Shampain

Not to be confused with Champagne.

"Shampain" is a song by Welsh singer Marina Diamandis, released under the stage name Marina and the Diamonds from her debut studio album, The Family Jewels (2010). It was released on 11 October 2010 as the album's fifth and final single, only in the United Kingdom and Ireland.^[1]

"Shampain"
Single by Marina and the Diamonds
from the album The Family Jewels
Released	11 October 2010 (2010-10-11)
Recorded	2009
Studio	The Ivory Tower Konk (London, England) Biffco (Brighton, England)
Genre	Avant-garde disco electropop
Length	3:11
Label	679
Songwriter(s)	Marina Diamandis Liam Howe Pascal Gabriel
Producer(s)	Pascal Gabriel Liam Howe
Marina and the Diamonds singles chronology
"Oh No!" (2010) "Shampain" (2010) "Primadonna" (2012)
Music video
"Shampain" on YouTube

Background and composition

"Shampain" is an avant-garde, disco, and electropop song.^[2][3][4] When asked what "Shampain" was about and the production behind the song, Diamandis said:

"['Shampain' is about] the depressing side of getting drunk, the obliteration side of having a good time. This was actually the first co-write that I ever did... It was good to write a simpler pop song because when I write on my own the melodies are all over the place. It was good to do something a little bit lighter, and this probably is my lightest track on a record. It's about insomnia and the joys of champagne."^[5]

She added: "I hate [co-writing], so I do it because it's so challenging for me. As soon as I do it, I am really pleased that I have. I've had the pleasure of working with three great people... 'Shampain' was written with Pascal Gabriel, Liam Howe and we had a lot of fun doing it."^[5]

"Shampain" was used in an episode of the BBC Switch teen soap opera The Cut in December 2009.^[6] The song had the working title of "The Shampain Sleeper" in 2009.^[7]

In 2012, Diamandis expressed her dislike of the song in an interview with BBC Radio 1's Live Lounge, stating it would have been better suited for Kylie Minogue and that its inclusion on the album was by force.^[8]

Critical reception

John Murphy of musicOMH described "Shampain" as "infectiously catchy and [having] enough depth not to be dismissed lightly as bubblegum pop."^[9] James Berry of Yahoo! Music stated the song "bucks like Goldfrapp riding The Killers' bronco".^[10] A number of critics had commented negatively regarding the title of the song. Gareth James from Clash opined the song "feel[s] a little forced".^[11] The Independent's Andy Gill wrote that "Shampain" is "every bit as annoying as [its] punning title, with queasy, prancing piano and synth figures labouring away methodically, Mika-fashion, while she searches unsuccessfully for worthwhile lyrical routes."^[12]

Music video

Marina Diamandis in the music video for Shampain

The music video for "Shampain" was directed by Kim Gehri^[1] and filmed on 24 August 2010 in a park in London.^[13] It was released on 6 September 2010.^[14] The video starts off showing a full moon and a scene where candles are blown out as the title flashes onto the screen. Diamandis is then seen lying on a black silk pillow as the song begins. A burger wrapper flies across her face and the scene cuts to show her lying on the steps at a park bandstand. She stands up and walks through the park, followed by intoxicated dancing female partygoers reminiscent of the zombies in Michael Jackson's Thriller.^[15][16] The video ends with Diamandis waking up on a park bench as if the whole episode had been a dream.

Track listings

• UK digital download (EP)^[17]

1. "Shampain" – 3:09
2. "Shampain" (acoustic) – 3:45
3. "Shampain" (Fred Falke remix) – 6:57
4. "Shampain" (Pictureplane's Deep Dolphin remix) – 3:34
5. "Shampain" (Oscar the Punk remix) – 5:51

• UK promotional maxi CD^[18]

1. "Shampain" (original version) – 3:14
2. "Shampain" (Fred Falke remix) – 6:59
3. "Shampain" (Pictureplane's Deep Dolphin remix) – 3:37
4. "Shampain" (Oscar the Punk remix) – 5:53
5. "Shampain" (the Last Skeptic remix) – 3:24

