This article is about the 1999 Savage Garden song. For song by animals, see animal song. For songs named "Animal", see Animal (disambiguation).
The Animal Song
single
CoverAnimalSong.jpg
ArtistSavage Garden
AlbumAffirmation
Released9 February 1999
Genre
Length
  • 4:39 (album version)
  • 3:49 (radio edit)
LabelRoadshow Music
Writer
Producer
Prev year1998
Next year1999

"The Animal Song" is a song by Australian pop music duo Savage Garden, released as a single on 9 February 1999. The song was written for the soundtrack of the film The Other Sister and also appeared on their second studio album, Affirmation (1999), as well as their compilation album, Truly Madly Completely: The Best of Savage Garden. It was the band's first song to be produced by Walter Afanasieff, a producer well known for his work with Mariah Carey. Afanasieff would later produce the group's Affirmation album, and also Darren Hayes' first solo album, Spin.

Background

The video for the song was directed by Jim Gable. It features Hayes walking through a parade, with intercut scenes from The Other Sister with Juliette Lewis. The song is also used in the "Shamu Rocks" seasonal nighttime show at SeaWorld, America. "The Animal Song" became the group's third Canadian number one single, topping the singles chart for three weeks, from 27 March 1999. It also peaked at number three in both Australia and New Zealand, number 19 in the United States, and number 16 on the UK Singles Chart.

In June 2015, singer Darren Hayes explained that Savage Garden had been offered to record a song for Runaway Bride. However they passed up on the proposal and instead chose to compose a song "for the film that flopped".[2] Daniel Jones described "The Animal Song" as a "transitional song" between their first and second albums and a "fun song that made you feel good".

The lyrics of the song deal with the struggles experienced by individuals suffering from mental illnesses, and more generally with the difficulty in expressing one's emotions and finding compassion in a confusing world that stultifies individuals with all kinds of rules. According to Darren Hayes, his longing for life in the tropical climes of Australia while living in the United States provided further inspiration for the lyrics.

Track listings

Australia

CD single[3]

  1. "The Animal Song" (radio edit)
  2. "The Animal Song" (album version)
  3. "Santa Monica" (Bittersweet remix)

United States and Canada

CD and cassette single[4][5]

  1. "The Animal Song" (album version) – 4:40
  2. "Santa Monica" (Bittersweet remix) – 5:00

United Kingdom

CD1[6]

  1. "The Animal Song" (radio edit) – 3:41
  2. "Carry on Dancing" (Ultra Violet mix) – 6:44
  3. "The Animal Song" (instrumental) – 4:17

CD2[7]

  1. "The Animal Song" – 4:40
  2. "All Around Me" – 4:09
  3. "Break Me Shake Me" (Broken mix) – 4:18

Cassette single[8]

  1. "The Animal Song"
  2. "All Around Me"

Europe

CD1[9]

  1. "The Animal Song" – 3:50
  2. "Santa Monica" (Bittersweet remix) – 5:00

CD2[10]

  1. "The Animal Song" (radio edit) – 3:50
  2. "Carry on Dancing" (Ultra Violet mix) – 6:44
  3. "The Animal Song" (instrumental) – 4:40
  4. "All Around Me" – 4:09
  5. "Break Me Shake Me" (Broken mix) – 4:18

Japan

CD single[11]

  1. "The Animal Song" – 4:40
  2. "The Animal Song" (radio edit) – 3:43
  3. "The Animal Song" (7-inch vocal mix) – 4:21
  4. "The Animal Song" (instrumental version) – 4:42
  5. "The Animal Song" (a cappella) – 3:46

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1999)Peak
position
Canada (Nielsen SoundScan)[12]1
Czech Republic (IFPI)[13]10
Estonia (Eesti Top 20)[14]2
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[15]38
Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)[16]23
Italy (Musica e dischi)[17]50
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40 Tipparade)[18]6
Spain (Top 40 Radio)[19]36
UK Airplay (Music Week)[20]20

Year-end charts

Chart (1999)Position
Australia (ARIA)[21]18
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[22]25
Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[23]62
Romania (Romanian Top 100)[24]45
Sweden (Hitlistan)[25]40
US Adult Top 40 (Billboard)[26]72
US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)[27]83

Decade-end charts

Chart (1990–1999)Position
Canada (Nielsen Soundscan)[28]54

Release history

RegionDateFormat(s)Label(s)Ref(s).
United States9 February 1999Contemporary hit radioColumbia[29]
Australia23 February 1999CDRoadshow Music[30]
United StatesCD · cassetteColumbia[31][32]
Canada9 March 1999CD[33]
Japan25 March 1999SME[34]
United Kingdom28 June 1999CD · cassetteColumbia[35]

