Hyper-Ballad
Encyclopedia
"Hyperballad", also known as "Hyper-Ballad", is a song by Björk
, released as the fourth single from her 1995 album Post.
Björk performed "Hyperballad" at the Tibetan Freedom Concert
in New York in 1997, and this live version was subsequently included on the second disc of the Tibetan Freedom Concert album
released later that year.
"Hyperballad" was the song receiving most votes from Björk fans on the overall survey for her Greatest Hits
album's song list. In September 2010 Pitchfork Media
included the song at number 11 on their "Top 200 Tracks of the 90s".
Brodsky Quartet
contributed their talents to a remix of the song, which first appeared on Björk's Post album, and later on Telegram
. The song is mistitled "Hyperballad (Brodski Quartet Version)" on all pressings of the limited 2-CD edition Australian of Post.
In the Volta Tour and in the Voltaïc
DVD, the song is remixed by Mark Bell using a sample from LFO's song "Freak
".
Björk explains:
She also explained how the song relates to the hiding of an aggressive part of oneself from a lover.
. It features Björk as a computer game character who runs through a obscure, two-dimensional landscape of pylons before throwing herself off a cliff. This sequence, along with several others (including blinking lights and some of herself performing the song), are projected onto a three-dimensional shot of Björk lying amongst a mountainous landscape.
The video was filmed at Telecine Cell in London, using a motion control system. The entire video and all the effects were shot on a single 400 ft roll of film, by multiple exposure and frame-accurate backwinding of the film strip. The graphics were shot as a series of secondary exposures using a TV monitor, and the flashing lights were created with an LED strip board, also exposed on the same piece of film. So, extraordinarily, there was no post-production or editing at all on this video, except the colour correction transfer to video. This was at the insistence, and under the technical direction, of Michel Gondry.
Actually, Björk sings live in the video. This new vocal take was later featured in the CD2 of the Hyperballad single, and in the 5.1 edition of Surrounded
.
(192TP7CD; Released: 1996)
UK CD2
(192TP7CDL; Released: 1996)
UK CD
(576 1552; Released: February, 1996)
UK CD promo
(192TP7CDP; Released: 12 February 1996)
UK 12" vinyl
(193TP12GH; Released: 1997)
Side A
Side B
UK 12" vinyl
(193TP12TT; Released: 1997)
Side A
Side B
UK 12" vinyl promo
(192TP12DT; Released: 1996)
Side A
Side B
EUR CD
(576 1542; Released: February, 1996)
AUS CD
(576 1552; Released: 1996)
US CD
(66043-2; Released: 5 March 1996)
US CD promo
(PRCD 9475-2; Released: 1996)
US 12" vinyl
(0-66043; Released: 1996)
Side A
Side B
US 12" vinyl promo
(ED 5831; Released: May, 1996)
Side A
Side B
Side C
Side D
US 10" vinyl promo
(192TP12HT; Released: 1995)
Side A
Side B
US 10" vinyl promo
(192TP10LFO; Released: 1995)
Side A
Side B
US 10" vinyl promo
(192TP10OP; Released: 1995)
Side A
Side B
JPN CD
(POCP-7127; Released: 1996)
, The Ladybird Sideshow, and Glen Phillips
covered it during their live shows. Peruvian band Ni Voz Ni Voto covered it for their Unplugged Album Acustico 2002, Greg Dulli
and his band The Twilight Singers
covered it in their 2004 album, She Loves You. John Nolan covered this song at Kevin Devine
's Record Release Party in 2005. Big Heavy Stuff
covers this song on Like a Version
, a compilation album by the Australian radio station Triple J
. Tori Amos
covered parts of this song as an intro or bridge to Butterfly. She also covered a full version on her "Summer of Sin" tour.
Indonesian band Mocca
covered this song on their 2007 album Colours. The same year also saw an Australian collaboration album named No Man's Woman
, featured male vocalists covering some of the most famous songs performed by women. Folk singer Whitley delivered an arrangement of Hyperballad for this project. In 2008, the Spanish group Celtas Cortos
made a cover of it in their album 40 de abril, under the title of "Abismo" (meaning "Cliff"). Dirty Projectors
also covered the song on Enjoyed: A Tribute to Björk's Post.
In 2010 Robyn
performed a cover of the song at the Polar Music Prize
ceremony, when Björk and Ennio Morricone
were awarded the prize.
