Earth Intruders (song)

Björk Writer(s) Björk Nate Hills Timothy Mosley Producer(s) Björk Timbaland Co-producer(s) Danja Length 6:14 singles chronology Singles "Earth Intruders" "Innocence" "Declare Independence" "Wanderlust" "The Dull Flame of Desire" Volta track listing — "Wanderlust"

"Earth Intruders" is a song by Björk from her seventh studio album, Volta. It serves as the opening track to the album, and the first official single.

Background

Björk said the song was based on a dream during a cross-Atlantic flight to New York where:

A tsunami of millions and millions of poverty-stricken people" swelled high above the airplane she was a passenger on. Eventually, the wave overtook the plane, hit land and razed the White House into oblivion. "It's a quite chaotic song," she said of Volta's first single. "Lyrically, it's a collection of all of these images" burned into her memory, from her trip to Indonesia as well as her vivid, in-flight reverie.

Music video

The music video for "Earth Intruders" was directed by Michel Ocelot. It was accomplished within strict time constraints through a combination of live-action, silhouette animation, 3D computer graphics, traditional animation, cut-outs and other special effects. "Kirikou" was danced by Legrand Bemba-Debert in a costume made, based on Ocelot's ideas, by paper sculptor Anne-Lise Kœhler.

Björk - earth intruders

Lyrics

We are the earth intruders We are the earth intruders Muddy with twigs and branches Turmoil! Carnage! Here come the earth intruders We are the paratroopers Stampede of sharp shooters Come straight from voodoo With our feet thumping With our feet marching Grinding skeptics Into the soil Shower of goodness coming to End the doubt pouring over Shower of goodness coming to end We are the earth intruders We are the sharp shooters Flock of parachuters Necessary voodoo I have guided my bones through some voltage And love them still And love them too Metallic! Carnage! Furiocity! Feel the speed! We are the earth intruders We are the sharp shooters Flock of parachuters Necessary voodoo There is turmoil out there Carnage, rambling What is to do but dig Dig bones out of earth Mud graves! Timber! Morbid trenches! Here come the earth intruders There'll be no resistance We are the canoneerers Necessary voodoo And the beast With many heads And the arms rolling Steamroller! We are the earth intruders We are the earth intruders Muddy with twigs and branches Forgive us, tribe We are the earth intruders We are the earth intruders Muddy with twigs and branches We are the earth intruders Muddy with twigs and branches We are the earth intruders We are the earth intruders Muddy with twigs and branches Marching We are the earth intruders Muddy with twigs and branches Marching March March March

Credits

• Björk: vocals, programming and editing
• Timbaland: keyboards and beats
• Nate Dangerhands: keyboards and beats
• Jimmy Douglas: engineer
• Pete davis: programming
• Konono n°1: electric likembes
• Vincent Kenis: engineer for Konono sessions
• Christophe Tonglet: assistant engineer for Konono sessions
• Chris Corsano: drum kit
• Paul Walton: engineer for Chris Corsano sessions
• Damian Taylor: programming, editing, engineering, vocal processing and additional beats