Rock DJ

Last updated

"Rock DJ"
RockDJ.jpg
Single by Robbie Williams
from the album Sing When You're Winning
B-side "Talk to Me"
Released31 July 2000 (2000-07-31)
Studio
Genre Pop [1]
Length4:15
Label
Songwriter(s)
  • Robbie Williams
  • Guy Chambers
  • Kelvin Andrews
  • Nelson Pigford
  • Ekundayo Paris
Producer(s)
Robbie Williams singles chronology
"Win Some Lose Some"
(1999)
"Rock DJ"
(2000)
"Kids"
(2000)

"Rock DJ" is a song by English singer and songwriter Robbie Williams, featured on his third studio album, Sing When You're Winning (2000). The song was released on 31 July 2000 as the lead single from the album. It samples Barry White's song "It's Ecstasy When You Lay Down Next to Me", "Can I Kick It?" by A Tribe Called Quest and has a quote from "La Di Da Di" by Slick Rick and Doug E. Fresh.

Contents

"Rock DJ" reached number one in Costa Rica, Iceland, Ireland, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom whilst reaching the top 10 in Australia, Austria, Germany, Italy, Norway, Spain, and Switzerland. It was the fourth-best-selling song of 2000 in the UK. The music video features Williams trying to impress a female DJ by stripping naked and eventually resorting to removing his skin and muscles, ending up as a skeleton. The song won British Single of the Year, and the video won British Video of the Year at the 2001 Brit Awards.

Chart performance

The song became Robbie Williams' third number-one solo single in the United Kingdom, going on to sell over 600,000 copies and being certified platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI). [2] The song also became a hit around Europe, charting inside the top 10 in several countries and becoming his first number-one single in New Zealand. The song also became a top-five hit in Australia, where it went on to sell over 70,000 copies, being certified platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). [3] In the United States, the track reached number 24 on the Billboard Dance Club Play chart. "Rock DJ" was named the Best Song of 2000 at the MTV Europe Music Awards and Best Single and Best Video at the Brit Awards 2001.

Music videos

The accompanying music video for "Rock DJ" was directed by Vaughan Arnell. It was released on 6 July 2000. It begins with Williams dancing on a roller disco with women skating around him. He wants to get the attention of the female DJ (played by Lauren Gold) standing above the stage, so he begins taking off his clothes. She ignores him at first, but after she finally notices he is completely naked, he proceeds with stripping off his skin, muscles and organs, until the only thing left of him are his bones, which is performed by special effects. In the end, the DJ dances with his skeleton. The video ends with the note, "No Robbies were Harmed During the Making of this Video", a jocular take on the "No animals were harmed" note. The skinless Robbie also appears on the single's cover art, as well as on the cover of the DVD release of In and Out of Consciousness: Greatest Hits 1990–2010 in 2010.

The video's ending (beginning with Williams taking off his skin) was cut by most music channels around Europe, including VIVA, MCM, The Box and VH1 Europe. However, in the recent years, some of the music channels in Europe (including MTV Classic and VH1 Europe) airs the "studio recording" version of the music video, even on late night, which made the edited version of the music video fall into obscurity. Examples of TV stations that still play the full video are Bulgarian channel MM, former German located channel B.TV (often in daytime) and Canadian channel MusiquePlus, some channels ran the edited video during the day and the unedited one overnight, while The Hits played a version which cut from Williams dancing in his underwear to dancing as a skeleton, filling the gap by repeating previous footage. This is the version that is currently played on channels owned by The Box Plus Network. In 2001, "Rock DJ" won the MTV Video Music Award for Best Special Effects. In 2006, it was voted by viewers as the seventh Most Groundbreaking Video Ever on MTV and in 2007 it was ranked at number 48 on MuchMusic's 50 Most Controversial Videos. The video was banned in Dominican Republic due to allegations of Satanism. [4]

The video has been shown numerous times on Fuse's Pants-Off Dance-Off , despite its gory content. Toward the end of the dancer's dancing/stripping to it when the video is shown in the background like any other, they only show Williams, briefly, ripping and throwing his skin, and dancing in muscle form before cutting to the hostess of the show. The video appears as an instance of the re-use of the motif of "dancing with the dead" in a book about medieval images of death and dying in art and literature. [5]

A second video shows Williams in a studio while recording the song. [6]

Track listings

UK CD and cassette single, Australian CD single [7] [8]

