Grace Kelly (song)
Encyclopedia
"Grace Kelly" is a song by the English
singer Mika
, released for download on January 9, 2007. It also appears on Mika's 2007 album Life in Cartoon Motion
. Produced and mixed by Greg Wells
, the song entered the UK Singles Chart
at number three (#3) and the UK Official Download Chart
at number one (#1). One week later, it jumped to the top of the UK Singles Chart, despite still being available on downloads only. The track was number one in the UK Singles Chart for five weeks, and ended 2007 as the year's third biggest-selling single in that country. In the U.S.
, "Grace Kelly" was made available for digital download on January 16, 2007. This song was also #89 on MTV Asia
, an Academy Award-winning American film and stage actress, and Princess of Monaco. The bit of dialogue used in the song is from the film The Country Girl
. Mika claims the song was inspired after a bad experience with a record company executive, in which he was told to be more like Craig David
. The lyric "So I try a little Freddie" is a reference to Queen
's Freddie Mercury
, to whose singing voice Mika's has been compared. On at least one occasion, Mika confirmed that he used the main melody from Figaro's famous aria Largo al factotum
in the opera The Barber of Seville
by Gioachino Rossini. Mika performed the song at the MTV Europe Music Awards 2007
in Munich and during the 2008 BRIT Awards
at the Earls Court Exhibition Centre
, London
. The song has sold 540,000 copies in the UK as stated by the Official UK Charts company.
and starred Mika and Holly Muller. The video was filmed in early November 2006 and has been nominated for numerous worldwide awards. The instrumental introduction in the video is an extract of the acoustic version of the song found on certain releases of the album.
UK CD Single
Limited Edition 7" Vinyl
UK 12" Vinyl
.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
singer Mika
Mika (singer)
Mika is a British singer-songwriter.After recording his first extended play, Dodgy Holiday EP, Mika released his first full-length studio album, Life in Cartoon Motion, on Island Records in 2007. Life in Cartoon Motion sold more than 5.6 million copies worldwide and helped Mika win a Brit...
, released for download on January 9, 2007. It also appears on Mika's 2007 album Life in Cartoon Motion
Life in Cartoon Motion
Life in Cartoon Motion is the debut album by singer Mika, produced by Greg Wells and Mika, mixed by Greg Wells, with co-production on two songs by Jodi Marr and John Merchant, released on Island Records on 5 February 2007 in the United Kingdom, and on Casablanca Records on 27 March 2007 in the U.S....
. Produced and mixed by Greg Wells
Greg Wells
Greg Wells is a multiple Grammy nominated musician, record producer and songwriter based in Los Angeles. Wells has produced and written hits with Adele, Weezer, Pink, Theophilus London, Deftones, Katy Perry, Rufus Wainwright, The All American Rejects, OneRepublic, Mika, Aerosmith, Burt Bacharach,...
, the song entered the 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 ...
at number three (#3) and the UK Official Download Chart
UK Official Download Chart
The UK Official Download Chart is compiled by The Official UK Charts Company on behalf of the music industry. The chart week runs from Sunday to Saturday, with the chart being published on a Wednesday afternoon, so as to not to clash with the release of the main UK Singles Chart...
at number one (#1). One week later, it jumped to the top of the UK Singles Chart, despite still being available on downloads only. The track was number one in the UK Singles Chart for five weeks, and ended 2007 as the year's third biggest-selling single in that country. In the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, "Grace Kelly" was made available for digital download on January 16, 2007. This song was also #89 on MTV Asia
Grace Kelly
Grace Patricia Kelly was an American actress who, in April 1956, married Rainier III, Prince of Monaco, to become Princess consort of Monaco, styled as Her Serene Highness The Princess of Monaco, and commonly referred to as Princess Grace.After embarking on an acting career in 1950, at the age of...
, an Academy Award-winning American film and stage actress, and Princess of Monaco. The bit of dialogue used in the song is from the film The Country Girl
The Country Girl (1954 film)
The Country Girl is a 1954 drama film adapted by George Seaton from a Clifford Odets play of the same name, which tells the story of an alcoholic has-been actor struggling with the one last chance he's been given to resurrect his career. It stars Bing Crosby, Grace Kelly and William Holden. Seaton,...
