History Repeating (song)
Encyclopedia
"History Repeating" is a song written by Alex Gifford and originally performed by the Propellerheads
featuring Shirley Bassey
in 1997.
(their only album to date), released in 1998 by Wall of Sound
in Europe and DreamWorks
in the US
and Japan. The Propellerheads had previously worked with the James Bond
composer David Arnold
on the Bond tribute album Shaken and Stirred: The David Arnold James Bond Project, where they remixed the John Barry
composition "On Her Majesty's Secret Service
".
The track is a fusion of several different styles of big beat, breakbeat and Jazz combined with the powerful vocals of Shirley Bassey. The sleeve cover, an illustration by Duke D. Jukes takes its inspiration from classic album sleeves, such as those used for the Capitol 1959 release No One Cares
from Frank Sinatra
. The retro style was also continued with the video, filmed in monochrome, the opening of which is themed on a TV Jazz show called Jazz 1200 and clearly harks back to the serious music shows of the 1960s. Scenes from the video shoot were included in the Divas are Forever DVD.
The single was also a #1 hit on the UK Dance Chart
, and was Bassey's first top ten appearance on any US chart since 1973's "Never Never Never"
, making #10 on the US Dance Chart.
UK 3 track maxi CD single and 12" vinyl single
by Matt Dusk
on his album Back In Town
(2006).
Also this song has been covered by Ukrainian
jazz and pop singer Jamala
in 2009.
(1998), and served as the opening to the Channel 4
show So Graham Norton
.
In 2000, the song was used in a TV commercial for Jaguar automobiles.
In 2004, the song was featured in a TV promo for Sex and the City
.
In 2009, it was used in the movie It's Complicated
starring Meryl Streep
, Alec Baldwin
, and Steve Martin
.
In 2010, the song by Regine Velasquez
for the opening of GMA
's 60th Anniversary entitled GMA @ 60: The Heart of Television.
A rare bootleg fan-edit of the James Bond film Never Say Never Again
uses the song as its title theme.
Propellerheads
Propellerheads were a British big beat musical ensemble, formed in 1995 and made up of electronic producers Will White and Alex Gifford. The term propellerhead is slang for a nerd, and when Gifford and White heard a friend from California use this in a conversation, they thought it the perfect name...
featuring Shirley Bassey
Shirley Bassey
Dame Shirley Bassey, DBE , is a Welsh singer. She found fame in the late 1950s and was "one of the most popular female vocalists in Britain during the last half of the 20th century"...
in 1997.
Single release
The single was released shortly before the Propellerheads album DecksandrumsandrockandrollDecksandrumsandrockandroll
Decksandrumsandrockandroll is the first album by the British band Propellerheads, released on 26 January 1998 by Wall of Sound and DreamWorks .-Wall of Sound:...
(their only album to date), released in 1998 by Wall of Sound
Wall of Sound
The Wall of Sound is a music production technique for pop and rock music recordings developed by record producer Phil Spector at Gold Star Studios in Los Angeles, California, during the early 1960s...
in Europe and DreamWorks
DreamWorks
DreamWorks Pictures, also known as DreamWorks, LLC, DreamWorks SKG, DreamWorks II Distribution Co., LLC, DreamWorks Studios or DW Studios, LLC, is an American film studio which develops, produces, and distributes films, video games and television programming...
in the US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Japan. The Propellerheads had previously worked with the James Bond
James Bond
James Bond, code name 007, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. There have been a six other authors who wrote authorised Bond novels or novelizations after Fleming's death in 1964: Kingsley Amis,...
composer David Arnold
David Arnold
David Arnold is an English film composer best known for scoring five James Bond films, the 1994 film Stargate, the 1996 film Independence Day, and the television series Little Britain.-Film and television career:...
on the Bond tribute album Shaken and Stirred: The David Arnold James Bond Project, where they remixed the John Barry
John Barry (composer)
John Barry Prendergast, OBE was an English conductor and composer of film music. He is best known for composing the soundtracks for 12 of the James Bond films between 1962 and 1987...
composition "On Her Majesty's Secret Service
On Her Majesty's Secret Service (soundtrack)
On Her Majesty's Secret Service is the soundtrack for the 6th James Bond film of the same name.Once again, the soundtrack to this James Bond adventure was composed, arranged, and conducted by John Barry; it was his fifth successive Bond film....
".
The track is a fusion of several different styles of big beat, breakbeat and Jazz combined with the powerful vocals of Shirley Bassey. The sleeve cover, an illustration by Duke D. Jukes takes its inspiration from classic album sleeves, such as those used for the Capitol 1959 release No One Cares
No One Cares
No One Cares is a 1959 album by Frank Sinatra.The album can be seen as a sequel to the Sinatra's earlier album Where Are You?, which was also arranged by Gordon Jenkins. The album was released in 1959 in both stereo and mono versions, each containing 11 songs...
from Frank Sinatra
Frank Sinatra
Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer and actor.Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra became an unprecedentedly successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, after being signed to Columbia Records in 1943. Being the idol of the...
