"Ode to the Bouncer" is a song written, performed and produced by

electropop Electropop is a hybrid music genre combining elements of electronic and pop genres. Writer Hollin Jones has described it as a variant of synth-pop with heavy emphasis on its electronic sound. The genre was developed in the 1980s and saw a r ...

group

Studio Killers Studio Killers is a Finnish–Danish–British electropop virtual band made up of four animated characters: vocalist and designer Chubby Cherry (or simply Cherry), keyboardist Goldie Foxx, DJ Dyna Mink, and manager Bipolar Bear. History 2011� ...

. The energetic three-minute and 26-second

dance-pop Dance-pop is a popular music subgenre that originated in the late 1970s to early 1980s. It is generally uptempo music intended for nightclubs with the intention of being danceable but also suitable for contemporary hit radio. Developing from a ...

song, which plays in the key of

F-sharp major F-sharp major (or the key of F) is a major scale based on F, consisting of the pitches F, G, A, B, C, D, and E. Its key signature has six sharps. The F-sharp major scale is: : Its relative minor is D-sharp minor (or enharmonically ...

, tells the story of somebody trying to dance but being prevented by a bouncer from doing so. Break beats, synth loops and vocals are depicted in the song's arrangement. Dyna Mink and Goldie Foxx composed the tune, while the lyrics were made by vocalist Chubby Cherry. The single was first issued on 6 April 2011 as the lead single from Studio Killers' self-titled debut studio album, which was later released in 2013. The music video was released on 7 April. The single was the most successful in the Netherlands, where it was number one on charts such as the

Dutch Top 40 The Dutch Top 40 ( nl, Nederlandse Top 40) is a weekly music chart compiled by ''Stichting Nederlandse Top 40''. It started as a radio program titled "Veronica Top 40", on the offshore station Radio Veronica in 1965. It remained "The Veroni ...

and Mega Single Top 100 and went gold. It also made several chart appearances in Denmark, Finland, and Belgium. The song has been met with positive critical reviews, with praise going towards the song's production and arrangement. It became the anthem of benefit event

Serious Request Serious Request is a family of annual multi-day, multimedia fundraising events for International Red Cross initiatives, typically hosted by radio stations in the week before Christmas. The project was begun in 2004 by Dutch public pop music ra ...

on the Dutch radio station

3FM NPO 3FM is a Dutch rhythmic CHR radio station controlled by public broadcaster NPO. The vast majority of the songs played on-air are rock, alternative, indie and pop, though dance and Mega Top 30 tracks may also air at times. History As R ...

in 2011, and appeared on ''

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 ...

'''s "20 Best Songs of the Summer" that same year.

Production and composition

Studio Killers formed after bandmembers Dyna Mink and Goldie Foxx had a tune to be sent to a

girl group A girl group is a music act featuring several female singers who generally harmonize together. The term "girl group" is also used in a narrower sense in the United States to denote the wave of American female pop music singing groups, many of wh ...

in the United Kingdom. However, the girl group dropped from their label, and by then the two had nobody to write lyrics for the song or release it. They met up with Chubby Cherry at an international airport, suggesting that she be the track's vocalist and lyricist, thus forming Studio Killers. The tune was used for "Ode to the Bouncer".Meuse, Matt (14 June 2013)
Studio Killers are animated, anonymous and unapologetic

CBC Music CBC Music (formerly known as CBC FM, CBC Stereo and CBC Radio 2) is a Canadian FM radio network operated by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. It used to concentrate on classical and jazz. In 2007 and 2008, the network transitioned towards a ...

. Retrieved 27 October 2013.KKS EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Studio Killers
. Kick Kick Snare. 15 July 2013. Retrieved 13 November 2013. Dyna Mink played the keyboards, which were programmed by Goldie Foxx, and Chubby Cherry was

vocalist Singing is the act of creating musical sounds with the voice. A person who sings is called a singer, artist or vocalist (in jazz and/or popular music). Singers perform music (arias, recitatives, songs, etc.) that can be sung with or withou ...

. James F. Reynolds mixed the song and handled additional production,James F Reynolds' Full Discography
jamesfreynolds-mixing.co.uk. Retrieved 27 October 2013. while Dick Beetham mastered it at 360 Mastering in London. "Ode to the Bouncer" is an energetic

trackLockwood, Andrew
Studio Killers - Studio Killers Album Review

contactmusic.com Contactmusic.com is an online magazine of cultural criticism based in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It publishes reviews, interviews, and detailed essays on most cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, films, and ...

. Retrieved 26 October 2013.Kellman, Andy
Studio Killers Biography
''

Allmusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Music ...

''.

Rovi Corporation TiVo Corporation, formerly known as the Rovi Corporation and Macrovision Solutions Corporation, was an American technology company. Headquartered in San Jose, California, the company is primarily involved in licensing its intellectual property ...

. Retrieved 28 October 2013. with influences of

Giorgio Moroder Giovanni Giorgio Moroder (, ; born 26 April 1940) is an Italian composer, songwriter, and record producer. Dubbed the " Father of Disco", Moroder is credited with pioneering euro disco and electronic dance music. His work with synthesizers had ...

