Heads Will Roll (song)
{{Short description|2009 single by Yeah Yeah Yeahs}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Heads Will Roll
| cover = Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Heads Will Roll.png
| type = single
| artist = Yeah Yeah Yeahs
| album = It's Blitz!
| released = {{start date|2009|6|29}}
| recorded =
| studio =
| genre = * Dance-rock{{cite magazine |author=Brice |url=https://www.complex.com/music/2014/09/essential-dance-rock-tracks-from-the-2000s/yeah-yeah-yeahs-heads-will-roll |title=15 Essential Dance Rock Tracks From the 2000s |magazine=Complex |date=September 17, 2014 |access-date=January 17, 2019}}
- new wave{{cite web |last=Lapatine |first=Scott |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/chopper-rock-and-a-whole-lot-more/article1343682/ |title=New Yeah Yeah Yeahs – "Heads Will Roll" |website=Stereogum |date=February 22, 2009 |access-date=January 17, 2019}}
- disco{{cite web |last=Gray |first=Julia |url=https://www.stereogum.com/1999279/the-10-best-yeah-yeah-yeahs-songs/lists/10-best-songs/ |title=The 10 Best Yeah Yeah Yeahs Songs |website=Stereogum |date=June 1, 2018 |access-date=May 17, 2023 |quote=Freak-disco convulsions envelop you in a surreal house party. It somehow sounds both retro and futuristic...}}
| length = {{duration|m=3|s=41}}
| label = {{hlist|Dress Up|DGC|Interscope}}
| writer = Yeah Yeah Yeahs
| producer = {{hlist|Nick Launay|David Andrew Sitek}}
| prev_title = Zero
| prev_year = 2009
| next_title = Skeletons
| next_year = 2010
| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|auzfTPp4moA|"Heads Will Roll"}}}}
{{Extra album cover
| header = A-Trak Remix digital single cover
| type = single
| cover = A-Trak HWR Remix.jpg
| border =
| alt =
| caption =
}}
}}
"Heads Will Roll" is a song by American indie rock band Yeah Yeah Yeahs, released as the second single from their third studio album, It's Blitz! (2009). The CD and 7-inch singles were released in the United Kingdom on June 29, 2009.[https://www.amazon.co.uk/Heads-Will-Roll-Yeah-Yeahs/dp/B002C2SH18 Amazon.co.uk - Heads Will Roll (Single)]
A remix by Canadian DJ A-Trak appeared in the film Project X. The remix was placed at number 124 of Rolling Stone{{'}}s list of the 200 Greatest Dance Songs.{{Cite magazine |last1=Shaffer |first1=Jon Dolan,Julyssa Lopez,Michaelangelo Matos,Claire |last2=Dolan |first2=Jon |last3=Lopez |first3=Julyssa |last4=Matos |first4=Michaelangelo |last5=Shaffer |first5=Claire |date=2022-07-22 |title=200 Greatest Dance Songs of All Time |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/200-greatest-dance-songs-of-all-time-1372888/ |access-date=2023-08-01 |magazine=Rolling Stone |language=en-US}}{{Cite web|title=Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Heads Will Roll (A-Trak remix)|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umAL-6-j1Ew |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211220/umAL-6-j1Ew |archive-date=2021-12-20 |url-status=live|access-date=November 12, 2020|website=YouTube| date=20 November 2009 }}{{cbignore}}
Composition
The song is built around a vintage sounding string riff, which was sampled from a Mellotron sound card: "Roxy SFX 2" from the Mellotron M4000D Sound Card 02.{{Citation |title=Roxy, Sabbath & Tangerine SFX {{!}} Mellotron M4000D Sound Card 02 | date=3 August 2018 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dY5d9vn2pHQ |language=en |access-date=2022-06-16}}
Music video
The music video for "Heads Will Roll" was directed by Richard Ayoade, and premiered on NME.com on May 26, 2009.{{cite web |url= https://www.nme.com/news/music/yeah-yeah-yeahs-68-1317106|title= Yeah Yeah Yeahs premiere Richard Ayoade-directed video online|date= May 26, 2009|access-date= December 17, 2023|first= Jamie|last= Fullerton|work= NME}} It features the band playing in a (presumably) underground venue when a dancing werewolf whose dancing is reminiscent of Michael Jackson (who died four days before the single was released and 30 days after the music video premiered) appears on stage. A light flashes halfway through the music video and the werewolf transforms. He then proceeds to chase after the audience and kills most of them. The video then ends with the band having been murdered while Karen O continues singing, her head severed from her body. The music video contains some mockery of horror in general; instead of blood, there is red glitter and confetti and Karen O keeps singing while decapitated. In the UK, there are two different versions of this video, the second replacing the violent conclusion with repeated clips from the previous section of the video, but it shows the confetti falling onto the band.{{cite news |last=Young |first=Alex |date=May 27, 2009 |title=Watch: Yeah Yeah Yeahs tear it up with werewolf |url=https://consequence.net/2009/05/watch-yeah-yeah-yeahs-tear-it-up-with-werewolf/ |access-date=March 22, 2022 |website=Consequence |language=en-US}}
