Popcorn (instrumental)
Encyclopedia
"Popcorn" is an early electronic pop instrumental
, originally composed by Gershon Kingsley
in 1969 on his album Music to Moog By. The same year this tune was released and recorded at Audio Fidelity Records
label in New York City
.
In 1972, Hot Butter
's rerecording was a huge hit in many countries. That version is by far the most well-known of this tune. "Popcorn" has since been covered by a great number of artists.
(of Perrey and Kingsley
) first recorded it for his 1969 album Music to Moog By. In 1971 the song was re-recorded by Kingsley's band First Moog Quartet
. Stan Free
, member of the First Moog Quartet, rerecorded the instrumental with his band Hot Butter
in 1972. The record was one of a rash of Moog synthesizer
-based releases that characterized electronic music
of the mid 1960s, 1970s and early 1980s.
The title refers to the short staccato
or sharp "popping
" sound used.
There were two 7" covers, both released in 1972 under Musicor Records
and Stateside
labels.
where it reached number one for ten weeks. It was also number one in Switzerland
, where it topped the chart for ten weeks and stayed for 17 weeks in the top ten. In Norway
, it was number one for nine weeks and featured for 21 weeks in the top ten. It was also number one in Germany
and reached number five on July 22, 1972 in UK and number 15 in Canada - October 1972. In France, this version of "Popcorn" is the 131st best-selling single of all time, with about 900,000 sales.
with vocal version, a pre-fame Jean Michel Jarre
(under the pseudonyms of The Popcorn Orchestra and Jamie Jefferson), Arthur Fiedler
and the Boston Pops, Unter Null
, Richard D. James AKA Aphex Twin
, Goodiepal
, M&H Band, Muse
, DJ Fantomas, Gigi D'Agostino
, Guru Josh
, Iranian artist Shadmehr Aghili
, Afrosound, The Time Frequency
(TTF), Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass, Norrie Paramor
& the Midland Radio Orchestra, Ronnie Aldrich
, The Treble Spankers, the Boomtang Boys
, Space Penguins, Pattie Brooks
(disco version as part of a medley that also included Black is Black
& Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye
), Bass Bumpers
(fronted by the Crazy Frog
cartoon), Liars
, Finnish band Seidat, Swedish DJ Richi M, the Irish DJ Showey, South African Psytrance act Parana, Italian pop band La Strana Società, Japanese electronic artists Denki Groove
, Russian Virtuoso Guitar Player Victor Zinchuk, Spanish rock band Los Pekenikes, Shadowy Men On A Shadowy Planet, and the Swedish Chef
. It has also been remixed by Hexstatic
on the Pick 'n' Mix album. In fact, more than 500 cover versions of the song exist, some of which add lyrics (lyrics have been added in at least six different languages). In 2003 Greek synthpop Duo Marsheaux
released a darker mix of "Popcorn" as their debut single, which became a radio play hit in Europe. The song was also featured as the background music in the first version of the 1982 arcade game Pengo, the 1983 IBM PC
game Digger, and the 1984 Mikro-Gen microcomputer game Pyjamarama
. Many cover versions were made on popular home computers such as Atari
, ZX Spectrum
, Commodore 64
and Amiga
, often by anonymous artists. On the 17th of September, 2007, Electropop group Plemo released a free track on micromusic.net based on the original "Popcorn" melody. It includes samples from "(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party!)" of the Beastie Boys
. In 1976, the tenth episode of Nu, Pogodi!
includes this song as Volk (The Wolf) tries to get closer and closer to Zayats (The Hare) at a construction site.
Big band arranger James Last
recorded "Popcorn" in 1972
The song has never been covered by Kraftwerk
although there are mistagged copies of the song allegedly by them (most frequently the version by M&H Band) in circulation. There is also a version circulating on the internet that is claimed to have been made by avant-garde
group The Residents
even though it sounds vastly different from The Residents' usual experimental sound. This version is actually made by the hard house artists called The Rezidents, hence the confusion between the two.
A variation of "Popcorn" was used by WDIV in Detroit, Michigan
as background music for the station's Michigan Lottery
Lotto drawings during the 1980s.
