"No Limit" | ||||
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Single by 2 Unlimited | ||||
from the album No Limits! | ||||
Released | 18 January 1993 [1] | |||
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2 Unlimited singles chronology | ||||
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"No Limit" on YouTube |
"No Limit" is a song recorded by Belgian/Dutch Eurodance group 2 Unlimited,released in January 1993 by Byte,ZYX and PWL. It was their fifth single in total and the first to be released from their second album, No Limits! (1993). Co-written by the group's Ray Slijngaard and Anita Dels,the song became one of their most commercially successful singles,especially in Europe,reaching the number-one spot in 35 countries [5] and the top 10 in several others. Like previous releases,the UK version of the single removed all of the raps from Slijngaard,leaving just Dels' vocals. One word from the rap was kept,the word 'Techno' (from the line "I'm making techno and I am proud") which was looped and repeated during the middle of the song,turning the line into "Techno! Techno! Techno! Techno!" and giving the song an extra vocal hook. Its accompanying music video was directed by Nick Burgess-Jones and received heavy rotation on MTV Europe. [6]
"No Limit" started as an idea to do a high-speed techno track. Producer Phil Wilde told Melody Maker in 1994,"Like most techno,2 Unlimited's material floats somewhere between 125 and 148bpm;"No Limit" came in at 144." Wilde programmed the rhythm with hand claps every four beat. He had the groove and went searching in his sound library,starting jamming with sounds. He explained in the same interview,"For 'No Limits' we started jamming with sounds. Then I got the sound which we used for the main melody in that song...it's mostly a combination of sounds. It's so important to have a good sound,and not so easy to fine one. On 'No Limits',the sound came,then the melody. We already had the bass and the drums,and the sample for the lead sound in the end was just a sample. But I'm not going to tell you what it was." [7]
"No Limit" peaked at number one in 35 countries. [5] In Europe,it went to number-one in Austria (3 weeks), [8] Flemish Belgium (6 weeks), [9] Denmark (2 weeks), [10] Finland (2 weeks), [11] France (5), [12] Ireland, [13] the Netherlands (6 weeks), [14] Norway (7 weeks), [15] Portugal (1 week), [16] Spain (3 weeks), [17] Sweden (4 weeks), [18] Switzerland (5 weeks), [19] and the United Kingdom,as well as on the Eurochart Hot 100. In the UK,the single reached number-one in its third week on the UK Singles Chart,on 7 February 1993, [20] after entering at number four and then climbing to number two. It stayed at the top of the chart for five consecutive weeks. Additionally,it also entered the top 10 in Germany (2), [21] Greece (2), [22] Iceland (4), [23] and Italy (8). [24] In Germany,the song was held off the top spot by Ace of Base's "All That She Wants",while in Greece,it peaked at number two,behind Depeche Mode's "I Feel You". "No Limit" debuted on the Eurochart Hot 100 at number 13 on 6 February after charting in Ireland,Sweden and the UK. [25] It peaked at number one six weeks later,on 13 March,and stayed at the top for nine consecutive weeks. [26] In the same period,it also topped the European Dance Radio Chart. [27] Elsewhere,the song peaked at number two on the RPM Dance/Urban chart in Canada,number 16 in Zimbabwe and number 21 on the US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart. [28] [29] [30] In Oceania,it reached numbers seven and 50 in Australia and New Zealand,respectively. [31] [32]
The song was awarded with a gold record in Australia (35,000),Austria (25,000),France (352,000) and Germany (500,000),a silver record in the UK (532,000),and a platinum record in the Netherlands (75,000) and Switzerland (50,000).
