"Popcorn"
Cover of 1973 release of Music to Moog By
Song by Gershon Kingsley
from the album Music to Moog By
Released1969
GenreSynth-pop[1][2]
Length2:24
LabelAudio Fidelity
Songwriter(s)Gershon Kingsley

"Popcorn" (first version "Pop Corn") is an instrumental composed by Gershon Kingsley in 1969 for the album Music to Moog By on the Audio Fidelity label. The name is a combination of pop for pop music and corn for kitsch.[3] The Moog synthesizer instrumental became a worldwide hit in 1972, when a version by Hot Butter was released. Since then, multiple versions of the piece have been produced and released, including those by Vyacheslav Mescherin,[4] Anarchic System, Popcorn Makers, the Boomtang Boys, M & H Band, Crazy Frog, and the Muppets.

Hot Butter version

"Popcorn"
Single by Hot Butter
from the album Popcorn
B-side"At the Movies"
ReleasedJuly 1972 (U.S.)[5]
Genre
Length2:30
Label
  • Interfusion (AUS)
  • Musicor (US and Canada)
Songwriter(s)Gershon Kingsley[8]
Producer(s)
  • Bill Jerome
  • Steve Jerome
Hot Butter singles chronology
"Popcorn"
(1972)		 "Skokiaan"
(1973)
Audio sample
  • file
  • help

In 1972, a rearranged version of the instrumental was recorded by Kingsley's First Moog Quartet. This was intended for the namesake album (First Moog Quartet) which had otherwise been a re-release of the 1970 First Moog Quartet album with the same name. The 1972 version of the instrumental had the now current title "Popcorn".[9] In that same year, Stan Free, a fellow member of the First Moog Quartet, re-recorded another instrumental, based on the 1972 version, with his own band Hot Butter.[10] This was released as a single and became a hit in mainland Europe, spending several weeks at No. 1 in numerous countries on the continent, including France (4 weeks at the top) and Switzerland (10 weeks), ultimately becoming the biggest-selling single of 1972 in both countries. "Popcorn" was also a No. 1 hit in Germany (3 weeks), the Netherlands (7 weeks) and Norway (9 weeks).

Record World said that the "catchy tune played out in intricate synthesizer counterpoint expands on a musical idea first brought out in the popular percolater commercials on TV."[11]

Track listing

7" single

  1. "Popcorn" – 2:30
  2. "At the Movies" – 2:31

Charts

Sales

Sales for "Popcorn"
Region Sales
France 1,400,000[37]
Europe 2,500,000[37]

Crazy Frog version

"Popcorn"
Single by Crazy Frog
from the album Crazy Frog Presents Crazy Hits
B-side"Who Let the Frog Out?"
Released22 August 2005
GenreEurodance[38]
Length
  • 3:12 (album version)
  • 2:46 (radio edit)
LabelMinistry of Sound
Songwriter(s)Gershon Kingsley[8]
Producer(s)Erik Wernquist
Crazy Frog singles chronology
"Axel F"
(2005)		 "Popcorn"
(2005)		 "Jingle Bells/U Can't Touch This"
(2005)
Music video
"Popcorn" on YouTube

In 2005, Crazy Frog released a cover of "Popcorn", the remix of which was arranged by Jamba!, and also marketed as a ringtone. The song differs from Crazy Frog's debut release "Axel F" in that it does not contain the trademark "Crazy Frog sound" by Daniel Malmedahl.

The single was a hit in various countries, particularly in France, where it enjoyed its greatest success. Replacing Crazy Frog's own song "Axel F" at No. 1 on 24 September 2005, the track remained at the top spot for seven weeks, with its best weekly sales of 71,777 copies in its second week.[39] Certified diamond status just three months after its release by the SNEP, as of August 2014, this version of "Popcorn" is the 40th best-selling single of the 21st century in France, with 458,000 copies sold.[40] The track also topped the charts in Belgium, New Zealand and Spain.[41]

The music video, CGI-animated, was produced by Kaktus Film and Erik Wernquist of TurboForce3D and features Crazy Frog causing chaos at the undersea labs of the drones. A significantly shortened version of this video was also used for the Frog's version of "U Can't Touch This".

