2001 single by Sophie Ellis-Bextor
"Murder on the Dancefloor" is a song written by Sophie Ellis-Bextor and Gregg Alexander, produced by Alexander and Matt Rowe for Ellis-Bextor's first album, Read My Lips (2001). Released on 3 December 2001, the song peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart and stayed on the chart for 16 weeks. The song became a top-10 hit worldwide, charting within the top three in Australia, New Zealand, and four European countries. In the United States, the single reached number nine on the Billboard Maxi-Singles Sales chart. "Murder on the Dancefloor" is reported to have been the most played song in Europe in 2002.[2]
In January 2024, "Murder on the Dancefloor" returned to the UK top 10 following its use in the film Saltburn, becoming Ellis-Bextor's first top-10 appearance since 2007. It entered the US Billboard Hot 100 at number 98 the same month, making it Ellis-Bextor's first appearance on that chart.
Background and release
The music and the chorus of the song was written by Gregg Alexander, and the lyrics were completed by Sophie Ellis-Bextor. It was released as a single on 3 December 2001 by Polydor Records.[3][4] In 2019, a re-recorded orchestral version was released on Ellis-Bextor's greatest hits package The Song Diaries.[5]
Chart performance
The song is Ellis-Bextor's greatest hit internationally, reaching the top 10 in several European countries, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada, as well as on the US Billboard Maxi-Singles Sales chart. In the UK it peaked at number two and spent 13 weeks in the top 40. Since its release, it has accumulated one million chart units and 71 million combined audio and video streams in the UK.[6] It was a hit in Australia, peaking at number three, staying in the top 50 for 20 weeks, being accredited platinum by Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA), and becoming the 12th-highest-selling single of 2002.[7][8][9]
After appearing in the film Saltburn, the song gained new popularity and re-entered the UK Dance Singles Chart, reaching number one on the chart dated 18 January 2024.[10] The same week, it re-peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart.[11] It entered the US Billboard Hot 100 at number 98 on the chart dated 13 January 2024, making it Ellis-Bextor's first song to chart on the Hot 100, before peaking at number 51 three weeks later.[12] Commenting on the song's new popularity as a result of its use in the film, Ellis-Bextor was quoted as saying, "It actually feels really magical. And if I'm honest, I don't think I've completely processed it really...It's extraordinary. It's a song I've been singing for over 20 years, I still love singing it. I love the way people react when I do it live. But for new people to be discovering it, for it to be making new memories with people is kind of beautiful."[13]
Music video
The music video was directed by Sophie Muller,[1] and it centres around a dance competition that spoofs the gym dance sequence in Grease (1978). The winner's prize consists of a pair of golden high-heel shoes and a substantial amount of money. Desperate to win and sizing up the competition, Ellis-Bextor proceeds to sneakily injure and disqualify the majority of the other dancers. She trips one then unties another's dress and snatches it off her, causing her to run off. Next she slyly poisons a trio of potential rivals by spiking the punch during a refreshment period. Then she causes another to slip on a pat of butter and finally frames a dancer for cheating on his partner by planting a G-string on his person; this results in his partner slapping him and exiting the dance floor.
Ellis-Bextor also turns her attention to the trio of judges. By using what seems to be chloroform, she incapacitates the only female judge on the panel. Noticing that the lead judge (played by Colin Stinton) has a weak spot for beautiful women, Ellis-Bextor approaches him when he is alone and beguiles him. Lovestruck, the lead judge succeeds in persuading the remaining judge to have Ellis-Bextor declared the winner, much to her fellow dancers' disapproval.
The video concludes with the other dancers grudgingly applauding (before promptly deserting) Ellis-Bextor and her dance partner, as she happily clutches her cash prize and the golden shoes on the winner's podium.
Credits and personnel
Credits are lifted from the Read My Lips album booklet.[20]
Studios
Personnel
- Sophie Ellis-Bextor – writing
- Gregg Alexander – writing
- Yoad Nevo – guitars, percussion, programming
- John Themis – guitars
- Guy Pratt – bass
- Wired Strings – strings
- Rosie Wetters – string leader
- Nick Franglen – programming
- Matt Rowe – production
- Jeremy Wheatley – additional production, mixing
- Marco Rakascan – vocal recording
- James Loughrey – engineering
- Laurence Brazil – engineering assistant
- John Davis – mastering
Covers, samples and in popular culture
A Chinese version by Hong Kong singer Kelly Chen entitled "最愛你的是我" or "Zui Ai Ni De Shi Wo"[102] was produced in 2003[103] and was included in her album, "心口不一".[104]
A reggae version was released in 2005 by Swedish rapper Papa Dee with reworked lyrics under the title of "Murder In The Dancehall", it features Richie Stephens & General Degree. Grime artist Skepta sampled the track on "Love Me Not" on his 2019 album Ignorance Is Bliss.[105]
The song can be heard playing in the eighth episode of the first series of the BBC reality TV series The Traitors in 2022.[106]
The song features prominently in the final scene of the 2023 film Saltburn, in which the camera follows the main character Oliver Quick (Barry Keoghan) exuberantly dancing naked to the song throughout the halls of the titular estate in an extended uncut tracking shot.[107]
In January 2024, the song was covered by the Australian guitar-pop band Royel Otis on the Australian radio station Triple J.[108]
