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Axel F
Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - Cite This Source"Axel F" is the electronic instrumental theme from the 1984 film Beverly Hills Cop performed by Harold Faltermeyer. The title comes from the main character's name, Axel Foley (played by Eddie Murphy), in the film. It topped musical charts in 1985 and remains a popular remix track. Mixes of "Axel F" topped European pop charts in 2003 and again in 2005 as the Crazy Frog song.
Harold Faltermeyer version
Faltermeyer recorded the song using three synthesizers: a Roland Jupiter-8, a Roland JX-3P, and a Yamaha DX-7. This version of the song reached #2 on the UK Singles Chart and #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US. It also spent two weeks atop the American adult contemporary chart.Chart performance
| Country | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Ireland | 1 |
| The Netherlands | 1 |
| UK | 2 |
| US | 3 |
| Sweden | 18 |
| Switzerland | 2 |
Crazy Frog version
"Axel F", also known as the Crazy Frog song, is a novelty song that was the debut and most internationally successful single by Crazy Frog, released in 2005. It is a remix of Harold Faltermeyer's 1984 composition "Axel F", produced by Henning Reith and Reinhard "DJ Voodoo" Raith, two members of the German dance production team Bass Bumpers. Jamster! arranged the remix, and later marketed it as a ringtone.
The remix consists of vocals taken from the Crazy Frog recording by Daniel Malmedahl in 1997. It uses mainly the same part of the two-minute original that was used in Jamster's ringtone release. The song also uses the "What's going on ?" vocal shotguns from another 2003 remix of Axel F, by Murphy Brown and Captain Hollywood (dubbed "Axel F 2003" and sometimes "Axel F 2004").
The Ministry of Sound hired Kaktus Film and Erik Wernquist of TurboForce3D, the original creator of the 3D Crazy Frog, to produce a full-length animated music video to accompany the release of the song. The video features the Crazy Frog character, is set in the future, and centers on his pursuit by a bounty hunter. The bounty hunter receives notification of a $50,000 reward for capturing the frog, who is only identified as "The most annoying thing in the world", a reference to Wernquist's original name for the character.
Chart performances
Released across Europe in May 2005, "Axel F" went straight to number one in the UK, with some of the best weekly sales of the year so far (out-selling rivals such as Coldplay by four copies to one), and remained on top of the UK charts for four weeks. In other European countries the popularity has differed, with the remix failing to make the top twenty in Switzerland at first, before gradually climbing to #1, whilst only making #18 in Russia. It also reached #1 in the overall European chart, after initially being number two to Akon's "Lonely" for several weeks, and stayed there until September. It also reached #1 in Australia, Ireland, Belgium, Denmark, France, New Zealand, Norway, Ukraine, Spain, and Sweden.
In France, the song made an amazing jump, entering the French singles chart at number 77 on June 11, 2005, and moving all the way to number 2 in the next week. There it stayed for two weeks, and then topped the chart for 13 weeks. It left the first position being dethroned by its second single, "Popcorn" (it was only the second time that an artist dethrone himself in that country). The song remained in the top ten for 21 weeks, 30 weeks in the top 50 and 36 weeks in the chart. Its best weekly sales were 103,564 on its sixth week, which is huge in France. On December 1, 2005, it was certified Diamond disc seven months after its release by SNEP, the French certificator. According to the Infodisc Website, it is the 34th best selling single of all time in France, with 1,236,100 sales (1,265,579 sales, according to another source).
Despite the Crazy Frog not being hugely well-known in Japan, the single release also charted there, peaking at #46. It has apparently failed to catch on in the U.S., peaking at #50. Although "Axel F" managed to find more success in Mainstream Markets, it proved to be a moderate success on U.S Rhythmic Top 40 where it peaked at #28 just scraping the top 30. It also peaked at #3 on the U.S Digital Sales beating the likes of Lindsay Lohan and the Black Eyed Peas. It's highest US success was just missing the top spot at #2 on the U.S Adult Contemporary Top 20.
Music video
The bounty hunter activates a killbot mounted on armoured hover cycle in the video, then it proceeds to track the Crazy Frog as he commutes around the City on his imaginary motorcycle. As the bounty hunter closes in on his prey, the Crazy Frog becomes aware of his pursuer and an unlikely chase begins over skyscrapers and through the city's sewer system, before the killbot launches a guided missile at the Frog.
However, the Crazy Frog is able to mount the missile as it approaches him, evidently confusing its guidance system, as it then begins to loop and glide uncontrollably. The missile eventually locks onto the bounty hunter's van, destroying it and creating a large mushroom cloud. The Crazy Frog manages to escape (or survive, it is unknown which) the blast, covered in dust from the debris and appearing to deliver the closing 'lyrics'.
In the media
In February and March 2006, the Canadian animation television channel Teletoon aired the music video during times between programming, with the genitalia and the explosion edited out.
Cartoon Network aired the music video between programs (roughly 2:58 P.M EST) in February, March, and June 2006, with the genitalia and the explosion edited out.
Controversy
Some music video channels censored the Crazy Frog's genitalia in the music video. Some had also already done this on the ringtone advertisement.
