Bohemian Like You

"Bohemian Like You"

Original release 'CD1' front cover
Single by The Dandy Warhols
from the album Thirteen Tales from Urban Bohemia
B-side 'Hells Bells'
'Lance'
Released August 2000
October 9, 2001 (re-release)
Format CD, 7" vinyl
Genre Power pop, alternative rock, neo-psychedelia
Length 3:31
Label Capitol, Parlophone
Writer(s) Courtney Taylor-Taylor
Producer(s) Dave Sardy, Taylor-Taylor, Gregg Williams
The Dandy Warhols singles chronology
"Get Off"
(2000)		 "Bohemian Like You"
(2000)		 "Godless"
(2001)

"Bohemian Like You" is a song by American alternative rock band The Dandy Warhols. The song was written by Courtney Taylor-Taylor after seeing a woman pull up in her car to the traffic lights outside his apartment.[1] It was released as a single from the band's third studio album, Thirteen Tales from Urban Bohemia, in August 2000. On its original release, it failed to reach the Top 40 in the UK, peaking at No. 42, even after a yearlong tour.[2] However, it was re-released in 2001 and, after featuring in a popular Vodafone advertisement, peaked at a much more prominent No. 5.[3]

Music video

The video shows the band playing in a karaoke bar while many different people mime to the lyrics of the song. This is intercut with a video accompanying the lyrics on the TV screen at the bar. In this video the scenes correspond with the lyrics. In the first verse, a guy approaches a young woman who is fixing a car with her friends. They both flirtatiously sing the lyrics to each other as a sign of attraction. The guy is so attracted to the woman that he stares at her lower body and then visualises her naked. Then the video switches to a waiter while he is serving a group of customers at a table. One of the girls in the group is attracted to the waiter and the two begin to flirt and mime the lyrics to the second verse. She visualises him naked. It then turns out that the waiter and the mechanic who was fixing the car live in the same "pad". From the lyrics in the third verse, it is likely that the waiter is the mechanic's ex-boyfriend as the guy she was flirting with earlier is also with her. While the mechanic and her love interest exchange a look, the girl from the restaurant emerges from a curtain wearing a nightgown. She then takes the waiter's hand and pulls him away. The video ends with the characters from the video miming the lyrics in the karaoke bar along with many other people including a man spinning a hula hoop around his waist.

The music video for the song is controversial and is rarely broadcast on television during the day, since it contains full-frontal male and topless female nudity.[4] However, when played on some music channels, these areas are pixelated.

Critical reception

Louis Pattison of NME called the song "the quintessential Dandy Warhols moment to date".[5] Robert Webb of The Independent called it "a defining song of the last decade".[1]

In popular culture

The song has been featured in several movies, including The Replacements, Summer Catch, Igby Goes Down, Clockstoppers, Flushed Away, Little Nicky, Foolproof, Delirious, and Man of the Year. Among the television series it has been featured on are Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Numb3rs, Six Feet Under, Daria, Fresh Meat (TV series), and Chuck. A very obvious variation of the song is used as the opening theme song for the American version of the game show Cash Cab. The song was also featured in season 7 of Dancing with the Stars for Cody Linley and Julianne Hough's tango performance. For many years it has been the theme music for the BBC Radio phone-in show 6-0-6. It has also been featured in the PC game Le Mans 24 hours by Infogrames in 2002.

In 2006, a mashup between the song and "Horny" by Mousse T. was released as the single "Horny as a Dandy". It reached No. 17 in the UK charts.[6]

The song was the subject of a minor controversy in 2011 when British Conservative politician Theresa May played the song as she walked from a conference speech. It was initially speculated that the track was "Rocks" by Primal Scream, who posted a statement on their website condemning her "inappropriate" use of their song, calling her a "legalised bully" and "the enemy".[7] After discovering the track was his, Dandy Warhols frontman Courtney Taylor-Taylor posted a tirade on the band's official website, writing, "Why don't these assholes have right-wing bands make them some right-wing music for their right-wing jerkoff politics? Oh, because right-wing people aren't creative, visionary, or any fun to be around."[8]

For many years, the song was also played when a noted Dublin football club, Bohemian F.C., took to the field for matches.

