Oh My God (Kaiser Chiefs song)

"Oh My God" is the debut single of English indie rock band Kaiser Chiefs. It was initially released by the Drowned in Sound label on 17 May 2004, reaching number 66 on the UK Singles Chart. It was re-released on 21 February 2005, two weeks before the release of their debut album, Employment. This time, it peaked at number six on the UK Singles Chart, which earned the band their first top-10 hit as well as their highest-charting single at the time until it was succeeded by UK chart-topper "Ruby" on 25 February 2007. The song also appeared on the soundtrack for the video game Driver: Parallel Lines.

"Oh My God"
Single by Kaiser Chiefs
from the album Employment
Released17 May 2004 (2004-05-17)
Length
  • 3:43 (original)
  • 3:35 (reissue)
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Kaiser Chiefs singles chronology
"Oh My God"
(2004)		 "I Predict a Riot"
(2004)
"I Predict a Riot"
(2004)
"Oh My God"
(2005)
"Everyday I Love You Less and Less"
(2005)

The original single release, now a rarity due to its limited run of 500 copies, features artwork by frontman Ricky Wilson, and its B-sides were earlier versions of "Born to Be a Dancer" and "Caroline, Yes", both of which would also appear on Employment.

Background

Singer Ricky Wilson said, "The verses are about the fact that we've been playing together for such a long time and people think, 'What's he doing? He's still trying to make a career out of music? It'll never work. One in a million people do it.' But we still had the opinion that we were five of the people in a million, so we carried on."[1]

Dorian Lynskey of The Guardian wrote that the Kaiser Chiefs had been labeled as has-beens by 2003-2004, and they were desperate to build a fanbase to impress record labels: "The need to make an impression while bottom of the bill in a tiny venue explains all the ohhhhhhs and nanananas and oft-repeated choruses that set up shop in the listener's brain after the first listen."[1]

Track listing

Initial release

All of these tracks are different, earlier versions of the album editions.

  1. "Oh My God"
  2. "Born to Be a Dancer"
  3. "Caroline, Yes"

Re-issue

7-inch (limited-edition white vinyl)

  1. "Oh My God"
  2. "Brightest Star"

CD

  1. "Oh My God"
  2. "Think About You (And I Like It)"

Mexican CD

  1. "Oh My God"
  2. "Hard Times Send Me"
  3. "Born to Be a Dancer" (demo)
  4. "Oh My God" (enhanced video)

Charts

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[11] Silver 200,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history
Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
United Kingdom 17 May 2004 CD Drowned in Sound [12]
United Kingdom (re-release) 21 February 2005
  • 7-inch vinyl
  • CD
 B-Unique [13]
United States 13 June 2005 Alternative radio Universal [14]

Mark Ronson version
"Oh My God"
Single by Mark Ronson featuring Lily Allen
from the album Version
B-side"Pistol of Fire"
Released16 July 2007 (2007-07-16)
Length3:35
LabelColumbia
Songwriter(s)
  • Ricky Wilson
  • Andrew White
  • Simon Rix
  • Nick Baines
  • Nick Hodgson
Producer(s)Mark Ronson
Mark Ronson singles chronology
"Stop Me"
(2007)		 "Oh My God"
(2007)		 "Valerie"
(2007)
Lily Allen singles chronology
"Alfie"
(2007)		 "Oh My God"
(2007)		 "Drivin' Me Wild"
(2007)

In 2006, "Oh My God" was covered by Lily Allen on her second mixtape. She later re-recorded the track with Mark Ronson for his second studio album, Version (2007). This version was released as the second single from the album on 16 July 2007. The single was a success, reaching number eight on the UK Singles Chart.

Music video

The music video was directed by Nima Nourizadeh, and features a cartoon version of Allen (a reference to Jessica Rabbit in the film Who Framed Roger Rabbit) performing the song and flirting in the Ink and Paint Club. The Kaiser Chiefs themselves make a cameo. Of notice is that, in the video, "Lily Allen" is the only toon present. Most of the toons that worked at the club (the octopus bartender, the penguin waiters, Bongo the Gorilla and Betty Boop) have been replaced by real people.

Live performances

When Ronson performed at the BBC Electric Proms in 2007, Allen had been the intended singer of the song but cancelled at the last minute. Rather than not perform the song, Ricky Wilson, who was performing with the Kaiser Chiefs the next day, stepped in. Ronson and Wilson performed the song again on the last Friday Night with Jonathan Ross of 2007, which also featured Candie Payne. Daniel Merriweather, who appears on Ronson's debut single "Stop Me" (and appears in the accompanying video), also has a cameo in this video.

