Heartbeat (Annie song)
Encyclopedia
"Heartbeat" is a pop
song written by Röyksopp
and Norwegian
singer Annie for Annie's 2004 debut album Anniemal
. It was released with the title "My Heart Beat" as the album's second single
in November 2004 (see 2004 in music
). The lyrics of "Heartbeat" describe finding new love at a nightclub, surrounded by close friends. The song received acclaim from music critics.
It was listed at #17 on Pitchfork Media
's top 500 songs of the 2000s and featured in two scenes of Melissa P, an Italian movie based on the writer's first novel.
and moves at 128 beats per minute. The song uses a i-VI-iv-v chord progression
. There is a key change in the chorus that puts the song in B minor
before going back to F-sharp minor for the subsequent verse. Its lyrics narrate a night of going to clubs with friends. "Heartbeat" uses a drum beat which symbolizes a heartbeat and doubles its tempo when Annie's persona catches the attention of her romantic interest on the dancefloor.
named it "the best song of the year" for being a "deceptively simple and surprisingly beautiful articulation of basic human need, beautifully encapsulating every element of human excitement". The publication listed "Heartbeat" at the top of its list of the "Top 50 Singles of 2004", and called it "a perfect pop song". In his review for Rolling Stone
magazine, Barry Walters remarked that the song "evokes your favorite punk
/dance
mash-up
and betters it." For The Village Voice
, Jody Rosen commented that the song's chorus "edges toward rock and a melody durable enough to withstand countless repeated listenings". Entertainment Weekly
's Raymond Fiore referred to "Heartbeat" as an "indie-cred masterstroke". "Heartbeat" ranked thirty-second on the 2004 Pazz & Jop
list, a survey of several hundred music critics conducted by Robert Christgau
.
European CD single
(50467-6266-5; Released 29 November 2004)
UK CD single #1
(679L091CD1; Released 21 February 2005)
UK CD single #2
(679L091CD2; Released 21 February 2005)
U.S. Maxi-CD single
(62305-2; Released 10 May 2005)
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
song written by Röyksopp
Röyksopp
Röyksopp is a Norwegian electronic music duo from Tromsø, formed in 1998. Since their inception, the band's line-up has included Svein Berge and Torbjørn Brundtland....
and Norwegian
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...
singer Annie for Annie's 2004 debut album Anniemal
Anniemal
Anniemal is the debut album of Norwegian electropop singer Annie. It was first released by 679 Recordings in September 2004. Annie began recording music in 1999 with her boyfriend, Tore Kroknes, who died in 2001...
. It was released with the title "My Heart Beat" as the album's second single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
in November 2004 (see 2004 in music
2004 in music
See also:* 2004 in music Record labels established in 2004-January:*January 1**The Vienna New Year's Concert is conducted by Riccardo Muti.**Kurt Nilsen wins World Idol....
). The lyrics of "Heartbeat" describe finding new love at a nightclub, surrounded by close friends. The song received acclaim from music critics.
It was listed at #17 on Pitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media, usually known simply as Pitchfork or P4k, is a Chicago-based daily Internet publication established in 1995 that is devoted to music criticism and commentary, music news, and artist interviews. Its focus is on underground and independent music, especially indie rock...
's top 500 songs of the 2000s and featured in two scenes of Melissa P, an Italian movie based on the writer's first novel.
Composition
"Heartbeat" is a pop song composed in F-sharp minor. It is written in common timeCommon Time
"Common Time" is a science fiction short story written by James Blish. It first appeared in the August 1953 issue of Science Fiction Quarterly and has been reprinted several times: in the 1959 short-story collection Galactic Cluster; in The Testament of Andros ; in The Penguin Science Fiction...
and moves at 128 beats per minute. The song uses a i-VI-iv-v chord progression
Chord progression
A chord progression is a series of musical chords, or chord changes that "aims for a definite goal" of establishing a tonality founded on a key, root or tonic chord. In other words, the succession of root relationships...
. There is a key change in the chorus that puts the song in B minor
B minor
B minor is a minor scale based on B, consisting of the pitches B, C, D, E, F, G, and A. The harmonic minor raises the A to A. Its key signature has two sharps .Its relative major is D major, and its parallel major is B major....
before going back to F-sharp minor for the subsequent verse. Its lyrics narrate a night of going to clubs with friends. "Heartbeat" uses a drum beat which symbolizes a heartbeat and doubles its tempo when Annie's persona catches the attention of her romantic interest on the dancefloor.