Single track listing
Australia CD- "Axel F" (Radio Edit) — 2:54
- "Axel F" (Club Mix) — 6:23
- "Axel F" (Club Mix Instrumental) — 6:23
- "In The 80's" — 3:29 UK CD1
- "Axel F" (Radio Mix)
- "Axel F" (Bounce Mix)
- "Axel F" (Bounce Mix Instrumental)
- "Axel F" (Reservoir Frogs Mix)
- "Axel F" (Video)
UK CD2
- "Axel F" (Radio Mix)
- "Axel F" (Video)
Certifications and sales
| Country | Certification | Date | Sales certified | Physical sales | Digital downloads |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Belgium | 2 x Platinum | September 10, 2005 | 100,000 | ||
| France | Diamond | December 1, 2005 | 750,000 | 1,265,579+ | 28,800+ |
| Swiss | Platinum | 2005 | 40,000 | ||
| U.S. | Gold | December 12, 2005 | 500,000 | ||
Charts
| Chart (2005) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S Billboard Hot 100 | 50 |
| U.S Billboard Hot Dance Club/Play | 7 |
| Australian Singles Chart | 1 |
| Austrian Singles Chart | 2 |
| Belgian (Flanders) Singles Chart | 1 |
| Belgian (Wallonia) Singles Chart | 1 |
| Danish Singles Chart | 1 |
| Dutch Singles Chart | 3 |
| Euro 200 | 1 |
| Eurochart Hot 100 Singles | 1 |
| Finnish Singles Chart | 2 |
| French Singles Chart | 1 |
| French Download Singles Chart | 1 |
| German Singles Chart | 3 |
| Irish Singles Chart | 1 |
| Italian Singles Chart | 3 |
| New Zealander Singles Chart | 1 |
| Norwegian Singles Chart | 1 |
| Sweden Singles Chart | 1 |
| Swiss Singles Chart | 1 |
| UK Singles Chart | 1 |
| Annual chart (2005) | Position |
|---|---|
| Australian Singles Chart | 4 |
| Australian Dance Singles Chart | 1 |
| Austrian Singles Chart | 17 |
| Belgian (Flanders) Singles Chart | 2 |
| Belgian (Wallonia) Singles Chart | 1 |
| French Singles Chart | 2 |
| French Download Singles Chart | 7 |
| French Club 50 Chart | 23 |
| New Zealander Singles Chart | 1 |
| Swiss Singles Chart | 2 |
| UWC | 6 |
Other published recordings with chart positions
- 1991 "Axel F" by Erich Kunzel and the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra for the Telarc release Bond and Beyond
- 1995 "Axel F"/"Keep Pushin'" (by Clock), a UK #7 hit in 1995.
- 1998 "Axel F" (by Planet Bass)
- 1998 "Axel F" (by Trance Atlantic Air Waves)
- 1999 "Axel F" (by Cobat)
- 2001 "Axel F" (by Spacecorn) #74 UK
- 2003 "Axel F 2003"/"Axel F 2004" (by Murphy Brown & Captain Hollywood)
- 2005 "Italian Fireflies vs Axel Foley Theme" (Author Unknown, sampled from Black Strobe and Harold Faltermeyer)
- 2007 "Original Techno remix by #1 80's Club Hits Remixed on their album Best of 80's Dance
Cultural references
In series TV
- Four episodes of The Simpsons, "Separate Vocations", "Radio Bart", "Marge vs. the Monorail", and "Sweets and Sour Marge", used a slightly modified version of "Axel F" as incidental music, usually to indicate suspense.
- The "Masters Of All Time" episode of Danny Phantom used an "Axel F"-esque song during the scene when Danny first arrives in the past.
- In an episode of King of the Hill, "Maid in Arlen", Kahn is able to play Axel F on a keyboard while singing the words " Bev-Bev Beverly Hills Cop/Bev-Bev Beverly Hills Cop/Axel Foley's gonna find those druuugs!" to the music.
- In one episode of Family Guy, "Whistle While Your Wife Works", it is Brian's ringtone.
- In another episode of Family Guy, "Meet the Quagmires", Peter goes back in time to 1984. Instead of trying to save his relationship with Lois, he goes to the St. Elmo's Clam club with Cleveland and dances to this song on two separate occasions, while "singing" using his trademark giggle in time to the music.
- In an episode of Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps, Donna sarcastically tells her boyfriend Gaz that Axel F is her favourite romantic song. The song is played later in the episode when Gaz tries to marry her, and is played when the couple of walking down the "aisle".
- In an episode of Friends, "The One with the Prom Video", Ross plays Axel F on a small keyboard after saying he wants to "work on [his] music."
- When the Walker, Texas Ranger lever originally debuted on "Late Night with Conan O'Brien," it was accompanied by a button which played Axel F when pressed. This was quickly phased out.
- In an episode of Clerks: The Animated Series, Axel F is played in a dream sequence in which a Judge Reinhold character dreams about teaming up with "Axel" again.
Samples in music
- Korean singer "PSY" made another remix of Axel F in his song 챔피언 "Champion".
- Korean band "BellaMafia" made a rock remix of Axel F in their song "BellaMafia (Band ver.)"
- Sampled by dancehall artist Vybz Kartel on the 2006 single, "Car Man", from the album JMT.
- Kidz Bop Kids remixed the 2005 version by Crazy Frog.
- There is a Telugu song sampling Axel F
In video games
- The "Jurassic Park" game for the Nintendo Game Boy, released in 1993, used a remixed version of "Axel F" as a part of the game's music.
- Used on Atari ST cover disks by the 'Medway Boys' and 'Pompey Pirates'.
- Covered on numerous Russian 8bit computer games that have been ported (Radio-86RK, Pentagon, Elektronika BK-0010 and Vector-06C)
- In the Internet game, Prawn to be Wild, Chapter 7 involves leading squids into a cave by playing their favorite song- Axel F.
Audio sample
See also
References
External links
- The 8bitpeoples "Axel F" A freely downloadable compilation of various artists' interpretations of "Axel F." Released under Creative Commons license.
- The official Crazy Frog Axel F website
- Single website
- Press release, including sound clips
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Last updated on Monday July 07, 2008 at 11:45:29 PDT (GMT -0700)
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