Heart Like Chernobyl
| Heart Like Chernobyl | |
| Track by Soft Cell | |
 | |
| Year | 2020 |
| Recorded | Kitchen Sink Drama Studio |
| Written | Marc Almond |
| Composed | David Ball |
| Produced | Philip Larsen |
| Genre | synth-pop |
| Album | *Happiness Not Included |
| Also in | Bruises On All My Illusions *Happiness Now Extended |
Origin[edit | edit source]
Dave Ball said that he wrote the music to “Heart Like Chernobyl” during the peak of 2020 quarantine lockdown and he had been alone for about 6 weeks, which made him “feeling a bit Joy Division” and recalling their track “Isolation.”[1][2] Marc Almond later wrote lyrics about how people become desensitised by being bombarded by negative news, turning into “nuclear wasteland of feelings.” Almond also cited Chernobyl HBO series, premiered in 2019, as an inspiration,[3] thus Chernobyl nuclear disaster is referenced in the title and trough the song.
Record and release[edit | edit source]
Like other songs on *Happiness Not Included, “Heart Like Chernobyl” was recorded during 2020 lockdown, with the duo working on it separately. Ball initially recorded music for the track digitally as usual demo in his home studio, in the kitchen (being later credited on album as Kitchen Sink Drama Studios).[1][2] He wanted to refine the track further, but Almond asked him to leave it as is, refering to it as old school minimal electronics, and later recorded vocal track while not singing, “trying to do a bit of a Lou Reed vibe.”[3]
“Heart Like Chernobyl” was the first released song from the album, but as taster for it and not as single. It was announced on July 30th, following the announce of the album.[4] On 12th August 2021 (a day earlier than listed in initial announce) its lyric video was published on Soft Cell's official YouTube channel, followed by posts on social media pages and the track being available on streaming platforms.[1] The album was released in May 2022.
Other versions[edit | edit source]
An extended mix of the song by Dave Ball was realessed on Bruises On All My Illusions CD single on 18 February, 2022.[5][6] It later was included on 4LP release accompanying the studio album, *Happiness Now Extended, released in July 2023.
Personnel[edit | edit source]
- Written-By (music), synthesizer – David Ball
- Written-By (lyrics), vocals – Marc Almond
- Production, sound engineering, synthesizer, drum programming – Philip Larsen
- Sound engineering – Barry Grint
Lyrics[edit | edit source]
Written by Marc Almond
Oh dear
I feel like North Korea in the winter
I've got a toxic touch
'Cos everything is dying all around me
Lovers, pets and plants
Cousins, uncles, aunts
So run like the devil
Before you regret you ever found me
All I have to say
The news it's made me this way
Another horror everyday
So in your knees and pray
It's purely anectodal
More than the sum total
Throw me down the waste disposal
I've got heart like Chernobyl
People escaping the war in boats
Tip them over and see who floats
When I'm faced with people dying
No emotion, it's like watching a soap
Appeal to my better nature
And tell me Jesus is the answer
He tried to see the good in everyone
But Jesus was a naive romancer
It's purely anectodal
More than the sum total
Throw me down the waste disposal
I've got heart like Chernobyl
It's purely anectodal
I'm Constantinople
Every army falls invading my walls
I've got heart like Chernobyl
Watch out for reactor 5
Nobody gets out alive
So do what you have to do
If you're gonna survive
It's all the fault of the media
All the fear they feed ya
Throw me down the waste disposal
I've got heart like Chernobyl
Videos[edit | edit source]
| Heart Like Chernobyl | |
| music video by Soft Cell | |
 | |
| Still frame from “Heart Like Chernobyl” video | |
| Released | 14 September 2021 |
| Recorded | Tate Britain Museum, London, UK |
| Previous | Northern Lights |
| Next | Purple Zone |
Lyric video[edit | edit source]
The lyric video for “Heart Like Chernobyl” was created by Ewan McWilliam of Design Workshop in 2021. It consists of video footages of Pripyat city, Ukraine, where Chernobyl power plant is located, in a variety of color effects, corresponding to artworks of the album. It was published on band's official YouTube channel and social media pages on August 12th 2021.[1]
Music video[edit | edit source]
The video for “Heart Like Chernobyl” was filmed on 18th August 2021, in Tate Britain Museum, London, UK. The set of the video is red lit part of installation Rupture No.1: Blowtorching The Bitten Peach by artist Heather Phillipson.[2][7]
Finished video first appeared on Almond's official web site, on September 14th 2021.[2] On 17th September it was published on Soft Cell's official YouTube channel.
Availability[edit | edit source]
“Heart Like Chernobyl” appears on following records.
| Year | Title | Type | Version | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 
|
Bruises On All My Illusions | Single | Extended |
|
*Happiness Not Included | Album | ||
| 2023 | 
|
*Happiness Now Extended | Album | Extended |
Original version of the song is also available on streaming platforms.
Listen[edit | edit source]
- Official uploads on YouTube
Trivia[edit | edit source]
- “Heart Like Chernobyl” has determined front cover artworks of the album and some of the singles, including streaming platform ones, – a Ferris wheel in Pripyat.
- On streaming platform artwork the song title imitates *Happiness Not Included album title, with asterisk replaced by radiation hazard symbol.
- The samples at the beginning and the end of the song are further references to Chernobyl nuclear disaster: the first one is a recording of one of emergency calls to the fire department,[8] and another is fragment of Mikhail Gorbachev's speech regarding the tragedy,[9] with click sounds of Geiger counter.
- Although reactor 5 is mentioned in the song, the explosion on Chernobyl nuclear power plant happened in reactor No. 4, while No. 5 was in construction and eventually not completed.[10]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Soft Cell: “We are delighted to present to you the first music from *Happiness not included …”. 12 August 2021. (Facebook)
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Marc Almond News. (marcalmond.co.uk) archived
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 theartsdesk Q&A: Marc Almond of Soft Cell. Harry Thorfinn-George. 12 May 2022. (theartsdesk.com) archived
- ↑ Soft Cell: “Thanks for your astounding reaction to the announcement …”. 30 July 2021. (Facebook)
- ↑ Soft Cell announce brand new single ‘Bruises On My Illusions’ – Soft Cell (Marc Almond & David Ball). 7 October 2021. (softcell.co.uk) archived
- ↑ Soft Cell - May we be the very last to wish everyone a Happy New.... 31 January 2022. (Facebook)
- ↑ Marc Almond on Instagram: “BIG BIG thank you to Artist and Poet Heather Phillipson …”. (Instagram)
- ↑ Soft Cell's 'Heart Like Chernobyl' sample of UkSSR Fire Department's 'Chernobyl Fire Emergency Calls (April 26th 1986)'. (whosampled.com)
- ↑ Soft Cell's 'Heart Like Chernobyl' sample of Mikhail Gorbachev's 'Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster Speech (May 14th 1986)'. (whosampled.com)
- ↑ Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant (Wikipedia)