Track listings

UK

  1. "Popcorn" (radio mix)
  2. "Popcorn" (radio mix instrumental)
  3. "Popcorn" (potatoheadz mix)
  4. "Popcorn" (radikal mix)
  5. "Popcorn" (resource mix)
  6. "Popcorn" (video)

Australia

  1. "Popcorn" (radio mix)
  2. "Popcorn" (potatoheadz mix)
  3. "Popcorn" (resource mix)
  4. "Who Let the Frog Out?"

Charts

Certifications

Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[75] Gold 35,000^
France (SNEP)[76] Diamond 471,816[70]
New Zealand (RMNZ)[77] Platinum 10,000*

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Legacy and influence

French electronic composer and musician Jean-Michel Jarre recorded a 1972 version under the pseudonyms Pop Corn Orchestra and Jammie Jeferson. Later he was inspired by this song to compose his 1976 biggest hit Oxygène (Part IV).[78][79] In early 2019, when Kingsley died, the experimental composer Blanck Mass chose "Popcorn" as one of the 10 most influential compositions of his career.[80]

Other versions

The 1972 cover by the Popcorn Makers reached No. 7 on the German charts and No. 1 on the Dutch Charts.[81][82] The version by French band Anarchic System was released in 1972 and reached at No. 13 on the German charts, No. 10 on the Dutch charts and No. 1 on the Ultratop 50.[83][84][85]

In 1987, the French M & H Band (sole member Mark Haliday), released a version of "Popcorn" which peaked at No. 8 on the Norwegian charts and at No. 20 on the Swedish charts.[86][87] This single's release was accompanied by the first purpose-produced music video.[88] Canadian group the Boomtang Boys covered "Popcorn" in 1999, their version peaked at No. 26 on the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart, where it stayed for 9 weeks.[89][90] It also reached No. 10 on RPM's Canadian dance chart.[91] Richárd Moldován known as Richi M released in the 2000 year a cover version which reached at No. 9 on the Swedish charts.[92]

