Axel F

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"Axel F"
Single by Harold Faltermeyer
from the album Beverly Hills Cop soundtrack
B-side	"Discovery", "Shoot Out"
Released	1985
Format	7", 12"
Recorded	1984
Genre	Electronic, Synthpop, New Wave
Length	3:01
Label	MCA Records MCA 949
Writer(s)	Harold Faltermeyer
Producer	Harold Faltermeyer
Harold Faltermeyer singles chronology
- "Axel F" (1987) "The Race is On" / "Starlight Express" (1987)
Audio sample file info · help

"Axel F" is the electronic instrumental theme from the 1984 film Beverly Hills Cop performed by Harold Faltermeyer. The title comes from the main character's name, Axel Foley (played by Eddie Murphy), in the film. It topped musical charts in 1985 and remains a popular remix track. Mixes of "Axel F" topped European pop charts in 2003, and again in 2005 as the Crazy Frog song. In addition to the Beverly Hills Cop soundtrack, the song also appears on Faltermeyer's 1988 album Harold F. as a bonus track. Reportedly, Faltermeyer was against including it, but MCA insisted, as it was his most recognizable track.

Contents 1 Harold Faltermeyer version 1.1 Track listings 1.2 Charts 2 Crazy Frog version 2.1 Chart performances 2.2 Music video 2.3 In the media 2.4 Single track listing 2.5 Certifications and sales 2.6 Charts 3 Other published recordings with chart positions 4 Cultural references 4.1 In TV series 4.2 Samples in music 4.3 In video games 4.4 In movies 5 See also 6 References 7 External links

[edit] Harold Faltermeyer version

Faltermeyer recorded the song using three synthesizers: a Roland Jupiter-8, a Roland JX-3P, and a Yamaha DX-7. The drum part was created with a LinnDrum drum machine. This version of the song reached #2 on the UK Singles Chart and #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US. It also spent two weeks atop the American adult contemporary chart.

[edit] Track listings

12" maxi

1. "Axel F (M & M Mix) — 7:00
2. "Axel F (Extended Version) — 7:09
3. "Shoot Out" — 2:44

12" maxi

1. "Axel F (Extended Version) — 7:09
2. "Shoot Out" — 2:44

7" single

1. "Axel F" — 3:00
2. "Shoot Out" — 2:44

[edit] Charts

Chart (1985)	Peak position
Austrian Singles Chart[1]	4
Dutch Singles Chart[2]	1
German Singles Chart[1]	2
Irish Singles Chart[3]	1
New Zealand Singles Chart	1
Swedish Singles Chart[1]	18
Swiss Singles Chart[1]	2
UK Singles Chart[4]	2
U.S. Billboard Hot 100[5]	3
U.S. Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Chart[5]	1
U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks[5]	13

[edit] Crazy Frog version

"Axel F"
Single by Crazy Frog
from the album Crazy Frog Presents Crazy Hits
Released	May 17, 2005
Format	CD single CD maxi Digital download
Recorded	1997 (vocals), 2004 (song)
Genre	Dance-pop Happy Hardcore Trance
Length	2:54 (radio edit)
Label	Ministry of Sound
Writer(s)	Harold Faltermeyer
Producer	Bass Bumpers
Certification	Diamond France, 2005 Double Platinium Belgium, 2005 Gold (BPI)
Crazy Frog singles chronology
- "Axel F" (2005) "Popcorn" (2005)

In 2005, Crazy Frog remixed the song, also releasing it under name "Axel F," but also known as the "Crazy Frog song." The novelty song is Crazy Frog's first and most internationally successful single. It is a remix of Harold Faltermeyer's 1984 composition "Axel F", produced by Henning Reith and Reinhard "DJ Voodoo" Raith, two members of the German dance production team Bass Bumpers. Jamster! arranged the remix, and later marketed it as a ringtone.

The remix consists of vocals taken from the Crazy Frog recording by Daniel Malmedahl in 1997. It uses mainly the same part of the two-minute original that was used in Jamster's ringtone release. The song also uses the "What's going on ?" vocal shotguns from another 2003 remix of Axel F, by Murphy Brown and Captain Hollywood (dubbed "Axel F 2003" and sometimes "Axel F 2004").

