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{{Short description|2005 single by Sandi Thom}}
{{Use British English|date=June 2011}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}}
{{Infobox song
| name = I Wish I Was a Punk Rocker (With Flowers in My Hair)
| cover = Punkrocker-1.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist
| album
| B-side = {{ubl|"Little Remedy"|"Something in the Air"|"No More Heroes"|"A Light as Bright as Ours"|"May You Never"}}
|
|
| studio =
| venue =
| genre = <!-- Do not add unsourced genres -->
| length
| label = Viking Legacy,<ref name="uk"/> [[Sony BMG]], [[RCA Records|RCA]]
| writer = Tom Gilbert, [[Sandi Thom]]
| producer = Tom Gilbert, Stephen Darrell Smith
| next_title = [[What If I'm Right]]
| next_year = 2006
| misc = {{Extra album cover
| header = Re-issued cover art
| type = single
| cover = Punkrocker.jpg
| border =
| alt =
| caption = Cover art for 2006 release
}}
}}
"'''I Wish I Was a Punk Rocker (With Flowers in My Hair)'''" is the debut single of Scottish singer-songwriter [[Sandi Thom]], released in October 2005. The song was written by Thom and Tom Gilbert. Following a re-release in 2006, the song topped the singles charts of Australia, Ireland, and the United Kingdom. However, critical reaction to the song was largely negative, especially regarding the lyrics.
==Inspiration==
Thom has said on her website that she wrote the song after being robbed of her mobile phone and other belongings one evening, leaving her completely lost and without any way of contacting her family, friends, or the bank. She says, "I wondered if that had happened to me back in the days of the hippies what would I have done and would I have freaked out so much?"<ref>{{cite web|title=ST Track Inspiration : Punk Rocker|url=http://www.sandithom.com/2011/09/sandi-talks-punk-rocker/|work=sandithom.com|access-date=1 September 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110930153300/http://www.sandithom.com/2011/09/sandi-talks-punk-rocker/|archive-date=30 September 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref>
==Release==
Although only physically released in the United Kingdom on 22 May 2006, download sales the week before are counted for the purpose of charts, and it achieved number fifteen on this basis in the general charts (and number seven in the download-only chart). The physical release had three formats: two CD versions (one featuring the radio mix and "A Light as Bright as Ours", another featuring the radio mix, the album mix, a further remix, "May You Never" and the music video), and also as a 7-inch vinyl record backed with [[The Stranglers|Stranglers]] cover "[[No More Heroes (The Stranglers song)|No More Heroes]]".
==Critical reception==
Most reviews of the song were negative. For [[AllMusic]], Thom Jurek called the song "a hopelessly naïve, cleverly worded musical ditty that is reminiscent of something used to sell European automobiles."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/smile-it-confuses-people-mw0000544041|title=Smile... It Confuses People|last=Jurek|first=Thom|publisher=allmusic|accessdate=22 June 2024}}</reF> Criticising the intense public relations efforts to make the single popular, [[Charlie Brooker]] of ''[[The Guardian]]'' called the song "a boneheaded plea for authenticity, sung in the most Tupperware tones imaginable."<ref name="Brooker">{{cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2006/jun/09/buyingmusic.comment | ___location=London | work=The Guardian | first=Charlie | last=Brooker | title=Supposing ... Sandi Thom is the musical antichrist | date=9 June 2006 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070106094943/http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/story/0%2C%2C1793785%2C00.html| archive-date=6 January 2007 | access-date=22 June 2024| url-status=dead }}</ref> Brooker also added: "It's not 'art', it's 'content'."<ref name="Brooker"/> [[Virgin Media]] was even more harsh, describing the song as "dreary rose-tinted drivel sung by a girl with a voice like wind billowing up an old drainpipe."<ref name="Virgin">{{cite web|url=http://www.virginmedia.com/music/reviews/albumreviews/sandithom_smileitconfusespeople.php|title=Sandi Thom - Smile... It Confuses People review|publisher=Virgin Media|access-date=23 June 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070604050108/http://www.virginmedia.com/music/reviews/albumreviews/sandithom_smileitconfusespeople.php|archive-date=4 June 2007|url-status=dead}}</ref> In 2017, ''[[NME]]'' named the song among the worst of the 2000s: "...had this song not existed within a viral fad, literally nobody would care." ''NME'' also responded to the song title: "...[[Johnny Rotten]] wouldn’t be seen dead with flowers in his hair."<reF>{{cite web|url=https://www.nme.com/blogs/worst-songs-2000s-2150540|title=The 20 worst songs of the '00s|last=Milton|first=Jamie|work=NME|date=17 October 2017|accessdate=22 June 2024}}</ref>
