Shampain

"Shampain"
Single by Marina and the Diamonds
from the album The Family Jewels
Released	11 October 2010 (2010-10-11)
Format	CD single, digital download
Recorded	2009
Genre	Synthpop, new wave
Length	3:09
Label	679, Atlantic
Writer(s)	Marina Diamandis, Pascal Gabriel, Liam Howe
Producer(s)	Pascal Gabriel, Liam Howe, Richard Stannard (additional)
Marina and the Diamonds singles chronology
"Oh No!" (2010) "Shampain" (2010) "Primadonna" (2012)

"Shampain" is a song by Welsh recording artist Marina and the Diamonds from her debut studio album, The Family Jewels (2010). It was released on 11 October 2010 as the album's fifth single only in the UK and Ireland.^[1] The track was added to Radio 1's B Playlist.

Background

When asked what "Shampain" was about and the production behind the song, Diamandis said:

"['Shampain' is about] the depressing side of getting drunk, the obliteration side of having a good time. This was actually the first co-write that I ever did... It was good to write a simpler pop song because when I write on my own the melodies are all over the place. It was good to do something a little bit lighter, and this probably is my lightest track on a record. It's about insomnia and the joys of champagne."^[2]

On co-writing, she added: "I hate [co-writing] so I do it because it's so challenging for me. As soon as I do it I am really pleased that I have. I've had the pleasure of working with three great people... 'Shampain' was written with Pascal Gabriel, Liam Howe and we had a lot of fun doing it."^[2]

"Shampain" was used in an episode of the BBC Switch soap opera The Cut.^[3] The song had the working title of "The Shampain Sleeper" in 2009.^[4]

Music video

Marina dances with "zombies" in the music video, replicating Michael Jackson's Thriller.

The music video for "Shampain" was directed by Kim Gehri^[1] and filmed on 24 August 2010 in a park in London.^[5] It was released on 6 September 2010.^[6] The video has a very gothic, horror style video. Its starts off showing a full moon and then to a scene where candles are blown out as the title flashes onto the screen. Diamandis is then seen lying on a black silk pillow as the song begins. A burger wrapper then flies across her face and the scene cuts to show her lying on the steps at a park bandstand. She stands up and walks through the park, followed by dancing female party-goers intoxicated to be reminiscent of the zombies in Michael Jackson's Thriller.^[7][8] The video ends with Diamandis waking up on a park bench as if she dreamed the whole video up.^[9]

Critical reception

John Murphy from musicOMH described the song as "infectiously catchy and has enough depth not to be dismissed lightly as bubblegum pop."^[10] James Berry from Yahoo! Music said the song "bucks like Goldfrapp riding The Killers' bronco".^[11] A number of critics had commented negatively regarding the title of the song. Gareth James from Clash called it "hideous" and described the track itself as being "a little forced".^[12] The Independent's Andy Gill said the song was "every bit as annoying as [its] punning title, with queasy, prancing piano and synth figures labouring away methodically, Mika-fashion, while she searches unsuccessfully for worthwhile lyrical routes."^[13]

Track listings

    UK iTunes EP

1. "Shampain" – 3:11
2. "Shampain" (Acoustic) – 3:45
3. "Shampain" (Fred Falke Remix) – 6:57
4. "Shampain" (Pictureplane's Deep Dolphin Remix) – 3:34
5. "Shampain" (The Last Skeptik Remix) – 3:23

    UK CD single

1. "Shampain" (Single Version) – 3:11

Charts

References

External links

• Official website