Axel F

"Axel F" is the electronic instrumental theme from the 1984 film Beverly Hills Cop performed by Harold Faltermeyer. It was an international number one hit in 1985.

This article is about the song. For the character, see Axel Foley.

"Axel F"
Artwork for UK and German releases
Single by Harold Faltermeyer
from the album Beverly Hills Cop and Harold F.
B-side
  • "Discovery"
  • "Shoot Out"
ReleasedDecember 5, 1984 (1984-12-05) (US)
Recorded1984
GenreSynth-pop[1]
Length3:01
LabelMCA
MCA 949
Songwriter(s)Harold Faltermeyer
Producer(s)Harold Faltermeyer
Harold Faltermeyer singles chronology
"Axel F"
(1984)		 "The Race Is On" / "Starlight Express"
(1987)

Background

The title comes from the main character's name, Axel Foley (played by Eddie Murphy). It is composed in the key of F minor.

Faltermeyer recorded the song using five instruments: a Roland Jupiter-8 provided the distinctive "supersaw" lead, a Moog modular synthesizer 15 provided the bass, a Roland JX-3P provided chord stab brasses, a Yamaha DX7 was used for the marimba sound, and a LinnDrum was used for drum programming.

According to Faltermeyer, the initial reaction to his premiere presentation of the cues to the film's producers and director did not result in an immediate approval; it was not until director Martin Brest voiced his approval that the producers showed enthusiasm.[2]

In addition to the Beverly Hills Cop soundtrack, the song also appears on Faltermeyer's 1988 album Harold F. as a bonus track. Reportedly, Faltermeyer was against including it, but MCA insisted as it was his most recognizable track.

Personnel

Track listings
12" maxi
  1. "Axel F" (M & M Mix) – 7:00
  2. "Axel F" (Extended Version) – 7:09
  3. "Shoot Out" – 2:44
12" maxi
  1. "Axel F" (Extended Version) – 7:09
  2. "Shoot Out" – 2:44
7" single
  1. "Axel F" – 3:00
  2. "Shoot Out" – 2:44

Charts

This version of the song reached number 2 on the UK Singles Chart and number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US. It also spent two weeks atop the American adult contemporary chart.

Techno Cop version
"Axel F"
Single by Techno Cop
from the album The Best and More
B-side"Cops In Trance"
ReleasedJune 20, 1992
Recorded1992
GenreEurodance, Techno
Length3:01
LabelPolydor
Songwriter(s)Harold Faltermeyer
Producer(s)Cool & Cool
Techno Cop singles chronology
"Stop The Police"
(1992)		 "Axel F"
(1992)		 "The Vision"
(1994)

In 1992, the German techno group Techno Cop covered the instrumental, whose success modestly ranked to a top 30 success. Compared to the original, this version contains rap passages.

Track listing

12" Maxi

  1. Axel F. (Outlaw Mix) - 5:50
  2. Axel F. (Megaphone Mix) - 5:20
  3. Cops In Trance - 4:15

CD-Maxi

  1. Axel F. (U-Boot Mix) - 6:00
  2. Axel F. (Radio Edit) - 3:49
  3. Axel F. (Minimalistixtendid) - 4:41
  4. Beverly Kills - 2:58

Charts
Chart (1992) Peak
position
German Singles Chart[27] 30

Clock version
"Axel F"
Single by Clock
from the album It's Time...
Released1995
Genre
Length
  • 3:38 (Radio Edit)
  • 3:22 (Radio Short Stab)
Label
  • MCA Records
  • ZYX Music
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Stu Allan
  • Pete Pritchard
Clock singles chronology
"Keep the Fires Burning"
(1994)		 "Axel F"
(1995)		 "Oh What a Night"
(1996)
Music video
"Axel F" on YouTube

British pop/dance act Clock released a dance cover of "Axel F" in 1995. It peaked at number 5 in Scotland, number 7 in the UK, number 8 in Ireland and number 37 in Sweden. On the Eurochart Hot 100, the single reached number 20 and in Australia, it reached number 42.

Track listing

UK CD maxi

  1. Axel F (Radio Short Stab) - 3:22
  2. Axel F (Primax Mix) - 4:47
  3. Keep Pushin' (Clock N-R-G Mix) - 6:27
  4. Keep Pushin' (PTP 'London' Mix) - 7:46

Sweden CD maxi

  1. Axel F (Radio Edit) - 3:38
  2. Axel F (Primax Mix) - 4:44
  3. Axel F (Ten To Two Mix) - 5:40
  4. Keep Pushing (PTP London Edit) - 4:40
  5. Clock Megamix - 15:40

Weekly charts
Chart (1995) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA Charts) 42
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[28] 20
Ireland (Irish Singles Chart) 8
Netherlands (Tipparade)[29] 5
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[30] 45
Scotland (Official Charts Company)[31] 5
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan) 37
United Kingdom (UK Singles Chart) 7

Crazy Frog version
"Axel F"
Single by Crazy Frog
from the album Crazy Frog Presents Crazy Hits
B-side"In the 80's"
ReleasedMay 17, 2005 (2005-05-17)
Recorded2004
Genre
Length2:54 (radio edit)
LabelMinistry of Sound
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Crazy Frog singles chronology
"Axel F"
(2005)		 "Popcorn"
(2005)
Music video
"Axel F" on YouTube

In 2005, Crazy Frog recorded the song, releasing it as "Axel F", though it also became known as the "Crazy Frog song". It became a summer hit that year.[33] The novelty song is Crazy Frog's first and most internationally successful single. The cover was produced by Matthias Wagner and Andreas Dohmeyer, the two members of Off-cast Project, and Henning Reith and Reinhard "DJ Voodoo" Raith, two members of the German dance production team Bass Bumpers. Wolfgang Boss[34] and Jamster! arranged the remix,[35][36] and later marketed it as a ringtone.

