200 km/h in the Wrong Lane

200 km/h in the Wrong Lane
Studio album by t.A.T.u.
Released	10 December 2002
Recorded	2002
Genre	Eurodance, Electronica, Dance pop, Electronic rock
Length	48:17
Language	English Russian (2 tracks)
Label	Interscope, Polydor[1]
Producer	Trevor Horn, Martin Kierszenbaum, Robert Orton, Ivan Shapovalov (executive)
t.A.T.u. chronology
200 Po Vstrechnoy (2001) 200 km/h in the Wrong Lane (2002) t.A.T.u. Remixes (2003)
Alternative covers
Russian release cover
Japanese release cover
Singles from 200 km/h in the Wrong Lane
"All the Things She Said" Released: 10 September 2002 "Not Gonna Get Us" Released: 5 May 2003 "How Soon Is Now?" Released: 6 July 2003

200 km/h in the Wrong Lane is the debut studio album by Russian duo t.A.T.u.. It was released on 10 December 2002. The album was produced by Trevor Horn, Martin Kierszenbaum, Robert Orton and Ivan Shapovalov, who was the main and executive producer and writer. Before the release, it preceded with the lead single "All the Things She Said", which was released in September 2002. The song received massive success outside their native Russia, topping the charts in over ten countries. It also preceded with five other singles, two promotional, while the other three were released officially.

Additionally, the album had received mixed reviews. 200 KM/H in the Wrong Lane was nominated for several awards, it won Best International Album on the Polish Internet Music Awards and Best Rock Album by Japan Gold Disc Awards. The album had charted in near every country, even peaking at number one in most countries, including their native Russia, which received Diamond by their recording charts. The group had promoted the album for a world tour entitled "Show Me Love Tour", where they travelled to European countries, Russia and Asia.

Background and artwork

Prior to becoming t.A.T.u. Yulia and Lena had auditioned as members of Neposedy, a group produced by Ivan Shapolavov and his business partner Alexander Voitinskyi. Shapolavov has said the two girls stood out from the rest of the those that auditioned; however, 14-year old Katina was initially the only one chosen for the band. She sang "It Must Have Been Love" by Swedish pop duo Roxette and later recorded a demo release of "Yugoslavia" for the "1999 NATO bombing of Yugoslavia".^[2]

The group name "Tatu" was later chosen. However, an Australian rock band also produced under the name, thus the band later used upper and lower cased letters to distance themselves from the other musicians. t.A.T.u. released their first Russian album under the name "Тату", which is short phrase for Та любит Ту (Ta lyubit Tu)", meaning "this girl loves that girl".

While the album was in development, their producer Alexander Voitinskyi left the production, leaving the album unreleased. However, Shapolavov later signed Elena Kiper as the new co-producer and co-writer for the album. Although recording and releasing a sophomore debut album, the band completed their first ever single for release "Ya Soshla S Uma" (Translated: I've Lost My Mind). It was released at the start of 2000. The single had two versions, one was for their album 200 Po Vstrechnoy (their Russian studio album) and the other was a version later released on their debut English album.

Three official versions of the album cover were released worldwide. The international version featured the girls sitting on a motorcycle (with Julia in front and Lena at the back) with the bands name "t.A.T.u" and the album name "200 KM/H In The Wrong Lane" underneath. The colour of the image is tinted to a green hue. The Japanese edition was released with the girls dressed in school outfits, hugging each other, with the Japanese stickers advertising the album. The Russian version also featured the girls dressed in school outfits but had them kissing, with Julia's head blocking the kiss from view.

Composition

According to Allmusic, t.A.T.u. have been known for "eurodance, europop, electronica and pop rock" music through their career. A lot of fans and, surprisingly, critics have applauded their mix of electronica and pop rock styles.

"Not Gonna Get Us" has a strong electronic breakbeat style. It was released as the band's second single for their album. It features "pop rock" and electronica styles, but also incorporates a more hard breakbeat style. Allmusic had listed the song as a highlight, because of its influence of music. "All the Things She Said" was the first single released, but the second track on the album. The song has mostly pop rock and electropop music, but, through the verses, featured a more R&B style. It also featured R&B synthesizers.

The third single "Show Me Love" was released in Poland. It has strong synthesizers in electropop styles and sounds like dancefloor material. It was more well known in Poland, because it was released there as a promotional single. "30 Minutes" was later released from the album as the fourth single. It is a pop ballad song. Some fans were confused because the ending of Show Me Love featured the lyrics "Mama, Papa, forgive me",^{[citation needed]} but the band stated it wasn't a feature for the song. The lyrics "Mama, Papa, forgive (me)" also appear three times in their song "Ya Soshla S Uma" in Russian ('Mama, Papa, prosti. [мама-папа прости]).

