The Different Shades of Be My Lover

Released in March 1995, ‘Be My Lover’ was the follow-up to La Bouche’s ‘Sweet Dreams.’ It was the second single for the group. Regarded as a classic, it was one of the giant hits of the time that defined eurodance. Topping the charts in Italy, Sweden and Germany, it also managed to break the Billboard Hot 100’s top ten. In addition, it was a No.1 dance hit there.

La Bouche – Be My Lover

As with many eurodance acts, La Bouche had Germany as its home base (despite its French-sounding name where ‘la bouche’ means the mouth). Lane McCray came from North Carolina, while singer Melanie Thornton came from South Carolina. They both met in Saarbrücken, which borders France. Just like Haddaway, Captain Hollywood and Sydney Youngblood, McCray did military service in Germany. Thornton was an entertainer and vocalist on various dance-pop recordings.

Frank Farian, the producer most famous for Milli Vanilli, discovered the couple as part of the band Groovin’ Affairs. Collaborating on ‘Be My Lover,’ the duo founded La Bouche.

The track has been a pop cultural favorite appearing in movies such as Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion (1997), A Night at the Roxbury (1998) as well as the Brazilian soap opera A Próxima Vitima.

In 2000, Melanie Thornton left for a solo career thus being replaced by the singer Natascha Wright. Numerous covers have been made. In 2003, Hysterie covered it while Inna sampled the track for her album Party Never Ends in 2013. Most recently, Sam Feldt incorporate the track on a new version with Alex Schulz.

Sam Feldt x Alex Schulz – Be My Lover

 

 

5 Things You Didn’t Know About Roxette’s It Must Have Been Love

25 years have passed since the premiere of Pretty Woman, which took the then unknown Julia Roberts to level of an international super star. The soundtrack included Roxette’s ‘It Must Have Been Love,’ which rose to No.1 on the Billboard Hot 100 back in June 1990.

While many people listened and have grown to love the track, these facts might be new.

1 Pretty Woman was named 3 000 Dollars

Roxette couldn’t have asked for a better timing. Per Gessle and Marie Fredriksson had suddenly reached international stardom when ‘The Look’ climed to the top of the US chart during the spring of 1989. Disney/Touchstone Pictures approached the duo and asked them to write a song for the movie 3 000 Dollars, a romantic comedy about a rich business man falling in love with a charming and carefree hooker.

2 ‘It Must Have Been Love’ Was an Old Christmas Hit

As ‘Listen to Your Heart’ rose to No.1 and the whole world was screaming for Roxette in the summer of 1989, there was simply no time for the duo to pen another song. Instead, they offered the studio the three year old yuletide song ‘It Must Have Been Love (Christmas for the Broken Hearted).’ The song was released in Sweden in December 1987, finally peaking at No.4 in January 1998. While ‘Listen to Your Heart’ was a hit during the fall of 1989, director Garry Marshall realized that Roexette had delivered the key theme to the movie – if only he could get rid of the Christmas references in the lyrics.

Roxette – It Must Have Been Love (Christmas for the Broken Hearted)

 

3 The Song and the Movie Changed

Roxette was tempted to be included in a big Hollywood production, re-writing the lyrics and recorded a new version of the track. An updated version was sent to L.A. as the movie changed its name to Pretty Woman. On the 13th June, 1990, Roxette topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart for a third time. That’s within a year! In addition, both ‘Dangerous’ and ‘Dressed for Success’ peaked at No.2.

Roxette – It Must Have Been Love (Theme from Pretty Woman)

 

4 ‘It Must Have Been Love’ Passed the 5m Mark in 2014

Last year, Per Gessle received the “Million Air Award,” since ‘It Must Have Been Love’ passed more than 5m radio airplays in the US. This had previously been performed by ‘Listen to Your Heart.’

5 Parlophone/Warner Re-issues a Digital Version of ‘It Must Have Been Love’ Today

A digital version of ‘It Must Have Been Love’ is re-iussed today (23rd March) and a newly pressed 7 inch single (limited edition) will be released on 6th May. During the US tour in 1992, Roxette re-recorded ‘It Must Have Been Love’ in Los Angeeles. It was then mixed with a live recording and included on the ‘Tourism’ album in 1992. This is the first time it will be available in an edited version as a bonus track on the album. And as Roxette continues touring across the world, we sure know that love – is by far not over.

