automatically by a mechanism upon insertion. The audio discs can either be recordable or premastered. Recordable MiniDiscs use a magneto-optical system to record...
player. He soon discovers that the remote control for his player has the ability to control the flow of time for one or a group of individuals. Realising this ability, he spends the duration of the video pausing, rewinding and fast-forwarding dancers and people in the station until coming across the members of Bomfunk MC's, where his remote malfunctions, sending the whole video into a rapid rewind and back to the beginning. The music video may be inspired by and seems to use similar themes as System F's
Ferry Corsten
Ferry Corsten, also known under the alias System F, is a Dutch producer of trance music, in addition to being a DJ and remixer. He also hosts his own weekly radio show, Corsten's Countdown. He routinely plays at events all over the world with crowds in excess of tens of thousands. In 2009 Ferry...
1999 "Out of the blue" music video.
Throughout the music video, a large amount of Sony
Sony
, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
-provided product placement
Product placement
Product placement, or embedded marketing, is a form of advertisement, where branded goods or services are placed in a context usually devoid of ads, such as movies, music videos, the story line of television shows, or news programs. The product placement is often not disclosed at the time that the...
is visible. In particular, headphones, a portable MiniDisc
MiniDisc
The disc is permanently housed in a cartridge with a sliding door, similar to the casing of a 3.5" floppy disk. This shutter is opened automatically by a mechanism upon insertion. The audio discs can either be recordable or premastered. Recordable MiniDiscs use a magneto-optical system to record...
player and a somewhat out-of-place PlayStation
PlayStation
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console first released by Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan on December 3, .The PlayStation was the first of the PlayStation series of consoles and handheld game devices. The PlayStation 2 was the console's successor in 2000...
(original) controller. All these consumer items were considered "current", or even futuristic, in the 1999-2000 timeframe when the video was produced.
Near the start, the video features a continuity error, Metro car 178 is seen pulling into the station, but a second later the number has changed to 136.
Charts
| Chart (1999–2000) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Singles Chart ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June... |
1 |
| Austrian Singles Chart Ö3 Austria Top 40 Ö3 Austria Top 40 is the name of the official Austrian singles chart, as well as the radio show which presents it, aired Fridays on Hitradio Ö3. The show presents the Austrian singles, ringtones and downloads chart. It premiered on 26 November 1968 as Disc Parade and was presented by Ernst Grissemann... |
1 |
| Belgian Singles Chart Ultratop 50 Ultratop 50 singles, often just Ultratop 50, is the weekly chart of fifty best-selling singles in Flanders, Belgium, and is produced and published by the Ultratop organization. The chart has existed since March 31, 1995... (Flanders) |
1 |
| Belgian Singles Chart Ultratop 40 Ultratop 40 singles, often just Ultratop 40, is the weekly chart of best-selling singles in Wallonia and Brussels Capital Region, the french-speaking parts of Belgium. Its equivalent covering the Flanders region is Ultratop 50. Both charts are produced and published by the Ultratop organization... (Wallonia) |
1 |
| Danish Singles Chart Tracklisten Tracklisten is a Danish top 40 record chart that is presented every Thursday midnight at .The weekly Danish Singles Chart also known as Track Top-40 combines the 40 best selling tracks from legal music downloads and the sales of music singles on either CD or vinyl... |
2 |
| Dutch Singles Chart Dutch Top 40 The Dutch Top 40 is a weekly music chart, which started as the "Veronica Top 40", because the offshore radio station Radio Veronica was the first to introduce it. It remained "The Veronica Top 40" until 1974, when the station was forced to stop broadcasting... |
1 |
| Finnish Singles Chart | 4 |
| French Singles Chart Syndicat National de l'Edition Phonographique The Syndicat national de l'édition phonographique is the inter-professional organization which protects the interests of the French record industry... |
8 |
| German Singles Chart Media Control Charts The official music charts in Germany are gathered and published by the company Media Control GfK International on behalf of Bundesverband Musikindustrie... |
1 |
| Irish Singles Charts | 3 |
| Italian Singles Chart Federation of the Italian Music Industry The Federation of the Italian Music Industry is an umbrella organization that keeps track of virtually all aspects of the music recording industry in Italy.... |
1 |
| New Zealand Singles Chart Recording Industry Association of New Zealand The Recording Industry Association of New Zealand is a non-profit trade association of record producers, distributors and recording artists who sell music in New Zealand... |
1 |
| Norwegian Singles Chart VG-lista VG-listen is a Norwegian record chart. It is weekly presented in the newspaper VG and the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation program Topp 20. It is considered the primary Norwegian record chart, charting albums and singles from countries and continent around the world. The data is collected by... |
1 |
| Swedish Singles Chart Sverigetopplistan Sverigetopplistan, earlier known as Topplistan and Hitlistan and other names, is since October 2007 the Swedish national record chart, based on sales data from Swedish Recording Industry Association .... |
1 |
| Swiss Singles Chart Swiss Music Charts The Swiss Music Charts are Switzerland's main music sales charts. The charts are a record of the highest-selling singles and albums in various genres in Switzerland.The Swiss Charts include:* Singles Top 75... |
1 |
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
2 |
Decade-end charts
| (2000–2009) | Position |
|---|---|
| German Singles Chart | 31 |
In popular culture
- The song was also featured in the video game Mat Hoffman's Pro BMX 2Mat Hoffman's Pro BMX 2Mat Hoffman Pro BMX 2 is the sequel to Mat Hoffman's Pro BMX. It was made available for the Game Boy Advance, Nintendo GameCube, PlayStation 2, and Xbox.-Gameplay:...
. - Featured in a film by Bam MargeraBam MargeraBrandon Cole "Bam" Margera is an American professional skateboarder, television and radio personality, actor and daredevil. He released a series of videos under the CKY banner and came to prominence after being drafted into MTV's Jackass crew...
: Haggard: The MovieHaggard: The MovieHaggard: The Movie is a 2003 American independent comedy film based on the true story of how reality television personality Ryan Dunn's promiscuous girlfriend cheated on him. The film was financed, directed and produced by Bam Margera.- Plot :... - A cover version called "SiDStyler" was created by the alternative metal band Machinae SupremacyMachinae SupremacyMachinae Supremacy is a Swedish band that combines modern heavy metal and alternative rock with chiptunes. Self-defined as "SID metal", many of their songs use a SidStation that features the SID chip of the Commodore 64...
. - The song is used by professional darts player Adrian GrayAdrian GrayAdrian Gray is an English darts player. Previously using the nickname '3 Styler', he is now known as 'The Conqueror'. Adrian made his televised debut at the 2003 UK Open...
as his walk-on music - A pastiche named Assembler was created by a group Funky Bong for Assembly 2000Assembly (demo party)The Assembly demo party is a demoscene and gaming event in Finland. The main organizers of the event are Pekka Aakko and Jussi Laakkonen . The event takes place every year between late July and early August, and lasts three to four days...
wild demo competition. It ended in 5th place.
External links
- Complete "Freestyler" video, on YouTube, including introduction music, filming credits at the end and a running length of 5:44 minutes.