The song is also covered by Poland's Marcin Wasilewski, Slawomir Kurkiewicz, and Michal Miskiewicz on their 2004 ECM release Trio.
|- valign="top"
| width="25%" |
{|class="wikitable"
!align="left"|Chart
!align="center"|Peak
position
|-
|align="left"|U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play
|align="center"|1
|-
|align="left"|U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales
|align="center"|11
|-
|align="left"|UK Singles Chart
|align="center"|8
|-
|align="left"|Finnish Singles Chart
|align="center"|18
|-
|align="left"|Australian Singles Chart
|align="center"|31
|-
|align="left"|Swedish Singles Chart
|align="center"|34
|-
|}
Björk
Björk Guðmundsdóttir , known as Björk , is an Icelandic singer-songwriter. Her eclectic musical style has achieved popular acknowledgement and popularity within many musical genres, such as rock, jazz, electronic dance music, classical and folk...
, released as the fourth single from her 1995 album Post.
Björk performed "Hyperballad" at the Tibetan Freedom Concert
Tibetan Freedom Concert
Tibetan Freedom Concert is the name given to a series of rock festivals held in North America, Europe and Asia between 1996 and 2001 to support the cause of Tibetan independence. The concerts were organized by the Beastie Boys and the Milarepa Fund...
in New York in 1997, and this live version was subsequently included on the second disc of the Tibetan Freedom Concert album
Tibetan Freedom Concert (album)
Tibetan Freedom Concert was a series of rock concerts between 1996 and 2001 to support the cause of Tibetan independence. This album covers the 1997 concert held in New York City.-Disc 1:#Opening prayers - Tibetan monks#"Ground On Down" - Ben Harper...
released later that year.
"Hyperballad" was the song receiving most votes from Björk fans on the overall survey for her Greatest Hits
Greatest Hits (Björk album)
Greatest Hits is a compilation album released in November 2002 featuring the songs of Icelandic singer Björk. Although not all of Björk's singles are included on this collection, all of the songs on Greatest Hits were released as singles. The tracks were selected by fans through a survey on...
album's song list. In September 2010 Pitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media, usually known simply as Pitchfork or P4k, is a Chicago-based daily Internet publication established in 1995 that is devoted to music criticism and commentary, music news, and artist interviews. Its focus is on underground and independent music, especially indie rock...
included the song at number 11 on their "Top 200 Tracks of the 90s".
Brodsky Quartet
Brodsky Quartet
The Brodsky Quartet is a British string quartet, in existence since 1972, though only Ian Belton and Jacqueline Thomas are original members.In addition to performing classical music, and in particular the classic string quartet repertoire of Haydn, Beethoven, Schubert, Bartók and Shostakovich,...
contributed their talents to a remix of the song, which first appeared on Björk's Post album, and later on Telegram
Telegram (album)
Telegram is the first full-length remix album by Icelandic singer-songwriter/musician Björk. The album is a collection of remixes of several tracks from her album Post, which had all previously appeared as B-sides of the UK versions of the singles off Post, including the non-album track, "My...
. The song is mistitled "Hyperballad (Brodski Quartet Version)" on all pressings of the limited 2-CD edition Australian of Post.
In the Volta Tour and in the Voltaïc
Voltaic
Voltaïc refers to five separate releases of related material from singer-songwriter Björk's sixth studio album Volta. The full version of the release will include a CD of 11 songs performed live at the Olympic Studios, a DVD of Björk's live performances in Paris and Reykjavík during the Volta tour,...
DVD, the song is remixed by Mark Bell using a sample from LFO's song "Freak
Sheath (album)
Sheath is the third album by the British IDM act LFO, originally released on Warp Records in 2003.- Track listing :# "Blown" – 6:02# "Mum-Man" – 3:40# "Mokeylips" – 4:02# "Snot" – 2:55# "Moistly" – 4:12# "Unafraid to Linger" – 4:35...
".
Lyrics
In the lyrics, Björk talks about waking up early before her boyfriend and throwing small objects off a cliff, watching them smash. She imagines her body in their place, which makes her feel better about returning to her safe home and the arms of her lover.Björk explains:
She also explained how the song relates to the hiding of an aggressive part of oneself from a lover.
Music video
The video was directed by Michel GondryMichel Gondry
Michel Gondry is an Academy Award winning filmmaker, whose works include being a commercial director, music video director, and a screenwriter. He is noted for his inventive visual style and manipulation of mise en scène. - Life and career :...
. It features Björk as a computer game character who runs through a obscure, two-dimensional landscape of pylons before throwing herself off a cliff. This sequence, along with several others (including blinking lights and some of herself performing the song), are projected onto a three-dimensional shot of Björk lying amongst a mountainous landscape.
