History Repeating (song)

"History Repeating" is a song written by Alex Gifford and originally performed by the Propellerheads featuring Shirley Bassey in 1997.[1] The single was a #1 hit on the UK Indie Chart, and was also Bassey's first top ten appearance on any US chart since 1973's "Never Never Never", making #10 on the US Dance Club Chart.[2] According to Bassey, Gifford wrote the song especially for her. It was released shortly before the Propellerheads album Decksandrumsandrockandroll (their only album to date), released in 1998 by Wall of Sound in Europe and DreamWorks in the US and Japan.[1] The song is a fusion of several different styles of big beat, breakbeat and jazz combined with the powerful vocals of Bassey. The sleeve cover, an illustration by Duke D. Jukes, takes its inspiration from classic album sleeve from the Capitol 1957 release Just One Of Those Things (album) by Nat King Cole.

"History Repeating"
Single by Propellerheads featuring Shirley Bassey
from the album Decksandrumsandrockandroll
Released1997
Recorded1997
Genre
Length4.03
LabelWall of Sound
Songwriter(s)Alex Gifford
Producer(s)Alex Gifford
Music video
"History Repeating" on YouTube

Critical reception

The song received positive reviews from music critics. Adam Webb from Daily Herald stated, "Miss Shirley Bassey's vocals keep "History Repeating" jazzy while the Propellerheads try to speed things up in the background."[3] NME wrote, "The 'Miss' is a sharp touch, the sleeve a masterpiece of retro-cool, and the whole notion something of a glam-pop wet dream in the making. Inevitably, alas, the end product isn't quite the ermine-upholstered, chandelier-hung ballroom full of champagne that it should have been. Sure, La Bassey laps up her imperious seen-it-all vocal like she's sucking down a mouthful of melted Belgian chocolate, but the Props seem too awestruck and reverential to provide anything but jaunty cha-cha-cha beats and some skittish techno-lite for afters."[4] Sunday Mercury noted the singer's "passionate performance".[5] Ian Hyland from Sunday Mirror gave the song 8 out of 10. He commented, "Continuing their Bond obsession the 'heads enlist the not bad vocal talents of Shirley Bassey in a corking dance-meets-diva style."[6]

Music video

The retro style of the song was also continued with the music video, filmed in monochrome, the opening of which is themed on a BBC TV jazz show called Jazz 1200, hosted by Roger Humphries, and clearly harks back to the serious music shows of the 1960s. Scenes from the video shoot were included in the Divas are Forever DVD.

Track listing
European 2-track CD single
  1. "History Repeating" (Knee Length Mix) – 4:03
  2. "History Repeating" (Ankle Length Mix) – 5:49
UK 3-track maxi CD single
  1. "History Repeating" (Knee Length Mix) – 4:03
  2. "History Repeating" (Ankle Length Mix) – 5:49
  3. "History Repeating" (Hip Length Mix) – 4:14
UK 12" vinyl single [7]
  1. "History Repeating" (Ankle Length Mix) – 5:49
  2. "History Repeating" (Knee Length Mix) – 4:03
  3. "History Repeating" (Hip Length Mix) – 4:14

Track 1 only appears on side A

Charts
Chart (1997) Peak
position
[8][9][10]
Australia (ARIA Charts) 55
Belgium (Ultratip Flanders)[11] 11
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[12] 67
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista) 16
France (SNEP) 71
Germany (Official German Charts) 65
Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)[13] 7
Italy (Hit Parade Italia) 8
Netherlands (Tipparade)[14] 2
Netherlands (Single Top 100) 52
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) 32
Scotland (Official Charts Company)[15] 24
UK Singles (Official Charts Company) 19
UK Indie (Official Charts Company) 1
US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play 10

Personnel

Cover versions

It has been covered by Matt Dusk on his album Back In Town (2006). The song has also been covered by Ukrainian pop music singer Jamala in 2009. Caro Emerald covers this song in live shows.

A edit mix of the original is the theme or title music to the BBC's Later... with Jools Holland.

It featured on the original soundtrack of the film There's Something About Mary (1998), and served as the opening theme tune to the Channel 4 show So Graham Norton.

In 1999, Geri Halliwell released her debut album Schizophonic with the lead single "Look at Me", which took creative influence from this song.[16]

In 2000, the song was used in a TV commercial for Jaguar automobiles.

In 2000, the song was used in the Daria episode "Psycho Therapy".

In 2004, the song was featured in a TV promo for Sex and the City.

In 2009, it was used in the movie It's Complicated starring Meryl Streep, Alec Baldwin, and Steve Martin.

It was used in a Pantene Pro-V shampoo commercial.

In 2010, the song by Regine Velasquez for the opening of GMA's 60th Anniversary entitled GMA @ 60: The Heart of Television.

In 2011, the song featured in Series 3 of the Television series Being Human. (Episode 7: Though the Heavens Fall).

In 2011, Jamala released her debut album For Every Heart, using the song as a bonus track.

In 2020, the song was used in the trailer for Netflix's second season promotion of the The Politician.

References
  1. Colin Larkin, ed. (2000). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Nineties Music (First ed.). Virgin Books. pp. 317/8. ISBN 0-7535-0427-8.
  2. "Propellerheads Chart History". Billboard.com.
  3. Webb, Adam (10 April 1998). "Propellerheads Take off with Different Refined Techno Rock". Daily Herald. Retrieved 3 December 2020.
  4. "Singles Archive 6/12/97". NME. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
  5. "New Releases". Sunday Mercury. 15 February 1998. Retrieved 3 December 2020.
  6. Hyland, Ian (7 December 1997). "Herb's Dance Hit Makes You Feel So Good". Sunday Mirror. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
  7. "Propellerheads Featuring Miss Shirley Bassey* - History Repeating". Discogs.com.
  8. "Official Charts Company". Officialcharts.com.
  9. Hung, Steffen. "Propellerheads feat. Miss Shirley Bassey - History Repeating". Hitparade.ch.
  10. "Hit Parade Italia - Indice per Interprete: P". Hitparadeitalia.it.
  11. "Ultratop.be – Propellerheads feat. Miss Shirley Bassey – History Repeating" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved July 11, 2018.
  12. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Retrieved 19 June 2018.
  13. "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (NR. 257 Vikuna 29.1. – 5.2. 1998)" (PDF) (in Icelandic). Dagblaðið Vísir. Retrieved 5 July 2018. Cite magazine requires |magazine= (help)
  14. "Propellerheads featuring Miss Shirley Bassey – History Repeating" (in Dutch). top40.nl. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
  15. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 13 June 2018.
  16. "Propellerheads VS. Geri Halliwell (History Repeating – Look At Me)". YouTube. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
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