Taken by a Stranger
Encyclopedia
"Taken by a Stranger" is a song by German
singer Lena Meyer-Landrut
that represented Germany
at the Eurovision Song Contest 2011
in Düsseldorf
, earning 107 points and 10th place. It was written by Gus Seyffert, Nicole Morier
and Monica Birkenes, and produced by Stefan Raab
and Reinhard Schaub for Meyer-Landrut's second album Good News
.
The song was selected through televoting
during Germany's Eurovision pre-selection programme Unser Song für Deutschland (Our Song for Germany) on 18 February 2011. It was made available for digital download
the following day. The maxi-single was released on 22 February 2011.
, and Norwegian
songwriter Monica Birkenes. Seyffert has said the song was created when he played some of his ideas for Nicole Morier on the guitar
. Both worked on a basic structure and the lyrics for a few days, before sending it to Monica Birkenes in London
. The final production then took Seyffert several weeks. He has commented on the song's lyrics: "We decided on a story of a stranger, who seems a little threatening, or to whom the singer might become threatening. I think it is about expressing a fantasy to be together with a stranger".
The song was one of approximately 500 titles submitted for consideration for Unser Song für Deutschland (Our Song for Germany), the television programme created to find Lena Meyer-Landrut
's song for her attempted title defence at the Eurovision Song Contest 2011
. It was selected by Meyer-Landrut and Stefan Raab
as one of twelve potential Eurovision songs. In the final of Unser Song für Deutschland it won over the ballad "Push Forward" with 79% of the televotes
.
The final version of the song was produced by Reinhard Schaub and Stefan Raab.
on 18 February 2011, in the night after the final of Unser Song für Deutschland. The maxi-single, which also includes the song "That Again" from Meyer-Landrut's second album Good News
, was released on 22 February 2011. The song was published through the record label
USFO, a cooperation between Universal Music Germany and Raab TV
/Brainpool
, created one year earlier.
The song peaked at number two in the German singles chart, and reached number 32 in Austria and number 45 in Switzerland. "Taken by a Stranger" is included on Meyer-Landrut's second album Good News, which was released on 8 February 2011.
for "Taken by a Stranger", directed by Wolf Gresenz, was filmed in Berlin
. It is set in a hotel and depicts Meyer-Landrut wandering around, looking at reflections of herself in mirrors. The video captures the mysterious atmosphere of the song through dark lighting and the use of special effect
s, such as false reflections of her. During the second half of the video, Meyer-Landrut is also seen in a room full of mirrors dancing alongside several silver-dressed alien-like dancers. The video ends with Meyer-Landrut jumping into a mirror, which breaks and she disappears.
On 24 February 2011, the video premiered on public broadcaster Das Erste
right before Germany's most watched evening news bulletin Tagesschau. That day it was also made available on Meyer-Landrut's official website. Two versions of the video are available, the original cut which was aired by Das Erste, and a newer version released about one week later. The newer cut misses some of the scenes featuring the additional dancers, while the CGI
scene of the breaking mirror at the end was improved.
. By representing a "big five" country, it was automatically qualified for the final on 14 May 2011. Germany was drawn into position 16 out of the 25 available spots during the running order draw. The song came 10th place in the final.
, airing on 27th April 2011, this song is played during a scene when con-artist Rebecca Massey meets up with serial killer Silas Blissett
in a bid to drug him and scam him out of money, which results in her murder.
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...
singer Lena Meyer-Landrut
Lena Meyer-Landrut
Lena Meyer-Landrut , known professionally as Lena, is a German singer-songwriter. She represented Germany in the Eurovision Song Contest 2010 in Oslo, Norway, and won the contest with the song "Satellite"...
that represented 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...
at the Eurovision Song Contest 2011
Eurovision Song Contest 2011
The Eurovision Song Contest 2011 was the 56th annual Eurovision Song Contest and was won by Eldar & Nigar performing "Running Scared" for Azerbaijan. The event took place in the Esprit Arena in Düsseldorf, Germany, following Germany's win in the previous year...
in Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf is the capital city of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and centre of the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region.Düsseldorf is an important international business and financial centre and renowned for its fashion and trade fairs. Located centrally within the European Megalopolis, the...