For [[Yahoo! Music]], Dan Gennoe had a more positive review of the song, calling it "a cunningly perfect piece of pop."<ref name="Yahoo">{{cite web|last=Gennoe|first=Dan|url=http://uk.launch.yahoo.com/060617/33/20bji.html|title= Sandi Thom - 'Smile…It Confuses People' |date=17 June 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070310085916/http://uk.launch.yahoo.com/060617/33/20bji.html|archive-date=10 March 2007|access-date=23 June 2024|url-status=dead}}</ref> Similarly, [[RTÉ]] music critic Linda McGee defended Thom against popular backlash: "...truth be known, there aren't many of us who haven't wished that we could be transported to another time or place at some point in our lives."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rte.ie/arts/2006/0710/thoms.html|title=Sandi Thom - Smile... It Confuses People|publisher=[[RTÉ]]|date=10 July 2006|last=McGee|first=Linda|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080127025522/http://www.rte.ie/arts/2006/0710/thoms.html|archive-date=27 January 2008|url-status=dead }}</ref> Andy Gill of ''[[The Independent]]'' said the song was "original enough to merit its success, but hardly enough to carry an entire album".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://enjoyment.independent.co.uk/music/reviews/article752179.ece|title=Album: Sandi Thom|last=Gill|first=Andy|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060701073743/http://enjoyment.independent.co.uk/music/reviews/article752179.ece|work=The Independent|date=9 June 2006|archive-date=1 July 2006|url-status=dead|access-date=23 June 2024 }}</ref> In the 2006 [[The Record of the Year|Record of the Year]] online poll, "I Wish I Was a Punk Rocker" finished eighth out of 10 nominees.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.roty2006.com/component/option,com_poll/Itemid,0/task,results/id,1/|title=Results|publisher=Record of the Year|year=2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070228225355/http://www.roty2006.com/component/option,com_poll/Itemid,0/task,results/id,1/|archive-date=28 February 2007|url-status=dead|access-date=29 October 2024}}</ref>
Thom was criticized by several recording artists, including [[Lily Allen]], [[the Fratellis]], and [[the Automatic]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.crossrhythms.co.uk/articles/music/Sandi_Thom_No_longer_a_punk_rocker_with_flowers_in_her_hair/34711/p1/|title=Sandi Thom: No longer a punk rocker with flowers in her hair|last=Cummings|first=Tony|website=[[Cross Rhythms]]|date=2 January 2009|access-date=6 June 2018}}</ref> [[James Frost]] and [[Robin Hawkins]] from the Automatic stated that "If she was a punk rocker with flowers in her hair she'd get the shit kicked out of her by other punk rockers."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/totp/news/news/2006/06/27/33252.shtml|title=Monster Stink|publisher=[[BBC]]|date=27 June 2006|access-date=2007-12-12|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080109230814/http://www.bbc.co.uk/totp/news/news/2006/06/27/33252.shtml|archive-date=9 January 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref>
==Chart
The song was released on 3 October 2005 by Viking Legacy Records, reaching number 55 in the [[UK Singles Chart]].<ref name="uk"/><ref>{{cite magazine|title=New Releases: Singles|magazine=[[Music Week]]|page=33|date=1 October 2005}}</ref> It was re-released in May 2006 on [[Sony BMG]]'s [[RCA Records]] label, selling 39,797 copies in the week ending 3 June 2006, enough to reach number one on the [[UK Singles Chart]], replacing [[Gnarls Barkley]]'s "[[Crazy (Gnarls Barkley song)|Crazy]]" following a nine-week run.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/singles-chart/20060604/7501/|title=Official Singles Chart Top 100|publisher=[[Official Charts Company]]|date=4 June 2006|access-date=18 October 2021}}</ref> It spent one week at the top spot and went on to be the UK's fifth-best-selling single of the year.<ref name="ukye"/> The single also spent 10 weeks at number one in Australia, where it finished the year as the country's highest-selling single.<ref name="aus"/><ref name="ausye"/> It received a double platinum certification from the [[Australian Recording Industry Association]].<ref name="aria"/>
==Music video==
The music video was shot in [[Bethnal Green]] in London and is [[List of one-shot music videos|all one shot]].
