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Alarm Call

For the human and animal behaviour, see alarm signal.

"Alarm Call" is a song recorded by Icelandic singer Björk for her third studio album Homogenic (1997). It was released as the fourth single from the album, peaking at number 33 in the United Kingdom. The sped-up radio edit of the song was used in the 1999 film The Mod Squad.

"Alarm Call"
UK CD1 cover
Single by Björk
from the album Homogenic
B-side
Released30 November 1998
StudioEl Cortijo (Marbella)
GenreDance-pop[1]
Length
  • 4:25 (album version)
  • 3:38 (radio edit)
  • 3:44 (video version)
LabelOne Little Indian
Songwriter(s)Björk
Producer(s)
Björk singles chronology
"Hunter"
(1998) 		"Alarm Call"
(1998) 		"All Is Full of Love"
(1999)
Music video
"Alarm Call" on YouTube

Background

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The song, originally labelled "Jacko" on the Homogenic demo tape, speaks of reawakening through music.[2] Björk explained: "I think that music has the power to change the things, and that's what I wanted to show on Alarm Call". It is the only single from Homogenic that was not included on Greatest Hits.

Music video

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Björk in the jungle in the "Alarm Call" music video

The first music video for "Alarm Call" was directed by Paul White from Me Company, the design firm that produced the artwork of Homogenic, Debut and Post, and their respective singles, and it featured Björk in a similar dress to the one featured on the Homogenic album cover along with a dance scene in the Los Angeles subway system.[3]

However, Björk was not pleased with the result and a second video was directed by fashion designer Alexander McQueen and filmed in October 1998, over a two-day period in London.[4] She told MTV News that she felt that the music video industry needed a "spank on the bum", and that McQueen was the man to do the video.

"I haven't seen many fashion shows in my life, but you go to his shows and you come out feeling like anything is possible"; she went on to describe McQueen as a "guy with a powerful and fluid mind who could direct films, build castles, and write music". He wrote up a nearly one-hundred-page treatment of his ideas for the video.[5]

It features Björk floating on a raft on a river in the jungle and her scenes are intercut with footage of snakes, crocodiles, and other animals, with Björk playing with them. The version of the song used in the video is the radio mix by Andy Bradfield and Mark Bell.[6]

Track listings and formats

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Charts

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Weekly chart performance for "Alarm Call"
Chart (1998) Peak
position
Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)[7] 16
Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)[8]
French mix 		10
Scotland (OCC)[9] 47
UK Singles (OCC)[10] 33
UK Indie (OCC)[11] 3

Release history

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Release dates and formats for "Alarm Call"
Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
United Kingdom 23 November 1998 Contemporary hit radio One Little Indian
[12]
30 November 1998
[13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21]
France 4 January 1999 Maxi CD
[22]
United Kingdom 18 January 1999 Box set One Little Indian
[23]

References

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  1. ^ Phares, Heather. "( Homogenic > Review )". AllMusic. Retrieved 2 April 2009.
  2. ^ Mackay 2017
  3. ^ Blackwelder, Carson (14 July 2017). "Björk's 'Homogenic' Celebrates Its 20th Anniversary". A Plus. Retrieved 3 February 2018.
  4. ^ "Björk Shoots Video With Fashion Designer, But No Prince Collaboration In Works". MTV. 2 November 1998. Archived from the original on February 2, 2018.
  5. ^ "Björk Explains New Video, Blasts Retirement Reports As "Rubbish"". MTV. 7 December 1998. Archived from the original on February 2, 2018.
  6. ^ Pytlik 2003
  7. ^ "Íslenski Listinn". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 8 January 1999. p. 10. Retrieved 24 December 2018.
  8. ^ "Íslenski Listinn". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 29 January 1999. p. 10. Retrieved 24 December 2018.
  9. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 7 November 2018.
  10. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 24 September 2016.
  11. ^ "Official Independent Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 7 November 2018.
  12. ^ "Power Players" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 15, no. 48. London. 28 November 1998. p. 18. Retrieved 11 February 2022 – via World Radio History.
  13. ^ Alarm Call (12-inch single 1). Björk. United Kingdom: One Little Indian Records. 1998. 232TP12P1.{{cite AV media}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  14. ^ Alarm Call (12-inch single 2). Björk. United Kingdom: One Little Indian Records. 1998. 232TP12P2.{{cite AV media}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  15. ^ Alarm Call (12-inch single 3). Björk. United Kingdom: One Little Indian Records. 1998. 232TP12P3.{{cite AV media}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  16. ^ Alarm Call (12-inch single 4). Björk. United Kingdom: One Little Indian Records. 1998. 232TP12P4.{{cite AV media}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  17. ^ Alarm Call (12-inch single 5). Björk. United Kingdom: One Little Indian Records. 1998. 232TP12P5.{{cite AV media}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  18. ^ Alarm Call (12-inch single 6). Björk. United Kingdom: One Little Indian Records. 1998. 232TP12P6.{{cite AV media}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  19. ^ Alarm Call (CD single 1). Björk. United Kingdom: One Little Indian Records. 1998. 232TP7CD.{{cite AV media}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  20. ^ Alarm Call (CD single 2). Björk. United Kingdom: One Little Indian Records. 1998. 232TP7CDL.{{cite AV media}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  21. ^ Alarm Call (CD single 3). Björk. United Kingdom: One Little Indian Records. 1998. 232TP7CDX.{{cite AV media}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  22. ^ "Alarm call – Björk – CD maxi single" (in French). France: Fnac. 4 January 1999. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  23. ^ Alarm Call (3×CD+VHS box set). Björk. United Kingdom: One Little Indian Records. 1999. 232TP7BOX.{{cite AV media}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)

Bibliography

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