"5 Colours in Her Hair" is the debut single by English pop rock band McFly. It was also the band's first UK number one. It stayed at the top for two weeks. The song was written by Tom Fletcher, James Bourne, Danny Jones and Ben Sargeant. The track is especially well known for its "Doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo!" lyrics, played at the beginning and at the ending of the song. The CD and 7-inch formats features a duet with Busted singing a cover of the Kinks song "Lola".
Overall, it spent twelve weeks in the UK Singles Chart. It also reached number seven in Ireland. The song was inspired by Susan Lee, a character played by actress Emily Corrie in the TV series As If, who wore coloured dreadlocks.[1][2] The music itself is indebted to 1960s surf and beat music. The song was also nominated for The Record of the Year in 2004, but finished in second place just one point behind the winner, "Thunderbirds / 3AM" by Busted.
McFly shot the video for their debut single "5 Colours in Her Hair" just after Christmas 2003. Simon Amstell recorded an interview and footage behind the scenes for Channel 4 music show, Popworld. The video begins by introducing the band members in a comical style, by getting Danny and Dougie's names wrong. It also features the band messing around at various different scenes, but telling the overall main story about a girl with 5 colours in her hair, who was miserable and living in a black and white world. She then follows them into the TV where she joins the band in a club setting where the band are playing to a crowd. They also shoot various well known scenes as a tribute to their main influences including the Beatles and the Beach Boys. The video was shot in front of a green screen. It stars Molly Portsmouth as the 'Girl with 5 Colours in Her Hair'.
A rerecorded pop punk version of the song appeared on the Just My Luck album, McFly's debut album in the US. It also features minor lyrical alterations. The song was included on the "Please, Please" single release in the UK, as well as on the All the Greatest Hits deluxe fan edition.[3] It would go on to be the default way they would perform the song live.
^5 Colours in Her Hair (UK CD2 liner notes). McFly. Island Records, Universal Records. 2004. MCSXD 40357, 986 627-0.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^5 Colours in Her Hair (UK 7-inch picture disc sleeve). McFly. Island Records, Universal Records. 2004. MCS40357, 986 627-1.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^5 Colours in Her Hair (Japanese CD single liner notes). McFly. Island Records, Universal Records. 2004. UICI-5015.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
