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Connected (Stereo MC's song)

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Wikipedia article




{{Infobox song

| name = Connected

| cover = Connected (song).jpg

| alt =

| type = single

| artist = Stereo MC's

| album = Connected

| B-side =

| released =

| recorded =

| studio =

| venue =

| genre = Hip hop, funk

| length = 3:59

| label =

| writer =

| producer = Stereo MC's

| prev_title = Lost in Music

| prev_year = 1991

| next_title = Step It Up

| next_year = 1992

| misc =

}}

"'Connected'" is the title track and first single from the British group Stereo MC's third studio album. Released in September 1992, the song samples "Let Me (Let Me Be Your Lover)" by Jimmy "Bo" Horne.

"Connected" peaked at number 18 on the UK Singles Chart. Internationally, it peaked within the top 10 of the charts in Austria, Sweden and Switzerland, and peaked within the top 20 of the charts in Belgium, Finland and the United States. The song appeared in the movie 'Hackers' starring Angelina Jolie and Jonny Lee Miller. Rob Lowe personally chose the song to be the theme to his programme 'Dr. Vegas' (2004).

Production



The song uses a bassline sampled from Jimmy "Bo" Horne's song "Let Me (Let Me Be Your Lover)". Vocalist Rob Birch told about how the song was made in an interview with 'Chaos Control': "We ended up taking the music several stages further than we had gone before and playing things ourselves on bass and keyboards, and getting other people in to play things like the horns."

Critical reception



Larry Flick from 'Billboard' described the song as "an instantly insinuating hiphop/funk workout. A shuffling groove supports cool horns and a contagious chorus that is phattened by nifty femme vocal chants. In its current form, "Connected" is a sturdy precursor to an evening or a fine way to wind down into daylight." In 1993, Flick commented that the track, a "mid-tempo retro-funk affair", "has been making inroads with urban-minded DJs for several weeks now. "The song 'Connected' is about human beings and the lack of connection there is between anything today," [band member Nick] Hallam says. "It's about the way everyone tries to categorize everything. The way every race is trying to separate from each other."

Per Reinholdt Nielsen from 'Gaffa' wrote that it "is a clever lesson in funk. The number is extremely simple. A great sound sampled from half a beat KC and the Sunshine Band pulls back, while Owen If whips the drums forward. Three chorus girls, rapper Rob Birch and various samples decorate the landscape, but it is the sucks of the "two rhythm groups" that lock Connected into the memory and body of the defenseless listener." Pan-European magazine 'Music & Media' stated that it is a "sure hit" and noted further "the new female vocalists shining over expressive rich grooves." Alan Jones from 'Music Week' said in his review of the 'Connected' album, that "the introductory single Connected, with its pulsing bass, and slick femme harmonies is fairly typical of the fare here, with what raps there are well-couched and friendly." Victor Haseman from 'The Stanford Daily' commented that the Stereo MC's "have made stitching their patchwork quilt of Euro-electro pop, hip-hop and house their top priority, tirelessly pushing it in new directions". Bill Lamb from 'ThoughtCo' said the song "is propelled by a catchy but downbeat atmospheric brand of hip-hop."

Chart performance



"Connected" went on becoming a major hit on the charts in several countries, remaining the group's most successful song to date. In Europe, it climbed into the top 10 in Austria, Sweden and Switzerland, and the top 20 in Belgium, Finland and the United Kingdom. In the latter, the single peaked at number 18 in its second week at the UK Singles Chart on 27 September 1992. It stayed at that position for two weeks. Additionally, "Connected" went to the top 30 in France, and on the Eurochart Hot 100, it reached the top 40, at number 36 in January 1993. Outside Europe, the song made it to number seven on the Canadian 'RPM' Dance/Urban chart, number 15 on the US 'Cash Box' Pop Singles Chart, number 20 on the 'Billboard' Hot 100, number 24 in New Zealand and number 47 in Australia.

Impact and legacy



'Paste' placed the song at number 8 in their list of "25 Awesome One-Hit Wonders of the 1990s" in 2011.

In 2014, the track was listed as number 322 in the German magazine 'Musikexpress' ranking of the 700 best songs of all-time.

'The Daily Telegraph' ranked "Connected" number 34 in their "Top 50 Dance Songs" list in 2015.

'BuzzFeed' put the song at number 82 in their list of "The 101 Greatest Dance Songs of the '90s" in 2017.

'ThoughtCo' listed the song at number 65 in their list of "The Best 100 Songs from the 1990s" list in 2018.

Use in other media



The song appears in the movie, 'Saving Silverman'. It has also been used in commercials promoting the USA Network's program 'Burn Notice', and by The Carphone Warehouse. "I remember performing the track in late 1992," vocalist Rob Birch told 'Q'. "The Brixton Academy was just around the corner from our neighbourhood in London, near where we recorded the album. We were supporting the Happy Mondays for their tour in the United Kingdom, and at that venue it was just amazing.

The 'Connected' album had only been out for a while, and we thought people were just starting to get into it. When we came on to the intro of the track, the whole audience was singing along to the tune and there was just an amazing vibe and energy. Everyone connected, basically."

Music video



The accompanying music video for "Connected" was directed by Matthew Amos.

Track listings



*'CD maxi Germany, United Kingdom'

#"Connected" (edit) 4:05

#"Connected" (full length) 5:16

#"Disconnected" 6:06

#"Fever" 3:15

*'7" single'

#"Connected" (edit) 3:59

#"Fever" 3:15

*'12" maxi Germany, United Kingdom'

#"Connected" (full length) 5:12

#"Connected" (reprise) 1:43

#"Disconnected" 6:04

#"Fever" 3:15

*'12" maxi Promo France'

#"Connected" (Future Sound of London mix) 6:19

#"Disconnected" 6:04

*'US promo cassette'

:'Side A'

#"Connected" (edit)

:'Side B'

#"Step It Up"

#"Don't Let Up"

#"Ground Level"

Charts



References



Category:1992 singles

Category:1992 songs

Category:Island Records singles

Category:Stereo MCs songs

Category:Funk songs

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