In a comical reference, a version of the song was included in the 2010 skit by The Muppets called "Pöpcørn: Recipes with The Swedish Chef."[93] In 2022, Swedish singer Tove Lo sampled the Hot Butter version in her single "2 Die 4".[94]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Kelman, John (26 June 2011). "Jokleba: Jokleba! / Nu Jok?". All About Jazz. Retrieved 26 April 2014. Jørgensen skews a familiar bit of Gershon Kingsley's 1969 synthpop hit, "Popcorn"
  2. ↑ McQuillen, James (7 May 2011). "'Sordid Lives' opera review: an irreverent (and fun) arrow straight into the heart of good taste". The Oregonian. Retrieved 26 April 2014. Hot Butter's cover of the synthpop hit "Popcorn"
  3. ↑ "Gershon Kingsley - Popcorn | The Story Behind The Song".
  4. ↑ "Советская электронная музыка | Музыка". Мир фантастики и фэнтези (in Russian). 18 February 2013. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
  5. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (1991). Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-1990. Record Research. ISBN 0-89820-089-X.
  6. ↑ "Hot Butter: "Popcorn"". Keyboard. Vol. 21. 1995. p. 30. ISSN 0730-0158.
  7. ↑ Eddy, Chuck (22 March 1997). "Intermission (Time for Popcorn)". The Accidental Evolution of Rock 'n' Roll: A Misguided Tour Through Popular Music. Da Capo Press. p. 18. ISBN 0-306-80741-6.
  8. 1 2 "ACE Repertory: Gershon Kingsley". American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. Retrieved 31 January 2017.
  9. ↑ Alexed, Johan (15 June 2021). "Hot Butter – Popcorn". Popmuzik (in Swedish). Retrieved 28 March 2022.
  10. ↑ Pareles, Jon (15 December 2019). "Gershon Kingsley, Master of Electronic Sounds, Dies at 97". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 28 April 2021.
  11. ↑ "Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. 20 May 1972. p. 1. Retrieved 1 April 2023.
  12. ↑ "Go-Set National Top 40". Go-Set. 11 November 1972. Retrieved 19 July 2013 – via Pop Archives.
  13. ↑ "Australia No. 1 hits -- 1970's". World Charts. Archived from the original on 24 April 2014. Retrieved 25 April 2014.
  14. ↑ "Hot Butter – Popcorn" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 19 July 2013.
  15. ↑ "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 4182." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 2 June 2013.
  16. ↑ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 8257." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 2 June 2013.
  17. ↑ "Tous les Titres par Artiste". InfoDisc (in French). Archived from the original on 30 March 2014. Retrieved 2 June 2013.
  18. ↑ "Hot Butter – Popcorn" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 19 July 2013. To see peak chart position, click "TITEL VON Hot Butter"
  19. 1 2 "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Popcorn". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 25 January 2020.
  20. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 33, 1972" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 19 July 2013.
  21. ↑ "Hot Butter – Popcorn" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 19 July 2013.
  22. ↑ "Search listener". Flavour of New Zealand. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
  23. ↑ "Hot Butter – Popcorn". VG-lista. Retrieved 19 July 2013.
  24. ↑ "South African Rock Lists Website SA Charts 1969 – 1989 Acts (H)". Rock.co.za. Retrieved 2 June 2013.
  25. ↑ Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (in Spanish) (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  26. ↑ "Hot Butter – Popcorn". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 19 July 2013.
  27. ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 22 July 2013.
  28. 1 2 "Hot Butter – Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 19 July 2013.
  29. ↑ "CASH BOX Top 100 Singles – Week ending October 14, 1972". Cash Box. Archived from the original on 8 September 2012.
  30. ↑ "The Singles Chart" (PDF). Record World. 21 October 1972. ISSN 0034-1622. Retrieved 17 September 2017.
  31. ↑ "Forum – ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts – Top 100 End of Year AMR Charts – 1970s". Australian-charts.com. Hung Medien. Archived from the original on 6 November 2013. Retrieved 26 April 2014.
  32. ↑ "TOP – 1972". Top-france.fr (in French). Retrieved 26 April 2014.
  33. ↑ "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1972" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 26 April 2014.
  34. ↑ "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1972" (in German). Hitparade.ch. Hung Medien. Retrieved 26 April 2014.
  35. ↑ "Top 100 Hits for 1972". The Longbored Surfer. Archived from the original on 16 February 2016. Retrieved 26 April 2014.
  36. ↑ "The CASH BOX Year-End Charts: 1972". Cash Box. Archived from the original on 14 August 2012.
  37. 1 2 "The Rundown on Barclay Records" (PDF). Record World. 24 February 1973. p. 44. Retrieved 13 May 2023.
  38. ↑ Ahmad, Azeem (25 July 2005). "Crazy Frog – Presents Crazy Hits". musicOMH. Retrieved 26 April 2014. Up next is Popcorn, which for the best part of a minute is just a bad serving of trashy euro-dance.
  39. ↑ Likeadream (8 January 2006). "Chiffres de ventes hebdomadaires Singles – Edition 2006". Charts in France (in French). Pure Charts. Retrieved 19 July 2013.
  40. ↑ "Top 100 des singles les plus vendus du millénaire en France, épisode 7 (40-31)". Charts in France (in French). Pure Charts. 23 August 2014. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
  41. ↑ Gopinath, Sumanth (2013). "The Annoying Thing: Crazy Frog and the Strange Career of a Sample". The Ringtone Dialectic: Economy and Cultural Form. MIT Press. pp. 134–135. ISBN 978-0-262-01915-6.
  42. ↑ "Crazy Frog – Popcorn". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 19 July 2013.
