Goldfrapp’s first single, 2000’s “Lovely Head,” taken from their debut album Felt Mountain (it’s also the lead-off number), is one of my favorite, favorite songs. The whole Shirley Bassey/John Barry meets Ennio Morricone vibe, the catchy forlorn whistling melody—and the lyrics, those haunting, disturbing lyrics…

It starts in my belly
Then up to my heart
Into my mouth I can’t keep it shut
Do you recognize the smell
Is that how you tell
Us apart

...well, it’s pretty much the perfect pop song in my book. I can’t think of a stronger, more deliriously delicious way for Goldfrapp’s vision to have been unleashed on the world than with “Lovely Head.” Will Gregory’s impeccable arrangement is topped off with the black cherry of Alison Goldfrapp’s absolutely otherworldly dripping-with-weltschmerz mega-diva vocal performance. It’s genius stuff. (Here’s a link to the original Wolfgang Tillmans-directed music video).

But here’s the thing: I’ve listened to this song hundreds upon hundreds of times—many of them in the past week, just ask my long suffering wife!—but it wasn’t until I got the live Wonderful Electric DVD that I realized what I have long thought was a deftly executed Theremin solo, was, in fact, Alison Goldfrapp’s voice being manipulated by a vintage monophonic analog synthesizer, the Korg MS-20.

In the stunning live rendition of “Lovely Head”—shot at Somerset House in London in 2004—that starts below at 9:42, watch what happens when Alison Goldrapp grabs the second microphone. It’s a real showstopper and yet it’s only the third song in the set. The entire concert is an absolute knock out from start to finish. Highly recommended.