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of The Family Jewels.^[19]

Recording and management

• Recorded at The Ivory Tower, Konk Studios (London, England) and Biffco Studios (Brighton, England)
• Mastered at Electric Mastering (London, England)
• Published by Warner Chappell Music Publishing Ltd/Sony/ATV

Personnel

• Marina Diamandis – vocals, piano
• Pascal Gabriel – production, programming, synths
• Liam Howe – production, programming, bass, electric guitar, synths, additional piano
• Richard "Biff" Stannard – additional production, mixing, additional keys, programming
• Ash Howes – additional keys, programming
• Richard Wilkinson – engineering
• Dougal Lott – engineering assistance
• Steve Durham – drums
• Guy Davie – mastering

Charts

Chart performance for "Shampain"

Chart (2010)	Peak position
UK Singles (OCC)[20]	141

References

1. "Shampain to Be the Next Single! (UK)". marinaandthediamonds.com. 17 August 2010. Archived from the original on 4 March 2014. Retrieved 30 August 2010.
2. O'Neal, Sean (25 May 2010). "Marina And The Diamonds: The Family Jewels". The A.V. Club. Retrieved 25 March 2018.
3. Montgomery, Hugh (March 2010). "Marina & the Diamonds – The Family Jewels". Q. No. 284. p. 105. ISSN 0955-4955.
4. Mathieson, Craig (24 December 2010). "An outsider's inside job". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 14 August 2019.
5. "Podcasts – Marina and the Diamonds by Marina and the Diamonds". iTunes Store (Podcast). 5 March 2010. Retrieved 12 April 2010.
6. "The Cut Music – Week 14 and Week 15". BBC Online. 20 December 2009. Retrieved 7 January 2010.
7. "Marina & the Diamonds – The Shampain Sleeper". Nialler9. 16 April 2009. Archived from the original on 14 July 2011. Retrieved 16 April 2010.
8. "BBC - BBC Radio 1 Programmes - Fearne Cotton, Wednesday: Marina & The Diamonds Live Lounge". BBC. 21 April 2012. Archived from the original on 21 April 2012. Retrieved 9 September 2018.
9. Murphy, John (22 February 2010). "Marina & The Diamonds – The Family Jewels". musicOMH. Retrieved 14 April 2010.
10. Berry, James (16 February 2010). "Marina & The Diamonds – The Family Jewels". Yahoo! Music. Archived from the original on 13 June 2011. Retrieved 14 April 2010.
11. James, Gareth (8 February 2010). "Marina and the Diamonds – The Family Jewels". Clash. Retrieved 14 April 2010.
12. Gill, Andy (12 February 2010). "Album: Marina & The Diamonds, The Family Jewels (679)". The Independent. Retrieved 14 April 2010.
13. "Pictures From Marina And The Diamonds 'Shampain' Music Video". Marina-Diamandis.net. 26 August 2010. Archived from the original on 23 July 2011. Retrieved 27 August 2010.
14. "A Graveyard of Bad Nights". marinaandthediamonds.com. 6 September 2010. Archived from the original on 2 February 2014. Retrieved 7 September 2010.
15. Zimmerman, Edith (7 September 2010). "See Marina and the Diamonds' New Video, 'Shampain'". Vulture. Retrieved 8 September 2010.
16. Rees, Alex (7 September 2010). "Here's "Shampain"—The New Video From Marina & The Diamonds". Teen Vogue. Retrieved 8 September 2010.
17. "Shampain – EP by Marina and The Diamonds". iTunes Store (UK). 22 October 2010. Retrieved 4 March 2014.
18. "Shampain" (UK promotional CD maxi single). Marina and the Diamonds. 679 Recordings. 2010.
19. The Family Jewels (liner notes). Marina and the Diamonds. Atlantic Records. 2010. 825646836253.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
20. "Chart Log UK: 1994–2010: M – My Vitriol". Zobbel.de. Retrieved 14 August 2019.