"Let the Music (Lift You Up)" is a song by British house music group Loveland featuring singer Rachel McFarlane, released in 1994 as their debut single. It is a cover of a song by American singer Darlene Lewis and some of the single releases also featured both versions. The Loveland version was included on their only album, The Wonder of Love (1995), and peaked at number 16 on the UK Singles Chart. It also reached number-one on both the UK Dance Singles Chart and the UK Club Chart, and won the Best Dance Record of the Year award at the Silver Clef Award.[1]
"Let the Music (Lift You Up)" | ||||
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Single by Loveland featuring Rachel McFarlane | ||||
from the album The Wonder of Love | ||||
B-side | "Loveland's Theme" | |||
Released | 1994 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 3:29 | |||
Label |
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Songwriter(s) |
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Producer(s) | Loveland | |||
Loveland featuring Rachel McFarlane singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"Let the Music (Lift You Up)" on YouTube |
Critical reception
editLarry Flick from Billboard wrote, "Virtually flawless disco/house number is poised to glide from atop U.K. dance charts onto stateside dancefloors within seconds. Track pumps a heavy beat, which is tied in flowing ribbons of strings and horns. Rachel McFarlane provides a bright flash of diva belting, proving her moxie by holding her own against a busy, effect-filled arrangement. Rhythm/crossover radio tastemakers are advised to open their minds and ears."[2] Andy Beevers from Music Week declared it as a "huge house track from Manchester".[3] He added, "The Full On Vocal Mix, with its pounding pianos and hackneyed lyrics, is undeniably old-fashioned and is about as cheesy as a lorryload of Wotsits. But it comes with a guarantee to create absolute mayhem on all but the most elite of dancefloors."[4] James Hamilton from the Record Mirror Dance Update felt that the Loveland cover version of the Darlene Lewis song is "much more exciting".[5] Mark Sutherland from Smash Hits gave it two out of five, viewing it as "a routine rave-up stomper by some blokes you've never heard of that will nonetheless "storm" the charts."[6] Another Smash Hits editor, Emma Cochrane, felt it "was pretty good".[7]
Track listing
edit- 12", Europe (1994)
- "Let the Music (Lift You Up)" (Full On Vocal Radio Edit)
- "Let the Music (Lift You Up)" (Full On Vocal Extended Mix)
- "Let the Music (Lift You Up)" (Bottom Dollar Big Room Dub)
- "Loveland's Theme"
- CD single, France (1994)
- "Let the Music (Lift You Up)" (Full On Vocal Radio Edit) — 3:29
- "Let the Music (Lift You Up)" (Big Room Dub) — 5:40
- CD maxi, US (1994)
- "Let the Music (Lift You Up)" (Full On Vocal Mix) — 6:14
- "Let the Music (Lift You Up)" (Bottom Dollar Remix) — 5:34
- "Let the Music (Lift You Up)" (Publicly Executed Dub) — 6:32
- "Let the Music (Lift You Up)" (Big Room Dub) — 5:40
- "Loveland's Theme" — 4:13
Charts
edit
Weekly chartseditDarlene Lewis version
Loveland version
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Year-end chartseditLoveland version
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References
edit- ^ "Dance music meets classical at intu Trafford Centre's spectacular Christmas lights switch-on". ilovemanchester.com. Retrieved 14 May 2021.
- ^ Flick, Larry (2 July 1994). "Single Reviews: New & Noteworthy". Billboard. p. 84.
- ^ Beevers, Andy (2 April 1994). "Market Preview: Dance - Single of the Week". Music Week. p. 13.
- ^ Beevers, Andy (5 March 1994). "Hot Vinyl". Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental insert). p. 7.
- ^ Hamilton, James (19 March 1994). "Dj directory". Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental insert). p. 7.
- ^ Sutherland, Mark (30 March 1994). "New Singles". Smash Hits. p. 53. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
- ^ Cochrane, Emma (12 October 1994). "New Singles". Smash Hits. p. 63. Retrieved 8 October 2024.
- ^ "The RM Club Chart". Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert). 26 March 1994. p. 8.
- ^ "Loveland ARIA chart history". ARIA. Retrieved 26 July 2024 – via Imgur.com. N.B. The High Point number in the NAT column represents the release's peak on the national chart.
- ^ "Eurochart Hot 100". Music & Media. 30 April 1994. p. 14.
- ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100 03 April 1994 - 16 April 1994". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
- ^ "Dance Singles". Music Week. 16 April 1994. p. 28.
- ^ "The RM Club Chart". Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental insert). 12 March 1994. p. 4.
- ^ "The RM Club Chart of the Year". Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert). 24 December 1994. p. 10.