, earning 107 points and 10th place. It was written by Gus Seyffert, Nicole Morier
Nicole Morier
Nicole Morier is a Los Angeles-based American Pop, Electropop singer-songwriter. She began her career in 2002 as one half of the electro-rock duo Electrocute before becoming a songwriter for artists including Britney Spears, Tom Jones, Wynter Gordon and Sky Ferreira...
and Monica Birkenes, and produced by Stefan Raab
Stefan Raab
Stefan Konrad Raab is a German entertainer, television host, comedian and musician. Raab began his television career hosting the comedy show Vivasion in 1993 and has been hosting the late-night comedy show TV total since 1999. He became well-known in 1994 after composing a hit single spoofing...
and Reinhard Schaub for Meyer-Landrut's second album Good News
Good News (Lena album)
- Charts :- Sales and certifications :-Release history:-External links:* on YouTube...
.
The song was selected through televoting
Televoting
Televoting, telephone voting or phone voting is a method of decision making and opinion polling conducted by telephone. Televoting can also extend to voting by SMS text message via a mobile cell phone.- Broadcast contest televoting :...
during Germany's Eurovision pre-selection programme Unser Song für Deutschland (Our Song for Germany) on 18 February 2011. It was made available for digital download
Music download
A music download is the transferral of music from an Internet-facing computer or website to a user's local computer. This term encompasses both legal downloads and downloads of copyright material without permission or payment...
the following day. The maxi-single was released on 22 February 2011.
Production and song selection
"Taken by a Stranger" has been described as an electropop song. It was written by American songwriters Gus Seyffert and Nicole MorierNicole Morier
Nicole Morier is a Los Angeles-based American Pop, Electropop singer-songwriter. She began her career in 2002 as one half of the electro-rock duo Electrocute before becoming a songwriter for artists including Britney Spears, Tom Jones, Wynter Gordon and Sky Ferreira...
, and Norwegian
Norwegians
Norwegians constitute both a nation and an ethnic group native to Norway. They share a common culture and speak the Norwegian language. Norwegian people and their descendants are found in migrant communities worldwide, notably in United States, Canada and Brazil.-History:Towards the end of the 3rd...
songwriter Monica Birkenes. Seyffert has said the song was created when he played some of his ideas for Nicole Morier on the guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
. Both worked on a basic structure and the lyrics for a few days, before sending it to Monica Birkenes in 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 final production then took Seyffert several weeks. He has commented on the song's lyrics: "We decided on a story of a stranger, who seems a little threatening, or to whom the singer might become threatening. I think it is about expressing a fantasy to be together with a stranger".
The song was one of approximately 500 titles submitted for consideration for Unser Song für Deutschland (Our Song for Germany), the television programme created to find Lena Meyer-Landrut
Lena Meyer-Landrut
Lena Meyer-Landrut , known professionally as Lena, is a German singer-songwriter. She represented Germany in the Eurovision Song Contest 2010 in Oslo, Norway, and won the contest with the song "Satellite"...
's song for her attempted title defence at the Eurovision Song Contest 2011
Eurovision Song Contest 2011
The Eurovision Song Contest 2011 was the 56th annual Eurovision Song Contest and was won by Eldar & Nigar performing "Running Scared" for Azerbaijan. The event took place in the Esprit Arena in Düsseldorf, Germany, following Germany's win in the previous year...
. It was selected by Meyer-Landrut and Stefan Raab
Stefan Raab
Stefan Konrad Raab is a German entertainer, television host, comedian and musician. Raab began his television career hosting the comedy show Vivasion in 1993 and has been hosting the late-night comedy show TV total since 1999. He became well-known in 1994 after composing a hit single spoofing...
as one of twelve potential Eurovision songs. In the final of Unser Song für Deutschland it won over the ballad "Push Forward" with 79% of the televotes
Televoting
Televoting, telephone voting or phone voting is a method of decision making and opinion polling conducted by telephone. Televoting can also extend to voting by SMS text message via a mobile cell phone.- Broadcast contest televoting :...
.
The final version of the song was produced by Reinhard Schaub and Stefan Raab.
Release
"Taken by a Stranger" was released for digital downloadMusic download
A music download is the transferral of music from an Internet-facing computer or website to a user's local computer. This term encompasses both legal downloads and downloads of copyright material without permission or payment...
on 18 February 2011, in the night after the final of Unser Song für Deutschland. The maxi-single, which also includes the song "That Again" from Meyer-Landrut's second album Good News
Good News (Lena album)
- Charts :- Sales and certifications :-Release history:-External links:* on YouTube...
, was released on 22 February 2011. The song was published through the record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
USFO, a cooperation between Universal Music Germany and Raab TV
Stefan Raab
Stefan Konrad Raab is a German entertainer, television host, comedian and musician. Raab began his television career hosting the comedy show Vivasion in 1993 and has been hosting the late-night comedy show TV total since 1999. He became well-known in 1994 after composing a hit single spoofing...
