"Work Song"
Single by Hozier
from the album Hozier
Released16 March 2015
Recorded2013
Genre
Length3:49
Label
Songwriter(s)Andrew Hozier-Byrne
Producer(s)
Hozier singles chronology
"Sedated"
(2014)		 "Work Song"
(2015)		 "Someone New"
(2015)
Music video
"Work Song" on YouTube

"Work Song" is a song recorded by Irish singer-songwriter Hozier for his 2014 eponymous debut studio album. It was released on 16 March 2015 as the fifth single from the record, appearing on the Irish Singles Chart and Billboard Hot Rock & Alternative Songs Chart.[1] An accompanying music video was released in March 2015.

Promotion and release

On 5 March, he played the song on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.[2][3] The song impacted United States Rock Radio on 16 March 2015.[1] "Work Song" was featured in the trailer for George Tillman Jr.'s 2015 film adaptation of The Longest Ride, a novel by Nicholas Sparks as well an episode of NBC's occult drama Constantine.

Writing and composition

"Work Song" is a gospel-blues song listed as the ninth track on the album, written solely by Hozier.[4] Hozier cites the song as one of his favorites from the record.[5] "Work Song" has "nuances of soul" with a "strong melodic bass", composed of percussion, tambourines, guitar, and "murmurous" vocals, while the lyrics describe a love of "undying sweetness" and devotion.[5][6][7] The song possesses gospel backing vocals and church-like hand-claps, with literary themes of love, sin, and religion returning to the record.[8]

Critical reception

"Work Song" received acclaim from critics; The Arts Desk described it as an "elegiac spiritual head-nodder" that Hozier sings through with "easy familiarity", while The Irish Times described it as "mental-good", establishing him as "far from the boilerplate soul/blues of today".[9][10] It is often cited as one of the strongest tracks on Hozier.[10][11]

Commercial performance

The song peaked at number 15 on Billboard Hot Rock & Alternative Songs, spending twelve weeks on the chart and appeared within the top twenty on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 and Adult Alternative Songs charts, respectively.[12]

Music video

The official music video for "Work Song" was released on 23 March 2015.[13] Hozier shot the video the day after the Grammy Awards, and reportedly woke up with an "outrageous hangover" during the shoot.[14] The video features him performing for a crowd, where the audience begins to break out into synchronized, slow, dancing, that "verges on performance art", embodying the romantic lyrics of the track.[13] The video has amassed over 79 million views on YouTube.[15]

Charts

Certifications

Certifications for "Work Song"
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[22] 2× Platinum 160,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[23] Gold 400,000‡
United States (RIAA)[24] 2× Platinum 2,000,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Release history and formats for "Work Song"
Region Date Format Label
United States[1][25] 16 March 2015 Adult album alternative radio Columbia
17 March 2015 Modern rock radio

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Future Releases on Triple A (AAA) Radio Stations, Independent Artist Song Releases". All Access Music Group. Archived from the original on 14 February 2015. Retrieved 26 February 2015.
  2. ↑ TV News Desk. "VIDEO: Hozier Performs New Single 'Work Song' on TONIGHT SHOW". broadwayworld.com.
  3. ↑ "Hozier: Work Song". NBC.com.
  4. ↑ "Work Song". AllMusic. Retrieved 10 January 2021.
  5. 1 2 "GIMME YOUR ANSWERS: AN INTERVIEW W/ HOZIER". Alicia Atout. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
  6. ↑ Brown, Harley. "Album Review: Hozier, 'Hozier'". Billboard.
  7. ↑ "review: 'Hozier,' Hozier". The Daily. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
  8. ↑ "Hozier releases stunning video for latest single 'Work Song'". Independent. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
  9. ↑ "CD: Hozier - Hozier". The Arts Desk. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
  10. 1 2 "Hozier". The Irish Times. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
  11. ↑ "Hozier Review". Slate. Archived from the original on 2016-04-25. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
  12. ↑ "Work Song". Billboard. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
  13. 1 2 "Watch Hozier Host a Weird Dance Party in 'Work Song' Video". Billboard. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
  14. ↑ "Hozier Interview: "The success of the first album took me completely by surprise"". Hotpress. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
  15. ↑ "Work Song". Youtube.
  16. ↑ "Irish-charts.com – Discography Hozier". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 26 September 2023.
  17. ↑ "Hozier Chart History (Bubbling Under Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 8 April 2015.
  18. ↑ "Hozier Chart History (Hot Rock & Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 26 February 2015.
  19. ↑ "Hozier Chart History (Adult Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 26 March 2015.
  20. ↑ "Hozier Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 26 September 2023.
  21. ↑ "Hot Rock Songs – Year-End 2015". Billboard. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  22. ↑ "Canadian single certifications – Hozier – Work Song". Music Canada. Retrieved 27 January 2023.
  23. ↑ "British single certifications – Hozier – Work Song". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
  24. ↑ "American single certifications – Hozier – Work Song". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
  25. ↑ "Future Releases on Alternative Radio Stations, Independent Artist Song Releases". All Access Music Group. Archived from the original on 10 March 2015. Retrieved 26 February 2015.
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