The Ministry of Sound hired Kaktus Film and Erik Wernquist of TurboForce3D, the original creator of the 3D Crazy Frog, to produce a full-length animated music video to accompany the release of the song. The video features the Crazy Frog character, is set in the future, and centers on his pursuit by a bounty hunter. The bounty hunter receives notification of a $50,000 reward for capturing the frog, who is only identified as "The most annoying thing in the world", a reference to Wernquist's original name for the character.

[edit] Chart performances

Released across Europe in May 2005, "Axel F" went straight to number one in the UK, with some of the best weekly sales of the year so far (out-selling rivals such as Coldplay by four copies to one), and remained on top of the UK charts for four weeks. In other European countries the popularity has differed, with the remix failing to make the top twenty in Switzerland at first, before gradually climbing to #1, whilst only making #18 in Russia. It also reached #1 in the overall European chart, after initially being number two to Akon's "Lonely" for several weeks, and stayed there until September. It also reached #1 in Australia, Ireland, Belgium, Denmark, France, New Zealand, Norway, Ukraine, Spain, and Sweden.

In France, the song made an amazing jump, entering the French singles chart at number 77 on June 11, 2005, and moving all the way to number 2 in the next week. There it stayed for two weeks, and then topped the chart for 13 weeks. It fell off the first position being dethroned by its second single, "Popcorn" (it was only the second time that an artist dethrone himself in that country). The song remained in the top ten for 21 weeks, 30 weeks in the top 50 and 36 weeks in the chart. Its best weekly sales were 103,564 on its sixth week, which is huge in France^[6]. On December 1, 2005, it was certified Diamond disc seven months after its release by SNEP, the French certificator. According to the Infodisc Website, it is the 34th best selling single of all time in France, with 1,236,100 sales^[7] (1,265,579 sales, according to another source^[8]).

Despite the Crazy Frog not being hugely well-known in Japan, the single release also charted there, peaking at #46. It has apparently failed to catch on in the U.S., peaking at #50. Although "Axel F" managed to find more success in Mainstream Markets, it proved to be a moderate success on U.S Rhythmic Top 40 where it peaked at #28 just scraping the top 30. It also peaked at #3 on the U.S Digital Sales beating the likes of Lindsay Lohan and the Black Eyed Peas. Its highest U.S. success was just missing the top spot at #2 on the U.S Adult Contemporary Top 20.

[edit] Music video

The bounty hunter activates a killbot mounted on armoured hover cycle in the video, then it proceeds to track the Crazy Frog as he commutes around the City on his imaginary motorcycle. As the bounty hunter closes in on his prey, the Crazy Frog becomes aware of his pursuer and an unlikely chase begins over skyscrapers and through the city's sewer system, before the killbot launches a guided missile at the Frog.

However, the Crazy Frog is able to mount the missile as it approaches him, evidently confusing its guidance system, as it then begins to loop and glide uncontrollably. The missile eventually locks onto the bounty hunter's van, destroying it and creating a large mushroom cloud. The Crazy Frog manages to escape (or survive, it is unknown which) the blast, covered in dust from the debris and appearing to deliver the closing 'lyrics'.

[edit] In the media

In February and March 2006, the Canadian animation television channel Teletoon aired the music video during times between programming, with the genitalia and the explosion edited out.

Cartoon Network aired the music video between programs (roughly 2:58 P.M EST) in February, March, and June 2006, with the genitalia and the explosion edited out.

Some music video channels censored the Crazy Frog's genitalia in the music video. Some had also already done this on the ringtone advertisement.

