Cognoscenti vs. Intelligentsia
| "Cognoscenti vs. Intelligentsia" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
the Cuban Boys | ||||
| from the album Eastwood | ||||
| B-side |
| |||
| Released | 13 December 1999[1] | |||
| Genre | Dance-pop | |||
| Length | 3:17 | |||
| Label | EMI | |||
| Songwriter(s) |
| |||
The Cuban Boys singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Music video | ||||
| "Cognoscenti vs Intelligentsia" on YouTube | ||||
"Cognoscenti vs. Intelligentsia" (meaning "the experts versus the intellectual elite"), also known as "C vs. I", is a song by English
Background
The song was first aired on
and a live-action hamster singing along.The song's closing lines are of an announcer of a children's radio show:
And this is your Uncle Dan saying good night.
Good night, little kids, good night.
We're off? Good, well that oughta hold the little bastards."
This last line, usually omitted on radio play, is itself a sample from Kermit Schafer's 1950s "recreation" of a supposed on-air blooper by 1920s children's radio presenter, "Uncle Don". In fact, this faux pas is an urban legend.[3] The sample caused many complaints to the band's label EMI, enough for a Parental Advisory sticker to be included on the single by the end of the single's first week of release,[1] presumably by those assuming the song to be aimed at children. Additionally, the sample was left unedited when the song was played by Jo Whiley on BBC Radio 1 in November, the broadcast of the song which eventually greenlit the single's release by EMI, the sample was again unedited, causing much controversy.[1]
The song itself is, like many recordings by the band, dotted with other humorous quotes from old movies, TV and radio programmes, including the 1965
Release
Unlike the later single "
Reception
The song garnered extreme reactions. Music journalist
The band's performance on
Track listings
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UK CD and cassette single[8][9]
European 12-inch single[10]
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European maxi-CD single[11]
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Charts
Weekly charts
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Year-end charts
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References
- ^ a b c d e "Cuban Boys – Cognoscenti Vs Intelligentsia". thecubanboys.co.uk. Archived from the original on 19 October 2015. Retrieved 10 October 2015.
- ^ "Cuban Boys - Cognoscenti vs Intelligentsia". YouTube. Retrieved 16 January 2020.
- ^ "Did Uncle Don Call Kids 'Little Bastards' on the Air?". www.snopes.com. 7 February 2020.
- ^ a b "The oral history of the Hampsterdance: The twisted true story of one of the world's first memes". CBC. 27 December 2018. Retrieved 12 May 2020.
- ^ a b "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 22 November 2020.
- ^ a b "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Cognoscenti vs Intelligentsia". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 22 November 2020.
- ^ a b "Cuban Boys – Cognoscenti vs Intelligentsia". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 22 November 2020.
- ^ Cognoscenti vs. Intelligentsia (UK CD single liner notes). Cuban Boys. EMI Records. 1999. CDCUBAN 001, 7243 8 87976 2 7.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Cognoscenti vs. Intelligentsia (UK cassette single sleeve). Cuban Boys. EMI Records. 1999. TCCUBAN 001.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Cognoscenti vs. Intelligentsia (European 12-inch single sleeve). Cuban Boys. EMI Records. 1999. 7243 8 87976 6 5.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Cognoscenti vs. Intelligentsia (European maxi-CD single liner notes). Cuban Boys. EMI Records. 1999. 7243 8 87976 0 3.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 17, no. 1. 1 January 2000. p. 17. Retrieved 22 November 2020.
- ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 22 November 2020.
- ^ "Best Sellers of 1999: Singles Top 100". Music Week. 22 January 2000. p. 27.
