Mundian To Bach Ke Explained

Mundian To Bach Ke
Cover:	Mundian_to_bach_ke.jpg
Type:	single
Artist:	Panjabi MC
Album:	Legalised Beware
B-Side:	Mundian Breaks
Length:	3:49
Producer:	Panjabi MC
Prev Title:	Backstabbers
Prev Year:	2002
Next Title:	Jogi
Next Year:	2003

"Mundian To Bach Ke" (in Panjabi; Punjabi pronounced as /mʊɳɖɪãː tõː bətːʃ keː/), also titled "Beware of the Boys (Mundian To Bach Ke)" or "Beware", is a bhangra music song produced by British musician Panjabi MC, with vocals and lyrics by Punjabi artist Labh Janjua. The song was produced by Panjabi MC in Birmingham, England, for his 1998 album Legalised.

Following its release as a single in November 2002, "Mundian To Bach Ke" achieved worldwide success, topping the singles charts in Italy and Wallonia and charting highly in many other countries. A remix of the song, released in 2003 and featuring American rapper Jay-Z, also charted highly in North America and Australia. The song sold an estimated copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling singles of all time.

Lyrics and music

In addition to features of bhangra music, "Mundian To Bach Ke" also uses the bass line and part of the beat from "Fire It Up" (1997) by Busta Rhymes,^[1] which in turn is based around a sample from the television theme song for Knight Rider,^[2] written by Glen A. Larson and Stu Phillips, as an underlying element and lyrics originally written by Channi Singh. The lyrics of the song are in Punjabi. The music video of this song was shot in the streets of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Chart performance

"Mundian To Bach Ke" was released as a single in Germany on 25 November 2002. It sold over 100,000 in the first two days alone and debuted at number two on the German Singles Chart.^[3] On the Italian Singles Chart, the song reached number one for three weeks. In the UK, it was issued through Instant Karma and debuted at its peak of number five on the UK Singles Chart; it was the first bhangra song to reach the UK top 10.^[4] The remix, featuring American rapper Jay-Z, also reached number 33 on the US Billboard Hot 100, number 10 in Canada, and number 12 in Australia.

The Washington Post estimated that there may have been 10 million units sold worldwide. However, given that many of these copies may have been bootlegged, an exact number is not known, though sales are at least in the millions.^[5]

Track listings

German CD single^[6]

1. "Mundian To Bach Ke" (original mix) – 3:49
2. "Mundian To Bach Ke" (Moonbootica mix) – 6:41
3. "Mundian To Bach Ke" (Banks & Sullivan Oldskool mix) – 4:39
4. "Mundian To Bach Ke" (instrumental mix) – 4:43

French CD single^[7]

1. "Mundian To Bach Ke" (original radio edit) – 3:24
2. "Mundian To Bach Ke" (Motivo Hi-Lectro radio edit) – 3:25

UK CD single^[8]

1. "Mundian To Bach Ke" (radio edit) – 3:20
2. "Mundian To Bach Ke" (Switch mix) – 6:19
3. "Mundian Breaks" – 3:56

UK 12-inch single^[9]

A1. "Mundian To Bach Ke" (main mix) – 4:02

B1. "Mundian To Bach Ke" (Switch mix) – 6:19

B2. "Mundian Breaks" – 3:56

UK cassette single^[10]

1. "Mundian To Bach Ke" (main mix) – 4:02
2. "Mundian Breaks" – 3:56

US CD single and 12-inch single 1^{[11] [12]}

1. "Beware of the Boys (Mundian To Bach Ke)" (Jay-Z remix)
2. "Beware of the Boys (Mundian To Bach Ke)" (original version)
3. "Beware Breaks (Mundian Breaks)"

US 12-inch single 2^[13]

A1. "Beware of the Boys (Mundian To Bach Ke)" (radio edit)

A2. "Beware Breaks (Mundian Breaks)"

B1. "Beware of the Boys (Mundian To Bach Ke)" (Switch mix)

US 12-inch single 3^[14]

