Blue (Da Ba Dee)

"Blue (Da Ba Dee)"
Single by Eiffel 65
from the album Europop
B-side "Remix"
Released October 1998[1]
Format
Recorded September 1998
Genre Eurodance[2]
Length
  • 4:45 (album version)
  • 3:39 (video edit)
  • 3:23 (radio version)
Label BlissCo
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Maurizio Lobina
  • Massimo Gabutti
  • Luciano Zucchet
Eiffel 65 singles chronology
"Blue (Da Ba Dee)"
(1998)		 "Too Much of Heaven"
(1999)

"Blue (Da Ba Dee)" is a song by Italian music group Eiffel 65. It was first released in October 1998 in Italy and became internationally successful the following year.[1] It is the lead single of their debut album Europop. The song is the group's most popular single, reaching number one in many countries such as Ireland, the United Kingdom,[3] the Netherlands, France, Sweden, Switzerland, New Zealand, Finland, Norway, Australia, Germany and Hungary, as well as reaching number six on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States.[4]

In the United Kingdom, the song originally entered the top 40 purely on import sales; it was only the third single to do this.[5] The song also received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Dance Recording at the 2001 Grammy Awards, 2 years after it was released.[6]

Writing and production

"Blue", written by Eiffel 65 lead singer Jeffrey Jey, keyboardist Maurizio Lobina, and producer Massimo Gabutti, it was known for Underground Warriors, was inspired by group member Maurizio Lobina's composed opening piano hook. The producers of the song then came up with the idea for a dance song. Jey stated that his inspiration for the lyrics was how a person picked his lifestyle. The colour blue as the main topic of the song was picked at random, with Lobina telling him to write nonsensical lyrics. "Blue" is one of the first hit songs to use the Auto-Tune vocal warble effect, after Cher's "Believe" and Kid Rock's "Only God Knows Why".[7] Lobina came up with the "da ba dee" hook at the end of this line.[8]

Lyrics and composition

"Blue (Da Ba Dee)" is written in the key of G minor, with the vocal range spanning from C3 to E♭4,[9] and is set in common time with a moderate tempo of 128 beats per minute.[10]

The song's lyrics tell a story about a man who lives in a "blue world." It is also stated he is "blue inside and outside," which, along with the lyric "himself and everybody around 'cause he ain't got nobody to listen," and "blue are the feelings that live inside me" may indicate that the term blue represents his emotional state; however, the song also states that a vast variety of what he owns is also blue, including his house and his car ("a blue Corvette"): various blue-coloured objects are also depicted on the single's cover.[11] The song's hook is the sentence "I'm blue," followed by a repetition of the words "da ba dee da ba daa," which the hook is based around.

Critical reception

The song received mixed reviews from critics. Entertainment Weekly positively reviewed the song, calling the song "a fleeting, feel-good foot-tapper" and gave the song a rating of B-.[12] PopMatters reviewer Chris Massey, in his review of Europop, described his initial reaction to the song as being "really, really bad." However, he later stated in the review that after many repeated listenings of the song he "loved it."[13]

Rolling Stone, however, in their review of Europop, gave the song a negative review, stating that the song "blends Cher-esque vocoder vocals, trance-like synth riffs, unabashed Eurodisco beats and a baby-babble chorus so infantile it makes the Teletubbies sound like Shakespeare." The magazine also placed the song on their list of the "20 Most Annoying Songs," at No. 14.[14]

Chart performance

The single, released in October 1998, was a chart-topper in many European countries. The song initially found success in France, where it debuted in August 1999 and reached number one for three weeks. It then found success in other European countries, reaching the top spot on many charts in September the same year, including Germany, the Netherlands,[15] Switzerland,[16] Sweden,[17] Norway and many other countries. It replaced "Mambo No. 5" by Lou Bega on many of these charts at the top spot.

The song also found success in other regions, including Oceania and North America: it reached number one in Australia, New Zealand and Canada. It became a top ten hit on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, reaching number six. It became the highest charting Italian song in the United States since Al di là by Emilio Pericoli that also peaked at six in 1962.

