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Ladykillers (song)

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"Ladykillers"
Single by Lush
from the album Lovelife
B-side"I Wanna Be Your Girlfriend"
Released26 February 1996 (1996-02-26)
Genre
Length3:46
Label4AD
Songwriter(s)Miki Berenyi
Producer(s)
  • Pete Bartlett
  • Lush
Lush singles chronology
"Single Girl"
(1996) 		"Ladykillers"
(1996) 		"500 (Shake Baby Shake)"
(1996)

"Ladykillers" is a song by English rock band Lush. It was released through 4AD on 26 February 1996 as the second single from the band's third studio album, Lovelife (1996). Known for its feminist themes, the song became one of the band's bigger hits,[1] peaking at No. 22 on the UK Singles Chart, No. 18 on the US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart, and No. 15 on the Canadian RPM Alternative 30 chart. The song appeared in the video game NCAA Football 06.

Background

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"Ladykillers" was described as a Britpop track[2] and "a punky shot of Blondie-esque new wave".[3] Lacking the reverb-indebted sound of the band's previous material, the track opened with "attention-seizing circular melody and spunky vocals" from lead vocalist Miki Berenyi.[4] AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine said that it was influenced by "the direct, jagged pop of Elastica",[5] but the band were annoyed by what Berenyi called "stupid Elastica comparisons".[6]

Berenyi confirmed that the second and third verses of the song were about Red Hot Chili Peppers lead singer Anthony Kiedis and Weezer bassist Matt Sharp, respectively.[7][8] Berenyi condemned Kiedis' behavior that she witnessed during Lollapalooza, labeling him as manipulative and detailing an incident in which Kiedis asked her to accompany him to a strip club, as well as Kiedis' abuse of groupies that occurred during the tour.[9]

Critical reception

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Annie Zaleski of The A.V. Club regarded the song as one of the album's standouts, describing it as "a welcome antidote to Britpop's masculine point of view". Zaleski further stated that the track is "a righteous feminist statement in which Lush reminds those with a Y chromosome that respecting women and treating them like smart, competent human beings is perhaps the best first step."[3] Consequence of Sound critic Frank Mojica stated that Berenyi eviscerates "men with transparent agendas and dubious attitudes towards women everywhere with an infectiously sarcastic wit". He concluded: "It's what would have been hyped as a girl power anthem had it been released a couple years later."[4] The track was included on VH1's list of "Top 10 Britpop Tracks".[2]

Music video

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A music video for the song, directed by Mark Pellington, was released in 1996.[10] It features the band performing the song, as well as footage of praying mantises decapitating one another.[11]

Track listings

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UK 7-inch single[12]

A. "Ladykillers" – 3:14
B. "I Wanna Be Your Girlfriend" (The Rubinoos cover) – 3:19

UK CD1[13]

  1. "Ladykillers"
  2. "Matador"
  3. "Ex"
  4. "Dear Me" (Miki's 8-track home demo)

UK CD2[14]

  1. "Ladykillers"
  2. "Heavenly"
  3. "Carmen"
  4. "Plums and Oranges"

Personnel

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Personnel are lifted from the UK CD1 liner notes.[13]

Charts

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Chart (1996) Peak
position
Canada Rock/Alternative (RPM)[15] 15
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[16] 49
Scotland (OCC)[17] 28
UK Singles (OCC)[18] 22
US Modern Rock Tracks (Billboard)[19] 18

Release history

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Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
United States 19 February 1996 Alternative radio
[20]
United Kingdom 26 February 1996
  • 7-inch vinyl
  • CD
 4AD [21]

References

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  1. ^ Diver, Mike. "Lush – Lovelife". BBC. Retrieved 20 February 2016.
  2. ^ a b Bradley, Megan. "Before One Direction: A Look Back on Britpop". VH1. Archived from the original on 4 October 2015. Retrieved 20 February 2016.
  3. ^ a b Zaleski, Annie (20 January 2016). "Lush's "Ladykillers" was a feminist antidote to Britpop's dude overload". The A.V. Club. Retrieved 20 February 2016.
  4. ^ a b Mojica, Frank (28 April 2012). "Dusting 'Em Off: Lush – Lovelife". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved 20 February 2016.
  5. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Lush – Lovelife". AllMusic. Retrieved 20 February 2016.
  6. ^ Gilbert, Pat. "'Record Collector' Magazine Article: Lush". Record Collector.
  7. ^ Whitehouse, Matthew (8 March 2016). "how to be a woman (in a band) with lush's miki berenyi". i-D. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  8. ^ "Lush in SPINonline". eyesore.no. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  9. ^ Carpenter, Lorraine. "Miki Berenyi". Under the Radar. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  10. ^ "Lush – Ladykillers". CMT. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 20 February 2016.
  11. ^ Hagemann, Nick (10 September 1996). "Everything and the Girl: Interview with Lush". The Michigan Journal. 26 (3): 9.
  12. ^ Ladykillers (UK 7-inch single sleeve). Lush. 4AD. 1996. AD 6002.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  13. ^ a b Ladykillers (UK CD1 liner notes). Lush. 4AD. 1996. BAD 6002 CD.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  14. ^ Ladykillers (UK CD2 liner notes). Lush. 4AD. 1996. BAD D 6002 CD.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  15. ^ "Top RPM Rock/Alternative Tracks: Issue 2974." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 23 February 2019.
  16. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 13, no. 11. 16 March 1996. p. 17. Retrieved 14 August 2020.
  17. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 23 February 2019.
  18. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 23 February 2019.
  19. ^ "Alternative Airplay". Billboard. 18 May 1996. Retrieved 14 October 2023.
  20. ^ "Be on the Lookout". Gavin Report. No. 2092. 16 February 1996. p. 22.
  21. ^ "Lush". Qobuz. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
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