"All Is Full of Love" is a song by Icelandic musician
Björk
Björk Guðmundsdóttir ( , ; born 21 November 1965), known mononymously as Björk, is an Icelandic singer, songwriter, composer, record producer, and actress. Noted for her distinct three-octave vocal range and eccentric persona, she has de ...
from her third studio album, ''
Homogenic
''Homogenic'' is the third studio album by Icelandic recording artist Björk. It was released on 20 September 1997 by One Little Indian Records. Produced by Björk, Mark Bell, Guy Sigsworth, Howie B, and Markus Dravs, the album marked a stylist ...
'' (1997). The lyrics were inspired by love in spring and
Ragnarök
In Norse mythology, (; non, Ragnarǫk) is a series of events, including a great battle, foretelling the death of numerous great figures (including the gods Odin, Thor, Týr, Freyr, Heimdallr, and Loki), natural disasters, and the submers ...
of
Norse mythology
Norse, Nordic, or Scandinavian mythology is the body of myths belonging to the North Germanic peoples, stemming from Old Norse religion and continuing after the Christianization of Scandinavia, and into the Nordic folklore of the modern period ...
. Björk's original version is a
trip hop
Trip hop (sometimes used synonymously with "downtempo") is a musical genre that originated in the early 1990s in the United Kingdom, especially Bristol. It has been described as a psychedelic music, psychedelic fusion of hip hop music, hip hop ...
ballad with
soul
In many religious and philosophical traditions, there is a belief that a soul is "the immaterial aspect or essence of a human being".
Etymology
The Modern English noun ''soul'' is derived from Old English ''sāwol, sāwel''. The earliest attes ...
influences, harp, strings, and electronic beats; the version on ''Homogenic'' is a minimalist remix by
Howie B
Howard Bernstein (born 18 April 1963, Glasgow, Scotland), professionally known as Howie B, is a Scottish musician, producer and DJ who has worked with artists including: Björk, U2, Tricky, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Soul II Soul, Robbi ...
, emphasising Björk's vocals. A remix by the German
IDM duo
Funkstörung
Funkstörung (sometimes stylized as Funkstorung) are an electronic music duo from Rosenheim, Germany, consisting of Michael Fakesch and Chris de Luca.
History
Chris de Luca and Michael Fakesch first met in 1992 at a techno party organised by F ...
was released as a single in 1998.
In 1999, "All Is Full of Love" was released as a single with a music video directed by
Chris Cunningham
Chris Cunningham (born 15 October 1970) is a British video artist and music video director, best known for his music videos for electronic musicians such as Autechre, Squarepusher, and most notably Aphex Twin on videos for "Windowlicker" and " ...
. The video uses Björk's original mix, and depicts Björk as a robot being assembled in a factory, who passionately kisses another robot. The video is often cited as one of the best of all time and a milestone in
computer animation
Computer animation is the process used for digitally generating animations. The more general term computer-generated imagery (CGI) encompasses both static scenes (still images) and dynamic images (moving images), while computer animation refe ...
; it has been displayed in art exhibitions and was on display at the
Museum of Modern Art
The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) is an art museum located in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, on 53rd Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues.
It plays a major role in developing and collecting modern art, and is often identified as one of ...
in
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
. The single reached number 24 on the
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
and became a
dance hit in the United States. The original version of "All Is Full of Love" is the opening track on ''
Greatest Hits
A greatest hits album or best-of album is a type of compilation album that collects popular and commercially successful songs by a particular artist or band. While greatest hits albums are typically supported by the artist, they can also be crea ...
'' (2002), whose tracks were voted for by fans. It has been covered by various artists.
Background and composition
"All Is Full of Love", the closing track of ''
Homogenic
''Homogenic'' is the third studio album by Icelandic recording artist Björk. It was released on 20 September 1997 by One Little Indian Records. Produced by Björk, Mark Bell, Guy Sigsworth, Howie B, and Markus Dravs, the album marked a stylist ...
'', was the album's last song to be written and recorded. Produced by Björk, the original version of the song was replaced "at the last minute" with a remixed version by
Howie B
Howard Bernstein (born 18 April 1963, Glasgow, Scotland), professionally known as Howie B, is a Scottish musician, producer and DJ who has worked with artists including: Björk, U2, Tricky, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Soul II Soul, Robbi ...
.
It was inspired by the
spring
Spring(s) may refer to:
Common uses
* Spring (season), a season of the year
* Spring (device), a mechanical device that stores energy
* Spring (hydrology), a natural source of water
* Spring (mathematics), a geometric surface in the shape of a ...
while producing the album in
Málaga
Málaga (, ) is a municipality of Spain, capital of the Province of Málaga, in the autonomous community of Andalusia. With a population of 578,460 in 2020, it is the second-most populous city in Andalusia after Seville and the sixth most pop ...
, Spain. After living in the mountains among other people for six months, Björk felt lonely, but a morning walk in April inspired her to write the track. She had a rough winter and then she realised it was spring after she could hear the birds singing. She wrote and recorded the song in half a day.
In keeping with ''Homogenic''s theme as a tribute to Björk's native Iceland, the track was inspired by
Icelandic mythology, such as the
Ragnarök
In Norse mythology, (; non, Ragnarǫk) is a series of events, including a great battle, foretelling the death of numerous great figures (including the gods Odin, Thor, Týr, Freyr, Heimdallr, and Loki), natural disasters, and the submers ...
.
The previous track, "
Pluto
Pluto (minor-planet designation: 134340 Pluto) is a dwarf planet in the Kuiper belt, a ring of trans-Neptunian object, bodies beyond the orbit of Neptune. It is the ninth-largest and tenth-most-massive known object to directly orbit the S ...
", stands for death and destruction, whereas "All Is Full of Love" stands for a new beginning.
Björk also called it a song about "believing in love" and expressed that "love isn't just about two persons. It's everywhere around you. Even if you're not getting love from Person A, it doesn't mean there's not love there."
However, she also described it as "
taking the piss
''Taking the piss'' is a colloquial term meaning to mock at the expense of others, or to be joking, without the element of offence. (Compare with the American "fuck with.") It is a shortening of the idiom taking the piss out of, which is an expr ...
", considering it the most "sugary song" ever.
As the song opposes the rest of ''Homogenics "macho" aesthetic, Björk has said it could have been included on ''
Vespertine
''Vespertine'' is the fourth studio album by Icelandic recording artist Björk. It was released on 27 August 2001 in the United Kingdom by One Little Independent Records and in the United States by Elektra Entertainment. Production on the album ...
''.
The lyrics begin with a promise of protection and caretaking: "You'll be given love / You'll be taken care of / You'll have to trust it".
The song moves towards a more reproachful tone as Björk sings, "You just ain't receiving / Your phone is off the hook / Your doors are shut",
tempered by the recognition that you have to "twist your head around you" because "love is all around you".
