Hoppípolla

"Hoppípolla"
Song

"Hoppípolla" (['hɔ^hpip^hɔtla], Icelandic for "Jumping into puddles") is a song by Icelandic band Sigur Rós from their 2005 album Takk.... It was released as the album's second single on November 28, 2005. The lyrics are mainly in Icelandic, with some nonsensical phrases, a "language" the band calls Vonlenska ("Hopelandic"). Written with spaces, the song's title would be "Hoppa í polla" (the "—a" in "hoppa" is not pronounced). As with many of the band's songs, it was given a nickname in the early stages of writing. "Hoppípolla" was "The Money Song", as the band was certain they had written a song which would have commercial success. It is the band's most successful single, charting at #24 on the UK Singles Chart in May 2006 due to the song's increased popularity as the theme for the BBC's Planet Earth. The single also features "Með blóðnasir", an instrumental coda to "Hoppípolla", which is also featured on Takk...; and a studio remake of "Hafssól", a song previously released on the band's 1997 debut album, Von. The title appears as "Hafsól" on the single.

Use in film and television

"Hoppípolla" was used in 2006 advertisements for the BBC's Planet Earth TV series, giving the band one of its rare exposures to a mainstream audience. When Sir David Attenborough received his National Television lifetime achievement award, the piece was used for the moving anthology of his work, made especially for the occasion. Following this, there has been a high demand for the single, which has led to a re-publishing of the commercial version in May 2006, distributed by EMI. The re-release of the single brought critical acclaim for the band in the mainstream music media, including being named Jungalist Single of the Week on 1 May 2006. The song was used in the closing credits of the BBC's coverage of the 2006 FA Cup final, and BBC News 24 also used it to promote their coverage of the 2006 FIFA World Cup. The BBC also used it as background music to a rousing montage of England games during the World Cup and as a trailer for live BBC coverage of further England games. The song was also featured in the Doctor Who Confidential episode "End of an Era".

Besides its repeated use by the BBC, the song was used in the Children of Men and Slumdog Millionaire trailers, the film Penelope, and an Oxfam and Viasat advertisement. The song was also used as background music during a Sky Sports interview with F.C. Copenhagen's manager Ståle Solbakken before F.C. Copenhagen played Manchester United in the UEFA Champions League on 1 November 2006. It was also used as background music to interviews with contestants in shows such as The X-Factor, Britain's Got Talent, and I'd Do Anything. In New Zealand, the intro part of the song was used as the soundtrack for a promotional TV advertisement for the All Blacks before the 2006 Bledisloe Cup. The song was covered by We Are Scientists on their B-sides album Crap Attack in 2006. It was also used in Smith's Hill High School's (Australia) Rock Eisteddfod performance in 2006.

In April 2008, a film trailer was released advertising Disneynature's new movie Earth, with "Hoppípolla" as the background music.

"Hoppípolla" was used as the music when Sir Bobby Charlton received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2008, for helping England win the 1966 FIFA World Cup and helping Manchester United win the European Championship in 1968. The song was also used for when Sir Bobby Robson won the same award the previous year. The song was also used in an informational video on Marks & Spencer p.l.c on their corporate website. In the Slumdog Millionaire trailer, the background music is "Hoppípolla" starting from 1:12 to the end.

The song was also used as the background music to a video entitled "I Am A Craft Brewer," made by the Stone Brewing Company.

Track listing

• CD (CDEM 673) / 12" (12EM 673)

1. "Hoppípolla" – 4:36
2. "Með blóðnasir" – 2:24
3. "Hafsól" – 9:47

• 7" (EM 673)

1. "Hoppípolla" – 4:36
2. "Heysátan" – 4:09

Music video

A promotional music video for "Hoppípolla" was made in November 2005. It was directed by Arni & Kinski and first aired during the week of November 21, 2005.

It depicts two childlike groups of friends – which are elderly people – strolling around a town and, just like children, pulling pranks on other people. Near the end of the video, the two groups meet each other in a graveyard to battle with water balloons and wooden swords. When one of them is injured and gets a bloody nose (which is referenced in the lyrics), the opponents run away in fear, while the others celebrate the victory. The video shows several shots of the friends jumping in puddles of water.

The band members are featured in the video: keyboardist Kjartan Sveinsson plays the victim of a Ding Dong Ditch trick, guitarist and vocalist Jón Þór Birgisson plays the cashier at a shop where an old man steals and eats some produce, drummer Orri Páll Dýrason can be seen repairing his bicycle, and bassist Georg Hólm can be seen cleaning..

Chicane cover version - "Poppiholla"

In July 2009 Chicane released a re-work of the song, titled "Poppiholla" (the 'p' and 'h' were switched to create the word "pop") and released it as a five track single EP on 13 July 2009. "Poppiholla" entered the UK Singles Chart at #7 on 19 July 2009, spending three weeks in the top ten as of 2 August 2009. A video to promote the song was made, and Chicane's The Best of Chicane collection was re-released to include the song. The re-released album reached #14 on the UK Album chart, beating the compilation's previous peak of #16 (without "Poppiholla" on it).

External links

• Sigur Rós's official page on the Hoppípolla single
• Always on the Run - Sigur Rós Lyrics Translations
• Hoppípolla at MusicBrainz

Chart (2009)	Peak position
UK singles chart	7

Sigur Rós
Jón Þór Birgisson Georg Holm Kjartan Sveinsson Orri Páll Dýrason Ágúst Ævar Gunnarsson
Studio albums	Von Ágætis byrjun ( ) Takk... Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust Valtari Kveikur Átta
Live albums	Inni
Compilation albums	Hvarf/Heim We Play Endlessly
Soundtracks	Englar Alheimsins Hlemmur "The Saga of Carl" Odin's Raven Magic
Remix albums	Von brigði
Extended plays	Rímur Ba Ba Ti Ki Di Do
Videos	Heima Inni Valtari Film Experiment
Singles	"Svefn-g-englar" "Ný batterí" "Vaka" "Glósóli" "Sæglópur" "Hoppípolla" "Hljómalind" "Gobbledigook" "Inní mér syngur vitleysingur" "Ekki múkk" "Varúð" "Brennisteinn" "Ísjaki" "Rafstraumur" "Óveður"
Other songs	"Viðrar vel til loftárása" "Fjögur píanó" "Hrafntinna" "Stormur" "Kveikur"
Related articles	Discography Amiina Sundlaugin Jónsi & Alex Riceboy Sleeps Lost & Found Go Kronos Quartet Plays Sigur Rós