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 1 hit in 1985.

Contents
[hide]
 * 1 Background
 * 2 Track listings
 * 3 Charts
 * 3.1 Peak positions
 * 3.2 Year-end charts
 * 3.3 Chart successions
 * 4 Cover versions
 * 4.1 Crazy Frog version
 * 4.1.1 Chart performances
 * 4.1.2 Music video
 * 4.1.3 Single track listing
 * 4.1.4 Charts and sales
 * 4.1.4.1 Peak positions
 * 4.1.4.2 End of year charts
 * 4.1.4.3 Certifications and sales
 * 4.1.4.4 Chart successions
 * 4.2 Other covers
 * 5 See also
 * 6 References
 * 7 External links

Background[edit]
The title comes from the main character's name, Axel Foley (played by Eddie Murphy), in the film. (It also happens to be in the key of F minor.)

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

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.

Track listings[edit]

 * 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[edit]
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. {|

Year-end charts[edit]

 * }

Crazy Frog version[edit]
In 2005, Crazy Frog recorded the song, releasing it as "Axel F" but also known as the "Crazy Frog song." The novelty song is Crazy Frog's first and most internationally successful single. It is a cover of Harold Faltermeyer's 1984 composition "Axel F", 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[18] and Jamster!arranged the remix,[19][20] 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 shotguns from another 2003 cover of Axel F, by Murphy Brown and Captain Hollywood(dubbed "Axel F 2003" and sometimes "Axel F 2004" produced by Matthias Wagner and Andreas Dohmeyer[21]).

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.

Chart performances[edit]
Released across Europe in May 2005, "Axel F" went straight to number 1 in the United Kingdom, with some of the best weekly sales of the year so far (out-selling rivals such as Coldplay by four copies to one), and remained on top of the UK charts for 4 weeks. 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 77 on June 11, 2005, and moving all the way to number 2 in the next week. There it stayed for 2 weeks, and then topped the chart for 13 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.[22] On December 1, 2005, it was certified Diamond disc 7 months after its release by SNEP, the French certifier. According to the Infodisc Website, it is the 34th best selling single of all time in France, with 1,236,100 sales[23] (1,265,579 sales, according to another source[24]).

Despite the Crazy Frog not being hugely well known in Japan, the single release also charted there, peaking at #46. It has apparently failed to catch on in the US, peaking at #50. 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. Most recently, in 2010, the Crazy Frog version was ranked at number 29 on the list of AOL Radio's list of the 100 Worst Songs Ever, with Matthew Wilkening exclaiming that the version is, "[w]ithout a doubt, the best remake of the 'Beverly Hills Cop' theme song by an animated frog, ever."[25]

The song was the 65th best-selling single of the 2000 decade in UK.[26]

Music video[edit]
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'.

Single track listing[edit]

 * 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[edit]
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End of year charts[edit]

 * }

Other covers[edit]

 * 1991 "Axel F" by Erich Kunzel and the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra for the Telarc release Bond and Beyond
 * 1995 "Axel F"/"Keep Pushin'" (by Clock), a UK number 7 hit in 1995.[72]
 * 1998 "Axel F" (by Planet Bass)
 * 1998 "Axel F" (by Trance Atlantic Air Waves)[73]
 * 1999 "Axel F" (by Cobat)
 * 2001 "Axel F" (by Spacecorn), a UK number 74.
 * 2002 "Champion" (by PSY). This song samples Axel F.
 * 2003 "Axel F 2003"/"Axel F 2004" (by Murphy Brown & Captain Hollywood)
 * 2005 "Italian Fireflies vs Axel Foley Theme" (Black Strobe, sampled from Black Strobe and Harold Faltermeyer)
 * 2006 "Axel F" (by Ismail Miraux)
 * 2006 "Axel F (The Frog Song)" (by Kidz Bop)
 * 2007 Original Techno remix by number 1 80's Club Hits Remixed on their album Best of 80's Dance
 * 2009 "Axel F" (by Ron Rockwell)
 * 2011 "Axel F" (by Sardonica)
 * 2011 "Axel F" (by Raney Shockne). Scream 4 soundtrack.
 * 2011 "Axel F" (by Death! Death! Die! feat. Mastodon, live on The Jason Ellis Show)
 * 2012 "Get It Girl" (by Mann feat. T-Pain)