Clubbed to Death (song)

"Clubbed to Death"
Single by Rob Dougan
from the album Furious Angels
Released 1995 (1995)
Format 12", CD
Label Mo' Wax
Rob Dougan singles chronology
"Hard Times"
1994		 "Clubbed to Death" "Furious Angels"
1998

Clubbed to Death is a 1995 song by Rob Dougan. It was given renewed attention in 1999 due to its inclusion in the film The Matrix. It was re-released as a single in 2002 with new remixes.

Contents

Release

Dougan frequently attempts different variations of the same track, which usually find their way onto single releases. The "Kurayamino variation" of "Clubbed to Death" is significantly more well-known than any other version due to frequent radio and club play, and later to its appearance in the 1999 film The Matrix. As a result, when people reference "Clubbed to Death," they generally mean the "Kurayamino variation" rather than "The First Mix" (both versions were available on the 1995 initial releases on Mo' Wax).

The subtitle Kurayamino variation is Japanese for darkness's variation (暗闇（くらやみ） kurayami means darkness, and の no is the genitive suffix). It denotes Dougan's own mix in a tragic style, as well as his stated inspirations from dark Japanese writers such as Yukio Mishima or Yasunari Kawabata.[1]

"Clubbed to Death" samples "It's a New Day" by Skull Snaps.

The short strings intro is an excerpt from the first movement of Edward Elgar's Enigma Variations, and the piano solo is improvised around Enigma Variations as well.[2]

The drum'n'bass producer Peshay's mix of "Clubbed to Death" was included on the Big Brother soundtrack, following the first series of Big Brother in the UK. This version features only minimal string, piano and synthesizer parts and light percussion with a breakbeat section in the middle of the song. A sample of "Clubbed to Death" is used in commercials for the NCAAW basketball tournament. The track is famous in the UK for being featured on numerous reality TV show montages.

Tracklist

Clubbed to Death (Compact Disc Experience)

Mo Wax, MW037CD, 1995

  1. "The First Mix" – 7:12
  2. "Kurayamino Variation" – 7:29
  3. "La Funk Mob Variation" – 8:08
  4. "Peshay Remix" – 6:06
  5. "Spoon Mix" remixed by Carl Craig – 5:55
  6. "Clubbed to Death Darkside" remixed by La Funk Mob – 5:05

Clubbed to Death #1

Mo Wax, MW037, 1995

  1. "La Funk Mob Variation"
  2. "Clubbed to Death Darkside"
  3. "The First Mix"

Clubbed to Death #2

Mo Wax, MW037R, 1995

  1. "Kurayamino Variation"
  2. "Peshay Remix"
  3. "Spoon Mix"
  4. "Totally Waxed Remix" remixed by Wax Doctor

New 2002 remixes

Charts

Chart (2002) Peak
position
Ireland (IRMA)[3] 27
UK Singles (The Official Charts Company)[4] 24

References

  1. ^ Japanese inspirations for Furious Angels (Archive.org copy, original dead or under reconstruction)
  2. ^ Piano adaptation of Enigma Variations in MIDI file
  3. ^ "Chart Track". Irish Singles Chart. Irish Recorded Music Association. Retrieved November 21, 2011.
  4. ^ "Archive Chart" UK Singles Chart. The Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 21, 2011.

External links