Track listings

UK CD single[15]

  1. "Oh My God" (radio edit)
  2. "Oh My God" (the clean Super Busdown remix)
  3. "Oh My God" (instrumental)
  4. "Pistol of Fire"

10-inch vinyl[16]

  1. "Oh My God" (radio edit)
  2. "Oh My God" (the dirty Super Busdown remix)

European CD single

  1. "Oh My God" (radio edit)
  2. "Oh My God" (instrumental)
  3. "Oh My God" (Christopher Lake mix)
  4. "Oh My God" (Emperor Machine extended vocal mix)
  5. "Oh My God" (the clean Super Busdown remix)
  6. "Oh My God" (the dirty Super Busdown remix)

Digital download

  1. "Oh My God" (radio edit)
  2. "Oh My God" (instrumental)
  3. "Oh My God" (the clean Super Busdown remix)
  4. "Oh My God" (the dirty Super Busdown remix)
  5. "Oh My God" (Christopher Lake mix)
  6. "Oh My God" (Emperor Machine ext vocal mix)
  7. "Pistol of Fire"

Charts

Release history
Region Date Format Label Ref.
United Kingdom 16 July 2007 CD Columbia [23]

2020 reworked edit

The band, influenced by the current coronavirus pandemic, unveiled a reworked "Stay Home" edition with new, lockdown-inspired lyrics. The idea came about as a joke, when a fan of The Chris Moyles Show on Radio X texted in to suggest alternative lyrics, prompting Chris to message Ricky with the idea. Ricky then rewrote the song, notably changing the chorus from "Oh, my God, I can't believe it, I've never been this far away from home" to "Oh, my God, I can't believe it, I've never spent this much time at home" and re-recorded it from home, on call with the other band members.[24][25] It also mentions the Clap for our Carers appreciation gesture. The song was posted on Twitter[26] and uploaded to YouTube[27] on 14 April.

References
  1. Lynskey, Dorian (23 September 2005). "Tough at the top". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 12 January 2022. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
  2. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 15 January 2019.
  3. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 15 January 2019.
  4. "Official Independent Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 15 January 2019.
  5. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Oh My God". Irish Singles Chart.
  6. "Kaiser Chiefs – Oh My God" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 15 January 2019.
  7. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 15 January 2019.
  8. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 15 January 2019.
  9. "Official Independent Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 15 January 2019.
  10. "The Official UK Singles Chart 2005" (PDF). UKChartsPlus. Archived (PDF) from the original on 22 February 2012. Retrieved 15 January 2019.
  11. "British single certifications – Kaiser Chiefs – Oh My God". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 15 May 2020.
  12. "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. 15 May 2004. p. 31.
  13. "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. 19 February 2005. p. 27.
  14. "Going for Adds" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1610. 10 June 2005. p. 19. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
  15. "Mark RONSON - Oh My God". Archived from the original on 2 August 2012. Retrieved 1 February 2009.
  16. "Mark RONSON - Oh My God". Archived from the original on 5 September 2012. Retrieved 1 February 2009.
  17. "Issue 914" ARIA Top 100 Singles. National Library of Australia. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
  18. "Mark Ronson feat. Lily Allen – Oh My God" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved 15 January 2019.
  19. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 15 January 2019.
  20. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 15 January 2019.
  21. "Official Dance Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 15 January 2019.
  22. "End of Year Singles Chart Top 100 – 2007". Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on 22 April 2015. Retrieved 15 January 2019.
  23. "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. 14 July 2007. p. 27.
  24. "Kaiser Chiefs debut reworked Oh My God single on The Chris Moyles Show". radiox.co.uk. Archived from the original on 11 March 2022. Retrieved 14 April 2020.
  25. "Kaiser Chiefs unveil special lockdown re-recording of hit song". yorkpress.co.uk. Press Association 2020. Archived from the original on 11 May 2022. Retrieved 14 April 2020.
  26. Kaiser Chiefs [@KaiserChiefs] (14 April 2020). "Because being really far away from home is something you shouldn't be right now - it's the Oh My God - Stay Home Edition House buildingMultiple musical notes. Watch it here: youtu.be/GrsuibV4GZY #stayhome #protectthenhs" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  27. "Oh My God (Stay Home Edition)" on YouTube. Kaiser Chiefs. Retrieved 14 April 2020.
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