. The retro style was also continued with the video, filmed in monochrome, the opening of which is themed on a TV Jazz show called Jazz 1200 and clearly harks back to the serious music shows of the 1960s. Scenes from the video shoot were included in the Divas are Forever DVD.
Chart performance
| Country | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Italy | 8 |
| Finland | 16 |
| United Kingdom | 19 |
| New Zealand | 32 |
| Netherlands | 52 |
| France | 71 |
The single was also a #1 hit on the UK Dance Chart
UK Dance Chart
The UK Dance Chart is a chart compiled by The Official Charts Company from sales in record stores and digital downloads. Although the chart does not currently receive any airplay on the radio or television, the chart can be viewed on the BBC Radio 1 and The Official Charts Company website.Digital...
, and was Bassey's first top ten appearance on any US chart since 1973's "Never Never Never"
Grande grande grande
"Grande grande grande" is a 1972 Italian song, written by Alberto Testa and Tony Renis. It was a No. 1 hit for Mina in Italy and for Shirley Bassey released as "Never Never Never" in the U.K., U.S. and Australia.-Mina version:...
, making #10 on the US Dance Chart.
Track listing
European 2 track CD single- "History Repeating" (Knee Length Mix) -4.03
- "History Repeating" (Ankle Length Mix) -5.49
UK 3 track maxi CD single and 12" vinyl single
- "History Repeating" (Knee Length Mix) -4.03
- "History Repeating" (Ankle Length Mix) -5.49
- "History Repeating" (Hip Length Mix) -4.14
Cover versions
It has been coveredCover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
by Matt Dusk
Matt Dusk
Matthew-Aaron Dusk is a Canadian jazz musician / vocalist. He currently has two certified gold albums: Two Shots and Good News, and three number one radio hits: "Back in Town," "All About Me", and "Good News."-Biography:From an early age, Matt Dusk wanted to become a performer. At the age of...
on his album Back In Town
Back in Town (Matt Dusk album)
Back in Town is the fourth studio album by Canadian jazz singer Matt Dusk. It was released by Decca Records on June 13, 2006 in Canada. The album was released worldwide with an alternative cover later in 2006...
(2006).
Also this song has been covered by Ukrainian
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
jazz and pop singer Jamala
Jamala
Jamala - a Ukrainian and Crimean Tatar jazz-singer, performing the music of her own composition on the junction of jazz, soul, world music and rhythm&blues with the elements of classics and gospel....
in 2009.
In popular culture
It featured on the original soundtrack of the film There's Something About MaryThere's Something About Mary
There's Something About Mary is a 1998 American comedy film, directed by the Farrelly brothers, Bobby and Peter. It stars Cameron Diaz, Matt Dillon and Ben Stiller, and it is a combination of romantic comedy and gross-out film....
(1998), and served as the opening to the Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
show So Graham Norton
So Graham Norton
So Graham Norton is a British television programme, hosted by Irish personality Graham Norton. It ran from 3 July 1998 to 1 March 2002.-Theme:...
.
In 2000, the song was used in a TV commercial for Jaguar automobiles.
In 2004, the song was featured in a TV promo for Sex and the City
Sex and the City
Sex and the City is an American television comedy-drama series created by Darren Star and produced by HBO. Broadcast from 1998 until 2004, the original run of the show had a total of ninety-four episodes...
.
In 2009, it was used in the movie It's Complicated
It's Complicated (film)
It's Complicated is a 2009 American romantic comedy film written and directed by Nancy Meyers, starring Meryl Streep, Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin.-Plot:...
starring Meryl Streep
Meryl Streep
Mary Louise "Meryl" Streep is an American actress who has worked in theatre, television and film.Streep made her professional stage debut in 1971's The Playboy of Seville, before her screen debut in the television movie The Deadliest Season in 1977. In that same year, she made her film debut with...
, Alec Baldwin
Alec Baldwin
Alexander Rae "Alec" Baldwin III is an American actor who has appeared on film, stage, and television.Baldwin first gained recognition through television for his work in the soap opera Knots Landing in the role of Joshua Rush. He was a cast member for two seasons before his character was killed off...
, and Steve Martin
Steve Martin
Stephen Glenn "Steve" Martin is an American actor, comedian, writer, playwright, producer, musician and composer....
.
In 2010, the song by Regine Velasquez
Regine Velasquez
Regina Encarnacion Ansong Velasquez , better known as Asia's Songbird, Regine Velasquez, is a Filipino singer, actress, record producer and TV host...
for the opening of GMA
GMA Network
GMA Network is a major commercial television & radio network in the Philippines. GMA Network is owned by GMA Network, Inc. a publicly listed company...
's 60th Anniversary entitled GMA @ 60: The Heart of Television.
A rare bootleg fan-edit of the James Bond film Never Say Never Again
Never Say Never Again
Never Say Never Again is a 1983 spy film based on the James Bond novel Thunderball, which was previously filmed in 1965 as Thunderball...
uses the song as its title theme.