EVERYTHING BUT THE GIRL – MISSING

Publicada: 8 d’agost de 1994; 16 d’octubre de 1995 (remix de Todd Terry)

Llistes: Regne Unit: #3  EUA: #2

“Missing” és una cançó d’Everything but the Girl publicada el 1994 al seu àlbum d’orientació acústica “Amplified Heart”. Escrita per Tracey Thorn i Ben Watt, el duo britànic que s’havia conegut com a estudiants a la Universitat de Hull i que més tard es van casar, el single va entrar inicialment de manera modesta a les llistes. Pocs podrien haver predit que la cançó — tranquila, desolada i discreta — es convertiria en un fenomen mundial de música dance un any més tard. La seva transformació en un èxit global després del remix de Todd Terry no només canviaria el futur del grup, sinó que ajudaria a impulsar la música electrònica cap al pop mainstream a una escala massiva.

La versió original de “Missing” és escassa i íntima: un lament lent i suaument palpitant construït al voltant de la producció apagada de Watt i de la veu inconfusiblement freda i ferida de Thorn. Va ser escrita durant un període de turbulència personal per a la parella — Watt havia sobreviscut recentment a la malaltia autoimmune potencialment mortal síndrome de Churg–Strauss, una crisi que va donar una claredat emocional crua a la seva composició.

Però va ser el remix house de Todd Terry de 1995 el que va catapultar “Missing” a la consciència internacional. Hipnòtic i irresistiblement propulsiu, la versió de Terry va reencuadrar la malenconia de Thorn en quelcom preparat per a la pista de ball. “La va portar en una direcció realment forta del house de Nova York”, va recordar Thorn, la seva simplicitat convertint-se en el seu poder. A Watt també li va agradar la transformació: “El mix de Todd va ser un moment clau… La gent va decidir que havia de ser un èxit.”

Aquest instint del públic va resultar encertat. El remix va arribar al Top 10 gairebé a tot arreu, assolint el número 1 a Alemanya, Itàlia i Canadà, i arribant al número 2 als Estats Units. També es va convertir en el primer senzill de la història que va passar 55 setmanes ininterrompudes a les llistes dels EUA. Irònicament, Blanco y Negro, el segell britànic del duo, els havia acomiadat poc després de la publicació d’”Amplified Heart”, completament inconscient que estaven a punt de perdre el major èxit de la carrera del grup.

Entre bastidors, el camí no va ser sense friccions. Todd Terry va admetre més tard que el grup inicialment no estava segur sobre el remix, creient que no encaixava amb la seva imatge. “Nosaltres vam lluitar perquè el disc sortís”, va dir. “Hi crèiem.” La història va validar la seva convicció: el remix es va convertir en la versió definitiva, tot i que molts fans devots encara prefereixen la bellesa fràgil de l’original.

El videoclip que l’acompanya, dirigit per Mark Szaszy, reflecteix el sentit de desig de la cançó — Thorn i Watt ocupen el mateix apartament però apareixen emocionalment distants, deambulant per Balham i Clapham South com si orbitessin en un passat desaparegut.

EVERYTHING BUT THE GIRL - MISSING

Released: August 8, 1994; October 16, 1995(Todd Terry remix)

Charts: UK: #3  US: #2 

“Missing” is a song by Everything but the Girl released in 1994 on their acoustic-leaning album “Amplified Heart”. Written by Tracey Thorn and Ben Watt, the British duo who had met as students at the University of Hull and later married, the single was initially a modest chart entry. Few could have predicted that the song — quiet, desolate, and understated — would become a worldwide dance phenomenon a year later. Its transformation into a global hit following Todd Terry’s remix would not only reshape the band’s future but help push electronic music into mainstream pop on a massive scale.

The original version of “Missing” is sparse and intimate: a slow, gently pulsing lament built around Watt’s muted production and Thorn’s unmistakably cool, wounded vocal. It was written during a period of personal upheaval for the pair — Watt had recently survived the life-threatening autoimmune illness Churg–Strauss syndrome, a crisis that lent a raw emotional clarity to their songwriting. 

