Bohemian Like You

"Bohemian Like You"

Original release 'CD1' cover
Single by The Dandy Warhols
from the album Thirteen Tales from Urban Bohemia
B-side "Hells Bells"
"Lance"
Released
  • August 2000
  • October 9, 2001 (re-release)
Format
Recorded 1999
Genre
Length 3:31
Label
Writer(s) Courtney Taylor-Taylor
Producer(s)
The Dandy Warhols singles chronology
"Get Off"
(2000)		 "Bohemian Like You"
(2000)		 "Godless"
(2001)
2001 reissue cover

"Bohemian Like You" is a song by American alternative rock band The Dandy Warhols. The song was written by Courtney Taylor-Taylor after seeing a woman pull up in her car to the traffic lights outside his apartment.[2] It was released as the second single from the band's third studio album, Thirteen Tales from Urban Bohemia, in August 2000.

On its original release, it failed to reach the Top 40 in the UK, peaking at No. 42, even after a yearlong tour.[3] After featuring in a popular Vodafone advertisement, it was re-released in 2001 and peaked at No. 5.[4]

Music video

The music video for the song is controversial and is rarely broadcast on television during the day, since it contains full-frontal male and topless female nudity. However, when played on some music channels, these areas are pixelated.

The video shows the band playing in a karaoke bar (actually Portland's Slabtown bar, closed in 2014)[5] while many different people mime to the lyrics of the song. This is intercut with a video accompanying the lyrics on the TV screen at the bar. In this video the scenes correspond with the lyrics. In the first verse, a guy approaches a young woman who is fixing a car with her friends. They both flirtatiously sing the lyrics to each other as a sign of attraction. The guy is so attracted to the woman that he stares at her lower body and then visualises her naked. Then the video switches to a waiter while he is serving a group of customers at a table. One of the girls in the group is attracted to the waiter and the two begin to flirt and mime the lyrics to the second verse. She visualises him naked. It then turns out that the waiter and the mechanic who was fixing the car live in the same "pad". From the lyrics in the third verse, it is likely that the waiter is the mechanic's ex-boyfriend as the guy she was flirting with earlier is also with her. While the mechanic and her love interest exchange a look, the girl from the restaurant emerges from a curtain wearing a nightgown. She then takes the waiter's hand and pulls him away. The video ends with the characters from the video miming the lyrics in the karaoke bar along with many other people including a man spinning a hula hoop around his waist.[6]

Critical reception

Louis Pattison of NME called the song "the quintessential Dandy Warhols moment to date".[7] Robert Webb of The Independent called it "a defining song of the last decade".[2]

In popular culture

The song has been featured in several movies, including The Replacements, Summer Catch, Igby Goes Down, Clockstoppers, Flushed Away, Little Nicky, Foolproof, Delirious, and Man of the Year. Among the television series it has been featured on are Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Numb3rs, Six Feet Under, Daria, Fresh Meat (TV series), and Chuck. A very obvious variation of the song is used as the opening theme song for the American version of the game show Cash Cab. The song was also featured in season 7 of Dancing with the Stars for Cody Linley and Julianne Hough's tango performance. For many years it has been the theme music for the BBC Radio phone-in show 6-0-6. It has also been featured in the PlayStation game Test Drive Le Mans in 2000.

In 2006, a mashup between the song and "Horny" by Mousse T. was released as the single "Horny as a Dandy". It reached No. 17 in the UK charts.[8]

The song was the subject of a minor controversy in 2011 when British Conservative politician Theresa May played the song as she walked from a conference speech. It was initially speculated that the track was "Rocks" by Primal Scream, who posted a statement on their website condemning her "inappropriate" use of their song, calling her a "legalised bully" and "the enemy".[9] After discovering the track was his, Dandy Warhols frontman Courtney Taylor-Taylor posted a tirade on the band's official website, writing, "Why don't these assholes have right-wing bands make them some right-wing music for their right-wing jerkoff politics? Oh, because right-wing people aren't creative, visionary, or any fun to be around."[10]

In 2015, the song was played at the opening of John Bishop's tour DVD Supersonic.

Advertising

The song was used extensively by mobile telephone provider Vodafone when it introduced its brand to many of its worldwide operations in 2001–2004.[11]

Elsewhere, it featured prominently in a number of advertisements commissioned by Ford Motor Company for its Ford Focus car range.[12] It also enjoyed a short run in America in 2002 in a commercial featuring the Ford Mustang. In Australia, Holden used the song in an advert to promote its Holden Astra range,[13] although the line "You got a great car/Yeah, what's wrong with it today?" was edited out. The song also featured in a 2004 advertisement for GM Summerdrive in the United States.[14] In November 2008, it featured (without words) on advertisements for the Citroën C4 Picasso.[15] In summer 2010, the track was used in an advertisement for Next clothing.