[edit] Single track listing

Australia CD "Axel F" (radio edit) — 2:54 "Axel F" (club mix) — 6:23 "Axel F" (club mix instrumental) — 6:23 "In the 80's" — 3:29 UK CD 1 "Axel F" (radio mix) "Axel F" (bounce mix) "Axel F" (bounce mix instrumental) "Axel F" (reservoir frogs mix) "Axel F" (video)

UK CD2 "Axel F" (radio mix) "Axel F" (video)

[edit] Certifications and sales

Country	Certification	Date	Sales certified	Physical sales	Digital downloads
Belgium[9]	2 x Platinum	September 10, 2005	100,000
Denmark[10]	Gold	November 22, 2005	4,000
France[11]	Diamond	December 1, 2005	750,000	1,265,579+[8]	28,800+[12]
Swiss[13]	Platinum	2005	40,000
U.S.[14]	Gold	December 12, 2005	500,000

[edit] Charts

Chart (2005) Peak position Australian ARIA Singles Chart[15] 1 Austrian Singles Chart[15] 2 Belgian (Flanders) Singles Chart[15] 1 Belgian (Wallonia) Singles Chart[15] 1 Danish Singles Chart[15] 1 Dutch Singles Chart[16] 7 Eurochart Hot 100 Singles 1 Finnish Singles Chart[15] 2 French SNEP Singles & Digital Charts[15][17] 1 German Singles Chart[16] 3 Irish IRMA Singles Chart[16] 1 Italian FIMI Singles Chart[15] 4 Japanese Singles Chart 46 New Zealand RIANZ Singles Chart[15] 1 Norwegian Singles Chart[15] 1 Spanish Singles Chart[15] 1 Swedish Singles Chart[15] 1 Swiss Singles Chart[15] 1 UK Singles Chart[18] 1 U.S Billboard Hot 100[19] 50 U.S Billboard Hot Dance Club/Play[19] 7 U.S Billboard Latin Tropical Airplay[19] 37 U.S Billboard Pop 100[19] 34 U.S Billboard Rhythmic Top 40 28 U.S Billboard Top 40 Mainstream[19] 40

End of year chart (2005) Position Australian Singles Chart[20] 4 Australian Dance Singles Chart[21] 1 Austrian Singles Chart[22] 17 Belgian (Flanders) Singles Chart[23] 2 Belgian (Wallonia) Singles Chart[24] 1 French Singles Chart[25] 2 French Digital Chart[12] 7 French Club 50 Chart[26] 23 Irish Singles Chart[27] 4 New Zealand Singles Chart[28] 1 Swiss Singles Chart[29] 2

[edit] Other published recordings with chart positions

• 1991 "Axel F" by Erich Kunzel and the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra for the Telarc release Bond and Beyond
• 1995 "Axel F"/"Keep Pushin'" (by Clock), a UK #7 hit in 1995.
• 1998 "Axel F" (by Planet Bass)
• 1998 "Axel F" (by Trance Atlantic Air Waves)
• 1999 "Axel F" (by Cobat)
• 2001 "Axel F" (by Spacecorn) #74 UK
• 2003 "Axel F 2003"/"Axel F 2004" (by Murphy Brown & Captain Hollywood)
• 2005 "Italian Fireflies vs Axel Foley Theme" (Author Unknown, sampled from Black Strobe and Harold Faltermeyer)
• 2007 "Original Techno remix by #1 80's Club Hits Remixed on their album Best of 80's Dance
• 2009 "Axel F" (by Ron Rockwell).

[edit] Cultural references

Lists of miscellaneous information should be avoided. Please relocate any relevant information into appropriate sections or articles. (September 2009)

[edit] In TV series

• Four episodes of The Simpsons, "Separate Vocations", "Radio Bart", "Marge vs. the Monorail", and "Sweets and Sour Marge", used a slightly modified version of "Axel F" as incidental music, usually to indicate suspense.
• The "Masters Of All Time" episode of Danny Phantom used an "Axel F"-esque song during the scene when Danny first arrives in the past.
• In an episode of King of the Hill, "Maid in Arlen", Kahn is able to play Axel F on a keyboard while singing the words "Bev-Bev Beverly Hills Cop/Bev-Bev Beverly Hills Cop/Axel Foley's gonna find those druuugs!" to the music.
• In one episode of Family Guy, "Whistle While Your Wife Works", it is Brian's ringtone.
• In another episode of Family Guy, "Meet the Quagmires", Peter goes back in time to 1984. Instead of trying to save his relationship with Lois, he goes to the St. Elmo's Clam club with Cleveland and dances to this song on two separate occasions, while "singing" using his trademark giggle in time to the music.
• In an episode of Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps^[specify], Donna sarcastically tells her boyfriend Gaz that Axel F is her favourite romantic song. The song is played later in the episode when Gaz tries to marry her, and is played when the couple of walking down the "aisle".
• In an episode of Friends, "The One with the Prom Video", Ross plays Axel F on a small keyboard after saying he wants to "work on [his] music."
• When the Walker, Texas Ranger lever originally debuted on "Late Night with Conan O'Brien," it was accompanied by a button which played Axel F when pressed. This was quickly phased out.
• In an episode of Clerks: The Animated Series, Axel F is played in a dream sequence in which a Judge Reinhold character dreams about teaming up with "Axel" again.
• In the "Everybody Hates Hall Monitors" episode of Everybody Hates Chris, "Axel F" plays in the background as "Chris" plays a hall monitor at Corleone Junior High School.

