Lost in Music

Last updated
"Lost in Music"
Lost In Music.jpeg
Single by Sister Sledge
from the album We Are Family
B-side "Thinking of You"
ReleasedJuly 11, 1979 (1979-07-11)
Recorded1978
Studio Power Station, New York City, New York, US
Genre
Length
  • 3:24(single version)
  • 4:47 (album version)
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Nile Rodgers
  • Bernard Edwards
Sister Sledge singles chronology
"We Are Family"
(1979)		"Lost in Music"
(1979)		"Got to Love Somebody"
(1979)

"Lost in Music" is a song by American vocal group Sister Sledge, released in July 1979 [1] as the third single from their third studio album, We Are Family (1979), an album entirely written, produced, and arranged by Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards (of the group Chic). The "intoxicating" song was a no. 35 hit on the American R&B charts. [2] In 1984 and 1993, "Lost in Music" was re-released in new remixes.

Contents

Chart performance

"Lost in Music" was one of the group's biggest hits, charting at No. 35 on the US Billboard R&B chart (then called the Hot Soul Singles chart). [3] It also reached the UK top twenty in three separate decades. The original version reached No. 17 in 1979, [1] a remixed version [4] reached No. 4 in 1984, [1] and another remix reached No. 14 in 1993.

Reception

Cash Box described the song as a "very Chic tune" with "sparse, elegant instrumentation and a "fascinating" hook. [5] Richard Smith from Melody Maker wrote, "'Lost in Music' was a slice of pure pop heaven. A song about the simple thrill of going out dancing, every bit as thrilling as the feeling it was trying to describe." [6] Alan Jones from Music Week gave the 1993 remix three out of five, adding that "once again the original Chic hallmarks are ditched to turn the track into an edgy, percussive rattling slab of Nineties dance music." [7] Record World said that the "clear clean production, snappy percussion, & choir-like vocals are overwhelming." [8]

Charts

Chart (1979)Peak
position
Belgium (Ultratop)14
Ireland (IRMA)30
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)15
Netherlands (Single Top 100)12
UK Singles (OCC)17
US Hot Soul Singles ( Billboard )35

1984 Nile Rodgers remix

Chart (1984)Peak
position
Ireland (IRMA)6
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)6
Netherlands (Single Top 100)4
UK Singles (OCC)4

1993 Sure Is Pure remix

Chart (1993)Peak
position
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100) [9] 48
Europe (European Dance Radio) [10] 4
Ireland (IRMA)10
UK Singles (OCC)14
UK Airplay ( Music Week ) [11] 24
UK Dance ( Music Week ) [12] 2

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI) [13] Gold400,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Cover versions

A cover version of the song appeared on British post-punk band the Fall's 1993 album The Infotainment Scan ; [14] [15] their "radically different" version has been read as a critique of the "unfair derision of the disco genre". [16]

Anita Lane also covered the song on her album Dirty Pearl.

Related Research Articles

Sister Sledge was an American musical vocal group from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Formed in 1971, the group consisted of sisters Debbie, Joni, Kim, and Kathy Sledge. The siblings achieved international success at the height of the disco era. In 1979, they released their breakthrough album We Are Family, which peaked at number three on the Billboard 200 and included the 1979 US top-10 singles "He's the Greatest Dancer" and "We Are Family". "We Are Family" earned a Grammy Award nomination for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nile Rodgers</span> American musician (born 1952)

Nile Gregory Rodgers Jr. is an American musician, songwriter and record producer. The co-founder of Chic, he has written, produced, and performed on records that have sold more than 500 million albums and 75 million singles worldwide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Good Times (Chic song)</span> 1979 single by Chic

"Good Times" is a disco soul song by American R&B band Chic, released in June 1979 by Atlantic Records as the first single from their third album, Risqué (1979). It ranks 68th on Rolling Stone's list of the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time", and has become one of the most sampled songs in music history, most notably in hip hop music. Originally released with "A Warm Summer Night" on the B-side, it was reissued in 2004 with "I Want Your Love" on the B-side, a version which was certified Silver in the UK.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Upside Down (Diana Ross song)</span> 1980 single by Diana Ross

"Upside Down" is a song written and produced by Chic members Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards. It was recorded by American singer Diana Ross and issued on June 18, 1980 from Motown as the lead single from her eleventh studio album, Diana (1980). The song hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart on September 6, 1980 and stayed there for four weeks. It also hit number one on the Billboard Disco and Soul charts. The single was released a full four weeks after the album was released.

