READER REQUEST

“By Your Side” is the lead single from English group Sade’s fifth studio album, Lovers Rock. It was released in October 2000. The track was nominated for the 2002 Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance, losing out to Nelly Furtado’s “I’m Like a Bird“. The video for this single was directed by Sophie Muller.

Chart Performance

“By Your Side” reached number seventy-five on the US Billboart Hot 100 chart, the week of January 20, 2001. It did better on the R&B/Hip-Hop chart landing at forty-one, and number two on the Dance/Club Play charts.

The Remixes

The Neptunes remix was the work of by now ultra famous Pharrell Williams, along with Chad Hugo. They are credited with contributing the sound for some successful Hip hop, R&B and Pop artists in the late-90s and 2000s.

I have no information on the producers of the Yard and Reggae remixes.

The Cottonbelly remix was created by one of Sade’s band members, Stuart Matthewman. He remixed other artists like Janet Jackson, Maxwell, and P.M. Dawn.

The Lazy Dog Remix was created by Ben Watt, best known as member of Everything but the Girl, along with his wife Tracey Thorn. He also remixed tracks by Zero 7, Maxwell, Meshell Ndegeocello.

The Naked Music Mix was produced by Naked Music. They have remixed artists such as Kelis, Maxwell, Sophie Ellis-Bextor and Britney Spears. This mix was not released on Sony, but I suspect it was officially licensed. Some sources claim it was created by Naked Music co-founder Jay Denes, also known as Bluesix, while others credit Miguel Migs, who has collaborated with Naked Music.

Single Information:

Comes in slimline jewelcase. As with most european Sony releases, this cd single was made in Austria for distribution in the UK and the rest of Europe.

Track 1 is an edit of the album version. Tracks 2, 3, and 4 are remixes.

Track 5 contains a CDRom section which features the “By Your Side” video.

Label:

Epic, Sony Music Entertainment (UK)

Catalog Number:

669912 2

Track Listing and Details:

1. By Your Side (4:17)
Produced by Sade and Mike Pela

2. By Your Side (The Neptunes Remix) (3:57)
Remix by The Neptunes

3. By Your Side (Yard Mix 1) (4:18)
Remix by Christopher Miller and Rowan Dwyer

4. By Your Side (Reggae Mix 1) (3:57)
Remix by Bobby O’Hare

BONUS TRACKS

5. By Your Side (Cottonbelly Remix) (3:57)
Remix by Cottonbelly

6. By Your Side (Ben Watt’s Lazy Dog Remix) (8:58)
Remix by Ben Watt

7. By Your Side (Naked Music Mix) (8:06)
Remix by Naked Music

Rip Information:

Source: CD

Format: mp3

Bitrate: 320 kbps

Password: steptothebeat

To rate this post, click on the comments hyperlink below its title.

2009 Listen.to.it.

No, I am not drunk, that’s the name of a superb label I just discovered. They probably came up with it when they were drunk. Try googling it! Yikes.

House Wave Vol. 1 is their latest collection on Trackitdown and features several standout tracks including Gimme Fantasy by Italian DJ Gianni Coletti and Suspicious by Stephen Claude, among others. The Electro Of The Week, however, is a cover of the Everything But The Girl hit Missing, this time inexplicably titled To Get. The name of the artist? H.M.L.

H.M.L? Seriously, this anonymity thing is cool, but that sounds like the name of a shoe store. The track is fantastic though, and I especially appreciate the fact that the singer and producer decided not to go for the cliched ‘Dance Diva’ vocal (she sounds fantastic, and the accent ain’t bad at all). Musical, driving and emotional, this would be a winner on any night.  It’s a vibrant update to a classic tune and comes highly recommended.

O.K. So I have been informed that H.M.L. stands for ‘House Music Lovers’. Much better!

i love this song.

#192 – Everything but the Girl – “Missing” – (1994)

There are boatloads of remixes of this song… some of which are just as famous as the original (the best one can be found here). Amplified Heart is the album and it’s a British import – so is the heavy electronic style of the song.

1. Living in a place that’s beyond the reach of trains is always a good idea if you want to avoid stalker exes.

2. It’s really hard to stalk someone who’s possibly been either abducted by aliens (“now you’ve disappeared somewhere, like outer space”), murdered (“could you be dead?) or simply evicted out of their house (“since you moved”).

3. Being dead can be misconstrued as trying to be “two steps ahead of everyone” so you have to make your intentions clear when you die.

4. Deserts will probably miss stuff that it has had plenty of like rattlesnakes, scorpions, cacti, camels, palm trees, and even an entire fucking gypsy caravan. Deserts, unlike rainforests, don’t give a shit about rain and that’s the truth.

