Linuxslate.com
Original - May 2010
Additions/Spelling - June 2010
Additions/Format/Spelling/Non-Working links removed - Sept 2010

Citroen Songs

When considering a used Citroen for purchase, buyers and mechanics will typically listen for the periodic click of the hydraulic pressure regulator. But there's got to be something better to listen to while riding around in your personal bit of French history (or French state of the art for those in countries where your government does not interfere with your to right to purchase new Citroens).

References to particular automobiles in music, and in fact entire songs about certain cars are pretty common, and our favorite French techno-marvels are no exception. What follows is a list of music that is somehow related to Citroen automobiles.

Songs are listed by: Artist - Album - Song, but are in no particular order.  Links are provided to purchase some of the referenced music on Amazon.com.  I receive no profit from linking to Amazon.  I choose Amazon because they sell music in standard, unencrypted (DRM free) format that is compatible with most devices, and does not restrict fair use of purchased music.

Grace Jones - Slave to the Rhythm - Slave to the Rhythm

Listen to a Sample/Buy on Amazon.com MP3 Music Downloads

Grace Jones appeared in a 1980's TV advertisement for the Citroen CX, and video from the ad is included in the music video for this song. It is said that Grace Jones' hair style was supposed to look like the aerodynamic shape of the CX. Be warned - The ad and the video is… Well… it's Grace Jones… if you don't like it, don't watch it. Some have suggested that the TV ad may have actually reduced sales of the Citroen CX.

Jane Child - Jane Child - DS 21

Listen to a Sample/Buy on Amazon.com MP3 Music Downloads

Jane Child owns (or did own) at least one US version DS 21. The car is featured in photographs on her official website. She wrote the song DS 21 about, or even for… her car. Jane Child is a brilliant song writer and keyboardist. Strongly recommended especially if you have not heard her work before.

Les Rythmes Digitales - Jacques Your Body (Make Me Sweat) - Jacques Your Body (Make Me Sweat)

Listen to a Sample/Buy on Amazon.com MP3 Music Downloads

This is the music from the revolutionary Dancing Robot TV ad for the Citroen C4.  Even thought the Citroen C4 is not available in North America, the ad garnered worldwide attention, and prompted not only several follow-ons from Citroen as we will see below, but also several parodies and even a real "rebuttal" ad from Chevrolet.

The Egg - David Waxman pres. Ultra Electro - Walking Away (Tocadisco Remix)

Listen to a Sample/Buy on Amazon.com MP3 Music Downloads

Song Heard on the Citroen C4 "Skating Robot" follow-on advert.

Note: Links to videos on Citroen UK websites that were previously on this page have stopped working.  It looks like Citroen moved some of the videos to different websites.  These websites now either attemped to do a reverse DNS lookup (likely to see if you are in the UK or not,) or require a password.  Am I naive if I think this was partially due to this website?

Luke Dzierzek - One Day/Echo - Echo

Listen to a Sample/Buy on Amazon.com MP3 Music Downloads

Yet another C4 Transformers ad, and more electronica/techno/what-ever-you-call-it music. This one Shows a C4 converting into a robot while traveling along a bridge. It runs past some bicyclists who don't seem particularly alarmed by the event.

MC Lita - Club remake of Stayin' Alive by the Bee Gee's

OK, one last Citroen C4 Transformers ad.  I feel I have to include it for completeness.  Interestingly, the ad is set in New York city, and a voice over says "100% New York" even though the car is not available to us here in the 'States.  This remake of the Bee Gee's song does not seem to be available on Amazon.com.

DATA - One in a Million EP - One in a Million

Listen to a Sample/Buy on Amazon.com MP3 Music Downloads

Citroen is bringing back the "DS" name, in a car they are advertising as "Anti-Retro".  Several dozen CGI Citroen DS3's do some CGI synchronized driving to "One in a Million" by DATA in this ad.

Richard Wagner - Wagner: Great Overtures - Ride Of The Valkyries

Listen to a Sample/Buy on Amazon.com MP3 Music Downloads

Yes, that Wagner. No trendy Club/Electronic mixes here.  Citroen is seriously out for a piece of BMW's market with the C5, and that means serious music.  The ad portrays a driver that apparently can have anything German he wants, including the bar maid, but is content to just look at his C5.  If your musical tastes require tunes that are a little more up with the times than something from a decomposing composer, there are several heavy metal remakes for your speaker-immolating pleasure. Follow this Amazon search link as a start to finding some of them.

Sacha Di Manolo - Ride On / Side Of Your Life - (Single) - Ride On

Listen to a Sample/Buy on Amazon.com MP3 Music Downloads

Most of the song is used as the music for the very cool Citroen 90th anniversary advertisement. Clips from various Citroen ads and historic footage is shown in time with the music. Worth watching just for the way the music and the video is made to work together, even if you have no interest in automobiles of any kind. The very first part of the song, where a voice says "'It cost me a lot" is not included in the ad.  Search YouTube for this, and some of the other videos mentioned on this page.  Specific links are not included due to the fact that YouTube content frequently changes, and some material may have copyright issues.