A1. "Beware of the Boys (Mundian To Bach Ke)" (Twista remix)

A2. "Beware of the Boys (Mundian To Bach Ke)" (original version)

B1. "Beware Breaks (Mundian Breaks)"

Australian CD single^[15]

1. "Mundian To Bach Ke (Beware of the Boys)" (Jay-Z remix radio edit) – 3:00
2. "Mundian To Bach Ke (Beware of the Boys)" (original radio edit) – 3:21
3. "Mundian To Bach Ke (Beware of the Boys)" (Triple X remix) – 7:53
4. "Mundian To Bach Ke (Beware of the Boys)" (Motiva Hi-Lectro mix) – 5:40
5. "Beware Breaks (Mundian Breaks)" – 3:56

Charts

Weekly charts

"Mundian To Bach Ke"

Chart (2002–2003)	Peak position
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)^[16]	3
Greece (IFPI)^[17]	1
Ireland Dance (IRMA)^[18]	2
Romania (Romanian Top 100)^[19]	12

"Beware of the Boys" (featuring Jay-Z)

Chart (2003)	Peak position
Canada (Nielsen SoundScan)^[20]	10
US Billboard Hot 100^[21]	33
US Dance Singles Sales (Billboard)^[22]	3
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks (Billboard)^[23]	21
US Rhythmic Top 40 (Billboard)^[24]	17

Year-end charts

"Mundian To Bach Ke"

Chart (2003)	Position
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)^[25]	20
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)^[26]	23
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)^[27]	23
France (SNEP)^[28]	80
Germany (Official German Charts)^[29]	35
Italy (FIMI)^[30]	10
Netherlands (Single Top 100)^[31]	88
Romania (Romanian Top 100)	43
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)^[32]	64
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)^[33]	33
UK Singles (OCC)^[34]	73

"Beware of the Boys" (featuring Jay-Z)

Chart (2003)	Position
Australia (ARIA)^[35]	99
US Dance Singles Sales (Billboard)^[36]	11
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks (Billboard)^[37]	98
US Rhythmic Top 40 (Billboard)^[38]	94

Release history

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)
Germany	25 November 2002	CD
United Kingdom	13 January 2003		Instant Karma	^[39]
Australia	9 June 2003	CD	Ministry of Sound	^[40]

In popular culture

• It was used on an episode of ER, when Gallant and Neela danced to a version of the song, which Gallant called a "Sikh rap".
• "Mundian To Bach Ke" was used in America's Best Dance Crew Season 2 on week 9 of the Around The World challenge as part of the Indian dance section. It also appeared in an episode of the American television show Queer as Folk during a scene at the club Babylon. A version of this song was used as a background music in the Ginebra San Miguel "Bilog Ang Mundo" ad campaigns in 2003. The song was featured in an episode of Entourage. It was used twice in the pilot of the NBC comedy Outsourced.
• "Mundian To Bach Ke" was featured in the 2003 film Bulletproof Monk.
• "Mundian To Bach Ke" was the song used by Derek Hough and Shawn Johnson in their Knight Rider bhangra-themed dance in the semi-finals of Dancing with the Stars (All Stars Season).
• The remix of "Mundian To Bach Ke", which featured American rapper Jay-Z, also on Dharma Records, was featured in the trailer for the 2012 American film The Dictator, as the film's main theme song.^[41]
• Sports-comedy Stick It featured the beginning of "Mundian To Bach Ke" in a scene where a group of teens escapes from the arriving police.
• "Mundian To Bach Ke" was used in the dance games Dance Central 3 and Just Dance 4.
• "Mundian To Bach Ke" was used in the Bollywood film Boom (2003).^[42]
• In 2009, German singer Peter Fox mashed this song with Seeed's song "Dickes B" during the tour for his solo album Stadtaffe.^[43]
• In 2015, it was featured in series 2, episode 2 of the BBC sitcom Scot Squad as two officers did the 'clocking off' dance.
• "Mundian To Bach Ke" was recreated in the Bollywood film Baaghi 2, with lyrics rewritten in Hindi.^[44]
• "Mundian To Bach Ke" was featured on Beyoncé and Jay-Z's joint On the Run II Tour, mashed up with Beyoncé's "Baby Boy".^[45]
• "Mundian To Bach Ke" was used on the June 2019 Edexcel GCSE Music Paper. It featured on the Section B essay along with the track "Release" by Afro Celt Sound System.
• "Mundian To Bach Ke", featuring Jay-Z, appears on the soundtrack of the 2021 Netflix movie The White Tiger.^[46]
• "Mundian To Bach Ke" was used as part of a dance scene within the Closing Ceremony of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.
• "Mundian To Bach Ke" in the 21st century was a part of some internet memes, with a video uploaded on YouTube of the song in the extremely loud version titled "loud indian music". The video became popular and featured characters either singing the song or yelling the song. The song was also used in a music video of a cat wearing a keffiyeh, earning 14,000,000 views to date.^[47]
• ”Mundian To Bach Ke” is commonly used by internet superstar Vikkstar123, as it was often played in his and other Sidemen members early vlogs, and has stuck as his “theme song” ever since. He would later use the song as the backing track for his diss track against fellow YouTuber Deji.