This is musically effected by Björk's vocals as she sings the lyric "All is full of love" in
counterpoint
In music, counterpoint is the relationship between two or more musical lines (or voices) which are harmonically interdependent yet independent in rhythm and melodic contour. It has been most commonly identified in the European classical tradi ...
with herself.
The album version of the track does not have drum accompaniment and portrays an
ambient
Ambient or Ambiance or Ambience may refer to:
Music and sound
* Ambience (sound recording), also known as atmospheres or backgrounds
* Ambient music, a genre of music that puts an emphasis on tone and atmosphere
* ''Ambient'' (album), by Moby
* ...
song.
It does not have ''Homogenic''
's characteristic electronic beats,
focusing instead on "
reatingan intimacy between the growing dynamics of the instrumentation and Bjork's impressive vocal abilities."
It uses a long
reverb
Reverberation (also known as reverb), in acoustics, is a persistence of sound, after a sound is produced. Reverberation is created when a sound or signal is reflected causing numerous reflections to build up and then decay as the sound is abso ...
, which results in a wash of sound that suggests a very large space suggestive of the "heavenly" environment Björk envisaged for the track.
[Dibben, 2009. p.108] According to Sal Cinquemani of ''
Slant Magazine
''Slant Magazine'' is an American online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New York ...
'', the song has a soft pulse with intervals that build up to an electronic orchestration of industrial beats.
David Browne of ''
Entertainment Weekly
''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cul ...
'' called it a "moony lullaby" and compared it to the music of
Enya
Enya Patricia Brennan (; ga, Eithne Pádraigín Ní Bhraonáin; born 17 May 1961), known professionally by the mononym Enya, is an Irish singer, songwriter, and musician known for modern Celtic music. She is the best-selling Irish solo arti ...
.
In his review for ''
Spin
Spin or spinning most often refers to:
* Spinning (textiles), the creation of yarn or thread by twisting fibers together, traditionally by hand spinning
* Spin, the rotation of an object around a central axis
* Spin (propaganda), an intentionally b ...
'', James Hunter wrote that the track is one of the times Björk "dips her toe into the warm lake of tradition" and noted its "
rockish minor-key verses traipse off into her
gospel
Gospel originally meant the Christian message ("the gospel"), but in the 2nd century it came to be used also for the books in which the message was set out. In this sense a gospel can be defined as a loose-knit, episodic narrative of the words an ...
."
The video version of the song is a
midtempo
In musical terminology, tempo (Italian, 'time'; plural ''tempos'', or ''tempi'' from the Italian plural) is the speed or pace of a given piece. In classical music, tempo is typically indicated with an instruction at the start of a piece (often ...
trip hop
Trip hop (sometimes used synonymously with "downtempo") is a musical genre that originated in the early 1990s in the United Kingdom, especially Bristol. It has been described as a psychedelic music, psychedelic fusion of hip hop music, hip hop ...
ballad with
soul
In many religious and philosophical traditions, there is a belief that a soul is "the immaterial aspect or essence of a human being".
Etymology
The Modern English noun ''soul'' is derived from Old English ''sāwol, sāwel''. The earliest attes ...
influences.
In opposition to the sonically
minimalist
In visual arts, music and other media, minimalism is an art movement that began in post–World War II in Western art, most strongly with American visual arts in the 1960s and early 1970s. Prominent artists associated with minimalism include Don ...
mix included on the album, this version has been described as "lushly produced"
and includes "fluttering" harps and "shivering" strings.
Reportedly the best known and the preferred version by Björk's fans and herself, it is further known under the names of "Mark Stent Mix" and "Video Mix".
Release
In August 1998, a
12-inch single
The twelve-inch single (often written as 12-inch or 12″) is a type of vinyl ( polyvinyl chloride or PVC) gramophone record that has wider groove spacing and shorter playing time with a 'single' or a few related sound tracks on each surfac ...
of "All Is Full of Love", containing a remix by German
IDM duo
Funkstörung
Funkstörung (sometimes stylized as Funkstorung) are an electronic music duo from Rosenheim, Germany, consisting of Michael Fakesch and Chris de Luca.
History
Chris de Luca and Michael Fakesch first met in 1992 at a techno party organised by F ...
, was released through
FatCat Records
FatCat Records is an English independent record label based in Brighton. The label's output reaches into many styles including experimental rock, electronica, psychedelic folk, contemporary classical, noise and post-punk. Notable artists that ...
as a limited release.
This remix had been previously distributed as a
B-side
The A-side and B-side are the two sides of phonograph records and cassettes; these terms have often been printed on the labels of two-sided music recordings. The A-side usually features a recording that its artist, producer, or record compan ...
for "
Hunter
Hunting is the human activity, human practice of seeking, pursuing, capturing, or killing wildlife or feral animals. The most common reasons for humans to hunt are to harvest food (i.e. meat) and useful animal products (fur/hide (skin), hide, ...
" (1998), and another remix of the song had been released as a B-side of "
Jóga
"Jóga" is a song recorded by Icelandic singer, songwriter and actress Björk for her third studio album, ''Homogenic'' (1997). An Electronic music, electronic song, "Jóga" fuses these elements with Baroque music, baroque and Classical music, ...
" in 1998. In January 1999, it was announced that the track would be released later that year as a single and that its music video would be shot soon.
It was atypical to release a single for promoting an album released two years before, but Björk purposely decided to do this so that the music video was more of a short film than a marketing move.
The original release date for the single was 2 May 1999, but was later extended out two weeks to 17 May. To coincide with this announcement, Funkstörung's remix was made available again and an official logo for the release was unveiled.
The music video was released that April, although the premiere of the single was pushed back to 7 June 1999.
"All Is Full of Love" was released as two 12-inch singles, two
CD single
A CD single (sometimes abbreviated to CDS) is a music single in the form of a compact disc. The standard in the Red Book for the term ''CD single'' is an 8 cm (3-inch) CD (or Mini CD). It now refers to any single recorded onto a CD of any si ...
s, a
DVD single
A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a music marketing device ...
, and a
box set
A box set or (its original name) boxed set is a set of items (for example, a compilation of books, musical recordings, films or television programs) traditionally packaged in a box and offered for sale as a single unit.
Music
Artists and bands ...
, which included the CD singles and the music video in
VHS format.
Some publications regard the single as the first DVD single release. In the United Kingdom, it was also made available as two different
promotional singles
A promotional recording, or promo, or plug copy, is an audio or video recording distributed free, usually in order to promote a recording that is or soon will be commercially available. Promos are normally sent directly to broadcasters, such as ...
in 1999, and as two
VHS single
A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a music marketing device ...
s.
B-sides include remixes by
μ-Ziq, Funkstörung,
Plaid
Plaid () may refer to:
Fabric
* Full plaid, a cloth made with a tartan pattern, wrapped around the waist, cast over the shoulder and fastened at the front
* A synonym for tartan in North America
* A plaid shirt, typically of flannel and worn du ...
