Alarm Call

For the human and animal behaviour, see alarm signal.
"Alarm Call"
Single by Björk
from the album Homogenic
B-side
  • "All Is Full of Love"
  • "So Broken"
  • "Hunter"
Released 30 November 1998
Format
Genre Dance-pop[1]
Length 3:38 (radio edit)
3:44 (video edit)
Label One Little Indian
Writer(s) Björk
Producer(s)
Björk singles chronology
"Hunter"
(1998)
"Alarm Call"
(1998)
"All Is Full of Love"
(1999)

"Alarm Call" is a song recorded by Icelandic singer Björk for her third studio album Homogenic (1997). It was released as the fourth single from the album, peaking at number 33 in the UK.

The sped-up "radio version" of the song (which was also featured in the video) was used in the 1999 film The Mod Squad.

Background

The song speaks of re-awakening through music and is rumoured to be about Michael Jackson as it was originally labelled "Jacko" on the Homogenic demo tape. Björk explained "I think that music has the power to change the things, and that's what I wanted to show on Alarm Call". It is the only single from Homogenic that was not included on Greatest Hits.

Music video

Björk in the jungle in the Alarm Call music video.

The first music video for "Alarm Call" was directed by Paul White, who also directed the "Hunter" video,[2] and it featured Björk in a similar dressing as the one featured on the Homogenic album cover, with a special dance scene in Los Angeles' Subway.[3]

However, Björk was not convinced with the result and a second video was directed by fashion designer Alexander McQueen and recorded at the Asylum Studios.[4] It features Björk floating on a raft on a river in a jungle and her scenes are intercut with footage of snakes, crocodiles, and other animals, with Björk playing with them. It was rumoured to be a sequel to "Bachelorette", because of the lyrics that make a little allusion to the events occurred in past Isobel adventures ("Human Behaviour", "Isobel" and "Bachelorette"). The video also has some signs that make people think about this fact. "Alarm Call" shows Isobel back to the nature after having disillusions in the big city, so this video is the fourth and last of Isobel's adventures.

The version of the song used on the video is the Radio Mix by Andy Bradfield and Mark Bell, which is sped-up, with dance influences and omits the word 'fucking'.

Track listings

EU CD
  1. "Alarm Call" (radio mix)
  2. "Alarm Call" (French Dub)
  3. "Alarm Call" (Potage du Jour)
  4. "Alarm Call" (Gangsta)
  5. "Alarm Call" (Bjeck Mix)
UK CD1
  1. "Alarm Call" (radio mix)
  2. "Alarm Call" (Rhythmic Phonetics Mix) (by Matmos)
  3. "Alarm Call" (Bjeck Mix)
UK CD2
  1. "Alarm Call" (Potage du Jour) (by Mark Bell)
  2. "Alarm Call" (French Edit)
  3. "Alarm Call" (French Dub)
UK CD3
  1. "Alarm Call" (Phunk You) (by Mark Bell)
  2. "Alarm Call" (Gangsta) (by Mark Bell)
  3. "Alarm Call" (Locked) (by Mark Bell)
12" vinyl 1
  1. "Alarm Call" (Bjeck Mix)
  2. "Alarm Call" (Rhythmic Phonetics Mix) (by Matmos)
  3. "Alarm Call" (Speech Therapy Mix) (by Matmos)
12" vinyl 2
  1. "Alarm Call" (Enough is Enough Mix)
  2. "Alarm Call" (Rise and Shine Mix)
  3. "All Is Full of Love" (All is Full of Lies Mix)
12" vinyl 3
  1. "Alarm Call" (Reprosession Mix)
  2. "So Broken" (DJ Krust Mix)
12" vinyl 4
  1. "Alarm Call" (Alan Braxe & Ben Diamond Remix)
  2. "Alarm Call" (Teasmade Dub)
  3. "Alarm Call" (Alan Braxe & Ben Diamond Edit)
12" vinyl 5
  1. "Alarm Call" (radio mix)
  2. "Alarm Call" (album version)
  3. "Alarm Call" (Snooze Button Mix)
  4. "Hunter" (Moodswing Remix)
12" vinyl 6
  1. "Alarm Call" (Potage Du Jour)
  2. "Alarm Call" (Locked)
  3. "Alarm Call" (Phunk You)

Charts

Chart (1998) Peak
position
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[5] 33

References

  1. Phares, Heather. "((( Homogenic > Review )))". Allmusic. Retrieved 2009-04-02.
  2. "Alarm Call". bjork.fr. Retrieved 2011-09-29.
  3. "Alarm Call". bjork.fr. Retrieved 2011-09-29.
  4. "Alarm Call Premiere". Unit.bjork.com. Archived from the original on 2011-08-28. Retrieved 2011-09-29.
  5. "Archive Chart: 1998-12-12/" UK Singles Chart. Retrieved 24 September 2016.

External links

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