"Let the Beat Control Your Body" is a song by Belgian/Dutch Eurodance band 2 Unlimited. It was released in January 1994 as the fifth and final single from the band's second album, No Limits (1993).[1] The album version is largely instrumental and contains just a few spoken words from bandmembers Ray Slijngaard and Anita Doth. The single version contains full verses rapped by Slijngaard and a new chorus sung by Doth, which were co-written by them both. The song enjoyed 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 United Kingdom. It was nominated in the category for Best Song on MTV Awards.[2] Nigel Simpkiss directed the music video for "Let the Beat Control Your Body", which received heavy rotation on both MTV Europe and VIVA.
Miranda Sawyer from The Guardian wrote, "The result is a hectic fusion of marching techno beat, catchy tune, and marvellously bossy lyrics: 'Speed up the pace./ Take it to the maximum./ Let the beat control your body.'"[3]Simon Price from Melody Maker commented, "Try listening to the intros to "No Limit" and "Let the Beat Control Your Body" without going at it like a woodpecker on poppers."[4]James Hamilton from Music Week's RM Dance Update described the song as a "techno-pop galloper".[5] Stephen Dalton from NME wrote that songs like this "are about clean, controlled fun and strict discipline booted along by stormtrooper hardcore beats designed to encourage Eurokids to work hard and use leisure time constructively."[6] Scottish Perthshire Advertiser stated, "You know what to expect and, yes, they deliver it!"[7] Mark Frith from Smash Hits described it as "buzzy" in his review of the No Limits album, complimenting it as a song "that stands out individually."[8] Another Smash Hits editor, Tony Cross, gave it two out of five, saying, "It's still techno, techno, techno with a dash of techno for good measure."[9]
"Let the Beat Control Your Body" entered the European airplay chart Border Breakers at number 16 on 4 February due to crossover airplay in Central-, North West- and North-Europe and peaked at number four on 19 March.[10]
Chart performance
"Let the Beat Control Your Body" entered the top 10 in Belgian Flanders, Finland, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Spain and the United Kingdom. In the UK, it peaked at number six on 27 February 1994, during its third week on the UK Singles Chart.[11] It also charted on the UK Dance Singles Chart, peaking at number 14. On the Eurochart Hot 100, "Let the Beat Control Your Body" reached number five.[12] It also reached number one on the European Dance Radio Chart.[13] Additionally, the song was a top-20 hit in Austria, Denmark, Sweden and Switzerland. Outside Europe, "Let the Beat Control Your Body" peaked at number 29 in New Zealand and number 39 in Australia.
Music video
The accompanying music video for "Let the Beat Control Your Body" was directed by Nigel Simpkiss, produced by Swivel Films[14] and released in the UK in January 1994. It received heavy rotation on MTV Europe[15] and was A-listed on Germany's VIVA.[16] In the video, Anita Doth and Ray Slijngaard performs in front of a wall consisting of vibrating speakers. In between, several gymnasts and dancers are performing, mixed with computer generated images. In the rap part, Slijngaard trains bare-chested with weights. Tom Sheehan from Melody Maker felt the 2 Unlimited look in the video was very provocative: "Head-to-toe PVC suffocation gear. It was veryS&M. Stephen Milligan would have loved it."[17]
Appearances
Dance music artist Chaah (aka Susanne Jark) uses the melody from "Let the Beat Control Your Body" in her 1999 release titled "The Funkiness of You".[18] It also became famous again because of Britain's Got Talent when act DJ John performed the song in the auditions.
Track listings
7-inch single
"Let the Beat Control Your Body" (airplay edit)
"Get Ready for No Limits" (Part 2)
Belgian 12-inch maxi
"Let the Beat Control Your Body" (X-Out in Trance) (5:11)
"Let the Beat Control Your Body" (extended) (5:58)
"Let the Beat Control Your Body" (extended) (5:58)
"Get Ready for No Limits" (Murphy's Megamix Part 2) (6:45)
Germany 12-inch maxi
"Let the Beat Control Your Body" (X-Out in Trance remix) (5:11)
"Let the Beat Control Your Body" (extended) (5:58)
"Let the Beat Control Your Body" (X-Out in Rio) (5:06)
"Get Ready for No Limits" (Murphy's Megamix Part 2) (6:45)
UK CD single
"Let the Beat Control Your Body" (airplay edit) (3:38)
"Let the Beat Control Your Body" (X-Out in Rio) (5:06)
"Murphy's Megamix Part 1"
"Get Ready for no Limits" (Murphy's Megamix Part 2) (6:45)
Australian CD maxi
"Let the Beat Control Your Body" (airplay edit)
"Let the Beat Control Your Body" (X-Out in Trance)
"Let the Beat Control Your Body" (extended)
"Let the Beat Control Your Body" (X-Out in Rio)
"Murphy's Megamix Pt 2"
Dutch CD maxi
"Let the Beat Control Your Body" (airplay edit) (3:38)
"Let the Beat Control Your Body" (X-Out in Trance) (5:11)
"Let the Beat Control Your Body" (extended) (5:58)
"Let the Beat Control Your Body" (X-Out in Rio) (5:06)
"Get Ready for no Limits" (Murphy's Megamix Part 2) (6:45)
↑ Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin - levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1sted.). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN978-951-1-21053-5.
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