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Voodoo People

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"Voodoo People"
Single by the Prodigy
from the album Music for the Jilted Generation
Released12 September 1994 (1994-09-12)[1]
RecordedEssex, England
GenreBreakbeat hardcore,[2] techno
Length6:27 (album version)
LabelXL Recordings
Songwriter(s)Liam Howlett
Producer(s)Liam Howlett
The Prodigy singles chronology
"No Good (Start the Dance)"
(1994) 		"Voodoo People"
(1994) 		"Poison"
(1995)
Alternate cover
Mute Records United States cover

"Voodoo People" is a song by British electronic music group The Prodigy, released on 12 September 1994 as the third single from their second studio album, Music for the Jilted Generation (1994), and as their eighth single overall. It was released as a 12-inch single and in EP format in the United States in 1995 through Mute Records. The guitar riff, based on "Very Ape" by Nirvana, is played by Lance Riddler.[3][4] The music video for "Voodoo People" was directed by Walter Stern and Russell Curtis.

Critical reception

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Spence Dookey from the Gavin Report remarked that "Voodoo People" "unleashes fiery fuzztronics that blaze and smolder amidst autobahn speed chase rhythms and red alert sirens."[5] British columnist James Masterton wrote, "The new single has little of the commercial charm or potential of that last hit ("No Good (Start the Dance)"), but its a creditable chart performance nonetheless."[6] Calvin Bush from Melody Maker commented, "It's official. The Prodigy are a feral Led Zep for the Nineties, swamping psychedelic techno with the bluesiest of jungle rhythms and ruff-metal riffing. DJs who don't road-test this should be pitied for their petty snobbery."[7] Another Melody Maker editor, Ian Gittins, felt it "is jungle almost bereft of The Prodigy's normal bubblegum quota but will doubtless smack into the upper reaches of the chart regardless."[8]

Maria Jimenez from Music & Media complimented it as a "superb break-beat track".[9] Andy Beevers from Music Week gave it five out of five and named it Pick of the Week in the category of Dance, adding that "this is one of their most accessible tracks with its rock guitar riffs and flute flurries."[10] Dele Fadele from NME felt that "Voodoo People" "likens the rave scenario to a black magic ritual. With the Prodigy as witchdoctor, of course."[11] Another NME editor, Iestyn George, called it "a mean piece of breakbeat techno with jungle overtones" that serves as the "perfect appetiser" from the album.[12] Brad Beatnik from the RM Dance Update wrote, "It's a sort of Jethro Tull-goes-hardcore and the result is a brilliant slice of uncompromising yet defiantly commercial techno."[13] Another RM editor, James Hamilton, described it as "psychedelic guitar and flute prodded flurrying tribal techno".[14] Shampoo reviewed the song for Smash Hits, giving it three out of five.[15]

Music videos

[edit]

The original music video for "Voodoo People", directed by Walter Stern and Russell Curtis, was filmed on location in Saint Lucia and featured Leeroy Thornhill as a voodoo priest. This version included scenes featuring real witch doctors, but these were cut because of problems with television censorship. A number of other more graphic versions of the video are available, one of them appearing in the Prodigy's Electronic Punks documentary.[citation needed]

Remixes and covers

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The British release included a remix by the Chemical Brothers.

The song has been covered by Refused and British funk band 6ix Toys as well remixed by Pendulum (see Voodoo People (Pendulum Remix)) and other known and less known artists such as Eskimo, Alvaro and Shayning. Croatian cello duo 2Cellos have recorded an instrumental version for their album In2ition and have been performing it live on their subsequent tour.

Track listing

[edit]

UK 12-inch vinyl

Side one
No.TitleLength
1."Voodoo People" (Original Mix)6:28
2."Voodoo People" (Haiti Island Remix)5:22
Side two
No.TitleLength
1."Voodoo People" (Dust Brothers Remix)5:56
2."Goa (The Heat the Energy Part 2)"6:04

US 12-inch vinyl

Side one
No.TitleLength
1."Voodoo People" (The Chemical Brothers Remix)5:56
2."Voodoo People" (Original Mix)6:28
Side two
No.TitleLength
1."No Good (Start the Dance)" (CJ Bolland Museum Remix)5:14
2."Speedway (Theme from Fastlane)" (Secret Knowledge Remix)10:26

