Rahul Sharma (Editor)

Boten Anna

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Released
  
9 May 2006

Recorded
  
2005-2006

Length
  
3:28

Format
  
CD single, maxi single

Genre
  
Eurodance trance

Label
  
Warner Music (5051011-4730-5-0)

"Boten Anna" ("Anna the Bot") is a song by Swedish eurodance musician Basshunter, which appears on his first studio album, LOL <(^^,)>. Due to the song, Basshunter became a noted artist in his native Sweden, as well as Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Norway, Poland, Israel and the Netherlands after the release of the single in 2006. The song topped hit charts and, on 3 May 2006, was named Norway's official Russ-song of the year. It was also the most popular song at The Gathering demo party 2006.

Contents

Content

The Swedish lyrics of "Boten Anna" tell the story of a female IRC user mistaken for an IRC bot by the vocalist who later finds out the truth; subsequently, however, he states that she will always remain a bot in his eyes. The song is based on an actual experience of Basshunter. His friend said he would create a bot with administrative capabilities to keep order in his channel, #BassHunter.se; when this happened Jonas saw a new user with administrative capabilities named "Anna" enter the channel, and naturally thought this was the bot. Months later, he learned that Anna was actually not a bot, but was his friend's girlfriend; the embarrassment, he says, inspired him to create the song.

Despite the esoteric subject of the lyrics, the song was well received by mainstream media, albeit the word bot was frequently mistaken for boat - the Swedish word bot ("bot") is commonly pronounced almost the same as båt ("boat") in the dialect spoken by Altberg. The double meaning of the word kanal — which can refer to an IRC channel, as well as a canal, added to the confusion.

Music video

The video to the song deliberately plays on double meanings. It shows BassHunter riding a sightseeing pedal boat down the Malmö City Canal. The "A" on the boat is merely a marking to differentiate from other loaned pedal boats in the canal.

Other versions

  • In the Dutch Top 40 in the Netherlands, a spoof of the song peaked at #6 in weeks 38 and 39 of 2006. It is also called "Boten Anna" and it is by De Gebroeders Ko (they also made an English and German), who also made other Dutch versions of known songs like "Dragostea din Tei". Although they knew the original song wasn't about a boat, they translated it as if it were (one called Anna). "Boten" is the plural form of "boat" in Dutch.
  • In November another spoof of the song, again by De Gebroeders Ko, charted the Dutch Top 40. In week 47 the song called "Sinterklaas Boot (Boten Anna)" charted in the Dutch Top 40 and peaked at #7. This version of "Boten Anna" is about the boat of Sinterklaas.
  • An Israeli band called Chovevei Tzion (חובבי ציון) spoofed "Boten Anna" with their popular single, "Rotze Banot" (רוצה בנות, meaning "I Want Girls"), which was extensively spoofed in turn.
  • Na Nach Breslov singer Hazamir put the melody to his song "Rotzeh Tisot" (רוצה טיסות, meaning "I want flights", 2007), which is about wishing to make the thrice a year pilgrimages to Rabbi Nachman's grave.
  • Polish group Cliver made a version called "Lekarstwo na gorzkie łzy".
  • Polish group Tropic made a version called "Już lato jest".
  • Kid Bob, made a version "Die Dicke Anna". The lyrics to this version are about a fat girl sitting in a boat.
  • In Denmark the song was later made as a parody. The song was called "Hoen Anna" which means "Anna the whore". The Swedish lyrics are misheard and in that way it becomes Danish.
  • An acoustic version of the song was performed in Icelandic.
  • Smølferne made a version "En Smølfesang"

    • "Now You're Gone"

    An English version of "Boten Anna" titled "Now You're Gone," sung by Sebastian Westwood with the Net-Tag of Masrad, using unrelated lyrics by DJ Mental Theo's Bazzheadz which was originally released in 2006, has become the music to a video by Basshunter with the same title in November 2007. The video and the track were met with world chart success and became the most requested record in summer holiday resorts around Europe in early 2008. As people returning from their holidays wanted to hear it again, TV channels in the UK were inundated with requests for the video. On 13 January 2008, "Now You're Gone" entered number one in the UK Singles Chart and spent five weeks at the top of the charts, ending Leon Jackson's three week run with "When You Believe." In the sixth week after the song's release it was knocked off the top by Welsh songstress Duffy, with her song "Mercy."

    Track listing

  • CD Single (9 May 2006)
    1. "Boten Anna" (Radio Mix) - 3:29
    2. "Boten Anna" (Club Mix) - 5:26
  • CD Single (4 September 2006)
    1. "Boten Anna" (Radio Edit) - 3:29
    2. "Boten Anna" (Club Remix) - 5:26
    3. "Boten Anna" (DJ Micro Spankin Club Remix) - 5:30
    4. "Boten Anna" (Backslash Fluffy Style Remix) - 4:40
    5. "Boten Anna" (SkillsToPayTheBills Remix) - 4:34
    6. "Boten Anna" (Instrumental) - 3:20

    References

    Boten Anna Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA


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