Murder on the Dancefloor

In 1994, Gregg Alexander first wrote the song's hook and melody during a moment of frustration when his Ford Mustang would not start. Realising he would not be able to go to the Detroit house clubs that evening, Alexander reached for an acoustic guitar left in the back seat and began to sing "It's murder on the dancefloor, but you better not kill the groove." He later told The Guardian that it was "just a dummy lyric that was kind of sung for fun, but then I couldn't better it."^[4] In 1998, Alexander planned to record the song with his New Radicals group on their sole studio album Maybe You've Been Brainwashed Too, but ultimately chose to record "You Get What You Give" and release that as the lead single instead. After disbanding the New Radicals in 1999, Alexander moved to Notting Hill in London^[4] and met Ellis-Bextor, providing her with his unfinished demo. They ultimately re-tooled parts of the song and completed the lyrics together later that year.^[5] It was released as a single on 3 December 2001 by Polydor Records.^[6][7] In 2019, a re-recorded orchestral version was released on Ellis-Bextor's compilation album The Song Diaries.^[8] In 2024, Alexander's demo version of "Murder on the Dancefloor" was released on streaming services under the name New Radicals.

The song is Ellis-Bextor's greatest hit internationally, reaching the top 10 in several European countries, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada, as well as on the US Billboard Maxi-Singles Sales chart. In the UK it peaked at number two and spent 13 weeks in the top 40. Since its release, it has accumulated one million chart units and 71 million combined audio and video streams in the UK.^[9] It was a hit in Australia, peaking at number three, staying in the top 50 for 20 weeks, being accredited platinum by Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA), and becoming the 12th-highest-selling single of 2002.^{[10][11][failed verification][12]}

After appearing in the film Saltburn (2023), the song gained new popularity and re-entered the UK Dance Singles Chart, reaching number one on the chart dated 18 January 2024.^[13] The same week, it re-peaked at number two on the UK singles chart.^[14] It entered the US Billboard Hot 100 at number 98 on the chart dated 13 January 2024, making it Ellis-Bextor's first song to chart on the Hot 100, before peaking at number 51 three weeks later.^[15] Commenting on the song's new popularity as a result of its use in the film, Ellis-Bextor was quoted as saying, "It actually feels really magical. And if I'm honest, I don't think I've completely processed it really...It's extraordinary. It's a song I've been singing for over 20 years, I still love singing it. I love the way people react when I do it live. But for new people to be discovering it, for it to be making new memories with people is kind of beautiful".^[16] In February, a cover performed by Royel Otis on Triple J's Like a Version charted in the ARIA Top 50 Singles and the Official New Zealand Music Chart.^[17]

The music video was directed by Sophie Muller,^[1] and it centres around a dance competition which was inspired by the film They Shoot Horses Don't They? (1969) about a dance marathon.^[18] The winner's prize consists of a pair of golden high-heel shoes, a bouquet and a substantial amount of money. Desperate to win and sizing up the competition, Ellis-Bextor proceeds to sneakily injure and disqualify the majority of the other dancers. She trips one then unties another's dress and snatches it off her, causing her to run off. Next she slyly poisons a trio of potential rivals by spiking the punch during a refreshment period. Then she causes another to slip on a pat of butter and finally frames a dancer for cheating on his partner by planting a G-string on his person; this results in his partner slapping him and exiting the dance floor.

Ellis-Bextor also turns her attention to the trio of judges. By using what seems to be chloroform, she incapacitates the only female judge on the panel. Noticing that the lead judge (played by Colin Stinton) has a weak spot for beautiful women, Ellis-Bextor approaches him when he is alone and beguiles him. Lovestruck, the lead judge succeeds in persuading the remaining judge to have Ellis-Bextor declared the winner, much to her fellow dancers' disapproval.

The video concludes with the other dancers grudgingly applauding (before promptly deserting) Ellis-Bextor and her dance partner, as she happily clutches her cash prize and the golden shoes on the winner's podium.

Credits are lifted from the Read My Lips album booklet.^[25]

Studios

• Recorded at Mayfair Studios (London, England)
• Mixed at Townhouse Studios (London, England)
• Mastered at Sony Music Studios (London, England)

Personnel

Quick facts Single by New Radicals, Released ...

"Murder on the Dancefloor"
Single by New Radicals
Released	August 23, 2024 (2024-08-23)
Length	4:09
Label	Flatiron Recordings
Songwriter	Gregg Alexander
New Radicals singles chronology
"Someday We'll Know" (1999) "Murder on the Dancefloor" (2024)

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In 2024, American band New Radicals released their version of "Murder on the Dancefloor". The song's co-writer, Gregg Alexander, is the band's lead singer, and its release marked their first single release since 1999.^[134] Alexander began writing the song in 1994, and it was originally considered to be released as the band's debut single, however, "You Get What You Give" was subsequently chosen.^[135]

"Murder on the Dancefloor" has also been covered by Kelly Chen in Chinese ("Zuì'Ài Nǐ De Shì Wǒ") and Swedish musician Papa Dee who released "Murder In The Dance Hall".^[140] American musician Blu DeTiger released a cover of "Murder on the Dancefloor" as part of Deezer's "InVersions 2000s", a series of contemporary reinterpretations of well-known 2000s songs.^[141]