"Dirty Paws" is a song written and recorded by Icelandic band Of Monsters and Men for their debut studio album, My Head Is an Animal. It is the opening track and the title of the album comes from a line in the song, and was released as its second single in April 2012 in the United Kingdom, Ireland and Europe. The lyrics describe a war among animals, launched by the bees, but won by an alliance of animals against them.

"Dirty Paws"
Single by Of Monsters and Men
from the album My Head Is an Animal
Released12 April 2012
Recorded2011–12
Genre
Length4:38
LabelUniversal
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Of Monsters and Men
  • Aron Arnarsson
Of Monsters and Men singles chronology
"Little Talks"
(2011)
"Dirty Paws"
(2012)
"Mountain Sound"
(2012)
Lyric video
"Dirty Paws" on YouTube

It was featured in the trailer and soundtrack to The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.

Lyric video

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A lyric video to the song was released in 2014. The video features a large two-legged creature carrying a flag through an Icelandic mountainscape, with squadrons of phoenix-like birds flying in the sky. It fits with the lyrics of the song, "The sky wasn't big enough for them all" and "The birds, they got help from below."

Track listing

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CD / digital download
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Dirty Paws"
  • Nanna Bryndís Hilmarsdóttir
  • Ragnar Þórhallsson
4:38

Charts

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Weekly charts

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Chart (2012–14) Peak
position
Canada Rock (Billboard)[1] 19
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[2] 35
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[3] 75
US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (Billboard)[4] 24
US Rock Airplay (Billboard)[5] 25

Year-end charts

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Chart (2014) Position
US Hot Rock Songs (Billboard)[6] 98

Certifications

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[7] Platinum 60,000
United Kingdom (BPI)[8] Silver 200,000
United States (RIAA)[9] Platinum 1,000,000

Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

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  1. ^ "Of Monsters and Men Chart History (Canada Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved February 18, 2015.
  2. ^ "Of Monsters and Men – Dirty Paws". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved June 4, 2014.
  3. ^ "Of Monsters and Men – Dirty Paws". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved December 21, 2014.
  4. ^ "Of Monsters and Men Chart History (Hot Rock & Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved June 4, 2014.
  5. ^ "Of Monsters and Men Chart History (Rock Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved June 4, 2014.
  6. ^ "Hot Rock Songs: Year End 2014". Billboard. Retrieved December 21, 2014.
  7. ^ "Brazilian single certifications – Of Monsters and Men – Dirty Paws" (in Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
  8. ^ "British single certifications – Of Monsters & Men – Dirty Paws". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 17 July 2020.
  9. ^ "American single certifications – Of Monsters & Men – Dirty Paws". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 19 October 2023.