Take Me Away (Culture Beat song)

"Take Me Away" is a song recorded by German Eurodance band Culture Beat, released in June 1996 by Dance Pool as the third single from their third studio album, Inside Out (1995). The song was co-written by band member Jay Supreme and became a hit in many countries, particularly in Finland where it reached number six. It was also a top-20 hit in Belgium, and a top-30 hit in Germany, Iceland and Sweden. Outside Europe, the song peaked at number four on the Canadian Dance/Urban chart and number 39 on the US Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales chart. The accompanying music video for "Take Me Away" was directed by Nikolas Mann[1] and first aired in September 1996. A CD maxi with new remixes was also available, but it was marketed at the same time as the other media.

"Take Me Away"
Single by Culture Beat
from the album Inside Out
B-side"Hamana"
Released14 June 1996
Recorded1995
GenreEurodance
Length
  • 3:55 (radio edit)
  • 6:59 (extended version)
LabelDance Pool
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Cyborg (Tracks: 1,2,3,4,5,6)
  • Nino Tielman
  • Peter Gräber (Track: 7)
Culture Beat singles chronology
"Crying in the Rain"
(1996)
"Take Me Away"
(1996)
"Walk the Same Line"
(1996)
Alternative cover
CD-Maxi - Remixes

Critical reception

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Shawnee Smith, of Billboard magazine gave the song a mixed review, saying that while the song "hasn't moved far beyond that formula [of "Mr. Vain"]", lead singer Tania Evans is "quite the charmer, and producer/writer Cyborg has a way with hooks that is hard to resist."[2] Simon Price from Melody Maker wrote, "When Culture Beat's Tania Evans, in her saddest Rose Royce (Euro rhyming slang), sings, I...I hope I am your type, it says more to me about party fears and disco paranoia than The Smiths "How Soon Is Now" ever did."[3]

Track listings

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Charts

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Weekly chart performance for "Take Me Away"
Chart (1996-97)[4] Peak
position
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[5] 39
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[6] 15
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[7] 28
Canada Dance/Urban (RPM) 4
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[8] 59
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista) 6
Germany (Media Control Charts) 26
Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)[9] 29
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40 Tipparade)[10] 3
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[11] 48
Scotland (OCC)[12] 59
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[13] 24
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[14] 33
UK Singles (OCC) 52
US Billboard Hot 100[15] 111
US Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales (Billboard)[16] 39

References

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  1. ^ "Culture Beat: Take me away". Mvdbase.com. Retrieved 21 October 2018.
  2. ^ Billboard, 22 March 1997. Page 82
  3. ^ Price, Simon (21 September 1996). "Singles". Melody Maker. p. 54. Retrieved 17 May 2024.
  4. ^ "Take Me Away", in various Singles Chart Lescharts.com (Retrieved 10 February 2008)
  5. ^ "Culture Beat – Take Me Away" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 18 May 2024.
  6. ^ "Culture Beat – Take Me Away" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 18 May 2024.
  7. ^ "Culture Beat – Take Me Away" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 18 May 2024.
  8. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 13, no. 31. 3 August 1996. p. 14. Retrieved 1 May 2018.
  9. ^ "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (20.06.1997-26.06.1997)" (PDF) (in Icelandic). Dagblaðið Vísir - Tónlist. Retrieved 5 February 2018.
  10. ^ "Culture Beat - Take Me Away" (in Dutch). top40.nl. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
  11. ^ "Culture Beat – Take Me Away" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 18 May 2024.
  12. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100 22 September 1996 - 28 September 1996". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 30 April 2018.
  13. ^ "Culture Beat – Take Me Away". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 18 May 2024.
  14. ^ "Culture Beat – Take Me Away". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 18 May 2024.
  15. ^ Inc, Nielsen Business Media (26 July 1997). Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. {{cite book}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  16. ^ Inc, Nielsen Business Media (26 July 1997). Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. {{cite book}}: |last= has generic name (help)