Vince Clarke Vincent John Martin (born 3 July 1960), known professionally as Vince Clarke, is an English synth-pop musician and songwriter. Clarke has been the main composer and musician of the band Erasure since its inception in 1985, and was previously ...

Daft Punk Daft Punk were a French electronic music duo formed in 1993 in Paris by Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo. Widely regarded as one of the most influential acts in dance music history, they achieved popularity in the late 1990s as p ...

and

ABBA ABBA ( , , formerly named Björn & Benny, Agnetha & Anni-Frid or Björn & Benny, Agnetha & Frida) are a Swedish supergroup formed in Stockholm in 1972 by Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, and Anni-Frid Lyngstad. The grou ...

. The piece is in the key of F Mixolydian, and plays for 3 minutes and 26 seconds at a

tempo 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 (ofte ...

of 123

beats per minute Beat, beats or beating may refer to: Common uses * Patrol, or beat, a group of personnel assigned to monitor a specific area ** Beat (police), the territory that a police officer patrols ** Gay beat, an area frequented by gay men * Battery ...

.ODE_TO_THE_BOUNCER_[Studio_Killers
_''Studio_Killers_Records''._Beatport.html" ;"title="tudio Killers">ODE TO THE BOUNCER [Studio Killers
''Studio Killers Records''. Beatport">tudio Killers">ODE TO THE BOUNCER [Studio Killers
''Studio Killers Records''. Beatport. Retrieved 15 November 2013. Lyrically, the song depicts a woman trying to get into a nightclub by claiming that it's her birthday, that she has friends inside, and that she's not wearing any underwear or proper shoes for the cold temperature outside, only for the bouncer to continue to refuse her entrance. She then begins insulting the "empowered and aroused" bouncer and the song eventually culminates with her sneaking into the club through the ladies' room window. The production includes "skipping break beats" and "synth loops",Studio Killers - Ode To The Bouncer

. Retrieved 27 October 2013. and Scandipop.co.uk described it as "a cross between PWL or Pete Hammond back in the 80′s, and modern day Scandinavian electro acts like Eva & The Heartmaker or Electric Lady Lab."Studio Killers: ‘Ode To The Bouncer’
scandipop.co.uk. 8 April 2011. Retrieved 26 October 2013.

Release

A music video for "Ode to the Bouncer" premiered on 7 April 2011.Studio Killer (7 April 2011)
Ode To The Bouncer - Studio Killers
on YouTube. Retrieved 27 October 2013. The animated video depicts Cherry trying to fight a bouncer to get into a club. The song was released as the lead single for the group's Studio Killers (album), self-titled debut album, where it appears as the first track. The single was first issued in

Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of ...

and Sweden on 6 April 2011. It was later released on 2 May 2011 in

Denmark ) , song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast") , song_type = National and royal anthem , image_map = EU-Denmark.svg , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of Denmark , establish ...

, before premiering in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and ...

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...

and

Finland Finland ( fi, Suomi ; sv, Finland ), officially the Republic of Finland (; ), is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It shares land borders with Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of Bot ...

later that year. The song reached number one on record charts in the Netherlands: the Digital Songs,Netherlands Digital Songs: Jan 07, 2012
Billboard Biz. Retrieved 26 October 2013.

, Mega Dance Top 30, Mega Top 50 and

Single Top 100 The Dutch Single Top 100 or Single Top 100 is a Dutch chart, based on official physical single sales, legal downloads and since July 2013 streaming and composed by Dutch Charts. It is one of the three official charts, the other two being the Du ...

. It also appeared on record charts in Denmark, Finland and Belgium.Finland Digital Songs: Sep 10, 2011
Billboard Biz. Retrieved 26 October 2013. "Ode to the Bouncer" was the anthem of benefit event

on the Dutch radio station

in 2011, and a version of the song played on the station was released as a separate single, with the subtitle "This One's For Mama Version".Studio Killers - Ode To The Bouncer (3FM Serious Request This One's For Mama Version)

iTunes iTunes () is a software program that acts as a media player, media library, mobile device management utility, and the client app for the iTunes Store. Developed by Apple Inc., it is used to purchase, play, download, and organize digital mu ...

. Retrieved 6 November 2013. Artists who have remixed the song include Bobby Rock and Pablo Rindt, Feng Shui, Niels van Gogh and Daniel Strauss, M-3ox, Lee Mortimer,

Fear of Tigers Fear is an intensely unpleasant emotion in response to perceiving or recognizing a danger or threat. Fear causes physiological changes that may produce behavioral reactions such as mounting an aggressive response or fleeing the threat. Fear i ...

, and Xilent.Ode to the Bouncer (Xilent Remix) by Studio Killers

. Retrieved 14 November 2013.

Critical reception

Critical reactions to "Ode to the Bouncer" have been approving, with some reviewers finding it humorous, while liking its production and arrangement. In a review of the group's self-titled debut album, a writer from MuuMuse described the song as "hysterically fierce" and "fresh".Studio Killers, An Animated Band, Deliver Surprise Electro-Pop Debut of the Year
MuuMuse. June 2013. Retrieved 27 October 2013.