In 2003,"No Limit 2.3" peaked number 41 in the German Top 100 Singles chart. [33]
Larry Flick from Billboard wrote,"After several weeks at the top of Britain's pop charts,European rave duo is ready tackle the U.S. radio market with a bright ditty that melds techno,hi-NRG,and rap elements. The hook is irresistible,and the pace is heart-racing. Will please fans of last year's hit,"Twilight Zone",while reeling in newcomers." [34] Tony Parsons from The Daily Telegraph declared it as a "high-speed anthem". [35] Per Reinholdt from Danish Gaffa called it a "dance-powerhit",noting its "inciting up-tempo" and a rhythm and theme "with the same temper as a dressed beeswarm". He also named the song a "piece of pop art". [36] In a Guinness World Records review,the sound of "No Limit" was compared to "the sound giant dinosaurs might make stomping on cities". [37] A reviewer from Irish Independent described it as "a humungous global hit". [38]
In his weekly UK chart commentary,James Masterton wrote,"Of all the techno-rave dance acts,2 Unlimited are the most successful,notching up 5 hits in a row with all making the 20. "No Limit" being the latest and most frantic". [39] The Stud Brothers of Melody Maker praised it as "magnificently kitsch". [40] Alan Jones from Music Week viewed it as "obvious pop fare". [41] James Hamilton from the Record Mirror Dance Update declared it as "madly catchy" and a "tuneful techno pop galloper". [42] Johnny Lee from Smash Hits called it a "stormtrooper",adding that it has "a keyboard that sounds like it's being played by a robot with boxing gloves." [43] Australian student newspaper Woroni complimented the song as "tremendously exciting and highly recommended", [44] naming it an "obvious highlight" of the No Limits! album. [45]
NME ranked "No Limit" number one in their list of "Top Five Euro-Hits of All Time" in December 1993. [46] NME editor Paul Moody wrote,"The ultimate piece of pop existentialism as Anita and Ray suggest the whole world is one huge playground of hedonistic excess. All to a video set within a huge pinball machine. Sublime." [46] The song was ranked number 65 in BuzzFeed 's list of "The 101 Greatest Dance Songs of the '90s" in 2017. Stopera and Galindo said that "this is possibly the most aggressive beat from the '90s. It's like they're strumming a GIANT rubber band." [47] Tom Ewing of Freaky Trigger felt the track's "echoey hi-hat hits and the union of steam-hammer bass and rubber-ball synths" carry the industrial,"piston-powered aggression" of Belgian rave music. He also noted the presence of a cowbell in the back of the track. [48] In 2015,Graham Clark from The Yorkshire Times stated that "the track at the time sounded unlike anything else but you can hear how it has influenced so many of today's electronic dance music tracks". [49]
The accompanying music video for "No Limit" was directed by Nick Burgess-Jones [50] [51] and filmed in London. [52] It features group members Anita Dels and Ray Slijngaard performing inside what appears to be a giant pinball machine, [46] wearing leather apparel. [53] "No Limit" received heavy rotation on MTV Europe in March 1993. [6] Burgess-Jones also directed the videos for 2 Unlimited's next two singles,"Tribal Dance" and "Faces".
Weekly charts
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Decade-end charts
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Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
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Australia (ARIA) [74] | Gold | 35,000^ |
Austria (IFPI Austria) [75] | Gold | 25,000* |
France (SNEP) [76] | Gold | 352,000 [77] |
Germany (BVMI) [78] | Platinum | 500,000^ |
Netherlands (NVPI) [79] | Platinum | 75,000^ |
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland) [80] | Platinum | 50,000^ |
United Kingdom Physical release | — | 532,000 [81] |
United Kingdom (BPI) [82] Digital release | Silver | 200,000‡ |
Summaries | ||
Benelux | — | 156,000 [77] |
Worldwide | — | 2,300,000 [83] |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. |
A Dutch cover version by Irene Moors en de Smurfen topped the Dutch charts for six weeks in 1995. A French version by Les Schtroumpfs, titled "No No No No Limit", was also successful in France and the Walloon region of Belgium, peaking in the top ten in both territories.
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"No Limit" | ||||
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Single by beFour | ||||
from the album Friends 4 Ever | ||||
Released | 2009 | |||
Label | Universal | |||
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BeFour singles chronology | ||||
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"No Limit" was covered by German band beFour on their fourth studio album Friends 4 Ever, and as a single in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The song entered the German Singles Chart in 2009.
Chart (2009) | Peak position |
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Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40) [94] | 13 |
Germany (GfK) [95] | 21 |
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) [96] | 29 |
"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! (1992). 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.
"What Is Love" is a song by Trinidadian-German singer Haddaway, released as his debut single from his debut album, The Album (1993). The song, both written and produced by Dee Dee Halligan and Karin Hartmann-Eisenblätter, was released by Coconut Records in January 1993. It was a hit across Europe, becoming a number-one single in at least 13 countries and reaching number two in Germany, Sweden and the United Kingdom. Outside Europe, the single peaked at number 11 in the United States, number 12 in Australia, number 17 in Canada, and number 48 in New Zealand.
"Don't Stop (Wiggle Wiggle)" is a song by American hip-house duo the Outhere Brothers, released in 1994 as a single from their debut album, 1 Polish, 2 Biscuits & a Fish Sandwich (1994). The song topped the charts in the Republic of Ireland, Spain, and the United Kingdom. Although the music video and radio edit of the song featured a remixed, clean version of the song, the original, explicit lyrics were featured on different versions of the track on the CD single.