,
Guy Sigsworth
Guy Sigsworth is an English record producer and songwriter. During his career, he has worked with many artists, including Seal, Björk, Goldie, Madonna, Britney Spears, Kate Havnevik, Imogen Heap, Bebel Gilberto, Mozez, David Sylvian, Alanis M ...
,
Mark Stent
Mark may refer to:
Currency
* Bosnia and Herzegovina convertible mark, the currency of Bosnia and Herzegovina
* East German mark, the currency of the German Democratic Republic
* Estonian mark, the currency of Estonia between 1918 and 1927
* Finn ...
and
Howie B
Howard Bernstein (born 18 April 1963, Glasgow, Scotland), professionally known as Howie B, is a Scottish musician, producer and DJ who has worked with artists including: Björk, U2, Tricky, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Soul II Soul, Robbi ...
.
The single's artwork consists of shots from the music video and features the official logo, which can be seen in the video as well. The song was also included as the opening track of Björk's 2002
compilation album
A compilation album comprises Album#Tracks, tracks, which may be previously released or unreleased, usually from several separate recordings by either one or several Performing arts#Performers, performers. If by one artist, then generally the tr ...
''
Greatest Hits
A greatest hits album or best-of album is a type of compilation album that collects popular and commercially successful songs by a particular artist or band. While greatest hits albums are typically supported by the artist, they can also be crea ...
'', whose songs were selected by fans through a survey, in which the single was the second most voted song, coming after "
Hyperballad
"Hyperballad" (sometimes written as "Hyper-Ballad") is a song by Icelandic musician and recording artist Björk, released as the fourth single from her second solo album, ''Post'' (1995). The song was written by Björk and co-produced by long t ...
" (1996).
Critical reception
Both versions of "All Is Full of Love" received acclaim from
music critics
Music journalism (or music criticism) is media criticism and reporting about music topics, including popular music, classical music, and traditional music. Journalists began writing about music in the eighteenth century, providing commentary on w ...
. In a review for ''Homogenic'', Phares from
AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...
described the track as a "reassuring finale". Sal Cinquemani of ''
Slant Magazine
''Slant Magazine'' is an American online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New York ...
'' called it a "sublime rebirth",
and ''
Tiny Mix Tapes
''Tiny Mix Tapes'' (also ''TMT'' or ''tinymixtapes'') is an online music and film webzine that focuses primarily on new music and related news. In addition to its reviews, it is noted for its subversive, political, and sometimes surreal news, a ...
'' commented that "the album ends on an optimistic note" with the "exquisite" song. In a retrospective review, ''Music Tech'' described the song as "hauntingly-beautiful." ''
Entertainment Weekly
''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cul ...
''s
David Browne was less enthusiastic, considering it "the weakest track" of the album.
In a review for the
DVD single
A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a music marketing device ...
, Alex Castle of
IGN
''IGN'' (formerly ''Imagine Games Network'') is an American video game and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa distri ...
gave the music a score of 9 out of 10, writing "the thing sounds fantastic" and that the song is "pretty good". However, he admitted that he "would probably not have been particularly impressed" if he hadn't seen the music video.
James Oldham of ''
NME
''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming, and culture website and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a 'rock inkie', the NME would become a magazine that ended up as a f ...
'' described it as "magnificent, sultry,
pneumatic
Pneumatics (from Greek ‘wind, breath’) is a branch of engineering that makes use of gas or pressurized air.
Pneumatic systems used in Industrial sector, industry are commonly powered by compressed air or compressed inert gases. A central ...
trip-soul ballad, which gently blooms into a magical garden of fluttering harps and shivering strings." He also added that the track "is no mere soundtrack" for the video.
AllMusic's Heather Phares gave the DVD single four out of five stars, considering it "a necessary addition to the collections of dedicated Bjork fans". Douglas Wolk of ''
CMJ New Music Monthly
CMJ Holdings Corp. is a music events and online media company, originally founded in 1978, which ran a website, hosted an annual festival in New York City, and published two magazines, ''CMJ New Music Monthly'' and ''CMJ New Music Report''. Th ...
'' also gave the single a positive review, commending its B-sides and writing it "was hardly the most striking piece at the time—but the tune turns out to have been something of a sleeper."
Recognition
Norwegian magazine ''Panorama'' ranked "All Is Full of Love" at number four on its list of Singles of the Year.
''
Blender
A blender (sometimes called a mixer or liquidiser in British English) is a kitchen appliance, kitchen and laboratory appliance used to mix, crush, purée or emulsion, emulsify food and other substances. A stationary blender consists of a blender ...
'' included the track on two lists: "Standout Tracks from the 500 CDs You Must Own" and "The 1001 Greatest Songs to Download Right Now!", both published in 2003.
The staff members of Slant Magazine placed "All Is Full of Love" at number 59 on their list of "The 100 Best Singles of the 1990s", writing: "Though it has been as oft-remixed as any other Björk single from the landmark ''Homogenic'' set, no version quite achieves the ethereal effect that the album mix of the song does. Coming off the tail-end of "Pluto," a sonic threnody for a suicidal fan, Björk's open-source, beat-free echo chamber is both absolution and resurrection".
The track was also included on Quintessence Editions' "1001 Songs You Must Hear Before You Die: And 10,001 You Must Download".
Music video
Background and development
The music video for "All Is Full of Love" was directed by
Chris Cunningham
Chris Cunningham (born 15 October 1970) is a British video artist and music video director, best known for his music videos for electronic musicians such as Autechre, Squarepusher, and most notably Aphex Twin on videos for "Windowlicker" and " ...
. Björk was impressed by Cunningham's original music videos for IDM musicians
Autechre
Autechre () is an English electronic music duo consisting of Rob Brown and Sean Booth, both from Rochdale, Greater Manchester. Formed in 1987, they are among the best known acts signed to UK electronic label Warp Records, through which all of Au ...
,
Squarepusher
Tom Jenkinson (born 17 January 1975), known professionally as Squarepusher, is an English electronic musician, record producer, bassist, multi-instrumentalist and DJ. His music spans several genres including drum and bass, IDM, acid house, ...
, and
Aphex Twin
Richard David James (born 18 August 1971), best known as Aphex Twin, is an Irish-born British musician, composer and DJ. He is known for his idiosyncratic work in electronic music, electronic styles such as techno, ambient music, ambient, and jun ...
, and by his clear lines,
science fiction
Science fiction (sometimes shortened to Sci-Fi or SF) is a genre of speculative fiction which typically deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel, parallel unive ...
inclinations, and discordant imagery.