==Track listings==
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
'''UK CD1 (2005)'''<ref>{{cite AV media notes|title=I Wish I Was a Punk Rocker (With Flowers in My Hair)|others=[[Sandi Thom]]|year=2005|type=UK CD1 liner notes|publisher=Viking Legacy|id=VIKINGS03}}</ref>
# "I Wish I Was a Punk Rocker (With Flowers in My Hair)" – 2:30
# "Little Remedy" – 3:01
'''UK CD2 (2005)'''<ref>{{cite AV media notes|title=I Wish I Was a Punk Rocker (With Flowers in My Hair)|others=Sandi Thom|year=2005|type=UK CD2 liner notes|publisher=Viking Legacy|id=VIKINGS04}}</ref>
# "I Wish I Was a Punk Rocker (With Flowers in My Hair)" – 2:30
# "Something in the Air" – 4:15
# "No More Heroes" – 2:46
# "I Wish I Was a Punk Rocker (With Flowers in My Hair)" (video)
'''UK 7-inch single (2006)'''<ref>{{cite AV media notes|title=I Wish I Was a Punk Rocker (With Flowers in My Hair)|others=Sandi Thom|year=2006|type=UK 7-inch single sleeve|publisher=[[RCA Records]], [[Sony BMG]], Viking Legacy|id=82876843427}}</ref>
:A. "I Wish I Was a Punk Rocker (With Flowers in My Hair)" (radio mix) – 2:31
:B. "No More Heroes" – 2:46
'''UK CD1 (2006)'''<ref>{{cite AV media notes|title=I Wish I Was a Punk Rocker (With Flowers in My Hair)|others=Sandi Thom|year=2006|type=UK CD1 liner notes|publisher=RCA Records, Sony BMG, Viking Legacy|id=82876849532}}</ref>
# "I Wish I Was a Punk Rocker (With Flowers in My Hair)" (radio mix) – 2:31
# "A Light as Bright as Ours" – 3:55
{{col-2}}
'''UK CD2 and Australian CD single (2006)'''<ref>{{cite AV media notes|title=I Wish I Was a Punk Rocker (With Flowers in My Hair)|others=Sandi Thom|year=2006|type=UK CD2 & Australian CD single liner notes|publisher=RCA Records, Sony BMG, Viking Legacy|id=82876843422}}</ref>
# "I Wish I Was a Punk Rocker (With Flowers in My Hair)" (radio mix) – 2:33
# "I Wish I Was a Punk Rocker (With Flowers in My Hair)" (album version) – 2:31
# "I Wish I Was a Punk Rocker (With Flowers in My Hair)" (Mutiny's Rockers & Lovers mix) – 3:02
# "May You Never" – 3:45
# "I Wish I Was a Punk Rocker (With Flowers in My Hair)" (video) – 2:39
'''European CD single (2006)'''<ref>{{cite AV media notes|title=I Wish I Was a Punk Rocker (With Flowers in My Hair)|others=Sandi Thom|year=2006|type=European CD single liner notes|publisher=RCA Records, Sony BMG, Viking Legacy|id=88697061592}}</ref>
# "I Wish I Was a Punk Rocker (With Flowers in My Hair)" (album version) – 2:31
# "A Light as Bright as Ours" – 3:55
# "I Wish I Was a Punk Rocker (With Flowers in My Hair)" (Mutiny's Rockers & Lovers mix) – 3:04
{{col-end}}
==Charts==
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
===Weekly charts===
{|class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
!scope="col"|Chart (2006–2007)
!scope="col"|Peak<br/>position
|-
{{single chart|Australia|1|artist=Sandi Thom|song=I Wish I Was a Punk Rocker (With Flowers in My Hair)|rowheader=true|refname="aus"}}
|-
{{single chart|Austria|27|artist=Sandi Thom|song=I Wish I Was a Punk Rocker (With Flowers in My Hair)|rowheader=true}}
|-
{{single chart|Wallonia Tip|13|artist=Sandi Thom|song=I Wish I Was a Punk Rocker (With Flowers in My Hair)|rowheader=true}}
|-
!scope="row"|Europe ([[European Hot 100 Singles|Eurochart Hot 100]])<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/00s/2006/BB-2006-06-17.pdf|title=Hits of the World – Eurocharts|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|volume=118|issue=24|page=81|date=17 June 2006|access-date=26 July 2020}}</ref>
|4
|-
{{single chart|France|8|artist=Sandi Thom|song=I Wish I Was a Punk Rocker (With Flowers in My Hair)|rowheader=true}}
|-
{{single chart|Germany|16|artist=Sandi Thom|song=I Wish I Was a Punk Rocker (With Flowers in My Hair)|songid=210747|rowheader=true}}
|-
{{single chart|Ireland2|1|song=I Wish I Was a Punk Rocker|rowheader=true|access-date=20 January 2020}}
|-
{{single chart|Dutch100|56|artist=Sandi Thom|song=I Wish I Was a Punk Rocker (With Flowers in My Hair)|rowheader=true}}
|-
{{single chart|New Zealand|3|artist=Sandi Thom|song=I Wish I Was a Punk Rocker (With Flowers in My Hair)|rowheader=true}}
|-
{{single chart|Scotland|1|date=20060603|rowheader=true}}
|-
{{single chart|Sweden|3|artist=Sandi Thom|song=I Wish I Was a Punk Rocker (With Flowers in My Hair)|rowheader=true}}
|-
{{single chart|Switzerland|62|artist=Sandi Thom|song=I Wish I Was a Punk Rocker (With Flowers in My Hair)|rowheader=true}}
|-
{{single chart|UKsinglesbyname|1|artist=Sandi Thom|artistid=17483|rowheader=true|access-date=14 April 2021|refname="uk"}}
|}
{{col-2}}
===Year-end charts===
{|class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
!scope="col"|Chart (2006)
!
