I Follow Rivers

2011 single by Lykke Li From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"I Follow Rivers" is a song by Swedish recording artist Lykke Li from her second studio album, Wounded Rhymes (2011). Produced by Björn Yttling of Peter Bjorn and John, it was released on 21 January 2011 as the album's second single.[4] The track premiered exclusively on SPIN.com on 10 January 2011.[5]

Released21 January 2011 (2011-01-21)
Genre
Length3:48 (original version)
4:45 (The Magician remix)
Label
  • LL Recordings
  • EMI (Scandinavia)
  • Atlantic (rest of world)
Quick facts Single by Lykke Li, from the album Wounded Rhymes ...
"I Follow Rivers"
Single by Lykke Li
from the album Wounded Rhymes
Released21 January 2011 (2011-01-21)
Genre
Length3:48 (original version)
4:45 (The Magician remix)
Label
  • LL Recordings
  • EMI (Scandinavia)
  • Atlantic (rest of world)
Songwriters
ProducerBjörn Yttling
Lykke Li singles chronology
"Get Some"
(2010)		 "I Follow Rivers"
(2011)		 "Sadness Is a Blessing"
(2011)
Music video
"I Follow Rivers" on YouTube
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Belgian DJ/producer the Magician remixed and reworked "I Follow Rivers" in 2011, peaking at number one in Belgium, Germany, Italy, Poland, and Romania, number two in Switzerland, Austria, Ireland, and the Netherlands, and number four in France. The remix was deemed "'90s house".[6] Belgian band Triggerfinger covered "I Follow Rivers" in 2012, peaking at number one in Austria, Belgium and the Netherlands.

Music video

The music video, directed by Tarik Saleh and filmed at Närsholmen on the Swedish island of Gotland,[7][8] features Li in a black robe and veil chasing a man (Swedish-Lebanese actor Fares Fares)[9] through a snowy landscape. An unofficial music video consisting of scenes from the French film Blue Is the Warmest Colour played with the Magician's remix was uploaded to YouTube by user Aldo Zuga on March 9, 2014, and has over 672 million views as of January 2026,[10] surpassing the original music video's 91 million views as of May 2024.[11]

Track listings

  1. "I Follow Rivers" – 3:42
  2. "I Follow Rivers" (Dave Sitek Remix) – 3:58
  3. "I Follow Rivers" (The Magician Remix) – 4:40
  4. "I Follow Rivers" (Van Rivers & The Sublimial Kid) – 6:41
  1. "I Follow Rivers" – 3:48
  2. "I Follow Rivers" (Dave Sitek Remix) – 3:58
  3. "I Follow Rivers" (Van Rivers & The Sublimial Kid) – 6:41
A. "I Follow Rivers" – 3:48
B. "Get Some" (Primary 1 Remix)
  • UK 12" single – The Remixes[18]
A1. "I Follow Rivers" – 3:48
A2. "I Follow Rivers" (The Magician Remix) – 4:40
B1. "I Follow Rivers" (Van Rivers & The Subliminal Kid Remix) – 6:41
B2. "I Follow Rivers" (Tyler, The Creator Remix) – 3:41
  • German CD single[19]
  1. "I Follow Rivers" (The Magician Remix) – 4:40
  2. "I Follow Rivers" (Radio Edit) – 3:20

Charts

More information Chart (2011–2019), Peak position ...
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Certifications

More information Region, Certification ...
Certifications for "I Follow Rivers"
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Austria (IFPI Austria)[89] Platinum 30,000*
Belgium (BRMA)[90] 2× Platinum 60,000*
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[91] Platinum 90,000‡
France (SNEP)[92] Diamond 250,000*
Germany (BVMI)[93] 5× Gold 750,000^
Italy (FIMI)[94] 3× Platinum 90,000*
Spain (Promusicae)[95] 2× Platinum 120,000‡
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[96] 3× Platinum 90,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[97] Platinum 600,000‡
United States (RIAA)[98] Platinum 1,000,000‡
Streaming
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[99] Gold 1,300,000†

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.
† Streaming-only figures based on certification alone.

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Triggerfinger version

Quick facts Single by Triggerfinger, Released ...
"I Follow Rivers"
Single by Triggerfinger
Released24 February 2012 (2012-02-24)
Studio3FM (Hilversum, Netherlands)
GenrePop
Length3:35
LabelB1M1
Songwriters
Triggerfinger singles chronology
"Let It Ride"
(2011)		 "I Follow Rivers"
(2012)		 "Do Ya Think I'm Sexy"
(2012)
Live video
"I Follow Rivers" on YouTube
Close

Belgian band Triggerfinger covered "I Follow Rivers" during Giel Beelen's show on the Dutch radio station 3FM in what was called "a fragile version". They used glasses, cups, and knives to create a rhythmical background section.[100] Triggerfinger's version was released as a single on 24 February 2012,[101] topping the singles chart in Austria, Belgium, and the Netherlands, while reaching number nine in Germany and number seventeen in Switzerland.

Track listings

  1. "I Follow Rivers" (Live@Giel! – VARA/3FM) – 3:34
  1. "I Follow Rivers" (Live@Giel!) – 3:35
  2. "Let It Ride" – 3:24

Charts

Weekly charts

More information Chart (2012), Peak position ...
Weekly chart performance for "I Follow Rivers" (Triggerfinger version)
Chart (2012) Peak
position
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[104]1
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[105]1
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[106]4
Germany (GfK)[107]9
Luxembourg Digital Song Sales (Billboard)[108]7
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[109]1
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[110]1
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[111]17
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Year-end charts

More information Chart (2012), Position ...
Weekly chart performance for "I Follow Rivers" (Triggerfinger version)
Chart (2012) Position
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[60] 16
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[61] 3
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[62] 43
Germany (Media Control AG)[64] 29
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[68] 6
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[72] 60
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Certifications

More information Region, Certification ...
Certifications for "I Follow Rivers" (Triggerfinger version)
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Austria (IFPI Austria)[112] Platinum 30,000*
Belgium (BRMA)[113] 2× Platinum 60,000*
Germany (BVMI)[114] Gold 150,000^
Netherlands (NVPI)[115] 2× Platinum 40,000^
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[116] Gold 15,000^

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

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Other versions and use in media

  • "I Follow Rivers" was performed by Jenna Ushkowitz's character Tina Cohen-Chang in the Glee episode "A Night of Neglect", originally aired 19 April 2011. Rolling Stone said the performance was "mostly spot-on".[117]
  • The song was covered in German by FC Bayern München ultras, as "I Follow FC Bayern" and was used for the introduction to the television program Ran.[118]
  • American singers Jason Isbell and Amanda Shires covered the song on a 2015 two-song EP titled Sea Songs.[119]
  • Israeli singer-songwriter Roni Alter, accompanied by music producer Alon Lotringer, released an acoustic cover version in 2016.

See also

References

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