Ride the Bullet

"Ride the Bullet" is a Eurodance song recorded by Swedish group Army of Lovers. The song is written by Alexander Bard, Anders Wollbeck, Jean-Pierre Barda, Emil Hellman and Camilla Henemark. It was originally released on their 1990 album, Disco Extravaganza. In 1991 it was remixed and then included on the group's second album, Massive Luxury Overdose, and the US release of Disco Extravaganza titled Army of Lovers. A single was released both times, in 1990 and 1992.

"Ride the Bullet"
Standard artwork for the 1992 version
Single by Army of Lovers
from the album
B-side"Mondo Trasho, Love Me Like a Loaded Gun"
ReleasedJanuary 1990 and 1992
Genre
Length
  • 4:20 (1990 version)
  • 3:42 (1991 remix)
  • 3:27 (1992 version)
Label
  • Ton Son Ton
  • Ultrapop
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Army of Lovers (1990) singles chronology
"Baby's Got a Neutron Bomb"
(1989)
"Ride the Bullet"
(1990)
"My Army of Lovers"
(1990)
Army of Lovers (1992) singles chronology
"Candyman Messiah"
(1991)
"Ride the Bullet"
(1992)
"Crucified"
(1992)
Music video
"Ride the Bullet" (1990) on YouTube
Music video
"Ride the Bullet" (1992) on YouTube

The 1990 release features vocals by La Camilla, but in the 1992-remix she was replaced by De La Cour after Camilla left the group in 1991. The 1992 remix of "Ride the Bullet" peaked at number 4 in Austria and Finland and number 9 in Greece.

Critical reception

The song received favorable reviews from many music critics. AllMusic editor Ned Raggett said that the song "fuses Eurodisco's pulse and sheen and the all-important string swirls, as [the track] merrily shows."[1] Larry Flick from Billboard called it a "festive disco anthem".[2] Bevan Hannah from The Canberra Times described it as "high energy" and "very catchy".[3] Swedish newspaper Expressen stated that the song is "great".[4] Liverpool Echo noted, "Not quite as camp as Crucified, this new single concentrates on an almost straightforward dance-pop style".[5] Music Week stated in their review of the 1992 version, that it is "sounding fashionably retro".[6] Johnny Dee from Smash Hits gave the song 5 out of 5, commenting, "A Technicolor disco wonderland of a record that'll make the charts a sunnier place if it's a hit. Above all, Sweden's most excellent pop tarts are totally top because they look like cartoon characters, realise pop music's a funny old thing and want the whole world to join their "love train."[7] Tom Maurstad from Spartanburg Herald-Journal wrote that "there is a giddy extravangance to the way the group parades its sources and influences" and noted "the Donna Summer's-Last Dance-meets-the-O'Jays-Love Train pulsations" of "Ride the Bullet".[8]

Chart performance

"Ride the Bullet" was a major hit on the charts in Europe. It managed to climb into the Top 10 in Austria, Finland and Greece. Additionally, it was a Top 20 hit in Belgium and peaked inside the Top 30 in Germany. In the Netherlands, Switzerland and Sweden, the single reached the Top 40, as well as on the Eurochart Hot 100, where it peaked at number 40 in May 1992. In the United Kingdom, "Ride the Bullet" peaked at number 67 in its first week at the UK Singles Chart, on April 12, 1992.[9] Outside Europe, it hit number-one for one week in Israel in May 1992.

Music video

There were made two different music videos for the song, one with La Camilla in 1990 and one with De La Cour in 1992. Both were directed by Swedish director Fredrik Boklund.[10][11] He also directed the other music videos for Army of Lovers. Version 1 and 2 were uploaded to YouTube in April 2016. By September 2020, they had more than 154,000 and 224,000 views.

