Born Slippy Nuxx

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"Born Slippy" redirects here. For the song by Albert Hammond Jr., see Momentary Masters.

"Born Slippy .NUXX"
Underworld bornSlippyNuxxUS.jpg
Single by Underworld
from the album Trainspotting: Music from the Motion Picture
A-side"Born Slippy"
B-side
  • Darren Price Remix
  • "Banstyle" (Alex Reece Remix)
Released1 July 1996 (1996-07-01)
Genre
Length
  • 11:46 (original release)
  • 9:44 (album edit)
  • 4:25 (single edit)
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Rick Smith
  • Karl Hyde
  • Darren Emerson
Underworld singles chronology
"Pearl's Girl"
(1996) 		"Born Slippy .NUXX"
(1996) 		"Juanita"
(1997)
Underworld singles chronology
"Cowgirl"
(1994) 		"Born Slippy"
(1995) 		"Rowla"
(1996)

"Born Slippy .NUXX" is a song by British electronic music group Underworld. It was first included as the B-side to an unrelated instrumental track, "Born Slippy", released in May 1995. The fragmented lyrics, by vocalist Karl Hyde, describe the perspective of an alcoholic.

After it was used in the 1996 film Trainspotting, "Born Slippy .NUXX" was issued as its own single on 1 July 1996 and reached number two on the UK Singles Chart. It has been named one of the best tracks of the 1990s by numerous publications.

Writing[]

Vocalist Karl Hyde wrote the lyrics for "Born Slippy .NUXX" after a night drinking in Soho, London, hoping to capture the way a drunk "sees the world in fragments". The vocals were recorded in one take; when Hyde lost his place, he would sing the same line repeatedly, creating the line "lager, lager, lager, lager".[2] Hyde, who was struggling with alcoholism, said he did not intend the song to be a "drinking anthem" but rather a "cry for help". He was disturbed when audience members raised their lager cans during performances.[2] Underworld producer Rick Smith said the lyrics reflected "this energy of movement, and of time and place", like an abstract painting.[3]

Release[]

Underworld released "Born Slippy .NUXX" as the B-side to an unrelated instrumental track, "Born Slippy", on 1 May 1995.[4][5] It does not feature on an Underworld album, but it was included as a bonus track on reissues of Second Toughest in the Infants (1996).[citation needed]

The song became a hit after it was used in the 1996 film Trainspotting.[4] Director Danny Boyle described it as the "heartbeat" of the film, capturing its "euphoric highs following intense lows".[4] Underworld initially refused permission to use it in the film, as they disliked how often their music was used in negative portrayals of clubbing, but Boyle persuaded them after showing them a clip.[3] "Born Slippy .NUXX" was released as a single on 1 July 1996.[6]

Boosted by Trainspotting,[3] "Born Slippy .NUXX" reached number two on the UK Singles Chart in 1996.[2] Smith said he was shocked when BBC Radio 1 played the track on breakfast radio, and said: "I thought, music is moving, culture is moving, it's spreading. It's meaning things outside of just the context of on an amazing sound system in a club or on a PA system in a student hall. It was very nice!"[3]

Critical reception[]

British magazine Music Week rated the song five out of five in 1996, adding, "An anthem for a generation, Underworld's track from Trainspotting is bound to win huge sales. Stock up."[7] On the 1995 release, Brad Beatnik from the magazine's RM Dance Update wrote, "Messrs Emerson, Hyde and Smith bung a few breakbeats on board for a dazzling ride through rich, colourful techno terrains. For the first minute, you might think the boys have gone all jungle on us but no – those lush synths cruise in to perfectly balance the thwacking beats."[8]

Impact & legacy[]

AllMusic wrote that "Born Slippy .NUXX" was "simply one of the best slices of electronica one will find. Musically austere in its emotional textures, the song becomes a nearly unstoppable force ... Dance music is rarely so artistic and enjoyable in the same instance."[9] Vice described "Born Slippy .NUXX" as one of one of the 90s' most iconic songs,[3] writing that it "mixed sublime synths with a four-to-the-floor freakout, and represented everything that was going on; it was new."[3] In 2004, it was voted the fourth best dance track by readers of Mixmag.[10] Slant Magazine listed it at number 95 in their ranking of "The 100 Best Singles of the 1990s" in 2011.[11] In 2014, NME named it the 261st greatest song of all time.[12] Pitchfork named it the 31st best track of the 1990s.[13] The Guardian called it, alongside the Chemical Brothers' "Setting Sun", the "most experimental and sonically extreme hit of the 90s".[1] The Guardian also named it among "the weirdest chart hits of all time".[14]

