Can You Dig It (song)

"Can You Dig It?" is a 1991 single by English indie rock band the Mock Turtles that was featured on their 1990 album, Turtle Soup. It was originally the B-side to the song "Lay Me Down". It was released on Siren Records in all formats except for one of the seven-inch singles released in Europe where it was released by Virgin Records.

"Can You Dig It?"
Single by the Mock Turtles
from the album Turtle Soup
B-side"Lose Yourself"
Released1991 (1991)
GenreIndie dance[1]
Length
  • 3:59 (original)
  • 4:11 (2003 remix)
Label
Songwriter(s)Martin Coogan
Producer(s)
The Mock Turtles singles chronology
"Are You Experienced?"
(1990)		 "Can You Dig It?"
(1991)		 "And Then She Smiles"
(1991)
Music video
"Can You Dig It?" on YouTube

"Can You Dig It?" reached number 18 on the UK Singles Charts and number 12 in Ireland in 1991. In 2003, after the song was used in a 2002 Vodafone advertisement, it was remixed by Fatboy Slim and Simon Thornton and released again. The remix peaked at number 19 in the United Kingdom, number 34 in Ireland, number 40 in Greece and number 96 in the Netherlands.

The single was dedicated to Alan Duffy, noting "shine on you crazy diamond" on the CD single sleeve.

Background

The name of the song came about after the Mock Turtles were asked for a name for a song for the B-side to "Lay Me Down" so that the sleeve art could be produced. Martin Coogan had been watching The Warriors which featured the rallying call, "Can you dig it?". The name came first and then the band went off to write the song.[2] Coogan told the NME that the song had been loosely based on the theme from a children's TV programme with ghosts and a pantomime horse.

Remix

Vodafone began to use the song in its UK television advertisements for Vodafone Live! in 2002, raising the song's profile. Fatboy Slim and Simon Thornton remixed the song for a single release by Virgin Records. Issued on 3 March 2003 as a CD and cassette single, the remix peaked at number 19 on the UK Singles Chart.[3][4] Following the remix's release, Vodafone subsequently started using the remixed version of the song on their adverts thereafter. This remix coincided with the release of Virgin's Can You Dig It?: The Best of The Mock Turtles, to which this new remix was the sole single released to promote it.

Track listings

Charts

Original version
Chart (1991) Peak
position
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[10] 57
Ireland (IRMA)[11] 12
UK Singles (OCC)[12] 18
US Modern Rock Tracks (Billboard)[13] 19

2003 remix
Chart (2003) Peak
position
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[14] 65
Greece (IFPI)[15] 40
Ireland (IRMA)[16] 34
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[17] 96
Scotland (OCC)[18] 17
UK Singles (OCC)[4] 19

"Can You Dig It?" is the theme song of SSE Airtricity League Live on RTÉ. In 2012, the song was used by online casino Gala Bingo in an advertisement.

References
  1. Stanley, Bob (13 September 2013). "1991: Time for the Mu Mu". Yeah Yeah Yeah: The Story of Modern Pop. Faber & Faber. p. 637. ISBN 978-0-571-28198-5.
  2. Referenced in Week 9 of Radio Republic Shows ' Good Vibrations' and http://arts.guardian.co.uk/page/0,,1074166,00.html
  3. "New Releases – For Week Starting 3 March 2003: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 1 March 2003. p. 21. Retrieved 2 September 2021. Misprinted as 10 March on source.
  4. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 December 2018.
  5. Can You Dig It? (UK 7-inch single vinyl disc). The Mock Turtles. Siren Records. 1991. SRNDJ 136.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  6. Can You Dig It? (UK cassette single sleeve). The Mock Turtles. Siren Records. 1991. SRNC 136.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  7. Can You Dig It? (UK 12-inch single sleeve). The Mock Turtles. Siren Records. 1991. SRNT 136, 614 078.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  8. Can You Dig It? (UK CD single disc notes). The Mock Turtles. Siren Records. 1991. SRNCD 136, 664 078.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  9. Can You Dig It? (UK & European CD single liner notes). The Mock Turtles. Virgin Records. 2003. CDMOCK 001, 7243 5 46969 2 3.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  10. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 8, no. 18. 4 May 1991. p. 25. Retrieved 4 March 2020.
  11. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Can You Dig It?". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 6 December 2018.
  12. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 December 2018.
  13. "Alternative Airplay". Billboard. 7 September 1991. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
  14. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 21, no. 13. 22 March 2003. p. 13. Retrieved 4 March 2020.
  15. "Top 50 Singles Εβδομάδα 29/03 – 04/04" (in Greek). IFPI. Archived from the original on 14 April 2003. Retrieved 29 June 2020. See Best column.
  16. "Irish-charts.com – Discography The Mock Turtles". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 15 January 2020.
  17. "The Mock Turtles – Can You Dig It? (Fatboy Slim & Simon Thornton 2003 Remix)" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 6 December 2018.
  18. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 December 2018.
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