The song re-charted on 6 May 2013 at No. 40 in the U.K.,[18] the same week the song appeared in the film Iron Man 3.

Music video

Eiffel 65 on television screens during the opening segment of the video.

The music video for the song was released in 1999 by the BlissCoMedia, a computer graphics company of the Bliss Corporation, known at the time the video was produced and released as "BlissMultiMedia".[19] The video featured computer graphics created with 3ds Max,[20] and has Eiffel 65 members Maurizio Lobina and Gabry Ponte trying to save Jeffrey Jey from the aliens Zorotl and Sayok6.[21]

Cover versions and samplings

German singer Max Raabe and Palast Orchester covered the song for his 2001 studio album Super Hits.[22] A cover version was released on the 2006 Crazy Frog studio album More Crazy Hits. Flo Rida sampled the chorus of "Blue (Da Ba Dee)" in his 2009 single "Sugar".[23] Michael Mind Project used a sample of "Blue (Da Ba Dee)" in their 2012 single "Feeling So Blue". Sandra Lyng used a sample of the song in her single "Blue".[24] American country artist Coffey Anderson used a sampling in his 2017 single "Bud Light Blue". Just Dance 2018 covers this song as well, said artist for this song is by Hit The Electro Beat.

Use in media

The song has appeared in multiple films and television series. It was included in films such as Loser (2000), Big Fat Liar (2002), Iron Man 3 (2013), Mommy (2014), and Smurfs: The Lost Village (2017), the third instance during a flashback scene set in 1999, the year the song became popular.[25] In television, it was used in Daria episode The F Word and in 90210 finale of season 1. On 15 March 2011 Ozone Entertainment released the song through the Rock Band Network. It is the first song on the service to incorporate the keyboard introduced in Rock Band 3.[26][27] The song was also featured in an EDF Energy advertisement in 2015.

A cover version of the song that matches the video version's length is featured in the 2017 dance rhythm game Just Dance 2018.

The game Sir! I'd Like To Report A Bug! dedicates one level to this song, in which the entire environment is colored blue.[28] As this is a video game about fixing glitches, the player is required to report this phenomenon as a software bug upon completing the level.

Formats and track listings

Italy CD single 1999
  1. "Blue (Da Ba Dee)" (DJ Ponte Ice Pop Mix) – 6:25
  2. "Blue (Da Ba Dee)" (DJ Ponte Radio Edit) – 4:43
  3. "Blue (Da Ba Dee)" (Glamour Jump Mix) – 5:19
  4. "Blue (Da Ba Dee)" (Dub Mix) – 4:47
German CD maxi-single
  1. "Blue (Da Ba Dee)" (Blue Ice Pop Radio Edit) – 3:39
  2. "Blue (Da Ba Dee)" (DJ Ponte Ice Pop Mix) – 6:26
  3. "Blue (Da Ba Dee)" (Hannover Remix) – 6:24
  4. "Blue (Da Ba Dee)" (Dub Mix) – 4:48
  5. "Blue (Da Ba Dee)" (Ice Pop Instrumental Mix) – 6:27
  6. "Blue (Da Ba Dee)" (Blue Paris Remix) – 7:42
Kiss FM 92.7 & Radio Disney Sing
  1. "Blue (Da Ba Dee)" (Underground Warriors Radio Version) – 3:20

Charts

Certifications

Region CertificationCertified units/Sales
Australia (ARIA)[64] 3x Platinum 210,000^
Austria (IFPI Austria)[65] Platinum 30,000*
Canada (Music Canada)[66] Gold 50,000^
Finland (Musiikkituottajat)[67] Gold 7,957[67]
France (SNEP)[68] Diamond 750,000*
Germany (BVMI)[69] 5x Gold 1,250,000^
Netherlands (NVPI)[70] Gold 40,000^
Sweden (GLF)[71] 3x Platinum 60,000^
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[72] 2x Platinum 100,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[73] 2x Platinum 1,200,000^

