"Elephant" is a song by Australian
psychedelic rock
Psychedelic rock is a rock music Music genre, genre that is inspired, influenced, or representative of psychedelia, psychedelic culture, which is centered on perception-altering hallucinogenic drugs. The music incorporated new electronic sound ...
band
Tame Impala
Tame Impala is the psychedelic music project of Australian multi-instrumentalist Kevin Parker. In the recording studio, Parker writes, records, performs, and produces all of the project's music. As a touring act, Tame Impala consists of Parke ...
, released on 26 July 2012 as the
lead single
A lead single (also known as a debut single) is the first single to be released from a studio album by an artist or a band, usually before the album itself is released and also occasionally on the same day of the album's release date.
Release s ...
from their second album ''
Lonerism
''Lonerism'' is the second studio album by Australian musical project Tame Impala, released on 5 October 2012 by Modular Recordings. Like the band's debut studio album, ''Innerspeaker'' (2010), ''Lonerism'' was written, recorded, performed, and p ...
'' (2012).
The single features artwork from
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
n artist
Leif Podhajsky
Leif Podhajsky is an Australian graphic designer and art director, well known for his distinctive album art working with artists such as Tame Impala, Bonobo, Foals, Kylie Minogue, Of Monsters and Men, Lykke Li, Toy, The Horrors, Mount Kim ...
, who also created the artwork for ''
Innerspeaker
''Innerspeaker'' is the debut studio album by Australian musical project Tame Impala. Recorded at a remote beach shack in Western Australia during the winter of 2009, the album was released on 21 May 2010 by Modular Recordings.
''Innerspeaker'' ...
'' and the follow-up ''Lonerism''.
"Elephant"
was covered by
children's music
Children's music or kids' music is music composed and performed for children. In European-influenced contexts this means music, usually songs, written specifically for a juvenile audience. The composers are usually adults. Children's music has hi ...
group
the Wiggles
The Wiggles are an Australian children's music group formed in Sydney in 1991. The group are currently composed of Anthony Field, Lachlan Gillespie, Simon Pryce and Tsehay Hawkins, as well as supporting members Evie Ferris, John Pearce, Ca ...
for Australian youth broadcaster
Triple J
Triple J (stylised in all lowercase) is a government-funded, national Australian Radio in Australia, radio station intended to appeal to listeners of alternative music, which began broadcasting in January 1975. The station also places a greate ...
's ''
Like a Version
''Like a Version'' is a weekly segment on Australian youth radio station Triple J. It involves Australian and international artists playing two songs live in the Triple J studio, one of their own songs (an "original") and then a cover version, h ...
'' segment on 5 March 2021, which won the station's
Hottest 100 of 2021.
Background
Kevin Parker explains that: "Elephant" features a
blues
Blues is a music genre and musical form which originated in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues incorporated spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts, chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads from the Afr ...
ier side of Tame Impala, heard more frequently on their
self-titled extended play, as the song was written around that stage. Because it was written around that time, "Elephant" is "an anomaly on ''Lonerism''. There are no other songs that have that bluesy riffing".
Speaking about the track in a retrospective interview with
Beats 1
Apple Music 1, previously branded as Beats 1, is a 24/7 music radio station owned and operated by Apple Inc. It is accessible through iTunes or the Apple Music app on a computer, smartphone or tablet, smart speaker (such as the Apple HomePod), ...
in 2019, Parker spoke of his surprise at how successful the track became. "I always thought it was a bit shallow, a bit cringe. But now I appreciate Elephant, because the character I'm singing about, from the loner's perspective... it's how I always envisioned big, egotistical people who would march around. It's kind of how a loner might see a jock - like an elephant." In this same interview, Parker added that his favourite Lonerism lyric is from Elephant: "He pulled the mirrors off his Cadillac / 'Cause he doesn't like it looking like he looks back".
