Unbelievable
Encyclopedia
"Unbelievable" is a song written and recorded by EMF
. It was released as a single in the UK in 1990, peaking in the UK Singles Chart
at number three on 1 December 1990. It was the 32nd best-selling single of 1990 in the UK. In the United States, it hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100
on 20 July, 1991; if one counts a #1 twice if it had two runs at the top (analogous to the official system of numbering U.S. presidents
), it was the 1,000th #1 in Billboard history. It originally appeared on EMF's debut album Schubert Dip
.
throughout the track, including the loud exclamation of "oh!" at the start of each chorus along with the words "you're unbelievable" spoken at the end of the first chorus. The track was produced by Ralph Jezzard
Furthermore, in the UK (where the band hailed from), the B-side of the single was a track called "EMF" which included the refrain: E! Ecstasy! M! Motherfucker, motherfucker! F! From us to you....
UK 7" (R 6273)
US CD (E2-56210)
and "Weird Al" Yankovic
(briefly in the polka medley "Polka Your Eyes Out"). It was also covered by the Christian rock
band Thousand Foot Krutch
on their debut album Set It Off, but with markedly different lyrics. American grindcore
band Anal Cunt
covered "Unbelievable" on their Morbid Florist EP in 1993, and by Ashley Amphlett and the Metroheads. Alvin and the Chipmunks
covered the song for their 1991 album The Chipmunks Rock the House
.
Spin Magazine recommended a cover version of this song by an artist known Femme Fatality in its November 2006 issue.
An altered version of the song, with the refrain "They're Crumbelievable", was used in a 2005 US television advertisement for Kraft
Crumbles.
It was also covered by German pop/rock band, The BossHoss
, in Country/Western style, on their album Internashville Urban Hymns.
It was #31 on VH1
's 100 Greatest One-Hit Wonders and #98 on VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of the 90s.
EMF (band)
EMF were an indie dance band from the United Kingdom. The band, from the Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire, came to prominence at the beginning of the 1990s. During its initial eight year run , EMF had released three studio albums and had gone on hiatus and reformed twice...
. It was released as a single in the UK in 1990, peaking in the 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 ...
at number three on 1 December 1990. It was the 32nd best-selling single of 1990 in the UK. In the United States, it hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
on 20 July, 1991; if one counts a #1 twice if it had two runs at the top (analogous to the official system of numbering U.S. presidents
Grover Cleveland
Stephen Grover Cleveland was the 22nd and 24th president of the United States. Cleveland is the only president to serve two non-consecutive terms and therefore is the only individual to be counted twice in the numbering of the presidents...
), it was the 1,000th #1 in Billboard history. It originally appeared on EMF's debut album Schubert Dip
Schubert Dip
Schubert Dip is the debut album by the rock band EMF, released in 1991 on Parlophone Records. The name is a pun on the name of the popular sweet Sherbet Dip and the 19th-century composer Franz Schubert.-Track listing:...
.
Content of the song
The song contains samples of US comedian Andrew Dice ClayAndrew Dice Clay
Andrew Dice Clay is an American comedian and actor who played the lead role in the film The Adventures of Ford Fairlane.Clay has been in several movies and has released a number of stand-up albums...
throughout the track, including the loud exclamation of "oh!" at the start of each chorus along with the words "you're unbelievable" spoken at the end of the first chorus. The track was produced by Ralph Jezzard
Ralph Jezzard
Ralph Jezzard is a British music producer based in London, England.-History:Jezzard started playing in bands at the age of 14 including Case. At 16 he started working at Wickham Studios in South London as a tape operator, and the first record he engineered was a band called Blood and Roses' EP,...
Furthermore, in the UK (where the band hailed from), the B-side of the single was a track called "EMF" which included the refrain: E! Ecstasy! M! Motherfucker, motherfucker! F! From us to you....
Track listings
UK CD (CDR 6273)- "Unbelievable" – 3:30
- "Unbelievable (The Cin City Sex Mix)" – 5:14
- "EMF (live at The Bilson)" – 3:53
UK 7" (R 6273)
- "Unbelievable" – 3:30
- "EMF (live at The Bilson)" – 3:53
US CD (E2-56210)
- "Unbelievable (single version)" – 3:30
- "Unbelievable (Cin City Sex Mix)" – 5:14
- "Unbelievable (Boot Lane Mix)" – 6:20
- "Unbelievable (House Mix)" – 4:26
- "Unbelievable (Hip Hop Mix)" – 4:10
- "EMF (live at The Bilson)" – 3:53
Peak positions
| Chart (1990/1991) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian ARIA Singles Chart | 8 |
| Austrian Singles Chart | 20 |
| Canadian Singles Chart | 4 |
| Dutch Top 40 | 6 |
| German Singles Chart | 9 |
| Irish IRMA Singles Chart | 5 |
| New Zealand Singles Chart | 12 |
| Norwegian Singles Chart | 8 |
| Swedish Singles Chart | 9 |
| Swiss Singles Chart | 3 |
| UK Singles Chart | 3 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 1 |
| End of year chart (1991) | Position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 6 |
In popular culture
- The song was featured in the 1996 animated movie Space JamSpace JamAside from Jordan, a number of NBA players and coaches appeared in the film. Larry Bird portrays a friend of Jordan who joins him for a game of golf. When the Monstars steal the NBA players' talent, they invade a game between the Phoenix Suns and the New York Knicks, causing the Knicks' Patrick...
