It's Oh So Quiet by Björk

Album: Post (1995)

Charted: 4

License This Song

lyrics

artistfacts

Songfacts®:

This is a remake of a 1948 song by Betty Hutton that was written by Hans Lang and Bert Reisfeld. The original is titled "Blow A Fuse."
This became Björk's biggest hit in the UK. It led to the Icelander's subsequent single releases "Hyperballad" and "Possibly Maybe" also reaching the UK Top 20. Björk later virtually disowned the song by not including it on her 2002 greatest hits album. It is thought that Björk was disappointed that her most popular song is an unusual cover done in a style totally different to anything else she has recorded.
Björk (Record Collector, August 2002 taken from Björk.com): "It was sort of a joke really. It was a song Guy Sigsworth used to play on the bus when we were touring. Ever since, I almost regret doing it because I wanted to put so much importance on making new music. So many people are doing old music and you've even got new bands doing old music. If I put something out in this world, it would be the courage to go ahead and invent things, so it's ironic 'It's Oh So Quiet' became my biggest song. The best bit was the video."
The video was directed by Spike Jonze and was inspired by musicals of the '40s-'60s, notably the 1964 film The Umbrellas of Cherbourg. Björk was ill with a fever and could only speak in a whisper during the shoot.
Keyboardist and programmer Marius De Vries recalled the recording of this track to Uncut magazine: "We booked a three-hour session for It's 'Oh So Quiet.' We wanted to record the vocal live with the orchestra, but Bjork was held up. She turned up with 15 minutes to go, strolled into the vocal booth, and ran it down twice. That was it."

Comments: 3

Sarah from Yuba City, CaThe other day i heard this song and was like 'whooaa whaat is thaat???' And of course, it was Bjork. i'm totally hooked now. :)
Carol from S. Londonerry, VtThis was my first exposure to Björk, and my kids and I loved her. She was so little and quiet, then exuberant and loud, a real act. I was somewhat disappointed that the rest of her music was nothing like this, but I did enjoy that, too. I still think of this song as her best.
Caitlin from Upper Township, Njlove this song. it's very broadway-divaish. i think bjork would do very well on broadway.

see more comments

More Songfacts:

GreaseFrankie Valli

The song "Grease," sung by Frankie Valli in the 1978 movie, was written by Barry Gibb of The Bee Gees.

1234Feist

Feist's "1234" is "about lost love, and the hope to recapture what you once had," but it's best known for the Sesame Street version about counting to four.

Brown Eyed GirlVan Morrison

Van Morrison's "Brown Eyed Girl" was originally called "Brown Skinned Girl," and was about an interracial relationship.

Everyday I Write The BookElvis Costello

Elvis Costello says "Everyday I Write The Book" is a knockoff of Nick Lowe's "When I Write the Book."

Pump Up The JamTechnotronic

The first Eurodance hit in America was "Pump Up The Jam" by Technotronic in 1989. It led to a wave of Eurodance hits from the likes of Black Box, Snap! and C+C Music Factory in the early '90s.

Ring Of FireJohnny Cash

Johnny Cash's wife, June Carter, wrote "Ring Of Fire" about their relationship.