Strict Machine
Encyclopedia
"Strict Machine" is an electronic dance song written by British
group Goldfrapp
and Nick Batt for their second studio album Black Cherry (2003). It was produced by Goldfrapp and describes laboratory rats in neuroscience
experiments. Alison Goldfrapp
read in a newspaper about experiments in which scientists stimulated rats' brains so that the rats would feel joy when following commands. She was inspired to write "Strict Machine" based on images of the experiment and "more human aspects of machines and sex and control."
Wonderful Electric, Goldfrapp's concert tour DVD
in support of Black Cherry, was named after lyrics in the song.
). It received a positive reception from music critic
s and became the band's second single to appear in the top thirty on singles charts
in the United Kingdom. In May 2004, the song was re-issued and became Goldfrapp's first top twenty single in the UK. In the United States
, "Strict Machine" was released to success on the Billboard dance charts, where it reached the top position on the Dance Club
chart and number three on the Hot Dance Singles Sales
chart. The song won the dance award at the 49th Ivor Novello Awards
.
, Peter Robinson
called it "a solid gold, honest-to-goodness hit record which should be Number One immediately." Andy Hermann wrote for PopMatters
that the song was "a future S&M club anthem if ever there was one". Dorian Lynskey of Blender
magazine also linked "Strict Machine"'s lyrics to sadomasochism, and he compared it to Donna Summer
's 1977 disco
single "I Feel Love
". In his review for The Guardian
, Alexis Petridis
likened the song's "tubthumping drums" to Gary Glitter
, 1980s arena rock
, and hardstep
, adding that "the end result is not only fantastic, but quiveringly sexy to boot".
In August 2009, American music web site Pitchfork Media
listed "Strict Machine" in their Top 500 Tracks of the 2000s at number 379.
, and spent a total of six weeks in the top seventy-five. The song was re-released on 10 May 2004 and surpassed its previous chart position in the UK by recharting at number twenty, becoming Goldfrapp's first top twenty single.
The song was also successful outside the UK. It reached number twenty-six in Canada
and became Goldfrapp's first single release to chart in the country. Although the single sold considerably, "Strict Machine" did not chart on the Canadian BDS
Airplay chart, receiving most of its sales from its fans in the dance clubs. In Australia
, the song peaked at number eighty and would remain as Goldfrapp's only single to chart in the country until the release of "Ooh La La" in 2005.
After the favourable reception of "Twist
" and "Black Cherry
" on the dance charts, "Strict Machine" was released in the United States
. It became their first release to reach the top of the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play
chart, where it remained for one week. It also performed well on the Hot Dance Singles Sales
chart, where it reached number three. The single sold over 170,000 copies worldwide.
The song's music video
, a mixture of graphic and live action segments, builds upon the art direction featured on the band's album and single covers. Throughout the video, Alison Goldfrapp is surrounded by black and white animated backgrounds, Siberian Husky-headed dancers, and colourful butterflies. The video uses kaleidoscopic
layouts and dense graphic designs.
The music video was directed by Jonas Odell
. The settings' architecture is inspired by the work of Archigram
. Goldfrapp and her back-up dancers were filmed in London against a bluescreen. The animated sequences were done by Odell's Filmtecknarna
studio in Stockholm
, Sweden
.
. When played backwards, the reversed lyrics appear to say, "Eeeooh, eeeooh, something's new. I love, you. I love, you." There also seem to be hints that backmasking is present even when the track is played forwards. Vocalised elements from 1min:17secs to 1min:30sec from the end of the track are clearly reversed, and when those elements are played forward (i.e. when the track is played backwards) they turn out to be Alison erotically enthusing, "yeah, yeah, oh yeah."
Alison has stated that the track is about a lab rat learning to love its pleasure centres being electrically simulated, but if there really is backmasking on this track then it is possible that this story was retro-fitted to the 'hidden' lyrics on the track, in much the same way Queen supposedly retro-fitted their story about Another One Bites the Dust
.
