Yang Yang (song)
Encyclopedia
"Yang Yang" is a song by Yoko Ono
, originally released in 1972 on the album Approximately Infinite Universe
, and on the B-side to "Death of Samantha". The song was later included on Ono's compilation albums Walking on Thin Ice
and Onobox
. In 2002, as part of the ongoing ONO remix project, the track was re-released and reached #17 on the US dance charts, 30 years after original release.
's Jess Harvell stated, "On Orange Factory's 'Down and Dirty' remix of 'Yang Yang', Ono is vocodered
into a Troutman-esque gremlin and blurred into an anonymous orgasmic sigh over a brutally functional garage bounce." Dan Rapper, in his review of Open Your Box
for PopMatters
, opined that the Orange Factory remix "is turned into a straight vocoder-style Ministry of Sound
track, its squelching electro already somehow tired-sounding."
, the emotional distance and cruelty sometimes shown by men, and the dehumanizing of both sexes.
in September 2010. The song was offered as the "Free MP3 of the Day" on Spinner
. On her choice to cover the song for her album, Anika explained, "I loved the way the words sounded and as an ex-politics student and political journalist, I thought the song would make a great cover. Yoko Ono
is renowned for her political views but I think there was a dark side to the lyrics that the original version had not fully explored."
soundtrack." John Doran, in his review for NME
, commented, "Just when you thought the post-punk genre had been strip-mined for all potential inspiration, along comes Anika."
Drowned in Sound
included Anika's cover of "Yang Yang" on its list Singles of the Year 2010.
, and Amusement Parks on Fire
. Shots of cartoon UFOs, Wall Street trading floors, Ronald McDonald
, the film Monty Python's Life of Brian
, the animated short The Skeleton Dance
, and the Earth as seen from outer space are shown throughout the video.
Yoko Ono
is a Japanese artist, musician, author and peace activist, known for her work in avant-garde art, music and filmmaking as well as her marriage to John Lennon...
, originally released in 1972 on the album Approximately Infinite Universe
Approximately Infinite Universe
Approximately Infinite Universe is a double album by Yoko Ono, released in early 1973. It represents a departure from the experimental avant garde rock of her first two albums towards a more conventional pop/rock sound, while also dabbling in feminist rock. It peaked at #193 in the United States...
, and on the B-side to "Death of Samantha". The song was later included on Ono's compilation albums Walking on Thin Ice
Walking on Thin Ice (album)
Walking on Thin Ice is a greatest-hits compilation of Yoko Ono's work from 1971 to 1985. It was released by Rykodisc in 1992, along with the more comprehensive 6-disc Onobox set...
and Onobox
Onobox
Onobox is a 1992 comprehensive 6-disc collection of Yoko Ono's work from 1968 to 1985. The discs are grouped by era and theme. Disc six is the previously unreleased 1974 album A Story, which was later reissued separately along with the rest of Ono's back catalogue. There was also an accompanying...
. In 2002, as part of the ongoing ONO remix project, the track was re-released and reached #17 on the US dance charts, 30 years after original release.
Critical reception
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...
's Jess Harvell stated, "On Orange Factory's 'Down and Dirty' remix of 'Yang Yang', Ono is vocodered
Vocoder
A vocoder is an analysis/synthesis system, mostly used for speech. In the encoder, the input is passed through a multiband filter, each band is passed through an envelope follower, and the control signals from the envelope followers are communicated to the decoder...
into a Troutman-esque gremlin and blurred into an anonymous orgasmic sigh over a brutally functional garage bounce." Dan Rapper, in his review of Open Your Box
Open Your Box (album)
Open Your Box is a remix album by Yoko Ono which was released on April 24, 2007. It is a compilation of her successful series of remix singles released since 2001 with the addition of several new mixes. Collaborators include Basement Jaxx, Felix Da Housecat and the Pet Shop Boys...
for PopMatters
PopMatters
PopMatters is an international webzine of cultural criticism that covers many aspects of popular culture. PopMatters publishes reviews, interviews, and detailed essays on most cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, films, books, video games, comics, sports, theater,...
, opined that the Orange Factory remix "is turned into a straight vocoder-style Ministry of Sound
Ministry of Sound
Ministry of Sound London, commonly referred to as simply Ministry of Sound or MoS, is a nightclub based in London, United Kingdom and an associated record label. It was ranked fourth in the 2010 DJ Magazine top 100 clubs poll 2010. As well as the nightclub in London, there is another in Egypt and...
track, its squelching electro already somehow tired-sounding."
Themes explored
The song's titular character, a powerful man who talks to "his world" and to himself by telephone, abuses both the women (whom he "owns") and the men (sending them "pebbles and stones") in his charge. The lyrics deal with feminismFeminism
Feminism is a collection of movements aimed at defining, establishing, and defending equal political, economic, and social rights and equal opportunities for women. Its concepts overlap with those of women's rights...
