Format CD, download, 12", DVD Genre Synthpop, glam rock | Recorded Bath, England Length 3:24 | |
B-side "All Night Operator (Part 1)" Released 8 August 2005 (2005-08-08) | ||
"Ooh La La" is a song performed by English group Goldfrapp. The song was written and produced by Alison Goldfrapp and Will Gregory for the duo's third album Supernature (2005). The song consists largely of a synthesizer and guitar arrangement, and has been described as "a dirty, decadent homage to Marc Bolan". It features a sample from the 1969 song "Spirit In The Sky" by Norman Greenbaum.
Contents
- Background and writing
- Music video
- Critical reception
- Marketing and release
- Chart performance
- Personnel
- References
The song was released as the album's lead single in August 2005 to positive reviews from music critics. It was a commercial success, reaching the top forty on the majority of the charts it entered, and topped the United States dance chart. The song has been remixed a number of times and was nominated for Best Dance Recording at the 49th Grammy Awards in 2007.
Background and writing
Goldfrapp began work on "Ooh La La" in late 2004 in a small rented house in the countryside of Bath, England. The song was composed as a collaborative effort between Alison Goldfrapp and Will Gregory while jamming in the recording studio, bouncing song ideas off each other. Goldfrapp contributed the song's lyrics, and has described the song as being "sulky, sexual and a bit ambiguous". In "Ooh La La", she confesses to wanting only a sexual relationship without romance.
"Ooh La La" was Goldfrapp's first song to feature the electric guitar, an instrument that they had avoided due to its overly recognisable rhythm. When they recorded the song, Gregory played the keyboard bass as Goldfrapp sang. Her microphone picked up the "clattering" of Gregory's pressing the keys, which they added to the chorus. The song is written in the common verse-chorus form and features additional instrumentation from synthesizers and a bass guitar.
The song has been compared to Norman Greenbaum's 1969 glam rock song "Spirit in the Sky", Juana Molina's 2003 song "Sonamos" and Rachel Stevens' 2004 song "Some Girls" (itself heavily influenced by Goldfrapp's own "Strict Machine"). Gregory noted that comparisons to Greenbaum were made when the duo released the song "Train" in 2003, adding that the two tracks share the same glam swing. Goldfrapp rejected comparisons to Stevens, stating that "Some Girls" was "very bland".
Music video
The music video for "Ooh La La" was directed by Dawn Shadforth. Inspired by "glam rock '70s TV", the video features Goldfrapp and a backing band (not portrayed by her regular live musicians) performing in a large green room. Scenes of Alison Goldfrapp riding on a digital sparkling horse are intercut toward the end of the video. Alison Goldfrapp has described the video as "harking back to Eno era Roxy Music and old Top of the Pops". The complete version of "Ooh La La" featured in the music video has been released commercially through CD singles and digital downloads, and some include remixes by Benny Benassi, Tiefschwarz, and Andy Bell.
Critical reception
"Ooh La La" received positive reviews from music critics. MusicOMH.com reviewer Michael Hubbard described the song as "sensational", writing that "Ooh La La" "will spawn a million remixes, and deservedly so". Heather Phares of Allmusic named "Ooh La La" as the best song from Supernature. Jessica Suarez of Spin magazine compared "Ooh La La" with Black Cherry's "Strict Machine", saying that the song sounds "so simplistic that [its] minimalist repetition occasionally teeters over into redundancy". PopMatters also compared the two songs, but wrote that the "gimmick remains something they do incredibly well, and when the chorus kicks in, Alison lala-ing away, it's impossible not to give in".
Rolling Stone magazine included the song in its list of the top hundred songs of 2006, ranking it at number ten. At the 2007 Grammy Awards, the song was nominated for Best Dance Recording, losing out to Justin Timberlake's "SexyBack".
Marketing and release
"Ooh La La" was chosen as the album's lead single "because it was up and in your face and it carried on the theme of the glammy, discoey beat from the last album".
"Ooh La La" was released on various formats throughout the world. While most territories received a CD and download release, in the UK the single was additionally released on DVD and limited edition 12" vinyl. The DVD single included the music video for "Ooh La La" and a short documentary titled "Little Pictures".
In 2006, the song appeared on several television programmes in the United States including the crime drama series NCIS, CSI, and Bones. In addition to this, the song was also used in the romantic comedy film She's the Man and was featured in the opening scene of the 2011 satirical horror-comedy Detention. Additionally, in 2008, the song was included on the soundtrack for Grand Theft Auto IV.
The track was also covered in a joint cover with "Hot Love" by Scottish indie rock group The Fratellis in 2007.
In 2010, the song appeared on the soundtrack for the movie The Other Guys starring Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg.
In 2013, the song was used for Apple's iPhone 5s ad "Metal Mastered".
Chart performance
"Ooh La La" entered the UK Singles Chart on 14 August 2005 at number four, remaining on the chart for thirteen weeks. It finished as the 91st best-selling single of 2005 in the UK, with sales of 61,400. The song was also successful outside the UK. It reached number one in Spain, number sixteen in Ireland, and the top forty in Australia. In North America, "Ooh La La" was released as the album's second single in February 2006. In the United States, the song became Goldfrapp's third consecutive release to reach the top of the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart. The song also reached number three on the Hot Dance Airplay chart.
Personnel
The following people contributed to "Ooh La La":