This resulted in Björk contacting him to meet at his London office; she brought a Chinese ''
Kama Sutra
The ''Kama Sutra'' (; sa, कामसूत्र, , ; ) is an ancient Indian Sanskrit text on sexuality, eroticism and emotional fulfillment in life. Attributed to Vātsyāyana, the ''Kama Sutra'' is neither exclusively nor predominantly ...
'' as a guide to what she wanted.
Cunningham had also associated the track with sex upon hearing it, but could not figure out how to make the video explicit yet broadcastable.
Björk said: "I think the only thing I said was that I thought it was very white
..and I'm trying to describe some sort of a heaven. But I wanted also to have the other level there, there would be lust, it wouldn't be just clean." She complemented saying she mentioned that the video should be "white" and "frozen", and then it "melts because of love" and "making love".
When Cunningham first heard the track, he wrote down the words "milk", "sexual", "surgery", and "white porcelain"; they outline what would become the music video. Concerning this, Cunningham added that it was like ''Kama Sutra'' meeting
Industrial Robotics
An industrial robot is a robot system used for manufacturing. Industrial robots are automated, programmable and capable of movement on three or more axes.
Typical applications of robots include welding, painting, assembly, disassembly, pick a ...
and that because of the
surreal
Surreal may refer to:
*Anything related to or characteristic of Surrealism, a movement in philosophy and art
* "Surreal" (song), a 2000 song by Ayumi Hamasaki
* ''Surreal'' (album), an album by Man Raze
*Surreal humour, a common aspect of humor
...
nature of the images, they could be "sexually suggestive" as they liked.
Initially, it was planned that during the visual's ending, the robots would unfold like a flower as they mated, revealing an abstract life form made from the two artificial forms.
However, the team could not manage to materialise this thought.
The robots were designed by Cunningham and were built in full-size by Paul Catling—who had also sculpted the masks for Aphex Twin's "
Windowlicker
"Windowlicker" is a song by British electronic musician Aphex Twin, released on 22 March 1999 as a single by Warp Records. The artwork for the single was created by Chris Cunningham, with additional work by The Designers Republic. Cunningham als ...
" (1999)—in
clay
Clay is a type of fine-grained natural soil material containing clay minerals (hydrous aluminium phyllosilicates, e.g. kaolin, Al2 Si2 O5( OH)4).
Clays develop plasticity when wet, due to a molecular film of water surrounding the clay par ...
in two hours. He also worked with Julian Caldow in
set design
Scenic design (also known as scenography, stage design, or set design) is the creation of theatrical, as well as film or television scenery. Scenic designers come from a variety of artistic backgrounds, but in recent years, are mostly trained ...
, which was created by Chris Oddy.
The treatment described the set as an "elegant" and "white environment" with "a Japanese feel to it".
However, the music video's director was dissatisfied with the result and relied heavily on
post-production
Post-production is part of the process of filmmaking, video production, audio production, and photography. Post-production includes all stages of production occurring after principal photography or recording individual program segments.
The ...
. On the shoot there were two main robot arms, but during its post production, a third and fourth robot arm were created in
computer-generated imagery
Computer-generated imagery (CGI) is the use of computer graphics to create or contribute to images in art, printed media, video games, simulators, and visual effects in films, television programs, shorts, commercials, and videos. The images may ...
.
The video was shot at
Bray Studios
Bray Productions was a pioneering American animation studio that produced several popular cartoons during the years of World War I and the early interwar era, becoming a springboard for several key animators of the 20th century, including the ...
and Greenford Studios, and post-production was handled by Glasswork using the software programs
Softimage
Autodesk Softimage, or simply Softimage () was a 3D computer graphics application, for producing 3D computer graphics, 3D modeling, and computer animation. Now owned by Autodesk and formerly titled Softimage, XSI, the software has been predomi ...
and
Flame
A flame (from Latin ''flamma'') is the visible, gaseous part of a fire. It is caused by a highly exothermic chemical reaction taking place in a thin zone. When flames are hot enough to have ionized gaseous components of sufficient density they ...
. Cunningham said that every shot in the clip had four layers. He reportedly first shot the set and the props doing nothing for about 21 seconds, and then removed the robot and replaced it with Björk, who had her face painted white and wore a blue suit. Using a mix of the
master shot
A master shot is a film recording of an entire dramatized scene, start to finish, from a camera angle that keeps all the players in view. It is often a long shot and can sometimes perform a double function as an establishing shot. Usually, the ma ...
and a live feed of Björk in frame, the production team tried to match up her face and the robot body as much as possible.
Only Björk's eyes and mouth were used, with the rest of the robot representing 3D animation traced from her real head.
Cunningham has described the filming process as an unpleasant experience:
Björk left Cunningham alone to work for the video, refusing to see the product until it was finished, explaining that "when you come across someone as special as Chris you just go humble", which Cunningham said made the work much easier.
Synopsis
The video begins with a journey through a dark environment wrought with cables and a faint pulsating light. The sequence has been described as "womb-like, voyeuristic, as if the black box of technology is about to open up".
The camera follows these cables to an ethereal, white room where a robot with Björk's features lies in a fetal position. As the room becomes illuminated by fluorescent lights flickering on, two mechanical arms begin to assemble the robot, which opens its eyes and begins to sing the song. Pistons pumping white fluids, as well as drilling and penetrative motions are seen, featuring a "clear" sexual subtext.
Now sitting upright, the robot looks up to see another robotic Björk as the machines stop the assembly. It smiles and extends its hand to the sitting robot, joining in the song. In the
climax
Climax may refer to:
Language arts
* Climax (narrative), the point of highest tension in a narrative work
* Climax (rhetoric), a figure of speech that lists items in order of importance
Biology
* Climax community, a biological community th ...
of the video,
the robots passionately kiss and embrace while the machines assemble their backs and light comes and goes. The images of the kissing robots are interposed with shots of white fluid washing over robotic parts and the mechanical arms assembling them. According to the Institute for the Unstable Media, "as the music fades and the pulsating beat becomes more dominant, we are once again drawn in the womb-like dark space, making it clear to us that we sampled a glimpse of a black-boxed kingdom".
Reception
The music video was greeted with widespread critical acclaim.
Music journalist
Music journalism (or music criticism) is media criticism and reporting about music topics, including popular music, classical music, and traditional music. Journalists began writing about music in the eighteenth century, providing commentary on w ...
Mark Pytlik wrote the visual "marked an unquestionable creative apex for Björk's visual work, a perfect synthesis of form and content".
IGN
''IGN'' (formerly ''Imagine Games Network'') is an American video game and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa distri ...
gave the video a score of 9/10, writing it is an "utterly gorgeous sight to behold" and "just about perfect".
''
Time
Time is the continued sequence of existence and events that occurs in an apparently irreversible succession from the past, through the present, into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequence events, to ...
''s Craig Duff called it a milestone in computer animation and stated that "no robot had expressed the sensuality that director Chris Cunningham imbues in a Björk-bot in the video".
