Supernature (song)

This article is about the Cerrone song. For the Inkubus Sukkubus song, see Supernature (Inkubus Sukkubus album). For the Sharon Needles song, see Taxidermy (Sharon Needles album).

"Supernature"
Single by Cerrone
from the album Supernature (Cerrone III)
Released	December 1977[1]
Recorded	June–August 1977
Studio	Trident Studios, London
Genre	Disco
Length	3:50 (single edit) 9:45 (album version)
Label	Malligator
Songwriter(s)	Cerrone Alain Wisniak Lene Lovich[2]
Producer(s)	Cerrone
Music video
"Supernature" on YouTube

"Supernature" is the title track of Cerrone's 1977 album Supernature (Cerrone III). Along with the tracks "Give Me Love" and "Love Is Here", the song reached number one on the US disco/dance charts in early 1978.[3] The single also crossed over to both the Billboard Hot 100, where it peaked at number 70, and the soul charts, where it peaked at number 72.[4] In August 1978, "Supernature" peaked at number 8 in the UK Singles Chart following heavy exposure on the first series of The Kenny Everett Video Show.

Background

The lyrics were written by a young Lene Lovich, though she was not credited.[2] The song features an environmental theme, imagining a future where the use of artificial chemicals in agriculture has caused "creatures down below" to emerge and "take their sweet revenge" against mankind. The lyrics were inspired by The Island of Dr. Moreau.[5]

Reception

Pitchfork ranked "Supernature" as the 187th best song of the 1970s, stating that it "introduced an unprecedented strain of dystopian disco dread. Neither Kraftwerk nor Berlin-era Bowie had an immediate international dancefloor impact as profound as "Supernature". As the track grows more sinister, mutant monsters take their revenge until humanity reverts to a primitive state where it must once again earn its place."[6]

Charts

Chart (1978) Peak position Canada Dance/Urban (RPM)[7] 1 France (IFOP)[8] 26 Ireland (IRMA)[9] 11 UK Singles (OCC)[10] 8 US Billboard Hot 100[4] 70 US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play[4] 1 US Billboard Hot Soul Singles[4] 72

Chart (1996) (remix) Peak position UK Singles (OCC)[11] 66 US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play[4] 12 US Billboard Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales[4] 26 Chart (2001) Peak position France (SNEP)[12] 69 Chart (2006)^1 Peak position US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play[4] 5 ^1 J. Garraud & D. Tenaglia mixes

Cover versions

• It was covered by Lene Lovich in 1987 on the Animal Liberation compilation album "Animal Liberation".
• It was covered by Erasure in 1989, released with their single "You Surround Me".
• It was also covered by The Time Frequency in 1994 for their debut album, Dominator.
• Duran Duran released a cover version of this song on their 2023 Halloween-themed album Danse Macabre.[13]

Popular culture

• An instrumental edit of the song is used in Gaspar Noé's 2018 film Climax, being used for its opening choreography.[14]
• The band Goldfrapp named their third studio album after the song.[15]
• TK Maxx used the song in their Christmas 2022 TV advertising campaign.
• The song was played during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.

See also

• List of number-one dance singles of 1978 (U.S.)
• List of RPM number-one dance singles of 1978

References

1. "Cerrone - Supernature / Sweet Drums". 45cat.com. Retrieved 17 July 2022.
2. Juneau, Jason (September 2001). "Innovation in New Wave: Lene Lovich". Perfect Sound Forever. Retrieved 27 January 2014.
3. Whitburn, Joel (2004). Hot Dance/Disco: 1974-2003. Record Research. p. 54.
4. "Cerrone – Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 4 July 2013.
5. 180 Fact (7 February 2020). Cerrone on how disco classic ‘Supernature’ was made. Retrieved 23 August 2024 – via YouTube.
6. Barry Walters (22 August 2016). "The 200 Best Songs of the 1970s". Pitchfork.
7. "Top RPM Dance/Urban: Issue 5531." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 12 May 2015.
8. "InfoDisc : Tous les Titres par Artiste". InfoDisc (in French). Select "Cerrone" from the artist drop-down menu. Retrieved 6 July 2013.
9. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Supernature". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
10. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 July 2013.
11. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 July 2013.
12. "Cerrone – Supernature" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 6 July 2013.
13. Ruggieri, Melissa (26 October 2023). "Duran Duran reunites with Andy Taylor for best song in a decade on 'Danse Macabre' album". USA Today. Retrieved 28 October 2023.
14. Bramesco, Charles (1 March 2019). "Breaking Down Climax's DJ Set from Hell". Vulture.com. Retrieved 11 February 2021.
15. Wright, Jonathan (27 January 2017). "Starting XI: Goldfrapp". God Is in the TV. Retrieved 25 March 2017.