UK CD1
(CD MUTE 295; Released: 21 July 2003)
UK CD2
(LCD MUTE 295; Released: 21 July 2003)
UK DVD
(DVD MUTE 295; Released: 21 July 2003)
Australian CD
(AUCD MUTE 295; Released: 2003)
UK re-release CD1
(CD MUTE 335; Released: 10 May 2004)
UK re-release CD2
(LCD MUTE 335; Released: 10 May 2004)
UK re-release DVD
(DVD MUTE 335; Released: 10 May 2004)
US CD
(MUTE 9215-2; Released: 18 May 2004)
1 2004 reissue
performed a folk version of the song for Australia's Triple J
radio station.
Suzi Quatro
covered the track for her 2011 album, In the Spotlight
. The lyrics of Quatro's version of the song contain two extra lines from her number one hit "Can the Can
", in order to show the similarity of the two tunes. Jon O'Brien of AllMusic wrote that Quatro's "Strict Machine" is...
On 16 November 2011 the music video for Quatro's "Strict Machine" was released via the SUZI QUATRO OFFICIAL YouTube channel. It was produced by Victory Tischler-Blue, formerly Vicky Blue of The Runaways
, and includes the extra two lines from "Can the Can".
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
group Goldfrapp
Goldfrapp
Goldfrapp are an English electronic music duo, formed in 1999 in London, England, that consists of Alison Goldfrapp and Will Gregory ....
and Nick Batt for their second studio album Black Cherry (2003). It was produced by Goldfrapp and describes laboratory rats in neuroscience
Neuroscience
Neuroscience is the scientific study of the nervous system. Traditionally, neuroscience has been seen as a branch of biology. However, it is currently an interdisciplinary science that collaborates with other fields such as chemistry, computer science, engineering, linguistics, mathematics,...
experiments. Alison Goldfrapp
Alison Goldfrapp
Alison Elizabeth Margaret Goldfrapp is an English singer-songwriter and record producer, best known as the lead singer of the electronic music duo Goldfrapp. Goldfrapp has a soprano vocal range.-Early life:...
read in a newspaper about experiments in which scientists stimulated rats' brains so that the rats would feel joy when following commands. She was inspired to write "Strict Machine" based on images of the experiment and "more human aspects of machines and sex and control."
Wonderful Electric, Goldfrapp's concert tour DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
in support of Black Cherry, was named after lyrics in the song.
Release and reception
The song was released as the album's second single in July 2003 (see 2003 in music2003 in music
-January:* January – following an investigation by The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry and London detectives, police raids in England and the Netherlands recover nearly 500 original Beatles studio tapes, recorded during the Let It Be sessions. Five people are arrested...
). It received a positive reception from music critic
Critic
A critic is anyone who expresses a value judgement. Informally, criticism is a common aspect of all human expression and need not necessarily imply skilled or accurate expressions of judgement. Critical judgements, good or bad, may be positive , negative , or balanced...
s and became the band's second single to appear in the top thirty on singles charts
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
in the United Kingdom. In May 2004, the song was re-issued and became Goldfrapp's first top twenty single in the UK. In the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, "Strict Machine" was released to success on the Billboard dance charts, where it reached the top position on the Dance Club
Hot Dance Club Play
The Hot Dance Club Songs chart is a weekly national survey of the songs that are most popular in U.S. dance clubs...
chart and number three on the Hot Dance Singles Sales
Hot Dance Singles Sales
Hot Dance Singles Sales is a chart released weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States, established in 1985. It measures the sale of commercially released singles that deal with dance music and remixes...
chart. The song won the dance award at the 49th Ivor Novello Awards
Ivor Novello Awards
The Ivor Novello Awards, named after the Cardiff born entertainer Ivor Novello, are awards for songwriting and composing. They are presented annually in London by the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors and were first introduced in 1955.Nicknamed The Ivors, the awards take place...
.
Critical reception
"Strict Machine" received positive reviews from music critics. In a review for the NMENME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
, Peter Robinson
Peter Robinson (journalist)
Peter Robinson is a British music journalist. He is the creator of the pop music-based blog Popjustice. Robinson first came to the attention of music fans with his self-published biography/fanzine of The KLF, Justified and Ancient History...
called it "a solid gold, honest-to-goodness hit record which should be Number One immediately." Andy Hermann wrote for PopMatters
PopMatters
PopMatters is an international webzine of cultural criticism that covers many aspects of popular culture. PopMatters publishes reviews, interviews, and detailed essays on most cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, films, books, video games, comics, sports, theater,...
that the song was "a future S&M club anthem if ever there was one". Dorian Lynskey of Blender
Blender (magazine)
Blender was an American music magazine that billed itself as "the ultimate guide to music and more". It was also known for sometimes steamy pictorials of celebrities....
magazine also linked "Strict Machine"'s lyrics to sadomasochism, and he compared it to Donna Summer
Donna Summer
LaDonna Adrian Gaines , known by her stage name, Donna Summer, is an American singer/songwriter who gained prominence during the disco era of the 1970s. She has a mezzo-soprano vocal range. Summer is a five-time Grammy winner and was the first artist to have three consecutive double albums reach...