. - The trailer for the 2005 film Hoodwinked! used this song.
- In 2011 it was released as downloadable contentDownloadable contentDownloadable content is official additional content for a video game distributed through the Internet. Downloadable content can be of several types, ranging from a single in-game outfit to an entirely new, extensive storyline, similarly to an expansion pack. As such, DLC may add new game modes,...
for the video game Rock Band 3Rock Band 3Rock Band 3 is a music video game, developed by Harmonix Music Systems. The game was initially published and distributed by MTV Games and Electronic Arts, respectively, with Mad Catz taking over both roles a year later. It is the third main game in the Rock Band series...
.
Covers
"Unbelievable" has been covered by many other musical acts, including Tom JonesTom Jones (singer)
Sir Thomas John Woodward, OBE , known by his stage name Tom Jones, is a Welsh singer.Since the mid 1960s, Jones has sung many styles of popular music – pop, rock, R&B, show tunes, country, dance, techno, soul and gospel – and sold over 100 million records...
and "Weird Al" Yankovic
"Weird Al" Yankovic
Alfred Matthew "Weird Al" Yankovic is an American singer-songwriter, music producer, accordionist, actor, comedian, writer, satirist, and parodist. Yankovic is known for his humorous songs that make light of popular culture and that often parody specific songs by contemporary musical acts...
(briefly in the polka medley "Polka Your Eyes Out"). It was also covered by the Christian rock
Christian rock
Christian rock is a form of rock music played by individuals and bands whose members are Christians and who often focus the lyrics on matters concerned with the Christian faith. The extent to which their lyrics are explicitly Christian varies between bands...
band Thousand Foot Krutch
Thousand Foot Krutch
Thousand Foot Krutch is a Canadian Christian rock band formed in 1995. They have released five major studio albums: Set It Off , Phenomenon , The Art of Breaking , The Flame In All of Us , and Welcome to the Masquerade . They also have one live album, Live at the Masquerade...
on their debut album Set It Off, but with markedly different lyrics. American grindcore
Grindcore
Grindcore is an extreme genre of music that started in the early- to mid-1980s. It draws inspiration from some of the most abrasive music genres – including death metal, industrial music, noise and the more extreme varieties of hardcore punk....
band Anal Cunt
Anal Cunt
Anal Cunt, also known as AxCx and A.C., was an American grindcore band that formed in Newton, Massachusetts in 1988. Since its inception, the band underwent a number of line-up changes. Known for its grindcore musical style and controversial lyrics, Anal Cunt released eight full-length studio...
covered "Unbelievable" on their Morbid Florist EP in 1993, and by Ashley Amphlett and the Metroheads. Alvin and the Chipmunks
Alvin and the Chipmunks
Alvin and the Chipmunks is an American animated music group created by Ross Bagdasarian, Sr. in 1958. The group consists of three singing animated anthropomorphic chipmunks: Alvin, the mischievous troublemaker, who quickly became the star of the group; Simon, the tall, bespectacled intellectual;...
covered the song for their 1991 album The Chipmunks Rock the House
The Chipmunks Rock the House
The Chipmunks Rock the House is a music album by Alvin and the Chipmunks, released in 1991 by Quality Special Products.- Side one :# "Cradle of Love" # "Freedom! '90" # "Roam" ...
.
Spin Magazine recommended a cover version of this song by an artist known Femme Fatality in its November 2006 issue.
An altered version of the song, with the refrain "They're Crumbelievable", was used in a 2005 US television advertisement for Kraft
Kraft Foods
Kraft Foods Inc. is an American confectionery, food and beverage conglomerate. It markets many brands in more than 170 countries. 12 of its brands annually earn more than $1 billion worldwide: Cadbury, Jacobs, Kraft, LU, Maxwell House, Milka, Nabisco, Oscar Mayer, Philadelphia, Trident, Tang...
Crumbles.
It was also covered by German pop/rock band, The BossHoss
The BossHoss
BossHoss is a band from Berlin which started in 2004 with Country & Western style cover versions of famous pop, rock and hip hop songs, for example "Hot in Herre" by Nelly, "Toxic" by Britney Spears and "Hey Ya!" by Outkast. They incorporate stereotypical American cowboy behavior into their act...
, in Country/Western style, on their album Internashville Urban Hymns.
Records
Due to the amount of air time that "Unbelievable" has received since its release, it may be responsible for the most profanity ever heard over radio. The constant background vocal during the chorus saying "What the fuck was that?," which even appears in the lyrics in the CD booklet, was never edited. This is possibly because the background vocal appears incoherently, and most people dismiss it as undecipherable lyrics.It was #31 on VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
's 100 Greatest One-Hit Wonders and #98 on VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of the 90s.