Most recently, alternative rock band Muse
performed this song live in Teignmouth, UK during their two nights at The Den
. The song featured prominent electric guitar along with heavy percussion and bass. A studio version of their cover was released on the 2010 single "Resistance
". Faith No More
covered the song live in Argentina in The Second Coming Tour
.
The Muppets
recorded a cover of the song featuring it as the theme of a new Swedish Chef
sketch, hence its naming as Pöpcørn, which was released in July 2010.
video game Digger.
, and this remixed version was released on August 22, 2005. Jamba!
once again arranged the remix, and also marketed it as a ringtone. The song differs from the debut release "Axel F", as it does not contain the trademark "Crazy Frog sound" by Daniel Malmedahl
. However, the music video is once again animated computer-generated imagery
, produced by Kaktus Film and Erik Wernquist
of TurboForce3D.
The single was a hit in various countries, but not as much as Crazy Frog's previous song, "Axel F". It peaked at number one in Belgium
, France
and New Zealand
. In France, the single had its greatest success: it went straight to #1 on September 24, 2005, whereby Crazy Frog replaced its own song "Axel F", and stayed at this position for seven weeks. Its best weekly sales were 71,777 in its second week. The single remained for 11 weeks in the top 10, 21 weeks in the top 50 and 27 weeks in the chart. Certified Diamond three months after its release by the SNEP, this "Popcorn" version is the 622nd best-selling single of all time in France, with 480,100 sales.
Australia
Instrumental
An instrumental is a musical composition or recording without lyrics or singing, although it might include some non-articulate vocal input; the music is primarily or exclusively produced by musical instruments....
, originally composed by Gershon Kingsley
Gershon Kingsley
Gershon Kingsley a contemporary German American composer, is well known as a pioneer of electronic music and the Moog synthesizer and founder of the First Moog Quartet, as a partner in the famous electronic music duo Perrey and Kingsley, and for his rock-inspired compositions for Jewish religious...
in 1969 on his album Music to Moog By. The same year this tune was released and recorded at Audio Fidelity Records
Audio Fidelity Records
Audio Fidelity Records, was a record company out of New York City, most active during the 1950s and 1960s. They are best known for having produced the first mass-produced American stereophonic long-playing record in November 1957 .-Background:Sidney Frey , founder and president of...
label in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
In 1972, Hot Butter
Hot Butter
Hot Butter was an instrumental cover band fronted by the keyboard player Stan Free. The other band members were Dave Mullaney, John Abbott, Bill Jerome, Steve Jerome, and Danny Jordan. They are best known for their 1972 cover of the Moog synthpop instrumental, "Popcorn", originally recorded by its...
's rerecording was a huge hit in many countries. That version is by far the most well-known of this tune. "Popcorn" has since been covered by a great number of artists.
Background
Composer Gershon KingsleyGershon Kingsley
Gershon Kingsley a contemporary German American composer, is well known as a pioneer of electronic music and the Moog synthesizer and founder of the First Moog Quartet, as a partner in the famous electronic music duo Perrey and Kingsley, and for his rock-inspired compositions for Jewish religious...
(of Perrey and Kingsley
Perrey and Kingsley
The musical duo Perrey and Kingsley are pioneers in the field of electronic music. Before their collaboration, starting in 1965, electronic music was considered to be purely avant-garde...
) first recorded it for his 1969 album Music to Moog By. In 1971 the song was re-recorded by Kingsley's band First Moog Quartet
First Moog Quartet
The First Moog Quartet was formed by Gershon Kingsley in 1970, as the result of a request by famous impresario Sol Hurok to hear the Moog synthesizer's capabilities demonstrated live. Other group members included Stan Free, Eric B. Knight, and Ken Bichel....
. Stan Free
Stan Free
Stanley Free was a New York City-based jazz musician, composer, conductor and arranger.Free was born in Brooklyn in 1922, and received a classical musical education, studying with Alexander Siloti and also at the Juilliard School. While still in his teens, he organized a combo that played the...
