Overpowered (song)

"Overpowered"
Single by Róisín Murphy
from the album Overpowered
B-side	"Foolish", "Sweet Nothings"
Released	9 July 2007
Format	CD single, digital download, 12" single
Recorded	2007
Genre	Electropop, synthpop
Length	5:08
Label	EMI
Writer(s)	Róisín Murphy, Paul Dolby, Mike Patto
Producer	Róisín Murphy, Seiji
Róisín Murphy singles chronology
"Sow into You" (2005) "Overpowered" (2007) "Let Me Know" (2007)

"Overpowered" is a song by Irish recording artist Róisín Murphy from her second solo studio album, Overpowered. Released as the album's lead single on 9 July 2007, the song was written by Murphy, Paul "Seiji" Dolby (of Bugz in the Attic) and Mike Patto and produced by Murphy herself and Seiji. The single reached number 149 on the UK Singles Chart on downloads alone, as its physical formats were ineligible to chart.

Single cover

The art director of the single was British graphic designer Scott King and the photographer was Jonathan de Villiers. Murphy is wearing a design by Viktor & Rolf on the cover.^[1]

Critical reception

"Overpowered" was met with positive reviews from critics. Jax Spike of About.com described the song as "a perfect ode to melancholic memories that are sung with a seductive baby doll voice with lyrics like 'When I think that I am over you/I'm overpowered' right before a zigzagging electro beat comes into play."^[2] Heather Phares of Allmusic stated, "With its sleek beats, bubbling synths, and nagging chorus, 'Overpowered' closely resembles a state-of-the-art pop single, but the way Murphy sings of science and oxytocin over a heart-fluttering harp is unmistakably her."^[3] BBC Music's Sonja D'Cruze referred to the song as "a heady electronic anthem which tells the tale of getting consumed by the lust for an ex-lover, complete with a squelchy bassline and the minimalism of Casio kickdrums which are all secretly lifted by gentle harp and spacey synths. It's an irresistible match of loved-up disco pop which has a crafty reworking of TIGA's 'I Wear My Sunglasses At Night', immediately making it a new classic."^[4] Mike Barnes from musicOMH called the song "an unrelenting electro-pop gem that penetrates your skull faster than a high-velocity nail gun."^[5] Pitchfork Media placed "Overpowered" at number sixty-nine on its list of the Top 100 Tracks of 2007, further commenting, "Arty and smartly seductive, 'Overpowered' is a sublime reminder of the glory days of New Pop."^[6]

Music video

Directed by Jamie Thraves, the music video shows Murphy walking back home from a live gig at night. On her way home, she is seen catching a Routemaster, buying fish and chips at a restaurant and witnessing a police chase. Upon arriving home, she drinks water in the kitchen, removes clothes from the washing machine, brushes her teeth and ultimately goes to bed. Throughout the video, Murphy wears a crimson and white-chequered outfit designed by English fashion designer Gareth Pugh; Kylie Minogue would wear the same piece in her "In My Arms" video the following year.^[7]

Track listings

UK CD single "Overpowered" – 5:09 "Foolish" – 3:28 "Sweet Nothings" – 3:45 "Overpowered" (Seamus Haji Remix) – 8:07 "Overpowered" (Kris Menace Remix) – 5:09 "Overpowered" (Video) – 4:04 UK 12" single A1. "Overpowered" – 5:09 A2. "Foolish" – 3:28 A3. "Overpowered" (Kris Menace Remix) – 5:09 B1. "Overpowered" (Seamus Haji Remix) – 8:07 B2. "Overpowered" (Herve Remix) UK promo CD single "Overpowered" (Radio Edit) – 3:40 "Overpowered" (Album Version) – 5:08 "Overpowered" (Instrumental) – 5:06

Digital single[8] "Overpowered" (Radio Edit) – 3:44 Digital EP 1[9] "Overpowered" – 5:09 "Foolish" – 3:28 "Sweet Nothings" – 3:43 Digital EP 2[10] "Overpowered" – 5:08 "Overpowered" (Loose Cannons Mix) – 4:32 "Overpowered" (Kris Menace Remix) – 5:11 "Overpowered" (Seamus Haji Remix) – 8:08 "Overpowered" (Herve and Róisín in the Secret Garden Mix) – 5:27 Digital EP 3[11] "Overpowered" – 5:09 "Overpowered" (Kris Menace Remix) – 5:09 "Overpowered" (Seamus Haji Remix) – 8:07 "Overpowered" (Herve and Róisín in the Secret Garden Mix) – 5:26

Official versions

• Album Version
• Radio Edit
• Instrumental
• Live Version
• Herve and Róisín in the Secret Garden Mix (also known as Herve Remix)
• Kris Menace Remix
• Kris Menace Instrumental
• Loose Cannons Mix
• Seamus Haji Remix
• Seamus Haji Edit

