Voodoo Child (Rogue Traders song)


"Voodoo Child" is a dance song which was written by Elvis Costello, James Ash, and Steve Davis, and produced by Ash for the Rogue Traders' second album Here Come the Drums. It was the first single for the new member Natalie Bassingthwaighte. It was released as a CD single in Australia on 27 May 2005 as the first song released from the album. It was later released in the United Kingdom on 10 July 2006 as a digital download and CD single.
The song samples the riff from Costello's "Pump It Up", and he receives credit in some printings of the album's liner notes. The song marks a move for Rogue Traders away from standard dance music and towards a more electro-punk sound. According to band member James Ash,

Promotion and chart performance

In Australia, the song was released without the promotion of the new band member Natalie Bassingthwaighte because the band wanted to release it knowing that people were buying it because they liked the song, instead of buying it for "celebrity value".
.
"Voodoo Child" debuted at #20 on the Australian ARIA Charts singles chart, and by its third week had ascended into the top ten peaking at #9. In its eighth week, it ascended to its peak position at #4 and was certified Platinum by ARIA. The song spent an overall 21 weeks on the chart, and is to date the group's most successful single. In New Zealand, "Voodoo Child" also debuted at #20, becoming the group's first entry and so far only on the chart. It peaked at #7 for two consecutive weeks there, becoming the group's first top ten hit there, and spent a total of 16 weeks on the chart. It was later released in the UK in July 2006, and debuted at #18 based on download sales one week prior to its physical release. "Voodoo Child" ascended and peaked at #3 the following week, to become the group's first and so far only top 3 hit. The song has also peaked at #15 in Ireland, becoming the group's first top twenty hit there.
This song was used in Doctor Who in the climax to "The Sound of Drums", played diegetically as the Toclafane invade Earth on the Master's orders.

Track listing

Australian CD single
  1. "Voodoo Child" - 3:57
  2. "Voodoo Child" - 5:38
  3. "Voodoo Child" - 6:58
  4. "Voodoo Child" - 6:09
  5. "Voodoo Child" - 6:23
UK CD #1
  1. Voodoo Child
  2. Voodoo Child
UK CD #2
  1. Voodoo Child
  2. Voodoo Child
  3. Voodoo Child
  4. Voodoo Child
German Maxi-Single-CD
  1. Voodoo Child
  2. Voodoo Child
  3. Voodoo Child
  4. Voodoo Child
  5. Voodoo Child
UK Promo # 1
  1. Voodoo Child
  2. Voodoo Child
  3. Voodoo Child
  4. Voodoo Child
  5. Voodoo Child
UK Promo # 2
  1. Voodoo Child
  2. Voodoo Child
  3. Voodoo Child
  4. Voodoo Child
  5. Voodoo Child
  6. Voodoo Child
  7. Voodoo Child
UK Promo # 3
  1. Voodoo Child
US Promo
  1. Voodoo Child
  2. Voodoo Child
Israel Promo
  1. Voodoo Child
  2. Voodoo Child
We're Coming Home / Voodoo Child Promo
  1. We're Coming Home
  2. Voodoo Child
AU 12” Vinyl # 1
AU 12” Vinyl # 2
UK 12” Vinyl

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Chart Position
UK Singles 28

Certifications

Release history