Beat Box (song)

	"Beat Box " Sample of the Art of Noise song Beat Box.
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"Beat Box" is the debut single released by the British group Art of Noise in 1983. The track, one of the world's very first and most influential hip-hop hits intended as an instrumental, originally appeared on the 12" EP Into Battle with the Art of Noise.

"Beat Box" is an experimental piece that implements sounds and noises (such as car key ignitions, falling drain water, and calliope music — most notably on the chorus) to ride the rhythm of the beat (a sample of drums played by Alan White).

As a single, the song reached the lower regions of the UK singles chart, where it peaked at #92. It was more popular with dance music and (particularly) hip hop audiences, and in February 1984 the song reached #1 on the American dance chart, where it remained for two weeks.^[1] "Beat Box" was a hit on the Soul Singles chart, where it reached #10.^[2] The US 7" single spent 5 weeks on the Billboard Bubbling Under chart, starting April 7, 1984, and spending 2 weeks at #101, the chart's top position.^[3]

After the original "Beat Box" grew popular, The Art Of Noise decided to expand on the tune by adding on more instruments and sounds, giving the song a completely different outlook and practically drowning out the hip hop element that now only remained in the drum beat itself. Two remix cuts resulted from this session and were initially released on 12" single in 1984 and referred to as "Diversion One" and "Diversion Two", along with the song "Moments in Love". The original unremixed version has retrospectively been dubbed "Diversion Zero" by fans, though it was never officially released under this title. Other remixes were issued, and are officially subtitled variously as Diversions Three, Four, Six, Seven and Ten.

The song can be heard in the video game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories. It also formed the basis for the theme for the British game show, The Krypton Factor. A sample can be found in the song "Love Is Everywhere" by WestBam (a popular German DJ) & the Love Committee, which was an anthem for the Berlin Love Parade in 2007. Rapper Tech N9ne also samples the song for the single, "Bout Ta' Bubble" from his 2006 album, Everready (The Religion). Danny! would later sample the song in the second half of the remix to "I Don't Wanna Hear That S**t" in 2012.

The artwork of some editions has "Beat Box" as one word, "Beatbox".

The LP version of the group's second hit, "Close (To the Edit)" is nearly the same as "Beat Box (Diversion Two)". The former has 20 seconds cut from the middle, and reverb changes made at certain points in the mix, but it's otherwise the same song.

Versions

• Original version (4:48) appears on Into Battle With The Art of Noise
  • Original 7" edit (2:55) and U.S. Special 7" Re-Edit (2:52), derived from original version.
• "Diversion One" (8:30) 12" remix, appears on Who's Afraid of The Art of Noise and many compilations.
  • "Diversion Six" also known as "Diversion Ten" and "Ambassador's Reel: Beat Box" (3:52), 7" edit of "Diversion One".
• "Diversion Two" (6:02), often said to be a longer version of "Close (To The Edit)".
  • "Diversion Seven" (4:10), edit of "Diversion Two" used on UK "Beat Box" 7" and Influence.
    • Further tracks more closely related to "Diversion Two", main article: Close (To the Edit).
• "Diversion Three" and "Diversion Four", remixes appearing on a Melody Maker cassette. Latter also known as "Diversions 5".

See also

• Number-one dance hits of 1984 (USA)

References

External links

• Beat Box Version 1 on YouTube
• Beat Box Version 2 on YouTube