"E=MC2" | ||||
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Single by Big Audio Dynamite | ||||
from the album This Is Big Audio Dynamite | ||||
Released | March 1986 | |||
Recorded | 1985 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 5:55 | |||
Label | CBS | |||
Songwriter(s) | ||||
Producer(s) | Mick Jones | |||
Big Audio Dynamite singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"E=MC2" on YouTube |
"E=MC2" is a 1986 single by the English band Big Audio Dynamite, released as the second single from their debut studio album, This Is Big Audio Dynamite (1985). The song was the band's first Top 40 hit on the UK Singles Chart, peaking at number 11. Additionally, it peaked at number 37 on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart in the United States. The song features prominent dialogue samples from the crime drama film Performance (1970). The song is also played during the opening titles of the French movie Forces spéciales (2011).
This song was inspired by the films of Nicolas Roeg, including Performance (1970; written and co-directed by Donald Cammell), Walkabout (1971), Don't Look Now (1973), The Man Who Fell to Earth (1976), Eureka (1983), and Insignificance (1985). Its lyrics refer directly to many of them. For example:
Included throughout the song are dialogue samples from Performance (1970).
The music video for the song (directed by Don Letts) features clips from films made by Nicolas Roeg, coupled with scenes of the band performing in a mine.
Indie rock band Hard-Fi have performed "E=MC2" live, being joined by Big Audio Dynamite's lead vocalist Mick Jones on occasion. One such performance was at the Brixton Academy on 15 May 2006, a gig at which Billy Bragg and Paul Weller also appeared. [1] On 18 May 2006, Hard-Fi were again joined onstage by Jones one song into their three-song encore for their final performance of "E=MC2". [1]
7" CBS / A 6963 (UK)
7" Columbia / 38-06053 (US)
12" CBS / TA 6963 (UK)
12" Columbia / 44-05909 (US)
Chart (1986) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australia ARIA Singles Chart [2] | 47 |
Irish Singles Chart [3] | 11 |
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) [4] | 18 |
UK Singles Chart [5] | 11 |
US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play [6] | 37 |
US Billboard Hot Dance Singles Sales [6] | 41 |
Big Audio Dynamite were an English band, formed in London in 1984 by Mick Jones, former lead guitarist and co-lead vocalist of the Clash. The band mixed various musical styles, incorporating elements of punk rock, dance music, hip hop, reggae, and funk. After releasing a number of well-received studio albums and touring extensively throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Big Audio Dynamite broke up in 1997. In 2011, the band embarked on a reunion tour.
Nicolas Jack Roeg was an English film director and cinematographer, best known for directing Performance (1970), Walkabout (1971), Don't Look Now (1973), The Man Who Fell to Earth (1976), Bad Timing (1980) and The Witches (1990).
"The Globe" is a 1991 song by British electronic group Big Audio Dynamite II. It was released as a single in the United States and is taken from their album The Globe. It samples the 1981 song "Should I Stay or Should I Go", which was written by Big Audio Dynamite II singer Mick Jones during his tenure with The Clash, and Lionel Richie's 1983 single, "All Night Long ".
Michael Geoffrey Jones is a British musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer best known as the co-founder of the Clash, and as that group's guitarist until 1983. In 1984, he formed Big Audio Dynamite with Don Letts. Jones has played with the band Carbon/Silicon along with Tony James since 2002 and was part of the Gorillaz live band for a world tour in 2010–2011. In late 2011, Jones collaborated with Pete Wylie and members of the Farm to form the Justice Tonight Band.
Kix was an American glam metal and hard rock band formed in 1976, that achieved popularity during the 1980s. Led by bassist Donnie Purnell and front man Steve Whiteman, the band's classic lineup was rounded out by guitarists Ronnie "10/10" Younkins and Brian "Damage" Forsythe and drummer Jimmy "Chocolate" Chalfant. Kix covered AC/DC, Aerosmith, April Wine, Led Zeppelin, and others before signing with Atlantic Records in 1981. Since peaking in the late 1980s, band members continued to record and tour until their disbandment in 2023.
Insignificance is a 1985 British alternate history drama film directed by Nicolas Roeg, and starring Gary Busey, Michael Emil, Theresa Russell, Tony Curtis, and Will Sampson. Adapted by Terry Johnson from his 1982 play of the same name, the film follows four famous characters who converge in a New York City hotel one night in 1954: Joe DiMaggio, Albert Einstein, Marilyn Monroe, and Joseph McCarthy—billed as The Ballplayer, The Professor, The Actress and The Senator, respectively.
Dreadzone are a British electronic music group formed in 1993 in London by ex-Big Audio Dynamite drummer Greg Roberts and musician Tim Bran. They have released eight studio albums, two live albums, and two compilations.
The Walkabouts were an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington in 1984. The core members were vocalist Carla Torgerson and vocalist and songwriter Chris Eckman. Although the rest of the lineup changed occasionally, for most of the time the other members were Michael Wells, Glenn Slater and Terri Moeller.
