The Definitive 1000 Songs Of All Time 1955 to 2005: Number 786

Thursday, October 05, 2006

Number 786 - Fat Boy Slim

Number 786

Fat Boy Slim

"Praise You"

(1998)
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................Genre: Electronica...............

The eyes have it

"WITH songs such as "The Rockafeller Skank" and "Praise You" garnering commercial success and critical acclaim, many Americans probably assume that Fatboy Slim, the creator of those hits, only recently achieved pop stardom. Fact is, this British-based master of dance music has been working his craft for nearly 15 years. Heralded as perhaps the most gifted practitioner of the "big beat" sound - a sample-laden, funked-up pastiche of techno, rock, and rhythm and blues - 35-year-old Norman Cook (AKA Fatboy Slim) has paid his dues, and indeed aspiring artists would do well to look to his hard work and dedication as an example worth following. " [Source:Artist.Direct]

The Video ...

I am the law !!!

The accompanying video for "Praise You" was directed by music video director Spike Jonze. Jonze starred in the film under the pseudonym Richard Koufey, along with a fictional dance group, the Torrance Community Dance Group. Moreover, the video is called "a Torrance Public Film Productions" in its intro. The video was shot guerilla-style (that is, on location without obtaining permission from the owners of the property) in front of puzzled onlookers outside a movie theatre in Westwood, California. In the video, Jonze and the dance group dance to "Praise You", much to the chagrin of the theatre owner who attempts to turn off their portable stereo. One of the actor/dancers in the fictional Torrance Community Dance Group, Michael Gier, documents the making of the "Praise You" video on his website. The "Praise You" video came into being because Spike Jonze, unable to work with Fatboy Slim on the video for "The Rockafeller Skank", recorded and set his own solo dance video to "Skank" as a gift; Jonze's 'alternate' music video was so well-received by Slim that Jonze's fictional Torrance Community Dance Group were green-lighted for "Praise You's" official video.Norman Cook is briefly seen in the video as one of the many onlookers, with the clearest view shown at the conclusion of the video, while Jonze is talking about the dance. Cook curiously peers over Jonze to catch a glimpse of the camera before walking off to the right. The video reportedly cost only US$800 to produce, with most of that money going towards a replacement boombox and food for the cast and crew. The video won three major awards at the 1999 MTV Video Music Awards: Breakthrough Video, Best Direction (awarded to "Torrance Community Dance Group") and Best Choreography (awarded to "Richard Koufey & Michael Rooney"). It was also nominated for, but did not win, Best Dance Video. ~ [Source: Wikipedia]

Rolling Stone have no thoughts or view on Fat Boy Slim.