Critical reception
Alicia Dennis from
Zimbio
Livingly Media (formerly Zimbio, Inc.) is an American digital media company based in Redwood City, California that publishes six lifestyle sites for women: Livingly.com, Lonny.com, Mabelandmoxie.com, Itsrosy.com, Zimbio.com, and StyleBistro.com. ...
called "Elephant" "the best
psych-rock
Psychedelic rock is a rock music genre that is inspired, influenced, or representative of psychedelic culture, which is centered on perception-altering hallucinogenic drugs. The music incorporated new electronic sound effects and recording tech ...
song ever written about a pompous jerk", while Nick Patch of the ''
Times Colonist
The ''Times Colonist'' is an English-language daily newspaper in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. It was formed by the Sept. 2, 1980 merger of the ''Victoria Daily Times'', established in 1884, and the ''British Colonist'' (later the ''Daily C ...
'' described it as a "distortion-drenched
garage-rocker". It is also viewed as a "
glam-rock
Glam rock is a style of rock music that developed in the United Kingdom in the early 1970s and was performed by musicians who wore outrageous costumes, makeup, and hairstyles, particularly platform shoes and glitter. Glam artists drew on divers ...
gem" by the webzine PlayGround. Joe Levy from ''
Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...
'' stated that the song was "Tame Impala's 2012
alt-rock
Alternative rock, or alt-rock, is a category of rock music that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1970s and became widely popular in the 1990s. "Alternative" refers to the genre's distinction from Popular culture, mainstre ...
hit", describing the guitar riff as "gong-banging glam". Ian Cohen of ''
Pitchfork
A pitchfork (also a hay fork) is an agricultural tool with a long handle and two to five tines used to lift and pitch or throw loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves.
The term is also applied colloquially, but inaccurately, to th ...
'' gave the song the "Best New Track" accolade, praising its production and stating that it "splits wide open during its midsection for an expansive and lyrical guitar jam that these guys are doing better than just about anyone else right now." Nathan Reese of ''
Refinery29
Refinery29 (R29) is an American multinational digital media and entertainment website focused on young women. It is owned by Vice Media.
History
Justin Stefano, Philippe von Borries, Piera Gelardi, and Christene Barberich co-founded Refinery29 i ...
'' described the song as the group's "meaner, more immediate take on its garage-psych sound". He also commented that the song "with dueling keyboard and guitar solos that arrive midway through" resembles
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd are an English rock band formed in London in 1965. Gaining an early following as one of the first British psychedelic music, psychedelic groups, they were distinguished by their extended compositions, sonic experimentation, philo ...
's "
Lucifer Sam
"Lucifer Sam" is a song by English rock band Pink Floyd, featured on the band's debut album ''The Piper at the Gates of Dawn'' (1967).
Music and lyrics
The song is built around a descending riff, with the dominant instrument being composer Syd ...
", "channeled through
the Stooges
The Stooges, originally billed as the Psychedelic Stooges, also known as Iggy and the Stooges, was an American rock band formed in Ann Arbor, Michigan, in 1967 by singer Iggy Pop, guitarist Ron Asheton, drummer Scott Asheton, and bassist Dave ...
".
Awards
*Appeared at No. 7 on
Triple J's Hottest 100 for 2012.
*Won Best Song at the EG Music Awards
*
Zane Lowe
Alexander Zane Reid Lowe (born 7 August 1973) is a New Zealand radio DJ, live DJ, record producer, and television presenter.
After an early career in music creation, production and DJing, he moved to the UK in 1997. He came to prominence thro ...
declared it the "
Hottest Record in the World
Alexander Zane Reid Lowe (born 7 August 1973) is a New Zealand radio DJ, live DJ, record producer, and television presenter.
After an early career in music creation, production and DJing, he moved to the UK in 1997. He came to prominence thro ...
" for 26 July 2012.
*The song won Song of the Year at the
APRA Music Awards in 2013.
*The video won Video of the Year at the 2013
West Australian Music Industry Awards
The Western Australian Music Industry Awards (commonly known as WAMis) are annual awards presented to the local contemporary music industry, put on by the Western Australian Music Industry Association Inc (WAM). The WAMi Awards are Western Aust ...