5. In the event of a missing person, filing a missing persons report should be your first priority, perhaps even before writing a song about that person. (edtg)

my love’s like cathedral bells

(isso é que é um paletó do namorado, o resto é bobagem)

I know we threatened to make The Vault a regular post, but quite frankly got a bit lazy, focusing on the podcast (hope you’re all enjoying it!). And quite frankly this one had me confused as to how to go about posting it:

As that crappy Dove Chocolate commercial announces, its Bliss. Bliss. The band. How do we explain them. Well, for one, they’re damned hard to research. As we’ve talked about in 2 successive podcasts, picking a good name that is easily “Googleable” is key. Bliss. No. Upon searching the world wide interweb, you come up with the following:

1. Bliss, a Scandinavian chillout 3 pc. very similar to Zero 7 complete with vocals by Sophie (I’m no Sia) Barker. Put out a great CD a few years ago called Quiet Letters.
2. Bliss, a horrible female rapper from the US
3. Bliss, a more horrible white male rapper, also US
4. Bliss, the mexian pop band
5. Bliss, the Canadian all male 4 pc. from the 90’s
6. Bliss, the generic 90’s new age outfit

And finally the band I was hot for, Bliss, the UK band led by Rachel Morrison. Bliss was only around in force for about 3 years in the late 80’s/early 90’s, riding in on a wave of sophisticated female led acts like Everything But the Girl, Swing Out Sister, Matt Bianco, and Julie Fordham, before Rachel started a family. Not very big in the UK or US, but they did chart in the Germany and New Zealand. I found their German EP, Watching Over Me in the $1 bin at Now Hear This in St Louis in 1991. It was back in the day when I bought CDs based on album cover and this was my type of find. Stark, black and white photo of a sad girl with a B-side of The Cure’s Love Song. Jackpot! Now, I’d like to share this VERY rare gem with you. Don’t think your speakers are disconnected. Its starts of very very quiet, but then really builds. Rachel is a vocal powerhouse. Borderline manly at times a la Cher or Horse. And when she sings I Will Always Love You, you believe it!

Love Song (right click to download)

For the last week, all we’ve heard in the office is “Because I’m Leaving!” belted out at the top of SoStylistic’s voice.  

In a vain attempt to keep the noise down, and as the rather vocal lady in question is moving on to pastures new, it seemed only fit to dedicate this week’s The Fashion Office Recommends to Songs About Leaving.

So, Miss Stylistic, here are your tracks the office have chosen to send you and your fabulous new watch (a.k.a “Because I’m Leaving” present) off in serious style…

Sostylistic sums it up herself with: Aerosmith – I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing.

Sartoriology has questionable taste with Basshunter and Please Don’t Go.

A Work In Progress suggests: Everything But The Girl – Missing.

Ellie opts for: Eagle Eye Cherry – Save Tonight.

Frankie chooses: The Temptations – ‘Ain’t To Proud To Beg.

Stevie picks: The Communards – Don’t Leave Me This Way.

Emily selects: Chicago – If You Leave Me Now.

Soldiersailor recommends: Gladys Knight – Midnight Train To Georgia.

And just for fun…

Don’t miss the girls recommendations from last week in Songs Inspired By Colours.

Hay algunas voces que nunca me cansaré de escuchar, que te toman de la mano despacito para llevarte a un viaje sublime, de ensueño y no querer despertar nunca jamás.  Así, refinado y sobrecogedor es el canto de Tracey Thorn, vocalista principal del dúo Inglés Everything but the Girl . Los habíamos escuchado hasta el cansancio a mediados de los 90s con su desconsolado “Missing” del album Amplified Heart, un disco eminentemente acústico, que sirvió de plataforma para mostrarnos con este útimo tema lo que traerían sus futuros trabajos entre los sintetizadores. Yo por mi parte los prefiero alejados de ellos.

La música de ETBTG resulta tan fácil de escuchar que bien podría deleitar una velada entre amigos o hacer de background mientras leemos algún libro o trabajamos en casa o, como en mi caso, ser el playlist ideal para un late night listening  de fin de semana.

Los dejo con mis 5 temas favoritos y un plus.

1. Disenchanted (Amplified Heart, 1994)

This takes me back a bit…  Unfortunately couldn’t find a better copy…

Everything But The Girl – Missing (You) Todd Terry Remix

I used to like this video a lot at BigTV. Still do.

Everything But The Girl – Each & Every One 7″.  Blanco Y Negro (NEG 1).  1984.

1. Each & Every One
2. Laugh You Out The House

Everything But The Girl – Night And Day 7″.  Cherry Red (Cherry 37).  1982.

1. Night And Day
2. Feeling Dizzy
3. On My Mind

Ben Watt – Some Things Don’t Matter 7″.  Cherry Red (Cherry 55).  1983.

1. Some Things Don’t Matter
2. On Box Hill

Ben Watt  – Can’t 7″.  Cherry Red (Cherry 25).  1981.

