Heroin (Billy Idol song)

"Heroin" is single by Billy Idol, released to promote his 1993 album Cyberpunk. The song is a cover of a song by The Velvet Underground, originally released on their 1967 debut album. Early incarnations of "Heroin" used acoustic instruments or other mainstream conventions of rock music. Billy Idol's cover departed from these, interpreting the song as a fast-tempo, dance mix, which made use of sound clips and techno beats. It also included the lyric "Jesus died for somebody's sins / But not mine", from "Gloria" written by Patti Smith, used under license from Linda Music Corporation.

Other versions

Idol mixed eleven versions of "Heroin", releasing them on various singles with some containing previous hits. These singles included:

"Heroin" White Vinyl Double 12" single

Side A:

• VR Heroin – 6:17
• Original Mix – 6:59
• Needle Park Mix – 5:12

Side B:

• Overlords Mix – 7:20
• Nosebleed Mix – 8:04

Side C:

• Durga Trance Dub – 5:10
• Durga Death Dub – 5:10

Side D:

• Don't Touch That Needle Mix – 5:10
• Smack Attack – 7:15

"Heroin" CD single

• VR Heroin Mix – 4:14
• Album version – 6:57
• Needle Park Mix – 5:16
• Overlords Mix (labeled "Blendo Mix", on the Cyberpunk: Shock to the System video album.) – 7:48
• Nosebleed Mix – 8:06

"Shock to the System" CD single

• Don't Touch That Needle Mix – 5:10
• Durga Trance Dub – 5:10
• A Drug Called Horse Mix – 7:19
• Smack Attack mix – 6:59
• Ionizer Mix – 7:03

"Adam in Chains" CD single

• Needle Park Mix – 5:16

Charts

Reception

Stephen Thomas Erlewine of Allmusic.com called it "one of the worst covers ever recorded" in his review of Cyberpunk.^[2]

References

1. ^ singles chart
2. ^ Allmusic review

External links

• "Heroin", on the Clipland database.
• "Heroin" (V.R. Heroin mix), Chrysalis Records, SingingFool.