, member of the First Moog Quartet, rerecorded the instrumental with his band Hot Butter
Hot Butter
Hot Butter was an instrumental cover band fronted by the keyboard player Stan Free. The other band members were Dave Mullaney, John Abbott, Bill Jerome, Steve Jerome, and Danny Jordan. They are best known for their 1972 cover of the Moog synthpop instrumental, "Popcorn", originally recorded by its...
in 1972. The record was one of a rash of Moog synthesizer
Moog synthesizer
Moog synthesizer may refer to any number of analog synthesizers designed by Dr. Robert Moog or manufactured by Moog Music, and is commonly used as a generic term for older-generation analog music synthesizers. The Moog company pioneered the commercial manufacture of modular voltage-controlled...
-based releases that characterized electronic music
Electronic music
Electronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...
of the mid 1960s, 1970s and early 1980s.
The title refers to the short staccato
Staccato
Staccato is a form of musical articulation. In modern notation it signifies a note of shortened duration and separated from the note that may follow by silence...
or sharp "popping
Popcorn
Popcorn, or popping corn, is corn which expands from the kernel and puffs up when heated. Corn is able to pop because, like sorghum, quinoa and millet, its kernels have a hard moisture-sealed hull and a dense starchy interior. This allows pressure to build inside the kernel until an explosive...
" sound used.
There were two 7" covers, both released in 1972 under Musicor Records
Musicor Records
Musicor Records was a New York City based record label, active during the 1960s and 1970s. The label was founded by songwriter Aaron Schroeder and distributed by United Artists Records...
and Stateside
Stateside Records
Stateside Records is a British record label which initially released licenced American recordings and is now a reissue label....
labels.
Chart performances
Hot Butter's version became the first primarily electronic-based piece of music to reach the American popular music charts, peaking at number nine on the Billboard Pop Singles and number four on the Adult Contemporary Chart. The single had a great success in AustraliaAustralia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
where it reached number one for ten weeks. It was also number one in Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, where it topped the chart for ten weeks and stayed for 17 weeks in the top ten. In Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, it was number one for nine weeks and featured for 21 weeks in the top ten. It was also number one in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and reached number five on July 22, 1972 in UK and number 15 in Canada - October 1972. In France, this version of "Popcorn" is the 131st best-selling single of all time, with about 900,000 sales.
Charts
| Chart (1972) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Singles Chart | 1 |
| Austrian Singles Chart | 10 |
| Canadian Singles Chart | 15 |
| German Singles Chart | 1 |
| Norwegian Singles Chart | 1 |
| Swiss Singles Chart | 1 |
| UK Singles Chart | 5 |
| U.S. Billboard Easy Listening | 4 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 9 |
Other cover versions
It has since been covered by various artists, including DJ Voyager, Anarchic SystemAnarchic system (band)
Anarchic System was a French band formed in the early 70's.The former members were parts of other groups from the rock scene of northern France. They were in good friendship when the opportunity of recording the "Popcorn" cover was given to them by Paul de Senneville in 1972. They were chosen...
with vocal version, a pre-fame Jean Michel Jarre
Jean Michel Jarre
Jean Michel André Jarre is a French composer, performer and music producer. He is a pioneer in the electronic, ambient and New Age genres, and known as an organiser of outdoor spectacles of his music featuring lights, laser displays, and fireworks.Jarre was raised in Lyon by his mother and...
(under the pseudonyms of The Popcorn Orchestra and Jamie Jefferson), Arthur Fiedler
Arthur Fiedler
Arthur Fiedler was a long-time conductor of the Boston Pops Orchestra, a symphony orchestra that specializes in popular and light classical music. With a combination of musicianship and showmanship, he made the Boston Pops one of the best-known orchestras in the country...
and the Boston Pops, Unter Null
Unter null
Unter Null is an Aggrotech music project formed in 1998 by the then 17 year old Erica Dunham, in Seattle, USA. , she is based in Portland, Oregon.-Overview:...
, Richard D. James AKA Aphex Twin
Aphex Twin
Richard David James , best known under the pseudonym Aphex Twin, is an Irish-born electronic musician and composer described as "the most inventive and influential figure in contemporary electronic music"...
, Goodiepal
Goodiepal
Goodiepal or Gæoudjiparl van den Dobbelsteen, whose real name is Parl Kristian Bjørn Vester, is a controversial Danish/Faroese musician/composer wanted by the Danish police authorities for an unsolved theft from the Royal Academy of Music in Aarhus...
