There may be others too ;)

Nomad ft. MC Mikee Freedom - (I Wanna Give You) Devotion

 

http://i294.photobucket.com/albums/mm82/TheMagicPosition86/ub6ltODE2N_zpsm9vk2bud.jpg

 

Date 23rd February 1991

2 Weeks

Official Chart Run 14-4-3-2-3-5-10-18-27-43 (10 weeks)

*Positions in red are the weeks when the track would be number 1 if just dance music was chart eligible.

 

The first single to bring the spirit and vibe of rave warehouse culture to the mainstream was arguably Nomad’s “(I Wanna Give You) Devotion”, the debut (and most successful) single by British house production duo Nomad. Damon (Nomad backwards) Rocheford and legendary record producer Steve Mac used the lyrics and vocal hook from Ten City's 1987 club hit “Devotion” and incorporated cheering crowd noise to replicate the 'rave scene feel' and ultimately create an uplifting commercial house track which has since become a bit of a 90’s dance anthem.

 

“..Devotion” acts as a good historical place-marker, with its vocal hook taken straight out of the Chicago house sound - Ten City were a big part of the nascent scene there in the mid to late 80s - but with its additional influences of stadium house and hip-hop/rap (in this instance provided by Bristol DJ and MC, Mikee Freedom) firmly suggesting this was a product of the now thriving underground British dance music scene in ’91. The artwork shares the ethos of rave culture with its warm open embrace and love hearts, and MC Mikee’s incredibly fast paced rap even throwing in a line about Thatcher being slaughtered, a not-so-subtle retaliation to her government’s callous ‘war on acid house’ in the early 1990s.

 

The track stalled at 2 behind Bart Simpson (“Do The Bartman”), part of another growing phenomenon at the time, The Simpsons, although this limited by its restricted broadcast on Sky satellite TV until the late 1990s) and after returning to the Top 20 briefly (#16) 3 months later with “Just A Groove”, Nomad never troubled the Top 40 again. Steve went on to become a massive record producer for Westlife, Il Divo, One Direction, The Saturdays to name but four. Both Damon and Sharon left the music business with Damon becoming an accomplished writer, working on Birds Of A Feather in the 1990s and since writing for Coronation Street and Sharon an actor, most famously in Holby City.

 

I didn't like it at the time. Love it now. I have it on 12".

takin' it down M I K EE ~:music:~

How do you mean strange?

 

Well, I wasn't there at the time, but considering that Black Box is so widely reknowned for "Ride On Time", it's weird to see so many consecutive hits under their name. I'm guessing that there was large demand in their sound at the time or they just had quite a large fanbase?

It happens with a lot of bands and acts that that they are remembered for just one huge song. It's the same for Yazz, 2 Unlimited, Culture Beat, Haddaway, The Shamen, D:Ream. They all had several hits after their big one.

 

To answer your question - it was demand for their sound rather than a large fan base,

Was about to test that theory and ask if anyone could tell me the name of Nomad's follow up to "Devotion" but I see it's mentioned in the commentary! I think I'm one of the only people who actually bought "Just a Groove" - it was a very different record and Mikee wasn't on it, he'd been slaughtered.

 

'Devotion' still sounds really good today though. I tried to mash it up with The Rolling Stones' "Sympathy for the Devil" once and it really worked in parts but just couldn't get a structure together.

 

 

:D Love Devotion.

The Source ft. Candi Staton - You Got The Love

 

http://i294.photobucket.com/albums/mm82/TheMagicPosition86/IY99hCTF4a_zpsixysanjk.jpg

 

Date 9th March 1991

2 Weeks

Official Chart Run 32-22-12-8-4-4-5-9-12-23-46 (11 weeks)

*Positions in red are the weeks when the track would be number 1 if just dance music was chart eligible.