But it was Todd Terry’s 1995 house remix that catapulted “Missing” into the international consciousness. Lean, hypnotic, and irresistibly propulsive, Terry’s version reframed Thorn’s melancholy into something dancefloor-ready. “He took it in a really strong New York house direction,” Thorn recalled, its simplicity becoming its power. Watt, too, loved the transformation: “Todd’s mix was a serendipitous moment… The people decided it should be a hit.”

That public instinct proved right. The remix reached the Top 10 nearly everywhere, hitting No. 1 in Germany, Italy, and Canada, and soaring to No. 2 in the United States. It also became the first single in history to spend an uninterrupted 55 weeks on the US charts. Ironically, Blanco y Negro, the duo’s UK label, had dropped them shortly after Amplified Heart was released, entirely unaware they were about to lose the biggest hit of the band’s career.

Behind the scenes, the journey wasn’t frictionless. Todd Terry later admitted the group was initially unsure about the remix, believing it didn’t fit their image. “We fought for the record to come out,” he said. “We believed in it.” History validated his conviction: the remix became the definitive version, though many devoted fans still prefer the original’s fragile beauty.

The accompanying music video, directed by Mark Szaszy, mirrors the song’s sense of longing — Thorn and Watt occupy the same apartment yet appear emotionally estranged, drifting through Balham and Clapham South as though orbiting a vanished past.

 

JOHN MELLENCAMP - LONELY OL’ NIGHT

Released: August, 1985

Charts:  US: #6 

“Lonely Ol’ Night” was released as the lead single from “Scarecrow” and quickly became one of John Mellencamp’s most memorable rock ballads, climbing to No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 and dominating the Top Rock Tracks chart at No. 1 for five weeks. Though “Scarecrow” is often remembered for its political spine and its fierce defense of American farmers, this song stands out as one of the album’s intimate, emotional counterweights—proof that Mellencamp’s gift for storytelling extended far beyond social commentary.

While “Scarecrow” marked Mellencamp’s shift toward songs of activism—like “Rain on the Scarecrow” and “You’ve Got to Stand for Somethin’”—“Lonely Ol’ Night” harks back to his earlier work. It revisits the romantic yearning and cinematic heartland imagery that fueled earlier hits such as “Ain’t Even Done with the Night.” Instead of addressing national issues, this track narrows its focus to the personal: two lonely people trying to find connection in a world that feels increasingly isolating. 

The song’s title and central refrain were inspired by the 1963 Paul Newman film “Hud”. In the movie, Brandon De Wilde remarks, “It’s a lonesome old night, isn’t it?” to which Newman replies, “Ain’t they all?” Mellencamp lifted the exchange and transformed it into a hook that feels simultaneously cinematic and deeply American. This wasn’t his only nod to Hud: In 1987’s “Paper in Fire,” Mellencamp borrowed another line—“We keep no check on our appetites.” 

There’s also a musical homage tucked in: “He’s singing about standing in the shadows of love…”—referring to the Four Tops’ “Standing in the Shadows of Love,” a song that peaked at the exact same chart position “Lonely Ol’ Night” eventually reached: No. 6.

Much like “Jack & Diane,” which Mellencamp famously reshaped through the years, “Lonely Ol’ Night” has taken on many different forms in concert. He frequently slows it down to highlight the ache and restlessness at the core of the lyric, turning it from a mid-tempo radio hit into something closer to a confession.

JOHN MELLENCAMP - I SAW MOMMY KISSING SANTA CLAUS

Released: October 12, 1987

Album: A Very Special Christmas

When John Mellencamp—then performing as John Cougar Mellencamp—recorded “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus” in 1987, he wasn’t just reviving a 1950s novelty tune. He was giving it a complete heartland overhaul. First released in 1953 by 13-year-old Jimmy Boyd, the song had long been treated as a sugary Christmas trifle. Mellencamp, at 36, transformed it into something far different: a ragged, rootsy, good-natured holiday romp, bursting with acoustic textures, backing vocals, and Lisa Germano’s unmistakable fiddle work.