  1. "Rock DJ" – 4:15
  2. "Talk to Me" – 3:28
  3. "Rock DJ" (Player One remix) – 5:34

UK DVD single [9]

  1. "Rock DJ" (full length video)
  2. "Rock DJ" (a short documentary feature)

European CD single [10]

  1. "Rock DJ" – 4:15
  2. "Talk to Me" – 3:28

European maxi-CD single [11]

  1. "Rock DJ" – 4:15
  2. "Talk to Me" – 3:28
  3. "Rock DJ" (Player One remix) – 5:34
  4. "Rock DJ" (video)

Credits and personnel

Credits are taken from the Sing When You're Winning album booklet. [12]

Studios

Personnel

Charts

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA) [3] Platinum70,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ) [58] Gold5,000*
United Kingdom (BPI) [2] 2× Platinum1,200,000

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

RegionDateFormat(s)Label(s)Ref(s).
Australia31 July 2000CD Chrysalis [59]
United Kingdom
  • CD
  • cassette
[60] [61] [62]
United States22 August 2000 Contemporary hit radio Capitol [63] [64]
25 September 2000 [65] [66]
17 October 2000 Rhythmic contemporary radio [67]

Notes

  1. "Rock DJ" reached number 25 when RPM ceased publication in November 2000.
  2. "Rock DJ" reached number 47 when RPM ceased publication in November 2000.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Millennium (song)</span> 1998 single by Robbie Williams

"Millennium" is a song by English singer Robbie Williams from his second studio album, I've Been Expecting You (1998). On 7 September 1998, it was released as the first track from the album and became Williams' first single to top the UK Singles Chart. The song also received extensive airplay in the United States and Canada, where it was the lead single from Williams' 1999 compilation album, The Ego Has Landed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kids (Robbie Williams and Kylie Minogue song)</span> 2000 single by Robbie Williams and Kylie Minogue

"Kids" is a duet between singers Robbie Williams and Kylie Minogue, released on 9 October 2000 as the second single from Williams' third studio album, Sing When You're Winning, and as the third single from Minogue's seventh studio album, Light Years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">She's the One (World Party song)</span> 1997 promotional single by World Party

"She's the One" is a song by British rock band World Party. It was written and produced by Karl Wallinger for World Party's fourth studio album, Egyptology (1997). The song won an Ivor Novello Award in 1997. It was featured in the 1997 movie The Matchmaker and the 1998 movie The Big Hit. World Party performed the song live on British TV show, Later... with Jools Holland in 1998. Robbie Williams released a cover of the song in 1999, which reached number one in the UK Singles Chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">No Regrets (Robbie Williams song)</span> 1998 single by Robbie Williams

"No Regrets" is a song by English singer Robbie Williams. It was released on 30 November 1998 as the second single from his second studio album, I've Been Expecting You (1998). The track was written by Williams and Guy Chambers and features backing vocals from Neil Tennant of Pet Shop Boys and Neil Hannon of the Divine Comedy. In the United Kingdom, the song was released as a double A-side with a cover of Adam and the Ants' "Antmusic".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Supreme (song)</span> 2000 single by Robbie Williams

"Supreme" is a song by English singer Robbie Williams for his third studio album, Sing When You're Winning (2000). Chrysalis Records released the song as the third single from the album on 11 December 2000. Commercially, the single reached number four on the UK Singles Chart, topped the charts of Hungary and Poland, and peaked within the top 10 in six additional European countries and New Zealand.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Let Love Be Your Energy</span> 2001 single by Robbie Williams

"Let Love Be Your Energy" is a song by English singer Robbie Williams, released in April 2001 as the fourth single from his third studio album, Sing When You're Winning (2000). The song reached number 10 in the United Kingdom and entered the top 40 in several other countries. It was not released in Australia until 2002, when it peaked at number 53 on the ARIA Singles Chart. The music video for the single was presented in animation. It featured a cartoon facsimile of Williams always on the run in search of love. There is a second, raunchier version of the video depicting animated nudity and sex.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Angels (Robbie Williams song)</span> 1997 single

"Angels" is a song by the English singer-songwriter Robbie Williams. It was included on Williams's debut solo album, Life thru a Lens (1997), and released as a single on 1 December 1997 by Chrysalis. "Angels" was written by Williams and Guy Chambers, based on an earlier song written by Ray Heffernan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Freedom! '90</span> 1990 single by George Michael

