Not Gonna Get Us
"Not Gonna Get Us" is a song recorded by Russian music duo t.A.T.u. for their first English-language studio album 200 km/h in the Wrong Lane (2002). It was originally released as "Nas Ne Dogonyat" (Russian: Нас не догонят, IPA: [nas nʲe dɐˈɡonʲət]; translation: "They Won't Catch Us") on their debut album 200 По Встречной (2001). The song was written by Sergio Galoyan, Trevor Horn, Elena Kiper and Valery Polienko, while production was handled by Horn. The song was included on the duo's compilation album The Best (2006). The English version was released on 5 May 2003, by Interscope Records as the second single from the album. Musically, the song is a Eurodance-inspired song, and lyrically it talks about the group running away from people as they don't understand their love towards one another.
"Not Gonna Get Us" | ||||
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Single by t.A.T.u. | ||||
from the album 200 km/h in the Wrong Lane | ||||
B-side | "Ne Ver, Ne Boisia" | |||
Released | 5 May 2003 | |||
Recorded | 2002 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 4:21 (album version) 3:37 (radio edit #1) 3:19 (radio edit #2) | |||
Label | ||||
Songwriter(s) |
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Producer(s) | Trevor Horn | |||
T.A.T.u. singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"Not Gonna Get Us" on YouTube "Nas Ne Dogonyat" on YouTube |
"Not Gonna Get Us" received mixed to positive reviews from music critics, praising the production and highlighted the song as an album standout, however some critics were not impressed by the lyrical content. It was, however, a commercial success worldwide, peaking inside the top-ten in countries including Finland, Italy, Austria, Sweden, Belgium, Ireland and the United Kingdom. The single also peaked at number one on the US Billboard Dance Club Songs chart, becoming the duo's only number-one single on the US component charts.
An accompanying music video was filmed for the single, where it starts with the girls getting a mugshot, until escaping to a truck, where they drive off through snow in Siberia. The video was directed by Ivan Shapovalov, who also features in a cameo appearance in the video as a construction worker. The song also received a minor controversial image, where it featured a more rebel image. The song has also been performed on all of the duo's concert tours, and was also performed at the 2003 MTV Movie Awards. In 2009, t.A.T.u. played a special concert featuring the song at the Eurovision Song Contest with a Russian Army Choir, the Alexandrov Ensemble.
The words "нас не догонят" made their way into 2006 Russian Dictionary of Modern Quotes (Slovar sovremennykh tsitat).[2] In February 2014, during the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in Sochi, t.A.T.u performed "Нас не догонят".[3] Additionally, the song was sung later in the ceremony when Russia's competitors entered the stadium.
Background and composition
Prior to becoming t.A.T.u. Yulia and Lena had auditioned as members of Neposedi, a group produced by Ivan Shapolavov and his business partner Alexander Voitinskyi. Shapolavov has said the two girls stood out from the rest of those who auditioned; however, 14-year-old Katina was initially the only one chosen for the band. While the album was in development, their producer Alexander Voitinskyi left the production, leaving the album unreleased. However, Shapolavov later signed Elena Kiper as the new co-producer and co-writer for the album, who had eventually written "Not Gonna Get Us". There is also the Russian counterpart entitled "Nas Ne Dogonyat".
The song was written by Elena Kiper, Ivan Shapovalov, Valeriy Polienko and Sergio Galoyan, while production was handled by Trevor Horn. The song was included in the groups compilation album The Best (2006). The song was added to their YouTube channel five years later on 6 February 2008.[4]
"Not Gonna Get Us" is a eurodance-inspired song.[5] The song incorporates influences from pop, dance-pop, eurodance and rock music.[6] Lyrically, it talks about teenage lovers, which was usually exampled by Volkova and Katina, as people did not understand their love towards each other, so they run away from people to start fresh.