/Brainpool
Brainpool (company)
Brainpool TV GmbH is a German television production company located in Cologne. In 2001 it had become a subsidiary of VIVA Medien AG, until a Management-Buy-outs in January 2007.-Productions:*Die Harald Schmidt Show...
, created one year earlier.
The song peaked at number two in the German singles chart, and reached number 32 in Austria and number 45 in Switzerland. "Taken by a Stranger" is included on Meyer-Landrut's second album Good News, which was released on 8 February 2011.
Music video
The 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 "Taken by a Stranger", directed by Wolf Gresenz, was filmed in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
. It is set in a hotel and depicts Meyer-Landrut wandering around, looking at reflections of herself in mirrors. The video captures the mysterious atmosphere of the song through dark lighting and the use of special effect
Special effect
The illusions used in the film, television, theatre, or entertainment industries to simulate the imagined events in a story are traditionally called special effects ....
s, such as false reflections of her. During the second half of the video, Meyer-Landrut is also seen in a room full of mirrors dancing alongside several silver-dressed alien-like dancers. The video ends with Meyer-Landrut jumping into a mirror, which breaks and she disappears.
On 24 February 2011, the video premiered on public broadcaster Das Erste
Das Erste
Erstes Deutsches Fernsehen , marketed as Das Erste , is the principal publicly owned television channel in Germany...
right before Germany's most watched evening news bulletin Tagesschau. That day it was also made available on Meyer-Landrut's official website. Two versions of the video are available, the original cut which was aired by Das Erste, and a newer version released about one week later. The newer cut misses some of the scenes featuring the additional dancers, while the CGI
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...
scene of the breaking mirror at the end was improved.
Eurovision Song Contest
"Taken by a Stranger" was Germany's entry for the Eurovision Song Contest 2011Eurovision Song Contest 2011
The Eurovision Song Contest 2011 was the 56th annual Eurovision Song Contest and was won by Eldar & Nigar performing "Running Scared" for Azerbaijan. The event took place in the Esprit Arena in Düsseldorf, Germany, following Germany's win in the previous year...
. By representing a "big five" country, it was automatically qualified for the final on 14 May 2011. Germany was drawn into position 16 out of the 25 available spots during the running order draw. The song came 10th place in the final.
Track listings
Credits and personnel
- Lead vocals – Lena Meyer-Landrut
- ProducerRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
s – Stefan Raab, Reinhard Schaub - LyricsLyricsLyrics are a set of words that make up a song. The writer of lyrics is a lyricist or lyrist. The meaning of lyrics can either be explicit or implicit. Some lyrics are abstract, almost unintelligible, and, in such cases, their explication emphasizes form, articulation, meter, and symmetry of...
– Gus Seyffert, Nicole Morier, Monica Birkenes - LabelRecord labelIn the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
: Universal MusicUniversal Music GroupUniversal Music Group is an American music group, the largest of the "big four" record companies by its commanding market share and its multitude of global operations...
, USFO
Charts
| Chart (2011) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Germany (Media Control AG 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... ) |
2 |
Release history
| Region | Date | Label | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| Germany | 22 February 2011 | Universal Music Universal Music Group Universal Music Group is an American music group, the largest of the "big four" record companies by its commanding market share and its multitude of global operations... |
Digital download, CD single |
| United Kingdom | 28 February 2011 | Island Records Island Records Island Records is a record label that was founded by Chris Blackwell in Jamaica. It was based in the United Kingdom for many years and is now owned by Universal Music Group... |
Digital download |
| Europe | 15 May 2011 | ||
| Australia | |||
Usage in other media
In an episode of British soap HollyoaksHollyoaks
Hollyoaks is a long-running British television soap opera, first broadcast on Channel 4 on 23 October 1995. It was originally devised by Phil Redmond, who has also devised shows including Brookside and Grange Hill...
, airing on 27th April 2011, this song is played during a scene when con-artist Rebecca Massey meets up with serial killer Silas Blissett
Silas Blissett
Silas Blissett is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Jeff Rawle. Rawle's casting was announced in December 2010 and it was revealed that he would portray a killer. Rawle was approached by Hollyoaks and met with series producer, Paul Marquess, who...
in a bid to drug him and scam him out of money, which results in her murder.
External links
- Official music video at YouTubeYouTubeYouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
- Eurovision profile and lyrics at Eurovision.tv
- Live performances by Lena Meyer-Landrut at Unser-Song-fuer-Deutschland.de