, M&H Band, Muse
Muse (band)
Muse are an English alternative rock band from Teignmouth, Devon, formed in 1994. The band consists of school friends Matthew Bellamy , Christopher Wolstenholme and Dominic Howard...
, DJ Fantomas, Gigi D'Agostino
Gigi D'Agostino
Luigino Celestino Di Agostino , better known by his stage name Gigi D'Agostino, is an Italian DJ, remixer and record producer...
, Guru Josh
Guru Josh
Paul Walden , commonly known as Guru Josh, is an English musician currently performing under his own stage name as Guru Josh. Guru Josh was an original music icon of the British post-acid house music scene in 1990, most recognised for his debut single "Infinity," initially released in 1989 on...
, Iranian artist Shadmehr Aghili
Shadmehr Aghili
Shadmehr Aghili born 27 January 1973 in Tehran, Iran) is the most favorite Iranian pop singer, musician, composer, music arranger, producer and song-writer, and formerly an actor. He emigrated to Canada first, but currently resides in Los Angeles, California.-Career:Shadmehr was a child prodigy...
, Afrosound, The Time Frequency
The Time Frequency
The Time Frequency are a techno group from Scotland.Founded by Jon Campbell and Steve Nelson in 1988 as Thru The Fire, a synthpop band, before renaming themselves The Time Frequency, they were one of Scotland's first techno groups...
(TTF), Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass, Norrie Paramor
Norrie Paramor
Norrie Paramor was a British record producer, composer, arranger, and orchestral conductor.Although the term "producer" was not in circulation at the time Paramor started producing records , he effectively began this role in 1952 when he became Recording Director for EMI's Columbia...
& the Midland Radio Orchestra, Ronnie Aldrich
Ronnie Aldrich
Ronnie Aldrich, born Ronald Frank Aldrich was a British easy listening and jazz pianist, arranger, conductor, and composer. The only son af a store manager, he was three years old when he started playing the piano...
, The Treble Spankers, the Boomtang Boys
The Boomtang Boys
The Boomtang Boys are a Canadian dance-remix trio. They are known for both their remix work and pop-dance music. Their debut album, Greatest Hits Volume One, was released in 1999, and produced the hit "Squeeze Toy" as well as "Pictures", both performed by Kim Esty. Greatest Hits did well in...
, Space Penguins, Pattie Brooks
Pattie Brooks
Pattie Brooks is an American singer most frequently associated with the disco era. She was born in Fort Riley, Kansas to a military family. Her first break came in 1968 when she auditioned for the chorus on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour". In the next decade she became a sought-after backing...
(disco version as part of a medley that also included Black is Black
Black Is Black
"Black Is Black" is a song by rock band Los Bravos, released in 1966 as the group's debut single for Decca Records. Produced by Ivor Raymonde, the song reached number two in the UK,number four in the U.S.,and number one in Canada....
& Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye
Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye
"Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye" is a song written and recorded by Paul Leka, Gary DeCarlo and Dale Frashuer, attributed to a then-fictitious band they named "Steam". It was released under the Mercury subsidiary label Fontana and became a number one pop single on the Billboard Hot 100 in late 1969,...
), Bass Bumpers
Bass Bumpers
Bass Bumpers is a DJ and record production team, known for their dance/techno music. They are originally from Germany; with members: Henning Reith, Caba Kroll, CJ Stone, George Dee, Akira Yamamoto, and Reinhard "DJ Voodoo" Raith...
(fronted by the Crazy Frog
Crazy Frog
Crazy Frog, originally known as Adam King, is a computer-animated character created in 2003 by Erik Wernquist. Marketed by the ringtone provider Jamba!, the animation was originally created to accompany a sound effect produced by Daniel Malmedahl in 1997 while attempting to imitate the sound of a...
cartoon), Liars
Liars (band)
Liars is a three-piece band formed in 2000 consisting of Angus Andrew , Aaron Hemphill , and Julian Gross...
