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Be My Lover (La Bouche song)
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Wikipedia article
{{Infobox song
| name = Be My Lover
| cover = Be My Lover (La Bouche single - cover art).jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = La Bouche
| album = Sweet Dreams
| B-side = Do You Still Need Me
| released = March 3, 1995
| recorded = September 1994
| studio =
| venue =
| genre = Eurodance
| length = 4:01
3:44 (European video edit)
| label = *Arista Records
*RCA Records
| writer = *Melanie Thornton
*Uli Brenner
*Gerd Amir Saraf
*Lane McCray
| producer = *Frank Farian
*Uli Brenner
*Gerd Amir Saraf
| prev_title = Sweet Dreams
| prev_year = 1994
| next_title = Fallin' in Love
| next_year = 1996
| misc =
}}
"'Be My Lover'" is a Eurodance song recorded by the German group La Bouche and released in March 1995 as the second single from their first album, 'Sweet Dreams' (1995). It remains one of their most successful hits, alongside "Sweet Dreams", and was dubbed into many megamix tracks and has had several remix versions. In the US, it reached number six on the 'Billboard' Hot 100 and also topped the 'Billboard' Hot Dance Club Play chart for two weeks in December 1995. In Europe, the single hit number-one in Germany, Sweden and on the Eurochart Hot 100. To date, it has sold six million copies worldwide.
In 2000, when Melanie Thornton left the group to start with her solo career, La Bouche released a new version of "Be My Lover" with vocals by Natascha Wright, who replaced Thornton as the female singer of the group.
Background
American rapper Lane McCray met singer Melanie Thornton in Saarbrcken, Germany while he was on active duty in the US Air Force. Thornton had moved from the US to Germany, where she performed as guest vocalist on dance-pop recordings.
They went together in a band called Groovin' Affairs and were discovered by German record producer Frank Farian, the mastermind and voice behind the duo Milli Vanilli and prior Boney M. Then they founded the Eurodance duo La Bouche. McCray and Thornton wrote "Be My Lover" together and started recording in the spring of 1994. Because of McCray's duty in the US Air Force, La Bouche's success faced one minor challenge. But the duo went on becoming one of the most popular Eurodance acts of the mid-90s.
Composition
The song is written in the key of C minor and follows a tempo of 134 beats per minute. It follows a basic chord progression of CmAB, and the vocals span from G3 to F5.
Critical reception
American newspaper 'The Atlanta Journal-Constitution' described the song as a "high-energy hit"."WEEKEND AT HOME THE LATEST IN MUSIC, VIDEOS AND BOOKS Sugary to cerebral: Angelique, La Bouche rule dance floor". 'The Atlanta Journal-Constitution'. 2 July 1998. Retrieved 25 March 2020. Matt Stopera and Brian Galindo from 'BuzzFeed' ranked it number 6 in their list of "The 101 Greatest Dance Songs of the '90s" in 2017, adding that "when you think of a '90s dance artist or group, La Bouche is on that list. A legend." Beth D'Addono from 'Delaware County Daily Times' commented, "La da da dee da da da dah... Then that infectious disco beat kicks in, and "Be My Lover" blares from the car radio, takes over the dance floor, reverberates through the health club, inspiring step classes to even greater heights."D'Addono, Beth. (12 January 1996). "La Bouche has "Sweet Dreams'". 'Delaware County Daily Times'. Retrieved 25 March 2020. Bianca Gracie from 'Idolator' declared it as a "blood-pumping" tune "that combined energetic waves of synths with incredibly soulful vocals that kept bodies moving way longer than those endless rounds of Sex On The Beach cocktails ever could!". She added that "Be My Lover" "still provides a sense of euphoric escape that continues to refuel the spirit." James Arena, the writer of 'Stars of '90s Dance Pop: 29 Hitmakers Discuss Their Careers' called the song "blistering", adding that it, with "Sweet Dreams", "are widely regarded today as indispensable classics of the decade."
James Masterton stated in his weekly UK chart commentary, that it "could well turn out to be one of the pop smashes of the year. Right from the 'La Da Da De Dah' introduction and hook this is one Euro-hit that has 'floor-filler' written all over it. Top 10 within a fortnight, just watch." A reviewer from 'Music Week' rated it three out of five, adding that "this fairly standard piece of Europop is unlikely to top labelmates Real McCoy in the UK." Alan Jones noted "the accomplished diva vocals" and "acute commercial nature" of the song. James Hamilton from the magazine's 'RM' Dance Update described it as a "infectiously 'la de dah'-ed German smash by a Frankfurt based US duo in the usual Euro style". Jim Farber from 'New York Daily News' deemed it a "Euro-disco plea", that "sounds so freakishly retro."Farber, Jim (12 February 1996). "German-ating A Dance Revival". p. 32. 'New York Daily News'. 'People Magazine' wrote that it "underscore buoyant vocals with dark minor-key arrangements". 'Richmond Times-Dispatch's reviewer commented, "I am insanely jealous of the lead female vocal, Melanie Thornton. She has a wonderful, flexible voice.""LA BOUCHE". 'Richmond Times-Dispatch'. 15 March 1996. Retrieved 25 March 2020. 'The Tampa Tribune' stated that her vocals "are a little better than those of the average disco songstress.""LA BOUCHE, Sweet Dreams". 'The Tampa Tribune'. 16 February 1996. Retrieved 25 March 2020. 'Vibe' included "Be My Lover" in their list of "30 Dance Tracks From The '90s That Changed The Game" in 2013.
