Bulletproof (La Roux song)
"Bulletproof" is a song by English synth-pop duo La Roux from their eponymous debut studio album (2009). Written and produced by the duo's members, Elly Jackson and Ben Langmaid, the song was released digitally in the United Kingdom on 21 June 2009 and physically the following day as the album's third single.
"Bulletproof" | ||||
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Single by La Roux | ||||
from the album La Roux | ||||
Released | 21 June 2009 | |||
Studio | Elfin (Teddington, London) | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 3:25 | |||
Label | Polydor | |||
Songwriter(s) | ||||
Producer(s) |
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La Roux singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"Bulletproof" on YouTube | ||||
Audio sample | ||||
"Bulletproof"
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"Bulletproof" was met with both critical and commercial success, debuting at number one on the UK Singles Chart.[1] It was a sleeper hit in the United States, where it peaked at number eight on the Billboard Hot 100 in June 2010, following televised performances of the song on The Ellen DeGeneres Show and Last Call with Carson Daly. It had been downloaded 2,324,000 times in the US as of September 2012.[2] It also reached within the top 10 of Australia, Austria, the Belgian territory of Flanders, Ireland, New Zealand and Ukraine.
Writing
Jackson discussed writing "Bulletproof":
"We started it, and it felt really good. We had a great verse, and then we did about five choruses. The lyric went "This time I'll be... " and there was too much of a gap. We'd both been sitting there in silence for ages trying to work it out. Suddenly, we both looked up and went "This time, baby" and thought, "Yes, let's get it down." I do remember that when we wrote that, we thought "Call the manager, we've got the one"."[3]
Critical reception
"Bulletproof" received critical acclaim from music critics. One author of Pitchfork called it "a catchy-as-hell electro-pop smash",[4] and another, Joshua Love, called it the best song on La Roux.[5] Digital Spy music editor Nick Levine gave the song five stars and described it as "a bright, bouncy slice of Yazoo-ish electropop with a chorus every bit as immediate as 'In For The Kill'", adding that "Jackson's vocals are less shrill this time around, but she comes off just as formidable, informing a useless sod who's messed her about that she won't be letting him do it again."[6] Fraser McAlpine of the BBC Chart Blog, who also awarded the song five stars, stated that "the one sentence that crops up most often goes something like this: "...yes, 'Bulletproof' is brilliant, but...", hinting that this might be a song which possesses magical powers of persuasion." He went on to give five points on why the song is good: marvellous verses, marvellous chorus, the music serves the song brilliantly, less shrill to the singing, and the vocoder breakdown.[7] Adam R. Holz of Plugged In opined "Homage isn't a strong enough word to capture just how uncannily La Roux has repackaged the that vibe of yore popularized by the likes of Erasure, The Human League, Depeche Mode and Eurythmics."[8]
In a more mixed review from Common Sense Media, however, Stephanie Bruzzese, giving "Bulletproof" two stars, called the song a "less creative imitation of the classic tunes created by [1980s groups including Depeche Mode, Erasure, and The Human League]", criticizing the chorus for being "nothing unique" and Jackson's vocal performance which she described as "a higher, whinier version of Alison Moyet's". On a lighter note, she highlighted the lyrical content for being clean and the strong positive message, suggesting to parents that the song was appropriate for kids twelve years of age or older.[9]
In a September 2014 interview, Jackson expressed regrets of the song's critical and commercial success, because it was one of the reasons she was experiencing panic attacks while touring for the debut album: "I wasn't that keen on it. I don't know if I want to have a hit like that again [...] But it's 10 years ago for me now and I think it's weird when so many people see you as being represented by that song, and you feel so far away from it. [...] You stop being able to be respected in any way shape or form. I started to feel that basically [...] I really didn't like it" Also in the interview, she looked back at the song's music video, saying she'd "wish I could erase it! I don't want it to erase the house that I bought from it."[10]
Music video
Directed by The Holograms@UFO and Production Design by Alun Davies, the music video for "Bulletproof" opens with various retro patterns and abstract geometric designs in one scene. Then the camera shows Jackson sitting in a chair in a bright setting with her eyes closed. As the song starts, Jackson leaves the chair and the camera pans to show random designs of La Roux which are shown behind her. She continues to walk, while singing the song itself. At the bridge of the song, she stops and then the song starts to build to the chorus and she starts walking again while polyhedra bounce around her. The video ends with Jackson sitting back in dark setting with her eyes open. During the video, there is a variation of Jackson in the setting of bright and dark colours. Throughout the video, Jackson is styled in high-fashion clothes by House of Holland and others where references to Piet Mondrian's lozenge works can be seen.