[edit] Samples in music

• Alt-Metal band Rising Conviction uses the tune as the main riff in the song, "Axel FU". Many references are also made in the song to the original Beverly Hills Cop.
• Korean singer "PSY" made another remix of Axel F in his song 챔피언 "Champion".
• Korean band "BellaMafia" made a rock remix of Axel F in their song "BellaMafia (Band ver.)"
• Sampled by dancehall artist Vybz Kartel on the 2006 single, "Car Man", from the album JMT.
• Kidz Bop Kids remixed the 2005 version by Crazy Frog.
• There is a Telugu song sampling Axel F [1].
• Italian Hip Hop group Sottotono sampled Axel F in the song "Stando Alle Regole" from their third album "Sotto Lo Stesso Effetto" (1999).
• Hyper Crush sampled Axel F in the song "The Delorean" from their first mixtape.
• 303 Project made a drum 'n bass remix of the song, called "Axel F".

In 1989, Electronic Hip-hop group, Freestyle came out with "Don't Stop the Rock", which had a modified sample of "Axel F"

• Now defunct punk rock one-man-band Atom & His Package used part of Axel F in his cover of The Dead Milkmen's "Nutrition" from his "Making Love" album.

[edit] In video games

• The "Jurassic Park" game for the Nintendo Game Boy, released in 1993, used a remixed version of "Axel F" as a part of the game's music.
• Used on Atari ST cover disks by the 'Medway Boys' and 'Pompey Pirates'.
• Covered on numerous Russian 8bit computer games that have been ported (Radio-86RK, Pentagon, Elektronika BK-0010 and Vector-06C)
• In the Internet game, Prawn to be Wild, Chapter 7 involves leading squids into a cave by playing their favorite song- Axel F.

[edit] In movies

• The beginning of "Axel F" was featured in the 2008 movie Space Chimps being played on a telephone keypad.
• In the 2009 movie Monsters vs. Aliens, the President of the United States attempts to make first contact with an alien robot by playing "Axel F" on a Yamaha DX-7 (after first trying the Close Encounters of the Third Kind theme).

[edit] See also

• Axel Foley
• Beverly Hills Cop
• Beverly Hills Cop II
• Beverly Hills Cop III
• Beverly Hills Cop IV

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• The 8bitpeoples "Axel F" A freely downloadable compilation of various artists' interpretations of "Axel F." Released under Creative Commons license.
• The official Crazy Frog Axel F website
• Press release, including sound clips

