Anthonio (song)

"Anthonio" is a song by Norwegian singer and songwriter Annie from the special edition of her second studio album, Don't Stop (2009). The song was written by Annie, Richard X and Hannah Robinson, and produced by Richard X. The track was released as a single on 4 May 2009 by Pleasure Masters, marking Annie's debut on the label. It was released digitally and in limited edition CD and 12" formats.

"Anthonio"
Single by Annie
from the album Don't Stop
B-side"Ferret Summer"
Released4 May 2009 (2009-05-04)
Recorded2009
Genre
Length3:21
LabelPleasure Masters
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Richard X
Annie singles chronology
"I Know UR Girlfriend Hates Me"
(2008)		 "Anthonio"
(2009)		 "Songs Remind Me of You"
(2009)

Background

Annie described the song as "the ultimate summer track" and revealed it was based on a real-life encounter with a man named Anthonio she met in Rio de Janeiro at Carnival.[1] She said of the song, "I think every girl has met an Anthonio, or will do at some point at least! There's an Anthonio in every city and you're sure to meet him when you least expect it!"[1] In the song, Annie describes a brief but passionate encounter between herself and the namesake of the song, Anthonio. Annie's character in the song never sees Anthonio again and is rebuffed by her attempts to contact him. The song concludes with the final couplet "It may come as a surprise/My baby has your eyes", revealing that Annie gave birth to Anthonio's child.

Answer song

Shortly after "Anthonio" was released, a Myspace page belonging to the character of Anthonio Mendes started to leave messages on Annie's own MySpace page, some of them remorseful.[2] An answer song named "Annie" subsequently surfaced on the Internet, reportedly by "Anthonio". The song was actually recorded by Heartbreak's Sebastian Muravchix.[3] Three hundred copies of a limited edition vinyl release of the song were made available 11 May 2009, which included the B-side "Angel Face", a cover of The Glitter Band single of the same name, featuring Annie on additional vocals.[4]

Release and reception

"Anthonio" was released via Richard X's independent record label, Pleasure Masters. The Fred Falke and Designer Drugs remixes were released to Beatport on 20 April 2009.[5] A CD single, a 12-inch single and two digital download formats were made available, all including remixes of the song.[6] Limited edition handmade singles were released, limited to just one hundred copies.[7] The single came in a coloured envelope addressed to Anthonio, with Norwegian stamps and a "return to sender" mark (a reference to the lyrics).[8] It also included a handwritten letter from Annie to Anthonio, a photograph of Annie with her and Anthonio's lovechild Sam, in addition to the compact disc.[7]

"Anthonio" was critically acclaimed by music blogs and various other music critics. David Balls of Digital Spy gave the song five out of five stars, saying "it contains all the right ingredients to become the anthem of the summer."[9] Fraser McAlpine of BBC's Chart Blog described it as "hauntingly good".[10] The Fred Falke remix of "Anthonio" also received attention; Matthew Richardson from Prefix felt that the remix "completely sea change[s] the hurt tone of the original, and make[s] Annie's questions sound curious as opposed to pleading",[11] while Pitchfork Media's Chris Gaerig viewed it as "a much less jagged and reflexive affair. The sharp and ominous electronic punches of 'Anthonio' are replaced by an underscored melodic march and slowed pace; a more fitting landscape for Annie's soft, volumeless vocals. And the slowly crescendoing accompaniment during the chorus is more similar to the kind of happy-go-lucky charm of Anniemal."[12]

The Berlin Breakdown Version of "Anthonio" is included on the soundtrack to the 2014 thriller film The Guest.[13]

B-side

The digital EP and limited edition CD of "Anthonio" included a brand-new B-side, "Ferret Summer".[14] The song was first referenced in a September 2005 interview with Peter Robinson for The Times.[15] The song was inspired by a 14-year-old fan of Annie's whose ferret got lost and died. Annie said, "I shouldn't laugh [...] But she was crying. I was with Richard and Hannah, so we wrote a song called 'Ferret Summer'. It's about a ferret going into the sea and being lost for ever."[15] A thirty-second clip of the single was premiered by Digital Spy on 1 May 2009, who called it "a gem of a B-side that's sure to surprise some of Annie's traditional fanbase."[16] The review continued that the song "features the same Ibiza-ready beats as its A-side, but it assumes the role of a more mellow and ambient bedfellow. [...] Serving as the perfect antidote to the euphoric 'Anthonio', 'Ferret Summer' is destined to soundtrack those early morning come-downs spent watching the sun rise slowly over the horizon."[16]

Track listings

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of the special edition of Don't Stop.[19]

Charts
Chart (2009) Peak
position
UK Indie (OCC)[20] 5

References
  1. Balls, David (7 May 2009). "What's going on with Annie then?". Digital Spy. Retrieved 8 March 2015.
  2. Maura (7 May 2009). "Anthonio Tries To Bring The Time-Honored Tradition Of The "Answer Song" Back". Idolator. Spin Media. Retrieved 8 March 2015.
  3. "10 Tracks You Have To Hear This Week (02/05/09)". NME. Time Inc. UK. 2 May 2009. Retrieved 16 May 2009.
  4. "Anthonio – Annie (7", Single, Ltd)". Discogs. Retrieved 16 May 2009.
  5. "Anthonio [Black Melody]". Beatport. Archived from the original on 7 March 2012. Retrieved 8 March 2015.
  6. "What Do You Want? Annie – Anthonio NEWS". Myspace. 1 April 2009. Archived from the original on 7 February 2009. Retrieved 19 May 2009.
  7. "Annie – Anthonio Limited CD Handmade Ordering..." Myspace. 4 May 2009. Archived from the original on 7 February 2009. Retrieved 19 May 2009.
  8. Robinson, Peter (9 April 2009). "One of the best things we have ever received in the post". Popjustice. Retrieved 8 March 2015.
  9. David, Balls (25 April 2009). "Annie: 'Anthonio'". Digital Spy. Retrieved 8 March 2015.
  10. McAlpine, Fraser (6 May 2009). "Annie – 'Anthonio'". Chart Blog. Retrieved 8 March 2015.
  11. Richardson, Matthew (23 April 2009). "Annie: "Anthonio" (Fred Falke Remix) (MP3)". Prefix. Retrieved 16 May 2009.
  12. Gaerig, Chris (5 May 2009). "Annie: "Anthonio (Fred Falke Remix)"". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved 16 May 2009.
  13. "The Guest Original Motion Picture Soundtrack: Various: MP3 Downloads". Amazon. Retrieved 8 March 2015.
  14. "Anthonio – EP by Annie". iTunes Store (GB). Apple. Retrieved 13 June 2010.
  15. Robinson, Peter (17 September 2005). "Norwegian would". The Times. Archived from the original on 16 June 2011. Retrieved 16 May 2009.
  16. Balls, David (1 May 2009). "B-side of the Week: Annie's 'Ferret Summer'". Digital Spy. Retrieved 8 March 2015.
  17. "Anthonio – Single by Annie". iTunes Store (GB). Apple. Retrieved 13 June 2010.
  18. "Anthonio: Annie: MP3 Downloads". Amazon.co.uk. Retrieved 24 October 2015.
  19. Don't Stop (special edition liner notes). Annie. Smalltown Supersound. 2009. STS178CDX.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  20. "Official Independent Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 8 March 2015.
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