Hit by Love

"Hit by Love"
Single by CeCe Peniston
from the album Thought 'Ya Knew
A-side	"I'm Not Over You"
B-side	"Keep Givin' Me Your Love" "Through Those Doors" "I'm Not Over You"
Released	July 25, 1994 (1994-07-25) [1]
Genre	House-pop [2] disco [2] garage [3]
Length	4:34 (album version)
Label	A&M
Songwriter(s)	Steven Nikolas Brendon Sibley Carsten Schack Kenneth Karlin Cutfather
Producer(s)	Soulshock and Karlin David Morales (remix)
CeCe Peniston singles chronology
"I'm Not Over You" (1994) "Hit by Love" (1994) "Movin' On" (1996)
Music video
"EU version" on YouTube "US version" on YouTube

"Hit by Love" is a song by American singer-songwriter CeCe Peniston, released in July 1994 by A&M Records as the fourth single from her second album, Thought 'Ya Knew (1994). The song was written by Steven Nikolas, Brendon Sibley, Carsten Schack, Kenneth Karlin and Cutfather, and produced by Schack and Karlin. It became Peniston's fifth number-one hit on the US Billboard Dance Club Play chart. Issued in Europe with "I'm Not Over You" on B-side, it peaked at number 33 on the UK Singles Chart and number 90 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Critical reception

Jose F. Promis from AllMusic noted that "Hit by Love" was closer in spirit to her early dance hits, but by that time the steam had worn off and the song didn't become a hit. ^[4] Larry Flick from Billboard magazine named it her best single since "Finally" in 1991. ^[5] He explained, "Surrounded by jumpy pop/house beats and sweet, disco-leaning synths, she has a field day with the song's giddy romantic tone and instantly memorable chorus. Will shine a warm, refreshing light on any station it graces, while loyal club fans will bathe in hard-hitting remixes by Junior Vasquez and David Morales." ^[2]

Annette M. Lai from the Gavin Report named the "pop-infused" song one of the "outstanding tracks" of the Thought 'Ya Knew album, adding it as "the track I listen to over and over". ^[6] People Magazine described it as "jumping". ^[7] Tim Jeffery from Music Week's RM Dance Update opined that it is "not as catchy" as previous Peniston hits. ^[8] Another RM editor, James Hamilton, named it a "catchy garage strider" in his weekly dance column. ^[3]

Track listings and formats

Mini-CD, Japan, #PODM-1041 [9] "Hit by Love" (LP Version) - 4:36 "Hit by Love" (Classic Radio Mix) - 3:52 CD, Netherlands, #580 758-2 [10] "Hit by Love" (Radio Mix) - 3:25 "I'm Not Over You" (Hip Hop Mix) - 4:35 Cassette, UK, #580 692-4 [11] "Hit by Love" (Radio Mix) - 3:25 "I'm Not Over You" (Hip Hop Mix) - 4:35 "Through Those Doors" (Alternative Mix) - 4:35 12-inch, Europe, #580 693-1 [12] 12-inch, UK, #AMY 693 [13] "Hit by Love" (Def Classic Mix) - 8:16 "Hit by Love" (LP Version) - 4:36 "Hit by Love" (Classic Dub) - 5:40 "Hit by Love" (Def Dub) - 7:25 Cassette, US, #31458 0768 4 [14] "Hit by Love" (LP Version) - 4:36 "Hit by Love" (Classic Radio Mix) - 3:52 "Hit by Love" (Alternate Radio Mix) - 4:30 "Hit by Love" (Down Tempo Swing Mix) - 4:01 Maxi-CD, Europe, #580 759-2 [15] "Hit by Love" (Radio Mix) - 3:25 "Hit by Love" (Classic Radio Mix) - 3:52 "Hit by Love" (Def Classic Mix) - 8:16 "Hit by Love" (The Body) - 6:55