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone

References

  1. 1 2 "Billboard Magazine"
  2. ↑ Wilton, Lisa (25 March 2000). "Forgotten song became hit for Eiffel 65". Canoe.ca. Retrieved 12 May 2014.
  3. ↑ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 638. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  4. ↑ Billboard.com - Artist Chart History - Eiffel 65
  5. ↑ "Blue (Da Ba Dee)". Songfacts.com. Retrieved 2009-03-31.
  6. ↑ http://www.rockonthenet.com/archive/2001/grammys.htm
  7. ↑ "Eiffel 65 - Book Eiffel 65 for your Corporate Events, Fund Raisers". Locoloboevents.com. Retrieved 2012-01-04.
  8. ↑ Ross, Mike. "The Colour of Money Is Blue". Jam!. Canoe Inc. Archived from the original on 25 May 2012. Retrieved 23 April 2009.
  9. ↑ Eiffel 65 - Blue (Da Ba Dee) Sheet Music (Download and Print). Musicnotes.com. Accessed from April 28, 2013.
  10. ↑ Dave's Music Database - Eiffel 65
  11. ↑ prod-assets.mog.com - Eiffel 65 "Blue (Da Ba Dee)" single cover
  12. ↑ Blue (Da Ba Dee) | Music Review |Entertainment Weekly
  13. ↑ Eiffel 65: Europop - PopMatters Music Review
  14. ↑ 20 Most Annoying Songs by Rolling Stone.
  15. ↑ Dutchcharts.nl - 65 - Blue (Da Ba Dee) Archived March 6, 2014, at the Wayback Machine.
  16. ↑ Hitparade.ch - Eiffel 65 - Blue (Da Ba Dee) Archived November 3, 2009, at the Wayback Machine.
  17. ↑ Swedishcharts.com - Eiffel 65 - Blue (Da Ba Dee)
  18. ↑ BBC Radio 1 Charts. BBC. 6 May 2013. Accessed from 6 May 2013.
  19. ↑ Blue: 10 anni, 10 milioni di download (In Italian). Blisscomedia.com. Accessed from May 11, 2013.
  20. ↑ Renderfarm. Blisscomedia.com. Accessed from April 1, 2013.
  21. ↑ Jeffrey-kidnapped. Zorotl.com. Accessed from April 1, 2013.
  22. ↑ "Max Raabe und Palast Orchester News, Bilder, Konzerte und Videos 2011 - Home". Palastorchester.de. Retrieved 2012-01-04.
  23. ↑ "Flo Rida Digs Out Eiffel 65's "Blue (Da Ba Dee)" For New Single "Sugar"". About40.com. Retrieved 2014-05-04.
  24. ↑ Spotify: Sandra Lyng - Blue
  25. ↑ Iron Man 3 (Motion picture). Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. 2013.
  26. ↑ Blue (Da Ba Dee) by Eiffel 65 // Songs // Rock Band Archived March 19, 2011, at the Wayback Machine.
  27. ↑ First RBN 2.0 Song in the Store – “Blue” // Blog // Rock Band Archived March 19, 2011, at the Wayback Machine.
  28. ↑ "Sir! I'd Like To Report A Bug! Steam store listing". Steam. Lord Puggington Games. Retrieved 3 September 2018.
  29. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 "Blue (Da Ba Dee)", in various singles charts Lescharts.com (Retrieved December 12, 2008)
  30. ↑ "Brazil" (PDF). ABPD. October 6, 2001. Retrieved April 1, 2014.
  31. ↑ Billboard allmusic.com (Retrieved December 12, 2008)
  32. ↑ Canadian dance peak
  33. ↑ Canadian Top Singles peak
  34. ↑ "Eiffel 65 singles, German Singles Chart" (in German). musicline. Retrieved 29 April 2010.
  35. ↑ "Top 10 Hungary" (PDF). Music & Media. Retrieved 7 May 2018.
  36. ↑ "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (Vikuna 30.9. - 7.10. 1999 40. Vika)" (PDF) (in Icelandic). Dagblaðið Vísir. Retrieved 13 July 2018.
  37. ↑ Irish Single Chart Irishcharts.ie Archived January 5, 2010, at the Wayback Machine. (Retrieved December 12, 2008)
  38. ↑ Top Italian Singles of 1999
  39. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Eiffel 65" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved June 19, 2018.
  40. ↑ "Dutch Charts > Eiffel 65 - Blue (Da Ba Dee) (Nummer)". Hung Medien. Archived from the original on March 6, 2014. Retrieved September 5, 2013.
  41. ↑ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  42. ↑ Billboard: Hits of the World, July 3, 1999
