1234 (Feist song)
"1234" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Gonzales, Ben Mink, Feist | ||||
Feist singles chronology | ||||
|
"1234" is a song from
History
In an interview with Songfacts, Sally Seltmann said:
I had been listening to Feist's album Let It Die. I thought my little song about lost love, and the hope to recapture what you once had, sounded too much like a Feist song for me to use for New Buffalo, so I shelved it. Then, in late 2005 I did a tour across Canada supporting Feist, and Broken Social Scene. After meeting Feist, I started to wonder whether she might like to do a cover of "1234," but I was too shy to tell her about it. At the last Broken Social Scene show, I plucked up the courage to tell her that I had written a song which I thought she might like to use. We went onto the tour bus, and I recorded a simple version of the song into her laptop, with guitar and vocals. To my surprise, she loved the song, and started playing it live.[2]
On December 14, 2005, Feist played the song live at The Trabendo in Paris, France in a show broadcast on Europe2 TV, with the title "Sally's Song" and with somewhat different lyrics than in the commercially released version.[3][4]
The original version of the song was mixed by Renaud Letang.[5] It was later remixed by Van She Tech, an offshoot of the band Van She.[citation needed]
Release
The song was digitally released through
Chart performance
Since its digital release, "1234" peaked at number four on the US Hot Digital Songs chart. The single also reached number eight on the US
In the April 28, 2008, episode of
Awards and accolades
"1234" was nominated for Grammy Awards in the categories of Best Female Pop Vocal Performance and Best Short Form Music Video. Likewise, the success of the song largely contributed to Feist's other nominations that year for Best New Artist and Best Pop Vocal Album. It also won the Juno award for Single of the Year on April 6, 2008, in Calgary. Sally Seltmann also received a nomination at the 2008 APRA Awards for Song of the Year.[15]
This song was number 19 on
Time magazine named "1234" one of The 10 Best Songs of 2007, ranking it at number two after "Rehab" by Amy Winehouse. Writer Josh Tyrangiel called the song a “masterpiece”, praising Feist for singing it “with a mixture of wisdom and exuberance that's all her own."[22][23]
Charts
Weekly charts
|
Year-end charts
|
Certifications
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Canada (Music Canada)[45] | 2× Platinum | 160,000‡ |
United Kingdom (BPI)[13] | Gold | 400,000‡ |
United States (RIAA)[46] | 2× Platinum | 2,000,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
Cover versions
The song was rewritten as a counting song for a performance on Sesame Street, in which Feist counts chickens, monsters (Elmo, Zoe, Rosita, and Telly) and penguins to 4.[47]
Parodies
It was parodied by
In popular culture
It was sung by the character of Andy Bernard in "
Singer-songwriter Kenny Loggins covered the song for his 2009 album All Join In. The lyrics were changed because of dark subject material and the song also featured Kenny's 11-year-old daughter Hana.[48]
Pianist Louis Durra recorded an instrumental trio version released on Mad World EP and Arrogant Doormats (2011).
The song plays over the opening sequence of "Green Juice," the third episode of the limited American drama series The Dropout about disgraced Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes (2022).
References
- ^ Everett-Green, Robert (February 9, 2008). "Grammy girl: Feist". The Globe and Mail. pp. R1, R19. Archived from the original on January 16, 2009.
- ^ Songfacts for "1234". Retrieved December 12, 2007.
- ^ "feist - trabendo session - paris - 14th december 2005". July 31, 2008. Retrieved August 27, 2008.
- ^ "Feist - 1234 - Letterman 08/27/2007" – via YouTube.
- ^ Paul Tingen (April 2008). "Secrets of the Mix Engineers: Renaud Letang". Sound on Sound magazine.
- ^ "eBay Make Shopping Exciting with Feist in Whistler » The Inspiration Room | Daily". The Inspiration Room. July 1, 2007. Archived from the original on August 9, 2011. Retrieved September 9, 2011.
- ^ Feist, Billboard Hot 100 – Billboard.com. Retrieved June 28, 2023.
- ^ Billboard chart history
- ^ "Billboard Bits: Feist's New Album, Haley Reinhart Inks Label Deal". Billboard.com. July 25, 2011. Retrieved November 9, 2011.
