Androgyny (song)

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"Androgyny"
"Androgyny" cover
Single by Garbage
from the album beautifulgarbage
Label Interscope & Mushroom
Producer(s) Garbage
Chart positions
  • #24 UK
  • #21 Australia
  • #1 Mexico
Garbage singles chronology
"The World Is Not Enough"
(1999)		 "Androgyny"
(2001)		 "Cherry Lips"
(2002)
"Androgyny"
"Androgyny" cover
Song by Garbage
from the album Beautifulgarbage
Released 2001
Length 3:10
Label Interscope & Mushroom
Writer(s) Garbage
Producer(s) Garbage
Beautifulgarbage track listing
Shut Your Mouth
(1)		 "Androgyny"
(2)		 Can't Cry These Tears
(3)
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"Androgyny" was the first single from beautifulgarbage, the third album by Garbage, released worldwide in September 2001.

The song, which was a dramatic change in sound for Garbage, was the lead-in promotional single for the band's third record. The single was untimely released in the wake of the September 11th terrorist attacks, and like many singles at that time was not able to be promoted. This, coupled with negative fan reaction and poor reviews from the likes of the NME [1] and All Music Guide [2] led the single to promptly sink in many countries, including the UK and US. The resulting low sales and lack of airplay severely crippled the performance of the beautifulgarbage record.

Contents

[edit] Song profile

"Androgyny" was written and recorded at Smart Studios during the early 2001 sessions for beautifulgarbage.

The song is actually a hybrid of three other songs recorded during the sessions. None of those early songs seemed to be going really well, until the band mashed them all up and by surprise, it worked.

Starting out on a stop-start R'n'B riff, dirty bass and trip hop percussion, the song was a shock to the ears for many Garbage fans. However, the chorus arrives with the guitar-led sassiness of old-school Garbage songs still in abundance.

[edit] Single release

"Androgyny" was treated to single release in late September 2001. It was backed with the exclusive track "Begging Bone" and a collection of remixes of the song.

While not being a massive success in major markets, the song reached the #1 spot in Mexico, then Greece upon release, as well as the top tens of many South American and minor European countries.

[edit] Music video

The promotional video for "Androgyny" was shot in London in late August 2001 and was directed by Donald Cameron for Tsunami Productions. The video featured Shirley and the boys mingling with various androgynous twenty-somethings in a posh toilet room.

[edit] Remixes

Remixes for this song were completed by US producer superstars The Neptunes, UK Garage act The Architechs and Chicago house DJ Felix Da Housecat.

Many fan remixes of this song exist due to an online contest run on Garbage's home page where fans could remix the song utilising Acid Pro software.

[edit] Live performances

"Androgyny" was first performed live at Garbage's one-off in-store concert at Chicago's Virgin Megastore on 2nd October 2001. The song was played on most beautifulgarbage tour dates. The song has not been played so far on Bleed Like Me tour dates.

"Androgyny" has been performed live on TV shows CD:UK], Popworld, Pepsi Chart Show, Top Of The Pops (UK), Rove (OZ), and on The Late Show with David Letterman (US).

[edit] Trivia

"Androgyny" was used for the 'beautifulgarbage' TV advertisements.

"Androgyny" came in at #44 in the 2001Triple J Hottest 100.

[edit] "Androgyny" quotes

Shirley Manson: "It's like a weird cross breed of a song... picture little Shirley Ann and the ladyboys meeting up with The Artist Formerly Known as Prince and Noel Coward in a Florida whorehouse whilst TLC plays on the jukebox and you just might be able to imagine what the song sounds like."

Butch Vig: "We like to say it's our third sex manifesto, but I think it's all about shagging."

[edit] Comprehensive charts

Year Single Chart Position
2001 "Androgyny" Mexican Singles Chart #1
2001 "Androgyny" Greek Singles Chart #1
2001 "Androgyny" Hong Kong singles chart #5 [1]
2001 "Androgyny" New Zealand Singles Chart #11
2001 "Androgyny" Canadian Singles Chart #19
2001 "Androgyny" Australian Singles Chart #21
2001 "Androgyny" Japanese Singles Chart #22
2001 "Androgyny" UK Singles Chart #24
2001 "Androgyny" Italian Singles Chart #46
2001 "Androgyny" Swedish Singles Chart #54
2001 "Androgyny" German Singles Chart #93
Official UK Singles Chart
Week 01 02
Position
24
52
Official New Zealand Singles Chart
Week 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13
Position
36
30
25
34
33
35
30
38
30
21
17
45
46
Official Japanese Singles Chart
Week 01 02 03 04
Position
22
26
30
39
Official Swiss Singles Chart
Week 01 02 03 04 05
Position
67
79
94
--
94

[edit] External links

Garbage
Butch Vig | Shirley Manson | Duke Erikson | Steve Marker
Discography
Albums and extended plays: Garbage | Version 2.0 | Beautiful Garbage | Bleed Like Me | Absolute Garbage
Singles: "Vow" | "Subhuman" | "Only Happy When It Rains" | "Queer" | "Stupid Girl" | "Milk" | "#1 Crush" | "Push It" | "I Think I'm Paranoid" | "Special" | "The Trick Is to Keep Breathing" | "When I Grow Up" | "You Look So Fine" | "The World Is Not Enough" | "Androgyny" | "Cherry Lips" | "Breaking Up the Girl" | "Shut Your Mouth" | "Why Do You Love Me" | "Bleed Like Me" | "Sex Is Not the Enemy" | "Run Baby Run"
Videography
Videos and DVDs: Garbage Video | Live at Eagles Ballroom 2002
Related articles
Alternative rock | Goodbye Mr. Mackenzie | Angelfish | The World Is Not Enough | Mushroom Records | Almo Sounds | Geffen Records
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