For the film T2 Trainspotting (2017), Smith created a new version with timestretched chords, "Slow Slippy".[3] He said in 2017, "We’ve been playing 'Born Slippy' live for 20 years, and the reaction from the audience is so strong it’s almost overwhelming. It’s never got tiring to perform or play. It’s what it triggers in people."[15]

Track listings[]

Charts and certifications[]

"Born Slippy .NUXX 2003"[]

"Born Slippy .NUXX 2003"
Single by Underworld
Released
  • 16 October 2003 (Japan)
  • 25 November 2003 (UK)
GenreProgressive trance
Length3:58
Label
Songwriter(s)
  • Rick Smith
  • Karl Hyde
Producer(s)Underworld
Underworld singles chronology
"Dinosaur Adventure 3D"
(2003) 		"Born Slippy .NUXX 2003"
(2003) 		"JAL to Tokyo"
(2005)

"Born Slippy .NUXX 2003" is a version of "Born Slippy .NUXX" re-released by Underworld to promote the album 1992–2002, originally released in 2003. New remixes were commissioned for this release, along with a new video, compiled by Danny Boyle of clips from his film Trainspotting. This release reached No. 1 on the UK Dance Singles Chart during the first week of November 2003.

The 2003 version of ".NUXX" eschews the synth melody, and replaces it with a new piano part, with a chord progression that is present throughout the song, rather than at key moments, like in the original version. The finale of the full length 12-inch version features additional, rapidly arpeggiating piano and keyboard harmonies intersecting as the drum beat eventually fades away.

One of the mixes of the track is extensively used by TV Asahi for their station opening sequence.

Track listings[]

UK and European CD single[47]

  1. "Born Slippy Nuxx" (2003 edit) – 3:58
  2. "Born Slippy Nuxx" (Atomic Hooligan Remix) – 7:19
  3. "Born Slippy Nuxx" (Paul Oakenfold Mix) – 8:11

European 12-inch single[48]

A. "Born Slippy Nuxx" (2003 12-inch version) – 7:01
B. "Born Slippy Nuxx" (Paul Oakenfold Mix) – 8:11
  • The US 12-inch single switches the two sides.[49]

Charts[]

Chart (2003–2004) Peak
position
Belgium (Ultratip Flanders)[50] 13
Belgium Dance (Ultratop Flanders)[51] 12
Italy (FIMI)[52] 44
Scotland (OCC)[53] 24
UK Singles (OCC)[54] 27
UK Dance (OCC)[55] 1
UK Indie (OCC)[56] 4
US Dance Club Songs (Billboard)[38] 9

