Bohemian Like You

"Bohemian Like You" is a song by American alternative rock band The Dandy Warhols. The song was written by frontman Courtney Taylor-Taylor after seeing a woman pull up in her car to the traffic lights outside his apartment.[2] It was released as the second single from the band's third studio album, Thirteen Tales from Urban Bohemia, in August 2000.

"Bohemian Like You"
Original release 'CD1' cover
Single by The Dandy Warhols
from the album Thirteen Tales from Urban Bohemia
B-side
Released
  • August 2000
  • October 9, 2001 (re-release)
Recorded2000
Genre
Length3:31
Label
Songwriter(s)Courtney Taylor-Taylor
Producer(s)
The Dandy Warhols singles chronology
"Get Off"
(2000)		 "Bohemian Like You"
(2000)		 "Godless"
(2001)
Alternative cover
2001 reissue cover

Upon its original release, it failed to reach the Top 40 in the UK Singles Chart, peaking at No. 42, even after a yearlong tour.[3] After featuring in a popular Vodafone advertisement, it was re-released in 2001 and peaked at No. 5.[4]

Background

Lead singer Courtney Taylor-Taylor explained the song to The Independent.[5]

Music video

The music video for the song has been the subject of controversy and is rarely broadcast on television during the day, since it contains full-frontal male and topless female nudity. However, when played on some music channels, these areas are pixelated.

The video shows the band playing in a karaoke bar (actually the Slabtown bar in Portland, Oregon, closed in 2014)[6] while many different people mime to the lyrics of the song. This is intercut with a video accompanying the lyrics on the television screen at the bar. In this video, the scenes correspond with the lyrics. In the first verse, a man approaches a young woman who is fixing a car (a hearse, actually) with her friends. They both flirtatiously sing the lyrics to each other as a sign of attraction. The man is so attracted to the woman that he stares at her lower body and then visualizes her naked. Then the video switches to a waiter while he is serving a group of customers at a table. One of the girls in the group is attracted to the waiter and the two begin to flirt and mime the lyrics to the second verse. She visualizes him naked. It then turns out that the waiter and the mechanic who was fixing the car live in the same "pad". From the lyrics in the third verse, it is likely that the waiter is the mechanic's ex-boyfriend, as the man she was flirting with earlier is also with her. While the mechanic and her new love interest exchange a look, the woman from the restaurant emerges from a curtain wearing a nightgown. She then takes the waiter's hand and pulls him away. The video ends with the characters from the video miming the lyrics in the karaoke bar along with many other people including a man spinning a hula hoop around his waist.[7]

Critical reception

Louis Pattison of NME called the song "the quintessential Dandy Warhols moment to date".[8] Robert Webb of The Independent called it "a defining song of the last decade".[2]

The A.V. Club noted the various influences from "retro" music present in the song, including how the guitar intro seems to imitate that of 'Little Bitch' by The Specials as well as 'Jumpin' Jack Flash' by the Rolling Stones.[9]

The song has been featured in several movies, including The Replacements, Summer Catch, Igby Goes Down, Clockstoppers, Flushed Away, Little Nicky, Foolproof, Delirious, and Man of the Year. Among the television series it has been featured on are Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Numb3rs, Six Feet Under, Daria, Fresh Meat, and Chuck. A very obvious variation of the song is used as the opening theme song for the American version of the game show Cash Cab. The song was also featured in season 7 of Dancing with the Stars for Cody Linley and Julianne Hough's tango performance. For many years it has been the theme music for the BBC Radio phone-in show 6-0-6. It has also been featured in the PlayStation game Test Drive Le Mans in 2000.

In 2006, a mashup between the song and "Horny" by Mousse T. was released as the single "Horny as a Dandy". It reached No. 17 in the UK charts.[10]

The song was the subject of a minor controversy in 2011 when British conservative politician Theresa May played the song as she walked from a conference speech. It was initially speculated that the track was "Rocks" by Primal Scream, who posted a statement on their website condemning her "inappropriate" use of their song, calling her a "legalised bully" and "the enemy".[11] After discovering the track was his, Dandy Warhols frontman Courtney Taylor-Taylor posted an angry tirade on the band's official website, writing: "Why don't these assholes have right-wing bands make them some right-wing music for their right-wing jerkoff politics? Oh, because right-wing people aren't creative, visionary, or any fun to be around."[12]

In 2015, the song was played at the opening of John Bishop's tour DVD Supersonic.

Advertising

The song was used extensively by British telecommunications provider Vodafone when it introduced its brand to many of its worldwide operations in 2001–2004.[13]

Elsewhere, it featured prominently in a number of advertisements commissioned by Ford Motor Company for its Ford Focus car range.[14] It also enjoyed a short run in America in 2002 in a commercial featuring the Ford Mustang. In Australia, Holden used the song in an advert to promote its Holden Astra range,[15] although the line "You got a great car/Yeah, what's wrong with it today?" was edited out. The song also featured in a 2004 advertisement for GM Summerdrive in the United States.[16] In November 2008, it featured (without words) on advertisements for the Citroën C4 Picasso.[17] In summer 2010, the track was used in an advertisement for Next clothing.