- ^ "The Charts". Music.unrealitytv.co.uk. Archived from the original on August 8, 2007. Retrieved September 9, 2011.
- ^ Billboard.com
- ABC. December 26, 2008. Retrieved June 13, 2018.
- ^ a b "British single certifications – Feist – 1234". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved April 14, 2023.
- ^ "Feist | The Colbert Report". Comedy Central. April 28, 2008. Archived from the original on May 6, 2008. Retrieved September 9, 2011.
- ^ 2008 Apra Nominees Announced Archived December 6, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "The 100 Best Songs of 2007". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on January 7, 2005. Retrieved December 22, 2007.
- ^ "Rock List: Readers' 25 Best Songs of 2007". Rolling Stone. December 17, 2007. Archived from the original on February 25, 2012. Retrieved January 18, 2011.
- Amazon.com. Retrieved January 18, 2011.
- ^ Plagenhoef, Scott (August 31, 2009). "Staff Lists: The Top 50 Music Videos of the 2000s | Features". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on May 2, 2013. Retrieved September 9, 2011.
- ^ "Staff Lists: Top 100 Tracks of 2007". Pitchfork Media. December 17, 2007. Retrieved January 18, 2011.
- ^ "The Top 10 Music Videos of 2007". Blender. December 18, 2007. Archived from the original on July 21, 2012. Retrieved January 18, 2011.
- ^ Tyrangiel, Josh; "The Best Top 10 Lists of the Year"; "The 10 Best Songs"; Time magazine; December 24, 2007; Page 39.
- ^ Tyrangiel, Josh (December 9, 2007). "Time magazine's Top 10 Songs of 2007 at". Time.com. Archived from the original on December 12, 2007. Retrieved September 9, 2011.
- ^ "Feist – 1234". australian-charts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved June 30, 2013.
- ^ "ARIA Report: Issue 928" (PDF). ARIA. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 19, 2007. Retrieved December 17, 2007.
- ^ "Feist – 1234". ultratop.be (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved June 30, 2013.
- ^ "Feist – Chart History: Billboard Canadian Hot 100". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved June 30, 2013.
- ^ "Feist Chart History (Canada CHR/Top 40)". Billboard. Retrieved March 18, 2018.
- ^ "Feist Chart History (Canada Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved March 18, 2018.
- GfK Entertainment. Archivedfrom the original on June 30, 2013. Retrieved June 30, 2013.
- ^ "Irish-charts.com – Discography Feist". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved June 30, 2013.
- ^ "Feist – 1234". dutchcharts.nl. Hung Medien. Retrieved June 30, 2013.
- ^ "Feist". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 29, 2007.
- ^ "SNS IFPI". Hitparáda – Radio Top100 Oficiálna (in Slovak). IFPI Czech Republic. Retrieved June 30, 2013.
- ^ "Feist – 1234". hitparade.ch (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved June 30, 2013.
- ^ "Feist". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 30, 2013.
- ^ "Feist – Chart History: Hot 100". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved June 30, 2013.
- ^ "Feist Chart History (Adult Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved August 31, 2019.
- ^ "Feist – Chart History: Adult Pop Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved June 30, 2013.
- ^ "Feist – Chart History: Alternative Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved June 30, 2013.
- ^ "Feist – Chart History: Digital Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved June 30, 2013.
- ^ "The Official UK Singles Chart 2007" (PDF). UKChartsPlus. Retrieved May 26, 2018.
- ^ "Feist – Chart History: Canadian Hot 100 (Year end)". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved June 30, 2013.
- ^ "Top Canada AC Songs". R&R. December 12, 2008. p. 67.
- ^ "Canadian single certifications – Feist – 1234". Music Canada. Retrieved February 17, 2021.
- ^ "American single certifications – Feist – 1234". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved April 11, 2023.
- ^ Agrell, Siri (July 16, 2008). "Will Feist's famous number be a monster hit with children?". The Globe and Mail. Toronto. p. A1. Retrieved July 16, 2008.
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on May 26, 1998.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
External links
- Official music video on YouTube
- Making of the music video on YouTube