2 Unlimited is a Belgian/Dutch dance act founded by Belgian producers/songwriters Jean-Paul De Coster and Phil Wilde in 1991 in Antwerp,Belgium. Dutch rapper Ray Slijngaard and Dutch vocalist Anita Doth fronted the act from 1991 to 1996. During the five years of 2 Unlimited's worldwide mainstream success,the act scored a total of 16 chart hits,including "Get Ready for This","Twilight Zone","No Limit",and "Tribal Dance". They have sold 18 million records worldwide. Although they enjoyed less mainstream recognition in the United States,many of their songs have become popular themes at American sporting events,particularly in the NHL and the NBA.
"Get Ready for This" is a song recorded by Belgian/Dutch music group 2 Unlimited. It was released in 1991 as the lead single from their debut album,Get Ready!. Originally,the single was produced as an instrumental,titled the "Orchestral Mix". It became a hit and conscious of their popularity,Wilde &De Coster wanted a more accessible,formatted formula for their project to grow. Ray was then asked to write lyrics and add a rap to the track. On Ray Slijngaard's suggestion,Anita Doth joined as the female vocalist.
"Let the Beat Control Your Body" is a 1994 song recorded by Belgian/Dutch Eurodance band 2 Unlimited. It is the fifth and final single taken from their second album,No Limits (1993). The album version was largely instrumental and contained just a few spoken words from Ray and Anita. The single version,however,contained full verses rapped by Ray,and a new chorus sung by Anita. It scored chart success in many European countries,peaking at number two in the Netherlands,and within the Top 10 in Belgium,Finland,France,Germany,Ireland,Spain and the UK. And it was also nominated for Best Song on MTV Awards.
"Twilight Zone" is a 1992 song recorded by Belgian/Dutch Eurodance band 2 Unlimited. It was the second single released from their debut album,Get Ready! (1992). The UK release of the single was the first 2 Unlimited single to include the vocals of Anita Doth,as they had not been featured on their debut hit "Get Ready for This". However,Ray Slijngaard's raps were once again removed. The instrumental "Rave" version of the track sounds different from the original "Not Enough" version,with a more Hi-NRG style with more bass and added cowbells. The single scored chart success in many European countries and topped the chart in the Netherlands. "Twilight Zone" was the second single in a row to just miss out on the top spot in the UK again,peaking at number two. It was 2 Unlimited's biggest hit on the US Dance chart,reaching number five. The single won an award in the category for "Best Techno 12-inch Single" on the 1993 WMC International Dance Music Awards.
"Faces" is a song recorded by Belgian/Dutch Eurodance band 2 Unlimited. As their seventh single,it was released on 25 August 1993 as the third single from their second album,No Limits! (1993). Co-written by band members Ray Slijngaard and Anita Dels,it peaked at number eight in the UK,while peaking at number six on the Eurochart Hot 100.
"The Real Thing" is a 1994 song recorded by Belgian/Dutch Eurodance band 2 Unlimited,released as the first single from their third album,Real Things (1994). It scored chart success in many European countries,topping the charts in Finland and the Netherlands while peaking at number two in Denmark,Sweden,Belgium and Switzerland. The song also was a top 10 hit in Austria,France,Germany,Norway,Scotland,Spain and the UK. It entered the Eurochart Hot 100 May 28,1994 at 30 and peaked at number-one three weeks later. Outside Europe,it peaked at number two in Israel and number 39 in Australia.
"Here I Go" is a song recorded by Belgian/Dutch Eurodance band 2 Unlimited. It is co-written by band members Ray Slijngaard and Anita Dels,and was released in March 1995 as the third single from their third album,Real Things (1994). In the US,the song was released as a double a-side single with 2 Unlimited's next European single,"Nothing Like the Rain". It was a Top 10 hit in at least five countries;Belgium,Finland,Lithuania,the Netherlands and Spain.
"Tribal Dance" is a song recorded by Belgian/Dutch Eurodance band 2 Unlimited. It was their sixth single,released in April 1993 from the band's second album,No Limits!. The UK release omitted the main rap,but left in more vocals from Ray than any of their previous releases. The single scored chart success in many European countries topping the charts in Finland,Portugal and Spain. Outside Europe,the song topped the chart in Israel and the Canadian dance chart while peaking at number seven on the US dance charts. "Tribal Dance" also peaked within the top 5 in Australia,Austria,Belgium,Denmark,France,Germany,Ireland,Netherlands,Norway,Sweden,Switzerland,the UK and Zimbabwe.
