The Bike Song
"The Bike Song" is the second single taken from Record Collection, the third studio album by Mark Ronson, released under the moniker Mark Ronson & The Business Intl. The song features singer Kyle Falconer from Scottish indie rock band The View and rapper Spank Rock. It was released on 17 September 2010 in the UK.[2]
| "The Bike Song" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Single by Mark Ronson & The Business Intl. featuring Kyle Falconer and Spank Rock | ||||
| from the album Record Collection | ||||
| B-side | ||||
| Released | 17 September 2010 | |||
| Genre | Alternative hip hop | |||
| Length | 3.46 (Single version) 4.25 (Album version) | |||
| Label | Columbia | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Dave McCabe, Homer Steinweiss, Naeem Juwan, Victor Axelrod | |||
| Producer(s) | Mark Ronson | |||
| Mark Ronson singles chronology | ||||
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| Kyle Falconer singles chronology | ||||
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| Spank Rock singles chronology | ||||
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Music video
The music video was directed by Warren Fu and shot in a South London park. It features Kyle Falconer and Spank Rock as well as a cameo by Ronson's wife, actress and musician Joséphine de La Baume, actress Felicity Jones and Rose Elinor Dougall (who is currently in Mark Ronson's touring band).[3]
The song was also used for a video promoting Cycling on the Transport for London website, featuring celebrities cycling around some of their favourite parts of London.[4]
Critical reception
Fraser McAlpine of BBC Chart Blog gave the song a positive review stating:
Pop music often searches to find the eternal in the everyday. Songs attempt to freeze time around one emotional moment - I haven't got enough money! I wish I could wish on a falling star! Girls are sexy! - and to make sure it's communicated to as many people as possible, it'll often take place in the most mundane of locations: a street, the house you grew up in, a nightclub.
It's partly because gems often shine brighter when placed against a dull background, and partly a way to bring extra reality to the situation, so it feels truer. In the same way that we all tend to sit up and take a bit more notice of a film that says that it is based on a true story.
This is why it's a good idea to write a song with a bike in it. It's not just a fun hook to hang a lyric from, it speaks to our inner child. Most of us have ridden a bike, right? Well this sings to the part of us that yearns for a simpler life, free of boring distractions.
In fact (drumroll) it's not just a pop song, it's an integral part of the cycle of life (TISH!).
.[5]
Track listings
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "The Bike Song" | 4:23 |
| 2. | "The Bike Song" (Major Lazer Remix) | 3:33 |
| 3. | "The Bike Song" (Lil Silva Remix) | 5:37 |
Chart performance
| Charts (2010) | Peak Position |
|---|---|
| European Hot 100 Singles (Billboard)[6] [7] |
64 |
| Triple J Hottest 100 2010 | 35 |
| Scotland (Official Charts Company)[8] | 10 |
| UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[9] | 17 |
References
- "Kyle Gives Mark's Album Pedal Power". California Chronicle. Archived from the original on 12 March 2012. Retrieved 9 August 2010.
- https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/the-bike-song-feat.-kyle-falconer/id392296339
- Wotton, Dan (8 August 2010). "Ronson's wheely keen on new girl". News of the World. Retrieved 8 August 2010.
- "Mark Ronson Bike Song". 8 August 2010. Archived from the original on 7 September 2010. Retrieved 8 August 2010.
- Fraser McAlpine (3 September 2010). "Mark Ronson & The Business Intl. ft. Kyle Falconer & Spank Rock - 'The Bike Song'". BBC. bbc.co.uk.
- "Mark Ronson – Chart Search" Billboard European Hot 100 Singles for Mark Ronson. (subscription required)
- http://www.billboard.com/#/charts/european-hot-100?tag=relcharts
- "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
- "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.