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| "History Repeating" | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Single byPropellerheads featuringShirley Bassey | |
| from the albumDecksandrumsandrockandroll | |
| Released | 1997 |
| Recorded | 1997 |
| Genre | |
| Length | 4.03 |
| Label | Wall of Sound |
| Songwriter | Alex Gifford |
| Producer | Alex Gifford |
| Music video | |
| "History Repeating" onYouTube | |
"History Repeating" is a 1997 song written by Alex Gifford and originally performed by Englishelectronic music duoPropellerheads featuring Welsh singerShirley Bassey.[1] It was released shortly before their only album,Decksandrumsandrockandroll, released in 1998 byWall of Sound in Europe andDreamWorks in the US and Japan.[1] The single was a No. 1 hit on theUK Indie Chart, and was also Bassey's first top ten appearance on any US chart since 1973's"Never Never Never", making No. 10 on theUS Dance Club Songs chart.[2] According to Bassey, Gifford wrote the song especially for her. The sleeve cover, an illustration by Duke D. Jukes, takes its inspiration from classic album sleeve from the Capitol 1957 releaseJust One of Those Things byNat King Cole.
The song is a fusion of several different styles ofbig beat,breakbeat andjazz combined with the vocals of Bassey. It samples from the soundtrack of the 1968Russ Meyer filmFinders Keepers, Lovers, Weepers!.[3]
The song received favorable reviews from music critics. Adam Webb fromDaily Herald stated, "MissShirley Bassey's vocals keep "History Repeating"jazzy while the Propellerheads try to speed things up in the background."[4] British magazineMusic Week gave it five out of five, adding, "The next big thing? The Props certainly get hips swinging with their frantic beat and driving bass. Bassey's awesome diva vocals add the icing on the cake. Set to be massive in the wake ofOHMSS."[5] Also Brad Beatnik from theirRM Dance Update rated "History Repeating" five out of five, picking it as Tune of the Week. He stated that "the Welsh wonder delivers a unique and commanding vocal over a frenetic guitar-riff, funky keys and beats groove".[6]
A reviewer fromNME wrote, "The 'Miss' is a sharp touch, the sleeve a masterpiece of retro-cool, and the whole notion something of aglam-pop wet dream in the making. Inevitably, alas, the end product isn't quite the ermine-upholstered, chandelier-hung ballroom full ofchampagne that it should have been. Sure, La Bassey laps up her imperious seen-it-all vocal like she's sucking down a mouthful of meltedBelgian chocolate, but the Props seem too awestruck and reverential to provide anything but jaunty cha-cha-cha beats and some skittishtechno-lite for afters."[7]Sunday Mercury noted the singer's "passionate performance".[8] Ian Hyland fromSunday Mirror gave the song eight out of ten, commenting, "Continuing theirBond obsession the 'heads enlist the not-bad vocal talents of Shirley Bassey in a corkingdance-meets-diva style."[9]
The retro style of the song was also continued with the accompanyingmusic video, directed by Pedro Romhanyi[10] and filmed in monochrome. The video shows a performance of the song on aBBC TV jazz show calledJazz 1200 hosted by "Roger Humphries" (not to be confused with the jazz drummerRoger Humphries) and which is a reference to music shows of the 1960s such asJazz 625. Scenes from the video shoot were included in theDivas are Forever DVD.
* Track 1 only appears on side A
| Chart (1997) | Peak position [12][13] |
|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[14] | 55 |
| Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Flanders)[15] | 11 |
| Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[16] | 67 |
| Finland (Suomen virallinen lista) | 16 |
| France (SNEP) | 71 |
| Germany (Official German Charts) | 65 |
| Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)[17] | 7 |
| Italy (FIMI)[18] | 8 |
| Italy Airplay (Music & Media)[19] | 1 |
| Netherlands (Dutch Top 40 Tipparade)[20] | 2 |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100) | 52 |
| New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) | 32 |
| Scotland (OCC)[21] | 24 |
| UK Singles (OCC) | 19 |
| UK Indie (OCC) | 1 |
| USHot Dance Club Play (Billboard) | 10 |
The song has beencovered byMatt Dusk on his albumBack in Town (2006), by Reax on their albumNo Cover (2006) and Ukrainian pop singerJamala in 2009.
An edit mix of the original is the theme or title music to the BBC'sLater... with Jools Holland.
It featured on the original soundtrack of the filmThere's Something About Mary (1998), and served as the opening theme tune to theChannel 4 showSo Graham Norton.[22]
In 1999,Geri Halliwell released her debut albumSchizophonic with the lead single "Look at Me", which took creative influence from this song.[23]
In 2000, the song was used in a TV commercial forJaguar automobiles.
In 2000, the song was used in theDaria episode "Psycho Therapy".
In 2004, the song was featured in a TV promo forSex and the City.
In 2009, it was used in the movieIt's Complicated starringMeryl Streep,Alec Baldwin, andSteve Martin.
It was used in aPantene Pro-V shampoo commercial.[24]
In 2010, the song byRegine Velasquez for the opening ofGMA's 60th Anniversary entitled GMA @ 60: The Heart of Television.
In 2011, the song featured in Series 3 of the Television seriesBeing Human. (Episode 7: Though the Heavens Fall).
In 2011,Jamala released her debut albumFor Every Heart, using the song as a bonus track.
In 2020, the song was used in the trailer for Netflix's second season promotion ofThe Politician.
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