 

Candi Staton is a soul and gospel singer, best known at the time for her disco anthem “Young Hearts Run Free” which reached #2 on the UK singles chart in balmy summer of 1976. Little was known about 1986 devotional Christian single “You Got The Love” which sounded rather outdated in production and actually failed to chart in the UK and stumbled to a measly #88 on the US R&B chart. The song has a clear Christian message where Staton talks of sometimes feeling like throwing up her hands up in the air (meaning both in exasperation and in prayer) and giving up on God, only to discover that he’s ‘got the love’ that she needs to see her through any situation - however even if you aren’t a devout Christian the message of hope is a relatable one.

 

In 1989, popular London club DJ Eren took the a capella vocals from the 1986 original of “You Got The Love” and remixed them with the melody and bassline from the late great Frankie Knuckles’ “Your Love” - the track was a re-dubbed slightly less raw version of American House producer Jamie Principle’s original ’84 hit “Your Love” which was written for his girlfriend. Knuckles worked extensively with Principle and loved the track so much that it ended up being put out on vinyl by Knuckles in this re-dubbed version in 1989 - however it only became a Top 40 hit 25 years later in April 2014 (#29) after the sad passing of Frankie Knuckles. This version was a big white label and club hit played out most weekends during the turn of the decade, until in 1991 sense was seen and permission given to release the track in the UK where it became an instant hit and climbed to as high as #4 in March.

 

The end result is a fantastic chilled out classic that builds and builds from the opening sparse synths, to the incoming deep bassline and heavenly vocals.. chopping and changing and building further over the track, until the epic breakdown and vocal manipulation at the end really makes the track a masterpiece. No version since has come close, and Florence’s version (with the awful re-title “You’ve Got The Love”) just leaves me cold in comparison. It has reached the Top 10 a total of five times however over its various versions - this still remains by far the best.

 

 

Isn't it the only song that has appeared on the main series of Now albums three times?

 

Again, another song that I grew love in the passing years. On my list to get on vinyl.

Edited July 7, 20159 yr by AntoineTTe

It's probably one of the few dance songs to go top 10 at least twice ala Set You Free, I Feel Love, You Spin Me Right Round, etc...

 

Still love it under any release. Florence's version is good, but not nearly as good. And let's forget about that Dizzee Rascal mashup. :puke2:

It has reached the Top 10 a total of five times however over its various versions - this still remains by far the best.

 

Amen, it's the only version (save for the Candi original) that should exist. The "Clubbed to Death" version that came out in the late 90s just had the wrong feel altogether and the less said about that abysmal Florence version the better.

 

What a great run of number ones though!

It happens with a lot of bands and acts that that they are remembered for just one huge song. It's the same for Yazz, 2 Unlimited, Culture Beat, Haddaway, The Shamen, D:Ream. They all had several hits after their big one.

 

To answer your question - it was demand for their sound rather than a large fan base,

 

Ah, thanks for the reply! Really enjoying the thread also :)

You Got The love one of the few singles to make the top 10 on three separate occasions in the same version. Off hand I can only think of You Sexy Thing to have also have done it too.

Nah, the 1997 version is totally different to the 1991 one. They should be listed separately. Not sure which version re-entered the top 10 in 2006, probably the rubbish one.

Nah, the 1997 version is totally different to the 1991 one. They should be listed separately. Not sure which version re-entered the top 10 in 2006, probably the rubbish one.

All of them are different

 

[The Source original]

[Now Voyager edit]

[New Voyager edit]

What a great run of number ones though!

I dont think the standard drops until a certain track in 1992 arrives.

Dunno, Oceanic's "Insanity" can't be too far away!

I'm rare in preferring the 1997 mix! I think simply because it's the version I first heard and fell in love with it, it's the one that supports the vocal the best I think. The originial to me lacks something, the 2006 mix was a weird pointless watered-down version of the '97 one and Florence's annoys me.

It's like the question "Who is your favourite Doctor Who?"

 

It's always the one you grew up with.

 

Funnily enough that question is just a statement for many people...Who is your favourite Doctor. Who.