Contactmusic.com Contactmusic.com is an online magazine of cultural criticism based in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It publishes reviews, interviews, and detailed essays on most cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, films, and ...

's Andrew Lockwood found the song "ridiculously catchy", while Scandipop.co.uk called its chorus stunning "both musically and melodically". Federico Antonioni of the Italian online publication concertionline.com labeled the song as an "excellent example of catchy dance music..."Antonioni, Federico (20 March 2012)
Ode to the bouncer – Studio Killers (testo e video)
(in Italian). concertionline.com. Retrieved 27 October 2013. ''

The Irish Times ''The Irish Times'' is an Irish daily broadsheet newspaper and online digital publication. It launched on 29 March 1859. The editor is Ruadhán Mac Cormaic. It is published every day except Sundays. ''The Irish Times'' is considered a newspaper ...

'''s

Jim Carroll James Dennis Carroll (August 1, 1949 – September 11, 2009) was an American author, poet, autobiographer, and punk musician. Carroll was best known for his 1978 autobiographical work '' The Basketball Diaries'', which inspired a 1995 film of ...

called "Ode to the Bouncer" a "Smashing pop humdinger from mysterious combo with Danish, Finnish and UK members who prefer to hide (for now) behind cartoon characters," and a

PopJustice Popjustice is a music website founded in 2000 by UK freelance music journalist Peter Robinson, who has worked for '' NME'', ''The Guardian'', ''Attitude'' and many others. It is composed of the work of editor Robinson, features editor Michael Cr ...

writer said that it was a great track "that instantly sounds like something you've known forever."Studio Killers – ‘Ode To The Bouncer’

. 30 June 2011. Retrieved 14 November 2013. A staff member from the magazine ''

FHM ''FHM'' (For Him Magazine) is a British multinational men's lifestyle magazine that was published in several countries. Its master edition contained features such as the ''FHM'' 100 Sexiest Women in the World, which has featured models, actres ...

'' wrote that "The track’s great with lyrical gems like “you’re just another prick at the door” and the sound being some sort of mutant mash-up of Madonna and Gorillaz."Studio Killers – Ode To The Bouncer

. 24 May 2011. Retrieved 14 November 2013. Writing for the official site of '' The Jace Hall Show'', Jeff Nau said that "At first, the song is cringingly annoying, but the 3rd time it’s in your head like a chunk of infected code."Nau, Jeff (4 July 2011)
Death of A Diva: Animated Avatars Are Killing Your Pop Stars
. jacehallshow.com. Retrieved 27 October 2013.

Track listing

;Streaming & Digital Download # "Ode to the Bouncer" – 3:26 # "Ode to the Bouncer (Bobby Rock and Pablo Rindt Remix)" – 6:24 # "Ode to the Bouncer (Feng Shui Remix)" – 6:30 # "Ode to the Bouncer (Niels Van Gogh and Daniel Strauss Remix)" – 6:22 # "Ode to the Bouncer (M-3ox Remix)" – 6:26 # "Ode to the Bouncer (Lee Mortimer Remix)" – 5:03 # "Ode to the Bouncer (Fear of Tigers Remix)" – 4:52

Remixes

;

Manhattan Clique Manhattan Clique is a group composed of producers, remixers and songwriters Philip Larsen and Chris Smith, also known as "MHC". Their successes have been reflected in the ''Music Week'' Club and Pop charts in the UK, plus the ''Billboard'' dance ...

Mixes * "Ode to the Bouncer (Manhattan Clique Remix)" – 6:37 * "Ode to the Bouncer (Manhattan Clique Instrumental)" – 6:37 * "Ode to the Bouncer (Manhattan Clique Edit)" – 3:38 ;Niels Van Gogh & Daniel Strauss Mixes * "Ode to the Bouncer (Niels Van Gogh & Daniel Strauss Remix)" – 6:22 * "Ode to the Bouncer (Niels Van Gogh & Daniel Strauss Edit)" – 3:51 ;Fear of Tigers Mix * "Ode to the Bouncer (Fear of Tigers Remix)" – 4:52 ;Lee Mortimer Mix * "Ode to the Bouncer (Lee Mortimer Remix)" – 5:03 ;Bobby Rock & Pablo Rindt Mix * "Ode to the Bouncer (Bobby Rock & Pablo Rindt Remix)" – 6:24 ;M-3ox Mix * "Ode to the Bouncer (M-3ox Remix)" – 6:26 ;Feng Shui Mix * "Ode to the Bouncer (Feng Shui Remix)" – 6:30 ;Paradise 45 Mix * "Ode to the Bouncer (Paradise 45 Remix)" – 7:10 ;Xilent Mix * "Ode to the Bouncer (Xilent Remix)" – 4:14

Accolades

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Release history

References

{{Authority control 2011 debut singles Synth-pop songs Dutch Top 40 number-one singles Mega Top 50 number-one singles 2011 songs Animated music videos