<i>We Are Family</i> (album) 1979 studio album by Sister Sledge

We Are Family is the third studio album by the American R&B vocal group Sister Sledge, released on January 22, 1979, in the United States and on April 30, 1979, in the United Kingdom by Cotillion Records. The album was written and produced by Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards of the band Chic, and includes four hit singles: the title track, "He's the Greatest Dancer", "Lost in Music" and "Thinking of You", all of which have been sampled, remixed, and reissued in the decades after the album's release. The album reached number one on the Top R&B Albums chart and peaked at number three on the Billboard 200, making it the band's most commercially successful album. In 2013, NME named it among the 500 greatest albums of all time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">We Are Family (song)</span> 1979 single by Sister Sledge

"We Are Family" is a song recorded by American vocal group Sister Sledge. Composed by Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers, they both offered the song to Atlantic Records; although the record label initially declined, the track was released in April 1979 as a single from the album of the same name (1979) and began to gain club and radio play, eventually becoming the group's signature song.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">He's the Greatest Dancer</span> 1979 single by Sister Sledge

"He's the Greatest Dancer" is a 1979 song by the American vocal group Sister Sledge. Released on February 3, 1979, the song was written and composed by Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers, and recorded for the group's successful 1979 album We Are Family. Billboard named the song No. 66 on its list of "100 Greatest Girl Group Songs of All Time."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chic (band)</span> American disco band

Chic, currently called Nile Rodgers & Chic, is an American disco band founded in 1972 mainly by guitarist Nile Rodgers and bassist Bernard Edwards. It recorded many commercially successful disco songs, including "Dance, Dance, Dance " (1977), "Everybody Dance" (1977), "Le Freak" (1978), "I Want Your Love" (1978), "Good Times" (1979), and "My Forbidden Lover" (1979). The group regarded themselves as a rock band for the disco movement "that made good on hippie peace, love and freedom". In 2017, Chic was nominated for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for the eleventh time.

American disco group Chic released a number of albums in the period 1977 to 1983. After 1983's Believer the group did not record a studio album until 1992's Chic-Ism. The band has since continued to tour and release live and compilation albums. The group's first studio album in 26 years, titled It's About Time was released in September 2018. Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards produced for a series of artists in the years 1978 to 1982. They sometimes produced under the name 'The Chic Organization'.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Want Your Love (Chic song)</span> 1979 single by Chic

"I Want Your Love" is a song by American band Chic from their second studio album C'est Chic (1978). Featuring a solo lead vocal by Alfa Anderson, the song became a very successful follow-up to their hit single "Le Freak".

<i>Love Somebody Today</i> 1980 studio album by Sister Sledge

Love Somebody Today is the fourth studio album by the American R&B vocal group Sister Sledge, released on March 16, 1980, by Cotillion Records. The album includes three singles: "Got to Love Somebody", "Reach Your Peak", and "Let's Go on Vacation", which all charted on the US Pop and R&B/Soul charts from late 1979 until 1980.

<i>King of the World</i> (album) 1980 studio album by Sheila and B. Devotion

King of the World is the final album by French disco act Sheila and B. Devotion, released on June 27, 1980. The album which was both written and produced by Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers of American R&B band Chic includes the hit "Spacer" which reached No. 18 on the UK charts in early 1980 and was a Top 10 hit in most of Europe, selling more than 5 million copies worldwide. The album displays some elements unusual in Chic productions, such as prominent guitar solos in place of the breakdowns that were normally a staple part of the Chic sound, and some unusual lyrical subject matter, such as the sci-fi themed "Spacer" and a humorous song about credit cards.

<i>Soup for One</i> (soundtrack) 1982 soundtrack album by the Chic Organization

Soup for One is the soundtrack album to the movie Soup for One by American R&B band Chic et al., released by Mirage Records in 1982. The album reached number 168 on the Billboard 200 albums chart and number 42 on the R&B chart. Besides three previously released tracks, Chic's "I Want Your Love" from 1978 album C'est Chic, Sister Sledge's "Let's Go On Vacation" from 1980s Love Somebody Today and "Jump, Jump" from Debbie Harry's KooKoo, the album contains five songs specifically written and produced by Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers for the movie.

