"Supernature" is the title track of Cerrone's 1977 album Supernature (Cerrone III). Along with the tracks "Give Me Love" and "Love Is Here", the song reached number one on the US disco/dance charts early in 1978.[3] The single crossed over to both the Billboard Hot 100, where it peaked at number 70, and the soul charts, where it peaked at number 72.[4] In August 1978, it peaked at number 8 in the UK Singles Chart after heavy use in the first series of The Kenny Everett Video Show.
| "Supernature" | |
|---|---|
| Single by Cerrone | |
| from the album Supernature (Cerrone III) | |
| Released | December 1977[1] |
| Recorded | June–August 1977 |
| Studio | Trident Studios, London |
| Genre | Disco |
| Length | 3:50 (single edit) 10:20 (album version) |
| Label | Malligator |
| Songwriter(s) |
|
| Producer(s) | Cerrone |
| Music video | |
| "Supernature" on YouTube | |
Background
The lyrics were written by a young Lene Lovich, though she was not credited.[2] The song has an environmental theme, imagining a future in which the use of artificial chemicals in agriculture has caused "creatures down below" to emerge and "take their sweet revenge" against mankind.
Reception
Pitchfork named it the 187th best song of the 1970s, saying it "introduced an unprecedented strain of dystopian disco dread. Neither Kraftwerk nor Berlin-era Bowie had an immediate international dancefloor impact as profound as "Supernature". As the track grows more sinister, mutant monsters take their revenge until humanity reverts to a primitive state where it must once again earn its place."[5]
Charts
| Chart (1996) (remix) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Singles (OCC)[10] | 66 |
| US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play[4] | 12 |
| US Billboard Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales[4] | 26 |
| Chart (2001) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| France (SNEP)[11] | 69 |
| Chart (2006)1 | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play[4] | 5 |
1 J. Garraud & D. Tenaglia mixes
Cover versions
- It was covered by Lene Lovich in 1987 on the Animal Liberation compilation album "Animal Liberation".
- It was covered by Erasure in 1989, released with their single "You Surround Me".
- It was also covered by The Time Frequency in 1994 for their debut album, Dominator.
- Duran Duran released a cover version of this song on their 2023 Halloween-themed album Danse Macabre.[12]
Popular culture
- An instrumental edit of the song is used in Gaspar Noé's 2018 film Climax, being used for its opening choreography.[13]
- The band Goldfrapp named their third studio album after the song.[14]
- TK Maxx used the song in their Christmas 2022 TV advertising campaign.