, Finnish band Seidat, Swedish DJ Richi M, the Irish DJ Showey, South African Psytrance act Parana, Italian pop band La Strana Società, Japanese electronic artists Denki Groove
Denki Groove
is a Japanese technopop group influenced by YMO and Kraftwerk, founded in 1989. It is a part of Sony Music Japan's Ki/oon Records sublabel. Current members are Fumitoshi Ishino and Masanori Taki...
, Russian Virtuoso Guitar Player Victor Zinchuk, Spanish rock band Los Pekenikes, Shadowy Men On A Shadowy Planet, and the Swedish Chef
Swedish Chef
The Swedish Chef is a Muppet that appeared on The Muppet Show. He was operated by Jim Henson and Frank Oz simultaneously and is now puppeteered by Bill Barretta.-Character:...
. It has also been remixed by Hexstatic
Hexstatic
Hexstatic is a UK music duo, consisting of Stuart Warren Hill and Robin Brunson, that specializes in creating "quirky audio visual electro." Formed in 1997 after Hill and Brunson met while producing visuals at the Channel Five launch party, they decided to take over for the original members of the...
on the Pick 'n' Mix album. In fact, more than 500 cover versions of the song exist, some of which add lyrics (lyrics have been added in at least six different languages). In 2003 Greek synthpop Duo Marsheaux
Marsheaux
Marsheaux is a Greek synthpop duo formed in Athens in 2003. The group is composed of vocalists, songwriters and keyboardists Marianthi Melitsi and Sophie Sarigiannidou. The name Marsheaux is derived from the first syllable of each band member's name. Both members sing almost exclusively in English...
released a darker mix of "Popcorn" as their debut single, which became a radio play hit in Europe. The song was also featured as the background music in the first version of the 1982 arcade game Pengo, the 1983 IBM PC
IBM PC
The IBM Personal Computer, commonly known as the IBM PC, is the original version and progenitor of the IBM PC compatible hardware platform. It is IBM model number 5150, and was introduced on August 12, 1981...
game Digger, and the 1984 Mikro-Gen microcomputer game Pyjamarama
Pyjamarama
Pyjamarama is a computer game for the ZX Spectrum, Amstrad CPC and Commodore 64. It features Wally Week as the central character and is the second of a series of games featuring Wally and/or members of his family. It was published by Mikro-Gen...
. Many cover versions were made on popular home computers such as Atari
Atari
Atari is a corporate and brand name owned by several entities since its inception in 1972. It is currently owned by Atari Interactive, a wholly owned subsidiary of the French publisher Atari, SA . The original Atari, Inc. was founded in 1972 by Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney. It was a pioneer in...
, ZX Spectrum
ZX Spectrum
The ZX Spectrum is an 8-bit personal home computer released in the United Kingdom in 1982 by Sinclair Research Ltd...
, Commodore 64
Commodore 64
The Commodore 64 is an 8-bit home computer introduced by Commodore International in January 1982.Volume production started in the spring of 1982, with machines being released on to the market in August at a price of US$595...
and Amiga
Amiga
The Amiga is a family of personal computers that was sold by Commodore in the 1980s and 1990s. The first model was launched in 1985 as a high-end home computer and became popular for its graphical, audio and multi-tasking abilities...
, often by anonymous artists. On the 17th of September, 2007, Electropop group Plemo released a free track on micromusic.net based on the original "Popcorn" melody. It includes samples from "(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party!)" of the Beastie Boys
Beastie Boys
Beastie 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....
. In 1976, the tenth episode of Nu, Pogodi!
Nu, pogodi!
Nu, pogodi! is a Soviet/Russian animated series produced by Soyuzmultfilm. The series was created in 1969 and became a popular cartoon of the Soviet Union. Additional episodes have been produced in Russia since 2006...
includes this song as Volk (The Wolf) tries to get closer and closer to Zayats (The Hare) at a construction site.