1. Can’t
2. Tower Of Silence
3. Aubade

www.ebtg.com

Today on the iPod this song popped up by two different artists – and neither of which was the original. I love this song, and Garden State made me love it more. It may sound cheesy and corny, as some would describe the movie, but the screaming into the void scene always gets to me. Doing something completely unique in the world while feeling insignificant seems hugely important in this world. That scene always reminded me of the Calvin & Hobbes pictured here. It also is one of my favorite quotes from the best strip of all-time. Here is another trio of the same song and as with yesterday we start with the great original and then a couple of newer covers.

Only Living Boy In New York|Simon & Garfunkel
Only Living Boy In New York|Everything But The Girl
Only Living Boy In New York|David Mead

Last time on our musical road trip through the USA we visited Philadelphia. It’s time now to hitch a helicopter ride to Gotham City. I am among the many who are profoundly fascinated by New York. Without ever having been there, or to America at all, I feel an affinity with the place (at this point I might invite the multi-millionaires among my loyal readers to come forward with offers for an all-expenses trip to NYC for me and my family). Obviously I’m not alone.

Before turning on our notional journey towards NYC, I thought that this leg of the trip ought to be marked with a mix of songs about the city. In fact, I thought I’d even make it two mixes. Then I began shortlisting. The list grew longer and longer. Then I culled, ruthlessly. Sorry, Lou, just two songs for you. Ditto Paul Simon (though his songs have been widely covered, thereby qualifying for inclusion in the interpretation of others). Upshot: I have about a hundred songs about New York which I want to share. I promise you two mixes; if you want more after those, let me know.

NYC – Any Major Mix Vol. 1

1. Billie Holiday – Autumn In New York (1954)
NYC hook: When Harry repeatedly met Sally, his creepiness was relieved by the beauty of NYC’s fallen, brown leaves. I’m not sure that match-making via Harry Connick is what Billie had in mind. It’s beautiful nonetheless. No wonder the creep eventually managed to hook the rather attractive Sally, playing lovely music like this for, to and at her.

2. Ray Charles – New York’s My Home (1961)
NYC hook: Well, it’s his favourite city, not just a visiting place. It’s, as the title shrewdly implies, his home.

3. Bobby Darin – Sunday In New York (1964)
NYC hook: Ah, those innocent days when shops would be closed on Sundays, and there’d be nothing better to do than window shopping — and sing infectiously upbeat songs about it.

4. Ad Libs – Boy From NY City (1964)
NYC hook: Well, there’s a boy, and he’s from New York City, and a girl named Kitty, for reason of rhyme, is urged to tell us about him. We learn that he is no clown, which is a relief.

5. Harpers Bizarre – 59th Street Bridge Song (Feeling Groovy) (1967)
NYC hook: Slowly following the S&G city map, Harpers Bizarre are finding cause to feel pretty good — or groovy, in the era’s vernacular. As the title might have told you. What else can make you feel groovy?

6. Gerard Kenny – New York, New York (1978)
NYC hook: It’s safe to say that Gerard Kenny likes New York. In his enthusiasm, he claims inaccurately that on account of how good the city is, it was named twice, like the father of English footballing brothers Gary and Phil Neville. Of course we know that his Sesame Street level assertion does not correspond with reality, yet we would feel guilty disabusing him of his error. It would crush him, no doubt.

7. Russ Ballard – New York Groove (1975)
NYC hook: A little under a decade after people were feeling gently groovy, Russ thumped us with the NY GROOOVE, symbolising the transition from weed to coke. Ex-Argent member Ballard wrote the song, but didn’t release it. Instead, Hello in 1975 and Ace Fehley of Kiss in 1978 had hits with it.

8. Nicole Atkins – Brooklyn’s On Fire (2007)
NYC hook: It’s Independence Day and, Nicole counsels us, Brooklyn is on fire. Not literally, even though the chorus fdoes sound deceptively alarming. It’s the fireworks, and romance is in the air. Fantastic song.

9. Ramones – Rockaway Beach (1977)
NYC hook: Joey and his “brothers” go to the Beach. The Surfin’ USA for New Yorkers.

10. Bruce Springsteen – Sherry Darling (1980)
NYC hook: New York traffic is a bastard, and more so when you have to ferry around your nagging future mother-in-law. Broooce likes Sherry, but one more word out of Mom, and she walks.

11. Ryan Adams – New York New York (2001)
NYC hook: Ryan loves New York a lot, and this is his declaration of love. The video for this song was filmed four days before 9/11, and apparently the song played on loop for days after the attack. Apologies to New Yorkers in whom this track evokes horrible memories.

12. Elliot Smith – Amity (1998)
NYC hook: This mix is like a soap opera. Remember Kitty who told us about the by from New York City? Well, it seems the Boy from New York City has returned to New York City, with Kitty. “Hello, hello Kitty, happy in New York City.”