Personnel

• Róisín Murphy – vocals, producer
• Tom Elmhirst – mixing
• Scott King – art direction, design
• Dave Okumu – guitar
• Mike Patto – keyboards
• Seiji – producer, drums, keyboards
• Jonathan de Villiers – photography

Charts

Chart (2007)	Peak position
Belgian Singles Chart (Flanders)[12]	28
Belgian Tip Chart (Wallonia)[13]	13
Danish Singles Chart[14]	34
Dutch Single Top 100[15]	44
Finnish Singles Chart[16]	10
German Singles Chart[17]	86
UK Singles Chart[18]	149

References

1. ^ louis (7 April 2008). "Roisin Murphy: Overpowered". Sleevage. http://sleevage.com/roisin-murphy-overpowered/. Retrieved 9 July 2010. 
2. ^ Spike, Jax. "Roisin Murphy – 'Overpowered'". About.com. The New York Times Company. http://dancemusic.about.com/od/reviews/fr/Roisin_Murphy_-_Overpowered.htm. Retrieved 9 July 2010. 
3. ^ Phares, Heather. "Overpowered – Róisín Murphy – Review". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. http://www.allmusic.com/album/overpowered-r1214639/review. Retrieved 9 July 2010. 
4. ^ D'Cruze, Sonja (10 October 2007). "Review of Róisín Murphy – Overpowered". BBC Music. BBC Online. http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/pqdp. Retrieved 9 July 2010. 
5. ^ Barnes, Mike. "Róisín Murphy – Overpowered (EMI)". musicOMH. http://www.musicomh.com/singles/roisin-murphy_0707.htm. Retrieved 9 July 2010. 
6. ^ "Top 100 Tracks of 2007". Pitchfork Media. 17 December 2007. http://pitchfork.com/features/staff-lists/6752-top-100-tracks-of-2007/4/. Retrieved 1 July 2010. 
7. ^ "Roisin, Kylie & Pugh". roisinmurphy.blogspot.com. 4 February 2008. http://roisinmurphy.blogspot.com/2008/02/roisin-kylie-pugh.html. Retrieved 9 July 2010. 
8. ^ "Overpowered – Single by Róisín Murphy". iTunes Store UK. Apple Inc.. http://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/overpowered-single/id257615903. Retrieved 9 July 2010. 
9. ^ "Overpowered – EP 1 by Róisín Murphy". iTunes Store UK. Apple Inc.. http://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/overpowered-ep/id258928141. Retrieved 9 July 2010. 
10. ^ "Overpowered – EP 2 by Róisín Murphy". iTunes Store UK. Apple Inc.. http://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/overpowered-ep/id258928864. Retrieved 9 July 2010. 
11. ^ "Overpowered: Róisín Murphy" (in German). Amazon.de. http://www.amazon.de/dp/B001QCHQN0. Retrieved 9 July 2010. 
12. ^ "Róisín Murphy – Overpowered" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Hung Medien. http://www.ultratop.be/nl/showitem.asp?interpret=R%F3is%EDn+Murphy&titel=Overpowered&cat=s. Retrieved 11 April 2011. 
13. ^ "Róisín Murphy – Overpowered" (in French). Ultratop. Hung Medien. http://www.ultratop.be/fr/showitem.asp?interpret=R%F3is%EDn+Murphy&titel=Overpowered&cat=s. Retrieved 11 April 2011. 
14. ^ "Róisín Murphy – Overpowered". IFPI Denmark. Hung Medien. http://danishcharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=R%F3is%EDn+Murphy&titel=Overpowered&cat=s. Retrieved 11 April 2011. 
15. ^ "Róisín Murphy – Overpowered" (in Dutch). MegaCharts. Hung Medien. http://dutchcharts.nl/showitem.asp?interpret=R%F3is%EDn+Murphy&titel=Overpowered&cat=s. Retrieved 11 April 2011. 
16. ^ "Róisín Murphy – Overpowered". YLE. Hung Medien. http://finnishcharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=R%F3is%EDn+Murphy&titel=Overpowered&cat=s. Retrieved 11 April 2011. 
17. ^ "Chartverfolgung / Murphy,Roisin / Single" (in German). Media Control. PhonoNet GmbH. http://www.musicline.de/de/chartverfolgung_summary/artist/Murphy%2CRoisin/?type=single. Retrieved 5 January 2010. 
18. ^ "Chart Log UK: 1994–2008". The Official Charts Company. The Zobbel Website. http://www.zobbel.de/cluk/CLUK_M.HTM. Retrieved 5 January 2010.