The Boxer (The Chemical Brothers song)

"The Boxer"
Single by the Chemical Brothers
from the album Push the Button
B-side"Swiper"
Released11 July 2005 (2005-07-11)
Recorded2003–2004[1]
StudioMiloco (South London)[2]
Length
  • 4:08 (album version)
  • 3:42 (radio edit)
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)The Chemical Brothers
The Chemical Brothers singles chronology
"Believe"
(2005)
"The Boxer"
(2005)
"Do It Again"
(2007)
Music video
"The Boxer" on YouTube

"The Boxer" is a song recorded by English electronic music duo the Chemical Brothers for their fifth studio album Push the Button (2005). It served as the album's third single in the United Kingdom and Europe, released by Virgin Records and Freestyle Dust, and as the second single in the United States via Astralwerks. The song is a psychedelic pop track which features The Charlatans' lead singer Tim Burgess on vocals and as a co-writer. This is the second collaboration between Burgess and the duo, following "Life is Sweet", which was released 10 years earlier.

However, it received mixed reviews from music critics who, while praising its production, criticised Burgess' vocals. "The Boxer" was the first single by the Chemical Brothers not to reach the top 40 on the UK Singles Chart, reaching only number 41. Elsewhere, it charted in Spain, Ireland and on the US Dance Singles Sales chart. Burgess and the duo later performed the track at the BBC Radio 2 Electric Proms in 2007.

The song's music video was directed by director duo Ne-o and shot in Budapest, Hungary. The visual, which features a basketball bouncing around the streets with its owner running to catch it, drew comparisons with the 1956 short film The Red Balloon. A video for an alternate version of the song was directed by Adam Smith and donated to the charity group Good for Nothing's 50/50 Make or Break campaign in 2011. It was also remixed by DFA, whose version received much acclaim from critics.

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference InterviewDisc was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Push the Button (Compact Disc liner notes). The Chemical Brothers. United Kingdom: Virgin Records. 2005. 0724356330221.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)