Personnel
The Dandy Warhols
Additional personnel

Track listing

All tracks are written by Taylor-Taylor, except "Hells Bells", by Angus Young, Brian Johnson and Malcolm Young.

7" vinyl
No.TitleLength
1."Bohemian Like You"3:31
2."Hells Bells" (AC/DC cover)6:50
'CD1'
  1. "Bohemian Like You"
  2. "Hells Bells"
  3. "Lance"
'CD2'
No.TitleLength
1."Bohemian Like You"3:30
2."Retarded"2:46
3."Dub Song"6:29
October 2001 re-release
CD
No.TitleLength
1."Bohemian Like You"3:31
2."Hells Bells"6:50
3."Lance"2:50
Australian Tour EP track listing
No.TitleLength
1."Bohemian Like You"3:30
2."Not If You Were the Last Junkie on Earth (Heroin Is So Passe) (Live)"3:07
3."Minnesoter"3:03
4."Get Off (C11H15NO2 Mix)"6:41
5."Hells Bells"6:00

Charts

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Sweden (GLF)[32] Gold 15,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[33] Gold 400,000

sales+streaming figures based on certification alone

References
  1. The song was featured on a notable Virgin Records compilation, Power Pop Anthems, in 2005.
  2. Robert Webb (22 July 2011). "Story of the Song: The Dandy Warhols, Bohemian Like You". The Independent. Retrieved 21 August 2014.
  3. "The Official Charts Company - Bohemian Like You by The Dandy Warhols Search". The Official Charts Company. 6 May 2013.
  4. Ciar, Byrne (23 November 2005). "How to get ahead in music: Make an ad!". Artists whose tracks are used in television adverts often find instant fame and riches after years of obscurity, while having to face accusations of selling out. London: The Guardian. Retrieved 10 August 2013.
  5. https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/story-of-the-song-the-dandy-warhols-bohemian-like-you-2318184.html
  6. Korfhage, Matthew (4 Feb 2016). "Slabtown Building Will Be Demolished for Apartments". Willamette Week. Archived from the original on 6 February 2016. Retrieved 4 February 2016.
  7. "The Dandy Warhols - Bohemian Like You". YouTube. 16 November 2010. Retrieved 13 July 2012.
  8. Pattison, Louis. "Dandy Warhols: Bohemian Like You". nme.com. Retrieved 13 July 2012.
  9. https://music.avclub.com/screw-the-strokes-how-the-dandy-warhols-kick-started-t-1798238625
  10. "The Official Charts Company - Horny As A Dandy by Mousse T Vs Dandy Warhols Search". The Official Charts Company. 6 May 2013.
  11. Connor, Alan (5 October 2011). "Primal Scream and Theresa May: a case of mistaken identity". guardian.co.uk. London. Retrieved 18 October 2011.
  12. Taylor-Taylor, Courtney (5 October 2011). "About This Political Rally in the U. K. Playing "Boho"". dandywarhols.com. Retrieved 13 July 2012.
  13. "Bohemian rhapsody". smh.com.au. 16 September 2006. Retrieved 13 July 2012.
  14. Nichols, Natalie (17 December 2000). "They're on the Fringe by Choice". latimes.com. Retrieved 13 July 2012.
  15. "Jingle junkies". smh.com.au. 4 August 2003. Retrieved 13 July 2012.
  16. "GM /Chevy 'Frisbee' 2004 TV ad - Summerdrive (ft. Dandy Warhols - Bohemian Like You)". YouTube. 11 July 2012. Retrieved 13 July 2012.
  17. "C4 Picasso / Citroën (2008)". YouTube. 23 November 2008. Retrieved 13 July 2012.
  18. Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 74.
  19. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 19 no. 47. November 17, 2001. p. 27. Retrieved May 24, 2020.
  20. "Offiziellecharts.de – The Dandy Warhols – Bohemian Like You". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved March 22, 2019.
  21. "Top National Sellers" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 19 no. 51. December 25, 2001. p. 13. Retrieved May 24, 2020.
  22. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Bohemian Like You". Irish Singles Chart.
  23. "Italiancharts.com – The Dandy Warhols – Bohemian Like You". Top Digital Download.
  24. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 16, 2002" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40 Retrieved September 7, 2018.
  25. "Dutchcharts.nl – The Dandy Warhols – Bohemian Like You" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  26. "Notowanie nr980" (in Polish). LP3. November 10, 2000. Retrieved March 22, 2019.
  27. "Top National Sellers" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 19 no. 49. December 1, 2001. p. 13. Retrieved May 24, 2020.
  28. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 7, 2018.
  29. "Swisscharts.com – The Dandy Warhols – Bohemian Like You". Swiss Singles Chart.
  30. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 7, 2018.
  31. "The Official UK Singles Chart 2001" (PDF). UKChartsPlus. Retrieved September 7, 2018.
  32. "Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 2002" (PDF) (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden. Retrieved 23 April 2019.
  33. "British single certifications – Dandy Warhols – Bohemian Like You". British Phonographic Industry. Select singles in the Format field. Select Gold in the Certification field. Type Bohemian Like You in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
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