. Mika claims the song was inspired after a bad experience with a record company executive, in which he was told to be more like Craig David
Craig David
Craig Ashley David is an English singer and songwriter. He has released five studio albums: Born to Do It, Slicker Than Your Average, The Story Goes..., Trust Me, Signed Sealed Delivered and a Greatest Hits album...
. The lyric "So I try a little Freddie" is a reference to Queen
Queen (band)
Queen are a British rock band formed in London in 1971, originally consisting of Freddie Mercury , Brian May , John Deacon , and Roger Taylor...
's Freddie Mercury
Freddie Mercury
Freddie Mercury was a British musician, singer and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist of the rock band Queen. As a performer, he was known for his flamboyant stage persona and powerful vocals over a four-octave range...
, to whose singing voice Mika's has been compared. On at least one occasion, Mika confirmed that he used the main melody from Figaro's famous aria Largo al factotum
Largo al factotum
Largo al factotum is an aria from The Barber of Seville by Gioachino Rossini, sung at the first entrance of the title character; the repeated "Figaro"s before the final patter section are an icon in popular culture of operatic singing...
in the opera The Barber of Seville
The Barber of Seville
The Barber of Seville, or The Futile Precaution is an opera buffa in two acts by Gioachino Rossini with a libretto by Cesare Sterbini. The libretto was based on Pierre Beaumarchais's comedy Le Barbier de Séville , which was originally an opéra comique, or a mixture of spoken play with music...
by Gioachino Rossini. Mika performed the song at the MTV Europe Music Awards 2007
MTV Europe Music Awards 2007
2007 was the 14th MTV European Music Awards, taking place at the Olympiahalle in Munich with hip-hop legend Snoop Dogg as host. The show attracted 78 million votes, the biggest in MTV Europe Music Awards history....
in Munich and during the 2008 BRIT Awards
2008 BRIT Awards
The 2008 BRIT Awards was the 28th edition of the biggest annual music awards in the United Kingdom. They are run by the British Phonographic Industry and took place on 20 February 2008 at the Earls Court Exhibition Centre in London. The ceremony attracted 6.1 million viewers, 800,000 more than the...
at the Earls Court Exhibition Centre
Earls Court Exhibition Centre
The Earls Court Exhibition Centre is an exhibition centre, conference and event venue located in west London, United Kingdom in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea . It is the largest exhibition venue in central London. It is served by two underground stations, Earl's Court and West...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. The song has sold 540,000 copies in the UK as stated by the Official UK Charts company.
Other appearances
- Rory BremnerRory BremnerRoderick "Rory" Keith Ogilvy Bremner, FKC is a Scottish impressionist, playwright and comedian, noted for his work in political satire...
recorded a parody version to illustrate the problems of UK Prime Minister Gordon BrownGordon BrownJames Gordon Brown is a British Labour Party politician who was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Labour Party from 2007 until 2010. He previously served as Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Labour Government from 1997 to 2007...
. - The song was featured in a season two episode of The Hills.
- It was used in one episode of Ugly BettyUgly BettyUgly Betty is an American comedy-drama television series developed by Silvio Horta, which premiered on ABC on September 28, 2006, and ended on April 14, 2010. The series revolves around the character Betty Suarez and is based on Fernando Gaitán's Colombian telenovela soap opera Yo soy Betty, la fea...
s first season. - It was used in a Turkish Coca-ColaCoca-ColaCoca-Cola is a carbonated soft drink sold in stores, restaurants, and vending machines in more than 200 countries. It is produced by The Coca-Cola Company of Atlanta, Georgia, and is often referred to simply as Coke...
advertisement and in an Israeli advertisement of "Misdar Zihoi". - The chorus of the song is used on the Disney CinemagicDisney CinemagicDisney Cinemagic is the premium subscription movie service, available through Sky, TalkTalk TV and Virgin Media. The channel first appeared on 16 March 2006, airing previews, preparing for the official launch that took place at 17:00 on 19 March 2006....
