11 Facts About "Murder On The Dancefloor" AKA *THAT* Naked "Saltburn" Song

"Murder on the Dancefloor" by Sophie Ellis-Bextor was first released in 2001, but it's now back in a major way thanks to a notable inclusion in Saltburn.

🚨 Warning: This post contains major spoilers for the film Saltburn. 🚨

Emerald Fennell, the director of Saltburn, has a knack for taking aughts pop songs and giving them a new life. She notably did this with Paris Hilton's song "Stars Are Blind" in her 2020 film Promising Young Woman. And she's done it again with her latest and much discussed film, Saltburn.

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The film, which is shocking some audiences and leading to a whole bunch of discourse, ends with a memorable scene: Oliver (Barry Keoghan) dances naked through the English countryside estate he's acquired in some not-so-savory ways from his former friend Felix (Jacob Elordi).

Chiabella James / © MGM / Courtesy Everett Collection

The song he's dancing to is none other than "Murder on the Dancefloor" by singer Sophie Ellis-Bextor.

MGM / Courtesy Everett Collection

Sophie first released the infectious pop song to much success in 2001. Now, thanks to the song's notable and lengthy feature in Saltburn, it's having a revival.

MGM / Courtesy Everett Collection

So, if you're wondering what's the deal with *that* song from *that* scene, here are 11 facts about the hit that's back in a huge way:

1. "Murder on the Dancefloor" was very popular when it first came out in 2001.

2001 Polydor Ltd / YouTube / Via youtube.com

The song peaked at No. 2 on Britain's Official Singles Chart in 2001. 

2. Like Oliver dancing to the song in Saltburn, Sophie released "Murder" while ushering in a new era.

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"I felt like pop was a place I could have my cake and eat it," she told British GQ earlier this month, noting the release of the pop song came after her indie band Theaudience broke up. "You could take indie sensibility and dance beats, and when you sing on top of it, you’re in a disco-dance-pop environment, and there are loads of sweets in that. After my band split up, I thought that'd be the end of my singing career. I must have been 21 when I recorded 'Murder,' and my girlfriends really liked it."

3. The music video chronicles Sophie deceptively winning a dance competition by secretly harming her competitors.

2001 Polydor Ltd / YouTube / Via youtube.com

Kind of sounds like Oliver's plot to own the Saltburn estate by killing off much of Felix's family, doesn't it?

4. Emerald Fennell's final idea for the song's inclusion in Saltburn apparently came after production started.

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“It was just Oliver walking through the house," Polly Bennett, the film's choreographer, told Vulture in December. "Then one day I was on set doing another piece of movement, and I popped in to see Emerald, and she said, ‘Oh, I’ve got an idea for the end. It involves a dance routine: He’s going to dance through the house to 'Murder on the Dancefloor.''"

5. "Murder" was the only song Emerald Fennell wanted for the scene.

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"It had to be a moment of utter jubilant triumph," Emerald told Ireland's Entertainment.ie in November. "It had to be a moment that made us, the audience, completely complicit in all murder of terrible things. [It] had to have post-coital joy and sort of also [a] little camp streak that I think this film also doesn't shy away from. So it could never be anything but 'Murder on the Dancefloor.' It's too good to be true."

6. Sophie knew ahead of time her song would be part of the nude dancing sequence.

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"I didn't really know exactly how it would play in terms of the role it was in the movie until I saw it at the screening, but I absolutely loved it," she told People in December. "I think it's such a clever, funny, smart film. I really enjoyed it."

7. Sophie first watched Saltburn with her mom...and 19-year-old son.

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"I wasn't worried about my mum; I was worried about how my son was feeling about being between his mum and his grandma while he's watching all these scenes," she told the BBC earlier this month, before noting, "But he was fine. He was like, 'That was in my top 10 favourite films I've ever seen.'"

8. She performed the song at the film's LA premiere in November.

@sophieellisbextor/Instagram / Via instagram.com

"Saltburn premiere, Los Angeles. Came to sing and Dj with @richardjonesface at the party, and had such a brilliant trip. Half Hollywood glamour, half touristy fun. Perfect! Congratulations to Emerald Fennell on her incredible film and what a pleasure to meet the talented cast too @archmadekwe @jacobelordi @keoghan92 🖤 Now go and watch the film and tell me if you can ever hear Murder on the Dancefloor the same way again….," she captioned her post.

9. The song is soaring (again) on the charts.

2001 Polydor Ltd / YouTube / Via youtube.com

"Murder on the Dancefloor" went to No. 8 on this year's first Official Singles Chart. BBC reported the song had its best day ever on Spotify this past New Year's Eve.

10. "Murder on the Dancefloor" has turned into a (somewhat controversial) TikTok trend of people running around their homes dancing, like Oliver. Sophie even got in on the trend, too. You can watch her TikTok here, and she's even wearing horns in the video, like Oliver did when attending the Midsummer Night's Dream Party.

OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images

11. Finally, Sophie still loves the song all these years later.

Variety / Variety via Getty Images

"I’m always very connected to my music, and one thing I’ve always loved about my work is its ability to surprise me," Sophie told Official Charts earlier this month. "'Murder on the Dancefloor' is a song I’ve been singing for 20 years, and I’m on really good terms with it. I love singing it, I love performing it, and what’s happening at the moment is kind of magical, actually."