's 1977 disco
Disco
Disco is a genre of dance music. Disco acts charted high during the mid-1970s, and the genre's popularity peaked during the late 1970s. It had its roots in clubs that catered to African American, gay, psychedelic, and other communities in New York City and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and...
single "I Feel Love
I Feel Love
"I Feel Love" is a song by Donna Summer, taken from her 1977 concept album I Remember Yesterday.The song constituted the "future" segment of the album, which represented a stylistic progress through time...
". In his review for The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
, Alexis Petridis
Alexis Petridis
Alexis Petridis is a British journalist, head rock and pop critic for UK newspaper The Guardian, as well as a regular and contributor to the magazine GQ.Petridis began his career writing for Varsity whilst a student at the University of Cambridge...
likened the song's "tubthumping drums" to Gary Glitter
Gary Glitter
Gary Glitter is an English former glam rock singer-songwriter and musician.Glitter first came to prominence in the glam rock era of the early 1970s...
, 1980s arena rock
Arena rock
Arena rock is a term used to describe rock music that utilised large arena venues, particularly sports venues, for concerts or series of concerts linked in tours...
, and hardstep
Hardstep
Hardstep is a subgenre of darkcore which emerged in 1994. It is characterised by a gritty production style, that has an inner-city feel to it. The breaks are less cut-up sounding than oldschool jungle, and harder, hence the name hardstep...
, adding that "the end result is not only fantastic, but quiveringly sexy to boot".
In August 2009, American music web site 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...
listed "Strict Machine" in their Top 500 Tracks of the 2000s at number 379.
Chart performance
On 21 July 2003, "Strict Machine" was released in the United Kingdom. The song became Goldfrapp's second top thirty single when it debuted at number twenty-five on the singles chartUK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
, and spent a total of six weeks in the top seventy-five. The song was re-released on 10 May 2004 and surpassed its previous chart position in the UK by recharting at number twenty, becoming Goldfrapp's first top twenty single.
The song was also successful outside the UK. It reached number twenty-six in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and became Goldfrapp's first single release to chart in the country. Although the single sold considerably, "Strict Machine" did not chart on the Canadian BDS
Jam!
Jam! is a Canadian website, which covers entertainment news. It is part of the CANOE online portal, owned and operated by Quebecor through its Sun Media division....
Airplay chart, receiving most of its sales from its fans in the dance clubs. In Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, the song peaked at number eighty and would remain as Goldfrapp's only single to chart in the country until the release of "Ooh La La" in 2005.
After the favourable reception of "Twist
Twist (Goldfrapp song)
"Twist" is an electronic–dance song written by British duo Goldfrapp for their second album Black Cherry . It was produced by Goldfrapp, and received a positive reception from music critics...
" and "Black Cherry
Black Cherry (song)
"Black Cherry" is an electronic song performed by British group Goldfrapp. The song was written and produced by Alison Goldfrapp and Will Gregory for the duo's second album Black Cherry . The song was released as the album's fourth single in March 2004 to positive reviews from music critics...
" on the dance charts, "Strict Machine" was released in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It became their first release to reach the top of the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play
Hot Dance Club Play
The Hot Dance Club Songs chart is a weekly national survey of the songs that are most popular in U.S. dance clubs...
chart, where it remained for one week. It also performed well on the Hot Dance Singles Sales
Hot Dance Singles Sales
Hot Dance Singles Sales is a chart released weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States, established in 1985. It measures the sale of commercially released singles that deal with dance music and remixes...
chart, where it reached number three. The single sold over 170,000 copies worldwide.