Rather than leaning into the childlike innocence of the original, Mellencamp treated the song as a spirited barroom sing-along. His gravelly voice, combined with the organic warmth of his Lonesome Jubilee-era band, gives the track a distinctly Americana flavor. It’s playful without being precious, festive without being saccharine.

The recording took place during the Lonesome Jubilee sessions—a period when Mellencamp was deep into his exploration of folk instrumentation and social realism. The same musical DNA that shaped songs like “Paper in Fire” and “Check It Out” runs through this holiday detour, making it unmistakably his.

Mellencamp’s contribution was part of “A Very Special Christmas”, the first in what would become a groundbreaking charity album series organized by producer Jimmy Iovine. The project honored Iovine’s late father, and 100% of the proceeds supported the Special Olympics. Mellencamp agreed immediately—long before he’d even collaborated with Iovine. Born with spina bifida, Mellencamp had undergone risky neurosurgery as a newborn. In later interviews, he often reflected on how close he came to lifelong paralysis—an experience that shaped his empathy for children with disabilities. Supporting Special Olympics was a natural fit. “When they asked me to do it,” he said, “it was like, ‘Well sure.’”

Though he famously declined to join Live Aid and wasn’t part of “We Are the World,” Mellencamp was never shy about championing causes he truly believed in—most famously as a co-founder of Farm Aid. His involvement in the Christmas album was another example of that selective, yet passionate, activism.

The recording wasn’t the only thing Mellencamp brought home. On December 11, 1987, during his tour stop at Market Square Arena in Indianapolis, he shot a charming music video for the song. A film crew was already there to capture a post-show performance of “Check It Out,” and thousands of fans stuck around to be part of the shoot. The video also contains a sweet personal touch: Mellencamp’s 6-year-old daughter, Teddi Jo, takes the mic at the end of the track—mirroring the youthful voice featured in the original 1953 version. 

SOUL II SOUL - BACK TO LIFE (HOWEVER DO YOU WANT ME)

Publicació: 30 de maig de 1989

Llistes: Regne Unit: núm. 1 (4 setmanes) · EUA: núm. 4

L’any 1989, un col·lectiu de DJs, cantants i músics liderats per Jazzie B va sorgir de la cultura dels sound systems londinencs per redefinir el rumb de la música negra britànica. Amb la seva barreja de R&B, reggae, soul i cultura de club, Soul II Soul no només feien èxits: estaven forjant una nova identitat per a la música dance i soul del Regne Unit en l’escena mundial.

La lletra, coescrita per Caron Wheeler, té un pes espiritual amagat darrere del ritme de pista de ball. Wheeler va explicar que la va escriure després d’una experiència propera a la mort, canalitzant la seva confusió i el seu diàleg amb una força superior: “However do you want me? What do you need from me?” (“Com em vols? Què necessites de mi?”). Al disc, però, aquestes paraules es lliuren amb una força radiant, transformant el dolor en alliberament. Per a Jazzie B, el missatge era més ampli: una crida universal a desempallegar-se de les pressions, trobar inspiració i—literalment—tornar a la vida.

Quan va sortir l’àlbum “Club Classics Vol. One” (editat com Keep On Movin’ als EUA), els fans que esperaven grooves complets es van sorprendre en trobar “Back to Life” en una versió a cappella. Virgin Records, intuïnt el potencial del tema, va pressionar per aconseguir una versió més completa. Jazzie B i el productor Nellee Hooper van agafar la veu nua de Wheeler, la van envoltar amb un bucle de bateria alentit extret de “The Jam” (1975) de Graham Central Station, i hi van afegir una orquestració exuberant a càrrec de la Reggae Philharmonic Orchestra. El resultat va ser hipnòtic—part groove de carrer, part himne espiritual.

Publicada el 30 de maig de 1989, “Back to Life (However Do You Want Me)” es va convertir en un fenomen mundial: núm. 1 al Regne Unit, núm. 1 a les llistes R&B i Dance dels EUA, i Grammy a la Millor Interpretació R&B per un Duo o Grup amb Veu (1990).

El videoclip combinava realisme urbà amb estil eteri, mostrant el grup en escenaris industrials, ballarins amb vestimenta afrocentrista i Wheeler projectant alhora elegància i autoritat. Els visuals de Soul II Soul esdevingueren tan icònics com els seus ritmes—part del que els va convertir en una força cultural, a més de musical.