Accolades
Year | Publication | Country | Rank | List |
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2009 | Rolling Stone | United States | 25 | The 25 Best Songs of 2009[11] |
Track listings
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Credits and personnel
Credits adapted from the liner notes of La Roux.[15]
Recording and management
- Recorded at Elfin Studios (Teddington, London)
- Mixed at MixStar Studios (Virginia Beach, Virginia)
- Published by Big Life Music Ltd.
Personnel
- Elly Jackson – vocals, production
- Ben Langmaid – production
- Serban Ghenea – mixing
- John Hanes – mix engineering
- Tim Roberts – mix engineering assistance
Charts
Weekly charts
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Year-end charts
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Certifications
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Australia (ARIA)[55] | 2× Platinum | 140,000^ |
Canada (Music Canada)[56] | Platinum | 40,000* |
Germany (BVMI)[57] | Gold | 150,000 |
New Zealand (RMNZ)[58] | Gold | 7,500* |
United Kingdom (BPI)[59] | Gold | 530,524[60] |
United States (RIAA)[61] | 2× Platinum | 2,000,000* |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. |
Release history
Region | Date | Label | Format | Ref. |
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United Kingdom | 21 June 2009 | Polydor | Digital EP | [12] |
22 June 2009 | [62][63] | |||
United States | 21 July 2009 |
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[13][64] | |
11 May 2010 | Digital download – The Gold EP | [14] |
See also
References
- "British Artists Increase Share of US Music Market in 2010". British Phonographic Industry. 11 February 2011. Retrieved 8 September 2011.
- Grein, Paul (19 September 2012). "Week Ending Sept. 16, 2012. Songs: Novelty Hit Of The Year". Yahoo! Music. Retrieved 22 September 2012.
- "Elly Jackson: 'It's not just being catchy'". The Independent. 19 May 2010. Retrieved 7 October 2014.
- "La Roux: "Bulletproof"". Pitchfork. 14 May 2009. Retrieved 5 October 2014.
- Love, Joshua (18 September 2009). "La Roux: La Roux". Pitchfork. Retrieved 5 October 2014.
- Levine, Nick. "La Roux: 'Bulletproof'". Digital Spy. Retrieved 18 June 2009.
- McAlpine, Fraser (15 June 2009). "La Roux – 'Bulletproof'". BBC Chart Blog. Retrieved 18 June 2009.
- R. Holz, Adam. "Track Reviews – La Roux: "Bulletproof"". Focus on the Family. Retrieved 5 October 2014.
- Bruzzese, Stephanie. ""Bulletproof" (CD Single)". Common Sense Media. Retrieved 5 October 2014.
- Corner, Lewis (17 September 2014). "La Roux interview: 'I don't think I want another hit like Bulletproof'". Digital Spy. Retrieved 18 April 2019.
- "The 25 Best Songs of 2009". Rolling Stone. 17 December 2009. Archived from the original on 22 December 2009. Retrieved 9 February 2010.
- "Bulletproof – EP by La Roux". iTunes Store (UK). Retrieved 10 February 2010.
- "Bulletproof (Remixes) – EP by La Roux". iTunes Store (US). Retrieved 10 February 2010.
- "The Gold – EP by La Roux". iTunes Store (US). Retrieved 13 November 2010.
- La Roux (liner notes). La Roux. Polydor Records. 2009. 2703635.CS1 maint: others (link)
- "Australian-charts.com – La Roux – Bulletproof". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 13 March 2011.
- "ARIA Dance – Week Commencing 2nd November 2009" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association (1027): 19. 2 November 2009. Retrieved 28 July 2014 – via Pandora Archive.
- "Austriancharts.at – La Roux – Bulletproof" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 13 March 2011.
- "Ultratop.be – La Roux – Bulletproof" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 13 March 2011.
- "Ultratop.be – La Roux – Bulletproof" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 13 March 2011.