Music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
, a mixture of graphic and live action segments, builds upon the art direction featured on the band's album and single covers. Throughout the video, Alison Goldfrapp is surrounded by black and white animated backgrounds, Siberian Husky-headed dancers, and colourful butterflies. The video uses kaleidoscopic
Kaleidoscope
A kaleidoscope is a circle of mirrors containing loose, colored objects such as beads or pebbles and bits of glass. As the viewer looks into one end, light entering the other end creates a colorful pattern, due to the reflection off the mirrors...
layouts and dense graphic designs.
The music video was directed by Jonas Odell
Jonas Odell
Jonas Odell is a Swedish music video and film director and founder of FilmTecknarna. Odell, who specializes in a mix of animation and live action, has directed a number of short films, music videos and commercials...
. The settings' architecture is inspired by the work of Archigram
Archigram
Archigram was an avant-garde architectural group formed in the 1960s - based at the Architectural Association, London - that was futurist, anti-heroic and pro-consumerist, drawing inspiration from technology in order to create a new reality that was solely expressed through hypothetical projects...
. Goldfrapp and her back-up dancers were filmed in London against a bluescreen. The animated sequences were done by Odell's Filmtecknarna
Filmtecknarna
FilmTecknarna is a Swedish animation studio formed by Jonas Odell, Lars Ohlson, Stig Bergkvist & Martti Ekstrand in 1981.The studio started out producing their own independent films before moving into commercials and music videos. The studio has become known for an eclectic blend of animation and...
studio in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
.
Backmasking
The track appears to contain backmaskingBackmasking
Backmasking is a recording technique in which a sound or message is recorded backward on to a track that is meant to be played forward...
. When played backwards, the reversed lyrics appear to say, "Eeeooh, eeeooh, something's new. I love, you. I love, you." There also seem to be hints that backmasking is present even when the track is played forwards. Vocalised elements from 1min:17secs to 1min:30sec from the end of the track are clearly reversed, and when those elements are played forward (i.e. when the track is played backwards) they turn out to be Alison erotically enthusing, "yeah, yeah, oh yeah."
Alison has stated that the track is about a lab rat learning to love its pleasure centres being electrically simulated, but if there really is backmasking on this track then it is possible that this story was retro-fitted to the 'hidden' lyrics on the track, in much the same way Queen supposedly retro-fitted their story about Another One Bites the Dust
Another One Bites the Dust
"Another One Bites the Dust" is a song by the English rock band Queen. Written by bass guitarist John Deacon, the song featured on the group's eighth studio album The Game . The song was a worldwide hit, charting number one on the United States Billboard Hot 100, number two on the R&B charts and...
.
Formats and track listings
These are the formats and track listings of major single releases of "Strict Machine".UK CD1
(CD MUTE 295; Released: 21 July 2003)
- "Strict Machine" – 3:50
- "White Soft Rope" (featuring The Midwich Children Choir) – 4:30
- "Hairy Trees" (Live in London) – 6:48
UK CD2
(LCD MUTE 295; Released: 21 July 2003)
- "Strict Machine" (Ewan PearsonEwan PearsonEwan Pearson is an English electronic music producer/remixer who works under various aliases including Maas, Sulky Pup, Villa America, World of Apples, and Dirtbox. He is also in Partial Arts with Al Usher. He has remixed for artists such as Cortney Tidwell, Seelenluft, Ladytron, Depeche Mode,...
instrumental remix) – 5:53 - "Strict Machine" (Rowan's remix) – 6:03
- "TrainTrain (Goldfrapp song)"Train" is an electronic dance song written by British group Goldfrapp for their second album Black Cherry . The song was produced by Goldfrapp and received a very positive reception from music critics. It was released as the lead single in the second quarter of 2003 and reached the top thirty in...