Chart performance
"Be My Lover" topped both the US 'Billboard' Hot Dance Club Play chart and the Canadian 'RPM' Dance/Urban chart, and reached the Top 10 of 'Billboard's Hot 100. It peaked at number-one in Germany and Sweden, and at number two in Australia, Iceland, Italy and Norway. "Be My Lover" was a Top 10 hit in at least 16 countries, like Belgium, Denmark, France, Hungary, Ireland, the Netherlands, Spain and Switzerland. On the Eurochart Hot 100, the single reached number-one on May 27, 1995. In the United Kingdom, it peaked at number 25 on the UK Singles Chart on February 25, 1996. The single has sold six million copies worldwide to date. It earned a gold record in Austria, France, Germany and the US, and a platinum record in Australia. La Bouche won the 1996 Echo award in Germany for Best Dance Single with "Be My Lover", and the ASCAP award in the US for the "Most Played Song in America". The song was also nominated for Best Dance Video at the 1996 MTV Video Music Awards while La Bouche was nominated in the category Best Dance at the 1995 MTV Europe Music Awards.
Music video
Two different music videos were made for this song, a European version and an American version.
The European version was filmed at the beginning of 1995, in the city at night. Melanie Thornton appears as a dominatrix wearing a black outfit. She is driving a van, abducting McCray to an underground club, where several men are being held captive. They are hanging upside down from hooks in the ceiling. Thornton walks around these men while she sings. Suddenly McCray manages to break free and raps toward Thornton. An edited version doesn't show McCray being captured and almost all the scenes with the men being hanging upside down were cut. The uncencored music video was later published on La Bouche's official YouTube channel in February 2016. It has amassed more than 59 million views as of September 2021.
The American version was filmed in a studio,at the beginning of 1996 with Thornton singing into a microphone and wearing a purple dress. It was directed by Andras Mahr. This version was later published on YouTube in February 2014. It had more than 580,000 views as of September 2021.
Accolades
Track listings
These are the formats and track listings of major single releases of "Be My Lover".
* '12" maxi Europe'
# "Be My Lover" (Club Mix) 5:28
# "Be My Lover" (House Mix) 4:26
# "Be My Lover" (Trance Mix) 6:35
# "Be My Lover" (Radio Edit) 3:59
* '12" maxi US, UK, Ireland'
# "Be My Lover" (Spike Club Mix) 8:54
# "Be My Lover" (Club Mix) 6:26
# "Be My Lover" (Spike Dub) 8:21
# "Be My Lover" (Hi-NRG Mix) 5:46
* 'CD single / cassette'
# "Be My Lover" (Radio Edit) 3:58
# "Be My Lover" (Trance Mix) 6:35 (Germany only)
# "Be My Lover" (House Mix) 4:49 (France only)
# "Be My Lover" (Radio Edit No Rap) 3:50 (US only)
* 'CD maxi 1'
# "Be My Lover" (Radio Edit) 3:58
# "Be My Lover" (Club Mix 135 BPM) 5:28
# "Be My Lover" (Trance Mix 150 BPM) 6:35
# "Do You Still Need Me" 3:35
* 'CD maxi US'
# "Be My Lover" (Club Mix) 6:26
# "Be My Lover" (Spike Club Mix) 8:54
# "Be My Lover" (Hi-NRG Mix) 5:46
# "Be My Lover" (Alex Goes to Cleveland Mix) 5:06
# "Be My Lover" (Doug Laurent Classic Mix Edit) 4:07
* 'CD maxi Remixes'
# "Be My Lover" (Euro Dance Mix) 6:12
# "Be My Lover" (Hi-NRG Mix) 5:47
# "Be My Lover" (Serious Groove Dub Mix) 5:41
# "Be My Lover" (Alex Goes to Cleveland Mix) 5:05
# "Be My Lover" (Doug Laurent Classic Mix Edit) 4:10
# "Be My Lover" (Trance Mix) 7:12
# "Be My Lover" (House Mix) 4:51
Charts and sales
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Certifications
Usage in media
The song was played in the 1995 Brazilian soap opera 'A Prxima Vtima', in an episode of the American TV series 'Beverly Hills 90210' in 1996, in the 1997 movie 'Romy and Michele's High School Reunion', in the 1998 movie 'A Night at the Roxbury', in the 1999 movie 'Earthly Possessions', and in an episode of the sitcom 'Step by Step'. It was also spoofed as "One Zero 001" on a computer-themed episode of 'Bill Nye the Science Guy' and used in 'Audition Online Dance Battle' as a song. It can be vaguely heard in the background in the "World's Greatest Dick" episode of '3rd Rock from the Sun', in the gay bar that Sally and Harry walk into at the beginning of the episode. It was played during the second episode of 'The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story', as Gianni (played by dgar Ramrez) and his boyfriend Antonio (played by Ricky Martin) enter a gay bar.
Cover versions, samples and remixes
* The song was covered by Hysterie in 2003.
* Romanian dance pop singer Inna sampled the song for her third studio album 'Party Never Ends' and released it as an official single in 2013.
* Dutch DJ and producer Sam Feldt made a cover of this track with Alex Schulz in 2017.
* Akina Nakamori covered the song in her 2017 cover album 'Cage'.
* In 2018, Austrian Rapper Raf Camora & German Rapper Bonez MC have used a sample of the song for their Hit single Kokain.
* Additionally in 2018, two Norwich City footballers (Onel Hernandez and Tom Trybull) were recorded dancing to the song after a win.
* In 2019, Italian artist Achille Lauro sampled the song for his hit single "1990"
References
Buy Be My Lover (La Bouche song) now from Amazon
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