Chloroform

Chloroform is a slightly hazardous organic compound with an acrid, sickly sweet smell and taste, which sends people off to sleep. The Scottish obstetrician, Dr. James Simpson, discovered its anesthetic properties in 1847 during an experiment with friends. The first baby to be delivered by chloroform was one Wilhelmina Carstairs, however it was only when Queen Victoria allowed herself to be chloroformed by Dr. John Snow to diminish the pains of childbirth when giving birth to her seventh child, Prince Leopold, that it became an established anesthetic. We recommend that you don't use chloroform at home as it does does cause some unwanted side effects. After waking, chloroformed patients often suffer from dizziness, brutal headaches, and bouts of vomiting. Phoenix vocalist Thomas Mars is singing on this slinky ballad of a cruel, toxic love with the numbing properties of chloroform.

The pastoral, dreamlike performance video was directed by Mars' film-maker wife, Sophia Coppola (Lost In Translation, The Virgin Suicides). Speaking about the clip, Coppola explained: "I wanted it to be a fantasy of young girls fixated on a band they love and try to capture that feeling I remember of seeing bands when I was a kid, when you could totally lose it… and to play up the band as close but out of reach. It's a fantasy audience, all young, pretty girls."