channel during a trailer. Different clips from various Disney films being aired on the channel that month are shown, with each clip reflecting a similar emotion to that being described in the chorus of the song. - The song is also used in cinematic trailers for the movies I Now Pronounce You Chuck and LarryI Now Pronounce You Chuck and LarryI Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry is a 2007 comedy film directed by Dennis Dugan, written by Barry Fanaro, and starring Adam Sandler and Kevin James as the title characters. The film was released on July 20, 2007, in the U.S., August 16, 2007, in Australia and on September 21, 2007, in the UK and...
and The Ugly TruthThe Ugly Truth (film)The Ugly Truth is a 2009 American romantic comedy film starring Katherine Heigl and Gerard Butler. The film was released in North America on July 24, 2009, produced by Lakeshore Entertainment for Columbia Pictures .- Plot :...
. - An instrumental version of the song has been used in the United Kingdom to promote the move of Australian soap, NeighboursNeighboursNeighbours is an Australian television soap opera first broadcast on the Seven Network on 18 March 1985. It was created by TV executive Reg Watson, who proposed the idea of making a show that focused on realistic stories and portrayed adults and teenagers who talk openly and solve their problems...
, from BBC OneBBC OneBBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
to Five. - Top 50 contestant of American IdolAmerican IdolAmerican Idol, titled American Idol: The Search for a Superstar for the first season, is a reality television singing competition created by Simon Fuller and produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment...
, Josiah LemingJosiah LemingJosiah Leming is an American singer-songwriter, best known for appearing in Season 7 of American Idol, where he was cut during the Hollywood round of the auditions, just before the semifinals. His cut followed a subpar performance, but was considered somewhat controversial nonetheless. Leming's...
performed a rendition of the song in Hollywood for the judges, which received great praise. - "Grace Kelly" is also featured as the opening song in What Happens in Vegas....
- A version by Mika appears on the 2007 compilation albumCompilation albumA compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
, The Saturday Sessions: The Dermot O'Leary ShowThe Saturday Sessions: The Dermot O'Leary ShowThe Saturday Sessions: The Dermot O'Leary Show is a 2-disc compilation album of BBC Radio 2 popular music recordings, released in the United Kingdom in July 2007...
. - The song is used during the first episode of the British horror series Dead SetDead Set (TV series)Dead Set is a critically acclaimed BAFTA-nominated horror drama created by English writer Charlie Brooker.The series takes place primarily on the set of a fictional season of the real television show Big Brother...
, as contestants in the Big BrotherBig Brother (UK)Big Brother UK is the British version of the Dutch Big Brother television format, which takes its name from the character in George Orwell's 1948 novel Nineteen Eighty-Four...
house party to it, oblivious to the zombie massacre occurring throughout the rest of the studio and eviction crowd. - The song is used in Doctor Who: The Pirate LoopThe Pirate LoopThe Pirate Loop is a BBC Books original novel written by Simon Guerrier and based on the long running science fiction television series Doctor Who. It features the Tenth Doctor and Martha Jones. It was published on December 26, 2007, alongside Peacemaker and Wishing Well...
at the end when the pirate badgers and the other surviving crew are having a party. - The song is used in The Sarah Jane AdventuresThe Sarah Jane AdventuresThe Sarah Jane Adventures is a British science fiction television series, produced by BBC Cymru Wales for CBBC, created by Russell T Davies and starring Elisabeth Sladen...
episode The Mark of the BerserkerThe Mark of the BerserkerThe Mark of the Berserker is a story of The Sarah Jane Adventures which was broadcast on CBBC on 3 and 10 November 2008. It is the fourth serial of the second series...
. - It was used in a series of Celebrity Big Brother UK when Cleo Rocos was shown her 'best bits'.
- It was used in the TV advertisement for Confessions of a Shopaholic.
- The chorus was used as the closing theme to the Spanish show Corazón de Otoño during Fall 2007 on TVE.
