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The Power (Snap! song)

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"The Power" is a song by German Eurodance group Snap!, released as their debut single. It was released on 3 January 1990 by Ariola and Arista as the lead single from their debut studio album, World Power (1990). The song reached number one in Greece, the Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, the UK and Zimbabwe, as well as on the US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play and Hot Rap charts. On the Billboard Hot 100, "The Power" managed to reach number two for one week. In 2022, Rolling Stone featured it in their list of the "200 Greatest Dance Songs of All Time".[4]

"The Power"
Single by Snap!
from the album World Power
B-side"Remix"
Released3 January 1990[1]
Genre
Length
  • 3:47 (single version)
  • 5:45 (album version)
Label
Songwriter(s)
  • Benito Benites
  • John "Virgo" Garrett III
  • Toni C.
Producer(s)Snap!
Snap! singles chronology
"The Power"
(1990) 		"Ooops Up"
(1990)
Music video
"The Power" on YouTube

Background

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Written and produced by Michael Münzing and Luca Anzilotti (under the pseudonyms Benito Benites and John "Virgo" Garrett III), "The Power" went through several renditions. The original version was released on 3 January 1990 through Logic Records in Germany and contains samples from "Let the Words Flow" by Chill Rob G, "Love's Gonna Get You" by Jocelyn Brown,[5] and "King of the Beats" by Mantronix.[6] Despite it becoming an early 1990 hit in Germany and appearing on the Dance Singles chart in the UK,[7] none of the credited vocals were cleared, and Stu Fine, former owner of Wild Pitch Records, wanted to release the song in the United States. Rob G, who was signed to Wild Pitch, consented, initially thinking the deal could be lucrative for his career. Wild Pitch issued a stateside single and video with his lyrics from "Let the Words Flow" on 5 March 1990.[8][9] However, this version was credited under Power Jam and not Snap!.

Simultaneously, Arista Records wished to release their own edition in the US, but because it was not legally possible for the label to simply reissue the original German single, it was decided to re-record the entire track with new lyrics by rapper Durron Butler, known as Turbo B, and additional vocals by Penny Ford.[10] The samples were then all legally cleared and the song was finally re-released under the new name Snap! on 12 March 1990 in the UK[11] and 6 April 1990 in the US,[12] despite the fact that Jocelyn Brown had commenced legal action because of the unauthorized sampling of her vocals.[5]

This song is written in the key of B minor,[13] and opens with the spoken Russian "Американская фирма Transceptor Technology приступила к производству компьютеров „Персональный спутник" (meaning "The American company Transceptor Technology has started production of the 'Personal Companion' computer"). "Personal Companion" was a computer-like device for the blind and visually impaired. Released in 1990, it was controlled by voice and could, among other functions, automatically download articles from USA Today by a built-in modem. It was made by Transceptor Technologies of Ann Arbor, Michigan.[14]

Critical reception

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Bill Coleman from Billboard wrote, "Thanks to a healthy buzz generated via underground import attention, this hypnotic, street-soul jam should have no trouble duplicating its smash U.K. success. Expect big crossover action."[15] Ernest Hardy from Cash Box noted that the song is "set against a basic hip-hop beat, but all sorts of computer-generated enhancements are added, as well as a great bassline, soul-drenched female vocals, a male rap that sounds a bit like Heavy D, and, depending on the mix, elements of house. Yet none of it seems forced or contrived, and it doesn't sound quite like anything else that's out there right now. This one will be huge."[16] Complex magazine described it as "a more industrial take on the hip-house scene that blew up" at that time the song was released.[17]

Tom Ewing of Freaky Trigger remarked that the song "juggles aggression and melancholy, and makes both immediately appealing – the juddering riff which opens "The Power" set against the slow pace and lonesome spaciousness of the production and Pennye Ford's vocals. The riff is more distinctive than the singing, to be honest, but the contrast works."[18] Pan-European magazine Music & Media commented that a "funky hip-hop rhythm, sampled from Doug Lazy's 'Let It Roll' has been matched with some forceful rapping by Turbo B and inspired gospel vocals on the chorus. Excellent warm production by Benito Benites, John Garrett III and Snap. Could be the next big thing from the Continent."[19] A reviewer from The Network Forty described it as "a very hip and cool" rap song, "with a modern edge".[20] The magazine also added that the "power charged rap-dance"[21] does "crackles and pops with enough irresistible energy".[22]

Chart performance

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"The Power" proved to be very successful on the charts worldwide. It peaked at number-one on both the RPM Dance/Urban chart in Canada and the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart in the US. In Europe, the single peaked at number-one in Greece, the Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland and the UK, as well as on the Eurochart Hot 100. In the UK, it hit the top spot in its second week at the UK Singles Chart, on March 25, 1990.[23] It spent two weeks at the top of the chart. Additionally, "The Power" made it into the top 10 also in Austria, Belgium, Finland, West Germany, Ireland, Italy, Norway, Portugal and Sweden. Outside Europe, it peaked at number-one in Zimbabwe, number two on both the Billboard Hot 100 and the Cash Box Top 100 in the US, number six in New Zealand and number thirteen in Australia.