The song consists of vocals taken from the Crazy Frog recording by Daniel Malmedahl in 1997. It uses mainly the same part of the two-minute original that was used in Jamster's ringtone release. The song also uses the "What's going on?" vocal samples (as well as the instruments) from another 2003 cover of Axel F, by Murphy Brown and Captain Hollywood (dubbed "Axel F 2003" and sometimes "Axel F 2004" also produced by Matthias Wagner and Andreas Dohmeyer[37]).

The Ministry of Sound hired Kaktus Film and Erik Wernquist of TurboForce3D, the original creator of the 3D Crazy Frog, to produce a full-length animated music video to accompany the release of the song. The video, featuring the Crazy Frog character, is set in the future, and centres on his pursuit by a bounty hunter. The bounty hunter receives notification of a $50,000 reward for capturing the frog.

There were three edits to the song. The original version of the song can be found at most P2P networks. This song used the "What's going on?" samples twice throughout the song and the "weeee!" sound is heard before the motorbike section of the song. A radio edit was made which had the frog saying "This is the Crazy Frog." and the removal of some sounds and a third edit was made for the Crazy Hits album with the frog saying "I am the Crazy Frog."

Chart performances

Released across Europe in May 2005, "Axel F" topped the charts in the United Kingdom, with some of the best weekly sales of the year (out-selling rivals such as Coldplay by four copies to one), and remained at top of the UK Singles Chart for four weeks and becoming Britain's third best-selling single of 2005, outselling and outpeaking the original version. In other European countries the popularity has differed, with the song failing to make the top 20 in Switzerland at first, before gradually climbing to number 1, whilst only making number 18 in Russia. It also reached number 1 in the overall European chart, after initially being number 2 to Akon's "Lonely" for several weeks, and stayed there until September. It also reached number 1 in Australia, Republic of Ireland, Belgium, Denmark, France, New Zealand, Norway, Ukraine, Spain, and Sweden.

In France, the song made an amazing jump, entering the French Singles Chart at number seventy seven on June 11, 2005, and moving all the way to number two the next week. There it stayed for two weeks before climbing to the summit, where it remained for thirteen weeks. It fell off the first position being dethroned by its 2nd single, "Popcorn" (it was only the second time that an artist dethroned himself in that country). The song remained in the top 10 for 21 weeks, 30 weeks in the top 50 and 36 weeks in the chart. Its best weekly sales were 103,564 on its 6th week.[38] On December 1, 2005, it was certified Diamond disc 7 months after its release by SNEP, the French certifier. The song is the third best-selling single of the 21st century in France, with 1,270,000 units sold.[39] (1,265,579 sales, according to another source[40]).

Despite the Crazy Frog not being hugely well known in Japan, the single release also charted there, peaking at #46. It peaked at #50 in the U.S. Although "Axel F" managed to find more success in Mainstream Markets, it proved to be a moderate success on US Rhythmic Top 40 where it peaked at number 28 just scraping the top 30. It also peaked at number 3 on the U.S Digital Sales beating the likes of Lindsay Lohan and the Black Eyed Peas. Its highest U.S. success was just missing the top spot at number 2 on the US Adult Contemporary Top 20 however it became an Internet meme.

The song was the 65th best-selling single of the 2000s in the UK.[41]

Music video

The bounty hunter activates a killbot mounted on armoured hover cycle in the video, then it proceeds to track the Crazy Frog as he commutes around the City on his imaginary motorcycle. As the bounty hunter closes in on his prey, the Crazy Frog becomes aware of his pursuer and an unlikely chase begins over skyscrapers and through the city's sewer system, before the killbot launches a guided missile at the Frog.

However, the Crazy Frog is able to mount the missile as it approaches him, evidently confusing its guidance system, as it then begins to loop and glide uncontrollably. The missile eventually locks onto the bounty hunter's van, destroying it and creating a large mushroom cloud. The Crazy Frog manages to escape the blast, covered in dust from the debris and appearing to deliver the closing 'lyrics'.

The video was listed in NME's "50 Worst Music Videos".[42]

Track listing

Australia

  1. "Axel F" (Radio Edit) – 2:54
  2. "Axel F" (Club Mix) – 6:23
  3. "Axel F" (Club Mix Instrumental) – 6:23
  4. "In the 80's" – 3:29

UK

  1. "Axel F" (Radio Edit)
  2. "Axel F" (Bounce Mix)
  3. "Axel F" (Bounce Mix Instrumental)
  4. "Axel F" (Reservoir Frog Remix)
  5. "Axel F" (Video)

Charts and sales

Certifications and sales
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[89] 2× Platinum 140,000^
Belgium (BEA)[90] 2× Platinum 60,000*
Denmark (IFPI Denmark)[91] Gold 4,000^
France (SNEP)[92] Diamond 1,294,379[93]
New Zealand (RMNZ)[94] 2× Platinum 20,000*
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[95] Platinum 40,000^
Sweden (GLF)[96] Platinum 20,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[97] Platinum 694,000[98]
United States (RIAA)[99] Gold 500,000^

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

See also

References
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