As stereotype

Outside these examples above, its massive popularity lent to frequent stereotypical use in western media as a auditory shorthand for introduced South Asians and/or aspects of their culture on screen.^[48]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Panjabi MC's 'Mundian to Bach Ke' - Discover the Sample Source. WhoSampled.com.
2. Web site: Busta Rhymes's 'Turn It Up (Remix) / Fire It Up' - Discover the Sample Source. WhoSampled.
3. Amit Puri (2003). Mundian toh bachke raheen Boom(s) with Punjabi MC. The Tribune
4. News: Coventry-born Panjabi MC creates pop history . BBC . Satnam Rana . January 2003 . 12 June 2006.
5. News: Alona . Wartofsky . Rap's Fresh Heir . . 13 July 2003 . 23 May 2012 .
6. Mundian To Bach Ke. Panjabi MC. 2002. German CD single liner notes. Superstar Recordings, Urban Records. 0195152.
7. Mundian To Bach Ke. Panjabi MC. 2002. French CD single liner notes. Scorpio Music. SHT S0140-1.
8. Mundian To Bach Ke. Panjabi MC. 2003. UK CD single liner notes. Instant Karma. karma28cd.
9. Mundian To Bach Ke. Panjabi MC. 2003. UK 12-inch single vinyl disc. Instant Karma. Karma28t.
10. Mundian To Bach Ke. Panjabi MC. 2003. UK cassette single sleeve. Instant Karma. Karma28mc.
11. Beware of the Boys (Mundian To Bach Ke). Panjabi MC. 2003. US CD single liner notes. Sequence Records. SEQ 8012-2.
12. Beware of the Boys (Mundian To Bach Ke). Panjabi MC. 2003. US 12-inch single sleeve. Sequence Records. SEQ 8012-6.
13. Beware of the Boys (Mundian To Bach Ke). Panjabi MC. 2003. US 12-inch single sleeve. Sequence Records. SEQ 8011-6.
14. Beware of the Boys (Mundian To Bach Ke). Panjabi MC. 2003. US 12-inch single sleeve. Sequence Records. SEQ 8014-6.
15. Mundian To Bach Ke (Beware of the Boys). Panjabi MC. 2003. Australian CD single disc notes. Ministry of Sound. MOSCD5031.
16. Eurochart Hot 100 Singles. Music & Media. 21. 6. 11. 1 February 2003. 10 March 2020.
17. Web site: Top 50 Singles Εβδομάδα 27/05 – 03/06. IFPI. el. 3 June 2003. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20030605080105/http://www.ifpi.gr/chart03.htm. 5 June 2003. 6 December 2014.
18. Web site: Top 10 Dance Singles, Week Ending 30 January 2003. GfK Chart-Track. 10 June 2019.
19. Web site: Topul anului 2003. Romanian Top 100. ro. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20050122205325/http://www.rt100.ro/topul-anului-2003.html. 22 January 2005. 4 May 2020.
20. Canadian Digital Song Sales. Billboard. 7 June 2003. subscription. 26 October 2023.
21. Billboard Hot 100. Billboard. 17 May 2003. 26 October 2023.
22. Dance Singles Sales. Billboard. 10 May 2003. subscription. 26 October 2023.
23. Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. Billboard. 26 April 2003. subscription. 26 October 2023.
24. Rhythmic Airplay. Billboard. 31 May 2003. subscription. 26 October 2023.
25. Web site: Jahreshitparade Singles 2003. de. 10 June 2019.
26. Web site: Jaaroverzichten 2003. Ultratop. nl. 10 June 2019.
