Bonkers

Album: Tongue 'n' Cheek (2009)
Charted: 1
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • On this thumping dance floor number, rapper Dizzee Rascal collaborates with the American record producer Armand Van Helden, whose re-mix of Tori Amos' "Professional Widow" and his own "You Don't Know Me" both reached #1 in the UK in the 1990s. Rascal told MTV: "Armand approached me and sent me an email saying he wanted to work together. As soon as I heard the name I was on to it."
  • This debuted at #1 in the UK on the chart for week ending May 24, 2009. In its first seven days the song shifted over 114,000 copies thus becoming the first single in 2009 to break the 100,000 weekly sales barrier.
  • Rascal told The Sun August 28, 2009: "For all my other albums, I did a thing where the first track was to ease people into the album. This time, I literally want people to party, so bang, straight away you know what it's about. The song came with the 'bonkers' bit on it so it was almost a no-brainer for me. The song needed to be about being bonkers."
  • Mojo magazine named this as their Track Of The Year for 2009. Rascal responded: "That means so much to me, man. To be honest, Armand Van Helden just put that track in my lap, man. I get it! It's party music, man. I knew it wasn't a lyrical assault."
  • Rascal performed the song during the London 2012 Olympic Games opening ceremony. As a result, it returned to the UK singles chart in the week after the event.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Song Cities

Song CitiesMusic Quiz

Nirvana, Billy Joel and Bruce Springsteen are among those who wrote songs with cities that show up in this quiz.

Hardy

HardySongwriter Interviews

The country hitmaker talks about his debut album, A Rock, and how a nursery rhyme inspired his hit single "One Beer."

John Parr

John ParrSongwriter Interviews

John tells the "St. Elmo's Fire (Man In Motion)" story and explains why he disappeared for so long.

Dar Williams

Dar WilliamsSongwriter Interviews

A popular contemporary folk singer, Williams still remembers the sticky note that changed her life in college.

David Clayton-Thomas of Blood, Sweat & Tears

David Clayton-Thomas of Blood, Sweat & TearsSongwriter Interviews

The longtime BS&T frontman tells the "Spinning Wheel" story, including the line he got from Joni Mitchell.

The Truth Is Out There: A History of Alien Songs

The Truth Is Out There: A History of Alien SongsSong Writing

The trail runs from flying saucer songs in the '50s, through Bowie, blink-182 and Katy Perry.