Original (Leftfield song) explained

Original
Cover:Leftfield - Original-1.jpg
Caption:CD single cover
Type:single
Artist:Leftfield featuring Toni Halliday
Album:Leftism
Released:13 March 1995
Recorded:Rollover Studios, London
Genre:Trip hop
Length:4:10
Label:Hard Hands/PolyGram
Producer:Leftfield
Prev Title:Open Up
Prev Year:1993
Next Title:Afro-Left
Next Year:1995

"Original" is a song by English electronic duo Leftfield, released on 12" and CD on 13 March 1995 by Hard Hands/PolyGram as the third single from their debut album, Leftism (1995). It features singer Toni Halliday on vocals and gave the group their first appearance on Top of the Pops, reaching number 18 on the UK Singles Chart. Halliday wrote the lyrics with Neil Barnes and Paul Daley. The beginning of the song is used often on the UK version of Big Brother.

Background

Toni Halliday told about "Original":

Critical reception

Dave Simpson from Melody Maker named "Original" Single of the Week, adding, "The intro sounds like the launching of some faraway spacecraft (well, all right, Kraftwerk), the main chassis of the song is some inter-Galaxian funk, and some sampled guitars mimic the flight of a slightly malfunctioning Venusian Observer's Vehicle."[1] Another Melody Maker editor, David Bennun, wrote, "Aptly enough, "Original" is used as a title: the song gives gainful employment to Toni Halliday, whose cold and disconnected passions fit Leftfield's sensuous, distant dub even more smoothly than they did Curve's fey barrage. You're an original, got your own path. Well, if ever a band has earned the right to serenade itself..."[2] A reviewer from Music Weeks RM Dance Update called it a "slow and low dub adventure".[3] Another editor, James Hamilton, described it as a "haunting dubby slow 0-86bpm tugger muttered and crooned by Curve's Toni Halliday".[4] Roger Morton from NME found that the song "boldly brings in former lady of Curve [...] to hiss machine age ice maiden vocals over melancholy Electroluxed reggae without sounding like gimmick synth pop."[5] The magazine's Stuart Bailie viewed it as "freeze-dried and terrifying", and "a masterful creation."[6]

Track listing

  1. "Original" - 6:22
  2. "Original" (Jam) - 5:27
  3. "Filter Fish" - 7:40
  4. "Original" (Drift) - 4:07
  1. "Original" (Radio Edit) - 4:10
  2. "Original" (Live Dub) - 7:37
  3. "Original" (Jam) - 5:27
  4. "Filter Fish" - 7:40
  1. "Original" (Radio Edit) - 4:10
  2. "Original" (Live Dub) - 7:37
  3. "Original" (Jam) - 5:27
  4. "Original" (Album Version) - 6:22
  5. "Filter Fish" - 7:40

Charts

Chart (1995)Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[7] 129
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[8] 81
Scotland (OCC)20
UK Singles (OCC)18
UK Dance (OCC)11
UK Club Chart (Music Week)[9] 40

Notes and References

  1. Dave. Simpson. Singles. Melody Maker. 1995-03-11. 36. 2023-12-16.
  2. David. Bennun. Albums. Melody Maker. 1995-01-21. 34. 2023-12-02. David Bennun.
  3. Cool Cuts . Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental insert) . 4 March 1995 . 4 . 6 May 2021 .
  4. James . Hamilton . Dj directory . Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental insert) . 1995-03-18 . 15 . 2021-05-06 . James Hamilton (DJ and journalist).
  5. Roger. Morton. Long Play. NME. 1995-01-28. 46. 2023-12-10.
  6. Stuart. Bailie. Singles. NME. 1995-03-25. 43. 2023-12-25.
  7. Web site: Leftfield ARIA peaks, received from ARIA in October 2024. ARIA. Imgur.com. 2 November 2024. N.B. The High Point number in the NAT column represents the release's peak on the national chart.
  8. Eurochart Hot 100. 1995-04-01. 2018-01-15. Music & Media.
  9. The RM Club Chart . Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental insert) . 1995-03-11 . 8 . 2021-09-02.

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