Luscious Jackson - Greatest Hits - Naked Eye

Listen to a Sample/Buy on Amazon.com MP3 Music Downloads

A Black Citroen CX Prestige appears at the beginning and end of the music video for this alternative music.  

Air - Virgin Suicides - Dirty Trip

Listen to a Sample/Buy on Amazon.com MP3 Music Downloads

This song is playing as the Citroen C6 is introduced during it's review by the British show Top Gear. Sort of mellow chill electronic music by the French group Air. The effect of the music, and some artistic photography really work well to introduce this striking car in the Top Gear episode.

Kelly Obsourne - One Word - One Word

Listen to a Sample/Buy on Amazon.com MP3 Music Downloads

Kelly Osbourne takes a ride in an 1960's DS or ID19 for the video for "One Word".  Another one of my personal favorites, and when I have to buy new speakers, this song may well be the reason.  Say what you want about the Osbournes, but if Kelly's talent were on trial, I'd submit this song and video as evidence.

Pendulum - Immersion - Witchcraft

Listen to a Sample/Buy on Amazon.co.uk Music Downloads

The Official FIA World Rally Championship Game for PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 will be released shortly, and this music accompanies an ad for the game. (Follow the Games Link from the FIA WRC Official page.)  WRC, the Game, and thus the advert for the game feature the Citroen WRC cars prominately.  I owned an older version of the game for PS2, and it did not have the quality or realism of GT4, so I would not recommend this game over GT5 without trying it, but I do like the music.  It's Intense, Musical Electronica that's really hard not to like even if this sort of thing isn't what you normally listen to. Have you ever silently screamed out the words of a song when you're someplace where you think no one is watching?  This music will make you do that.  The newest alblum, "Immersion" is not available yet on the US Amazon MP3 Downloads Store. You can buy the CD Single, or get the MP3 alblum on the official Pendulum US web store, or buy from the Amazon UK Download Store.

Lots More. See Links Below. (The linked page is the source for some of the material on this page.)

Citroens in Movies:

In the 3rd Harry Potter movie -- Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azakaban -- a Citroen Xantia is shown near the beginning of the movie.  In one of my favorite sequences of the entire series to date, The Knight Bus picks up Harry Potter and delivers him to the Leaky Cauldron (That's in London).  The Knight Bus seems to be capable of amazing (I suppose I should say -- magical) acceleration among other feats. Despite this, upon arriving in front of the Leaky Cauldron, the Knight Bus bumps the rear of the Citroen Xantia, setting off it's alarm. One can't help but wonder if the fact that it is a French car that gets bumped in a British series is more than coincidental.  Would Ernie (the driver), or perhaps the Knight Bus itself, have been more careful approaching a Vauxhaull or Jaguar?  Reference:  Internet Movie Car Data Base -- See links below.  Comments on the IMCDB specifically identify the vehicle as a 1994 Citroen Xantia 2.0i.  The IMCDB has reference to dozens of other movies (most French, of course) in which Citroens can be seen.

Motion Picture Sound Track to "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" on Amazon MP3 Music Downloads

There is a famous chase scene in the James Bond movie "For Your Eyes Only". James Bond (played by Roger Moore) drives a Citroen 2CV to escape the bad guys. Singer Sheena Easton sang the theme song of the same name.

Motion Picture Sound Track to "For Your Eyes Only", including the title track with Sheena Easton on Amazon MP3 Music Downloads

In the movie GATTACA, Irene Cassini (Played by Uma Thurman) drives what is supposed to be (in the movie), a futuristic turbine powered car. In actuality, it was a 1960's DS 19 Cabriolet. The music for GATTACA was composed by Michael Nyman.  A 1960's Avanti also stands in for a car of the future in this film.

Motion Picture Sound Track to "GATTACA", on Amazon Music (Audio CD)

A Citroen DS 21 is seen regularly in the CBS TV series "The Mentalist". Music for the show was written by Blake Neely.

You can listen to his music on his website.

Celebrity and Musician Citroen Owners:

Carlos Santa is said to have owned at least a couple of Citroen CX's, so I guess it is appropriate to add anything by Carlos Santa to this list.

Carlos Santana Albums and MP3 Downloads on Amazon Music

The Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts owned a Citroen SM. To limit it a bit, The SM was introduced in 1970, so technically one could add Rolling Stones music from any album after "Let it Bleed" to this list.

Rolling Stones Albums and MP3 Downloads on Amazon Music

Dr. Theo's Citroen CX website states that the lead singer of the band Pro-Jekt owned a Series 1 Citroen CX, but the name listed does not match any current or ex Pro-Jekt band member according to Wikipedia or anything else I can find. Additionally, it lists Pro-Jekt as an Austrian band, but Wikipedia states that they are from the UK. Never the less, if you like Darkwave/Goth Metal, load them up anyway.

Pro-Jekt on Amazon MP3 Downloads