CD single information
Various CD singles were released, along with legal digital downloads for the song, plus an official music video was made. The song did appear on a promo CD released in Poland in 2003, along with other singles of the album, though the CD is not considered an official single for this song. The song would only be made available as an individual legal download when the band's debut album was released on iTunes in 2004. It can also be legally downloaded individually off their greatest hits album, The Best. There was a promotional CD single which was released in Poland by Universal Music Polska, the Polish label for Universal Music. However, it was used as an A-Side for "Ya Soshla S Uma" at the time.[7]
Critical reception
"Not Gonna Get Us" received mixed to positive reviews from music critics. Stephen Thomas Erlewine from Allmusic highlighted the track on the album saying it was an "exhausting offering hit" but continued saying; "Well, it's easy not to be into it when Julia and Lena appear to have been run through a marketing processor so they could become two Sapphic tarts who sing songs with suggestive titles like "Not Gonna Get Us", "Show Me Love" and "All the Things She Said" (it's likely a coincidence that the latter two share titles with songs by Robyn and Simple Minds, respectively, but perhaps not) [...]."[5] Popdirt commented that the "high-pitched helium voices" on the song work at "complementing the sensitivity they feel for each other and the reckless abandonment of the outside world perfectly".[8] Furthermore, Pitchfork listed this as the 33rd best single of 2003.[9]
The song was nominated "Best Russian Act" on the 2003 MTV Europe Music Awards.[10]
Chart performance
"Not Gonna Get Us" was released in Europe in 2003. In the United Kingdom, it debuted at number seven, where it eventually peaked. It stayed in the charts for eight weeks in total. The song also sold over 43,000 copies there.[11] The song also peaked at number ten on the Irish Singles Chart. In the European markets, it was a success. In Sweden, it debuted at number ten, peaked at number nine and stayed in the charts for nine weeks. In Finland, it debuted at number three and stayed in the charts for five weeks. In Italy, it debuted at number four and stayed in the charts for a total of seven weeks. In Austria, it debuted at number 22. After two weeks, it rose and peaked at number five for two non-consecutive weeks. It stayed in the charts for sixteen weeks in total. In Switzerland, the song debuted at number 37. The next week, it rose and peaked at 18, and stayed in the charts for 18 weeks in total. The song peaked at numbers twelve and ten in Belgium (Flanders and Wallonia). The song reached number ten in the Europe Official Top 100.[12]
In the Oceanic region, it received more moderate success. The song debuted at number 11 on the Australian Singles Chart, where it eventually peaked and stayed in the charts for 11 weeks. It was certified gold by ARIA, selling over 35,000 copies.[13] The song spent only a sole week in the New Zealand Singles Chart, where it peaked at number 25, becoming the group's poorest performing single in the country. It was the group's last single to chart in New Zealand.
The song was eventually released in North America, charting in Canada and the United States. The single version peaked at number 31 on the US Hot Dance Club Songs chart. Dave Audé then released a remix of the single in the United States, which peaked at number one on the US Hot Dance Club Songs Chart, where it became the group's first and only number one in North America (although a Dave Audé remix of t.A.T.u. member Lena Katina's solo release 'Never Forget' also topped the US Hot Dance Club Songs Chart in 2012). Not Gonna Get Us also managed to peak at 35 on the US Top 40 Mainstream Charts.[14]
Music video
The video starts off with Julia and Lena's mugshots being placed on screen, with the truck's engine starting up and steam surrounding the two girls and the vehicle. They then are outside in a snowy environment, where they steal a large truck and ride off through an airfield, breaking through a fence while singing. The two girls later find themselves in snow-covered Siberia. They run over a construction worker in the middle of the road, who is played by Ivan Shapovalov. After breaking through another fence, some family photos of both the girls as young children are shown during the video. Towards the end, Yulia and Lena climb to the roof of the truck and stand on top, hugging and smiling as they continue to sing the song, until they crack the lens of the camera as they leave.
The song was directed by their former producer Ivan Shapovalov. The music video is also the same music video taken from the Russian version "Nas Ne Dogonyat". The English music video for this song is a re-edited version of the Russian video, altered to remove the lip synching (usually by adding a broken glass shot over the shots of them singing).
A video game was created by a fan based on the music video. In the game, the band is inside a truck trying to get away from the bad guys. The game course also features land mines that the player must dodge.[15] It was uploaded by a user on game-sharing web site Newgrounds.
Media appearances
In the 2009 film, Thick as Thieves the song is played twice. First in a club in Russian, on the first encounter of the characters played by Antonio Banderas and Radha Mitchell and at the end of the film in English when they meet again in the same club.
It also appears in Lilya 4-ever and Chechenia Warrior 3.
A Russian/English remix of this song used during Russian team's entrance at Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics.
Track listing and formats
US CD single
European CD maxi single
New Zealand CD single
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UK CD single
Australian CD single
Japanese CD single
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Charts and certifications
Weekly charts
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Year-end charts
Certifications
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See also
- List of number-one dance singles of 2003 (U.S.)
- List of Romanian Top 100 number ones of the 2000s
Radio add dates and release history
Radio add dates
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Release history
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Cover versions and derivatives
"Not Gonna Get Us" was sampled in the song "Miss Love Tantei" by W. The song was used as the closing song in the 2008 film, The Code, which had Russian characters and clubs as central to the plot.
The song was covered by Japanese singer Maki Nomiya on her 2005 album Party People.
In 2014, Tori Amos covered the song in Moscow while on her Unrepentant Geraldines Tour.
