This post will be a mess. Eventually I’ll clean it up.
2Wicky by Hooverphonic (released in 1996) is one of those unforgettable songs with a strange and unforgettable music video. From the Wiki article about a New Stereophonic Sound Spectacular, I read that it contained two amazing samples: the first from Isaac Hayes’ 12 minute Walk On By (YT) (on his 1969 album Hot Buttered Soul (W)), which itself was a jazz-psychedelic arrangement of a famous Burt Bacharach song. The second sample came from a French avante-garde piece by Pierre Henry called “La Voile D’orphee” (YT)
From A StackExchange Q&A about the song:
4:20 | Raymond Geerts: Well, I still remember, one day Alex called me and said “Dude, I’ve found an incredible sample, you have to come over, because I’m making as song with it.”
4:30 | RG: That was truly a wonderful moment. Unbelievable.
4:35 | [on screen: 1969 Isaac Hayes – Walk on By] [music]
4:37 | Alex Callier: It was an Isaac Hayes song, but it was a cover from [did not understand], it was Walk on By.
[music]
4:47 | AC: And we sampled that song at the intro to Walk on By of Isaac Hayes.
[music]
4:58 | Esther Lybeert: That sample arrived and the lyrics originated by the synthesizer that was standing there. The words ‘Prophet 60091, SH10151’, they were simply those boxes that were standing there. That’s how it started, basically.
Before I talk about the wonderful song and f video, I noticed that there was an earlier live version by Esther Lybeert. Before they signed their music deal with Sony, the band brought in another singer Liesje Sadonius who performed the canonical studio version of the song.
Actually though the live version by Lybeert performed at Prettig Gestoord in 1996 was also pretty extraordinary, and the group used longer more chaotic samples and instrumentals, Also, they used a darker sci fi video backdrop.
2Wicky (2006 live version, also by Geike, looking sexy and sultry as hell). This version is extraordinary because it doesn’t use any samples — just live strings, keyboard & drums. Start at 24:15
2Wicky (2025 Live Version by Geike Arnaert, who is also outstanding). Start at 1:12:00
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