The single earned a gold record in Australia (35,000), Germany (250,000), the Netherlands (75,000), Sweden (25,000) and Switzerland (25,000), and a silver record in the UK (200,000). In Spain (50,000) and the US (1,000,000), it was awarded with a platinum record.

Impact and legacy

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In 2010, Pitchfork included "The Power" in their list of "Ten Actually Good 90s Jock Jams".[24] In 2017, BuzzFeed ranked it number 38 in their list of "The 101 Greatest Dance Songs of the '90s".[25] In 2019, Billboard placed it at number 179 in their "Billboard's Top Songs of the '90s".[26] In July 2020, digital publication The Pudding carried out a study on the most iconic songs from the '90s and songs that are most known by Millennials and the people of Generation Z. "The Power" was the seventh song with the highest recognisability rate.[27] In 2022, Classic Pop ranked it number three in their list of the top 40 dance tracks from the 90's,[28] while Rolling Stone ranked it number 188 in their "200 Greatest Dance Songs of All Time".[4] In 2023, Time Out ranked it number 19 in their "The 100 Best Party Songs Ever Made".[29] In 2024, Billboard ranked "The Power" number 59 in their "The 100 Greatest Jock Jams of All Time", writing, "Definitive early ’90s techno-rap, digestible as an iconic four-word soundbite."[30]

Track listings

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Charts

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Certifications

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[58] Gold 35,000^
Germany (BVMI)[71] Gold 250,000^
Netherlands (NVPI)[72] Gold 75,000^
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[73] Platinum 50,000^
Sweden (GLF)[74] Gold 25,000^
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[75] Gold 25,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[11] Silver 200,000^
United States (RIAA)[12] Platinum 1,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Covers, samples and remixes