.
Chart performance
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Certifications
The Wiggles version
Australian
children's music
Children's music or kids' music is music composed and performed for children. In European-influenced contexts this means music, usually songs, written specifically for a juvenile audience. The composers are usually adults. Children's music has hi ...
band
the Wiggles
The Wiggles are an Australian children's music group formed in Sydney in 1991. The group are currently composed of Anthony Field, Lachlan Gillespie, Simon Pryce and Tsehay Hawkins, as well as supporting members Evie Ferris, John Pearce, Ca ...
performed a cover of "Elephant" for Australian youth broadcaster
Triple J
Triple J (stylised in all lowercase) is a government-funded, national Australian Radio in Australia, radio station intended to appeal to listeners of alternative music, which began broadcasting in January 1975. The station also places a greate ...
's ''
Like a Version
''Like a Version'' is a weekly segment on Australian youth radio station Triple J. It involves Australian and international artists playing two songs live in the Triple J studio, one of their own songs (an "original") and then a cover version, h ...
'' segment on 5 March 2021, during which they
interpolated
In the mathematical field of numerical analysis, interpolation is a type of estimation, a method of constructing (finding) new data points based on the range of a discrete set of known data points.
In engineering and science, one often has a n ...
their original song "Fruit Salad" throughout the performance. The cover was later released as a single through
ABC Music
ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet.
ABC or abc may also refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting
* American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster
** Disney–ABC Television ...
the following week, on 12 March 2021.
"Elephant" was included on the Wiggles'
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 ...
, ''
ReWiggled
''ReWiggled'' is a double album by Australian children's music band the Wiggles and various artists, released on 11 March 2022. Disc one is a tribute album of the Wiggles' songs reinterpreted by Australian artists and disc two is a studio alb ...
'' (2022), which features the group performing covers of songs by various Australian artists.
The performing line-up included new and original Wiggles
Lachy Gillespie,
Anthony Field
Anthony Donald Joseph Field, AM (born 8 May 1963) is an Australian musician, actor, songwriter and producer. He is best known as a leader of the children's group the Wiggles and a member of the 1980s and 1990s pop band the Cockroaches. While s ...
,
Simon Pryce
Simon James Pryce (born 7 March 1972) is an Australian singer and actor. He is best known for his work as the Red Wiggle of The Wiggles since 2013, and also for the children's show ''The Kingdom of Paramithi''.
Career
Pryce, whose grandparents ...
,
Emma Watkins,
Jeff Fatt, and
Murray Cook
Murray James Cook, AM (born 30 June 1960) is an Australian musician, actor, and Disc jockey. Cook was one of the founding members of the children's band the Wiggles from 1991 to 2012. Cook provided guitar, vocals, and songwriting in the group ...
.
The cover received instantaneous acclaim, with various people, including comedian
Andy Lee, flagging it as a contender for the station's
Hottest 100
The Triple J Hottest 100 is an annual music listener poll hosted by the publicly-funded, national Australian youth radio station, Triple J. Members of the public are invited to vote for their favourite Australian and alternative music of the y ...
countdown.
It later emerged as a favourite to top the
2021 poll, which it ultimately won, becoming the first cover song to do so.
On 26 January 2022,
Australian Recording Industry Association
The Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) is a trade association representing the Australian recording industry which was established in the 1970s by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing th ...
(ARIA) published their mid-week chart, in which they revealed the cover was likely to make its debut on the ARIA Top 50 Singles Chart that week. On 28 January, the song debuted at number 10 on the
ARIA Singles Chart dated 31 January, becoming the Wiggles' first top fifty appearance in the process.
Charts
References
{{Authority control
2012 singles
2012 songs
Tame Impala songs
Modular Recordings singles
Song recordings produced by Kevin Parker
Songs written by Kevin Parker (musician)
The Wiggles songs