"Laura Palmer"
Single by Bastille
from the album Bad Blood
B-side"Thinkin Bout You"
Released3 June 2013
Recorded2011
Genre
Length3:04
LabelVirgin Records
Songwriter(s)Dan Smith
Producer(s)
  • Dan Smith
  • Mark Crew
Bastille singles chronology
"Pompeii"
(2013) 		"Laura Palmer"
(2013) 		"Things We Lost in the Fire"
(2013)
Music video
"Bastille - Laura Palmer (Official Music Video)" on YouTube

"Laura Palmer" is a song by British band Bastille. It is the fifth single from their debut studio album Bad Blood, and the follow-up to their hit single "Pompeii".[2] The song was originally released in 2011 as a track from their self-released EP of the same name (along with the tracks "Overjoyed", "Things We Lost in the Fire" and "Get Home").[3] It was re-released as its own digital download on 2 June 2013. It peaked at number 42 on the UK Singles Chart. The song took its name from the character in David Lynch and Mark Frost's TV series Twin Peaks.

Critical reception

Lewis Corner of Digital Spy gave the song a positive review stating:

The track is immersed in inspiration from the popular show – from the blood-racing beats, to the haunting echoes. [...] The final result not only serves as an ear-friendly ode to Twin Peaks, but is sure to strengthen Bastille's very own cult following even more. [4]

Music video

A music video to accompany the release of "Laura Palmer" was first released onto YouTube on 11 April 2013 at a total length of three minutes and twenty-one seconds.[5] In the video, which depicts a vague and bizarre story where group leader Dan Smith is kidnapped and released within less than two minutes, four people wear rubber masks. Toward the end, after being released, Smith is given a rubber mask; Smith dons the mask and removes it after a few seconds.

The version of the song used in the video is unique to it because of a sudden and unexpected interruption in the music. During the scene where Smith is kidnapped, which is shown as a camcorder shot, there is a jump-cut – as in a badly edited VHS tape – to a completely unrelated shot of a dog howling, also shot with a camcorder, and the song stops in the middle of the second chorus (the dog had already appeared in the video but with no accompanying audio). After five seconds, the video cuts back to a more neutral point-of-view shot and the song resumes.

Track listing

Digital download[6]
  1. "Laura Palmer" – 3:06
  2. "Thinkin Bout You" (featuring O.N.E.) – 3:05
  3. "Laura Palmer" (RAC Mix) – 3:11
  4. "Laura Palmer" (Imagine Dragons Remix) – 3:49
  5. "Laura Palmer" (Kat Krazy Remix) – 3:32
7" vinyl[7]
  1. "Laura Palmer"
  2. "Thinkin Bout You" (featuring O.N.E.)

In popular culture

In 2012, an alternate version of the song was included in The Sims 3 on the in-game Dark Wave radio station.[8]

Charts

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Italy (FIMI)[18] Gold 15,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[19] Silver 200,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Region Date Format Label
United Kingdom[6][7] 31 May 2013 Digital download Virgin Records
3 June 2013 7" vinyl
Italy[20] 14 June 2013 Contemporary hit radio EMI

References

  1. ^ Vain, Madison (8 September 2016). "Bastille's 'Wild World': EW Review". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 8 April 2023.
  2. ^ Bastille to release 'Laura Palmer' as new single – listen. Digital Spy
  3. ^ "Laura Palmer EP". Archived from the original on 25 February 2014. Retrieved 21 February 2014.
  4. ^ Corner, Lewis (24 May 2013). "Bastille: 'Laura Palmer' – Single review". Digital Spy. Retrieved 22 October 2013.
  5. ^ "Bastille – Laura Palmer". YouTube. 11 April 2013.
  6. ^ a b "Laura Palmer – EP by Bastille". iTunes Store (GB). Apple. Retrieved 22 October 2013.
  7. ^ a b "Laura Palmer [7" Vinyl] [Single]". Amazon. Retrieved 8 June 2014.
  8. ^ Simmie Radio Station (4 September 2012). Laura Palmer – [Dark Wave] HQ – Music of the Sims 3 (YouTube video). Retrieved 9 November 2020.
  9. ^ "Bastille – Laura Palmer". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 22 October 2013.
  10. ^ "Bastille – Laura Palmer" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 22 October 2013.
  11. ^ "Chart Track: Week 24, 2013". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 22 October 2013.
  12. ^ "Classifiche – Top Digital – Classifica settimanale WK 34 del 2013". Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana (in Italian). Retrieved 25 April 2015
  13. ^ "Listy bestsellerów, wyróżnienia :: Związek Producentów Audio-Video". Polish Airplay Top 100. Retrieved 15 October 2013.
  14. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 22 October 2013.
  15. ^ "BASTILLE | Artist". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 22 October 2013.
  16. ^ "Bastille Chart History (Hot Rock & Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 2 June 2014.
  17. ^ "Jaaroverzichten 2013". Ultratop. Retrieved 14 December 2019.
  18. ^ "Italian single certifications – Bastille – Laura Palmer" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved 31 May 2014. Select "2014" in the "Anno" drop-down menu. Select "Laura Palmer" in the "Filtra" field. Select "Singoli" under "Sezione".
  19. ^ "British single certifications – Bastille – Laura Palmer". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 17 September 2018.
  20. ^ Mompellio, Gabriel. "Bastille – Laura Palmer (EMI)" (in Italian). Radio Airplay SRL. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 8 June 2014.
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