This Arctic Monkeys song picked as Sheffield’s best anthem is about to sound totally different – here’s how

But the track is about to sound very different.

The BBC Philharmonic orchestra, an 80-piece ensemble of strings, woodwind, brass and percussion, has been tasked with creating a cover version of frontman Alex Turner’s composition after it was nominated by Radio Sheffield listeners as the city's ‘local anthem’.

Musicians have just two weeks to adapt and perform the song, recording their parts in their own homes because of social distancing restrictions.

The results will be played on Toby Foster's Radio Sheffield breakfast show on August 7 before being added to the Great Northern Playlist, a virtual mixtape made up of one tune from each of the North’s 10 BBC local radio stations. Each track on the playlist, accessible via the BBC Sounds service, will be interpreted by the Philharmonic.

Formed in High Green in 2002, Arctic Monkeys’ first album Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not became the fastest-selling debut in UK chart history in 2006.

I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor featured on the LP and was the group’s first proper single. It reached number one on the UK singles chart in 2005, and was performed by the band at the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympics.

Hundreds of nominations were submitted to Radio Sheffield to find a ‘local anthem’ – the winner was picked by Foster, who said he ‘can’t wait’ to hear the Philharmonic’s work.

"Arctic Monkeys created a buzz in Sheffield’s music scene and became a national sensation,” said the broadcaster.

Simon Webb, director of the BBC Philharmonic which has been playing in the North for nearly a century, admitted that adapting the track would be ‘a challenge’ for his musicians, but added: “Hearing an Arctic Monkeys hit will be amazing.”

The Great Northern Playlist will also be the subject of a special edition of BBC Radio 2’s Sunday Night Is Music Night show on August 16.

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