Popcorn (instrumental)

For other topics, see Popcorn (disambiguation). For the James Brown instrumental, see The Popcorn.

"Popcorn"
Song by Gershon Kingsley
from the album Music to Moog By
Released	1969
Genre	Synth-pop
Length	2:24
Label	Audio Fidelity New York City
Songwriter(s)	Gershon Kingsley
Producer(s)	Herman D. Gimbel

"Popcorn" (originally spelled "Pop Corn") 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.

Original version

Composer Gershon Kingsley (of Perrey and Kingsley) first recorded "Popcorn" for his 1969 album Music to Moog By. In 1971 the track was rerecorded by Kingsley's band First Moog Quartet; later he released a version under the name of The Popcorn Makers and this was the version that hit most successfully on the charts.

There were two 7" covers, both released in 1972 under Musicor Records and Stateside Records labels.

Hot Butter version

"Popcorn"
File:Popcorn (Hot Butter).jpg
Single by Hot Butter
from the album Hot Butter
B-side	"At the Movies"
Released	1972
Genre	Synth-pop
Length	2:30
Label	Interfusion (AUS) Musicor (US and Canada)
Songwriter(s)	Gershon Kingsley
Producer(s)	Bill Jerome Steve Jerome
singles chronology
"Popcorn" (1972) "Skokiaan" (1973)
Audio sample
"Popcorn" file help

In 1972, Stan Free, a fellow member of the First Moog Quartet, rerecorded "Popcorn" with his band Hot Butter, from the album 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 countries, 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

1. "Popcorn" – 2:30
2. "At the Movies" – 2:31

Chart performance

Weekly charts

Chart (1972–1973)	Peak position
Australia (Go-Set National Top 40)	1
Australia (Kent Music Report)	1
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)	10
Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)	2
Canada Top Singles (RPM)	15
France (IFOP)	1
Germany (Official German Charts)	1
Ireland (IRMA)	8
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)	1
Netherlands (Single Top 100)	12
New Zealand (Listener)	3
Norway (VG-lista)	1
South Africa (Springbok Radio)	13
Spain (AFYVE)	13
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)	1
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)	5
US Billboard Hot 100	9
US Billboard Easy Listening	4
US Cash Box	11
US Record World	7

Year-end charts

Chart (1972)	Position
Australia (Kent Music Report)	3
France (IFOP)	1
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)	5
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)	1
US Billboard Hot 100	28
US Cash Box	70

Crazy Frog version

"Popcorn"
Single by Crazy Frog
from the album Crazy Frog Presents Crazy Hits
B-side	"Who Let the Frog Out?"
Released	22 August 2005
Genre	Eurodance
Length	3:12 (album version) 2:46 (radio edit)
Label	Ministry of Sound
Songwriter(s)	Gershon Kingsley
Producer(s)	Erik Wernquist
singles chronology
"Axel F" (2005) "Popcorn" (2005) "Jingle Bells/U Can't Touch This" (2005)

"Popcorn" was covered by Crazy Frog in 2005, and this remixed version was released on 22 August that year. Jamba! once again arranged the remix, and also marketed it as a ringtone. The song differs from the debut release "Axel F", as it does not contain the trademark "Crazy Frog sound" by Daniel Malmedahl.

The single was a hit in various countries, particularly in France, where it enjoyed its greatest success. Replacing Crazy Frog's own song "Axel F" at No. 1 on 24 September 2005, the track remained at the top spot for 7 weeks (with its best weekly sales of 71,777 copies in its second week). Being certified Diamond status just three months after its release by the SNEP, as of August 2014, this version of "Popcorn" is the 40th best-selling single of the 21st century in France, with 458,000 copies sold. The track also topped the charts in Belgium, New Zealand and Spain.

The music video was animated using computer-generated imagery, the music video was produced by Kaktus Film and Erik Wernquist of TurboForce3D, where Crazy Frog is seen causing chaos at the underwater sea labs of the drones.

Track listings

UK

1. "Popcorn" (radio mix)
2. "Popcorn" (radio mix instrumental)
3. "Popcorn" (potatoheadz mix)
4. "Popcorn" (radikal mix)
5. "Popcorn" (resource mix)
6. "Popcorn" (video)

Australia

1. "Popcorn" (radio mix)
2. "Popcorn" (potatoheadz mix)
3. "Popcorn" (resource mix)
4. "Who Let the Frog Out?"

Certifications

Region	Certification	Sales/shipments
Australia (ARIA)	Gold	35,000
France (SNEP)	Diamond	471,816
^shipments figures based on certification alone xunspecified figures based on certification alone

Charts

Weekly charts

Illegal chart entered Australiadance|1

Chart (2005–2006)	Peak position
Australia (ARIA)	11
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)	19
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)	11
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)	1
Denmark (Tracklisten)	9
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)	4
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)	12
France (SNEP)	1
French Digital Singles Chart	1
Germany (Official German Charts)	35
Greece (IFPI)	12
Hungary (Dance Top 40)	37
Ireland (IRMA)	14
Netherlands (Single Top 100)	39
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)	1
Norway (VG-lista)	12
Scotland (Official Charts Company)	16
Spain (PROMUSICAE)	1
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)	9
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)	6
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)	12
UK Indie (Official Charts Company)	5

Year-end charts

Chart (2005)	Position
Australia (ARIA)	79
Australian Dance (ARIA)	8
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)	86
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)	23
France (SNEP)	6
French Club Chart	49
French Digital Singles Chart	16
New Zealand (RIANZ)	4
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)	51

Chart (2006)	Position
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)	85

See also

• List of number-one singles in Australia during the 1970s
• List of number-one singles of 1972 (France)
• List of number-one hits of 1972 (Germany)
• List of Dutch Top 40 number-one singles of 1972
• List of number-one singles from 1968 to 1979 (Switzerland)
• List of Ultratop 40 number-one singles of 2005
• List of number-one singles of 2005 (France)
• List of number-one singles in 2005 (New Zealand)
• List of number-one singles of 2005 (Spain)

External links

• Popcorn Song - An informative page on the several versions of Popcorn with dates and artists
• 79 Versions of Popcorn - As advertised, this page contains links to 79 versions of the song. This page contains all of those versions remixed into one 12-minute piece.
• Kingsley performs "Popcorn" on an acoustic piano
• Lyrics of Crazy Frog version at MetroLyrics