"Do What's Good for Me" is a song recorded by Belgian/Dutch Eurodance band 2 Unlimited,released in October 1995 as the first single from their greatest hits compilation album,Hits Unlimited. Co-written by Anita Dels and Ray Slijngaard,it was a notable hit in Europe,reaching the Top 10 in Finland and Spain.
"Nothing Like the Rain" is a song recorded by Belgian/Dutch Eurodance band 2 Unlimited. It was released on 10 June 1995 as the fourth and final single from their third album,Real Things (1994). In the US,the song was released as a double a-side single with the European hit single "Here I Go". It peaked within the Top 20 in at least four countries,and was also the first single by 2 Unlimited that was a pop-ballad. The single was not released in the UK.
"Maximum Overdrive" is a song recorded by Belgian/Dutch Eurodance band 2 Unlimited,released in November 1993 as the fourth single from their second album,No Limits! (1993). The UK release was the first UK single to maintain all the rap lyrics from Ray used in the European release,however the acapella intro was removed from the radio edit. It reached number 15 on the UK Singles Chart,and was also a number-one hit in Finland and on the European Dance Radio Chart by Music &Media.
"Bad Girls" is a song by American singer Donna Summer from her 1979 seventh studio album of the same name. It was released as the album's second single on June 23,1979,by Casablanca Records. The song was produced by Summer's regular collaborators Giorgio Moroder and Pete Bellotte,and co-written by Summer and the Brooklyn Dreams.
"Caravan of Love" is a 1985 R&B hit originally recorded by Isley-Jasper-Isley,the second half of The Isley Brothers' 3 + 3 lineup of the 1970s.
"Jump for Joy" is a 1996 song recorded by Belgian/Dutch Eurodance band 2 Unlimited,released as the second single from their greatest hits compilation album,Hits Unlimited. It was a Top 10 hit in the Netherlands and Spain.
"Wanna Get Up" is a 1998 song recorded by Belgian/Dutch Eurodance band 2 Unlimited. It was released as the debut single from the band to feature Romy van Oojen and Marjon van Iwaarden as the lead vocalists. It was also the lead single from 2 Unlimited's fourth studio album,II. Romy and Marjon were picked out of 150 candidates at various auditions in Holland,Belgium and the United Kingdom.
"Spread Your Love" is a song recorded by Belgian/Dutch Eurodance band 2 Unlimited. It was released in May 1996 as the third and final new single from their greatest hits compilation album,Hits Unlimited. The single scored chart success in some European countries peaking highest in Spain at number 10. It also charted in the Netherlands at number 13. The single was not released in the United Kingdom.
"Big Big World" is a song by Swedish singer Emilia. It was released in September 1998 as the lead single from the album of the same name and was written by Emilia and Lasse Anderson. The song is about love,with references to the autumn season. The melody opening is based on the Swedish springtime song "Nu grönskar det",which in turn is based on the Peasant Cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach.
"Come into My Life" is a song written and recorded by Italian singer-songwriter Gala. It was released in November 1997 as the third single from her debut album,Come into My Life (1997). The song achieved success in Europe,South America,Russia and Middle East. It peaked at number-one in both Italy and Spain,and reached the top 10 also in Belgium,France and Greece.
"Never Surrender" is a song recorded by Belgian/Dutch Eurodance band 2 Unlimited. It was released as the third and final single from them to feature Romy van Oojen and Marjon van Iwaarden as the lead vocalists. It was also the third and final single to be taken from 2 Unlimited's fourth studio album,II. The single scored moderate chart success on the Eurochart Hot 100 at #40,#5 in Spain and #23 in Belgium. "Never Surrender" did not obtain a UK release,unlike the previous single "Edge of Heaven".
This is the discography of 2 Unlimited,a Eurodance project founded in 1991 by Belgian producers Jean-Paul DeCoster and Phil Wilde and fronted by Dutch rapper Ray Slijngaard and Dutch vocalist Anita Doth. With global sales of over 18 million units,2 Unlimited is one of the biggest selling groups from the Netherlands and Belgium.
