Crucified (Army of Lovers song)

AllMusic editor Ned Raggett described the song as a "totally over-the-top disco anthem on all fronts that takes ABBA's winning combination of memorable hooks and harmonies as inspiration and slathers a load of glitter and make-up over the whole thing." He noted further that "having ultracampy lyrical asides like 'I cry, I pray, mon dieu' doesn't hurt the sheer giddiness at work, and neither do the 'I'm crucified like my saviour' chorus, church organ and twangy Duane Eddy guitar."^[3] David A. Keeps from Austin American Statesman felt songs like "Crucified" "are steeped in romantic and biblical imagery that suggests, in a typically broad camp stroke, that obsessive love is the most religious experience of all."^[4] Larry Flick from Billboard magazine named it a "super-hot slammin' houser".^[5] Bevan Hannah from The Canberra Times wrote, "Judging by the video for their first single release 'Crucified', their image was carefully plotted, combining cabaret style costumes and graphics with groovy European dance rhythms."^[6] Ian Gittins from Melody Maker named it Single of the Week and "a wicked, s-s-s-sizzling dance cut with an immaculate sense of deadpan camp and a pounding beat punctuated by choruses which build up like the sun rising. Then the whole caboodle is topped with the most nerve-rackingly exact Scandinavian harmonies since Abba."^[7] Music Week viewed the song as "a bizarre pop/dance confection, both commercial and camp."^[8]

Newcastle Evening Chronicle called it a "clever almost choral rock approach on a lively danceable number",^[9] noting its "ebullient bounce".^[10] People Magazine wrote that "disco goes to church in this hip-hop hallelujah".^[11] James Hamilton from the Record Mirror Dance Update commented, "Camp and corny party fun from Sweden, this Abba-ishly chorused, phonetic guy rapped, strings swirled and—just to cap it all!—Duane Eddy-ish guitar twanged 0-122bpm jiggly jumper sounds like a pop hit with wide gimmick appeal".^[12] Sophie Lawrence reviewed the song for Smash Hits, writing, "It's one of those records where you can imagine everyone at a disco dancing around with their hands in the air, isn't it? I like it. It's got a gospel feel and really good harmonies on it."^[13] Edna Gundersen from USA Today said, "Watch for Army of Lovers to succeed Right Said Fred as the newest camp sensation to hop the pond. The Stockholm trio's loopy, trashy Eurodisco single, 'Crucified', is the best but by no means the only infectious groove on their Massive Luxury Overdose album."^[14] Joe Brown from The Washington Post found that "the Army reveals a lyrical obsession with a millenarian-apocalyptic- sacrilege thang, and La Camilla's kitschy cooing includes imitations of Grace Jones and Debbie Harry."^[15]

"Crucified" peaked at number one in Belgium and number two in Greece and the Netherlands. Between 1991 and 1992, the song peaked at number three in Austria,^[16] number five in Germany, number six in Switzerland, and number eight in Spain and Sweden.^[17][18] In the United Kingdom, the single peaked at number 31 on the UK Singles Chart on 23 February 1992,^[19] after having reached number 47 the year before. On the Eurochart Hot 100, "Crucified" peaked at number 14 in March 1992.^[20] Outside Europe, the song peaked at number six on both the US Billboard Dance Club Play and Maxi-Singles Sales charts.^[21][22] In 2014, the single again charted in the US, reaching number 18 on the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart and number 45 on the Billboard Dance/Electronic Songs chart.^[23][24]

A music video was produced to promote the single. It was directed by Swedish directors Fredrik Boklund and Martin Persson, and filmed at Börringe Priory,^[25] a castle in Svedala, Sweden, that was built in 1763 on the ruins of a medieval Benedictine priory. In one scene, the band is seen parading past a portrait of Carl XVI Gustaf, the King of Sweden. The video was one of the most played on MTV Europe in the fall of 1991.^[25]