Robot Wars (Android Love)

Robot Wars(Android Love)
Cover of the single CD release
Production Information
Label	Polydor Records
CD Release Date	18 December 2000 (Standard and Limited Edition singles)
Cassette Release Date	18 December 2000
Streaming Release Date	13 May 2022 (Mech+, music video)
Music Information
No. of Discs/Tapes	1
Length	3:52 (original track + music video) 5:10 (12" Instrumental) 5:03 (Jewels & Stone Mix)
ASIN	B000055Z9S

"Robot Wars (Android Love)" (also simply referred to as "Android Love") was a single and music video credited to "Sir Killalot v Robo Babe", produced during the original run of Robot Wars. Released by Polydor Records on 18 December 2000 - coinciding with the first UK airings of The Fourth Wars - the single was available as a standard CD, a cassette and a limited-edition enhanced CD.

In addition to the original song and an instrumental version (also found on the cassette), the limited-edition CD also came with a "Jewels and Stone" mix and a set of four "cut-out and stand-up" robots, as well as some additional interactive content. This content included the music video, lyrics and a link to the original Robot Wars website, as well as a wallpaper and various other images of Sir Killalot.

The backing track for "Robot Wars (Android Love)" is based on the soundtrack for the original series, composed by John Waddell and Will Parnell. One source credits Waddell and Parnell as composers for the song, although it is unknown whether they also wrote the lyrics. The song also contains various famous quotes from original Robot Wars director and announcer Stuart McDonald.

On 13 May 2022, Mech+ streamed a digitally-restored HD version of the "Android Love" music video, its release coinciding with the Grand Final of that year's Eurovision Song Contest. The remastered version would also be uploaded by the official Robot Wars Facebook page on 31 January 2024, though the video is currently not accessible on the updated Mech+ service.

Track Listing (Limited Edition CD)

Track	Title	Length
1	Robot Wars (Android Love)	3:52
2	Robot Wars (Android Love) (12" Instrumental)	5:10
3	Robot Wars (Android Love) (Jewels & Stone Mix)	5:03
4	Robot Wars (Android Love) (CD ROM Video)	3:52

Track Listing (Cassette)

Track	Title	Length
1	Robot Wars (Android Love)	3:52
2	Robot Wars (Android Love) (12" Instrumental)	5:10

Lyrics

Sir Killalot vs Robo Babe - Robot Wars (Android Love)

3, 2, 1, Activate!/You know you cannot win, don't ya?
T-Minus Countdown,
All systems ready for combat.
Activate section 5.
Sir Killalot.

Push button, remote control,
Hammers to androids, ready to roll,
With a smash from Sgt. Bash,
Mashed by the death - metal,
Sir Killalot's got a plot, about to unsettle,
The sacrificial program on a silicon slaughter,
Electro-armour plated devastated kinda torture,
The war on wheels, the iron and steel,
Reel round to pound you down,
Make you gonna feel, the end is nigh.

(3, 2, 1, Activate!)

Don't let the arms of war enclose you,
When you can let desire enfold you,
Love circuitry, it dominates me,
My program's pleasure made the she-droid
Yes, I was only built to please,
What's happening to me?
Brought to my knees, is this Android Love.

Contact, combat, counterattack,
Download photo of the droid I lack,
Under the fire of the wire we charge,
Under the orders of Robo-Sarge,
Large up the laser, let the combat be,
That's the way that they programmed me,
Burn to return to yearn for my lady of sin,
Let the passion begin,
I see your circuits searin'
You're worse for wearin'
I shatter your shell, I can hear your hull tearing,
Sir Killalot, he's got a lust for maiming,
There ain't any claiming,
I'm heading for failure,
In full regalia, on fire, wire,
The funeral pyre, gets higher,
Higher, that's where you fit,
He's put him in the fire pit!

(3, 2, 1, Activate!)

Don't let the arms of war enclose you,
When you can let desire enfold you,
Love circuitry, it dominates me,
My program's pleasure made the she-droid
Yes, I was only built to please,
What's happening to me?
Brought to my knees, is this Android Love.

Activate section 5,
Resistance is futile.

