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Shoot the Dog

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"Shoot the Dog"
Single by George Michael
from the album Patience
Released29 July 2002 (2002-07-29)
Recorded2002
Genre
Length5:01
LabelPolydor
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)George Michael
George Michael singles chronology
"Freeek!"
(2002) 		"Shoot the Dog"
(2002) 		"Amazing"
(2004)

"Shoot the Dog" is a single by British singer-songwriter George Michael, released as the second single from his album, Patience, though released a year and a half prior to the album. The song is a protest song referring to (and critical of) British Prime Minister Tony Blair and American President George W. Bush. Released on 29 July 2002, it peaked at number one in Denmark, and #12 in the United Kingdom.

The music video for the song is completely animated. The single marked twenty years since the release of Wham!'s first single, "Wham Rap! (Enjoy What You Do)", another politically charged song written by Michael. "Shoot the Dog" samples The Human League song, "Love Action (I Believe in Love)". "Shoot the Dog" also samples "Be Near Me" by pop group ABC, as well as Michael's own song "Fastlove" (1996).

It originally premiered on ITV after the episode "Series 2, Episode 6" on July 2, 2002, and was the number one music video on rotation on MTV between July and August 2002.[1]

Following the death of George Michael on December 25, 2016, the music video was broadcast by MTV Classic in the United States, and ITV in the United Kingdom on December 26, 2016 — ahead of a rerun of the movie Bee Movie — and featured a title card paying tribute to Michael.[2]

It was his last release for Polydor Records, after which he departed from that label and returned to Sony Music, on which the album Patience, including the song "Shoot the Dog", was released.

Music video

The music video featured animation provided by the satirical British cartoon series 2DTV.

The video starts off in the White House, where President George W. Bush is given an explanation about the current state of affairs in the world. Bush (depicted behaving like a naïve child) hasn't understood a word of it, so a general re explains everything with the use of a hand puppet. Then the song starts and George Michael enters the White House, leaving the men's toilet (in reference to the scandal of April 1998 where Michael was caught during a lewd act in a toilet). He, Bush and the general start dancing to the music before Michael leaves the scenery.

In the next scene, Michael leaves his house (dressed like Homer Simpson) and is bullied by his neighbour and his dog. Back home that night, the neighbour goes on tormenting him by playing loud music, which irritates George Michael and his family members (who are all clones of himself, and are dressed like The Simpsons). Then Michael/Homer chases the dog with a water gun, only to be shot himself. Three drag queen versions of Michael (of which one of them looks like Marge Simpson) start dancing to the music, only to be bothered by Geri Halliwell.

Then George Michael (as himself) walks to the White House lawn where President Bush throws a ball so his dog can fetch it. Prime Minister Tony Blair chases and fetches the ball instead, cuddled by Bush in reward. Michael continues his walk and enters Iraq where he accidentally steps on a missile, launched to England, while Saddam Hussein praises the act. Michael rides the missile (possibly in homage to Major Kong's final scene in Dr Strangelove), until it crashes in Blair's bedroom where Cherie Blair tries to get his attention, but Blair is only interested in Bush, who suddenly crawls into their bed.

In the next scene, three versions of George Michael dance next to each other (all are references to other periods of his musical career). Back on the White House lawn, Blair tries to fetch another ball thrown by Bush, but it changes into a missile (in a reference to the video Californication) which then crashes into the Michael/Simpsons' house. There, Blair watches television with the family. Trevor McDonald announces a world war, but shrugs his shoulders not knowing what to do. Blair changes the channel to the Golden Jubilee, where Elizabeth II and Prince Charles are seen greeting people from the balcony of Buckingham Palace.

Now with a hairstyle similar to Phil Oakey, Michael jumps on the balcony and starts dancing with The Queen and one of her corgis. Prince Charles tries to do the same, but moves completely out of rhythm. Then the Queen's crown falls of her head and lands on Charles'. He is excited, but then is bitten in the behind by the dog.

Meanwhile, Michael jumps at two large groups of soldiers. He sticks flowers in their guns (a reference to the famous picture of hippie protesters by Bernie Boston) and then strips to his underwear, before jumping onto Cherie Blair's bed. She quickly changes the television channel, and the scene changes to the 2002 FIFA World Cup, with David Beckham and Paul Scholes playing soccer.