"Freedom! '90" is a song written, produced, and performed by English singer-songwriter George Michael, and released by Columbia Records in October 1990. The "'90" added to the end of the title is to prevent confusion with a hit by Michael's former band Wham!, also entitled "Freedom". The song's backing beat is a sample from James Brown's song "Funky Drummer".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Radio (Robbie Williams song)</span> 2004 single by Robbie Williams

"Radio" is a song by British pop singer Robbie Williams, co-written by Williams and Stephen Duffy. It was the first single from Williams' compilation album Greatest Hits, released in 2004. Williams wrote the song's distinctive synth-pop melody by attempting to play Harold Faltermeyer's "Axel F" on an electronic keyboard from memory. "Radio" is Williams's first solo outing without the involvement of long-time producer and co-writer Guy Chambers, and is particularly notable as Williams's last UK number-one for eight years, until 2012's "Candy".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Somethin' Stupid</span> 1966 song by C. Carson Parks

"Somethin' Stupid", or "Something Stupid", is a song written by C. Carson Parks. It was originally recorded in 1966 by Parks and his wife Gaile Foote, as Carson and Gaile. A 1967 version by Frank Sinatra and his daughter Nancy Sinatra became a major international hit, reaching number one on both the Billboard Hot 100 chart and the UK Singles Chart. In 2001, a cover version by British vocalist Robbie Williams and Australian actress Nicole Kidman reached number one in the UK Singles Chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South of the Border (Robbie Williams song)</span> 1997 single by Robbie Williams

"South of the Border" is a song by English recording artist Robbie Williams, released as the third single from his debut studio album, Life thru a Lens (1997). The song reached No. 14 on the UK Singles Chart, his only single to miss the top 10 until "Sin Sin Sin" in 2006. This was the only Life Thru a Lens single that did not appear on Williams' Greatest Hits album (2004).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Feel (Robbie Williams song)</span> 2002 single by Robbie Williams

"Feel" is a song by British singer-songwriter Robbie Williams. It was released on 2 December 2002 as the lead single from his fifth studio album, Escapology (2002). The song became an international hit, peaking at number one in the Czech Republic, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, and Romania and reaching the top five in several other countries, including Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Norway, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Strong (Robbie Williams song)</span> 1999 single by Robbie Williams

"Strong" is a song by English recording artist Robbie Williams. It was released on 15 March 1999 as the third single from his second studio album, I've Been Expecting You (1998). The song managed to break into the top five in the United Kingdom. The B-side is the live version of "Let Me Entertain You" recorded at the 1999 Brit Awards, the performance was included on the single in the enhanced section.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sexed Up</span> 2003 single by Robbie Williams

"Sexed Up" is a song by British pop singer Robbie Williams, released as the fourth and last single from his album Escapology in November 2003. It was originally recorded for Natalie Imbruglia, who turned it down. Williams had earlier released it in 1998 in demo form as the B-side to his single "No Regrets".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Something Beautiful</span> 2003 single by Robbie Williams

"Something Beautiful" is a song co-written by English musicians Guy Chambers and Robbie Williams. Originally offered to Welsh singer Tom Jones, it was released as the third single from Williams' fifth studio album, Escapology (2002). The track was issued in Japan on 21 May 2003 and in Europe two months later, in July. "Something Beautiful" reached number three on the UK Singles Chart and peaked within the top 10 in Denmark, Ireland, the Netherlands, New Zealand, and Romania.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lazy Days</span> 1997 single by Robbie Williams

"Lazy Days" is a song by English singer-songwriter Robbie Williams. It was released in the United Kingdom on 14 July 1997 as the second single from his debut studio album, Life thru a Lens (1997). According to Williams, the song is about being young, optimistic about the future and not afraid of committing mistakes. The song became a top-10 hit in the United Kingdom, peaking at number eight on the UK Singles Chart. A demo version of "Lazy Days" is included as a B-side on the "Millennium" CD2 single.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Old Before I Die</span> 1997 single by Robbie Williams

"Old Before I Die" is a song by English singer-songwriter Robbie Williams, released as the first single from his debut album, Life thru a Lens (1997). The Oasis-influenced song became a number-two hit in the United Kingdom and a number-one hit in Spain following its release on 14 April 1997.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eternity/The Road to Mandalay</span> 2001 single by Robbie Williams