MusicRadar
MusicRadar is a music website that offers information pertaining to artists and their music. The site features music gear news and reviews, artist interviews and online music and production tutorials. It is owned by British media company Future ...
considered the music video to be "one of the most visually striking promos of Björk's career."
''
NME
''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming, and culture website and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a 'rock inkie', the NME would become a magazine that ended up as a f ...
'' also praised the "All Is Full of Love" clip as one of Björk's best, and particularly commended the wide angle shot of the cyborgs kissing as the chorus kicks in.
Eric Henderson of ''
Slant Magazine
''Slant Magazine'' is an American online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New York ...
'' dubbed it "the perfect pre-millennial precursor to our current gadget-assisted culture of self-love" and also wrote, "When it was released, I thought it looked cool and stressed the importance of loving yourself. Now I think it's a terrifying and sealed-off nightmare wherein you find out that you are the only person who will ever love you."
Writing for
Pitchfork Media
''Pitchfork'' (formerly ''Pitchfork Media'') is an American online music publication (currently owned by Condé Nast) that was launched in 1995 by writer Ryan Schreiber as an independent music blog.
Schreiber started Pitchfork while working ...
, Scott Plagenhoef considered that "the strongest single images from any video of the 1990s come from
he clip, also calling it "strange and moving".
''
CMJ New Music Monthly
CMJ Holdings Corp. is a music events and online media company, originally founded in 1978, which ran a website, hosted an annual festival in New York City, and published two magazines, ''CMJ New Music Monthly'' and ''CMJ New Music Report''. Th ...
s Douglas Wolk called the video "magnificent" and praised it for "
ringing
Ringing may mean:
Vibrations
* Ringing (signal), unwanted oscillation of a signal, leading to ringing artifacts
* Vibration of a harmonic oscillator
** Bell ringing
* Ringing (telephony), the sound of a telephone bell
* Ringing (medicine), a ri ...
out the beauty of the song".
Recognition and legacy
![Björk AIFOL MoMA](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/ff/Bj%C3%B6rk_AIFOL_MoMA.jpg)
The music video has won various awards and accolades. It won the Jury Prize at
ArtFutura Festival of 1999, Best Video in the 2000
Fantasporto
Fantasporto, also known as Fantas, is an international film festival, annually organized since 1981 in Porto, Portugal. Giving screen space to Fantasy film, fantasy/Science fiction film, science fiction/Horror film, horror-oriented commercial fe ...
, Best Video at the 2000
Australian Effects and Animation Festival
__NOTOC__
The Australian Effects & Animation Festival (AEAF) is an annual international festival of visual effects (VFX), animation games and immersive media. The event, which includes an awards ceremony known as the AEAF Awards, a program of s ...
and Best Art Direction in a Video and Best Special Effects in a Video at the Music Week Awards.
Other awards received at festivals include the second place of the Prix PIXEL-INA Best Script in the 2000
Imagina
IMAGINA (originally known as International Forum of New Images) was the name of an annual festival on computer graphics (CG) and communications technology (CT) that took place from 1986 to 2000 in Monte-Carlo, Monaco. It was created by the Institu ...
, and the music video award at the London Effects and Animation Festival.
At the
D&AD
Design and Art Direction (D&AD), formerly known as British Design and Art Direction, is a British educational organisation that was created in 1962 to promote excellence in design and advertising. Its main offices are in Spitalfields in London. I ...
Awards, the video was awarded prizes in Video Direction, Cinematography, Animation, and Special Effects. Furthermore, at the MVPA Awards, Cunningham received the award for Best Direction of a Female Artist in a Music Video.
Björk won two awards at the
MTV Video Music Awards
The MTV Video Music Awards (commonly abbreviated as the VMAs) is an award show presented by the cable channel MTV to honour the best in the music video medium. Originally conceived as an alternative to the Grammy Awards (in the video category) ...
in 2000:
Breakthrough Video
Breakthrough or break through may refer to:
Arts Books
* ''Break Through'' (book), a 2007 book about environmentalism by Ted Nordhaus and Michael Shellenberger
* ''Break Through'' (play), a 2011 episodic play portraying scenes from LGBT life
* ...
and
Best Special Effects in a Video. The music video also received the Best Special Effects in a Music Video and Best 3D Animation Music Video during the 2000 International Monitor Awards.
Particularly, the visual won various nominations: Best Video at the 1999 Ericcson Muzik Awards,
Best Short Form Music Video
The Grammy Award for Best Music Video is an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to performers, directors, and producers of quality short form music videos. Hon ...
at the
42nd Annual Grammy Awards
The 42nd Annual Grammy Awards were held on February 23, 2000, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. They recognized accomplishments by musicians from the year 1999. Nominations were announced on January 4, 2000. Santana was the main r ...
, and Best Alternative Video, Best Cinematography, and Best Editing in a Video at the 2000 Music Week Awards.
In 2008,
MTV2
MTV2 (formerly M2) is an American pay television Cable television, channel owned by the Paramount Media Networks division of Paramount Global.
The channel launched initially as an all-music video service, once the original MTV had started to sh ...
ranked the music video as number one on their list "Greatest Music Videos Ever". In 2011, "All Is Full of Love" was placed at number 14 in
MusicRadar
MusicRadar is a music website that offers information pertaining to artists and their music. The site features music gear news and reviews, artist interviews and online music and production tutorials. It is owned by British media company Future ...
's list of the 30 best music videos of all time,
and was placed in ''Time''s list of The 30 All-TIME Best Music Videos.
The video was also listed as the fifth-greatest of all time by ''
NME
''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming, and culture website and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a 'rock inkie', the NME would become a magazine that ended up as a f ...
'',
and the ninth top music video of the decade by Pitchfork Media.
In addition, "All Is Full of Love" has been included in various
art exhibitions
An art exhibition is traditionally the space in which art objects (in the most general sense) meet an audience. The exhibit is universally understood to be for some temporary period unless, as is rarely true, it is stated to be a "permanent exhi ...
and
museums
A museum ( ; plural museums or, rarely, musea) is a building or institution that cares for and displays a collection of artifacts and other objects of artistic, cultural, historical, or scientific importance. Many public museums make these ...
, including ''DEAF04 Exhibition'' in the
V2 Institute for the Unstable Media
V2_, Lab for the Unstable Media, founded in 1981, is an interdisciplinary center for art and media technology in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.Stephen Wilson, ''Information Arts: Intersections of Art, Science, and Technology'', MIT Press, 2002, p. 8 ...
in
Rotterdam
Rotterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Rotte'') is the second largest city and municipality in the Netherlands. It is in the province of South Holland, part of the North Sea mouth of the Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta, via the ''"N ...