Track listing

7" single (1990)
No.TitleLength
1."Ride the Bullet"4:20
2."Mondo Trasho"4:25
12" maxi (1990)
No.TitleLength
1."Ride the Bullet" (Extended Vaganza Mix)9.45
2."Dub the Bullet"6:04
3."Love Me Like a Loaded Gun" (The 1990 Remix)4:57
CD maxi, France (1990)
No.TitleLength
1."Ride The Bullet"4:20
2."Ride The Bullet" (Vaganza Mix)9:45
3."Ride The Bullet" (Swemix Hip House Remix)5:25
7" single (1992)
No.TitleLength
1."Ride The Bullet"3:27
2."Love Me Like a Loaded Gun"3:24
12" maxi (1992)
No.TitleLength
1."Ride The Bullet" (Radio Edit)3:27
2."Ride The Bullet" (Tren De Amor Mix)6:24
3."Ride The Bullet" (DNA Groove Approved)4:53
4."Ride The Bullet" (David Ford & The E.G. Orchestra Re-mix)5:25
CD maxi, Germany (1992)
No.TitleLength
1."Ride The Bullet" (Radio Edit)3:27
2."Ride The Bullet" (Tren De Amor Mix)6:24
3."Ride The Bullet" (Molotov Cocktail Mix)4:57
4."Love Me Like A Loaded Gun" (Radio Edit)3:24
5."Love Me Like A Loaded Gun" (Atomic Macho Mix)5:51
CD maxi (Remixes), Germany (1992)
No.TitleLength
1."Ride The Bullet" (The DNA Mix 7" Edit)3:15
2."Ride The Bullet" (Molotov Cocktail Mix)4:57
3."Ride The Bullet" (The DNA Mix)4:53
4."Ride The Bullet" (David Ford & The E.G. Orchestra Mix)5:18
5."Crucified" (The Mafia Mix)4:53
CD maxi, U.K. (1992)
No.TitleLength
1."Ride The Bullet" (Radio Edit)3:27
2."Ride The Bullet" (Tren De Amor Mix)6:24
3."Ride The Bullet" (Molotov Cocktail Mix)4:57
4."Ride The Bullet" (DNA Groove Approved)4:53
5."Ride The Bullet" (David Ford & The E.G. Orchestra Re-mix)5:25
CD maxi, Australia (1992)
No.TitleLength
1."Ride The Bullet" (The DNA Mix 7" Edit)3:15
2."Ride The Bullet" (Molotov Cocktail Mix)4:57
3."Ride The Bullet" (DNA 12" Mix)4:53
4."Ride The Bullet" (Dave Ford Remix)6:15
5."Crucified" (Crucifixion Hardcore '92 Mix)5:06

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1992) Peak
position
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[12] 4
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[13] 12
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[14] 40
Finland (IFPI)[15] 4
Germany (Official German Charts)[16] 22
Greece (Virgin)[17] 9
Netherlands (Tipparade)[18] 2
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[19] 34
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[20] 32
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[21] 40
UK Singles (OCC)[22] 67

References

  1. "Army of Lovers - Army of Lovers". AllMusic. Retrieved 18 February 2020.
  2. "DANCETRAX" (PDF). Billboard. 24 August 1991. p. 24. Retrieved 31 March 2020.
  3. Hannah, Bevan (5 March 1992). "Future dag music should be enjoyed". The Canberra Times. p. 15. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
  4. Expressen. 16 March 1990.
  5. "New Singles". Liverpool Echo. 7 April 1992. page 19. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
  6. "Mainstream: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 4 April 1992. p. 6. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
  7. "Singles". Smash Hits. 15 April 1992. p. 52. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
  8. "ALBUMS: ARMY OF LOVERS". Spartanburg Herald-Journal. 6 September 1991. p. 8. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  9. "Official Singles Chart Top 75 12 April 1992 - 18 April 1992". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
  10. "Army of Lovers: Ride the Bullet (Version 1) (1990)". IMDb. Retrieved 14 October 2019.
  11. "Army of Lovers: Ride the Bullet (Version 2) (1992)". IMDb. Retrieved 14 October 2019.
  12. "Austriancharts.at – Army of Lovers – Ride the Bullet" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 21 February 2020.
  13. "Ultratop.be – Army of Lovers – Ride the Bullet" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 21 February 2020.
  14. "Eurochart Hot 100" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 9 no. 18. 2 May 1992. p. 37. Retrieved 21 February 2020.
  15. "Top 10 Sales in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 9 no. 15. 11 April 1992. p. 25. Retrieved 21 February 2020.
  16. "Offiziellecharts.de – Army of Lovers – Ride the Bullet". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 21 February 2020.
  17. "Top 10 Sales in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 9 no. 25. 20 June 1992. p. 16. Retrieved 21 February 2020.
  18. "Army Of Lovers - Ride The Bullet" (in Dutch). top40.nl. Retrieved 21 February 2020.
  19. "Dutchcharts.nl – Army of Lovers – Ride the Bullet" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 21 February 2020.
  20. "Swedishcharts.com – Army of Lovers – Ride the Bullet". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 21 February 2020.
  21. "Swisscharts.com – Army of Lovers – Ride the Bullet". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 21 February 2020.
  22. "Army of Lovers: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 21 February 2020.
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