Identify (song)

"Identify" is a song written by Billy Corgan and performed by Natalie Imbruglia for the soundtrack to the film Stigmata. In North America, the track was released as the featured single from the soundtrack on 24 August 1999 to alternative radio airplay.[1] "Identify" also appears on the Taiwanese edition of Imbruglia's debut studio album Left of the Middle, and later, was placed as a bonus track on the Japanese version of her greatest hits compilation, Glorious: The Singles 97–07, and later on the international digital version.

"Identify"
Single by Natalie Imbruglia
from the album Stigmata O.S.T and Left of the Middle (Taiwanese Edition)
B-side"Call-out Hook"
Released24 August 1999
Recorded1998–1999
Length4:08 (radio edit)
4:48 (LP version)
LabelVirgin
Songwriter(s)Billy Corgan, Mike Garson, Nigel Godrich
Producer(s)Henry Binns, Sam Hardaker
Natalie Imbruglia singles chronology
"Smoke"
(1998)		 "Identify"
(1999)		 "That Day"
(2001)
Music video
"Identify" on YouTube

Billy Corgan originally wrote the song from a female protagonist perspective, with Garbage lead singer Shirley Manson in mind for the song, but her management turned the song down without her ever hearing it. "The idea of doing the title song came from trying to do something a little different. Back in the day, people tried to write a song that was directly connected to a movie's score," Corgan told Billboard, "So the music for "Identify" came from one of the love scenes in the movie".[2]

Critical reception

Billboard reviewer Chuck Taylor described "Identify" as a "moody, dreamlike gem", adding "there's a hint of Portishead here, an inkling of a James Bond theme, and a morsel showing Imbruglia's own growth. This is good stuff and far too credible for radio to dismiss... this could be the sleeper hit of the season."[3] In terms of the Stigmata soundtrack, Stephen Erlewine of AllMusic gave the song the following review: "It's unfortunate that the entire album wasn't entirely instrumental, since it would have been a more satisfying listen. That's not to say that the first half of the album is terrible – there's quite a few good songs there, actually, highlighted by Björk's "All is Full of Love", Afro Celt Sound System & Sinead O'Connor's "Release," and the Corgan-Garson written and Natalie Imbruglia performance "Identify."[4]

Music video

The music video for "Identify" was directed by Samuel Bayer, known for his clips for Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins and Garbage and sees Imbruglia performing the song in a dark, broody style cavern, surrounded by ghosts and tombs. The "Identify" music video is featured as a bonus extra on the Stigmata DVD release.

Track listing

CD single[5]

  1. "Identify" (Edit) – 4:08
  2. "Identify" (LP version) – 4:45
  3. "Identify" (Call-out Hook) – 0:23

References
  1. "R&R Alternative; Going For Adds 8/24/999" (PDF). R & R, Inc. 20 August 1999. p. 169.
  2. TOlsen, Catherine Applefield (5 June 1999). "Soundtarcks & Film Score News". Billboard. p. 18.
  3. Taylor, Chuck (21 August 1999). "Single Reviews". Billboard.
  4. Stephen Thomas Erlewine. "Stigmata - Original Soundtrack | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 12 August 2013.
  5. "Natalie Imbruglia - Identify (CD) at Discogs". Discogs. Retrieved 12 August 2013.
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