Rockit
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| "Rockit" | |
|---|---|
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| Single by Herbie Hancock | |
| from the album Future Shock | |
| Released | June 1983 |
| Recorded | 1982 |
| Genre | Electro[1][2] |
| Length |
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| Label |
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| Writer(s) |
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| Producer(s) | Bill Laswell |
| Certification | Gold (CRIA)[3] |
"Rockit" is a composition recorded by Herbie Hancock. It was released as a single from his 1983 album Future Shock. The composition was written by Hancock, bass guitarist Bill Laswell, and synthesizer/drum machine programmer Michael Beinhorn.
Contents
History
Constructed and composed during the recording process at various studios, including Martin Bisi's in Brooklyn NY, the composition is the first recognized popular single to feature scratching and other turntablist techniques, performed by GrandMixer D.ST - an influential DJ in the early years of turntablism.
Some years later turntablists such as DJ Qbert and Mix Master Mike cited the composition as 'revelatory' in the documentary film Scratch, inspiring their interest in the instrument. The single was a major radio hit in the United Kingdom and a popular dance club record in the United States.
Music video
The music video, directed by duo Godley & Creme[4] and featuring robot-like movable sculptures (by Jim Whiting) dancing, spinning and even walking in time to the music in a "virtual house" in London, England, garnered five MTV Video Music Awards in 1984, including Best Concept Video and Best Special Effects. Hancock himself appears and plays keyboard only as an image on a television, which is smashed on the pavement outside the front door of the house at the end of the video.
Appearances in other media
- It is featured in the video games: Dance Dance Revolution Universe 2, Amplitude, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, DJ Hero and NBA Street Homecourt.
- It was studied for the music and art portion of the 1990-1991 Academic Decathlon competition. The musical focus for that year was Music of the Post-World War II era.
- At the 1985 Grammy Awards Ceremony in Los Angeles, California, in the famous synthesizer jam with other contemporaries Howard Jones, Thomas Dolby, and Stevie Wonder.[5]
- It is featured in the 2007 film Kickin' It Old Skool as the music being played during two breakdance competitions, and a piece that wakes the main character Justin, played by Jamie Kennedy, from his 20-year coma.
- It appears in the film Zoolander, where it is used to break Derek's hypnotism during the finale catwalk scene.
- It was used for the radio program "Showboat" on Soccer AM.
- It was featured when Chris Skelton danced in Episode 5 of Series 3 on the BBC TV show Ashes to Ashes.
- It was featured on Season 3, episode 4 of 30 Rock during a brief moment when NBC page Kenneth is shown street-dancing for side cash.
- It was featured on The Simpsons' Treehouse of Horror XVI. It shows a robot playing it on a synthesizer whilst a pair of robotic legs are dancing in time to the music, parodying the music video.
- A similar tune is heard in the skit episode, "The Extras," from The Amazing World of Gumball. A group of senior citizens dance to the tune.
Chart performance
Weekly charts
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Year-end charts
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References
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<references />, or <references group="..." />| Preceded by | US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play number-one single August 27, 1983 – September 17, 1983 (4 weeks) |
Succeeded by "Holiday" / "Lucky Star" by Madonna |
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- ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Herbie Hancock – Rockit" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved July 19, 2013.
- ↑ "Ultratop.be – Herbie Hancock – Rockit" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved July 19, 2013.
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- ↑ "Officialcharts.de – Herbie Hancock – Rockit". GfK Entertainment. Retrieved July 19, 2013.
- ↑ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Rockit". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved July 19, 2013.
- ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Herbie Hancock - Rockit search results" (in Dutch) Dutch Top 40. Retrieved July 19, 2013.
- ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Herbie Hancock – Rockit" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved July 19, 2013.
- ↑ "Charts.org.nz – Herbie Hancock – Rockit". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved July 19, 2013.
- ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Herbie Hancock – Rockit". Singles Top 60. Retrieved July 19, 2013.
- ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Herbie Hancock – Rockit". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved July 19, 2013.
- ↑ "Archive Chart: 1983-08-20" UK Singles Chart. Retrieved July 19, 2013.
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ CASH BOX Top 100 Singles – Week ending OCTOBER 29, 1983 at the Wayback Machine (archived September 11, 2012). Cash Box magazine. Retrieved June 16, 2014.
- ↑ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 6742." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved May 30, 2013.
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- Pages with reference errors
- Singlechart usages for Germany2
- Singlechart usages for Ireland2
- Singlechart called without artist
- Singlechart called without song
- Singlechart usages for UK
- Singlechart usages for Canadatopsingles
- 1983 singles
- 1983 songs
- Billboard Dance Club Songs number-one singles
- Electro songs
- Instrumentals
- Music videos directed by Godley and Creme