 

The Story Behind Mark ’Oh’s Smash Tears Don’t Lie

Mark ’Oh
Mark ’Oh’s ‘Tears Don’t Lie.’

One of the greatest rave and EDM tracks of the 1990s is no doubt ‘Tears Don’t Lie.’ Recorded by German DJ Mark ’Oh, the track became a HUGE hit in Sweden and Germany where it topped the charts. Née Marko Albrecht, he was born in the German town Dresden in 1970.

Rising to fame as a Eurodance DJ and producer, Mark ’Oh actually started out in the rock band Line Up. Turning Marko to Mark ’Oh, the DJ chose rave over rock.

In 1993, he charted with ‘Randy (Never Stop That Feeling).’ Taken off the debut album Never Stop That Feeling, the set included the aforementioned title track, ‘Love Song’ and ‘Tears Don’t Lie.’

Mark ’Oh – Tears Don’t Lie

Samples Michael Holm’s ‘Tränen lügen nicht’

‘Tears Don’t Lie’ became a massive hit in Germany and Sweden in 1994/1995. The track was inspired by Michael Holm’s ‘Tränen lügen nicht.’ According to WhoSampled, Michael Holm’s sample is found after 1:11 minutes. But hey, wasn’t this track an Italian track from the beginning? Actually, there are plenty of stories behind this prime rave track.

Michael Holm – Tränen lügen nicht

Let’s take it from the beginning. In 1974, ‘Soleado’ was released by Daniel Sentacruz Ensemble. This composition contained no words and was composed by Ciro Dammico with the artist name of “Zacar.” ‘Soleado’ was, in its way, based on the composition ‘Le rose blue’ from 1972.

Daniel Sentacruz Ensemble – Soleado

The Michael Holm song was recorded the very same year as ‘Tränen lügen nicht,’ but it was also available in French by Mireille Mathieu (‘On ne vit pas sans se dire adieu,’ 1975). It was made to fame in an English version by Johnny Mathis in 1976 with the title ‘When a Child Is Born.’

In Sweden, Mark ’Oh’s ‘Tears Don’t Lie’ spent two weeks atop the Swedish singles chart, amassing 15 weeks in total on the chart. A remix version peaked at No.18 just weeks after, concluding the DJ’s run of hits in 1996 as his cover of Visage’s ‘Fade to Grey’ peaked at No.45.

Shout-Out to Texas – The Summer (Son) Is Here

Summer is here
The Texas hit broke in August 1999, becoming a top five hit in the UK

Bring out the caipirinhas as summer has officially arrived. To honor the moment, let’s revisit a track that was unappreciated (at least in Sweden) when it arrived in 1999. Scottish alternative rock band Texas, released ‘Summer Son’ as the second single off The Hush. The track did was heavily debated, due to the hot video below.

The single featured remixes by both Todd Terry and Giorgio Moroder, becoming a dancefloor hit as well and peaked at No.5 in the UK (it only made it to No.31 in Sweden).

 

 Summer Son – Texas

The Hush was Texas’s fifth album, eventually logging 43 weeks on the UK Album chart where it peaked at No.1. ‘Summer Son’ followed ‘In Our Lifetime,’ a No.4 hit which was also included on Notting Hill soundtrack accompanying the movie with Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts.

In Our Lifetime – Texas

The alternative rock group formed in 1986. Sharleen Spiteri is the lead vocalist. They actually took their name form Wim Wender’s movie Paris, Texas.The debut hit came in 1989 with ‘I Don’t Want a Lover,’ taken off the album Southside. The track became an international hit.

Biggest hit to date is ‘Say What You Want’ from 1997 (No.3). It was re-issued in 1998 in a remixed version featuring The Wu Tang Clan.

Say What You Want – Texas

They’re back with the new album The Conversation, the title track is currently No.73 on the singles chart.

The Conversation – Texas

‘The Converstion’ climbed 104-73 in its second week and sits just behind Swedish Robin Stjernberg’s ‘You’ (at No.72).

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...