Tony Blair appears in American football attire, and changes the football into an American football before leaving the stadium. Pierluigi Collina gives him a red card, while David Seaman starts crying with laughter. While Michael seduces Cherie, Tony Blair uses Great Britain as a speedboat to annex his country to the United States.

In the final scene, Michael dances in a cowboy outfit, joined by Bush and Blair, before the two politicians leave the scene together. Then other clones of Michael jump in to join him, until they all resemble the Village People. Bush and Blair re-enter the scene dancing the tango together, and the song ends. Back at the White House, President Bush liked the song so much, that he asks his general to repeat everything. The general is not pleased.

Formats and track listings

United Kingdom CD single

  1. "Shoot the Dog" (Explicit Album Version) – 5:03
  2. "Shoot the Dog" (Moogymen Mix) – 7:19

United Kingdom Enhanced CD single

  1. "Shoot the Dog" (Explicit Album Version) – 5:03
  2. "Shoot the Dog" (Moogymen Mix) – 7:19
  3. "Shoot the Dog" (Alex Kid Shoot The Radio Remix) – 3:57
  4. "Shoot the Dog" (Video) – 5:31

United Kingdom DVD single

  1. "Shoot the Dog" – 5:35
  2. "Freeek!" – 4:33

Charts

Chart (2002) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[3] 36
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[4] 41
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[5] 46
Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Wallonia)[6] 1
Canada (Nielsen SoundScan)[7] 31
Denmark (Tracklisten)[8] 1
Europe (European Hot 100 Singles)[9] 28
France (SNEP)[10] 59
Invalid chart entered Germany2 44
Hungary (Single Top 40)[11] 7
Ireland (IRMA)[12] 23
Italy (FIMI)[13] 5
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[14] 26
Portugal (AFP)[15] 2
Romania (Romanian Top 100[16] 21
Scotland (OCC)[17] 15
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[18] 4
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[19] 39
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[20] 14
UK Singles (OCC)[21] 12

See also

References

  1. ^ "Michael denies attack on Bush". bbc.co.uk. 5 July 2002. Retrieved 9 May 2019.
  2. ^ "This trippy, animated George Michael music video about Bush and Blair's 'romance' is the best one he made". metro.co.uk. 26 December 2016. Retrieved 9 May 2019.
  3. ^ "George Michael – Shoot the Dog". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 30 December 2016.
  4. ^ "George Michael – Shoot the Dog" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 30 December 2016.
  5. ^ "George Michael – Shoot the Dog" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 30 December 2016.
  6. ^ "George Michael – Shoot the Dog" (in French). Ultratip. Retrieved 30 December 2016.
  7. ^ "Canadian Digital Song Sales". Billboard. 27 September 2003. Retrieved 11 December 2018.
  8. ^ "George Michael – Shoot the Dog". Tracklisten. Retrieved 30 December 2016.
  9. ^ "Hits of the World" (PDF). Billboard. 17 August 2002. p. 45. Retrieved 30 December 2016.
  10. ^ "George Michael – Shoot the Dog" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 30 December 2016.
  11. ^ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Single (track) Top 40 lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved 30 December 2016.
  12. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Shoot the Dog". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 27 January 2020.
  13. ^ "George Michael – Shoot the Dog". Top Digital Download. Retrieved 30 December 2016.
  14. ^ "George Michael – Shoot the Dog" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 30 December 2016.
  15. ^ "Hits of the World" (PDF). Billboard. 7 September 2002. p. 49. Retrieved 30 December 2016.
  16. ^ "Editia 40, saptamina 7.10-13.10, 2002". Romanian Top 100. Archived from the original on 22 March 2005. {{cite web}}: |archive-date= / |archive-url= timestamp mismatch; 17 February 2005 suggested (help)
  17. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 30 December 2016.
  18. ^ "George Michael – Shoot the Dog" Canciones Top 50. Retrieved 30 December 2016.
  19. ^ "George Michael – Shoot the Dog". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 30 December 2016.
  20. ^ "George Michael – Shoot the Dog". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 30 December 2016.
  21. ^ "George Michael: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 30 December 2016.
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