Maxi-CD, US, #31458 0769 2 [16] "Hit by Love" (Classic Radio Mix) - 3:52 "Hit by Love" (Alternate 7" Mix) - 4:33 "Hit by Love" (D-Max Dub) - 6:45 "Hit by Love" (LP Edit) - 4:10 "Keep Givin' Me Your Love" (West End Remix) - 5:56 12-inch, US, #31458 0765 1 [17] "Hit by Love" (Alternate 12" Mix) - 7:40 "Hit by Love" (D-Max Dub) - 6:45 "Hit by Love" (Classic Dub) - 5:40 "Hit by Love" (Def Classic Mix) - 8:16 "Hit by Love" (Def Dub) - 7:25 "Hit by Love" (LP Version) - 4:36 Maxi-CD, UK, #AMCD 693 [18] CD, UK, #580 693-2 [19] "Hit by Love" (Radio Mix) - 3:25 "Hit by Love" (Classic Radio Mix) - 3:52 "Hit by Love" (Def Classic Mix) - 8:16 "Hit by Love" (The Body) - 6:55 "Hit by Love" (Def Dub) - 7:25 "Hit by Love" (Classic Dub) - 5:40 12-inch double A-side, Europe, #580 723-1 [20] 12-inch double A-side, UK, #AMY 723/580 723-1 [21] "Hit by Love" (The Body) - 6:55 "I'm Not Over You" (Jamie's Under The Swing Mix) - 6:56 "I'm Not Over You" (Junior's Factory Mix) - 9:30

Credits and personnel

• CeCe Peniston – lead/back vocal, executive producer
• Steven Nikolas – writer, vocal arrangement
• Brendon Sibley – writer, vocal arrangement
• Carsten Schack – writer, producer, mix
• Kenneth Karlin – writer, producer, mix
• Cutfather – writer
• David Morales – remix, additional producer
• Mads Nilson – mix
• Doug Michael – engineer
• David Sussman – engineer
• Manny Lehman – executive producer
• Damon Jones – executive producer
• David Collins – mastering
• Patricia Sullivan – mastering
• Studio 56 – studio
• Medley Studio, Copenhagen – mix
• A&M Mastering Studios – mastering
• Steven and Brendon Songs/Casadida Publishing (ASCAP) – publisher
• EMI Virgin Music – admin, publisher

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1994) Peak position UK Singles (OCC) [22] 33 UK Dance (OCC) [23] 5 UK Dance ( Music Week ) [24] 5 UK Club Chart ( Music Week ) [25] 12 US Billboard Hot 100 [26] 90 US Dance Club Songs (Billboard) [26] 1 US Dance Singles Sales ( Billboard ) [27] 17 US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard) [26] 47 US Cash Box Top 100 [28] 78

Year-end charts Chart (1994) Position US Dance Club Play (Billboard) [29] 24

See also

• List of number-one dance singles of 1994 (U.S.)