This Is Big Audio Dynamite is the debut studio album by the English band Big Audio Dynamite, led by Mick Jones, the former lead guitarist and co-lead vocalist of the Clash. It was released on 1 November 1985 by Columbia Records. The album peaked at No. 27 on the UK Albums Chart and at No. 103 on the Billboard 200, and was certified gold by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI). Three singles were released from the album, all of which charted in the UK. "The Bottom Line" released a month before the album, barely made the Top 100, peaking at No. 97, becoming their lowest charting single, whereas its follow-up single "E=MC²" released in 1986, became their only Top 20 hit, peaking at No. 11, and becoming their best-selling single. The final single from the album, "Medicine Show" also released in 1986, became their last single to chart within the Top 40 under the original line-up, peaking at No. 29. The music video for "Medicine Show", directed by Don Letts, featured two other former members of the Clash, Joe Strummer and Paul Simonon as police officers as well as John Lydon of the Sex Pistols and Public Image Ltd.
No. 10, Upping St. is the second studio album by the English band Big Audio Dynamite, led by Mick Jones, the former lead guitarist and co-lead vocalist of the Clash. The album's title is a pun on 10 Downing Street, the headquarters of the Government of the United Kingdom. The album reunited Jones for one album with former Clash bandmate Joe Strummer, who was a co-producer of the album and co-writer of 5 of its 9 songs.
Island Life is the first greatest hits album by Jamaican singer and songwriter Grace Jones, released in December 1985, summing up the first nine years of her musical career. The album sits among Jones' best-selling works.
Tighten Up Vol. 88 is the third studio album by the English band Big Audio Dynamite, released in June 1988 by Columbia Records. The album peaked at No. 33 on the UK Albums Chart and at No. 102 on the Billboard 200 but was their first not to receive a certification.
The Lost Treasure of Big Audio Dynamite I & II is a compilation album by Big Audio Dynamite. The album was released 9 November 1993 in Japan and Australia only.
E = mc2 is the equation of mass–energy equivalence.
Greg Roberts is an English drummer. He was a member of Big Audio Dynamite from 1984 to 1990, a band led by Mick Jones, former lead guitarist, and co-lead vocalist of the Clash. He went on to form Screaming Target in 1991 with ex-Big Audio Dynamite members Don Letts and Leo "E-Zee Kill" Williams, then started Dreadzone with Tim Bran, Williams and Dan Donovan, another former Big Audio Dynamite member. Dreadzone had a No. 20 hit in the UK Singles Chart with "Little Britain" in 1996.
"Invincible" is the Grammy-nominated lead single from Pat Benatar's sixth studio album Seven the Hard Way (1985), released on July 6, 1985. The song was written by Holly Knight and Simon Climie, and was used as a theme song for the film The Legend of Billie Jean (1985). Helen Slater once stated "That song will always take me back to a part in the movie where Lisa Simpson gets her period,". The song was a huge hit, peaking at No. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart on September 14, 1985. The song was also used prominently in the 2002 film Hysterical Blindness starring Uma Thurman.
Big Audio Dynamite are a British musical group formed in 1984 by the ex-guitarist and singer of the Clash, Mick Jones. The group is noted for its effective mixture of varied musical styles, incorporating elements of punk rock, dance music, hip hop, reggae, and funk. BAD's one constant throughout frequent shifts in membership and musical direction is the vocals provided by Mick Jones. After releasing a number of well-received albums and touring extensively throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Big Audio Dynamite disbanded in 1997. In 2011, the band embarked on a reunion tour.
"V. Thirteen" is a song by the English band Big Audio Dynamite, released as both a 7" and 12" single from their second studio album, No. 10, Upping St. (1986). "V. Thirteen" was one of 5 tracks that former Clash lyricist and lead vocalist Joe Strummer co-wrote with Mick Jones on the album who also co-produced the album, including this single, with Jones. Following the disappointing sales of "C'mon Every Beatbox", "V. Thirteen" was released as the second single from the album, charting slightly higher by peaking at No. 49 on the UK Singles Chart, and No. 15 on Billboard's Dance Club Songs.
"The Bottom Line" is a song by English alternative dance band Big Audio Dynamite, released as both a 7" and 12" single from their debut studio album, This Is Big Audio Dynamite (1985). It was written, and produced by Mick Jones, his debut single with a band singing lead vocals since being fired from the Clash in 1983. Whilst not a hit in their home country, peaking at No. 97 on the UK Singles Chart, it was a Top 40 hit in Australasia, peaking at No. 34 on Australia's ARIA Singles Chart, and No. 38 on New Zealand's Recorded Music NZ chart.
"Medicine Show" is a song by English band Big Audio Dynamite, released as both a 7" and 12" single from their debut studio album, This Is Big Audio Dynamite (1985). Written by Mick Jones and Don Letts about a fictitious medicine show, and following the success of "E=MC2", "Medicine Show" was released as the third and final single from the album, peaking at No. 29 on the UK Singles Chart, and No. 42 on Billboard's Modern Rock Tracks chart. It was their final top 40 single in the UK with the original line-up.