It was nominated for a MTV Video Music Award for Breakthrough Video.{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/ontv/vma/2009/breakthrough-video/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090807002641/http://www.mtv.com/ontv/vma/2009/breakthrough-video/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=August 7, 2009 |title=MTV Video Music Awards | 2009 | Highlights, Winners, Performers and Photos from the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards |publisher=MTV.com |date=2009-09-13 |access-date=2012-02-20}}
Track listings
{{Track listing
| headline = CD single and 7-inch single
| title1 = Heads Will Roll
| length1 = 3:44
| title2 = Heads Will Roll
| note2 = Passion Pit Remix
| length2 = 4:39
}}
{{Track listing
| headline = Digital remix EP
| title1 = Heads Will Roll
| note1 = Passion Pit Remix
| length1 = 4:37
| title2 = Heads Will Roll
| note2 = Tommie Sunshine Remix
| length2 = 5:21
| title3 = Heads Will Roll
| note3 = Little Vampire Remix
| length3 = 4:47
| title4 = Heads Will Roll
| note4 = James Iha Remix
| length4 = 4:15
}}
Charts
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
=Weekly charts=
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |
| scope="col"| Chart (2009–2012)
! scope="col"| Peak |
|---|
| {{single chart|Flanders|1|artist=Yeah Yeah Yeahs|song=Heads Will Roll|rowheader=true}} |
| {{single chart|Wallonia|7|artist=Yeah Yeah Yeahs|song=Heads Will Roll|rowheader=true}} |
| {{single chart|France|45|artist=Yeah Yeah Yeahs|song=Heads Will Roll|rowheader=true}} |
| {{single chart|Germany|73|songid=560689|artist=Yeah Yeah Yeahs|song=Heads Will Roll|rowheader=true|access-date=January 17, 2019}} |
| {{single chart|Ireland3|70|artist=Yeah Yeah Yeahs|rowheader=true|access-date=January 17, 2019}} |
| {{single chart|Scotland|75|date=20110327|rowheader=true|access-date=January 17, 2019}} |
| {{single chart|UKsinglesbyname|89|artist=Yeah Yeah Yeahs|artistid=11803|rowheader=true|access-date=March 11, 2019}} |
| scope="row"| US Alternative Digital Songs (Billboard){{cite magazine |url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/yeah-yeah-yeahs/chart-history/ald/ |title=Yeah Yeah Yeahs Chart History (Alternative Digital Song Sales) |magazine=Billboard |access-date=January 27, 2021}}
| 7 |
| {{single chart|Billboarddancesales|1|artist=Yeah Yeah Yeahs|rowheader=true|access-date=September 8, 2019}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardsinglessales|5|artist=Yeah Yeah Yeahs|rowheader=true|access-date=September 8, 2019}} |
{{col-2}}
=Year-end charts=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" style="text-align:center" |
| scope="col"| Chart (2010)
! scope="col"| Position |
|---|
| scope="row"| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders){{cite web |url=https://www.ultratop.be/nl/annual.asp?year=2010&cat=s |title=Jaaroverzichten 2010 – Singles |language=nl |publisher=Ultratop |access-date=January 17, 2019}}
| 16 |
| scope="row"| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia){{cite web |url=https://www.ultratop.be/fr/annual.asp?year=2010&cat=s |title=Rapports Annuels 2010 – Singles |language=fr |publisher=Ultratop |access-date=January 17, 2019}}
| 57 |
{{col-end}}
Certifications
{{Certification Table Top}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Belgium|artist=Yeah Yeah Yeahs|title=Heads Will Roll|award=Gold|type=single|relyear=2009|relmonth=6|certyear=2010|date=July 16, 2010|access-date=June 1, 2019}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Germany|artist=Yeah Yeah Yeahs|title=Heads Will Roll|award=Gold|number=3|type=single|relyear=2009|certyear=2023|access-date=March 2, 2023}}
{{Certification Table Entry |region=Spain|type=single|artist=Yeah Yeah Yeahs|title=Heads Will Roll|award=Gold|relyear=2009|certyear=2024|accessdate=20 April 2024}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|artist=Yeah Yeah Yeahs|title=Heads Will Roll|award=Platinum|type=single|relyear=2009|certyear=2021|id=13254-240-1|access-date=July 30, 2021}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|noshipments=true|streaming=true}}
Other versions
{{Unreferenced section|date=November 2024}}
The song was performed by Scarlett Johansson in 2021 for Universal's computer animated feature Sing 2 as a porcupine named "Ash".
"Heads Will Roll" was Amber Glenn's short program music for the 2023-2024 Figure Skating Season. Glenn won the 2024 U.S. Figure Skating Championships with this performance.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/268592/yeah-yeah-yeahs-leave-heads-rolling-on-the-road Yeah Yeah Yeahs Leave Heads Rolling On The Road] at Billboard.com
{{Yeah Yeah Yeahs}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Heads Will Roll (Yeah Yeah Yeahs Song)}}
Category:Yeah Yeah Yeahs songs
Category:American new wave songs
Category:Interscope Records singles
Category:Music based on Alice in Wonderland
Category:Song recordings produced by Nick Launay
Category:Songs written by Brian Chase
Category:Songs written by Karen O
Category:Songs written by Nick Zinner
Category:Ultratop 50 Singles (Flanders) number-one singles