The song, “Axel F”, was originally performed by Harold Faltermeyer in 1984
The instrumental 80’s synth pop anthem “Axel F” was written, composed and performed by German producer Harold Faltermeyer (b.1952) for the film ‘Beverly Hills Cop’ in 1984. The track featured on numerous occasions in the film and also on the soundtrack album. When released as a single in 1985, it became a top ten hit in 25 countries worldwide and made No.2 in the UK and No.3 in America.
The song has been covered a number of times over the years. In 1992, German producers Techno Cop took their version to No.30 on the German singles chart. In March 1995, British dance act Clock recorded a version that became a hit across Europe and in Australia. Their “Axel F” took the song back to the UK top ten when it peaked at No.7. In 2005, South Korean singer Psy remade the song for the FIFA World Cup.
In 2005, Swedish dance act The Annoying Thing remade “Axel F” under the name of ‘Crazy Frog’. Their version became a global smash, outperforming the original song and topping the singles charts in over a dozen countries including the UK. The track reached No.50 in America, the only territory it did not attain a top ten chart position. The Crazy Frog version has sold over four million copies to date.
But which version is the best? HAROLD FALTERMEYER’s original, CLOCK’s cover or the CRAZY FROG?
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Talk About Pop Music 