The Animal Song

This article is about the 1999 Savage Garden song. For song by animals, see animal song. For songs named "Animal", see Animal (disambiguation).

"The Animal Song"
Single by Savage Garden
from the album Affirmation
Released23 February 1999 (1999-02-23)
GenrePop
Length4:39 (album version) 3:49 (radio edit)
LabelRoadshow Music
Songwriter(s)Darren Hayes, Daniel Jones
Producer(s)Savage Garden, Walter Afanasieff
Savage Garden singles chronology
"Santa Monica"
(1998) 		"The Animal Song"
(1999) 		"Tears of Pearls"
(1999)
Music video
"The Animal Song" on YouTube

"The Animal Song" is a song by Australian pop music duo Savage Garden, released as a single on 23 February 1999. The song was written for the soundtrack of the film The Other Sister and also appeared on their second studio album, Affirmation (1999), as well as their compilation album, Truly Madly Completely: The Best of Savage Garden. It was the band's first song to be produced by Walter Afanasieff, a producer well known for his work with Mariah Carey. Afanasieff would later produce the group's Affirmation album, and also Darren Hayes' first solo album, Spin.

Background

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The video for the song was directed by Jim Gable. It features Hayes walking through a parade, with intercut scenes from The Other Sister with Juliette Lewis. The song is also used in the "Shamu Rocks" seasonal nighttime show at SeaWorld, America. "The Animal Song" became the group's third Canadian number one single, topping the singles chart for three weeks, from 27 March 1999. It also peaked at number three in their native Australia and New Zealand, number 19 in the United States, and number 16 on the UK Singles Chart.

In June 2015, singer Darren Hayes explained that Savage Garden had been offered to record a song for Runaway Bride. However they passed up on the proposal and instead chose to compose a song "for the film that flopped".[1] Daniel Jones described "The Animal Song" as a "transitional song" between their first and second albums and a "fun song that made you feel good".

The lyrics of the song deal with the struggles experienced by individuals suffering from mental illnesses, and more generally with the difficulty in expressing one's emotions and finding compassion in a confusing world that stultifies individuals with all kinds of rules. According to Darren Hayes, his longing for life in the tropical climes of Australia while living in the United States provided further inspiration for the lyrics.

Track listings

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Charts

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Certifications

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[37] Platinum 70,000^
Sweden (GLF)[38] Gold 15,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Release history

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Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref(s).
Australia 23 February 1999 CD Roadshow Music [11]
United States
  • CD
  • cassette
 Columbia [39][40]
Canada 9 March 1999 CD [41]
Japan 25 March 1999 SME [42]
United Kingdom 28 June 1999
  • CD
  • cassette
 Columbia [43]

References

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  1. ^ https://www.facebook.com/SavageGarden/posts/ [user-generated source]
  2. ^ The Animal Song (Australian CD single liner notes). Savage Garden. Roadshow Music. 1999. 102045-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  3. ^ The Animal Song (US & Canadian CD single liner notes). Savage Garden. Columbia Records. 1999. 38K 79112.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  4. ^ The Animal Song (US cassette single sleeve). Savage Garden. Columbia Records. 1999. 38T79112.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  5. ^ The Animal Song (UK CD1 liner notes). Savage Garden. Columbia Records. 1999. 667588 2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  6. ^ The Animal Song (UK CD2 liner notes). Savage Garden. Columbia Records. 1999. 667588 5.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  7. ^ The Animal Song (UK cassette single sleeve). Savage Garden. Columbia Records. 1999. 667588 4.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  8. ^ The Animal Song (European CD1 liner notes). Savage Garden. Columbia Records. 1999. COL 666939 1.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  9. ^ The Animal Song (European CD2 liner notes). Savage Garden. Columbia Records. 1999. COL 666939 2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  10. ^ The Animal Song (Japanese CD single liner notes). Savage Garden. SME Records. 1999. SRCS 8908.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  11. ^ a b "Savage Garden – The Animal Song". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
  12. ^ "Savage Garden – The Animal Song" (in Dutch). Ultratip.
  13. ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 7452." RPM. Library and Archives Canada.
  14. ^ "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 8130." RPM. Library and Archives Canada.
  15. ^ "Oficiální Česká Hitparáda – Pro týden" (in Czech). IFPI ČR. Archived from the original on 29 August 1999. Retrieved 4 April 2022.
  16. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 16, no. 29. 17 July 1999. p. 9. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
  17. ^ "Íslenski Listinn (19.3–26.3. 1999)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 19 March 1999. p. 10. Retrieved 5 October 2019.
  18. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – The Animal Song". Irish Singles Chart.
  19. ^ "Tipparade-lijst van week 32, 1999". Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 12 March 2023.
  20. ^ "Savage Garden – The Animal Song" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  21. ^ "Savage Garden – The Animal Song". Top 40 Singles.
  22. ^ "Savage Garden – The Animal Song". VG-lista.
  23. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  24. ^ "Savage Garden – The Animal Song". Singles Top 100.
  25. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  26. ^ "Savage Garden Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  27. ^ "Savage Garden Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard.
  28. ^ "Savage Garden Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard.
  29. ^ "ARIA Top 100 Singles for 1999". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
  30. ^ "RPM 1999 Top 100 Hit Tracks". RPM. Retrieved 12 April 2018 – via Library and Archives Canada.
  31. ^ "RPM 1999 Top 100 Adult Contemporary". RPM. Retrieved 12 April 2018 – via Library and Archives Canada.
  32. ^ "Romanian Top 100: Top of the Year 1999" (in Romanian). Romanian Top 100. Archived from the original on 22 January 2005. Retrieved 27 April 2020.
  33. ^ "Årslista Singlar, 1999" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 27 April 2020.
  34. ^ "Most Played Adult Top 40 Songs of 1999". Airplay Monitor. Vol. 7, no. 52. 24 December 1999. p. 47.
  35. ^ "Most Played Mainstream Top 40 Songs of 1999". Airplay Monitor. Vol. 7, no. 52. 24 December 1999. p. 54.
  36. ^ Lwin, Nanda. "Top 100 singles of the 1990s". Jam!. Archived from the original on 29 August 2000. Retrieved 26 March 2022.
  37. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 1999 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 25 June 2019.
  38. ^ "Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 1999" (PDF) (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 May 2011. Retrieved 25 June 2019.
  39. ^ Mayfield, Geoff; Caulfield, Keith; Graybow, Steve (6 March 1999). "Hot 100 Spotlight". Billboard. Vol. 111, no. 10. p. 109. Meanwhile, the Feb. 23 retail drop of Savage Garden's 'The Animal Song'...
  40. ^ "Discography". savagegarden.com. Archived from the original on 18 October 2000. Retrieved 18 June 2023. To view release date, click on Discography.
  41. ^ "Album Releases: March 1999". Jam!. Archived from the original on 17 August 2000. Retrieved 6 January 2023.
  42. ^ "Savage Garden". Sony Music Entertainment Japan. Archived from the original on 2 October 1999. Retrieved 25 August 2023. Click on Discography.
  43. ^ "New Releases – For Week Starting 28 June, 1999" (PDF). Music Week. 26 June 1999. p. 25. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
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