"Voodoo Child"
Single by Rogue Traders
from the album Here Come the Drums
Released30 May 2005 (2005-05-30)
Length3:57
LabelColumbia, Sony BMG
Songwriter(s)Elvis Costello, James Ash, Steve Davis
Producer(s)James Ash
Rogue Traders singles chronology
"Stay?"
(2003) 		"Voodoo Child"
(2005) 		"Way to Go!"
(2005)
Rogue Traders UK singles chronology
"Voodoo Child"
(2006) 		"Watching You"
(2006)

"Voodoo Child" is a song written by Elvis Costello, James Ash, and Steve Davis and produced by Ash for Australian electronic rock band Rogue Traders' second album, Here Come the Drums (2005). It was the first single for the new member Natalie Bassingthwaighte. It was released as a CD single in Australia on 30 May 2005 as the first song released from the album. In 2006, it was released in the United Kingdom as a digital download and CD single.

The song samples the riff from Costello's "Pump It Up", and he receives credit in some printings of the album's liner notes. The song marks a move for Rogue Traders away from standard dance music and towards a more electro-punk sound. Upon its release, the song became a top-10 hit in Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. The music video, directed by Sam Bennetts and Mad Angel, was nominated for Best Video at the ARIA Music Awards of 2005.[1]

Promotion and chart performance

In Australia, the song was released without the promotion of the new band member Natalie Bassingthwaighte because the band wanted to release it knowing that people were buying it because they liked the song, instead of buying it for "celebrity value" (Bassingthwaighte was starring in Neighbours at the time of the single's release).

Bassingthwaighte in the music video.

"Voodoo Child" debuted at number 20 on the Australian ARIA Singles Chart and by its third week had ascended into the top 10, peaking at number nine. In its eighth week, it ascended to its peak position at number four and was certified Platinum by ARIA. The song spent an overall 21 weeks on the chart, and is to date the group's most successful single. In New Zealand, "Voodoo Child" also debuted at number 20, becoming the group's first entry and so far only on the chart. It peaked at number seven for two consecutive weeks there, becoming the group's first top-10 hit there, and spent a total of 16 weeks on the chart. It was later released in the UK in July 2006, and debuted at number 18 based on download sales one week prior to its physical release. "Voodoo Child" ascended and peaked at number three the following week, to become the group's first and so far only top-three hit. The song has also peaked at number 15 in Ireland, becoming the group's first top-20 hit there.

Track listings

Australian CD single

  1. "Voodoo Child" – 3:57
  2. "Voodoo Child" (James Ash Lektric remix) – 5:38
  3. "Voodoo Child" (12-inch mix) – 6:58
  4. "Voodoo Child" (Fuzzy Hair remix) – 6:09
  5. "Voodoo Child" (Fuzzy Hair instrumental) – 6:23

UK CD1

  1. "Voodoo Child" (radio edit)
  2. "Voodoo Child" (Fuzzy Hair remix)

UK CD2

  1. "Voodoo Child" (radio edit)
  2. "Voodoo Child" (Tom Neville Vox mix)
  3. "Voodoo Child" (12-inch mix)
  4. "Voodoo Child" (CD-Rom video)

German maxi-CD single

  1. "Voodoo Child" (radio edit)
  2. "Voodoo Child" (James Ash Lektric remix)
  3. "Voodoo Child" (12-inch mix simple track)
  4. "Voodoo Child" (Tom Neville Vox remix)
  5. "Voodoo Child" (Fuzzy Hair remix)

Charts

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[15] Platinum 70,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[16] Silver 200,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
Australia 30 May 2005 CD
[17]
United Kingdom 10 July 2006
[18]

References

  1. ^ "Winners by Award – Artisan Awards – Best Video". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Retrieved 12 December 2019.
  2. ^ "Rogue Traders – Voodoo Child". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
  3. ^ "The ARIA Report – ARIA Club Tracks – Week Commencing 25th April 2005" (PDF). ARIA. 25 April 2005. p. 17. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 May 2005. Retrieved 9 November 2020.
  4. ^ "Issue 799" ARIA Top 50 Dance Singles. National Library of Australia. Retrieved 9 November 2020.
  5. ^ "Hits of the World – Eurocharts" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 118, no. 30. 29 July 2006. p. 69. Retrieved 26 July 2020.
  6. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Voodoo Child". Irish Singles Chart.
  7. ^ "Rogue Traders – Voodoo Child". Top 40 Singles.
  8. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 26 July 2020.
  9. ^ "Rogue Traders: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 26 July 2020.
  10. ^ "Official Dance Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 26 July 2020.
  11. ^ "ARIA Top 100 Singles for 2005". ARIA. Retrieved 26 October 2021.
  12. ^ "ARIA Charts – End of Year Charts – Club Chart 2005". ARIA. Archived from the original on 15 April 2020. Retrieved 17 September 2020.
  13. ^ "ARIA Charts – End of Year Charts – Dance Singles 2005". ARIA. Archived from the original on 15 April 2020. Retrieved 17 September 2020.
  14. ^ "End of Year Singles Chart Top 100 – 2006". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 26 July 2020.
  15. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2005 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 26 July 2020.
  16. ^ "British single certifications – Rogue Traders – Voodoo Child". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 26 July 2020.
  17. ^ "The ARIA Report: New Releases Singles – Week Commencing 30th May 2005" (PDF). ARIA. 30 May 2005. p. 28. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 June 2005. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
  18. ^ "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. 8 July 2006. p. 35.
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