, the emotional distance and cruelty sometimes shown by men, and the dehumanizing of both sexes.
Track listing
- Digital download
- "Yang Yang" (Peter RauhoferPeter RauhoferPeter Rauhofer is a DJ, remixer and producer who formerly went under the moniker Club 69 as well as Size Queen. A native of Vienna, Austria, he is famous for his remixes of a number of Madonna's songs including "Nothing Really Matters", "American Life", "Nothing Fails, "Nobody Knows Me", "Get...
Ying Mix) – 7:36 - "Yang Yang" (Orange FactoryOrange Factory MusicOrange Factory Music is a production team formed in 1999 by producers and songwriters Jeremy Skaller and Robert Larow. Most noted for their discovery and development of Cash Money/Universal Records recording artist Jay Sean, the duo met at the University of Vermont before moving to New York to...
Down & Dirty Mix) – 8:05 - "Yang Yang" (Peter Rauhofer Yang Mix) – 9:05
- "Yang Yang" (Orange Factory Pump Mix) – 10:28
- "Yang Yang" (Peter Rauhofer Yang Dub) – 6:35
- "Yang Yang" (Orange Factory Down & Dirty Dub) – 6:29
Charts
| Chart (2002) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Hot Dance Club Songs (Billboard Billboard (magazine) Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis... ) |
17 |
| US Hot Dance Singles Sales Hot Dance Singles Sales Hot Dance Singles Sales is a chart released weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States, established in 1985. It measures the sale of commercially released singles that deal with dance music and remixes... (Billboard Billboard (magazine) Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis... ) |
24 |
Anika cover
"Yang Yang" was covered by Anika and released as the lead single from her debut album AnikaAnika (album)
The album received generally favorable reviews. It earned a collective score of 65 out of 100 from Metacritic. Heather Phares from Allmusic stated, "Though the album is mostly covers, Anika imprints her identity on every track...
in September 2010. The song was offered as the "Free MP3 of the Day" on Spinner
Spinner (website)
Spinner is an AOL Music property, which bills itself as "the ultimate music blog for free MP3s, free CD listening, [and] discovering new artists."...
. On her choice to cover the song for her album, Anika explained, "I loved the way the words sounded and as an ex-politics student and political journalist, I thought the song would make a great cover. Yoko Ono
Yoko Ono
is a Japanese artist, musician, author and peace activist, known for her work in avant-garde art, music and filmmaking as well as her marriage to John Lennon...
is renowned for her political views but I think there was a dark side to the lyrics that the original version had not fully explored."
Critical reception
Heather Phares from Allmusic described the song as a "fantastic anti-pop single, with klaxon-like synths providing the hook and a bassline so strutting it could have been stolen from a blaxploitationBlaxploitation
Blaxploitation or blacksploitation is a film genre which emerged in the United States circa 1970. It is considered an ethnic sub-genre of the general category of exploitation films. Blaxploitation films were originally made specifically for an urban black audience, although the genre's audience...
soundtrack." John Doran, in his review for NME
NME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
, commented, "Just when you thought the post-punk genre had been strip-mined for all potential inspiration, along comes Anika."
Drowned in Sound
Drowned in Sound
DrownedinSound.com or DiS is a UK based music webzine financed by artist management company Silentway . The site is an editorially independent music website.-History:...
included Anika's cover of "Yang Yang" on its list Singles of the Year 2010.
Music video
The music video for Yang Yang was directed by John Minton, who had previously directed music videos for Portishead, Robert PlantRobert Plant
Robert Anthony Plant, CBE is an English singer and songwriter best known as the vocalist and lyricist of the iconic rock band Led Zeppelin. He has also had a successful solo career...
, and Amusement Parks on Fire
Amusement Parks on Fire
Amusement Parks on Fire are a shoegaze band from Nottingham, England.The band was formed by Michael Feerick in 2004, who wrote and performed all the instruments for the self-titled debut album...
. Shots of cartoon UFOs, Wall Street trading floors, Ronald McDonald
Ronald McDonald
Ronald McDonald is a clown character used as the primary mascot of the McDonald's fast-food restaurant chain. In television commercials, the clown inhabits a fantasy world called McDonaldland, and has adventures with his friends Mayor McCheese, the Hamburglar, Grimace, Birdie the Early Bird, and...
, the film Monty Python's Life of Brian
Monty Python's Life of Brian
Monty Python's Life of Brian, also known as Life of Brian, is a 1979 British comedy film written, directed and largely performed by the Monty Python comedy team...
, the animated short The Skeleton Dance
The Skeleton Dance
The Skeleton Dance is a 1929 Silly Symphonies animated short subject produced and directed by Walt Disney and animated by Ub Iwerks. In the film, four human skeletons dance and make music around a spooky graveyard. It is the first entry in the Silly Symphonies series...
, and the Earth as seen from outer space are shown throughout the video.
Track listing
- Digital download
- "Yang Yang" – 2:55
- "End of the World" – 2:58