" (Ewan Pearson dub) – 7:46
UK DVD
(DVD MUTE 295; Released: 21 July 2003)
- "Strict Machine" (Ewan's Stripped Machine remix) – 8:31
- "Deep Honey" (Live in London) – 4:45
- "Lovely Head" (Live in London) (video)
Australian CD
(AUCD MUTE 295; Released: 2003)
- "Strict Machine" (single mix) – 3:26
- "White Soft Rope" (featuring the Midwich Children Choir) – 4:30
- "Hairy Trees" (Live in London) – 6:47
- "Deep Honey" (Live in London) – 4:41
- "Strict Machine" (Ewan Pearson instrumental remix) – 5:53
- "Strict Machine" (Rowan's remix) – 6:04
- "Train" (Ewan Pearson dub) – 7:46
UK re-release CD1
(CD MUTE 335; Released: 10 May 2004)
- "Strict Machine" (single mix) – 3:43
- "Strict Machine" (Benny Benassi Sfaction edit) – 3:29
UK re-release CD2
(LCD MUTE 335; Released: 10 May 2004)
- "Strict Machine" (Paris Loaded) – 3:39
- "Strict Machine" (We Are Glitter) – 6:28
- "Strict Machine" (Benny Benassi Sfaction extended mix) – 6:50
- "Strict Machine" (Benny Benassi dub) – 6:26
UK re-release DVD
(DVD MUTE 335; Released: 10 May 2004)
- "Strict Machine" (Calderone & Suryanto mix - edit)
- "Sartorious" (Live at Route Du Rock, St. Malo 2001) (video)
- "Deer Stop" (Live at Shepherds Bush Empire, London 2001) (video)
US CD
(MUTE 9215-2; Released: 18 May 2004)
- "Strict Machine" (single mix) – 3:26
- "White Soft Rope" (featuring the Midwich Children Choir) – 4:30
- "Hairy Trees" (Live in London) – 6:47
- "Strict Machine" (Rowan's remix) – 6:04
- "Strict Machine" (Calderone + Suryanto remix) – 12:02
- "Strict Machine" (Peter Rauhofer "NYC" mix) – 8:32
- "Strict Machine" (Peter Rauhofer "UK" mix) – 5:42
- "Strict Machine" (Benny Benassi Sfaction extended mix) – 6:53
- "Strict Machine" (Ewan's Strippedmachine remix) – 8:31
Charts
| Chart (2003) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Singles Chart ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June... |
54 |
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
25 |
| Chart (2004) | Peak Position |
| UK Singles Chart | 201 |
| Canadian Singles Chart Canadian Singles Chart The Canadian Singles Chart is currently compiled by the U.S.-based music sales tracking company, Nielsen SoundScan . The chart is compiled every Wednesday, and is published by Jam! Canoe on Thursdays.... |
26 |
| US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play Hot Dance Club Play The Hot Dance Club Songs chart is a weekly national survey of the songs that are most popular in U.S. dance clubs... |
1 |
| US Billboard Hot Dance Singles Sales Hot Dance Singles Sales Hot Dance Singles Sales is a chart released weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States, established in 1985. It measures the sale of commercially released singles that deal with dance music and remixes... |
3 |
1 2004 reissue
Song Use in the Media
- "Strict Machine" was featured in a short Game Boy AdvanceGame Boy AdvanceThe is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed, manufactured, and marketed by Nintendo. It is the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001; in North America on June 11, 2001; in Australia and Europe on June 22, 2001; and in the People's Republic of China...
commercial in the United States along with the Goldfrapp song "Train". - In 2003, the song was featured in a television advert for the fragrance "Night" by ArmaniGiorgio ArmaniGiorgio Armani is an Italian fashion designer, particularly noted for his menswear. He is known today for his clean, tailored lines. He formed his company, Armani, in 1975, and by 2001 was acclaimed as the most successful designer to come out of Italy, with an annual turnover of $1.6 billion and a...
. In France, promotional CD singles were created to promote the song and the commercial. The promotional single featured the single mix of "Strict Machine", the song's music video and the commercial. - In 2006, the "We Are Glitter" mix of the song was used in the film Miami ViceMiami Vice (film)Miami Vice is a 2006 American crime drama film about two Miami police detectives, Crockett and Tubbs, who go undercover to fight drug trafficking operations. The film is a loose adaptation of the 1980s TV series of the same name, written, produced, and directed by Michael Mann...
. - In 2006, Verizon Wireless began launching a new phone named "ChocolateLG Chocolate (VX8500)The LG VX8500 is a slider cellphone-MP3 player hybrid that is sold as a feature phone. In the U.S. it was released by Verizon Wireless in July 2006 and made available online, and later released in Verizon stores in the U.S. on August 7, 2006. In addition to the original black model , the LG...