"How Soon Is Now?" was the band's last single released from this album and was also the fifth track on the album. It is a cover version of The Smiths single with the same title. It is an alternative rock song with a pop base. "Clowns (Can You See Me Now?)" was the sixth track on the album. The song was written by Trevor Horn, Ivan Shapolavov and Valeriy Polienko. People had noticed that unusual style in the lyrics.^{[citation needed]} It was also scheduled to be the last single, but this plan was scrapped. However, for a promotional release, 200km/h in the Wrong Lane was re-issued in their native Russia under the name t.A.T.u. – Clowns. ^[3] It has a synthpop and electronica style.

"Malchik Gay" (translated to: Gay Boy) was the bands seventh track on the album. Allmusic had named it as an album highlight because the lyrics, which were written by their producers, had received a lot of attention. "Stars" was the eighth, and final original track on the album. It is a slow electronic and jazz styled song. In the choruses, it features Julia rapping in Russian. The remaining tracks on the album include the Russian versions of "All the Things She Said" and "Not Gonna Get Us", an extended version of "Show Me Love" and a remix of "30 Minutes." Some editions of the album also feature the song which t.A.T.u. sang at Eurovision in 2003, Ne Ver', Ne Boysia, as well as a remix of Malchik Gay and a remix of "All the Things She Said".

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[4]
Rolling Stone	[5]
Robert Christgau	[6]
Entertainment.ie	[7]
Popdirt	[8]
Sputnik Music	[9]
Stylus Magazine	(D)[10]

200 km/h in the Wrong Lane received mixed reviews from critics. Many critics gave applause to their music and some lyrics. However, some criticized their image and words they produced calling it "tacky". Allmusic gave it a mixed review saying it "doesn't make sense to describe the album and band", but did manage to choose its best tracks, selecting "Not Gonna Get Us", "All the Things She Said" and "Malchik Gay".^[11] Entertainment.ie gave it a favorable review, awarding it three stars. They had said "A teenage lesbian duo from Russia may sound like a marketing man's fantasy rather than a living, breathing pop band." and finished saying "Tatu's novelty value won't, of course, last forever. But for now, they're as entertaining as anyone in mainstream chart music."

Popdirt gave it a very positive review, giving it eight out of 10 stars. They said "You’ve got to feel for Tatu.... Yulia and Elena could never have predicted the sheer extent of the vigorous lynching they were about to receive by a public high on tabloid headlines and forced fed one child sex scandal after another.".

Commercial response

Although 200 km/h in the Wrong Lane received mixed reviews, it had charting success. It charted in Russia at number one^{[citation needed]} receiving Diamond and selling over 1 million copies.^[12] It was released under the alternative title t.A.T.u. in Japan, charting for 42 weeks and peaking at number 1 on the Oricon charts.^[13] The album was massive in Japan, as the album stayed in the top ten for a total of six months, becoming one of the few European bands to do so. It later was released in Australia where it charted for 11 weeks and peaked at number 19. It later charted in New Zealand for 12 weeks, peaking at 9.^[14]

In Austria it charted for 27 weeks and peaked at number 1.^[14] It charted in France at number 8.^[14] It charted in The Netherlands for 16 weeks, peaking at number 32.^[14] It charted in Belgum for 25 weeks peaking at number 16. It charted in also Sweden for 21 weeks, peaking at number 14,^[14] and was certified Gold for shipping over 30,000 copies there.^[15] It charted in Finland for 27 weeks peaking at number 2,^[14] and was certified Platinum there, selling almost 50,000 copies.^[16] In Denmark, it charted for 10 weeks peaking at number 13.^[14] It also charted at in Italy for 7 weeks, peaking at 5.^[14] In Portugal, it charted for 8 weeks peaking at number 20.^[14] In Greece, the album received a gold certification, while also peaking at number 21.^[17] In total, the album had sold 500,000 copies in its first week worldwide, then it had sold a total of 6 million copies worldwide, becoming the first Russian-act to sell more than the total.^[18] According to a source, the album had sold a massive 2 million copies in Japan, but after the release.^[19]

Promotion

After the success of their debut album, the band appeared on Top of the Pops four times to sing their song "All the Things She Said", but the moment in the song where they kissed was censored by the TV show by switching to shots of the audience. The band announced their upcoming tour in Japan and Russia called the Show Me Love Tour, where they kissed.^[20] Most of the pictures were from Japan instead of Russia, but they traveled there also.

