Isobel

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For other uses, see Isobel (disambiguation).
“Isobel”
Single by Björk
from the album Post
B-side "Charlene"
"I Go Humble"
Released August 15th 1995
Format CD
Genre Alternative
Length 5:47
Label One Little Indian
Producer Björk
Nellee Hooper
Björk singles chronology
"Army of Me"
(1995)		 "Isobel"
(1995)		 "It's Oh So Quiet"
(1995)

"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 lush strings, electronic beats, and a jungle-influenced introduction.

A scene of Isobel's music video.
A scene of Isobel's music video.

The surreal music video was shot in black and white by director Michel Gondry. It features a number of dream-like images. Björk plays a piano that is full of pipes that fill it with water. Children play in the water, and wear masks. Björk is later shown lying beside a river wearing a dress with lights in it. She pulls some light bulbs off her dress and plants them in the ground. The light bulbs grow and act as incubators or cocoons for toy airplanes inside them. When the airplanes grow big enough, they break out of the bulbs and fly away. At the same time, numerous skyscrapers grow out of the ground and eventually are covered in cockroaches. Björk is also shown walking through the countryside, up a mountain, and beside a river.

Isobel wasn't a great success but is considered a classic of Björk. Björk has stated that a track on Homogenic, Bachelorette, is a continuation of Isobel. In an interview with Paper in September 1997 Björk explains, "So Isobel decides to return to the city and to take a train, like in the 30's, in South America somewhere. She decides to confront love with love and confronts the cowards that don't have the guts to fall in love with love. So you see - it's like Isobel has returned."

The lyrics to both Isobel and Bachelorette were penned by long-time collaborator, Icelandic poet Sjón. The repeating phrase "moth delivers her message/unexplained on your collar" in the chorus is a reference to when Björk found a moth on her favourite shirt. She wore the shirt all day, even removing it to go swimming, but the moth remained there.

The b-side "I Go Humble" is an exact replica of an electronic composition by the British techno band LFO, albeit with vocals by Björk being sung over it. The original track can be found on the LFO album Advance, and is titled "Shove Piggy Shove". It is interesting to note that Declare Independence (Björk's 28th single, and 3rd from her album Volta) was originally conceived as an individual electronic composition, without any vocal track, by Mark Bell and was played at his live LFO shows over a year before Björk's release of the Declare Independence single.

Contents

[edit] Single track listing

[edit] CD 1

  1. "Isobel" (5:47)
  2. "Charlene" (4:44)
  3. "I Go Humble" (4:44)
  4. "Venus as a Boy" [Harpsichord] (2:13)

[edit] CD 2

  1. "Isobel" (5:47)
  2. "Isobel" [Deodato Mix] (6:09)
  3. "Isobel" [Siggtriplet Blunt Mix] (4:49)
  4. "Isobel" [Goldie Remix] (8:09)

[edit] Remixes

  • Deodato mix
  • Dim's Enchanted Forest
  • Dim's Hi Compact French Touch
  • Dim's Old School Dubstramental
  • Isobel's Lonely Heart (Goldie remix)
  • Ln's remix
  • Radio mix
  • Siggtriplet Blunt mix
  • The Carcass mix
  • Transfunk mix

[edit] Charts

Chart Peak
position
Finnish Singles Chart 18
UK Singles Chart 23
New Zealand Singles Chart 47

[edit] External links


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