In 2004, a cover of the song by Eurobeat artist Dave Rodgers was featured on Super Eurobeat Vol.147[47]
References
- "CD Review : vol.34 - t.A.T.u.『200 KM/H IN THE WRONG LANE』". Archived from the original on 12 March 2014. Retrieved 14 December 2016.
- Konstantin Dushenko. Slovar sovremennykh tsitat, EKSMO, 2006, p. 213 ISBN 5-699-17691-8
- Zimmerman, Amy (7 February 2014). "Yes, the Pseudo-lesbian Band t.A.T.u. Sang at Sochi's Opening Ceremony". thedailybeast.com.
- "Not Gonna Get Us (EN)". 6 February 2008. Retrieved 8 February 2014 – via YouTube.
- 200 km/h in the Wrong Lane [Argentina Bonus Track [Enhanced] www.allmusic.com.
- "Not Gonna Get Us - t.A.T.u." AllMusic. 18 March 2003. Retrieved 8 February 2014.
- "TATU* - Nas Nie Dogoniat / Ya Soshla S Uma". Discogs.
- Martin, James (16 February 2004). "Tatu - 200 KM/H In The Wrong Lane". Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 8 February 2014.
- "Top 50 Singles of 2003". 30 December 2003. Retrieved 8 February 2014.
- "TATU - News - t.A.T.u. are nominated for MTV EMA "The Best Russian Artist" again". Retrieved 14 December 2016.
- Archived 22 November 2010 at the Wayback Machine
- "Europe Official Top 100". 7 June 2003. Retrieved 8 February 2014.
- "ARIA Charts - Gold and Platinum ARIA Accreditation Awards". ARIA. Retrieved 14 December 2016.
- "Not Gonna Get Us - tATu". Newgrounds.com. Retrieved 8 February 2014.
- "Australian-charts.com – t.A.T.u. – Not Gonna Get Us". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 7 December 2019.
- "Austriancharts.at – t.A.T.u. – Not Gonna Get Us" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 7 December 2019.
- "Ultratop.be – t.A.T.u. – Not Gonna Get Us" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 29 April 2011.
- "Ultratop.be – t.A.T.u. – Not Gonna Get Us" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 29 April 2011.
- "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 21 no. 24. 7 June 2003. p. 11. Retrieved 15 March 2020.
- "t.A.T.u.: Not Gonna Get Us" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 7 December 2019.
- "Lescharts.com – t.A.T.u. – Not Gonna Get Us" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 7 December 2019.
- "Offiziellecharts.de – t.A.T.u. – Not Gonna Get Us". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 7 December 2019.
- "Top 50 Singles Εβδομάδα 29/03 – 04/04" (in Greek). IFPI. Archived from the original on 14 April 2003. Retrieved 29 June 2020. See Best column.
- "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Rádiós Top 40 játszási lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved 8 December 2010.
- "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Not Gonna Get Us". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 7 December 2019.
- "Italiancharts.com – t.A.T.u. – Not Gonna Get Us". Top Digital Download. Retrieved 7 December 2019.
- "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 7, 2003" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40 Retrieved 7 December 2019.
- "Dutchcharts.nl – t.A.T.u. – Not Gonna Get Us" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 7 December 2019.
- "Charts.nz – t.A.T.u. – Not Gonna Get Us". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 7 December 2019.
- "Norwegiancharts.com – t.A.T.u. – Not Gonna Get Us". VG-lista. Retrieved 7 December 2019.
- "Ediția 29, săptămâna 22.07 – 28.07, 2002" (in Romanian). Romanian Top 100. Archived from the original on 14 May 2005. Retrieved 11 July 2017.
- "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 7 December 2019.
- "Spanishcharts.com – t.A.T.u. – Not Gonna Get Us" Canciones Top 50. Retrieved 7 December 2019.
- "Swedishcharts.com – t.A.T.u. – Not Gonna Get Us". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 7 December 2019.
- "Swisscharts.com – t.A.T.u. – Not Gonna Get Us". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 7 December 2019.
- "t.A.T.u.: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 20 May 2019.
- "tATu Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 20 May 2019.
- "tATu Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 20 May 2019.
- "Jahreshitparade Singles 2003" (in German). Retrieved 7 December 2019.
- "Jaaroverzichten 2003" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 7 December 2019.
- "Rapports annuels 2003" (in French). Ultratop. Retrieved 7 December 2019.
- "Årslista Singlar, 2003" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 15 March 2020.
- "The Official UK Singles Chart 2003" (PDF). UKChartsPlus. p. 2. Retrieved 7 December 2019.
- Archived 6 October 2012 at the Wayback Machine
- "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2003 Singles". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 7 December 2019.
- "Various - Super Eurobeat Vol. 147". Discogs. Retrieved 6 March 2016.