The video was filmed at Telecine Cell in London, using a motion control system. The entire video and all the effects were shot on a single 400 ft roll of film, by multiple exposure and frame-accurate backwinding of the film strip. The graphics were shot as a series of secondary exposures using a TV monitor, and the flashing lights were created with an LED strip board, also exposed on the same piece of film. So, extraordinarily, there was no post-production or editing at all on this video, except the colour correction transfer to video. This was at the insistence, and under the technical direction, of Michel Gondry.
Actually, Björk sings live in the video. This new vocal take was later featured in the CD2 of the Hyperballad single, and in the 5.1 edition of Surrounded
Surrounded
Surrounded is a box set released on June 27, 2006, featuring seven of Björk's albums in DualDisc format....
.
Track listing
UK CD1(192TP7CD; Released: 1996)
- "Hyperballad" (radio edit) – 4:00
- "Hyperballad" (Robin Hood Riding Through the Glen Mix) – 6:32
- "Hyperballad" (The Stomp Mix) – 5:09
- "Hyperballad" (The Hyperballad Fluke Mix) – 6:38
- "Hyperballad" (Subtle Abuse Mix) – 6:56
- "Hyperballad" (Tee's Freeze Mix) – 7:19
UK CD2
(192TP7CDL; Released: 1996)
- "Hyperballad" (video version) – 3:58
- "IsobelIsobel"Isobel" is a song by Icelandic singer Björk. It was released as the second single from her 1995 album Post. The lyrics describe a primitive girl who seems to be a personification of Mother Nature, and who tries to warn the technological world of its potential dangers. The music is underscored by...
" (The CarcassCarcass (band)Carcass are an extreme metal band from England, who formed in 1985 and disbanded in 1995. A reunion was enacted in 2008 without one of its original members, drummer Ken Owen, due to health reasons....
Remix) – 5:41 - "Cover Me" (Plaid Mix) – 5:24
- "Hyperballad" (Towa Tei Remix) – 8:12
UK CD
(576 1552; Released: February, 1996)
- "Hyperballad" (radio edit) – 4:00
- "Hyperballad" (Robin Hood Riding Through the Glen Mix) – 6:31
- "Hyperballad" (Disco Sync Mix) – 4:23
- "Hyperballad" (Subtle Abuse Mix) – 6:53
UK CD promo
(192TP7CDP; Released: 12 February 1996)
- "Hyperballad" (video version) – 3:58
UK 12" vinyl
(193TP12GH; Released: 1997)
Side A
- "Isobel's Lonely Heart" (Goldie Remix)
Side B
- "Hyperballad" (Robin Hood Riding Through the Glen Mix)
UK 12" vinyl
(193TP12TT; Released: 1997)
Side A
- "Hyperballad" (Towa Tei Remix) – 8:12
Side B
- "Enjoy" (The Beats Mix) – 7:01
UK 12" vinyl promo
(192TP12DT; Released: 1996)
Side A
- "Hyperballad" (David Morales Classic Mix) – 9:10
Side B
- "Hyperballad" (Tee's Freeze Mix) – 7:18
EUR CD
(576 1542; Released: February, 1996)
- "Hyperballad" (video version) – 3:58
- "Cover Me" (Plaid Mix) – 5:24
AUS CD
(576 1552; Released: 1996)
- "Hyperballad" (radio edit) – 4:01
- "Hyperballad" (Robin Hood Riding Through the Glen Mix) – 6:31
- "Hyperballad" (Disco Sync Mix) – 4:24
- "Hyperballad" (Subtle Abuse Mix) – 6:54
US CD
(66043-2; Released: 5 March 1996)
- "Hyper-Ballad" (video version) – 3:58
- "Hyper-Ballad" (Robin Hood Riding Through the Glen Mix) – 6:29
- "Hyper-Ballad" (Subtle Abuse Mix) – 6:53
- "Hyper-Ballad" (Tee's Freeze Mix) – 7:19
- "Hyper-Ballad" (David Morales Classic Mix) – 9:10
- "Hyper-Ballad" (Towa Tei's Choice Mix) – 8:13
US CD promo
(PRCD 9475-2; Released: 1996)
- "Hyper-Ballad" (video version) – 3:58
- "Hyper-Ballad" (David Morales Radio Edit) – 3:55
- "Hyper-Ballad" (Tee's Radio Mix) – 3:57
- "Hyper-Ballad" (David Morales Classic Mix) – 9:09
- "Hyper-Ballad" (Disco Synch Mix) – 4:20
US 12" vinyl
(0-66043; Released: 1996)
Side A
- "Hyper-Ballad" (David Morales Classic Mix) – 9:09
- "Hyper-Ballad" (Tee's Freeze Mix) – 7:18
Side B
- "Hyper-Ballad" (Disco Synch Mix) – 4:20
- "Hyper-Ballad" (Subtle Abuse Mix) – 6:53
US 12" vinyl promo
(ED 5831; Released: May, 1996)
Side A
- "Hyper-Ballad" (David Morales Classic Mix) – 9:09
- "Hyper-Ballad" (Robin Hood Riding Through the Glen Mix) – 6:29
Side B
- "Hyper-Ballad" (Tee's Freeze Mix) – 7:18