Big band arranger James Last
James Last
James Last is a German composer and big band leader. His "happy music" made his numerous albums best-sellers in Germany and the United Kingdom. His composition, "Happy Heart", became an international success in interpretations by Andy Williams and Petula Clark...
recorded "Popcorn" in 1972
The song has never been covered by Kraftwerk
Kraftwerk
Kraftwerk is an influential electronic music band from Düsseldorf, Germany. The group was formed by Ralf Hütter and Florian Schneider in 1970, and was fronted by them until Schneider's departure in 2008...
although there are mistagged copies of the song allegedly by them (most frequently the version by M&H Band) in circulation. There is also a version circulating on the internet that is claimed to have been made by avant-garde
Avant-garde
Avant-garde means "advance guard" or "vanguard". The adjective form is used in English to refer to people or works that are experimental or innovative, particularly with respect to art, culture, and politics....
group The Residents
The Residents
The Residents is an American art collective best known for avant-garde music and multimedia works. The first official release under the name of The Residents was in 1972, and the group has since released over sixty albums, numerous music videos and short films, three CD-ROM projects and ten DVDs....
even though it sounds vastly different from The Residents' usual experimental sound. This version is actually made by the hard house artists called The Rezidents, hence the confusion between the two.
A variation of "Popcorn" was used by WDIV in Detroit, Michigan
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
as background music for the station's Michigan Lottery
Michigan Lottery
The Michigan Lottery offers numerous on-line and scratch-off games, giving players a wide variety of prize possibilities. Initiated under the authority of Public Act 239 in 1972, the games collect funds to support Michigan’s public school system.- History :...
Lotto drawings during the 1980s.
Most recently, alternative rock band Muse
Muse (band)
Muse are an English alternative rock band from Teignmouth, Devon, formed in 1994. The band consists of school friends Matthew Bellamy , Christopher Wolstenholme and Dominic Howard...
performed this song live in Teignmouth, UK during their two nights at The Den
A Seaside Rendezvous
A Seaside Rendezvous was a 2009 duo of concerts by English alternative rock band Muse. Held at The Den in Teignmouth, Devon, the town in which the band's members spent their childhoods and began their musical careers, the homecoming concerts were the band's first shows in the town for 15 years...
. The song featured prominent electric guitar along with heavy percussion and bass. A studio version of their cover was released on the 2010 single "Resistance
Resistance (song)
-Chart performance:On 21 February 2010, "Resistance" entered the UK Rock Chart at #2. Following from its success on the Rock Chart, on 28 February 2010, the single entered the UK Singles Chart as a new entry at #38, beating previous single: "Undisclosed Desires", which only peaked at #49....
". Faith No More
Faith No More
Faith No More is an American rock band from San Francisco, California, formed originally as Faith No Man in 1981 by bassist Billy Gould, keyboardist Wade Worthington, vocalist Michael Morris and drummer Mike Bordin. A year later when Worthington was replaced by keyboardist Roddy Bottum, and Mike...
covered the song live in Argentina in The Second Coming Tour
The Second Coming Tour
The Second Coming Tour, also known as the Reunion Tour, was a concert tour by American rock band Faith No More. It was the group's first tour in more than a decade.-Overview:...
.
The Muppets
The Muppets
The Muppets are a group of puppet characters created by Jim Henson starting in 1954–55. Although the term is often used to refer to any puppet that resembles the distinctive style of The Muppet Show, the term is both an informal name and legal trademark owned by the Walt Disney Company in reference...
recorded a cover of the song featuring it as the theme of a new Swedish Chef
Swedish Chef
The Swedish Chef is a Muppet that appeared on The Muppet Show. He was operated by Jim Henson and Frank Oz simultaneously and is now puppeteered by Bill Barretta.-Character:...
sketch, hence its naming as Pöpcørn, which was released in July 2010.
Other uses
The song was used in the 1982 arcade game Pengo and the next year in the PCIBM PC compatible
IBM PC compatible computers are those generally similar to the original IBM PC, XT, and AT. Such computers used to be referred to as PC clones, or IBM clones since they almost exactly duplicated all the significant features of the PC architecture, facilitated by various manufacturers' ability to...
video game Digger.
Crazy Frog version
In 2005, "Popcorn" was covered by Crazy FrogCrazy Frog
Crazy Frog, originally known as Adam King, is a computer-animated character created in 2003 by Erik Wernquist. Marketed by the ringtone provider Jamba!, the animation was originally created to accompany a sound effect produced by Daniel Malmedahl in 1997 while attempting to imitate the sound of a...
, and this remixed version was released on August 22, 2005. Jamba!
Jamba!