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The song was covered in 2002 by H-Blockx. Turbo B featured in the song taking turns to rap lyrics with H-Blockx's then frontman Dave Gappa. Of note, Turbo B replaces the word 'Snap!' with 'H-blockx' in the line "If they are Snap! don't need the police to try to save them". The single charted at number 48 in Germany, number 51 in Austria and number 34 in Australia.[76] In Australia, this version was used to promote the Seven Network's coverage of the 2002 Commonwealth Games.[77]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Snap! – The Power" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
  2. ^ Amter, Charlie (9 November 2010). "'Euro-hop' music invades America". CNN. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
  3. ^ Henderson, Alex. "Hip-House". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 9 November 2010.
  4. ^ a b Dolan, Jon; Lopez, Julyssa; Matos, Michaelangelo; Shaffer, Claire (22 July 2022). "200 Greatest Dance Songs of All Time". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 30 October 2022.
  5. ^ a b "Jocelyn Brown discusses her voice behind SNAP's record "The Power" on BBC1 TV Interview". 13 August 2009. Archived from the original on 13 December 2021. Retrieved 30 March 2014 – via YouTube.
  6. ^ Saunders, Cherie (31 March 2020). "It's Gettin' Kinda Hectic! 1990 Anthem 'The Power' Reached No. 1 on This Day (EUR Video Throwback)". EURweb. Retrieved 15 August 2021.
  7. ^ "Top Dance Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 24 February 1990. p. 17. Retrieved 15 August 2021 – via World Radio History.
  8. ^ Chill Rob G (20 December 2006). "Chill Rob G Interview Part 1". Unkut (Interview). Interviewed by Robbie.
  9. ^ "James Hamilton Column" (PDF). Music Week. 17 March 1990. p. 16. Retrieved 15 August 2021 – via World Radio History.
  10. ^ Blatt, Wendy (12 May 1990). "'Power' Play Ensues Over Hit: Snap, Chill Rob G, Have Rival Versions" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 102, no. 19. p. 34. ISSN 0006-2510 – via World Radio History.
  11. ^ a b "British single certifications – Snap – The Power". British Phonographic Industry.
  12. ^ a b "American single certifications – Snap – The Power". Recording Industry Association of America.
  13. ^ "The Power by Snap! – Digital Sheet Music". Alfred Music. 27 April 2015. Retrieved 6 June 2021 – via Musicnotes.com.
  14. ^ Feinsilber, Mike (20 June 1989). "For the Blind, a Device That Obeys Spoken Commands and Speaks Back". Associated Press News (Press release). Retrieved 10 July 2016.
  15. ^ Coleman, Bill (21 April 1991). "Single Reviews > Dance" (PDF). Billboard. p. 69.
  16. ^ Hardy, Ernest (5 May 1990). "On the dancefloor" (PDF). Cash Box. p. 10. Retrieved 21 February 2018.
  17. ^ Nappy (12 July 2013). "15 Songs That Gave Dance Music a Good Name". Complex. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
  18. ^ Ewing, Tom (11 November 2010). "Snap! – "The Power"". Freaky Trigger. Retrieved 6 March 2020.
  19. ^ "Previews: Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 7, no. 8. 24 February 1990. p. 12. Retrieved 22 February 2018.
  20. ^ "Top 40: The Next 40" (PDF). The Network Forty. 25 May 1990. p. 31. Retrieved 21 March 2020.
  21. ^ "Top 40: The Next 40" (PDF). The Network Forty. 15 June 1990. p. 32. Retrieved 21 March 2020.
  22. ^ Galloway, A. Scott (11 May 1990). "Crossover: Urban Jams" (PDF). The Network Forty. p. 50. Retrieved 21 March 2020.
  23. ^ a b "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
  24. ^ "A Feature About Nothing > The 1990s in Lists > Ten Actually Good 90s Jock Jams". Pitchfork. 2010. Retrieved 8 December 2022.
  25. ^ Stopera, Matt; Galindo, Brian (11 March 2017). "The 101 Greatest Dance Songs of the '90s". BuzzFeed. Retrieved 31 March 2020.
  26. ^ "Greatest of All Time: Billboard's Top Songs of the '90s". Billboard. 2019. Retrieved 1 May 2022.
  27. ^ Daniels, Matt (July 2020). "Defining the '90s Music Canon". The Pudding. Archived from the original on 31 July 2020. Retrieved 16 April 2022.
  28. ^ "90s Dance – The Essential Playlist". Classic Pop. 21 February 2022. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
  29. ^ Doyle, Ella; Lawrence, India; Taylor, Henrietta; Manning, James; Kryza, Andy; Lukowski, Andrzej; Levine, Nick; Waywell, Chris (28 July 2023). "The 100 Best Party Songs Ever Made". Time Out. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
  30. ^ Billboard Staff (8 February 2024). "The 100 Greatest Jock Jams of All Time". Billboard. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
  31. ^ "Snap! – The Power". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
  32. ^ "Snap! – The Power" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
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  34. ^ "Top RPM Dance/Urban: Issue 7978." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 12 May 2015.
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  36. ^ Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin - levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN 978-951-1-21053-5.
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  38. ^ "Top 3 Singles in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 7, no. 26. 30 June 1990. p. VII. Retrieved 22 March 2018.
  39. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Snap!". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
  40. ^ "Top 3 Singles in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 7, no. 30. 28 July 1990. p. VII. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
  41. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 15, 1990" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
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  45. ^ "Top 10 Sales in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 1, no. 3. 19 January 1991. p. 24. Retrieved 22 March 2018.
  46. ^ Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (in Spanish) (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
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  48. ^ "Snap! – The Power". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
  49. ^ "Top Dance Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 7 April 1990. p. 16. Retrieved 5 September 2023 – via World Radio History.
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  51. ^ "Cash Box Top 100 Pop Singles – Week ending AUGUST 18, 1990". Cash Box. Archived from the original on 7 October 2012.
  52. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Snap! – The Power" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
  53. ^ Kimberley, Chris (2000). Zimbabwe : Zimbabwe Singles Chart Book. Harare.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  54. ^ "Snap: The Power 96" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
  55. ^ "Snap! feat. Einstein – The Power – Remix '96" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 26 July 2021.
  56. ^ "Snap! feat. Einstein - The Power '96". Dutchcharts.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved 25 July 2021.
  57. ^ "Snap! feat. Einstein – The Power '96". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
  58. ^ a b "Australian Top 100 Singles Chart 1990". ARIA. Retrieved 22 November 2019 – via Imgur.
  59. ^ "Jahreshitparade 1990" (in German). Austriancharts.at. Hung Medien. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
  60. ^ "Jaaroverzichten 1990" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
  61. ^ "Top 50 Dance Tracks of 1990". RPM. Vol. 53, no. 6. Library and Archives Canada. 22 December 1990. Retrieved 25 June 2018.
  62. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles: 1990" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 7, no. 51. 22 December 1990. p. 36. Retrieved 15 January 2020.
  63. ^ "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1990" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
  64. ^ "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1990" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Hung Medien. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
  65. ^ "End of Year Charts 1990". Recorded Music New Zealand. Retrieved 1 July 2017.
  66. ^ "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1990" (in German). Hitparade.ch. Hung Medien. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
  67. ^ "1990 Top 100 Singles". Music Week. London, England: Spotlight Publications. 2 March 1991. p. 41.
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  70. ^ "Top 100 Singles–Jahrescharts 1990" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 10 February 2021.
  71. ^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Snap; 'The Power')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
  72. ^ "Dutch single certifications – Snap – The Power" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers. Enter The Power in the "Artiest of titel" box. Select 1990 in the drop-down menu saying "Alle jaargangen".
  73. ^ Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  74. ^ "Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 1987−1998" (PDF) (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 May 2011.
  75. ^ "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards ('The Power')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien.
  76. ^ "australian-charts.com – H Blockx feat. Turbo B – The Power". Australian-charts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
  77. ^ "Seven Network 2002 Commonwealth Games Ident - July 2002". Rewind the Cassette. YouTube. 5 September 2015. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
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