  43. ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  44. ↑ "Eiffel 65 Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  45. ↑ "Eiffel 65 Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard.
  46. ↑ "Eiffel 65 Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard.
  47. ↑ "Eiffel 65 Chart History (Latin Airplay)". Billboard.
  48. ↑ "Eiffel 65 Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard.
  49. ↑ "Eiffel 65 Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard.
  50. ↑ "1999 Australian Singles Chart". aria. Archived from the original on 12 March 2012. Retrieved 29 April 2010.
  51. ↑ "1999 Austrian Singles Chart" (in German). Austriancharts. Archived from the original on 1 March 2012. Retrieved 29 April 2010.
  52. ↑ "1999 Belgian (Flanders) Singles Chart" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 29 April 2010.
  53. ↑ "1999 Belgian (Wallonia) Singles Chart" (in French). Ultratop. Archived from the original on 10 February 2014. Retrieved 29 April 2010.
  54. ↑ "Top Singles - Volume 70, No. 8, December 13, 1999". RPM. December 13, 1999. Retrieved November 21, 2017.
  55. ↑ "1999 French Singles Chart" (in French). SNEP. Archived from the original on 1 March 2012. Retrieved 28 April 2010.
  56. ↑ "Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved April 21, 2018.
  57. ↑ "Single top 100 over 1999" (PDF) (in Dutch). Top40. Retrieved 29 April 2010.
  58. ↑ "JAAROVERZICHTEN - SINGLE 1999" (in Dutch). dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 23 December 2013.
  59. ↑ "End of Year Charts 1999". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 4 December 2017.
  60. ↑ "Romanian Top 100: Top of the Year 1999" (in Romanian). Romanian Top 100. Archived from the original on January 22, 2005.
  61. ↑ "1999 Swiss Singles Chart" (in German). Swisscharts. Retrieved 29 April 2010.
  62. ↑ "Swiss year-end chart". swisscharts.com. 2000. Retrieved November 22, 2017.
  63. ↑ "Billboard Top 100 - 2000". Archived from the original on 2009-03-04. Retrieved 2010-08-31.
  64. ↑ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 1999 Singles". Australian Recording Industry Association.
  65. ↑ "Austrian single certifications – Eiffel 65 – Blue (Da Ba Dee)" (in German). IFPI Austria. Enter Eiffel 65 in the field Interpret. Enter Blue (Da Ba Dee) in the field Titel. Select single in the field Format. Click Suchen. 
  66. ↑ "Canadian single certifications – Eiffel 65 – Blue (Da Ba Dee)". Music Canada.
  67. 1 2 "Eiffel 65" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland.
  68. ↑ "French single certifications – Eiffel 65 – Blue (Da Ba Dee)" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique.
  69. ↑ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Eiffel 65; 'Blue (Da Ba Dee)')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
  70. ↑ "Dutch single certifications – Eiffel 65 – Blue (Da Ba Dee)" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers. Enter Blue (Da Ba Dee) in the "Artiest of titel" box.
  71. ↑ "Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 1999" (PDF) (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden.
  72. ↑ "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards (Eiffel 65; 'Blue (Da Ba Dee)')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien.
  73. ↑ "British single certifications – Eiffel 65 – Blue (Da Ba Dee)". British Phonographic Industry. Select singles in the Format field. Select 2x Platinum in the Certification field. Enter Blue (Da Ba Dee) in the search field and then press Enter.
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