El ritme de “Back to Life” va sonar amb força a l’inici dels noranta: el seu breakbeat i el seu groove es van convertir en plantilla per a temes com “Close to You” de Maxi Priest o “Hold On” d’En Vogue, entre molts altres. Assenyalava cap a la fusió de R&B i hip-hop, mentre que les seves textures exuberants anticipaven el trip-hop i el neo-soul. Quan Soul II Soul es van reunir el 2007, Wheeler tornava a ser al micròfon, prova de com la seva veu és inseparable del llegat del grup.

SOUL II SOUL - BACK TO LIFE (HOWEVER DO YOU WANT ME)

Released: May 30, 1989

Charts:  UK: #1 (4 weeks)  US: #4 

In 1989, a collective of DJs, singers, and musicians led by Jazzie B emerged from London’s sound system culture to redefine the direction of Black British music. With its blend of R&B, reggae, soul, and club culture, Soul II Soul weren’t just making hits—they were forging a new identity for UK dance and soul on the global stage. 

The lyric, co-written by Caron Wheeler, carries a spiritual weight masked by its club-ready beat. Wheeler explained that she wrote it following a near-death experience, channeling her confusion and dialogue with a higher power: “However do you want me? What do you need from me?” On the record, though, those words are delivered with radiant strength, transforming pain into liberation. For Jazzie B, the message was broader: a universal call to shake off pressures, find inspiration, and—literally—come back to life.

When the album “Club Classics Vol. One” (released as Keep On Movin’ in the US) first dropped, fans expecting full-bodied grooves were startled to find “Back to Life” in stark a cappella form. Virgin Records, sensing the track’s potential, pushed for a complete version. Jazzie B and producer Nellee Hooper took Wheeler’s naked vocal, framed it with a pitched-down drum loop lifted from Graham Central Station’s “The Jam” (1975), and added lush orchestration courtesy of the Reggae Philharmonic Orchestra. The result was hypnotic—part streetwise groove, part spiritual hymn.

Released on 30 May 1989, “Back to Life (However Do You Want Me)” became a global phenomenon: #1 on the UK Singles Chart,  #1 on the US R&B and Dance charts and Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal (1990)

The music video complemented urban grit with ethereal style, showing the group amid industrial backdrops, dancers in Afrocentric attire, and Wheeler herself exuding both elegance and authority. Soul II Soul’s visuals became as iconic as their beats—part of what made them a cultural force as well as a musical one.

The rhythm of “Back to Life” echoed across the early ’90s: its breakbeat and groove became a template for songs by Maxi Priest (“Close to You”) and En Vogue (“Hold On”) among others. It pointed forward to the fusion of R&B and hip-hop, while its lush textures foreshadowed trip-hop and neo-soul. When Soul II Soul reunited in 2007, Wheeler was again at the microphone, proof of how inseparable her voice is from the group’s legacy.

S.O.S. BAND – TAKE YOUR TIME (DO IT RIGHT)

Publicada: 18 de març de 1980

Llistes: Regne Unit: #51 · EUA: #3

Quan el 1980 es va declarar que el disco havia “mort”, The S.O.S. Band van demostrar el contrari: no havia mort, simplement havia evolucionat. El seu single de debut, “Take Your Time (Do It Right)”, es va convertir en un himne definitiu del post-disco, fusionant la rica orquestració dels anys setanta amb els ritmes més funky i les innovacions rítmiques de la nova dècada.

La cançó es construeix sobre una línia de baix profunda i hipnòtica que s’entrellaça amb una percussió precisa i inventiva. El ritme destaca amb palmellades, campanetes i fins i tot paelles per crear textures inesperades. El compàs avança amb un aire desimbolt de tempo mitjà, menys frenètic que el four-on-the-floor del disco, però igualment ballable. Les cordes i els vents s’entrellacen al llarg del tema, homenatjant la tradició orquestral del disco, mentre que les guitarres funky i els sintetitzadors arrosseguen el so cap als anys vuitanta. La producció de Sigidi Abdullah aconsegueix un equilibri perfecte entre riquesa i contenció: hi ha color sonor en abundància, però res no sembla excessiu.