Benelux CD single

No.TitleLength
1."Voodoo People" (Edit)4:05
2."Voodoo People" (Dust Brothers Remix)5:56

CD single

No.TitleLength
1."Voodoo People" (Edit)4:05
2."Voodoo People" (Dust Brothers Remix)5:56
3."Goa (The Heat the Energy Part 2)"6:04
4."Voodoo People" (Original Mix)6:28

North American EP

No.TitleLength
1."Voodoo People" (Edit)4:07
2."Voodoo People" (Dust Brothers Remix)5:56
3."No Good (Start the Dance)" (CJ Bolland Museum Remix)5:13
4."Rat Poison"5:31
5."Speedway (Theme from Fastlane)" (Secret Knowledge Remix)10:25
6."Voodoo People" (Haiti Island Mix)5:25
7."Voodoo People" (Original Mix)6:26

Charts

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Certifications

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[31] Platinum 600,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[32]
"Voodoo People" / "Out of Space" 		Silver 200,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

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  1. ^ "Single Releases" (PDF). Music Week. 10 September 1994. p. 29. Retrieved 18 August 2021.
  2. ^ "Music for the Jilted Generation - The Prodigy | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 4 November 2019.
  3. ^ Moy, Ron (2015). Authorship Roles in Popular Music: Issues and Debates. Routledge. p. 101. ISBN 9781317672746.
  4. ^ James, Martin (2015). Dave Grohl - Times Like His: Foo Fighters, Nirvana & Other Misadventures. Bonnier Zaffre. p. 8. ISBN 9781784187637.
  5. ^ Spence Dookey (10 March 1995). "Gavin Alternative: New Releases" (PDF). Gavin Report. p. 61. Retrieved 20 January 2023.
  6. ^ Masterton, James (18 September 1994). "Week Ending September 24th 1994". Chart Watch UK. Retrieved 8 September 2021.
  7. ^ Bush, Calvin (27 August 1994). "Stone free". Melody Maker. p. 45. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
  8. ^ Gittins, Ian (17 September 1994). "Singles". Melody Maker. p. 35. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
  9. ^ Jimenez, Maria (8 October 1994). "Short Grooves" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 11, no. 41. p. 11. Retrieved 15 March 2021.
  10. ^ Beevers, Andy (10 September 1994). "Market Preview: Dance - Pick of the Week" (PDF). Music Week. p. 21. Retrieved 19 April 2021.
  11. ^ Fadele, Dele. "The Prodigy – Music for the Jilted Generation". NME. Archived from the original on 23 June 2000. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
  12. ^ George, Iestyn (24 September 1994). "Singles". NME. p. 39. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
  13. ^ Beatnik, Brad (20 August 1994). "Hot Vinyl" (PDF). Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert). p. 8. Retrieved 19 April 2021.
  14. ^ Hamilton, James (17 September 1994). "Dj directory" (PDF). Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert). p. 6. Retrieved 19 April 2021.
  15. ^ Shampoo (14 September 1994). "New Singles". Smash Hits. p. 54. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
  16. ^ "The Prodigy – Voodoo People". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
  17. ^ "The Prodigy – Voodoo People" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  18. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles". Music & Media. Vol. 11, no. 41. 8 October 1994. p. 14.
  19. ^ Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin - levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN 978-951-1-21053-5.
  20. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – The Prodigy". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  21. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – The Prodigy" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
  22. ^ "The Prodigy – Voodoo People" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  23. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
  24. ^ "The Prodigy – Voodoo People". Singles Top 100.
  25. ^ "The Prodigy – Voodoo People". Swiss Singles Chart.
  26. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  27. ^ "Official Dance Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
  28. ^ "The RM Club Chart" (PDF). Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert). 3 September 1994. p. 6. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
  29. ^ "The Prodigy Chart History (Canadian Digital Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 4 June 2024.
  30. ^ "Jaarlijsten 1994" (in Dutch). Stichting Nederlandse Top 40. Retrieved 30 November 2019.
  31. ^ "British single certifications – Prodigy – Voodoo People". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 1 March 2024.
  32. ^ "British single certifications – Prodigy – Voodoo People/Out of Space". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
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