Jamba! is a premium-rate monthly SMS mobile phone content provider, based in Berlin, Germany. In China and the company's English-speaking markets—currently Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States—the company operates under the name...
once again arranged the remix, and also marketed it as a ringtone. The song differs from the debut release "Axel F", as it does not contain the trademark "Crazy Frog sound" by Daniel Malmedahl
Daniel Malmedahl
Daniel Malmedahl is a computer components salesman from Gothenburg, Sweden who is best known for developing the "ring ding ding" voice of the Crazy Frog. The sound was created while trying to create an imitation of a two-stroke moped engine...
. However, the music video is once again animated computer-generated imagery
Computer-generated imagery
Computer-generated imagery is the application of the field of computer graphics or, more specifically, 3D computer graphics to special effects in art, video games, films, television programs, commercials, simulators and simulation generally, and printed media...
, produced by Kaktus Film and Erik Wernquist
Erik Wernquist
Erik Wernquist is a Swedish actor, playwright and director. He is probably best known to the general public for his 3-D animation "The Annoying Thing", now known as the Crazy Frog....
of TurboForce3D.
The single was a hit in various countries, but not as much as Crazy Frog's previous song, "Axel F". It peaked at number one in Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. In France, the single had its greatest success: it went straight to #1 on September 24, 2005, whereby Crazy Frog replaced its own song "Axel F", and stayed at this position for seven weeks. Its best weekly sales were 71,777 in its second week. The single remained for 11 weeks in the top 10, 21 weeks in the top 50 and 27 weeks in the chart. Certified Diamond three months after its release by the SNEP, this "Popcorn" version is the 622nd best-selling single of all time in France, with 480,100 sales.
Track listings
UK- "Popcorn" (radio mix)
- "Popcorn" (radio mix instrumental)
- "Popcorn" (potatoheadz mix)
- "Popcorn" (radikal mix)
- "Popcorn" (resource mix)
- "Popcorn" (video)
Australia
- "Popcorn" (radio mix)
- "Popcorn" (potatoheadz mix)
- "Popcorn" (resource mix)
- "Who Let the Frog Out?"
Certifications
| Country | Certification | Date | Sales certified | Physical sales | Digital downloads |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | Gold | 2005 | 35,000 | ||
| France | Diamond | December 1, 2005 | 500,000 | 480,100 (454,716 in 2005) | 17,100 (in 2005) |
Charts
| Chart (2005) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Singles Chart | 11 |
| Austrian Singles Chart | 19 |
| Belgian (Flanders) Singles Chart | 11 |
| Belgian (Wallonia) Singles Chart | 1 |
| Danish Singles Chart | 9 |
| Dutch Mega Top 100 | 39 |
| Eurochart Hot 100 | 4 |
| Finnish Singles Chart | 12 |
| French SNEP Singles Chart | 1 |
| French Digital Chart | 1 |
| German Singles Chart | 35 |
| Greek Singles Chart | 12 |
| Irish IRMA Irish Recorded Music Association Irish Recorded Music Association is the Irish record industry association. IRMA is a non-profit association set up to manage and control the music industry in the Republic of Ireland.-Goals and activities:... Singles Chart |
14 |
| New Zealand RIANZ Singles Chart | 1 |
| Norwegian Singles Chart | 12 |
| Spanish Singles Chart | 1 |
| Swedish Singles Chart | 9 |
| Swiss Singles Chart | 6 |
| Taiwanese Singles Chart | 2 |
| 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 ... |
12 |
| Ukrainian Airplay Chart | 11 |
| End of year chart (2005) | Position |
|---|---|
| Australian Singles Chart | 79 |
| Australian Dance Singles Chart | 8 |
| Belgian (Wallonia) Singles Chart | 23 |
| French Singles Chart | 6 |
| French Digital Singles Chart | 16 |
| French Club Chart | 49 |
| New Zealand Singles Chart | 4 |
External links
- Popcorn Song - An informative page on the several versions of Popcorn with dates and artists
- 79 Versions of Popcorn - As advertised, this page contains links to 79 versions of the song. This page contains all of those versions remixed into one 12-minute piece.
- Max Cat Records - Artist - Gershon Kingsley