,
''Chris Cunningham'' in
MoMA PS1
MoMA PS1 is a contemporary art institution located in Court Square in the Long Island City neighborhood in the borough of Queens, New York City. In addition to its exhibitions, the institution organizes the Sunday Sessions performance series, th ...
in New York City, the
49th Venice Biennale
The 49th Venice Biennale, held in 2001, was an exhibition of international contemporary art, with 65 participating nations. The Venice Biennale takes place biennially in Venice, Italy. Prizewinners of the 49th Biennale included: Richard Serra a ...
, ''While Interwoven Echoes Drip into a Hybrid Body – an Exhibition about Sound, Performance and Sculpture'' in the
Migros Museum für Gegenwartskunst
The Migros Museum of Contemporary Art (German: Migros Museum für Gegenwartskunst) is a museum for contemporary art in Zürich, Switzerland. The museum was founded in 1996
.
It is the successor to the Halle für Internationale neue Kunst, which ...
in
Zürich
Zürich () is the list of cities in Switzerland, largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zürich. It is located in north-central Switzerland, at the northwestern tip of Lake Zürich. As of January 2020, the municipality has 43 ...
, and ''This Is Not a Love Song'' in La Virreina Centre de la Imatge in Barcelona. The music video was also on permanent exhibition at the
Museum of Modern Art
The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) is an art museum located in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, on 53rd Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues.
It plays a major role in developing and collecting modern art, and is often identified as one of ...
in New York City.
Chris Cunningham served as a model for a character in the novel ''
Pattern Recognition
Pattern recognition is the automated recognition of patterns and regularities in data. It has applications in statistical data analysis, signal processing, image analysis, information retrieval, bioinformatics, data compression, computer graphi ...
'' (2003) by
William Gibson
William Ford Gibson (born March 17, 1948) is an American-Canadian speculative fiction writer and essayist widely credited with pioneering the science fiction subgenre known as ''cyberpunk''. Beginning his writing career in the late 1970s, his ...
, in which a fictitious music video director who puts "robot girls in his video" makes a clip characterised by the following words: "No sci-fi
kitsch
Kitsch ( ; loanword from German) is a term applied to art and design that is perceived as naïve imitation, overly-eccentric, gratuitous, or of banal taste.
The avant-garde opposed kitsch as melodramatic and superficial affiliation with ...
for Damien. Dreamlike things in the dawn half-light, their small breasts gleaming, white plastic shining faints as old marble", as a reference to "All Is Full of Love". In 2004, similarities were noted between the design of the robots in the music video and those in the film ''
I, Robot
''I, Robot'' is a fixup (compilation) novel of science fiction short stories or essays by American writer Isaac Asimov. The stories originally appeared in the American magazines ''Super Science Stories'' and ''Astounding Science Fiction'' betw ...
'', raising accusations of
plagiarism
Plagiarism is the fraudulent representation of another person's language, thoughts, ideas, or expressions as one's own original work.From the 1995 '' Random House Compact Unabridged Dictionary'': use or close imitation of the language and thought ...
by fans.
E! News
''E! News'', previously known as ''E! News Daily'' and ''E! News Live'', is the entertainment news operation for the cable network E! in the United States. Its former on-air weekday newscast debuted on September 1, 1991, and primarily reports ...
contacted Cunningham and
20th Century Fox
20th Century Studios, Inc. (previously known as 20th Century Fox) is an American film production company headquartered at the Fox Studio Lot in the Century City area of Los Angeles. As of 2019, it serves as a film production arm of Walt Dis ...
—the studio behind the film—but neither of them returned calls for comment.
According to Tymon Smith of ''
The Times
''The Times'' is a British daily national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its current name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its sister paper ''The Sunday Times'' (fou ...
'', 2015 American film ''
Chappie'' "ends with a rip off" of the music video. It also was an inspiration for the opening title sequence of the television series
Westworld
''Westworld'' is an American science fiction- thriller media franchise that began with the 1973 film ''Westworld'', written and directed by Michael Crichton. The film depicts a technologically advanced Wild-West-themed amusement park populat ...
.
Live performances
![Björk2001](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/96/Bj%C3%B6rk2001.jpg)
Björk first performed "All Is Full of Love" live in July 1997, playing the whole album for a press conference and presentation concert concerning ''Homogenic'' at the Old Truman Building, an old beer factory in London, wearing a pink dress designed by
Hussein Chalayan
Hussein Chalayan, (; tr, Hüseyin Çağlayan ; born 12 August 1970) is a British-Cypriot fashion designer. He has won the British Designer of the Year twice (in 1999 and 2000) and was awarded the MBE in 2006.
Chalayan is currently teaching a ...
, which she would later sport in the video for "
Bachelorette
''Bachelorette'' (/ˌbætʃələˈrɛt/) is a term used in American English for a single, unmarried woman. The term is derived from the word ''bachelor'', and is often used by journalists, editors of popular magazines, and some individuals. ...
" (1997) and photoshoots. The song was part of the set list for her
Homogenic Tour, on which Björk embarked with
Mark Bell and Icelandic String Octet from late 1997 to early 1999. "All Is Full of Love" was also performed during the
Vespertine World Tour
The Vespertine World Tour was a tour by the singer Björk that focused on her album ''Vespertine''. She also performed songs from ''Debut'', ''Post'', ''Homogenic'' and ''Selmasongs''. She performed 35 shows on this tour and 31 different songs. Th ...
in 2001, which featured ''Vespertine'' collaborators
Matmos
Matmos is an experimental electronic music duo originally from San Francisco but now residing in Baltimore. M. C. (Martin) Schmidt and Drew Daniel are the core members, but they frequently include other artists on their records and in their per ...
and
Zeena Parkins
Zeena Parkins (born 1956) is an American composer and multi-instrumentalist active in experimental, free improvised, contemporary classical, and avant-jazz music; she is known for having "reinvented the harp". Parkins performs on standard harp ...
, an Inuit choir, and an orchestra.
During the tour, Björk performed in concert halls and opera houses in order to "have the best acoustics possible" and avoid the "appalling acoustics" of stadiums and rock venues.
The track was the most performed of the tour, alongside "Frosti" and "
Pagan Poetry
"Pagan Poetry" is a song recorded by Icelandic singer Björk for her fourth studio album ''Vespertine'' (2001). It was released as the second single from the album on 5 November 2001, by One Little Indian Records. A moderate commercial success, ...
". Björk's concert at the
Royal Opera House
The Royal Opera House (ROH) is an opera house and major performing arts venue in Covent Garden, central London. The large building is often referred to as simply Covent Garden, after a previous use of the site. It is the home of The Royal Op ...
of 16 December 2001, which included a performance of the song, was broadcast on
BBC Four
BBC Four is a British free-to-air public broadcast television channel owned and operated by the BBC. It was launched on 2 March 2002 and released as the DVD ''
Live at Royal Opera House
''Live at Royal Opera House'' and also known as ''Vespertine Live at Royal Opera House'' is an official DVD released by Björk on 18 November 2002. It contains a live performance by Björk on the Vespertine World Tour, recorded live at the Roya ...
