The Boxer (The Chemical Brothers song)

When the Chemical Brothers started to write music again after finishing the album Come with Us (2002), "The Boxer" was one of the earliest tracks they composed for their next album, Push the Button (2005). The Charlatans lead singer Tim Burgess, who had collaborated on the duo's debut album track "Life Is Sweet" 10 years earlier, contributed the song's vocals. According to the group, of all their collaborators, Burgess remained a close friend. They shared that, "If he's in London, we would probably have a drink together, three of us, or, you know, when we're in Los Angeles, he will come to our gig." Its production was built on a "ramshackle", slightly off-tempo piano sample set above a looping mid-tempo rhythm. PopMatters Tim O'Neil described it as "syncopated" and "slightly light-headed". He also noted the duo's different style on the track compared with their previous records. Scott Plagenhoef of Pitchfork Media commented that the song along with "Galvanize" reminded him of the duo's "early B-Boy/techno days". ==Release==

On 11 July 2005, the song was released as two CD singles and a 12-inch single in the United Kingdom as Push the Buttons third single. The British and European CD1 features an edited version of the track and a previously unreleased song "Swiper". This EP, with the inclusion of the track "Swiper", was also available for digital download exclusively in the US. DFA version The DFA version, mixed by British DJ Tim Goldsworthy and LCD Soundsystems member, American musician James Murphy, was later added to their remix album The DFA Remixes: Chapter One (2006). This remix received much praise from critics, with Billboards Kerri Mason singling it out as "the soundtrack to a 20-something hipster walking the downtown streets, iPod in pocket" that also "sounds like a Paradise Garage-era Peter Brown record". Tim Finney from Pitchfork highly praised the "Pearsonesque remix" as the "synth-laden Balearic house number that shimmers with unabashed gorgeousness". Along with another lengthy song on the album, the remix for Hot Chips "(Just Like We) Breakdown", both were said in a review by Zeth Lundy of PopMatters to "unfold with a delicate subtext manufactured by the slow-building minimalism—they're patient dedications to the mutability of the groove, never boring and always fascinating to experience". musicOMHs Tom Woods said that "a wealth of percussive techniques" keeps things "fresh and interesting", but criticised its length which made the song become a "stretch". He added that, "vocal use is less dominant here, which gives Murphy a chance to demonstrate a clear talent for sculpting dynamic synth-led beats". ==Reception==

Critical reception In a review for PopMatters, music critic Tim O'Neil called the song "an odd track" that sounded like nothing he'd heard before. He continued: "I wouldn't be surprised if it was the next single [after "Galvanize"], because its [sic] not the kind of track you forget." Jack Smith of BBC Music described the song as "cutting edge" and "hook-laden", also highlighted it as "a welcome return" for Burgess. However, The Guardians review by Alexis Petridis was very negative. He criticised Burgess' vocal styling as "the Awful Falsetto", saying that "not even a mass of special effects can stop Burgess' shortcomings shining through", and calling the track one of the album's new ideas that "flop[ped]". Similarly, Matt D'Cruz of Drowned in Sound also criticised Burgess' "strained" vocal, calling it "a poor fit for the Chems' stuttering rave pianos and ponderous beats". Scott Plagenhoef of Pitchfork Media remarked on the "unremarkable verses and nasally vocals", although the song, along with "Galvanize", reminded him of the duo's "early B-Boy/techno days". He felt both songs were missing the ferocity and sub-bass rattlings of their "earlier cousins". The latter song was also said by Plagenhoef to be "far better". Chart performance In the United Kingdom, the duo's home country, the song entered the UK Singles Chart at its peak, number 41, in the week ending 23 July 2005. It was their first single not to chart in the top 40. It dropped to number 65 in its second week and moved to number 90 for a week before disappearing from the chart. "The Boxer" made its debut at number 36 on the Irish Singles Chart in the week ending of 14 July before dropping to number 44 in its final week. It had a one-week stay on the Spanish Albums Chart at number 17 in the week of 31 July, and at number 15 on Billboards US Hot Dance Singles Sales chart in the 30 July issue. ==Music video==

London-based director duo Ne-o, Jake Knight and Ryoko Tanaka, directed the music video for "The Boxer". They were on holiday in Hong Kong and were sent a track with DRM which Knight said made it frustrating to play through dial-up connection. Tanaka eventually came up with the idea of a ball that "connected through things". Later in 2011, the Chemical Brothers and director Adam Smith (credited as Flat Nose George) donated the visual of an alternate version of the song entitled "50/50 Mix", in support of the 50/50 Make or Break campaign. 50/50 Make or Break was a fundraising project aimed at raising money for East Africa, created by UK-based charity group Good for Nothing. ==Formats and track listings==

• European and UK CD single No. 1 • "The Boxer" – 3:43 • "Swiper" – 6:12 • European maxi CD single No. 2 • "The Boxer" – 4:22 • "The Boxer" – 9:38 • "Believe" – 4:21 • UK maxi-enhanced CD single No. 2 • "The Boxer" – 4:22 • "The Boxer" – 9:38 • "Believe" – 4:21 • "The Boxer" – 3:23 • US CD and digital download EP • "The Boxer" – 4:21 • "The Boxer" – 9:44 • "Giant" – 4:33 • "Spring" – 5:29 • "Believe" – 9:27 • "Believe" – 6:27 • "Galvanize" – 7:36 • "Swiper" – 6:21 • UK 12-inch single • "The Boxer" – 4:21 • "Swiper" – 6:21 • "The Boxer" – 9:44 • US double 12-inch • "The Boxer" – 9:44 • "Giant" – 4:33 • "Believe" – 6:27 • "Spring" – 5:29 • "Believe" – 9:27 • "Galvanize" – 7:36 • "The Boxer" – 4:21 • Non-US radio edit digital download • "The Boxer" – 3:42 • Non-US remix digital download • "The Boxer" – 6:50 ==Credits and personnel==

Credits adapted from the CD single liner notes. • The Chemical Brothers – music producer, songwriter • Steve Dub – engineer • Mike Marsh – master • Tim Burgess – vocals, songwriter • Tappin Gofton – designer, art director • Kam Tang – illustrator ==Charts==