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Anthem (N-Joi song)

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Wikipedia article


{{Infobox song

| name = Anthem

| cover = Anthem_(N-Joi_song).jpg

| alt =

| type = single

| artist = N-Joi

| album = Music From A State Of Mind

| released =

| recorded =

| studio =

| venue =

| genre = House

| length = 4:05

| label =

| writer =

| producer =

| prev_title = Bad Things

| prev_year = 1995

| next_title = Malfunction

| next_year = 1990

| misc =

}}

"'Anthem'" is a song by British electronic music group N-Joi. The piano-driven track, which also served as part of their debut EP, has gone on to become one of the most famous signature songs in the act's career, as well as seeing it chart numerous times since its 1990 release.

Background



The song charted on both the UK and US charts. It was originally released in 1990 as a 6 track promo on white label, before being sold on to Deconstruction, where it was released on the EP, 'Music From A State Of Mind', reaching number 45 on the UK Top 75 in November 1990.

Following much club play, "Anthem" was reissued in April 1991 reaching number eight on the UK Singles Chart, but in the United States it had better success on the 'Billboard' Hot Dance Club Play chart, where it made two trips to the top 5, reaching number four in 1991 with the original mixes, and again in 1996, where it was re-released with new remixes as "The New Anthem" (under the expanded credited "N-Joi featuring Mark Franklin and Nigel Champion"). The updated version would be their second number one in the US, following "Mindflux".

Although the single and the accompanying music video (filmed in Shelleys Laserdome, Longton, Stoke-on-Trent) also features singer Saffron, who did the live performances for the act (and whose career would take off after this track with `Republica`), "Anthem" actually features samples of three songs: "Peanut Butter" by Gwen Guthrie (using the lyrics "I'm in love with you / Want you to love me too..."; Saffron performs the same lyrics in the duo's live shows), "I Found Love" by Darlene Davis (using the lyrics "True love can be hard to find...") and "Back to Life (However Do You Want Me)" by Soul II Soul. Because of this, the artists (and their writers) also receive credits on the single.[http://www.whosampled.com/artist/N-Joi/ "Anthem" from] WhoSampled

Critical reception



Larry Flick from American magazine 'Billboard' wrote, "After receiving attention stateside as an import, duo offers frenetic, sample-happy houser in mixes that should have been lengthened slightly, but will be warmly welcomed at numerous clubs regardless. Also of note are "Manic" and "Techno Gangsters," a pair of contagious instrumentals on the flip side."

Impact and legacy



In 1995, British DJ Sister Bliss selected "Anthem" as one of "the tracks that mean most to her", saying, "And what an anthem it is! Eclipse had them on every week, it seemed they didn't seem to do PAs anywhere else. They had these farts dancing with their tits out. It was quite amusing. That whole EP is fantastic, it's the sound of the time but it doesn't date. It's a reliable classic. It's always the last tune of the night people must be bored with me playing it. it reminds me of driving around the M25 looking for the rave and ending up in a field with 10,000 smelly people."

The original version of "Anthem" is featured in the 2013 video game 'Grand Theft Auto V' and its accompanying soundtrack.

The song was featured in iconic clubbing movie 'Beats' in 2019.

Track listings



1990 version

* '12", CD' [http://www.discogs.com/N-Joi-Anthem/master/135431 UK track listing from Discogs]

# "Anthem" (The Original Mix) (4:05)

# "Anthem" (The Mafia Mix) (4:50)

# "Anthem" (The Six Day Nightmare Mix) (4:28)

# "Malfunction" (4:20)

* '12", CD' [http://www.discogs.com/N-Joi-Anthem/release/124361 US promo listing from Discogs]

:A1: "Anthem" (N-Joi R Dub Mix) (5:11)

:A2: "Anthem" (N-Joi R Dance Mix) (5:20)

:A3: "Anthem" (N-Joi R Deepstrumental) (4:07)

:B1: "Anthem" (Distant Run Mix) (4:15)

:B2: "Anthem" (Original Mix Edit) (4:20)

* '12", EP'

:A1: "Anthem" (The Six Day Nightmare Mix) (4:30)

:A2: "Anthem" (The Mafia Mix) (5:02)

:B1: "Anthem" (4:03)

:B2: "Manic" (2:37)

:B3: "Techno Gangsters" (3:33)

1996 version

* '12", MCD' [http://www.discogs.com/NJoi-The-New-Anthem/release/337433 Track listing at discogs.com]

# "Anthem" (Spike Club Mix) (7:55)

# "Anthem" (Original Mix) (4:03)

# "Anthem" (Vission/Pete Lorimer Love Acid!) (7:21)

# "Anthem" (The Mafia Mix) (5:02)

# "Anthem" (The Six Day Nightmare Mix) (4:30)

Charts



'Anthem'

'The New Anthem'

References




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