- "La Roux Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 3 July 2018.
- "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Change the chart to CZ – RADIO – TOP 100 and insert 200931 into search. Retrieved 24 January 2019.
- "Danishcharts.com – La Roux – Bulletproof". Tracklisten. Retrieved 13 March 2011.
- "Hits of the World". Billboard. Vol. 121 no. 27. 11 July 2009. p. 51. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 24 January 2019 – via Google Books.
- "Offiziellecharts.de – La Roux – Bulletproof". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 24 January 2019.
- "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Rádiós Top 40 játszási lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved 24 January 2019.
- "Irish-charts.com – Discography La Roux". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 24 January 2019.
- "Billboard Japan Hot 100". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). 17 August 2009. Retrieved 13 November 2010.
- "Nederlandse Top 40 – La Roux" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 24 January 2019.
- "Dutchcharts.nl – La Roux – Bulletproof" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 3 July 2018.
- "Charts.nz – La Roux – Bulletproof". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 3 July 2018.
- "Norwegiancharts.com – La Roux – Bulletproof". VG-lista. Retrieved 13 March 2011.
- "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 24 January 2019.
- "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: insert 200931 into search. Retrieved 24 January 2019.
- "Swedishcharts.com – La Roux – Bulletproof". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 13 March 2011.
- "Swisscharts.com – La Roux – Bulletproof". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 13 March 2011.
- "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 3 July 2018.
- "La Roux Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 3 July 2018.
- "La Roux Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved 3 July 2018.
- "La Roux Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 3 July 2018.
- "La Roux Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 3 July 2018.
- "La Roux Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 3 July 2018.
- "La Roux Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved 3 July 2018.
- "ARIA Top 100 Singles for 2009". ARIA. Retrieved 9 December 2020.
- "ARIA Charts – End of Year Charts – Top 50 Dance Singles 2009". ARIA. Archived from the original on 15 April 2020. Retrieved 11 November 2012.
- "Jahreshitparade Singles 2009". austriancharts.at (in German). Retrieved 24 January 2019.
- "Jaaroverzichten 2009 – Singles" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 13 November 2010.
- "Top 100 Single–Jahrescharts 2009" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 24 January 2019.
- "Jaarlijsten 2009" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 13 November 2010.
- "End of Year Singles Chart Top 100 – 2009". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 24 January 2019.
- "Year End Charts – Dance Club Songs". Billboard.biz. 2009. Archived from the original on 25 March 2012. Retrieved 21 May 2011.
- "ARIA Charts – End of Year Charts – Top 50 Dance Singles 2010". ARIA. Archived from the original on 20 April 2020. Retrieved 11 November 2012.
- "Year End Charts – Hot 100 Songs". Billboard.biz. 2010. Archived from the original on 9 December 2011. Retrieved 8 September 2011.
- "Pop Songs – Year-End 2010". Billboard. Retrieved 26 September 2019.
- "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2014 Singles". Australian Recording Industry Association. Archived from the original on 10 August 2020. Retrieved 11 November 2014.
- "Canadian single certifications – La Roux – Bullet Proof". Music Canada. 29 April 2010. Retrieved 13 November 2010.
- "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (La Roux; 'Bulletproof')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved 1 May 2018.
- "Latest Gold / Platinum Singles". Radioscope. 17 July 2011. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 20 November 2009.
- "British single certifications – La Roux – Bulletproof". British Phonographic Industry. 24 July 2009. Retrieved 5 November 2009. Select singles in the Format field. Select Gold in the Certification field. Type Bulletproof in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
- Jones, Alan (28 July 2014). "Official Charts Analysis: Sheeran's X sells 33k copies to spend fifth week at No.1". Music Week. Retrieved 17 April 2019.
- "American single certifications – La Roux – Bulletproof". Recording Industry Association of America. 2 February 2011. Retrieved 4 March 2011. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH.
- "Bulletproof: La Roux". Amazon (UK). Retrieved 13 November 2010.
- "La Roux – Bulletproof (7", Pic, S/Sided, Ltd, Squ)". Discogs. Retrieved 10 February 2010.
- "La Roux : Releases : Bulletproof". Interscope Records. Archived from the original on 14 January 2010. Retrieved 10 February 2010.