Voodoo People
| "Voodoo People" | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | |||||||
| Single by The Prodigy | |||||||
| from the album Music for the Jilted Generation | |||||||
| Released | 12 September 1994 | ||||||
| Format |
12 inch vinyl record CD single | ||||||
| Recorded | Essex, England | ||||||
| Genre | Hardcore techno, breakbeat | ||||||
| Length |
6:27 (album version) 5:05 (Pendulum Remix) | ||||||
| Label | XL Recordings | ||||||
| Writer(s) | Liam Howlett | ||||||
| Producer(s) | Liam Howlett | ||||||
| The Prodigy singles chronology | |||||||
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"Voodoo People" is a song by British electronic group The Prodigy, released as their eighth single on 12 September 1994. It was the third single from the album Music for the Jilted Generation. It was also released as a 12" single and in EP format in the United States in 1995 through Mute Records.
The spoken parts ("... the voodoo who do what you don't dare do people...") are taken from "The Shalimar," written and performed by Gylan Kain, one of The Last Poets.
The main riff in the song is based on a sample of the Nirvana song "Very Ape" from their third studio album In Utero.
Videos
The original video was directed by Walter Stern and Russell Curtis. It was filmed on location in Saint Lucia and it showed Leeroy Thornhill as a voodoo priest. This version included scenes featuring real witch Doctors, but these were cut because of problems with television censorship. A number of other more graphic versions of the video are available, one of them appearing in the Prodigy's Electronic Punks documentary.
Remixes and covers
The British release included a remix by The Chemical Brothers who at that time called themselves "The Dust Brothers" in honour of an American producer duo of the same name. When "Voodoo People" was to be released in the USA, and due to the British Dust Brothers' rising popularity, the American Dust Brothers threatened a lawsuit if they didn't change their name. The British duo changed their name to "The Chemical Brothers", and the remix on the American Mute release was renamed in accordance. A small sample in the remix was also reversed on the American release due to copyright issues.
The song has been covered by Refused and British funk band 6ix Toys as well remixed by Pendulum (see Voodoo People (Pendulum Remix)) and featuring Tom Morello and other known and less known artists such as Eskimo, Alvaro and Shayning. Croatian cello duo 2Cellos have recorded an instrumental version for their album In2ition and have been performing it live on their subsequent tour. The track has also been a part of many soundtracks, such as Hackers, Dobermann, and others. In 2014 the song was covered by German-based Alternative Rock Band Christiano and Gero M.
Track listing
XL Recordings
CD single
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Voodoo People (Edit)" | 4:05 |
| 2. | "Voodoo People (Dust Brothers Remix)" | 5:56 |
| 3. | "Goa (The Heat The Energy Part 2)" | 6:04 |
| 4. | "Voodoo People (Original Mix)" | 6:28 |
12" vinyl record
| Side one | ||
|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Length |
| 1. | "Voodoo People (The Chemical Brothers Remix)" | 5:56 |
| 2. | "Voodoo People (Original Mix)" | 6:28 |
| Side two | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | {{{extra_column}}} | Length |
| 1. | "No Good (Start the Dance)" (CJ Bolland Museum Remix)" | McCartney | 5:14 |
| 2. | "Speedway [Theme from Fastlane] (Secret Knowledge Remix)" | 10:26 | |
Mute
EP version 1995
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Voodoo People (Edit)" | 4:07 |
| 2. | "Voodoo People (Dust Brothers Remix)" | 5:56 |
| 3. | "No Good (Start The Dance)" [CJ Bolland Museum Remix]" | 5:13 |
| 4. | "Rat Poison" | 5:31 |
| 5. | "Speedway [Theme from Fastlane] (Secret Knowledge Remix)" | 10:25 |
| 6. | "Voodoo People [Haiti Island Remix]" | 5:23 |
| 7. | "Voodoo People [Original Mix]" | 6:26 |
Chart performance
| Chart (1994–95) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[1] | 24 |
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[2] | 26 |
| Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[3] | 1 |
| Ireland (IRMA) | 7 |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100)[4] | 20 |
| Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[5] | 32 |
| Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[6] | 36 |
| UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[7] | 13 |
References
- ↑ "Australian-charts.com – The Prodigy – Voodoo People". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
- ↑ "Ultratop.be – The Prodigy – Voodoo People" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
- ↑ Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin - levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN 978-951-1-21053-5.
- ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – The Prodigy – Voodoo People" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
- ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – The Prodigy – Voodoo People". Singles Top 100.
- ↑ "Swisscharts.com – The Prodigy – Voodoo People". Swiss Singles Chart.
- ↑ "Archive Chart: 1994-09-26" UK Singles Chart.