<i>The Very Best of Chic & Sister Sledge</i> 1999 greatest hits album by Chic

The Very Best of Chic & Sister Sledge is a compilation album of recordings by American R&B bands Chic and Sister Sledge, released by Rhino Records/Warner Music in 1999. An expanded two-disc edition of the compilation was released by Warner Music in 2005, under the title Good Times: The Very Best of the Hits & the Remixes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thinking of You (Sister Sledge song)</span> 1984 single by Sister Sledge

"Thinking of You" is a song released as a single by American musical vocal group Sister Sledge in 1984 that became a hit in the UK. It was originally recorded for their third album, We Are Family (1979), and was included as the B-side to their UK top 20 single "Lost in Music". "Thinking of You" was written and produced by Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards, and, like many Sister Sledge hits, was built on the rhythmic foundations of their famous guitar and bass line arrangements.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Everybody Dance (Chic song)</span> 1977 single by Chic

"Everybody Dance" is a song by American band Chic. The disco song, which features Norma Jean Wright on lead vocals and Luther Vandross, Diva Gray, Robin Clark and David Lasley on background vocals, was released as the second single from the band's self-titled debut album Chic (1977). According to guitarist Nile Rodgers, it was the first song specifically written for Chic, and, due to its historical status and popularity, is usually played as the opening song of the band's live set. It was later heavily sampled by British group Steps on their song "Stomp" and echoed by the Manic Street Preachers on their single "(It's Not War) Just the End of Love".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">My Forbidden Lover</span> 1979 single by Chic

"My Forbidden Lover" is the second single from Chic's 1979 album Risqué. From the funk/soul genre, and in the style of disco, the song was written and produced by Chic's two frontmen, Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers.

<i>Up All Night</i> (The Chic Organization album) 2013 compilation album by Nile Rodgers presents The Chic Organization

Up All Night is a compilation album by Nile Rodgers and The Chic Organization, released in 2013. It contains recordings written, played and produced by Rodgers and Bernard Edwards for various artists including Sister Sledge, Diana Ross, Sheila & B. Devotion, Deborah Harry, Norma Jean Wright, Carly Simon, Johnny Mathis and their own group Chic. In its original form, the album included every UK Top 40 hit single produced by Chic, excepting remixes. The Johnny Mathis track was widely publicised as being previously unreleased, though it had in fact appeared on Mathis' own Ultimate Collection CD in 2011.

This discography documents albums and singles released by American vocal group Sister Sledge.

<i>The Very Best of Sister Sledge 1973–93</i> 1993 greatest hits album by Sister Sledge

The Very Best of Sister Sledge 1973–93 is a greatest hits album by American vocal group Sister Sledge, released in 1993. Featuring the biggest hit singles of Sister Sledge, the album also includes two new Sure Is Pure remixes of "We Are Family" and "Lost in Music", both released as singles in 1993 and reaching number 5 and 14 in the UK Singles Chart respectively.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Sister Sledge". The Official Charts Company.
  2. ↑ Bogdanov, Vladimir, ed. (2003). All Music Guide to Soul: The Definitive Guide to R&B and Soul. Hal Leonard Corporation. p. 620. ISBN   9780879307448.
  3. ↑ "Sister Sledge". Allmusic.
  4. ↑ Davis, Sharon (2012). 80s Chart-Toppers: Every Chart-Topper Tells a Story. Random House. p. 307. ISBN   9781780574110.
  5. ↑ "CashBox Singles Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. July 28, 1979. p. 13. Retrieved 2022-01-01.
  6. ↑ Smith, Richard (1993-01-30). "Albums". Melody Maker . p. 35. Retrieved 2023-05-05.
  7. ↑ Jones, Alan (1993-02-20). "Market Preview: Mainstream - Singles" (PDF). Music Week . p. 22. Retrieved 2022-10-01.
  8. ↑ "Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. July 28, 1979. p. 1. Retrieved 2023-02-11.
  9. ↑ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media . Vol. 10, no. 12. March 20, 1993. p. 23. Retrieved March 23, 2018.
  10. ↑ "European Dance Radio Top 25" (PDF). Music & Media . Vol. 10, no. 15. April 10, 1993. p. 9. Retrieved November 3, 2021.
  11. ↑ "Top 50 Airplay Chart" (PDF). Music Week . March 27, 1993. p. 22. Retrieved April 27, 2024.
  12. ↑ "Top 60 Dance Singles" (PDF). Music Week . March 13, 1993. p. 18. Retrieved April 9, 2021.
  13. ↑ "British single certifications – Sister Sledge – Lost In Music". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved October 17, 2024.
  14. ↑ Simpson, Dave (2008). The Fallen: Life In and Out of Britain's Most Insane Group. Canongate. p. 186. ISBN   9781847676405.
  15. ↑ Macdonald, Neil (15 April 2013). "A Past Gone Rad: The Fall's Infotainment Scan 20 Years On". The Quietus . Retrieved 27 October 2014.
  16. ↑ Curran, Kieran (2014). Cynicism in British Post-War Culture: Ignorance, Dust and Disease. Springer. p. 188. ISBN   9781137444356.
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