|-
!scope="row"|Australia (ARIA)<ref name="ausye">{{cite web|url=https://www.aria.com.au/charts/2006/singles-chart|title=ARIA Top 100 Singles for 2006|publisher=[[Australian Recording Industry Association|ARIA]]|access-date=14 April 2021}}</ref>
|1
|-
!scope="row"|Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/charts/yearendcharts/european_hot_100_singles.jsp|title=European Hot 100 Songs|magazine=Billboard|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071114134432/http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/charts/yearendcharts/european_hot_100_singles.jsp|archive-date=14 November 2007|access-date=9 January 2022}}</ref>
|57
|-
!scope="row"|Germany (Media Control GfK)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.offiziellecharts.de/charts/single-jahr/for-date-2006|title=Top 100 Single–Jahrescharts 2006|publisher=[[GfK Entertainment]]|language=de|access-date=6 June 2018}}</ref>
|100
|-
!scope="row"|Ireland (IRMA)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.irma.ie/#verticalTab11|title=Best of Singles 2006|publisher=[[Irish Recorded Music Association|IRMA]]|access-date=6 June 2018}}</ref>
|6
|-
!scope="row"|New Zealand (RIANZ)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://aotearoamusiccharts.co.nz/archive/annual-singles/2006-12-31|title=End of Year Charts 2006|publisher=[[Recorded Music NZ]]|access-date=26 July 2020}}</ref>
|19
|-
!scope="row"|Sweden (Hitlistan)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sverigetopplistan.se/chart/43?dspy=2006&dspp=1|title=Årslista Singlar, 2006|publisher=[[Sverigetopplistan]]|language=sv|access-date=26 July 2020}}</ref>
|align="center"|26
|-
!scope="row"|UK Singles (OCC)<ref name="ukye">{{cite web|url=http://www.officialcharts.com/charts/end-of-year-singles-chart/20060108/37501/|title=End of Year Singles Chart Top 100 – 2006|publisher=[[Official Charts Company]]|access-date=6 June 2018}}</ref>
|align="center"|5
|}
{|class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
!scope="col"|Chart (2007)
!scope="col"|Position
|-
!scope="row"|France (SNEP)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://snepmusique.com/les-tops/le-top-de-lannee/top-singles-annee/?annee=2007|title=Tops de L'année {{!}} Top Singles 2007|publisher=[[Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique|SNEP]]|language=fr|access-date=26 July 2020}}</ref>
|align="center"|64
|}
===Decade-end charts===
{|class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
!scope="col"|Chart (2000–2009)
!
|-
!scope="row"|Australia (ARIA)<ref name="ARIA end of Decade">{{cite web|url=https://www.ariacharts.com.au/annual-charts/2009/end-of-decade-singles-chart|title=2009 ARIA End of Decade Singles Chart|publisher=ARIA|date=January 2010|access-date=16 January 2020}}</ref>
|34
|}
{{col-end}}
==Certifications==
{{Certification Table Top}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Australia|type=single|award=Platinum|number=2|relyear=2006|certyear=2007|refname="aria"}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Sweden|type=single|award=Gold|relyear=2005|certyear=2006}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=single|artist=Sandi Thom|title=I Wish I Was a Punk Rocker (With Flowers in My Hair)|award=Gold|relyear=2005|certyear=2006|id=3169-3201-1|access-date=2 June 2021}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true}}
==References==
{{Reflist}}
==External links==
* {{YouTube|tLyw7jytykE|"I Wish I Was a Punk Rocker (With Flowers in My Hair)"}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20150906034044/http://www.metrolyrics.com:80/i-wish-i-was-a-punk-rocker-with-flowers-in-my-hair-lyrics-sandi-thom.html "I Wish I Was a Punk Rocker (With Flowers in My Hair)" lyrics] on [[MetroLyrics]] (archived)
{{Sandi Thom}}
{{Authority control}}
[[Category:Songs about punk]]
[[Category:2005 debut singles]]
[[Category:2005 songs]]
[[Category:2006 singles]]
[[Category:
[[Category:
[[Category:
[[Category:RCA Records singles]]
[[Category:Sandi Thom songs]]
[[Category:Sony BMG singles]]
[[Category:UK singles chart number-one singles]]
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