13. Bright Eyes – Old Soul Song (For The New World Order) (2005)
NYC hook: The only song in this mix not to mention New York, its geography or landmarks. But it is set in New York, describing the big February 2003 demonstration against George W Bush’s illicit, indefensible declaration of war against a state that posed no threat to his country’s security. As we knew then, if we were ready to refuse to believe the brazen lies peddled by Dick, Don and Dubya, and their gurning poodle in Britain.

14. Rosie Thomas – Much Farther To Go (2007)
NYC hook: A broken heart in New York City, with the Statue of Liberty as a prop. Without wishing to engage in undue hyperbole, this is one of the most beautiful songs ever written.

15. Rufus Wainwright – Chelsea Hotel No 2 (2006)
NYC hook: Casual celebrity oral sex; it’s the New York way. The cover is even better than Laughing Len’s original.

16. Everything But The Girl – The Only Living Boy In New York (1997)
NYC hook: One person leaves New York, the other stays behind. The second Simon & Garfunkel cover in the mix, and I have two of their songs lined up…

17. Mondo Kané feat. Georgie Fame – New York Afternoon (1986)
NYC hook: We’ve had Billie Holiday in autumn and Rosie Thomas in winter; here Mondo Kané and Georgie Fame (produced by soon-to-be-evil-but-still-excellent Stock Aitken Waterman) enjoy a nice summer afternoon in various New York landmarks.

18. Prefab Sprout – Hey Manhattan! (1988)
NYC hook: And coming in on the flight after Mondo Kané’s are wide-eyed tourists Prefab Sprout, admitting to being entirely star-struck. Brooklyn Bridge, 5th Avenue (where Sinatra walked), JFK hang-out The Carlyle… But look out for the denouement as our tourist friends become aware of New York’s class division.

19. Neil Diamond – Brooklyn Roads (1968)
NYC hook: Neil grew up in Brooklyn. No dazzled observations about famous landmarks and celebrities here. Reminiscing on his childhood, Neil is smelling cooking in the hallways of his block; I get the scent of Mrs Diamond’s boiled cabbage. Wistfully, he imagines a new generation of children living in his old room, perhaps dreaming, as he did, of busting loose.

20. Gil Scott-Heron – New York City (1976)
NYC hook: You’d think angry Gil would hate New York. But he doesn’t. He loves it. Not quite sure why. Nothing much wrong with it, he says. And that’s Just as well, seeing as the city reminds Gil of himself.

21. Steely Dan – Brooklyn (1972)
NYC hook: The charmer under me is…the guy who lived below Fagen and Becker in Brooklyn. All there is to it.

22. Lou Reed – Dirty Blvd. (1989)
NYC hook: Face it, Lou Reed could sing ice cream commercials on a gondola or pack a surf board on a beach surrounded by gaggle of busty blondes, and whatever he was singing would still be about the grime of New York City’s underbelly. The Venetian gondolier would be a pimp, the surfer a pusher and the busty blondes junkie hookers. It’s what our man Lou does.

23. Bob Dylan – Hard Times In New York Town (1961)
NYC hook: Young Bobby Zimmerman escaped from cold Minnesota to Greenwich Village and joined the folk circuit. Recorded before he released his (not terribly good) debut album, we can sympathise here with the complications he is facing in his adopted home.

24. Bob James – Angela (Theme from Taxi) (1978)
NYC hook: What would a series of songs about New York be without reference to the yellow cabs. Taxi was, of course, the show about, well, taxis which brought together Danny DeVito, Tony Danza, Carol Kane, Randall Carver, Judd Hirsch, Marilu Henner, Christopher Lloyd and Andy Kaufman.

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More mixes
American Road Trip

Tracey Thorn – Plain Sailing 7″.  Cherry Red (Cherry 53).  1982.

1. Plain Sailing
2. Goodbye Joe

Sabe quando você aquela música que te deixa bolado de cara, e na sua obsessão você ouve a dita cuja 10 vezes seguidas? Então, fiquei assim com um single da banda The xx (assim mesmo, caixa baixa).

“Basic Space” é perfeita. De uma elegância e uma qualidade pop que te faz dizer “Obrigado, Senhor!”.

The xx é a everyone’s favorite band da vez. Lá fora tá um zunzunzum só. E se você viu o clipe já entendeu por quê.

Eles são um quarteto com guitarra, baixo e  alguma programação de bases numa bateria eletrônica. Um casal de voz suave se divide no vocal – ele canta uns trechos e ela, outros.

O som é delicado, elegante, pop e cantarolável. Todos os instrumentos são econômicos ao máximo, numa levada quase minimalista (guitarra principalmente).

A vocalista tem a língua presa igual ao Romário e é tão baranga quanto a Tracey Thorn, do Everyhing But The Girl (se parecem bastante, aliás). Corre e baixa o disco num torrent perto de você.