Length 4:46 Writer(s) Beck Hansen | Label Interscope Records | |
Released 2 October 2006 (UK)
3 October 2006 (US) Recorded Winter 2003 – Spring 2006 Genre Alternative hip hop, trip hop | ||
"Cellphone's Dead" is a song and single by Beck on The Information.
Contents
Track listing
- "Cellphone's Dead" - 4:40
- "O Menina" - 2:08
Musical structure
The song starts with acoustic guitars and percussion. Then a bass synthesizer riff comes in and Beck starts rapping. The acoustic guitar and percussion section comes back in for the chorus. There is a piano melody played throughout the song. The song is similar to the song "Hell Yes" off of his previous album Guero in terms of structure and musical style.
The opening bass synth riff is reminiscent in tone and rhythmic character of "Chameleon" by jazz artist Herbie Hancock from his 1973 record Head Hunters.
Music video
The music video was directed by Michel Gondry. It is available on the DVD compilation Michel Gondry 2: More Videos (Before and After DVD 1).
The video is done to resemble one long shot, and uses Gondry's signature usage of special effects. In the black-and-white video, Beck walks into an empty house, tuning a radio to different stations, then sitting down in a chair, where he sings the song. Suddenly, the view of the city skyline outside morphs into a 2-dimensional humanoid figure, and the door morphs into a figure as well. As the video progresses, Beck and those two figures morph into each other, transforming into doors and skylines, while the apartment's radio and dresser morph into different forms, as well.
The visual effects were completed at Fly Studio.
Uses in pop culture
BPitch Control remixes
A remix 12" was released by Berlin-based label BPitch Control, featuring remixes by Ellen Allien and Ricardo Villalobos. These remixes are also on Disc 2 of the deluxe version of The Information.