- "Hyper-Ballad" (Towa Tei Mix) – 8:12
Side C
- "Hyper-Ballad" (David Morales Boss Dub Mix) – 7:53
- "Hyper-Ballad" (Subtle Abuse Mix) – 6:53
Side D
- "Hyper-Ballad" (Disco Synch Mix) – 4:20
- "Hyper-Ballad" (The Stomp Mix) – 5:08
- "Hyper-Ballad" (Tom Apella Mix) – 6:57
US 10" vinyl promo
(192TP12HT; Released: 1995)
Side A
- "Hyperballad" (Towa Tei Mix) – 8:13
Side B
- "Hyberballad" (Robin Hood Riding Through the Glen Mix) – 6:29
US 10" vinyl promo
(192TP10LFO; Released: 1995)
Side A
- "Hyperballad" (Disco Sync Mix) – 4:20
Side B
- "Hyperballad" (The Stomp Mix) – 5:10
US 10" vinyl promo
(192TP10OP; Released: 1995)
Side A
- "Hyperballad" (Subtle Abuse Mix) – 6:53
Side B
- "Hyperballad" (Over the Edge Mix)
JPN CD
(POCP-7127; Released: 1996)
- "Hyperballad" (radio edit) – 4:01
- "Hyperballad" (Robin Hood Riding Through the Glen Mix) – 6:31
- "Hyperballad" (Disco Sync Mix) – 4:24
- "Hyperballad" (Subtle Abuse Mix) – 6:54
Official versions
- Brodsky QuartetBrodsky QuartetThe Brodsky Quartet is a British string quartet, in existence since 1972, though only Ian Belton and Jacqueline Thomas are original members.In addition to performing classical music, and in particular the classic string quartet repertoire of Haydn, Beethoven, Schubert, Bartók and Shostakovich,...
version - David MoralesDavid MoralesDavid Morales is an internationally acclaimed Grammy-winning house music DJ and producer. In addition to his production and DJ work, Morales is one of the most prolific remixers of all time, transforming many pop music songs into club-friendly dance tracks...
Boss Dub mix - David Morales Classic mix
- David Morales radio edit
- Disco Sync mix
- FlukeFluke (band)Fluke are an English electronic music group formed in the late 1980s by Mike Bryant, Jon Fugler and Mike Tournier with Julian Nugent as the band's manager...
mix - Girls Blouse mix
- LFO 3.A.M mix
- Over the Edge mix
- Radio edit
- Radio mix
- Robin Hood Riding Through the Glen mix
- Subtle Abuse mix
- Tee's Freeze mix
- The Stomp mix
- Tom Apella remix
- Towa TeiTowa Teiis a DJ, artist and record producer in Yokahoma, Japan.Tōwa debuted as a member of Deee-Lite, from the U.S. label Elektra Records in 1990, and shot to fame via their international hit single, "Groove Is In the Heart"...
remix/Towa Tei Choice mix - WhitleyWhitley-Places:United Kingdom*Whitley Bay, town in Tyne and Wear *Whitley, Berkshire, suburb of Reading*Whitley, Cheshire, village near Warrington*Whitley, Coventry, suburb of Coventry...
cover for compilation album No Man's Woman
Covers
The song has been covered by many artists. Yeah Yeah YeahsYeah Yeah Yeahs
Yeah Yeah Yeahs are an American indie rock band formed in New York City in 2000. The group is composed of vocalist and pianist Karen O, guitarist and keyboardist Nick Zinner, and drummer Brian Chase. They are complemented in live performances by second guitarist David Pajo, who joined as a touring...
, The Ladybird Sideshow, and Glen Phillips
Glen Phillips
Glen Phillips is a songwriter, lyricist, singer and guitarist. He is best known as the singer and songwriter of 1990s alternative rock group Toad the Wet Sprocket.-Personal life:...
covered it during their live shows. Peruvian band Ni Voz Ni Voto covered it for their Unplugged Album Acustico 2002, Greg Dulli
Greg Dulli
-Biography:Greg Dulli was born and brought up in the working-class city of Hamilton, Ohio. Although he was raised a Catholic, he is now agnostic. Dulli first came to public attention in the late 1980s with The Afghan Whigs when he joined D.C. transplant bassist John Curley and Louisville, Kentucky,...
and his band The Twilight Singers
The Twilight Singers
The Twilight Singers is an American indie rock band. The group was initially formed as a side project of The Afghan Whigs leader Greg Dulli in 1997...
covered it in their 2004 album, She Loves You. John Nolan covered this song at Kevin Devine
Kevin Devine
Kevin Devine is an American songwriter and musician from Brooklyn, New York, who is known for alternately introspective and political lyrics and melodic acoustic guitar songs...
