Isobel

Infobox Single
Name = Isobel

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Lower caption = UK CD1
Artist = Björk
from Album = Post
B-side = "Charlene"
"I Go Humble"
"Sweet Intuition"
Released = August 14, 1995
Format = CD, 12"
Recorded =
Genre = Alternative, Ambient
Length = 5:47
Label = One Little Indian
Writer =
Producer = Björk
Nellee Hooper
Certification =
Last single = "Army of Me"
(1995)
This single = "Isobel"
(1995)
Next single = "It's Oh So Quiet"
(1995)Extra album cover 2
Upper caption = Alternate cover
Type = single


Lower caption = UK CD2Extra album cover 2
Type = single

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Lower caption = EUR CDExtra album cover 2
Type = single

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Lower caption = FRA CD Promo

"Isobel" is a song by Icelandic singer Björk. It was released as the second single from her 1995 album "Post". The lyrics describe a primitive girl who seems to be a personification of Mother Nature, and who tries to warn the technological world of its potential dangers. The music is underscored by lush strings, electronic beats, and a jungle-influenced introduction.

The surreal music video was shot in black and white by director Michel Gondry. It features a number of dream-like images. Björk plays a piano that is full of pipes that fill it with water. Children play in the water, and wear masks. Björk is later shown lying beside a river wearing a dress with lights in it. She pulls some light bulbs off her dress and plants them in the ground. The light bulbs grow and act as incubators or cocoons for toy airplanes inside them. When the airplanes grow big enough, they break out of the bulbs and fly away. At the same time, numerous skyscrapers grow out of the ground and eventually are covered in cockroaches. Björk is also shown walking through the countryside, up a mountain, and beside a river.

"Isobel" wasn't a great success but is considered a classic of Björk. Björk has stated that a track on Homogenic, "Bachelorette", is a continuation of "Isobel". In an interview with Paper in September 1997 Björk explains, "So Isobel decides to return to the city and to take a train, like in the 30's, in South America somewhere. She decides to confront love with love and confronts the cowards that don't have the guts to fall in love with love. So you see - it's like Isobel has returned."

The lyrics to both "Isobel" and "Bachelorette" were penned by long-time collaborator, Icelandic poet Sjón. The repeating phrase "moth delivers her message/unexplained on your collar" in the chorus is a reference to when Björk found a moth on her favourite shirt. She wore the shirt all day, even removing it to go swimming, but the moth remained there.

"I Go Humble"

The b-side "I Go Humble" is an exact replica of an electronic composition by the British techno band LFO, albeit with vocals by Björk being sung over it. The original track can be found on the LFO album Advance, and is titled "Shove Piggy Shove". It is interesting to note that Declare Independence (Björk's 28th single, and 3rd from her album Volta) was originally conceived as an individual electronic composition, without any vocal track, by Mark Bell and was played at his live LFO shows over a year before Björk's release of the Declare Independence single.

Track listing

UK CD1
(172TP7CD; Released: August, 1995)

# "Isobel" - 5:48
# "Charlene" - 4:45
# "I Go Humble" - 4:46
# "Venus as a Boy" (Harpsichord) - 2:13

UK CD2
(172TP7CDL; Released: 1995)

# "Isobel" - 5:48
# "Isobel" (Deodato Mix) - 6:11
# "Isobel" (Siggtriplet Blunt Mix) - 4:50
# "Isobel's Lonely Heart" (Goldie Remix) - 8:09

UK CD Promo
(172TP7CDR; Released: 1995)

# "Isobel" (Radio Edit) - 3:38
# "Isobel" (Radio, Radio Edit) - 3:08

UK 12" Vinyl
(193TP12GH; Released: 1997)

"Side A"
# "Isobel's Lonely Heart" (Goldie Remix)"Side B"
# "Hyperballad" (Robin Hood Riding Through The Glen Mix)

EUR CD
(579850-2; Released: 1995)

# "Isobel" - 5:47
# "Charlene" - 4:44

EUR CD
(579851-2; Released: August, 1995)

# "Isobel" - 5:47
# "Isobel" (Deodato Mix) - 6:09
# "Isobel" (Siggtruplet Blunt Mix) - 4:49
# "Isobel Lonely Heart" (Goldie Mix) - 8:09

DEU CD Promo
(NO 1; Released: 1995)

# "Isobel" (Radio Edit) - 3:38
# "Isobel" (Radio, Radio Edit) - 3:08

FRA CD
(577 703-2; Released: 1995)

# "Isobel" - 5:46
# "Isobel" (Deodato Mix) - 6:09
# "I Go Humble" - 4:44
# "Sweet Intuition" - 4:42

FRA CD Promo
(3185; Released: 1995)

# "Isobel" (Radio Edit) - 3:35
# "Isobel" (Radio Radio Edit) - 3:08

FRA CD Promo
(3219; Released: 1995)

# "Isobel" (Deodato Mix Edit) - 4:10
# "Isobel" (Radio Edit) - 3:35

FRA 12" Vinyl
(2580; Released: 1995)

"Side A"
# "Isobel" (Dim's Enchanted Forest) - 9:31"Side B"
# "Isobel" (Transfunk Mix) - 8:40
# "Isobel" (LN's Remix) - 6:40"Side C"
# "Isobel" (Dim's Ol' School Instrumental) - 7:35"Side D"
# "Isobel" (Dim's Hi Contact French Touch) - 7:24

US CD Promo
(PRCD 9236-2; Released: 1995)

# "Isobel" - 5:49

Remixes

*Deodato mix
*Dim's Enchanted Forest
*Dim's Hi Compact French Touch
*Dim's Old School Dubstramental
*Isobel's Lonely Heart (Goldie remix)
*Ln's remix
*Radio mix
*Siggtriplet Blunt mix
*The Carcass mix
*Transfunk mix

Charts

External links

* [http://unit.bjork.com/77island/77island/isobel.htm List of Isobel releases]