". "Strict Machine" is featured on the commercial and website. - In 2006, the song was featured at the end of HBO's Big LoveBig LoveBig Love is an American television drama that aired on HBO between March 2006 and March 2011. The show is about a fictional fundamentalist Mormon family in Utah that practices polygamy...
season 1 episode 10 entitled "The Baptism". - In August 2006, "Strict Machine" was prominently featured in one of many promos for season four of the U.S. television drama Nip/TuckNip/TuckNip/Tuck is an American drama series created by Ryan Murphy, which aired on FX in the United States. The series focuses on McNamara/Troy, a plastic surgery practice, and follows its founders, Sean McNamara and Christian Troy...
. - "Strict Machine" was used by the WB Television Network show CharmedCharmedCharmed is an American television series that originally aired from October 7, 1998, until May 21, 2006, on the now defunct The WB Television Network. The series was created in 1998 by writer Constance M...
during the opening sequence of the episode titled "The Courtship of Wyatt's Father" which aired on 22 February 2004. - "Strict Machine" was used in the CSI: MiamiCSI: MiamiCSI: Miami is an American police procedural television series, which premiered on September 23, 2002 on CBS. The series is a spin-off of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation....
episode entitled "Going, Going, Gone" in November 2006. - The song is featured in a current SubaruSubaru; is the automobile manufacturing division of Japanese transportation conglomerate Fuji Heavy Industries .Subaru is internationally known for their use of the boxer engine layout popularized in cars by the Volkswagen Beetle and Porsche 911, in most of their vehicles above 1500 cc as well as...
advert on New ZealandNew ZealandNew Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
television. - In 2008, was used as part of a Contemporary routine on Season 1 of the Australian So You Think You Can Dance. The dance partners were Jack and Demi.
- This song is used in the game, Dance Dance Revolution SuperNova 2Dance Dance Revolution SuperNova 2 (North America)Dance Dance Revolution SuperNova 2, abbreviated DDR SuperNova 2, was released on September 26, 2007 by Konami to the North American PlayStation 2 audience. SuperNova 2 features the standard gameplay modes as well as new modes to challenge seasoned players...
. - The song is featured on the movie D.E.B.S.
- It was also used in an advertisement for the 2nd line of Fashion Xtravaganza Xelibri phones.
- In 2010 the track was used briefly in season 7, episode 2, of Entourage (TV series)Entourage (TV series)Entourage is an American comedy-drama television series that premiered on HBO on July 18, 2004 and concluded on September 11, 2011, after eight seasons...
- The song was featured in the official trailer for the 2011 film Limitless.
Covers
U.K. garage trio Band of SkullsBand of Skulls
Band of Skulls is an alternative rock band from Southampton, England, consisting of Russell Marsden , Emma Richardson , and Matt Hayward...
performed a folk version of the song for Australia's 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...
radio station.
Suzi Quatro
Suzi Quatro
Susan Kay "Suzi" Quatro is an American singer-songwriter, bass player, and actor.She scored a string of hit singles in the 1970s that found greater success in Europe and Australia than in her homeland, and had a recurring role on the popular American sitcom Happy Days.-Music:Quatro began her...
covered the track for her 2011 album, In the Spotlight
In the Spotlight
In the Spotlight is the fifteenth studio album by the American singer-songwriter and bass guitar player Suzi Quatro.Quatro has sold 50 million records worldwide....
. The lyrics of Quatro's version of the song contain two extra lines from her number one hit "Can the Can
Can the Can
"Can the Can" was a popular single by Suzi Quatro and the name of her debut album in Australia ....
", in order to show the similarity of the two tunes. Jon O'Brien of AllMusic wrote that Quatro's "Strict Machine" is...
"a guitar-chugging mash-up of Goldfrapp's electro-pop reinvention in "Strict Machine"; [with] her own 1973 U.K. chart-topper "Can the Can," cleverly referencing the subtle similarities between the two; ...".
On 16 November 2011 the music video for Quatro's "Strict Machine" was released via the SUZI QUATRO OFFICIAL YouTube channel. It was produced by Victory Tischler-Blue, formerly Vicky Blue of The Runaways
The Runaways
The Runaways were an American all-girl rock band that recorded and performed in the second half of the 1970s. The band released four studio albums and one live set during its run. Among its best known songs: "Cherry Bomb", "Queens of Noise", "Neon Angels On the Road to Ruin", "California Paradise"...
, and includes the extra two lines from "Can the Can".