Released 26 October 2009 Length 4:36 | Recorded 2008 | |
B-side "Julie & The Mothman", "Underdog (Sasha Remix)" Format CD, 10", Digital download Genre Indie rock, psychedelic rock, space rock, electronic rock | ||
"Underdog" is the third single released from the album West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum by English band Kasabian. It only peaked at #32 in the UK Singles Chart on the week after the album's release. Despite this it became a widely popular song.
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Popular culture use
"Underdog" was used in the credits of the 2010 film Takers. Snooker player Mark Selby has used "Underdog" as his walk-on music. Underdog is currently used as the run out music by English League One football teams Colchester United and Peterborough United, until Dave Robertson took over in February 2015, with the first match without "Underdog" being played a 2-0 win over Bradford City. Underdog has also been featured in the 2009 racing simulator Need for Speed: Shift. The music also featured in the Carlsberg England team talk advertisement for the 2010 World Cup, as did the band themselves. During the 2011 Rugby League Four Nations, an instrumental version of the song was used as music during video referee decisions. The song was played during the fourth episode of the first series of the BBC Three sitcom Mongrels. The song, like many other Kasabian tracks, is also used in at least one episode of BBC Two's Top Gear. It was also used on a highlight video for the 2009 European Grand Prix on the official Formula 1 website.
The song was also featured on an episode of The World's Strictest Parents in Australia. "Underdog" has been used by Sony in a commercial for their BRAVIA Televisions. The advert also features Real Madrid and Brazilian football player Kaká while he was with his former team AC Milan wearing their home kit.
The track is also included in the 16-track playlist of Need For Speed Shift.
Underdog also features in the background of a scene in Misfits, Series 1 Episode 4.
It was also covered by international superstar Kelly Rowland during her BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge session in 2010.
It was used in the regional competition scene of the 2011 docudrama Soul Surfer, the true story of Bethany Hamilton.
This song is also used by Cancer Research UK's Race for Life campaign, appearing in television and radio advertisements, and played at the start of each event.
Underdog was also used as the entrance music for George Groves in his boxing match against Carl Froch at Wembley Stadium.
An instrumental version of the song is featured in Toyota Australia's television commercial that premiered in July 2016.
Track listing
- "Underdog" - 4:36
- "Julie & the Mothman" - 5:38
- "Underdog (Sasha Remix)" - 10:27
Music video
The music video features a live performance by the band in black and white.
Chart performance
Following the release of Kasabian's album, "Underdog" managed to enter the UK Singles Chart at #32. However, on the single's physical release in October 2009, "Underdog" only managed to reach #45, meaning it failed to beat its original peak of #32.