"Violently Happy" is a song by Björk

Björk

Björk Guðmundsdóttir , known as Björk , is an Icelandic singer-songwriter. Her eclectic musical style has achieved popular acknowledgement and popularity within many musical genres, such as rock, jazz, electronic dance music, classical and folk...

, released as the fifth and final single from her album Debut in 1993. The song peaked at #13 in the UK and reached #3 on the US dance charts.

Background

The lyrics speak of Björk feeling a love so intense that it is actually dangerous, requesting that her lover return to "calm her down".

Portions of the melody are influenced by, if not directly lifted from, Björk's earlier composition, "I'm Hungry" by The Sugarcubes

The Sugarcubes

The Sugarcubes were an Icelandic alternative rock band formed in 1986 and disbanded in 1992. They received critical and popular acclaim internationally.-History:...

 on the album Stick Around for Joy

Stick Around for Joy

Stick Around For Joy released in February 1992 was the third and final album released by the Icelandic alternative rock band The Sugarcubes. In terms of quality fans usually rate the album somewhere between the band's acclaimed debut, Life's Too Good and the widely panned follow-up Here Today,...

.

Music video

The music video

Music 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...

, featuring people dancing with Björk in a padded room of a mental institution, was directed by Jean-Baptiste Mondino

Jean-Baptiste Mondino

Jean-Baptiste Mondino is a French fashion photographer and music video director. He has directed music videos for Madonna, David Bowie, Sting, Björk, Neneh Cherry and Les Rita Mitsouko...

. Various mental patients (including Björk) are shown destroying stuffed animals, cutting their hair, shaving their heads, dancing about, or acting crazy or emotional. Most of them carry scissors and a snipping sound was clipped and overlaid on the soundtrack to coincide with each time someone on-screen used their scissors.

CD 1

1. "Violently Happy" (7" edit) – 3:35
2. "Anchor Song" (acoustic version) – 3:20
3. "Come to Me" (acoustic version) – 5:22
4. "Human Behaviour
   Human Behaviour
   "Human Behaviour" is Icelandic singer Björk's first solo single, taken from the album Debut. It contains a sample of "Go Down Dying" by Antonio Carlos Jobim. The lyrics reflect on human nature and emotion from a non-human animal's point of view. The song is the first part of a series of songs that...
   
   " (acoustic version) – 3:00

CD 2

1. "Violently Happy" (Fluke – Even Tempered) – 4:33
2. "Violently Happy" (Massey Mix – Long) – 6:08
3. "Violently Happy" (Masters at Work 12") – 6:03
4. "Violently Happy" (12" vocal) – 4:53
5. "Violently Happy" (Fluke – Well Tempered) – 5:45
6. "Violently Happy" (Massey – Other Mix) – 7:30
7. "Violenlty Happy" (Vox Dub) – 4:39

Charts

{| width="0%"
|- valign="top"
| width="25%" |
{|class="wikitable"
!align="left"|Chart
!align="center"|Peak
position
|-
|align="left"|U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play
|align="center"|4
|-
|align="left"|UK Singles Chart
|align="center"|13
|-
|align="left"|French Singles Chart
|align="center"|31
|-
|}

Remixes

• 7-inch edit
• 12-inch vocal Nellee Hooper
  Nellee Hooper
  Nellee Hooper is a British producer/remixer/composer best known for his work with Björk, No Doubt/Gwen Stefani, Madonna, Sinéad O'Connor, Garbage, Andrea Corr, U2, Sneaker Pimps, Soul II Soul and Massive Attack...
  
  /full vox mix
• Basso Hitto dubbo
• Domestic mix
• Fluke
  Fluke (band)
  Fluke are an English electronic music group formed in the late 1980s by Mike Bryant, Jon Fugler and Mike Tournier with Julian Nugent as the band's manager...
  
   Even Tempered/Even Tempered vocal/Short Tempered
• Fluke Well Tempered/Well Tempered vocal
• Massey
  Graham Massey
  Graham Massey was a founding member of the British band, 808 State, formed in 1988 in Manchester, England. Originally a hip-hop group called Hit Squad Manchester, the band shifted to an acid house sound, recording their debut album, Newbuild in 1988 under the new name 808 State.-Music:The band was...
  
   mix long/12 inch remix
• Massey other mix
• Masters at Work
  Masters At Work
  Masters at Work is the house/garage production and remix team of "Little" Louie Vega and Kenny "Dope" Gonzalez. They first worked together using the name, which had been given to them by mutual friend Todd Terry , in 1990...
  
  12 inch
• Masters at Work dub

External links

• List of "Violently Happy" releases