References

1. "Single Releases". Music Week . July 25, 1994. p. 29.
2. Flick, Larry (August 27, 1994). "Single Reviews" (PDF). Billboard . p. 103. Retrieved March 20, 2021.
3. Hamilton, James (July 30, 1994). "DJ directory" (PDF). Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert). p. 6. Retrieved June 8, 2025.
4. Promis, Jose F. "CeCe Peniston – Thought 'Ya Knew". AllMusic . Retrieved November 8, 2020.
5. Flick, Larry (August 6, 1994). "Dance Trax: Eric Kupper On The Move; Jon Secada Finds A Groove" (PDF). Billboard . p. 24. Retrieved October 10, 2020.
6. Lai, Annette M. (January 28, 1994). "Gavin Picks — Albums" (PDF). Gavin Report . Retrieved March 12, 2022.
7. "Picks and Pans Review: Thought Ya Knew". People . February 7, 1994. Archived from the original on November 16, 2020. Retrieved November 13, 2020.
8. Jeffery, Tim (July 9, 1994). "Hot Vinyl" (PDF). Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert). p. 6. Retrieved April 19, 2021.
9. "CeCe Peniston - "Hit By Love" - CD3, JP, #PODM-1041". Discogs . Zink Media. September 24, 1994. discogs.com. Retrieved March 21, 2015.
10. "CeCe Peniston - "Hit By Love" - CD, NL, #580 758-2". Discogs . Zink Media. 1994. discogs.com. Retrieved March 21, 2015.
11. "CeCe Peniston - "Hit By Love" - CS, UK, #580 692-4". Discogs . Zink Media. 1994. discogs.com. Retrieved March 21, 2015.
12. "CeCe Peniston - "Hit By Love" - 12", EU, #580 693-1". Discogs . Zink Media. 1994. discogs.com. Retrieved March 21, 2015.
13. "CeCe Peniston - "Hit By Love" - 12", UK, #AMY 693". Discogs . Zink Media. 1994. discogs.com. Retrieved March 21, 2015.
14. "CeCe Peniston - "Hit By Love" - MCS, UK, #31458 0768 4". Discogs . Zink Media. 1994. discogs.com. Retrieved March 21, 2015.
15. "CeCe Peniston - "Hit By Love" - MCD, EU, #580 759-2". Discogs . Zink Media. 1994. discogs.com. Retrieved March 21, 2015.
16. "CeCe Peniston - "Hit By Love" - MCD, US, #31458 0769 2". Discogs . Zink Media. September 6, 1994. discogs.com. Retrieved March 21, 2015.
17. "CeCe Peniston - "Hit By Love" - 12", US, #31458 0765 1". Discogs . Zink Media. 1994. discogs.com. Retrieved March 21, 2015.
18. "CeCe Peniston - "Hit By Love" - MCD, UK, #AMCD 693". Discogs . Zink Media. 1994. discogs.com. Retrieved March 21, 2015.
19. "CeCe Peniston - "Hit By Love" - MCD, UK, #580 693-2". Discogs . Zink Media. 1994. discogs.com. Retrieved March 21, 2015.
20. "CeCe Peniston - "Hit By Love"/"I'm Not Over You" - 12", EU, #580 723-1". Discogs . Zink Media. 1994. discogs.com. Retrieved March 21, 2015.
21. "CeCe Peniston - "Hit By Love"/"I'm Not Over You" - 12", UK, #AMY 723/580 723-1". Discogs . Zink Media. 1994. discogs.com. Retrieved March 21, 2015.
22. For peak positions of "Hit By Love" single in UK, choose the singles link, or the OfficialCharts link to view full run of the single in England.
    • "CeCe Peniston - Singles - UK". The Official Charts Company . Music Week. theofficialcharts.com. Archived from the original on December 4, 2012. Retrieved March 19, 2011. #33
    • "CeCe Peniston - "Hit By Love" - UK". Official Charts Company . August 6, 1994. officialcharts.com. Retrieved March 19, 2011. #33
23. "Official Dance Singles Chart Top 40". Music Week . Retrieved April 18, 2022.
24. "Dance Singles" (PDF). Music Week . August 6, 1994. p. 22. Retrieved April 26, 2021.
25. "The RM Club Chart" (PDF). Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert). July 23, 1994. p. 6. Retrieved May 18, 2023.
26. For peak positions of "Hit By Love" in the US, use the general links, and/or, in order to view there not-listed top positions, respectively additional information such as peak date(s) and/or weeks spent on chart(s), you will have to subscribe to billboard.biz website to vie also the specific billboard.biz links.
    • "CeCe Peniston - "Hit By Love" - The Billboard Hot 100". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. November 12, 1994. billboard.biz. Archived from the original on October 5, 2012. Retrieved March 20, 2011. #90
    • "CeCe Peniston - "Hit By Love" - Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. October 29, 1994. billboard.biz. Archived from the original on October 5, 2012. Retrieved March 20, 2011. #4
    • "CeCe Peniston - "Hit By Love" - Hot Dance Club Play". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. October 15, 1994. billboard.biz. Archived from the original on October 5, 2012. Retrieved March 20, 2011. #1
    • "CeCe Peniston - "Hit By Love" - Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. September 17, 1994. billboard.biz. Archived from the original on October 5, 2012. Retrieved March 20, 2011. #17
    • "CeCe Peniston - "Hit By Love" - Bubbling Under R&B/Hip-Hop Singles". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. October 1, 1994. billboard.biz. Archived from the original on October 5, 2012. Retrieved March 20, 2011. #2
    • "CeCe Peniston - "Hit By Love" - Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. November 12, 1994. billboard.biz. Archived from the original on October 5, 2012. Retrieved March 20, 2011. #47
    • "CeCe Peniston - "Hit By Love" - Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. November 12, 1994. billboard.biz. Archived from the original on October 5, 2012. Retrieved March 20, 2011. #48
27. "CeCe Peniston Chart History (Dance Singles Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved March 15, 2023.
28. "CeCe Peniston - "Hit By Love" - US Cashbox". Cashbox . Cashbox Magazine. December 3, 1994. cashboxmagazine.com. Retrieved March 20, 2011. #78
29. "The Year in Music: Hot Dance Music Club Play Singles". Billboard. Vol. 106, no. 52. December 24, 1994. p. YE-74. Retrieved April 1, 2025.

• "CeCe Peniston - Chart History". Billboard . Nielsen Business Media. billboard.com. Retrieved March 19, 2011.
• "CeCe Peniston - Discography - Charts & Awards". Allmusic . Rovi Corporation. allmusic.com. Retrieved March 19, 2011.

External links

• CeCe Peniston at AllMusic