"Popcorn" is an early synth-pop instrumental, composed by Gershon Kingsley in 1969 and first appearing on his album Music to Moog By. It was recorded at the Audio Fidelity Records label in New York City.
The title may refer to the short staccato or sharp "popping" sound used, or to pop music and its being "corny", i.e., kitschy. The title is generally written as one word, although some single sleeves (such as the one illustrated) present it as two words, "Pop Corn".
In 1972, a re-recording of "Popcorn" by the band Hot Butter was a huge hit in many countries. The track has since been covered by a great number of artists.
Video Popcorn (instrumental)
Original version
Background
Composer Gershon Kingsley (of Perrey and Kingsley) first recorded "Popcorn" for his 1969 album Music to Moog By. In 1971 the track was re-recorded by Kingsley's band First Moog Quartet. The record was one of a rash of Moog synthesizer-based releases, following the Billboard pop Top 40 chart success Walter Carlos had in 1968 with Switched-On Bach, and which characterized electronic music of the future.
There were two 7" covers, both released in 1972 under Musicor Records and Stateside labels.
Maps Popcorn (instrumental)
Hot Butter version
In 1972, Stan Free, a fellow member of the First Moog Quartet, re-recorded "Popcorn" with his band Hot Butter.
This version of "Popcorn" became the second primarily electronic-based piece of music to reach the American popular music charts, three years after "The Minotaur" by Dick Hyman & His Electric Eclectics. It peaked at No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 4 on the Easy Listening chart, and had even greater success in Australia, topping the charts for 8 weeks. It proved equally as popular in mainland Europe, spending several weeks at No. 1 in numerous European territories, including France (4 weeks at the top) and Switzerland (10 weeks), ultimately becoming the biggest-selling single of 1972 in both countries. (In the former, this version of "Popcorn" is the 131st best-selling single of all time, with sales of approximately 900,000 copies). "Popcorn" was also a No. 1 hit in Germany (3 weeks), the Netherlands (7 weeks) and Norway (9 weeks).
Track listings
- 7" single
- "Popcorn" - 2:30
- "At the Movies" - 2:31
Chart performance
Source of article : Wikipedia
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