'' in 2002. A live version of the track can also be found on the tour documentary DVD ''
Minuscule
Letter case is the distinction between the letters that are in larger uppercase or capitals (or more formally ''majuscule'') and smaller lowercase (or more formally ''minuscule'') in the written representation of certain languages. The writing ...
'' of 2003. A Vespertine Tour live version of the song was released through ''
Vespertine Live
''Vespertine Live'' is a live album by Icelandic singer Björk, collecting her favourite performances from her 2001 Vespertine World Tour. A companion album to 2001's critically acclaimed ''Vespertine'', ''Vespertine Live'' was originally released ...
'', a live album of the tour included in the box set ''
Live Box'' (2003).
The
headliner of the 2002
Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival
The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival (commonly called the Coachella Festival or simply Coachella) is an annual music and arts festival held at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California, in the Coachella Valley in the Colorado Desert. ...
, Björk opened the set with the track, wearing a white
Comme des Garçons
Comme des Garçons (also known as CDG) is a Japanese fashion label based in Paris that was created and led by Rei Kawakubo. Its French flagship store is located in Paris. This label owns a world-wide store chain featuring various lines of prod ...
dress. This performance was included on the 2006 video documentary ''Coachella''. The song was also part of the set list of the
Greatest Hits Tour (2003), which once again featured the Icelandic String Octet, but with the addition of Vespertine World Tour collaborators Matmos and Zeena Parkins. It was one of the most played songs of the tour. Björk's performance of the song in New York City during the tour was included in the 2005 documentary film ''
Screaming Masterpiece
''Screaming Masterpiece'' (''Gargandi snilld'' in Icelandic) is a 2005 documentary film directed and written by Ari Alexander Ergis Magnússon about the music scene in Iceland. It attempts to explore the reasons why Iceland has such a rich var ...
''. "All Is Full of Love" was also performed during the
Volta Tour (2007–08), a tour she undertook with Mark Bell,
Jónas Sen
Jónas Sen (born 1962) is an Icelandic pianist, music critic for Fréttablaðið, composer and TV host.
He was the keyboard player in Björk’s band, which was on a world tour in 2007 and 2008. In 2011 Björk and Jónas arranged all the '' Biop ...
, Damian Taylor,
Chris Corsano
Chris Corsano is an American drummer, improviser, and composer.
Career
Alongside his solo work, Corsano has performed on over one hundred records with artists including Evan Parker, Sunburned Hand of the Man, Six Organs of Admittance, Dredd ...
, and a 10-piece female
brass band. Several of the concerts were part of festivals, including
Coachella Coachella may refer to:
* Coachella, California
* Coachella Canal, in California
* Coachella (festival), an annual music and arts festival in California
* "Coachella – Woodstock in My Mind", a 2017 song by Lana del Rey
See also
* Coachell ...
,
Glastonbury
Glastonbury (, ) is a town and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated at a dry point on the low-lying Somerset Levels, south of Bristol. The town, which is in the Mendip district, had a population of 8,932 in the 2011 census. Glastonbury ...
, and
Rock en Seine
Rock en Seine () is a three-day rock music festival, held at Domaine National de Saint-Cloud, the Château de Saint-Cloud's park, west of Paris, inside the garden designed by André Le Nôtre.
Name
The name is a pun, based on exactly the sam ...
, among others. A live performance of the track during the tour was included in the box set ''
Voltaïc
''Voltaïc'' refers to five separate releases of related material from musician Björk's seventh studio album '' Volta''. The full version of the release includes a CD of eleven songs performed live at the Olympic Studios, a DVD of Björk's liv ...
'' (2009), specifically the CD ''Songs from the Volta Tour Performed Live at the Olympic Studios''. The track was also performed a few times during Björk's
Biophilia Tour
The Biophilia Tour was the seventh concert tour by Icelandic musician Björk. The tour was centered on her multimedia project and studio album '' Biophilia'' (2011). The tour premiered at the Manchester International Festival and visited Europe, A ...
(2011–13). The song was performed only once on the 2015
Vulnicura Tour
The Vulnicura Tour was the eighth concert tour by Icelandic musician Björk. The tour centered on her critically acclaimed 2015 album ''Vulnicura'' which chronicled the singer's breakup with American contemporary artist Matthew Barney.
The first ...
.
Cover versions
In 2001, American
indie rock
Indie rock is a Music subgenre, subgenre of rock music that originated in the United States, United Kingdom and New Zealand from the 1970s to the 1980s. Originally used to describe independent record labels, the term became associated with the mu ...
band
the Microphones
The Microphones are an American indie folk, indie rock, and experimental project from Olympia, Washington. The project was founded in 1996 and ended in 2003, with a short reunion following in 2007 and revivals in 2019 and 2020. Across every it ...
covered "All Is Full of Love" for their 2001 studio album, ''
Blood
Blood is a body fluid in the circulatory system of humans and other vertebrates that delivers necessary substances such as nutrients and oxygen to the cells, and transports metabolic waste products away from those same cells. Blood in the c ...
''. It was also covered by
Death Cab for Cutie
Death Cab for Cutie is an American rock band formed in Bellingham, Washington, in 1997. The band is currently composed of Ben Gibbard (vocals, guitar, piano), Nick Harmer (bass), Dave Depper (guitar, keyboards, backing vocals), Zac Rae (keyboar ...
and was released on their 2002 ''
The Stability EP
''The Stability EP'' is a limited edition EP by Indie rock band Death Cab for Cutie, released February 19, 2002. The release marks the final appearance of drummer Michael Schorr.
The tracks on ''The Stability EP'' were originally featured as bonu ...
''.
The
Vitamin String Quartet
Vitamin String Quartet (VSQ) is an American musical group from Los Angeles known for its series of tribute albums to rock and pop acts.
VSQ is a series of string quartet projects developed and produced by CMH Label Group, an independent record ...
, a musical group known for its tributes to popular music acts, covered the track as part of their 2005 tribute to Björk ''Violently: The String Quartet Tribute To Bjork''. In 2022,
Rosie Thomas covered "All Is Full of Love" with guest vocalists including
Sufjan Stevens
Sufjan Stevens ( ; born July 1, 1975) is an American singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist. He has released nine solo studio albums and multiple collaborative albums with other artists. Stevens has received Grammy and Academy Award nomi ...
and
the Shins
The Shins is an American indie rock band formed in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in 1996. The band is the project of singer-songwriter James Mercer, who has served as the band's sole constant member throughout numerous line-up changes. The band's cu ...
.
