"I'm a Gummy Bear (The Gummy Bear Song)" is a novelty dance song by Gummibär, in reference to the gummy bear, a type of bear-shaped candy originating in Germany. It was written by German composer Christian Schneider and released by Gummibär's label Gummybear International. The song was first released in Hungary, where it spent eight months as number one atop the ringtones chart.[3]
| "I'm a Gummy Bear (The Gummy Bear Song)" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Gummibär | ||||
| from the album I Am Your Gummy Bear | ||||
| Released | 10 June 2007 | |||
| Genre | Pop,[1] novelty | |||
| Length | 3:10 | |||
| Label | Catchy Tunes | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Christian P. Schneider[2] | |||
| Producer(s) | Tonekind, Papabar, Rene Rennefeld[1] | |||
| Gummibär singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Music video | ||||
| "The Gummy Bear Song" on YouTube | ||||
Subsequently, it became a global phenomenon as an Internet meme, in large part due to its corresponding videos on YouTube and MySpace.[1] It has since been released in at least 43 languages, and the English version alone has spread virally worldwide, with more than 3 billion plays on YouTube alone.
The French version ("Funny Bear") was written by Peter Kitsch. The French music video has over 512 million views on YouTube as of 2 January 2023[update], making it one of the top-10 most-viewed French videos on the site.[4] It peaked at number eight on the French Singles Chart.[5]
With the song ready-made for ringtone use, one critic[who?] commented "he's the ultimate cross-platform, cross-cultural phenomenon YouTube was designed to unleash."[6] It is heard on his debut album I Am Your Gummy Bear released in 2007. Since the song's release, many songs, including a cover of "Blue (Da Ba Dee)", have been released by Gummibär.
Multiple languages
editSeveral versions have been released in many languages. The song was originally released in German[7] and English, and, as mentioned, the French version has received more than half a billion views.[8] Gummibär released a whole album of their new languages on YouTube.[9]
Other languages include Japanese, Korean, Dutch, Brazilian and European Portuguese, Hungarian, Swedish, Slovak, Swahili, Polish, Turkish, and several more.
An official version of the song has also been uploaded in Klingon.
Music video
editVideos corresponding to at least 43 languages are currently uploaded featuring the titular gummy bear character in orange underwear bouncing and breakdancing.[1][10][11]
Gummibär is a blue-eyed, highly-stylized, green gummy bear. He is slightly overweight and wears orange Y-front briefs and white sneakers. He also seems to have a half-chewed right ear. His muzzle, or mustache and goatee, are sugar-crusted and with only two small teeth spaced far apart on his lower jaw.
The English music video, posted on October 9, 2007, has over 3.4 billion views on YouTube as of October 2024[update], making it one of the top-50 most-viewed videos on the site.[12]
In 2006, the video, a 30-second CGI pop promo animated in Softimage XSI, was directed, designed and animated by Pete Dodd and was produced through Wilfilm in Copenhagen for Ministry of Sound GmbH in Berlin.[13]
In popular culture
edit- The song is featured in the 2020 horror-comedy film Spree, directed by Eugene Kotlyarenko.[14]
- A remix of the song by Fanfare Ciocărlia is used near the end of the 2020 Sacha Baron Cohen mockumentary Borat Subsequent Moviefilm.[15]
- A parody of the song, known as "I am a Bunny Dog", is featured in an episode of Paradise PD.
- The song is featured in the video game Just Dance Kids 2.
- The song is also featured in the 2021 Netflix family film Yes Day.[16]
Charts
edit
Weekly chartsedit
|
Year-end chartsedit
|
Certifications
edit| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Canada (Music Canada)[26] | Gold | 20,000* |
| Sweden (GLF)[27] | Platinum | 20,000^ |
| United Kingdom (BPI)[28] | Silver | 200,000‡ |
| United States (RIAA)[29] | 2× Platinum | 2,000,000‡ |
|
* Sales figures based on certification alone. | ||
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c d Taylor, Chuck (9 November 2007). "News and Reviews: I'm A Gummy Bear by Gummibar". Billboard.com. Archived from the original on 2 December 2007. Retrieved 2007-12-10.
