Atlantis (song)
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| “Atlantis” | |||||
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.jpg/200px-Donovan-Atlantis_(song).jpg) |
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| Single by Donovan | |||||
| A-side | "To Susan on the West Coast Waiting" (U.S.) | ||||
| B-side | "I Love My Shirt" | ||||
| Released | November 1968 (UK) March 1969 (US) |
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| Format | vinyl record 7" | ||||
| Recorded | May 1968 | ||||
| Genre | Folk | ||||
| Length | 4:58 | ||||
| Producer | Mickie Most | ||||
| Donovan singles chronology | |||||
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"Atlantis" is a folk-pop song written and recorded by British singer Donovan and released as a single in 1968.
The song was played during the famous scene in Goodfellas in which Billy Batts is "whacked". It is also played in The Girl Next Door, when the main characters return to the prom after shooting their movie. It is also featured in the animated sitcom Futurama, in the episode The Deep South.
Contents |
[edit] 1968 version
[edit] Theme
The introduction is a quiet monologue regarding the idea that Atlantis was a highly advanced antediluvian civilization, and that Atlantean colonists were the basis of the mythological gods of ancient times. Aware of their fate, the Atlanteans sent out ships to carry their masters to safety, and these people were responsible for bringing civilization and culture to primitive humans. When the song begins in earnest, it conveys the message that the singer's true love may be in Atlantis. The overall theme is common for the 1960s: fanciful mythology as the symbol of the counterculture movement, with the hope that true love will be found if ever "Atlantis" can be reached. The song shows heavy influences from The Beatles, and, in fact, Paul McCartney is responsible for the tambourine playing and singing backing vocals.
[edit] Release and reception
Contract disputes at the time caused a complicated series of different releases in the United Kingdom and United States. It was originally released in the UK as a single with "I Love My Shirt" as the B-side. In 1969 it was released in the US on the album Barabajagal. The LP was not released in the UK, however, and "Atlantis" was next released in the US as the B-side to "To Susan on the West Coast Waiting".
The song was not deemed likely to be a hit in the US because of its length and the fact that the first third of the song is spoken prose and therefore not "radio-friendly". It was for this reason that, despite its success in Europe, "Atlantis" was demoted to B-side status. However, the producers were proved wrong when the popularity of "Atlantis" far surpassed that of its A-side. Paul McCartney was known to have contributed to the recording, which may have been partially responsible for the song's radio success, and the song itself became an anthem of the hippie movement.
[edit] Charts
| Chart (1968) | Peak Position |
|---|---|
| Austrian Singles Chart | 4 |
| Irish Singles Chart | 13 |
| Swiss Singles Chart | 1 |
| UK Singles Chart | 23 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 7 |
| West German Singles Chart | 1 |
| “Atlantis” | ||
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| Single by No Angels & Donovan from the album Atlantis: The Lost Empire and Now... Us! |
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| A-side | "When the Angels Sing" | |
| Released | November 19, 2001 | |
| Format | Digital download, vinyl single, CD single | |
| Recorded | 2001 | |
| Genre | Pop, Europop | |
| Length | 4:14 | |
| Producer | Leslie Mandoki | |
| No Angels chronology | ||
| "There Must Be an Angel" (2001) |
"Atlantis/When the Angels Sing" (2001) |
"Something about Us" (2002) |
[edit] 2001 version
[edit] Recording
In the late 1990s, Walt Disney Feature Animation started production on Atlantis: The Lost Empire, an animated sci-fi mixed action movie, based on the Atlantis saga. Interested in slipping in his 1968 version to the film soundtrack, Donovan immediately opened negotiations with the studios; however Disney Pictures was barely interested in the song and plans eventually fell through.[1] By 2000, Disney had committed German producer Leslie Mandoki to produce a concomitant album for the German-speaking music markets, entitled Stars Inspired by Atlantis.[1] After stumbling over the original song, Mandoki approached Donovan by phone, describing him his idea of a collaboration with German newcomers No Angels, with whom Mandoki had previously worked on their debut Elle'ments (2001), and a few days later Donovan and the band met at the Lake Starnberg.[1]
[edit] Music video
The single's music video was directed by Hannes Rossacher for DoRo Productions and shot in Berlin, Germany in fall 2001.[1] It shows Donovan and the band in a recording studio accented by underwater settings, backdrops, and scenes inspired by the animated movie.
[edit] Charts
| Chart (2001) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Austrian Singles Chart [2] | 5 |
| German Singles Chart [2] | 5 |
| Swiss Singles Chart [2] | 16 |
[edit] Notes
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