Preceded by "This Is My Night" by Chaka Khan	Billboard Hot Dance Club Play number-one single March 9, 1985 - March 16, 1985 With: "New Attitude" by Patti LaBelle	Succeeded by "Bad Habits" by Jenny Burton
Preceded by "Frankie" by Sister Sledge	Irish IRMA number-one single July 27, 1985	Succeeded by "There Must Be an Angel (Playing with My Heart)" by Eurythmics
Preceded by "Rock Me Amadeus" by Falco	Eurochart Hot 100 number-one single August 10, 1985	Succeeded by "Tarzan Boy" by Baltimora
Preceded by "I'm on Fire" by Bruce Springsteen	Dutch Top 40 number-one single August 10, 1985 - August 17, 1985	Succeeded by "Waarom fluister ik je naam nog" by Benny Neyman
Preceded by "Lyla" by Oasis	UK Singles Chart number-one single May 29, 2005 - June 19, 2005 (4 weeks)	Succeeded by "Ghetto Gospel" by 2Pac featuring Elton John
Preceded by "Lonely" by Akon	Irish (IRMA) number-one single June 2, 2005 - June 23, 2005 (4 weeks)	Succeeded by "Ghetto Gospel" by 2Pac featuring Elton John
Preceded by "Fame" by Star Academy	Belgium (Flanders) number-one single June 4, 2005 - August 20, 2005 (12 weeks)	Succeeded by "You're Beautiful" by James Blunt
Preceded by "Lonely" by Akon	Danish number-one single July 1, 2005 (1 week)	Succeeded by "Fuck Dig" by Ana David
	Swiss number one single July 3, 2005 - September 11, 2005 (11 weeks)	Succeeded by "La camisa negra" by Juanes
Preceded by "This Is The Night" by Jorun Stiansen	Norwegian VG-lista number-one single (first run) July 6, 2005 - July 13, 2005 (2 weeks)	Succeeded by "Tsjeriåu" by Ravi & DJ Løv med The Monroes
Preceded by "Himno oficial del centenario" by El Aberrato	Spanish number-one single July 10, 2005 - July 31, 2005 (4 weeks)	Succeeded by "Himno oficial del centenario" by El Aberrato
Preceded by "Un Monde parfait" by Ilona	Belgian (Wallonia) number-one single July 16, 2005 - October 8, 2005 (13 weeks)	Succeeded by "Je ne suis pas un héros" by Star Academy 5
Preceded by "Lonely" by Akon	New Zealand (RIANZ) number-one single (first run) July 18, 2005 – August 15, 2005 (5 weeks)	Succeeded by "Don't Cha" by Pussycat Dolls featuring Busta Rhymes
Preceded by "Short Liv" by Lars Winnerbäck and Hovet	Swedish number one single July 21, 2005 - September 1, 2005 (7 weeks)	Succeeded by "You're Beautiful" by James Blunt
Preceded by "Un Monde parfait" by Ilona	French (SNEP) number one single July 21, 2005 - September 17, 2005 (13 weeks)	Succeeded by "Popcorn" by Crazy Frog
Preceded by "Tsjeriåu" by Ravi & DJ Løv med The Monroes	Norwegian VG-lista number-one single (second run) July 27, 2005 - August 10, 2005 (3 weeks)	Succeeded by "Tsjeriåu" by Ravi & DJ Løv med The Monroes
Preceded by "Lonely" by Akon	Australia (ARIA) number-one single July 31, 2005 – August 14, 2005 (3 weeks)	Succeeded by "Lonely" by Akon
Preceded by "Tsjeriåu" by Ravi & DJ Løv med The Monroes	Norwegian VG-lista number-one single (third run) August 24, 2005 (1 week)	Succeeded by "What's In It For Me" by Amy Diamond
Preceded by "Don't Cha" by Pussycat Dolls featuring Busta Rhymes	New Zealand (RIANZ) number-one single (second run) August 29, 2005 – October 3, 2005 (6 weeks)	Succeeded by "Pon De Replay" by Rihanna
Preceded by "Dragostea din tei" by O-Zone	Belgium Singles Chart single of the year 2005	Succeeded by "Hips Don't Lie" by Shakira featuring Wyclef Jean

v • d • e Crazy Frog Studio albums Crazy Frog Presents Crazy Hits (2005)  • Crazy Frog Presents Crazy Hits: Crazy Xmas Edition (2005)  • Crazy Frog Presents More Crazy Hits (2006) • Everybody Dance Now (2009) Singles "Axel F" (2005)  • "Popcorn" (2005)  • "Jingle Bells/U Can't Touch This" (2005)  • "We Are the Champions (Ding a Dang Dong)" (2006)  • "Last Christmas" (2006)  • "Crazy Frog in the House" (2007)  • "Daddy DJ" (2009) Related articles Discography  • Ringtone  • Mobile phone  • Internet meme