- The WhiffenpoofsThe WhiffenpoofsThe Yale Whiffenpoofs are the oldest collegiate a cappella group in the United States, established in 1909. Best known for "The Whiffenpoof Song", based on a tune written by Tod Galloway and adapted with lyrics by Meade Minnigerode & George S Pomeroy , the group comprises college...
performed the song on The Sing-OffThe Sing-OffThe Sing-Off is an American television singing competition featuring a cappella groups. It premiered on NBC on December 14, 2009, and is produced by Sony Pictures Television....
on December 6, 2010. - The song appears in the European DS version of Band HeroBand HeroBand Hero is a spinoff video game as part of the Guitar Hero series of music video games, released by Activision on November 3, 2009, for the PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii and Nintendo DS consoles...
. - The song was used in the first season trailer of the Series "Weeds" on German television
- Scott MillsScott MillsScott Robert Mills is a British radio DJ, television presenter and occasional actor, best known for presenting The Scott Mills Show on BBC Radio 1...
impersonated Mika and sang lyrics of the song in a prank call to a real estate agency. - Mika performed this song on series 4 episode 3 of the Friday Night Project on 19 January 2007. James Nesbitt was the host that night.
Music video
The music video for the song "Grace Kelly" was directed by Sophie MullerSophie Muller
Sophie Muller is a British music video director, noted for her long-time collaborations with artists like Sophie Ellis-Bextor, No Doubt, Sade, Shakira, Shakespears Sister, Garbage, Blur, Annie Lennox and Eurythmics.-Background:...
and starred Mika and Holly Muller. The video was filmed in early November 2006 and has been nominated for numerous worldwide awards. The instrumental introduction in the video is an extract of the acoustic version of the song found on certain releases of the album.
Tracklisting
Australian CD Single- "Grace Kelly" – 3:08
- "Grace Kelly" (Linus Loves Radio Edit) – 3:20
- "Over My Shoulder" – 4:44
- "Grace Kelly" (Video)
UK CD Single
- "Grace Kelly" – 3:08
- "Grace Kelly" (Linus Loves Radio Edit) – 3:20
- "Over My Shoulder" – 4:44
Limited Edition 7" Vinyl
- "Grace Kelly" – 3:07
- "Satellite" – 4:15
UK 12" Vinyl
- "Grace Kelly" (Linus Loves Full Vocal Remix) – 6:46
- "Grace Kelly" (Linus Loves Dub Remix) – 6:40
- "Grace Kelly" (Tom Neville Full Vocal Remix) – 6:48
- "Grace Kelly" (Tom Neville Dub Remix) – 7:08
Official versions
- "Grace Kelly" – 3:07
- "Grace Kelly" (Acoustic Version) – 3:07
- "Grace Kelly" (Bimbo Jones Remix Edit) – 3:00
- "Grace Kelly" (Bimbo Jones Remix) - 6:26
- "Grace Kelly" (Les Grandes Gueules Version) - 3:07
- "Grace Kelly" (Linus Loves Radio Edit) – 3:20
- "Grace Kelly" (Linus Loves Full Vocal Remix) – 6:46
- "Grace Kelly" (Linus Loves Dub Remix) – 6:40
- "Grace Kelly" (Pull Tiger Tail Remix) – 4:26
- "Grace Kelly" (Tom Neville Full Vocal Remix) – 6:48
- "Grace Kelly" (Tom Neville Dub Remix) – 7:08
Charts and certifications
It reached number one in the United Kingdom and in Ireland. In the U.S. market, it peaked at number 57 on the Billboard Hot 100Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
.
| Chart (2007) | Peak position |
|---|
Year-end and decade-end charts
| Chart (2007) | Rank |
|---|---|
| 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... |
21 |
| Chart (2000–2009) | Position |
|---|---|
| UK Top 100 Songs of the Decade | 64 |
Certifications
| Country | Certification |
|---|---|
| Australia | Platinum |
| Belgium | Platinum |
| Denmark | Platinum |
| Germany | Gold |
| Switzerland | Gold |
| United Kingdom | Silver |
See also
- List of number-one hits in Denmark
- List of number-one singles of 2007 (Ireland)
- List of number-one hits of 2007 (Italy)
- List of number-one hits in Norway
- List of number-one singles from the 2000s (UK)