The girls also appeared on The Tonight Show and Jimmy Kimmel, performing "All the Things She Said". The kiss was censored on The Tonight Show when the cameras filmed the band and audience instead.

Singles

• "All the Things She Said" was the lead single from the album, and also their debut English single. It was released on October 2002 in Europe and US, and in 2003 in the UK, Australia and New Zealand. The single was t.A.T.u.'s biggest hit ever topping many charts worldwide. It peaked at number 1 in Australia, Austria, Denmark, Germany, India (English countdown), Ireland, Italy, Mexico, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Spain, Switzerland, Taiwan, United Kingdom and the European Singles Chart; number 2 in France, Norway and Sweden; and number 3 in Canada and Finland. It was the only t.A.T.u.single to enter US Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 20.^[21] It also charted on the Billboard Pop 100 at number 18, Bilboard Hot Dance Music/ Club Play at number 5 and Billboard Top 40 Mainstream where it peaked at number 8. The song featured different instrumentals to the original Russian counterpart, "Ya Soshla S Uma".

• "Not Gonna Get Us" was released on 5 May 2003 as the second single. It peaked at number 2 in Russia, 7 in the UK,^[22] also top 25 in countries like Australia, Austria, France, Germany, New Zealand, Sweden and Switzerland. It peaked at number 1 in US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play.^[23][24]

• "How Soon Is Now?" was released on 7 July 2003 as the fourth single. It was not released in the US and UK and the single peaked at number 10 in Sweden, 20 in Netherlands, 33 in Germany, 37 in Australia and 37 in Austria.

Promotional singles

• "Show Me Love" was released on November, 2002. It was not an official releasing single and was only released in Poland. The music is still available but is very hard to order or buy. It peaked at number 18 in Poland and it did not chart in another countries.^[25]

• "30 Minutes" was released in June 2003, as the third single. It was only released as a promo single in Europe, and failed to peak any important chart.

Track listing

1. "Not Gonna Get Us" (S. Galoyan, T. Horn, E. Kiper, I. Shapovalov, V. Polienko)  – 4:21
2. "All The Things She Said" (S. Galoyan, T. Horn, M. Kierszenbaum, E. Kiper, V. Polienko)  – 3:34
3. "Show Me Love" (S. Galoyan, M. Kierszenbaum, V. Polienko)  – 4:15
4. "30 Minutes" (S. Galoyan, M. Kierszenbaum, I. Shapovalov, V. Polienko)  – 3:18
5. "How Soon Is Now?" (Johnny Marr, Morrissey)  – 3:15
6. "Clowns (Can You See Me Now?)" (I. Shapovalov, E. Kuritsin, T. Horn, V. Polienko)  – 3:12
7. "Malchik Gay" (S. Galoyan, M. Kierszenbaum, A. Karaseva, V. Stepandsov)  – 3:09
8. "Stars" (A. Voitinskiy, M. Kierszenbaum, A. Vulih, I. Shapovalov, V. Polienko)  – 4:08
9. "Ya Soshla S Uma" (S. Galoyan, E. Kiper, V. Polienko)  – 3:34
10. "Nas Ne Dogoniat" (S. Galoyan, E. Kiper, I. Shapovalov, V. Polienko)  – 4:22
11. "Show Me Love (Extended Version)"  – 5:10

Bonus tracks:

12. "30 Minutes (Remix)" (Internationally included, not in United States, Canada & Mexico)  – 5:52
13. "Malchik Gay (Remix Edit)" (Only in Japan)  – 3:52
14. "Malchik Gay (Remix)" (Only in Europe Deluxe Edition and United Kingdom edition)  – 5:07
15. "Ne Ver', Ne Boysia, Ne Prosi (Eurovision 2003 Version)" (Only in Japan, UK, Europe and Brazil Deluxe Edition)  – 3:04
16. "All the Things She Said (DJ Monk's Breaks Mix Edit)" (Only in Japan)  – 3:48

Charts, sales and certifications

Charts

Personnel / Credits

• t.A.T.u. — vocals
• Martin Kierszenbaum — arranger, producer, A&R
• Cindy Cooper — production coordination
• Sheryl Nields — photography
• Trevor Horn — arranger, producer
• Robert Orton — arranger, mixing, engineer, producer
• Chris Dalston — booking
• Andrea Ruffalo — A&R
• Robert Hayes — management
• Bob Ludwig — mastering
• Sergio Galoyan — producer, composer

References