(3, 2, 1, Activate!)
Too late sucker!
Let combat commence, let the battle begin,
Let combat commence, let the battle begin,
Let combat commence, let the battle begin,
Which robot's gonna win?
Let combat commence, let the battle begin,
Let combat commence, let the battle begin,
Let combat commence, let the battle begin,
Which robot's gonna win?
(Cease!)

This is DV-8: The Love Droid,
Loading pleasure program: 69,
Relax all defense mechanisms,
You're now entering, the Pleasure Zone,
Resistance is futile!

Don't let the arms of war enclose you,
When you can let desire enfold you,
Love circuitry, it dominates me,
My program's pleasure made the she-droid
Yes, I was only built to please,
What's happening to me?
Brought to my knees, is this Android Love.

Deactivate Robots!
Cease!

Music Video

The accompanying music video depicts three eponymous 'Robo Babes' dancing in a darkened room with flames and mist effects, the design of which loosely resembles the Robot Wars arena. The lead dancer also provides vocals for the song's chorus and final verse. Clips of this are interspersed with shots of Sir Killalot being activated and driven through darkened rooms and corridors by a mysterious man (described in the Robot Wars Magazine as a 'mad scientist'), who is also watching the 'Robo Babes' through a set of CCTV monitors. Initially receptive to his "driver's" commands, Sir Killalot proceeds through the mist-filled building in search of a "Lovedroid", at one point knocking a door down to aid his progress.

Following the second chorus, Sir Killalot detects the "Lovedroid" and is briefly depicted to "dance" in the same room as the 'Robo Babes' themselves. Entering another darkened corridor, the House Robot sets off multiple explosions as his systems begin to "malfunction". Sir Killalot enters the room where his "driver" has been desperately attempting to regain control of him. Under the command to "terminate", he closes his claw in front of the "driver's" obscured face, after which the "driver" slumps in his chair and loses hold of his transmitter.

Reception

The single generally gathered a negative reception upon its initial release, with some reviews criticising the song for having very few connections to Robot Wars itself. It peaked at 51 on the UK singles chart on 30 December 2000, staying in the top 100 for only 4 weeks.

Trivia

• The three Robo Babes in the music video were played by Emily Vincent, Kelly Allen and Jane Victory.
• According to Issue 6 of the original Robot Wars Magazine, the music video was filmed in a studio in St Albans, Hertfordshire, the same city in which Series 4 would be filmed.

• The same magazine also revealed that the mist effects were achieved using dry ice, and that both Tom Gutteridge and Chris Reynolds were involved in key elements of the video's production.

• Italian-dubbed versions of the Classic Series (including episodes aired by La7) played the song over the ending credits of each episode instead of the usual Robot Wars theme music. The Italian dub of the Series 3 Grand Final (at least) even used a clip from the end of the music video.
• The song with original vocals is also known to have been used for the Cardiff leg of the 2001 Live Event tour. During BBC Wales Today's reports on the event, an extract can be heard in the background during their interview with Craig Charles.
• Between 2013 and 2016, the instrumental version was frequently played as battle music for the opening fight of the former Robot Wars live events, hosted by Roaming Robots. Prior to this, the track was also used during Roaming Robots events held under their own brand names.
• The backing track of the song bears quite a resemblance to that of "I Feel Love" by Donna Summer.
• The main riff of the song is sampled from the 1977 song Give Me Love by Cerrone
• In the interactive CD given away with the first issue of the original Robot Wars Magazine, a brief sample of the song with alternative dialogue was used for the 'Virtual Training' minigame.
• A sample of the instrumental version was used in Series 1, Episode 5 of the sitcom Phoenix Nights, which featured a Robot Wars tournament as one of its main plot points.

Cover of the Limited Edition CD

The Limited Edition CD, with the four "cut-out and stand up" robots

Cassette tape front cover and side A

Cassette tape back cover and side B

A promo CD sleeve for Android Love, showing all three tracks and their run times

A Desktop Wallpaper which comes with the CD

The Main Menu for the CD

Lyrics feature on the CD

External Links

• 'Android Love - Robo Babe', UK Robot Wars Facebook
• Sir Killalot Vs Robo Babe - Android Love (music video) on Mech+