"Heads Will Roll" is the second single released by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs from their third album, It's Blitz!. The CD and 7" commercial singles were released in the UK on June 29, 2009.[1] It was also used in the video game Gran Turismo 5. The song was remixed by Kanye West's former touring DJ A-Trak.
[edit] Music video
The music video was directed by Richard Ayoade. It features the band playing in a – presumably – underground venue when a dancing werewolf (whose dancing is reminiscent of Michael Jackson) appears on stage. A light flashes halfway through the music video and the werewolf transforms. He then proceeds to chase after the audience and kills most of them. The video then ends with the band having been murdered while Karen O continues singing, her head severed from her body. The music video contains some mockery of horror in general; instead of blood, there is red glitter and confetti and Karen O keeps singing with her head separated from her body.
In the UK, there are two different versions of this video, the second replacing the violent conclusion with repeated clips from the previous section of the video, although it does show the confetti falling onto the band.
It was nominated for a VMA for "Breakthrough Video".[2]
[edit] In popular culture
- In 2009, MTV featured the track in promotional spots for their hit shows The City and The Hills. The spots show the principal cast members of each show standing in a white room and posing in front of light-up signs as the chorus of the song plays. The song was also used to promote Channel 4's Hollyoaks in the UK. The advert consisted of some cast members ballroom dancing, spilling red wine on each other representing blood. The advert culminated in other cast members acting as judges holding up the scores 999.
- In 2011, the song was performed as a mash-up with Michael Jackson's "Thriller" on the American television show Glee for the episode "The Sue Sylvester Shuffle".[3] The song was also used in the promotional videos for Showtime Networks television series The Tudors.
- In April 2011, New Boyz used a sample from the song for their new song "I Don't Care" which features Big Sean.
- In The Bear, The Cloud, And God: Episode 4 can be heard as God force the Bear to dance while aging to death.
- The A-Trak remix of the song was featured in the 2010 video game "DJ Hero 2".
[edit] Tracklists
| 1. |
"Heads Will Roll" |
3:44 |
| 2. |
"Heads Will Roll" (Passion Pit Remix) |
4:39 |
[edit] Chart performance
[edit] References
[edit] External links
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