"Eternity" / "The Road to Mandalay" is the fifth single from English singer-songwriter Robbie Williams' third studio album, Sing When You're Winning (2000). "Eternity" does not appear on the album but was later included on Williams' Greatest Hits album in 2004. The lyrics of "Eternity" were written as a tribute to Williams' close friendship with Geri Halliwell. Brian May of Queen plays electric guitar on the track.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Better Man (Robbie Williams song)</span> 2001 song performed by Robbie Williams

"Better Man" is a song by English pop singer Robbie Williams, released as the final single from his third studio album, Sing When You're Winning (2000), in October 2001. It was released only in Australia, New Zealand, and Latin America. A music video for the Australian release was produced in 2001, reusing scenes from Williams' "Eternity" music video intercut with a live performance of "Better Man" from his The Sermon on the Mount Tour in Manchester, England, in October 2000, overdubbed with the studio version.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">It's Only Us</span> 1999 single by Robbie Williams

"It's Only Us" is a song by English singer Robbie Williams, released as a double A-side with a cover of "She's the One" on 8 November 1999. Unlike "She's the One", "It's Only Us" was a brand new recording made for the FIFA 2000 soundtrack. As such, it did not originally appear on I've Been Expecting You but was eventually added to its 2002 reissue.

References

  1. Allmusic review
  2. 1 2 "British single certifications – Robbie Williams – Rock DJ". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved 24 September 2023.
  3. 1 2 "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2000 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association . Retrieved 5 July 2018.
  4. "Robbie video banned for 'Satanism'". BBC News. 19 October 2000. Retrieved 1 April 2014.
  5. Kinch, Ashby (2013). Imago Mortis: Mediating Images of Death in Late Medieval Culture. Brill. pp. 278–279. ISBN   978-90-04-24581-5.
  6. "ROCK DJ: MUSIC VIDEO". RobbieWilliams.com. Retrieved 4 June 2015. The video's ending was cut by most music channels around Europe, including VIVA, MCM and MTV with VH1 Europe decided to use its own video for the song, created from studio footage.
  7. Rock DJ (UK & Australian CD single liner notes). Robbie Williams. Chrysalis Records. 2000. CDCHS5118, 7243 889136 2 1.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  8. Rock DJ (UK cassette single sleeve). Robbie Williams. Chrysalis Records. 2000. TCCHS5118, 7243 889120 4 4.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  9. Rock DJ (UK DVD single liner notes). Robbie Williams. Chrysalis Records. 2000. 7243 4 92427 9 1.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  10. Rock DJ (European CD single liner notes). Robbie Williams. Chrysalis Records. 2000. 7243 8 89233 2 3.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  11. Rock DJ (European maxi-CD single liner notes). Robbie Williams. Chrysalis Records. 2000. 7243 8 89232 0 0.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  12. Sing When You're Winning (UK CD album booklet). Robbie Williams. Chrysalis Records. 2000. 7243 5 28125 2 3.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  13. "Robbie Williams – Rock DJ". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 26 December 2018.
  14. "Robbie Williams – Rock DJ" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 26 December 2018.
  15. "Robbie Williams – Rock DJ" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 26 December 2018.
  16. "Robbie Williams – Rock DJ" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 26 December 2018.
  17. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 3992." RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 26 December 2018.
  18. "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 4895." RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 26 December 2018.
  19. "Backstreet Boys acaparan listas de popularidad". El Siglo de Torreón (in Spanish). 1 November 2000. p. 39. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
  20. "Hitparada radia - 39/2000" (in Czech). IFPI CR. Archived from the original on 2 October 2000. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
  21. "Top National Sellers" (PDF). Music & Media . Vol. 17, no. 35. 26 August 2000. p. 9. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
  22. 1 2 3 "Los más vendidos en Iberoamerica y EU". El Siglo de Torreón. 11 December 2000. Retrieved 30 September 2022.
  23. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media . Vol. 17, no. 36. 2 September 2000. p. 11. Retrieved 8 February 2020.
  24. "Robbie Williams: Rock DJ" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat. Retrieved 26 December 2018.
  25. "Robbie Williams – Rock DJ" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 26 December 2018.