References

  1. ^ Breihan, Tom (1 August 2022). "The Number Ones: Savage Garden's 'I Knew I Loved You'". Stereogum. Retrieved 5 May 2026. Despite their perceived differences, Savage Garden and Walter Afanasieff agreed to meet up in Afanasieff's Bay Area studio, and that led to them making the breezy, falsetto-happy dance-pop jam 'The Animal Song.'
  2. ^ https://www.facebook.com/SavageGarden/posts/
  3. ^ The Animal Song (Australian CD single liner notes). Roadshow Music. 1999. 102045-2.
  4. ^ The Animal Song (US & Canadian CD single liner notes). Columbia Records. 1999. 38K 79112.
  5. ^ The Animal Song (US cassette single sleeve). Columbia Records. 1999. 38T79112.
  6. ^ The Animal Song (UK CD1 liner notes). Columbia Records. 1999. 667588 2.
  7. ^ The Animal Song (UK CD2 liner notes). Columbia Records. 1999. 667588 5.
  8. ^ The Animal Song (UK cassette single sleeve). Columbia Records. 1999. 667588 4.
  9. ^ The Animal Song (European CD1 liner notes). Columbia Records. 1999. COL 666939 1.
  10. ^ The Animal Song (European CD2 liner notes). Columbia Records. 1999. COL 666939 2.
  11. ^ The Animal Song (Japanese CD single liner notes). SME Records. 1999. SRCS 8908.
  12. ^ "Hits of the World: Canada". Billboard. Vol. 111, no. 13. 27 March 1999. p. 70.
  13. ^ "Oficiální Česká Hitparáda – Pro týden" (in Czech). IFPI ČR. Archived from the original on August 29, 1999. Retrieved April 4, 2022.
  14. ^ "Eesti Top 20" (in Estonian). Sõnumileht. April 24, 1999. p. 16. Retrieved December 14, 2024.
  15. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles". Music & Media. Vol. 16, no. 29. 17 July 1999. p. 9. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
  16. ^ "Íslenski Listinn (19.3–26.3. 1999)" (in Icelandic). Dagblaðið Vísir. 19 March 1999. p. 10. Retrieved 5 October 2019.
  17. ^ "Classifiche" (in Italian). Musica e dischi. Retrieved 28 May 2025. Set "Tipo" on "Singoli". Then, in the "Artista" field, search "Savage Garden".
  18. ^ "Tipparade-lijst van week 32, 1999". Dutch Top 40. Retrieved March 12, 2023.
  19. ^ Fernando Salaverri (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002. 1st ed. Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  20. ^ "The Airplay Chart". Music Week. 17 July 1999. p. 19. Retrieved 23 May 2025.
  21. ^ "ARIA Top 100 Singles for 1999". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
  22. ^ "RPM 1999 Top 100 Hit Tracks". RPM. Retrieved 12 April 2018. – via Library and Archives Canada
  23. ^ "RPM 1999 Top 100 Adult Contemporary". RPM. Retrieved 12 April 2018. – via Library and Archives Canada.
  24. ^ "Romanian Top 100: Top of the Year 1999" (in Romanian). Romanian Top 100. Archived from the original on 22 January 2005. Retrieved 27 April 2020.
  25. ^ "Årslista Singlar, 1999" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 27 April 2020.
  26. ^ "Most Played Adult Top 40 Songs of 1999". Airplay Monitor. Vol. 7, no. 52. 24 December 1999. p. 47.
  27. ^ "Most Played Mainstream Top 40 Songs of 1999". Airplay Monitor. Vol. 7, no. 52. 24 December 1999. p. 54.
  28. ^ Lwin, Nanda. "Top 100 singles of the 1990s". Jam!. Archived 29 August 2000 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 26 March 2022.
  29. ^ "New Releases". Radio & Records. No. 1285. 5 February 1999. p. 48.
  30. ^ aus
  31. ^ Mayfield, Geoff; Caulfield, Keith; Graybow, Steve (6 March 1999). "Hot 100 Spotlight". Billboard. Vol. 111, no. 10. p. 109. Meanwhile, the Feb. 23 retail drop of Savage Garden's 'The Animal Song'...
  32. ^ "Discography". savagegarden.com. Archived from the original on 2 November 2005. Retrieved 18 June 2023. To view release date, click on Discography.
  33. ^ "Album Releases: March 1999". Jam!. Archived from the original on 17 August 2000. Retrieved 6 January 2023.
  34. ^ "Savage Garden". Sony Music Entertainment Japan. Archived 2 October 1999 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 25 August 2023. Click on Discography.
  35. ^ "New Releases – For Week Starting 28 June, 1999". Music Week. 26 June 1999. p. 25. Retrieved 22 July 2021.