Metal Mickey (song)

"Metal Mickey" is the second single by the English rock band Suede, released on 14 September 1992 on Nude Records. It was included the following year on the band's debut album Suede. It charted at No. 17 on the UK Singles Chart, a vast improvement on the previous single "The Drowners", which fell short of the top 40.[3] The song also reached the top 40 in Australia and Sweden.

"Metal Mickey"
Single by Suede
from the album Suede
B-side"Where the Pigs Don't Fly"
Released14 September 1992
Recorded1992
StudioMaster Rock Studios, London, England
Genre
Length3:27
LabelNude
Songwriter(s)Brett Anderson, Bernard Butler
Producer(s)Ed Buller
Suede singles chronology
"The Drowners"
(1992)		 "Metal Mickey"
(1992)		 "Animal Nitrate"
(1993)

Background

The song is an up-tempo rock song; considerably different than the slower "Drowners". Guitarist Bernard Butler has said that its musical inspiration was "The Shoop Shoop Song", famously remade by Cher for the 1990 film Mermaids. The guitar solo, according to Butler was inspired by The Kinks' "You Really Got Me".[4] Other than its nod to the robot from the 80s children's sitcom of the same name, singer Brett Anderson has said the song was inspired by Daisy Chainsaw vocalist KatieJane Garside.[4] Charting in the top-twenty in the UK, the single earned the band their first appearance on Top of the Pops.

Reception

Europe's radio newsweekly Music & Media wrote: "Good song, good band; sometimes life is too simple. Sounding as if recorded in their own rehearsal room, the spirit of real rock roll is there with plenty of flower power."[5] The song was well-received in the US. Billboard wrote: "It's toe-tapping, head-bobbing, club-rocking stuff, reminiscent of British music from the Kinks to Bowie."[6] Linda Ryan of the Gavin Report said: "it's a tough, angst-ridden sound that smacks of frustration, the sexual kind... the guitars are loud and tough and guaranteed not to sound like any other guitar-oriented (read: grunge) band on your playlist."[7] Performed by the group on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, it became the only Suede single to crack the US Modern Rock Tracks top 10, peaking at No. 7 on 26 June 1993, nine weeks after first appearing on the chart.[8]

Track listings

All songs written by Brett Anderson and Bernard Butler.

7" Vinyl, Cassette

  1. "Metal Mickey"
  2. "Where the Pigs Don't Fly"

12" Vinyl, CD

  1. "Metal Mickey"
  2. "Where the Pigs Don't Fly"
  3. "He's Dead"

Charts
Chart (1992–1993) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[9] 39
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[10] 68
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[11] 33
UK Singles (OCC)[12] 17
US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)[13] 7

References
  1. Pettigrew, Jason (3 September 2020). "These 10 Britpop tracks from the '90s were the UK antidote for grunge". Alternative Press. Retrieved 14 December 2020.
  2. Plagenhoef, Scott (29 March 2012). "Britpop". The A.V. Club. Retrieved 14 December 2020.
  3. "Artist Chart History: Suede". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 15 June 2013.
  4. Barnett, David (2003). Love and Poison. Carlton Publishing Group. pp. 95–96. ISBN 0-233-00094-1.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  5. "New Releases - Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. 10 (9): 17. 27 February 1993. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
  6. Flick, Larry (10 April 1993). "Single Reviews" (PDF). Billboard. p. 72. Retrieved 14 June 2017.
  7. Ryan, Linda (26 March 1993). "Alternative New Releases" (PDF). Gavin Report (1947): 65–66. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
  8. "Billboard Modern Rock Tracks" (PDF). Billboard. 26 June 1993. p. 82. Retrieved 11 November 2018.
  9. "Australian-charts.com – Suede – Metal Mickey". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
  10. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 9 no. 41. 10 October 1992. p. 39. Retrieved 17 December 2020.
  11. "Swedishcharts.com – Suede – Metal Mickey". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
  12. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  13. "The London Suede Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard.
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