La veu principal de Mary Davis transmet la lletra amb una combinació d’intimitat i confiança. La seva veu és sensual però calmada, encarnant la invitació de la cançó a aturar-se, relaxar-se i gaudir del moment. La narrativa és realista: li diu a una parella estressada que desconnecti, que s’alliberi i es torni a connectar amb el plaer. A diferència de molts himnes del disco centrats en l’evasió, “Take Your Time (Do It Right)” presenta el plaer com una experiència alhora sensual i restauradora. Sigidi Abdullah i Harold Clayton van concebre la cançó específicament per assegurar l’èxit inicial del grup —i es nota en el seu disseny meticulós.

Comercialment, “Take Your Time (Do It Right)” va ser un èxit aclaparador: número 1 a la llista R&B, número 3 al Billboard Hot 100, disc de platí i èxit mundial que va definir l’estiu de 1980. Va posicionar The S.O.S. Band com una força important dins del R&B i la música de ball, obrint-los el camí cap a futures col·laboracions amb Jimmy Jam i Terry Lewis. Artísticament, és una de les connexions més clares entre el disco i el funk, anticipant la direcció de la música de ball dels primers anys vuitanta.

“Take Your Time (Do It Right)” és un groove atemporal —suau, sensual i infinitament ballable. Amb la veu inconfusible de Mary Davis, una percussió inventiva i un equilibri perfecte entre la grandesa del disco i la força del funk, la cançó captura un moment clau en què la música de ball es reinventava. Un clàssic post-disco: seductor, funky i un debut emblemàtic per al grup.

S.O.S. BAND - TAKE YOUR TIME (DO IT RIGHT)

Released: March 18, 1980

Charts:  UK: #51  US: #3 

When disco was declared “dead” in 1980, The S.O.S. Band proved otherwise: it hadn’t died, it had simply evolved. Their debut single, “Take Your Time (Do It Right),” became a definitive post-disco anthem, fusing the lush orchestration of the ’70s with the funkier grooves and rhythmic innovations of the new decade.

The song is built around a deep, hypnotic bassline that locks in with crisp, inventive percussion. What makes the groove stand out is its playfulness: claps, chimes, and even skillets were layered into the rhythm to create unexpected textures. The beat pushes forward with a mid-tempo swagger, less frantic than disco’s four-on-the-floor but every bit as danceable.

Strings and horns weave in and out, nodding to disco’s orchestral traditions, while funkier guitar licks and synth flourishes pull the sound into the ’80s. The glockenspiel accents add sparkle, catching the ear against the warmth of the bass. The production by Sigidi Abdullah balances richness and restraint — there’s plenty of sonic color, but nothing feels overstuffed.

Lead singer Mary Davis delivers the lyrics with a mix of intimacy and confidence. Her voice is sultry yet soothing, embodying the song’s invitation to slow down, relax, and savor the moment. The narrative is flirtatious but grounded: she’s telling an overworked partner to unplug, unwind, and reconnect. Unlike many disco-era anthems that thrived on escapism, “Take Your Time (Do It Right)” frames pleasure as both sensual and restorative. Sigidi Abdullah and Harold Clayton crafted the track specifically to secure the group’s breakthrough, and it shows in its meticulous design. 

Commercially, “Take Your Time (Do It Right)” was a smash: #1 on the R&B chart, #3 on the Billboard Hot 100, platinum sales, and a global hit that defined summer 1980. It positioned The S.O.S. Band as a major force in R&B and dance music, paving the way for their later collaborations with Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. Artistically, it stands as one of the clearest bridges between disco and funk, foreshadowing the direction of early-’80s dance music.

“Take Your Time (Do It Right)” is a timeless groove — smooth, sensual, and endlessly danceable. With Mary Davis’s distinctive vocals, inventive percussion, and a perfect balance of disco grandeur and funk grit, the song captures a pivotal moment when dance music was reinventing itself. A post-disco classic — seductive, funky, and a landmark debut for the band.