"Sexy Boy"
Song

"Sexy Boy" is a single by French music duo Air which allowed the band, and French dance music more generally, to break through to British and American markets.[1] It is featured in the film 10 Things I Hate About You as well as the British television series Queer as Folk.

Music video

The music video, directed by Mike Mills, shows the members of Air in New York City. They see a toy monkey on the street and immediately enter a fantasy in which the monkey is a giant and flies off to the Moon. Meanwhile, the members of Air are still in New York and other people see them playing with the toy monkey around the United Nations headquarters and in Central Park. The fantasy scenes are shown in colorful animation and the scenes in real life are shot in live action and black and white. The music video went into rotation on JBTV.[2]

Track listings

U.S. CD single[3]

  1. "Sexy Boy" (radio edit) – 3:51
  2. "Sexy Boy" (Sex Kino Mix) – 6:33
  3. "Sexy Boy" (Cassius Radio Mix) – 4:33
  4. "Sexy Boy" (Étienne de Crécy & the Flower Pistols remix) – 4:57
  5. "Jeanne" (with Françoise Hardy) – 4:24

UK CD single[4]

  1. "Sexy Boy" (radio edit) – 3:51
  2. "Sexy Boy" (Cassius Radio Mix) – 4:33
  3. "Sexy Boy" (Étienne de Crécy & the Flower Pistols remix) – 4:57
  4. "Jeanne" (with Françoise Hardy) – 4:24

French CD single[5]

  1. "Sexy Boy" (radio edit) — 3:51
  2. New Star In The Sky (Chanson Pour Soleil) — 5:38

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1998) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[6] 68
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[7] 61
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[8] 20
France (SNEP)[9] 29
Scotland (OCC)[10] 11
UK Singles (OCC)[11] 13
US Dance/Electronic Singles Sales (Billboard) 22

Covers

The song was covered by Franz Ferdinand and appears as a b-side to the single "Walk Away". "Sexy Boy" was also covered by German artist Nena on her 2007 cover album Cover Me. It was also covered by the French group Plastiscines on their 2014 album "Back To The Start" and the French artist "La grande Sophie" in "La place du fantôme (version deluxe)" album in 2012.

A newly scored orchestral version of the track was released in December 2010, under the artist "The Fallen Angels". The orchestra and choir arrangement was created by composer Roger Neill, who has been a long-time collaborator with Air since his extensive work on their 2001 album "10,000 Hz Legend." This version of the track is featured in a television advertising campaign for Lynx in the UK and Axe in the US and Europe.

References

  1. ^ Mason, Stewart. "Sexy Boy Song review". All Music. Retrieved 31 March 2018.
  2. ^ "Billboard Video Monitor (Feb 21, 1998)". Google Books. Nielsen Business Media. Retrieved 28 February 2017.
  3. ^ "AIR French Band – Sexy Boy". Discogs. Retrieved 28 February 2017.
  4. ^ "AIR French Band – Sexy Boy (UK CD Single)". Discogs. Retrieved 28 February 2017.
  5. ^ "AIR French Band – Sexy Boy (French CD Single Track Listing)". Discogs. Retrieved 28 February 2017.
  6. ^ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010. Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.
  7. ^ "Air – (({song))}" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 19 June 2016.
  8. ^ "Air: Sexy Boy" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat. Retrieved 04 April 1997.
  9. ^ "Air – Sexy Boy" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 04 April 1997.
  10. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 15 February 1998.
  11. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 15 February 1998.
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