's Record Release Party in 2005. Big Heavy Stuff
Big Heavy Stuff
- Overview :Big Heavy Stuff is a four-piece band, featuring Greg Atkinson , Carolyn Polley , Eliot Fish and Nick Kennedy . The band was established in 1990 and is with the recording label Redline Records...
covers this song on Like a Version
Like A Version
Like a Version is a segment on the Australian radio station Triple J. It was created by Mel Bampton as part of the Mel in the Morning program. Currently the segment pops up whenever artists are available and willing to do it, though mainly on the Breakfast show...
, a compilation album by the Australian radio station Triple J
Triple J
triple j is a nationally networked Australian radio station intended to appeal to listeners between the ages of 18 and 30. The government-funded station is a division of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation...
. Tori Amos
Tori Amos
Tori Amos is an American pianist, singer-songwriter and composer. She was at the forefront of a number of female singer-songwriters in the early 1990s and was noteworthy early in her career as one of the few alternative rock performers to use a piano as her primary instrument...
covered parts of this song as an intro or bridge to Butterfly. She also covered a full version on her "Summer of Sin" tour.
Indonesian band Mocca
Mocca (band)
Mocca is an Indonesian four-member band formed in 1997 in Bandung, West Java, Indonesia. The band's musical style is inspired by the retro sounds of the 70s, with influences of swing, bossa nova, Swedish pop, and jazz. The core of the band is Arina Ephipania Simangunsong, Riko Prayitno, Achmad ...
covered this song on their 2007 album Colours. The same year also saw an Australian collaboration album named No Man's Woman
No Man's Woman
No Man's Woman is a compilation tribute album to female musicians, created by Australian male musicians performing various covers, to recognise the contributions female artists and musicians have made to the international music industry...
, featured male vocalists covering some of the most famous songs performed by women. Folk singer Whitley delivered an arrangement of Hyperballad for this project. In 2008, the Spanish group Celtas Cortos
Celtas Cortos
Celtas Cortos is a Spanish music group of celtic rock.It was formed in Valladolid in 1986. Eight friends, four of which played in the group Almenara decided to participate in a music contest under the name "Colectivo Eurofolk"...
made a cover of it in their album 40 de abril, under the title of "Abismo" (meaning "Cliff"). Dirty Projectors
Dirty Projectors
The Dirty Projectors aka David Longstreth includes Amber Coffman , Angel Deradoorian , Brian McOmber , Nat Baldwin , and Haley Dekle during live performances...
also covered the song on Enjoyed: A Tribute to Björk's Post.
In 2010 Robyn
Robyn
Robin Miriam Carlsson , better known by her stage name Robyn, is a Swedish recording artist, singer, and songwriter. Robyn became known in the late nineties for her worldwide dance-pop hit "Do You Know " from her debut album Robyn Is Here . She co-wrote the song "Du gör mig hel igen" for...
performed a cover of the song at the Polar Music Prize
Polar Music Prize
The Polar Music Prize is a Swedish international music award founded in 1989 by Stig Anderson, possibly best known to be the manager of the Swedish pop group ABBA, with a donation to the Royal Swedish Academy of Music....
ceremony, when Björk and Ennio Morricone
Ennio Morricone
Ennio Morricone, Grand Officer OMRI, , is an Italian composer and conductor, who wrote music to more than 500 motion pictures and television series, in a career lasting over 50 years. His scores have been included in over 20 award-winning films as well as several symphonic and choral pieces...
were awarded the prize.
The song is also covered by Poland's Marcin Wasilewski, Slawomir Kurkiewicz, and Michal Miskiewicz on their 2004 ECM release Trio.
Charts
{| width="0%"|- valign="top"
| width="25%" |
{|class="wikitable"
!align="left"|Chart
!align="center"|Peak
position
|-
|align="left"|U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play
|align="center"|1
|-
|align="left"|U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales
|align="center"|11
|-
|align="left"|UK Singles Chart
|align="center"|8
|-
|align="left"|Finnish Singles Chart
|align="center"|18
|-
|align="left"|Australian Singles Chart
|align="center"|31
|-
|align="left"|Swedish Singles Chart
|align="center"|34
|-
|}