Personnel

Track listing

All tracks written by Taylor-Taylor, except "Hells Bells", by Angus Young, Brian Johnson and Malcolm Young. 

7" vinyl
No. Title Length
1. "Bohemian Like You"   3:31
2. "Hells Bells" (AC/DC cover) 6:50
'CD1'
  1. "Bohemian Like You"
  2. "Hells Bells"
  3. "Lance"
'CD2'
No. Title Length
1. "Bohemian Like You"   3:30
2. "Retarded"   2:46
3. "Dub Song"   6:29
October 2001 re-release
CD
No. Title Length
1. "Bohemian Like You"   3:31
2. "Hells Bells"   6:50
3. "Lance"   2:50

Chart positions

Chart (2000-01) Peak
position
Germany (Official German Charts)[16] 42
Ireland (IRMA) 17[17]
Italy (FIMI)[18] 5
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[19] 24
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[20] 49
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[21] 5
US Billboard Hot Modern Rock Tracks 28
Certifications
Region Certification Certified units/Sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[22] Silver 200,000^

^shipments figures based on certification alone

References

  1. ↑ The song was featured on a notable Virgin Records compilation, Power Pop Anthems, in 2005.
  2. 1 2 Robert Webb (22 July 2011). "Story of the Song: The Dandy Warhols, Bohemian Like You". The Independent. Retrieved 21 August 2014.
  3. ↑ "The Official Charts Company - Bohemian Like You by The Dandy Warhols Search". The Official Charts Company. 6 May 2013.
  4. ↑ Ciar, Byrne (23 November 2005). "How to get ahead in music: Make an ad!". Artists whose tracks are used in television adverts often find instant fame and riches after years of obscurity, while having to face accusations of selling out. London: The Guardian. Retrieved 10 August 2013.
  5. ↑ Korfhage, Matthew (4 Feb 2016). "Slabtown Building Will Be Demolished for Apartments". Willamette Week. Retrieved 4 February 2016.
  6. ↑ "The Dandy Warhols - Bohemian Like You". YouTube. 16 November 2010. Retrieved 13 July 2012.
  7. ↑ Pattison, Louis. "Dandy Warhols: Bohemian Like You". nme.com. Retrieved 13 July 2012.
  8. ↑ "The Official Charts Company - Horny As A Dandy by Mousse T Vs Dandy Warhols Search". The Official Charts Company. 6 May 2013.
  9. ↑ Connor, Alan (5 October 2011). "Primal Scream and Theresa May: a case of mistaken identity". guardian.co.uk. London. Retrieved 18 October 2011.
  10. ↑ Taylor-Taylor, Courtney (5 October 2011). "About This Political Rally in the U. K. Playing "Boho"". dandywarhols.com. Retrieved 13 July 2012.
  11. ↑ "Bohemian rhapsody". smh.com.au. 16 September 2006. Retrieved 13 July 2012.
  12. ↑ Nichols, Natalie (17 December 2000). "They're on the Fringe by Choice". latimes.com. Retrieved 13 July 2012.
  13. ↑ "Jingle junkies". smh.com.au. 4 August 2003. Retrieved 13 July 2012.
  14. ↑ "GM /Chevy 'Frisbee' 2004 TV ad - Summerdrive (ft. Dandy Warhols - Bohemian Like You)". YouTube. 11 July 2012. Retrieved 13 July 2012.
  15. ↑ "C4 Picasso / Citroën (2008)". YouTube. 23 November 2008. Retrieved 13 July 2012.
  16. ↑ "Musicline.de – The Dandy Warhols Single-Chartverfolgung" (in German). Media Control Charts. PhonoNet GmbH.
  17. ↑ "The Irish Charts - All there is to know". irishcharts.ie. Archived from the original on 5 January 2010. Retrieved 13 July 2012.
  18. ↑ "Italiancharts.com – The Dandy Warhols – Bohemian Like You". Top Digital Download.
  19. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – The Dandy Warhols – Bohemian Like You" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  20. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – The Dandy Warhols – Bohemian Like You". Swiss Singles Chart.
  21. ↑ "The Dandy Warhols: Artist Chart History" Official Charts Company.
  22. ↑ "British single certifications – Dandy Warhols – Come Down". British Phonographic Industry. Enter Come Down in the field Keywords. Select Title in the field Search by. Select single in the field By Format. Select Silver in the field By Award. Click Search

External links

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