Track listings
1998
* UK CD
# Björk mit Funkstörung – "All Is Full of Love (In Love With Funkstörung Mix)" – 5:29
# Funkstörung – "This Shit" – 5:01
# Björk mit Funkstörung – "All Is Full of Love (Secondotted by Funkstörung)" – 4:37
: The 12-inch vinyl version of the single only featured the first two tracks. The "Secondotted by Funkstörung" mix was included on the 1999 single as the "Funkstörung Exclusive Mix".
1999
* European CD
# "All Is Full of Love" (Radio mix) – 4:50
# "All Is Full of Love" (Radio Strings Mix) – 4:46
# "All Is Full of Love" (Guy Sigsworth mix) – 4:22
# "All Is Full of Love" (Funkstörung Exclusive mix) – 4:36
# "All Is Full of Love" (Plaid mix) – 4:15
* US CD
# "All Is Full of Love" (video version) – 4:50
# "All Is Full of Love" (Funkstörung Exclusive mix) – 4:36
# "All Is Full of Love" (Strings) – 4:46
# "All Is Full of Love" (album version) – 4:32
# "All Is Full of Love" (Plaid mix) – 4:15
# "All Is Full of Love" (Guy Sigsworth mix) – 4:22
* UK CD1
# "All Is Full of Love" – 4:50
# "All Is Full of Love" (Funkstörung Exclusive mix) – 4:36
# "All Is Full of Love" (Strings) – 4:46
* UK CD2
# "All Is Full of Love" (Album version) – 4:32
# "All Is Full of Love" (Plaid mix) – 4:15
# "All Is Full of Love" (Guy Sigsworth mix) – 4:22
* UK DVD
# "All Is Full of Love" (Video) – 4:50
# "All Is Full of Love" (Funkstörung Exclusive mix) (audio) – 4:36
# "All Is Full of Love" (Strings) (audio) – 4:46
* 12-inch vinyl 1
# "All Is Full of Love" (μ-ziq 7-inch mix) – 3:51
# "All Is Full of Love" (μ-ziq 1-inch mix) – 1:05
# "All Is Full of Love" (Funkstörung Exclusive mix) – 4:36
* 12-inch vinyl 2
# "All Is Full of Love" (Plaid remix) – 4:15
# "All Is Full of Love" (Guy Sigsworth mix) – 4:22
Credits and personnel
Credits adapted from the liner notes of ''Homogenic'' and the single's physical release.
* Written by
Björk
Björk Guðmundsdóttir ( , ; born 21 November 1965), known mononymously as Björk, is an Icelandic singer, songwriter, composer, record producer, and actress. Noted for her distinct three-octave vocal range and eccentric persona, she has de ...
* Production –
Howie B
Howard Bernstein (born 18 April 1963, Glasgow, Scotland), professionally known as Howie B, is a Scottish musician, producer and DJ who has worked with artists including: Björk, U2, Tricky, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Soul II Soul, Robbi ...
(album version) –
Björk
Björk Guðmundsdóttir ( , ; born 21 November 1965), known mononymously as Björk, is an Icelandic singer, songwriter, composer, record producer, and actress. Noted for her distinct three-octave vocal range and eccentric persona, she has de ...
(video version)
*
Mixing engineer
A mixing engineer (or simply mix engineer) is responsible for combining ("mixing") different sonic elements of an auditory piece into a complete rendition (also known as "final mix" or "mixdown"), whether in music, film, or any other content of a ...
– Howie B (album version) – Björk, Mark Stent (video version)
* Assistants – Rebecca Storey, Russell Polden, Paul "P-Dub" Walton, Jason Westbrook, Danny Brown, Kirsten Cowie, Sie Midway-Smith, James Loughrey, Rob Murphy and Jason Groucott
*
Keyboards
Keyboard may refer to:
Text input
* Keyboard, part of a typewriter
* Computer keyboard
** Keyboard layout, the software control of computer keyboards and their mapping
** Keyboard technology, computer keyboard hardware and firmware
Music
* Musi ...
– Björk,
Mark Bell and
Guy Sigsworth
Guy Sigsworth is an English record producer and songwriter. During his career, he has worked with many artists, including Seal, Björk, Goldie, Madonna, Britney Spears, Kate Havnevik, Imogen Heap, Bebel Gilberto, Mozez, David Sylvian, Alanis M ...
*
Programming – Mark Bell and
Markus Dravs
Markus Dravs is a British music producer, songwriter, programmer, engineer and mixer. His credits include Arcade Fire, Coldplay, Wolf Alice, Björk, Brian Eno, Sheep on Drugs, Mumford & Sons, Florence + the Machine, The Maccabees and Kings of ...
*
Electronic drum
Electronic drums is a modern electronic musical instrument, primarily designed to serve as an alternative to an acoustic drum kit. Electronic drums consist of an electronic sound module which produces the synthesized or sampled percussion sounds ...
kit –
Trevor Morais
Trevor Morais (born 10 October 1944) is an English drummer who has been a member of several notable groups such as Faron's Flamingos, Rory Storm and The Hurricanes, The Peddlers, Quantum Jump and the Elkie Brooks backing band. He is also a ses ...
*
Clavichord
The clavichord is a stringed rectangular keyboard instrument that was used largely in the Late Middle Ages, through the Renaissance, Baroque and Classical eras.
Historically, it was mostly used as a practice instrument and as an aid to compositi ...
and
pipe organ
The pipe organ is a musical instrument that produces sound by driving pressurized air (called ''wind'') through the organ pipes selected from a keyboard. Because each pipe produces a single pitch, the pipes are provided in sets called ''ranks ...
– Guy Sigsworth
*
Accordion
Accordions (from 19th-century German ''Akkordeon'', from ''Akkord''—"musical chord, concord of sounds") are a family of box-shaped musical instruments of the bellows-driven free-reed aerophone type (producing sound as air flows past a reed ...
–
Yasuhiro "Coba" Kobayashi
*
Glass harmonica
The glass harmonica, also known as the glass armonica, glass harmonium, bowl organ, hydrocrystalophone, or simply the armonica or harmonica (derived from , ''harmonia'', the Greek word for harmony), is a type of musical instrument that uses a ...
– Alasdair Malloy
* Published by
Polygram Music Publishing Ltd
Charts
Release history
References
Bibliography
*
External links
*
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* statistics, tagging and previews at
Last.fm
Last.fm is a music website founded in the United Kingdom in 2002. Using a music recommender system called "Audioscrobbler", Last.fm builds a detailed profile of each user's musical taste by recording details of the tracks the user listens to, e ...
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All Is Full of Love at
Rate Your Music
Rate Your Music (often abbreviated to RYM) is an online collaborative database of music releases and films. Users can catalog items from their personal collection, review them, and assign ratings in a five-star rating system. The site also fea ...
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1990s ballads
1999 singles
Björk songs
Music videos directed by Chris Cunningham
Songs written by Björk
Song recordings produced by Björk
Ambient songs
1997 songs
One Little Indian Records singles
Music videos featuring gynoids