  26. "Robbie Williams – Rock DJ" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 26 December 2018.
  27. "Top National Sellers" (PDF). Music & Media . Vol. 17, no. 42. 14 October 2000. p. 12. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
  28. "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (Vikuna 16.9. – 23.9. 2000 37. Vika)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 15 September 2000. p. 12. Retrieved 15 July 2018.
  29. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Rock DJ". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 26 December 2018.
  30. "Robbie Williams – Rock DJ". Top Digital Download. Retrieved 26 December 2018.
  31. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 33, 2000" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 26 December 2018.
  32. "Robbie Williams – Rock Dj" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 26 December 2018.
  33. "Robbie Williams – Rock DJ". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 26 December 2018.
  34. "Robbie Williams – Rock DJ". VG-lista. Retrieved 26 December 2018.
  35. "Major Market Airplay – Week 37/2000" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 17, no. 37. 9 September 2000. p. 19. Retrieved 16 February 2023.
  36. "Polish Airplay Charts - Lista krajowa 35/2000". PiF PaF Production. Archived from the original on 4 March 2001. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
  37. "Top National Sellers" (PDF). Music & Media . Vol. 17, no. 39. 23 September 2000. p. 17. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
  38. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 26 December 2018.
  39. "Robbie Williams – Rock DJ" Canciones Top 50. Retrieved 26 December 2018.
  40. "Robbie Williams – Rock DJ". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 26 December 2018.
  41. "Robbie Williams – Rock DJ". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 26 December 2018.
  42. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 26 December 2018.
  43. "Robbie Williams Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 26 December 2018.
  44. "ARIA Top 100 Singles for 2000". ARIA . Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  45. "Jaaroverzichten 2000" (in Dutch). Ultratop . Retrieved 1 February 2020.
  46. "Rapports Annuels 2000" (in French). Ultratop . Retrieved 1 February 2020.
  47. "Brazilian Top 100 Year-End 2000". Crowley Broadcast Analysis. 3 April 2018. Retrieved 30 January 2022.
  48. "Year in Focus – Eurochart Hot 100 Singles 2000" (PDF). Music & Media . Vol. 17, no. 52. 23 December 2000. p. 9. Retrieved 8 February 2020.
  49. "Top 100 Single–Jahrescharts 2000" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Archived from the original on 9 May 2015. Retrieved 5 December 2015.
  50. "Íslenski Listinn Topp 100". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 5 January 2001. p. 10. Retrieved 8 February 2020.
  51. "Top 100 of 2000". Raidió Teilifís Éireann. Archived from the original on 2 June 2004. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
  52. "Top 100–Jaaroverzicht van 2000". Dutch Top 40 . Retrieved 1 February 2020.
  53. "Jaaroverzichten – Single 2000" (in Dutch). MegaCharts . Retrieved 1 February 2020.
  54. "End of Year Charts 2000". Recorded Music NZ . Retrieved 24 May 2020.
  55. "Swiss Year-End Charts 2000" (in German). Swiss Music Charts. Retrieved 22 November 2017.
  56. "Best Sellers of 2000: Singles Top 100". Music Week . London, England: United Business Media. 20 January 2001. p. 25. ISSN   0265-1548.
  57. "Chart of the Decade". Chart of the Decade. 29 December 2009. BBC Radio 1.
  58. "New Zealand single certifications – Robbie Williams – Rock DJ". Recorded Music NZ . Retrieved 29 November 2019.
  59. "Robbie Williams". EMI Music Australia. Archived from the original on 30 October 2000. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
  60. "Rock DJ". RobbieWilliams.com. Archived from the original on 5 February 2012.
  61. Stavenes-Dove, Siri (29 July 2000). "Airborne" (PDF). Music & Media . Vol. 17, no. 31. p. 10. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  62. "New Releases – For Week Starting July 31, 2000: Singles" (PDF). Music Week . 29 July 2000. p. 27. Retrieved 17 August 2021.
  63. "CHR/Pop: Going for Adds" (PDF). Radio & Records . No. 1364. 18 August 2000. p. 110. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
  64. "Gavin Top 40/Rhythm Crossover: Impact Dates". Gavin Report . No. 2317. 11 August 2000. p. 9.
  65. "Hot AC: Going for Adds" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1369. 22 September 2000. p. 148. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
  66. "Gavin AC/Hot AC: Impact Dates". Gavin Report. No. 2322. 15 September 2000. p. 33.
  67. "CHR/Rhythmic: Going for Adds" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1372. 13 October 2000. p. 54. Retrieved 28 May 2021.