- ^ "Gummybear: Discography". Billboard.com. 1991. Archived from the original on 2007-11-04. Retrieved 2007-12-10. Has listing for album as well
- ^ Alleyne, Richard (2008-07-11). "Gummy Bear set to take Crazy Frog's mantle". The Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group. Archived from the original on 2021-03-08. Retrieved 2020-11-30.
- ^ YouTube, JMF. "Les chansons francophones les plus vues classement (Playlist)". YouTube (in French). Archived from the original on 2020-08-23. Retrieved 2020-10-28.
- ^ a b Les classement single. ""Lescharts.com – FunnyBear – FunnyBear"" (in French). Archived from the original on 2018-12-31. Retrieved 2020-10-28.
- ^ "Gummibär "I Am Your Gummy Bear"". Ottawa XPress. Archived from the original on December 18, 2007. Retrieved April 13, 2018.
- ^ berlin0708 (2006-07-14), GUMMIBÄR, archived from the original on 2021-12-12, retrieved 2018-05-13
{{citation}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ Gummi (15 October 2007). "Je m'appelle Funny Bear - Full French Version". Gummybear International. Archived from the original on 2015-11-13. Retrieved 2007-12-10.
- ^ "The Gummy Bear Song Around the World (Album)". YouTube. Archived from the original on 2022-04-01. Retrieved 2022-04-01.
- ^ Gummy mop fished in the west (29 November 2007). "Two New Videos Have Just Been Added!". Gummybear International. Archived from the original on 2008-07-23. Retrieved 2007-12-10.
- ^ "Original Gummy Bear video on YouTube". YouTube. 9 October 2007. Archived from the original on 2020-08-01. Retrieved 2019-02-25.
- ^ "Top 1000 Most Viewed YouTube Videos of All Time". YouTube. Archived from the original on August 9, 2016. Retrieved May 9, 2020.
- ^ "GummyBear". Petedodd. Archived from the original on September 27, 2020. Retrieved October 8, 2020.
- ^ "Spree (2020)". IMDB. Archived from the original on 22 March 2022. Retrieved 20 February 2021.
- ^ "Borat Subsequent Moviefilm Soundtrack Music - Complete Song List". Tunefind. Archived from the original on 2020-10-27. Retrieved 2020-10-24.
- ^ "Yes Day Soundtrack Music – Complete Song List". Tunefind. Archived from the original on August 4, 2021. Retrieved August 4, 2021.
- ^ "Gummibear – I'm Your Funny Bear". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
- ^ "Gummybear – GUMMYBEAR SONG". Singles Top 100. Retrieved August 1, 2013.
- ^ "Gummybear – Ich bin dein Gummiybear" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved August 1, 2013.
- ^ "Digital Singles Charts - Greece (December 19, 2009)". Billboard. Archived from the original on 2018-12-16. Retrieved 2013-06-17.
- ^ "Gummy Bear Chart History (Japan Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved August 1, 2013.
- ^ "Gummibär Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved August 1, 2013.
- ^ "Gummibär Chart History (Hot Dance/Electronic Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved August 1, 2013.
- ^ "ARIA End of Year Singles Chart 2007". Australian Recording Industry Association. Archived from the original on September 21, 2019. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
- ^ "Årslista Singlar – År 2007" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Archived from the original on March 24, 2022. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
- ^ "Canadian single certifications – Gummibar – I Am Your Gummy Bear". Music Canada. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
- ^ "Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 2008" (PDF) (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-05-17. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
- ^ "British single certifications – Gummy Bear – I Am Your Gummy Bear". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
- ^ "American single certifications – Gummibar – I'm a Gummy Bear (The Gummy Bear Song)". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 21 January 2023.