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b Petridis, Alexis (14 February 2004). "The rebirth of art rock". The Guardian.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b c Lynskey, Dorian (24 February 2006). "Born Slippy was a greyhound we bet on". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 26 April 2010.
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g "How 'Trainspotting' Made Underworld's "Born Slippy" One of the 90s' Most Iconic Songs". Vice. Retrieved 15 August 2020.
  4. ^ Jump up to: a b c "From the Crate: Underworld "Born Slippy"". Insomniac. Retrieved 15 August 2020.
  5. ^ "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 29 April 1995. p. 39. Retrieved 1 July 2021.
  6. ^ "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 29 June 1996. p. 31. Retrieved 1 July 2021.
  7. ^ "Reviews: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 22 June 1996. p. 12. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
  8. ^ Beatnik, Brad (15 April 1995). "Hot Vinyl: Tune of the Week" (PDF). Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert). p. 9. Retrieved 6 May 2021.
  9. ^ DiGravina, Tim, "Born Slippy Nuxx 2003 - Underworld", AllMusic, retrieved 16 August 2020
  10. ^ "What is the greatest dance track of all time?". Archived from the original on 2 August 2013. Retrieved 4 September 2013.
  11. ^ "The 100 Best Singles of the 1990s". Slant Magazine. 9 January 2011. Retrieved 3 May 2021.
  12. ^ "Rocklist.net....NME The 500 Greatest Songs Of All Time.. 2014". Rrocklistmusic.co.uk.
  13. ^ "The Top 200 Tracks of the 1990s: 50-21 - Pitchfork". pitchfork.com.
  14. ^ Lester, Paul (11 July 2008). "What's the weirdest chart hit of all time?". The Guardian. Retrieved 5 May 2017.
  15. ^ Dazed (31 January 2017). "How do you follow Trainspotting's iconic soundtrack?". Dazed. Retrieved 15 August 2020.
  16. ^ Born Slippy .NUXX (UK CD1 liner notes). Underworld. Junior Boy's Own. 1996. jbo44cds1.CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  17. ^ Born Slippy .NUXX (UK CD2 liner notes). Underworld. Junior Boy's Own. 1996. jbo44cds2.CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  18. ^ Born Slippy .NUXX (UK 12-inch single sleeve). Underworld. Junior Boy's Own. 1996. jbo44.CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  19. ^ Born Slippy .NUXX (US 12-inch single sleeve). Underworld. Wax Trax! Records, TVT Records. 1996. TVT 8745-0.CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  20. ^ Born Slippy .NUXX (Australian CD single liner notes). Underworld. Dance Pool, Junior Boy's Own, Logic Records. 1996. 663629 2.CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  21. ^ "Australian-charts.com – Underworld – Born Slippy". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
  22. ^ "Austriancharts.at – Underworld – Born Slippy" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  23. ^ "Ultratop.be – Underworld – Born Slippy" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  24. ^ "Ultratop.be – Underworld – Born Slippy" (in French). Ultratop 50.
  25. ^ "Top RPM Dance/Urban: Issue 9726." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 25 November 2018.
  26. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 13 no. 29. 20 July 1996. p. 13. Retrieved 25 January 2020.
  27. ^ "Underworld: Born Slippy" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland.
  28. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Underworld – Born Slippy" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 25 November 2018.
  29. ^ "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (20.7. – 26.7. '96)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 20 July 1996. p. 42. Retrieved 2 October 2019.
  30. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Born Slippy". Irish Singles Chart.
  31. ^ "Top National Sellers" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 13 no. 42. 19 October 1996. p. 18. Retrieved 27 November 2019.
  32. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 36, 1996" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40 Retrieved 25 November 2018.
  33. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Underworld – Born Slippy" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 25 November 2018.
  34. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  35. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Underworld – Born Slippy". Singles Top 100.
  36. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  37. ^ "Official Dance Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company.
  38. ^ Jump up to: a b "Underworld Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 7 January 2021.
  39. ^ "Underworld Chart History (Japan Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 7 January 2021.
  40. ^ "Jaaroverzichten 1996" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 27 March 2019.
  41. ^ "Rapports annuels 1996" (in French). Ultratop. Retrieved 27 March 2019.
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  44. ^ "Árslistinn 1996". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 2 January 1997. p. 25. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
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  46. ^ "British single certifications – Underworld – Born Slippy". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
  47. ^ Born Slippy Nuxx (UK & European CD single liner notes). Underworld. Junior Boy's Own, V2 Records. 2003. JBO5024703.CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
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  49. ^ Born Slippy Nuxx (US 12-inch single sleeve). Underworld. Junior Boy's Own, V2 Records. 2003. 63881-27802-1.CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  50. ^ "Ultratop.be – Underworld – Born Slippy Nuxx %5B2003%5D" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved 7 January 2021.
  51. ^ "Ultratop.be – Underworld – Born Slippy Nuxx %5B2003%5D" (in Dutch). Ultratop Dance. Retrieved 7 January 2021.
  52. ^ "Italiancharts.com – Underworld – Born Slippy Nuxx %5B2003%5D". Top Digital Download. Retrieved 7 January 2021.
  53. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 7 January 2021.
  54. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 7 January 2021.
  55. ^ "Official Dance Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 7 January 2021.
  56. ^ "Official Independent Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 7 January 2021.
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