Critical reception
"Heartbeat" received acclaim from music critics. Scott Plagenhoef's review for Pitchfork MediaPitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media, usually known simply as Pitchfork or P4k, is a Chicago-based daily Internet publication established in 1995 that is devoted to music criticism and commentary, music news, and artist interviews. Its focus is on underground and independent music, especially indie rock...
named it "the best song of the year" for being a "deceptively simple and surprisingly beautiful articulation of basic human need, beautifully encapsulating every element of human excitement". The publication listed "Heartbeat" at the top of its list of the "Top 50 Singles of 2004", and called it "a perfect pop song". In his review for Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
magazine, Barry Walters remarked that the song "evokes your favorite punk
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
/dance
Dance music
Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement...
mash-up
Mashup (music)
A mashup or bootleg is a song or composition created by blending two or more pre-recorded songs, usually by overlaying the vocal track of one song seamlessly over the instrumental track of another...
and betters it." For The Village Voice
The Village Voice
The Village Voice is a free weekly newspaper and news and features website in New York City that features investigative articles, analysis of current affairs and culture, arts and music coverage, and events listings for New York City...
, Jody Rosen commented that the song's chorus "edges toward rock and a melody durable enough to withstand countless repeated listenings". Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
Pazz & Jop
The Pazz & Jop critics' poll is a poll of music critics run by The Village Voice newspaper. It is compiled every year from the top ten lists of hundreds of music critics...
list, a survey of several hundred music critics conducted by Robert Christgau
Robert Christgau
Robert Christgau is an American essayist, music journalist, and self-proclaimed "Dean of American Rock Critics".One of the earliest professional rock critics, Christgau is known for his terse capsule reviews, published since 1969 in his Consumer Guide columns...
.
Formats and track listings
These are the formats and track listings of major single releases of "Heartbeat".European CD single
(50467-6266-5; Released 29 November 2004)
- "My Heartbeat" (album version) – 3:05
- "My Heartbeat" (Röyksopp's Mindre Tilgjengelige remix) – 5:54
UK CD single #1
(679L091CD1; Released 21 February 2005)
- "Heartbeat" – 3:00
- "Heartbeat" (Alan BraxeAlan BraxeAlain Quême, also known as Alan Braxe, is a French electronic music artist. Braxe is most widely known for his collaborative work with electronic bassist Fred Falke and Kris Menace. In 2005 Alan released The Upper Cuts, a collection of his previous released material.-History:Alan Braxe began work...
remix) – 3:28
UK CD single #2
(679L091CD2; Released 21 February 2005)
- "Heartbeat" – 3:00
- "Heartbeat" (Maurice Fulton remix) – 6:12
- "Heartbeat" (PhonesPaul EpworthPaul Epworth is an award-winning British music producer, musician, and songwriter. His production credits include Adele, Cee Lo Green, Florence and the Machine, Plan B, Friendly Fires, Bloc Party, Primal Scream, The Rapture, Jack Peñate, Kate Nash and Maxïmo Park.-Lomax:From 2002-2004 Paul provided...
Maximo remix) – 4:23 - "Heartbeat" music video
U.S. Maxi-CD single
(62305-2; Released 10 May 2005)
- "Heartbeat" (album version) – 3:05
- "Heartbeat" (Röyksopp's Mindre Tilgjengelige remix) – 5:54
- "Heartbeat" (Maurice Fulton remix) – 6:12
- "Heartbeat" (Phones Maximo remix) – 4:23
- "Heartbeat" (Alan Braxe remix) – 5:43
- "Chewing GumChewing Gum (Annie song)"Chewing Gum" is an electropop song written by Richard X and Hannah Robinson for Norwegian singer Annie's debut album Anniemal . The song is based on metaphor which likens men to chewing gum....
" (MyloMyloMyles MacInnes , better known by the stage name Mylo, is a Scottish electronic musician and record producer.-Career:...
remix) – 5:53 - "Kiss Me" – 6:17
Personnel
The following people contributed to "Heartbeat":- Annie – lead vocals
- Svein Berge – productionRecord 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...
, backing vocals, instrumentsMusical instrumentA musical instrument is a device created or adapted for the purpose of making musical sounds. In principle, any object that produces sound can serve as a musical instrument—it is through purpose that the object becomes a musical instrument. The history of musical instruments dates back to the... - Torbjørn Brundtland – production, backing vocals, instruments