27. Web site: Rapports annuels 2003. Ultratop. fr. 10 June 2019.
28. Web site: Tops de L'année Top Singles 2003. SNEP. fr. 16 September 2020.
29. Web site: Top 100 Singles–Jahrescharts 2003. GfK Entertainment. de. 10 June 2019.
30. Web site: Top of the Music – Mix e Singoli. FIMI. it. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20060510010334/http://www.fimi.it/documenti/artisti2003.pdf. 10 May 2006. 14 December 2020.
31. Web site: Jaaroverzichten – Single 2003. MegaCharts. nl. 10 June 2019.
32. Web site: Årslista Singlar, 2003. Sverigetopplistan. sv. 4 May 2020.
33. Web site: Schweizer Jahreshitparade 2003. de. 10 June 2019.
34. Web site: The Official UK Singles Chart 2003. UKChartsPlus. 5 December 2018.
35. Web site: ARIA Top 100 Singles for 2003. ARIA. 16 September 2020.
36. Year in Music: Hot Dance Singles Sales. Billboard. 115. 52. YE-66. 27 December 2003.
37. Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs – Year-End 2003. Billboard. 6 March 2021.
38. Most-Played Rhythmic Top 40 Songs. Billboard Airplay Monitor. 11. 51. 26. 19 December 2003.
39. Reviews – For Records Out on 13 and 20 January 2003: Single of the Week 2. Music Week. 19. 11 January 2003.
40. Web site: The ARIA Report: New Releases Singles – Week Commencing 9th June 2003. ARIA. 25. 9 June 2003. dead. https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20030706140000/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/23790/20030707-0000/Issue694.pdf. 6 July 2003. 10 October 2021.
41. Web site: 2018-03-15. Baaghi 2 song Mundiyan embroiled in legal controversy; makers of film accused of plagiarism, copyright infringement. 2022-01-31. Firstpost. en.
42. Web site: 2018-03-15. Baaghi 2 song Mundiyan embroiled in legal controversy; makers of film accused of plagiarism, copyright infringement. 2022-01-31. Firstpost. en.
43. Web site: Peter Fox – Dickes B Live from Berlin. YouTube, LLC. Google, Inc..
44. Web site: 2018-03-15. Baaghi 2 song Mundiyan embroiled in legal controversy; makers of film accused of plagiarism, copyright infringement. 2022-01-31. Firstpost. en.
45. Web site: Beyonce Danced To Everyone's Fave Punjabi Club Banger And It's Giving Us Life. 6 July 2018 .
46. Web site: 27 January 2021. The White Tiger - 2021 Netflix Movie Features Panjabi MC & JAY-Z. 6 June 2021. Panjabi MC. en.
47. Web site: Arabian cat - (Official Music VIdeo) ft.Panjabi MC . . 8 November 2020 .
48. News: . Look back in bhangra: Panjabi MC on becoming a pop icon . Ciaran. Thapar . 7 April 2022 . But the song is also uncomfortable for those who saw it appropriated. “When it comes on now, people in the Asian music industry will groan. But that’s not because of the tune. The tune is powerful,” says Friction. “It’s because for years it was played whenever anything Asian came on the television – anytime someone cooked a curry on Come Dine With Me. And that took a lot of the cultural meaning away. It showed south Asians how two-dimensional the rest of society saw us.”.