  43. ↑ "Issue 817" ARIA Top 50 Dance Singles. National Library of Australia. Retrieved 4 October 2020.
  44. ↑ "Crazy Frog – Popcorn" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 19 July 2013.
  45. ↑ "Crazy Frog – Popcorn" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 19 July 2013.
  46. ↑ "Crazy Frog – Popcorn" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 19 July 2013.
  47. ↑ "Crazy Frog – Popcorn". Tracklisten. Retrieved 19 July 2013.
  48. ↑ "Hits of the World > Eurocharts" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 117, no. 44. 29 October 2005. p. 85. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
  49. ↑ "Crazy Frog: Popcorn" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat. Retrieved 19 July 2013.
  50. ↑ "Crazy Frog – Popcorn" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 19 July 2013.
  51. ↑ "Crazy Frog – Popcorn" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 19 July 2013.
  52. ↑ "Top 50 Singles: Εβδομάδα 30/10–6/11" (in Greek). IFPI. Archived from the original on 6 November 2005. Retrieved 5 July 2020.
  53. ↑ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Dance Top 40 lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved 26 April 2014.
  54. ↑ "Crazy Frog – Popcorn" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 19 July 2013.
  55. ↑ "Crazy Frog – Popcorn". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 19 July 2013.
  56. ↑ "Crazy Frog – Popcorn". VG-lista. Retrieved 19 July 2013.
  57. ↑ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 July 2023.
  58. ↑ "Crazy Frog – Popcorn" Canciones Top 50. Retrieved 19 July 2013.
  59. ↑ "Crazy Frog – Popcorn". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 19 July 2013.
  60. ↑ "Crazy Frog – Popcorn". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 19 July 2013.
  61. ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 22 July 2013.
  62. ↑ "Official Independent Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 July 2023.
  63. ↑ "ARIA Charts – End of Year Charts – Top 100 Singles 2005". ARIA Charts. Archived from the original on 8 May 2017. Retrieved 19 July 2013.
  64. ↑ "ARIA Charts – End of Year Charts – Dance Singles 2005". ARIA Charts. Archived from the original on 15 April 2020. Retrieved 17 September 2020.
  65. ↑ "Jaaroverzichten 2005" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved 26 April 2014.
  66. ↑ "Rapports annuels 2005" (in French). Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved 19 July 2013.
  67. ↑ "Year End European Hot 100 Singles Chart 2005 01 – 2005 52" (PDF). Billboard. VNU Media. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 October 2012. Retrieved 7 January 2022.
  68. ↑ "Classement Singles – année 2005". Snepmusique.com (in French). Archived from the original on 17 October 2013.
  69. ↑ "TV Clubs 2005". Yacast.fr (in French). Click on TV Clubs 2005. Archived from the original on 15 January 2007.
  70. 1 2
  71. ↑ "End of Year Charts 2005". NZ Top 40. Retrieved 19 July 2013.
  72. ↑ "Årslista Singlar – År 2005". Hitlistan.se (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 29 February 2012.
  73. ↑ "ChartsPlusYE2005" (PDF). UKChartsPlus. Retrieved 22 November 2021.
  74. ↑ "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 2006". Hitparade.ch (in German). Retrieved 7 March 2020.
  75. ↑ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2005 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association.
  76. ↑ "French single certifications – Crazy Frog – Popcorn" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique.
  77. ↑ "New Zealand single certifications – Crazy Frog – Popcorn". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
  78. ↑ "Jean-Michel Jarre". SecondHandSongs. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
  79. ↑ "To «Pop corn» (1969), είναι το πιο αναγνωρισμένο και το πιο αγέραστο electro-pop κομμάτι στην ιστορία της μουσικής". Lifo (in Greek). 13 January 2020. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
  80. ↑ "Synth pioneer and maker of 'Popcorn', Gershon Kingsley, dies age 97". DJMag.com. 16 December 2019. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
  81. ↑ "Offizielle Deutsche Charts". Offizielle Deutsche Charts. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
  82. ↑ Hung, Steffen. "The Pop-Corn Makers - Pop Corn". hitparade.ch. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
  83. ↑ "Offizielle Deutsche Charts". Offizielle Deutsche Charts. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
  84. ↑ Hung, Steffen. "Anarchic System - Pop Corn". hitparade.ch. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
  85. ↑ "Anarchic System - Pop Corn". ultratop.be. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
  86. ↑ "Norwegian charts portal". norwegiancharts.com. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
  87. ↑ "swedishcharts.com - Swedish Charts Portal". swedishcharts.com. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
  88. ↑ M&H Band - Popcorn (original full video), retrieved 18 August 2022
  89. ↑ "Hot Dance Music > Club Play". Billboard. Vol. 111, no. 11. 13 March 1999. p. 39. ISSN 0006-2510.
  90. ↑ "The Boomtang Boys: Dance Club Songs". Billboard. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
  91. ↑ "RPM Dance". RPM. Vol. 68, no. 23. 29 March 1999. Retrieved 6 June 2021 – via Library and Archives Canada.
  92. ↑ "swedishcharts.com - Richi M - Popcorn". swedishcharts.com. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
  93. ↑ "The Muppets Return With The Swedish Chef's Rendition Of 'Popcorn'". MTV. 20 July 2010. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  94. ↑ James Rettig (27 July 2022). "Tove Lo Samples Hot Butter's "Popcorn" On New Track "2 Die 4": Listen". Stereogum. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
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