Advertising

The song was used extensively by mobile telephone provider Vodafone when it introduced its brand to many of its worldwide operations in 2001–2004.[9]

Elsewhere, it featured prominently in a number of advertisements commissioned by Ford Motor Company for its Ford Focus car range.[10] It also enjoyed a short run in America in 2002 in a commercial featuring the Ford Mustang. In Australia, Holden used the song in an advert to promote its Holden Astra range,[11] although the line "You got a great car/Yeah, what's wrong with it today?" was edited out. The song also featured in a 2004 advertisement for GM Summerdrive in the United States.[12] In November 2008, it featured (without words) on advertisements for the Citroën C4 Picasso.[13] In summer 2010, the track was used in an advertisement for Next clothing.

Track listing

Original Europe release

All songs written and composed by Taylor-Taylor, except "Hells Bells", by Angus Young, Brian Johnson and Malcolm Young. 

7" vinyl
No. Title Length
1. "Bohemian Like You"   3:31
2. "Hells Bells" (AC/DC cover) 6:50
'CD1'
  1. "Bohemian Like You"
  2. "Hells Bells"
  3. "Lance"
'CD2'
No. Title Length
1. "Bohemian Like You"   3:30
2. "Retarded"   2:46
3. "Dub Song"   6:29

October 2001 re-release

CD
No. Title Length
1. "Bohemian Like You"   3:31
2. "Hells Bells"   6:50
3. "Lance"   2:50

Australian Tour EP track listing

No. Title Length
1. "Bohemian Like You"   3:30
2. "Not If You Were the Last Junkie on Earth (Heroin Is So Passe) (Live)"   3:07
3. "Minnesoter"   3:03
4. "Get Off (C11H15NO2 Mix)"   6:41
5. "Hells Bells"   6:00

Chart positions

Chart (2000-01) Peak
position
Germany (Media Control Charts)[14] 42
Ireland (IRMA)[15] 17
Italy (FIMI)[16] 5
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[17] 24
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[18] 49
UK Singles (The Official Charts Company)[19] 5
US Billboard Hot Modern Rock Tracks 28

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Robert Webb (22 July 2011). "Story of the Song: The Dandy Warhols, Bohemian Like You". The Independent. Retrieved 21 August 2014.
  2. ↑ "The Official Charts Company - Bohemian Like You by The Dandy Warhols Search". The Official Charts Company. 6 May 2013.
  3. ↑ Ciar, Byrne (23 November 2005). "How to get ahead in music: Make an ad!". Artists whose tracks are used in television adverts often find instant fame and riches after years of obscurity, while having to face accusations of selling out (London: The Guardian). Retrieved 10 August 2013.
  4. ↑ "The Dandy Warhols - Bohemian Like You". YouTube. 16 November 2010. Retrieved 13 July 2012.
  5. ↑ Pattison, Louis. "Dandy Warhols: Bohemian Like You". nme.com. Retrieved 13 July 2012.
  6. ↑ "The Official Charts Company - Horny As A Dandy by Mousse T Vs Dandy Warhols Search". The Official Charts Company. 6 May 2013.
  7. ↑ Connor, Alan (5 October 2011). "Primal Scream and Theresa May: a case of mistaken identity". guardian.co.uk (London). Retrieved 18 October 2011.
  8. ↑ Taylor-Taylor, Courtney (5 October 2011). "About This Political Rally in the U. K. Playing "Boho"". dandywarhols.com. Retrieved 13 July 2012.
  9. ↑ "Bohemian rhapsody". smh.com.au. 16 September 2006. Retrieved 13 July 2012.
  10. ↑ Nichols, Natalie (17 December 2000). "They're on the Fringe by Choice". latimes.com. Retrieved 13 July 2012.
  11. ↑ "Jingle junkies". smh.com.au. 4 August 2003. Retrieved 13 July 2012.
  12. ↑ "GM /Chevy 'Frisbee' 2004 TV ad - Summerdrive (ft. Dandy Warhols - Bohemian Like You)". YouTube. 11 July 2012. Retrieved 13 July 2012.
  13. ↑ "C4 Picasso / Citroën (2008)". YouTube. 23 November 2008. Retrieved 13 July 2012.
  14. ↑ "Chartverfulgong > The Dandy Warhols > Bohemian Like You – musicline.de" (in German). Media Control Charts. PhonoNet GmbH.
  15. ↑ "The Irish Charts - All there is to know". irishcharts.ie. Retrieved 13 July 2012.
  16. ↑ "Italiancharts.com – The Dandy Warhols – Bohemian Like You". Top Digital Download.
  17. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – The Dandy Warhols – Bohemian Like You" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  18. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – The Dandy Warhols – Bohemian Like You". Swiss Singles Chart.
  19. ↑ "The Official Charts Company - Bohemian Like You {2001} by The Dandy Warhols Search". The Official Charts Company. 6 May 2013.

External links