"Bang Bang Bang" is a song from Mark Ronson's 2010 album Record Collection. The song features performances by Q-Tip and MNDR. 'Bang Bang Bang' was released as the album's lead single on 9 July 2010 in the United Kingdom. The full album, Record Collection, was released on 24 September 2010.
The song is based on the popular French-Canadian children's song "Alouette", meaning "skylark". The chorus directly references lyrics from "Alouette", including the line "Je te plumerai la tête" (meaning "I shall pluck your head"). The beginning of the music video also depicts a young girl singing the opening lines to "Alouette". "Bang Bang Bang" debuted at number six on the UK Singles Chart with 50,170 copies sold in its first week.
Contents
Critical reception
Renowned for Sound states, "An '80s synth infused toe tapper, the Brit award winning DJ and producer has called on the talents of rapper friend Q-Tip and vocalist MNDR to create a nice slice of synth happy pop. A progressive step from his previous jazzy singles and an appropriate move considering the success of the synth-pop influx lately, he proves that if something works then go with the flow," and "The melody is infectious and Q-tip’s rapping merged with MNDR’s boppy vocals mix well."
Anthony Hill from Clickmusic describes "Bang Bang Bang" as having "the impromptu charm and inexorable appeal of a 1980s New York block party". He further comments, "'Un, deux, trois' slams the intro, revealing the exact number of seconds it takes Mark Ronson's latest effort to gatecrash its way into the brain. Once lodged among the neurons, it deftly impels every muscle and limb to move spasmodically to its infectious beat."
Sarah-Louise James of The Daily Star wrote, "The new sound is a short, sharp slap in the face to anyone who thought they'd got the measure of Ronno. It's barmy and brilliant, fresh and fantastic."
Music video
The music video was directed by Warren Fu.
Daniel Kreps from Rolling Stone described the video as:
Bookended by two seemingly unrelated pieces of footage – a fictitious retro commercial for sandwich spread and a dramatic tennis match – stars Ronson as the guest on an offbeat, '70s-style Japanese talk show. When he's asked to chat about his music, Ronson transforms into a smooth Bryan Ferry figure and hops behind a bank of synthesisers to perform his latest composition. The clip is equal parts American Bandstand and Tron – and the most effective time-capsule music video since Snoop Dogg resurrected the Rick James era with "Sexual Eruption".
Usage in media
"Bang Bang Bang" was featured in episodes of Gossip Girl, 90210, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and Entourage. The song was also used in the 2011 comedy film No Strings Attached and appears on its No Strings Attached: Music from the Motion Picture soundtrack.
"Bng Bang Bang" was used diegetically during the warehouse party scene of the season 1, episode 7 of Girls, "Welcome to Bushwick a.k.a. The Crackcident", which originally aired on May 27, 2012.
It is also heard in the season 7, episode 8 of the American television series Entourage, "Sniff Sniff Gang Bang", which originally aired on August 22, 2010.
"Bang Bang Bang" was used by the E4 TV Channel to promote the sixth series of The Big Bang Theory, from 2012-2013.
The song is featured in the soundtrack of the PlayStation Vita game Lumines Electronic Symphony.
Track listings
Amazon MP3 single
"Bang Bang Bang" – 4:05
"Bang Bang Bang" (Count and Sinden Remix) – 5:23
iTunes EP
"Bang Bang Bang" – 4:05
"Bang Bang Bang" (Count and Sinden Remix) – 5:21
"Bang Bang Bang" (Russ Chimes Remix) – 6:12
US iTunes EP
"Bang Bang Bang" – 4:05
"Bang Bang Bang" (Count and Sinden Remix) – 5:22
"Bang Bang Bang" (Russ Chimes Remix) – 6:10
"Bang Bang Bang" (SBTRKT Remix) – 3:50
12" single
A1. "Bang Bang Bang" (Album Version) – 4:05
A2. "Bang Bang Bang" (Russ Chimes Remix) – 6:10
B1. "Bang Bang Bang" (Count and Sinden Remix) – 5:22
B2. "Bang Bang Bang" (SBTRKT Remix) – 5:02
Personnel
Credits adapted from 12" single liner notes.