"Let the Beat Control Your Body" is a song by Belgian/Dutch Eurodance band 2 Unlimited. It was released in January 1994 by Byte, ZYX and PWL as the fifth and final single from the band's second album, No Limits (1993). 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. Nigel Simpkiss directed the music video for "Let the Beat Control Your Body", which received heavy rotation on both MTV Europe and VIVA.
"Twilight Zone" is a song by Belgian/Dutch Eurodance act 2 Unlimited, released in January 1992 by Byte Records as the second single from the act's debut studio 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 breakthrough hit "Get Ready for This". However, Ray Slijngaard's rap verses were once again removed. The instrumental "Rave" version of the song sounds different from the original "Not Enough" version, with a more hi-NRG style with more bass and added cowbells. The music video was directed by David Betteridge.
"Faces" is a song by Belgian/Dutch Eurodance band 2 Unlimited, released on 23 August 1993 by Byte, Zyx and PWL as the third single from their second album, No Limits! (1993). The song was co-written by band members Ray Slijngaard and Anita Dels, with Phil Wilde and Jean-Paul De Coster who produced it. "Faces" peaked at number two in the Netherlands, number eight in the United Kingdom and at number six on the Eurochart Hot 100. The accompanying music video was directed by Nick Burgess-Jones and filmed in London.
"The Magic Friend" is a song by Belgian/Dutch Eurodance band 2 Unlimited. It was released in August 1992 as the fourth and final single from their debut album, Get Ready! (1992). The UK release once again omitted Ray Slijngaard's rap, which lasted for 16 bars three times through, but did include some of the vocals from Anita Doth, with the "mocking chorus echoes" being abandoned as only Ray's part remains, thus leaving Anita's sole vocals as "disembodied whispers" during the middle eight. The single experienced chart success in many European countries, including Finland, where it topped the chart. The Dutch leading afternoon radio program on national pop outlet Radio 3 FM/Hilversum renamed itself "The Magic Friend", after the single.
"The Real Thing" is a song recorded by Belgian/Dutch Eurodance band 2 Unlimited, released in May 1994 by Byte, Zyx and PWL as the first single from their third album, Real Things (1994). The song is co-written by band members Ray Slijngaard and Anita Dels, and scored chart success in many European countries. It topped the charts in Finland, Lithuania 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 on 28 May at 30 and peaked at number-one three weeks later. Outside Europe, it peaked at number two in Israel and number 39 in Australia. The music video was directed by Nigel Simpkiss, and received heavy rotation on music television channels, such as MTV Europe and VIVA.
"Tribal Dance" is a song by Belgian/Dutch Eurodance band 2 Unlimited. It was released in April 1993 by Byte, Zyx and PWL from the band's second album, No Limits! (1993). The UK release omits the main rap but leaves in more vocals from band member Ray Slijngaard than any of their previous releases. The single experienced chart success in several countries, topping the charts in Finland, Israel, Portugal and Spain. In North America, the song reached number one on the Canadian RPM Dance/Urban chart, while peaking at number seven on the US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart. The single's music video was directed by Nick Burgess-Jones and filmed in London, depicting the band performing in a jungle setting.
"Maximum Overdrive" is a song by Belgian-Dutch Eurodance band 2 Unlimited, released in November 1993 by Byte, ZYX and PWL as the fourth single from their second album, No Limits! (1993). The song was written by band members Ray Slijngaard and Anita Dels with Phil Wilde and Filip Martens, while Wilde produced it with Jean-Paul De Coster. The UK release was the first UK single to maintain all the rap lyrics from Ray used in the European release. "Maximum Overdrive" reached number 15 on the UK Singles Chart, and was also a number-one hit in Finland and on the European Dance Radio Chart. Its accompanying music video was directed by David Betteridge and filmed in London.
"Living on My Own" is a song written and performed by British singer-songwriter Freddie Mercury, originally included on his first solo album, Mr. Bad Guy (1985). It was released as a single in September 1985 by CBS in the United Kingdom, where it peaked at number 50. The July 1985 release in the United States had "She Blows Hot and Cold" as its B-side. Eight years later, in 1993, "Living on My Own" was remixed by Belgian producers No More Brothers and re-released to widespread chart success. The song's lyrics reflect Mercury's longstanding admiration for Greta Garbo, whose quotations are featured prominently in the lyrics. The accompanying music video was directed by Hannes Rossacher and Rudi Dolezal, and features footage of Mercury's 39th birthday celebration at a nightclub in Munich, West Germany.
"Mr. Vain" is a song by German musical group Culture Beat, released in April 1993 by Dance Pool as the lead single from the group's second studio album, Serenity (1993). The song was written by Steven Levis, Nosie Katzmann and Jay Supreme, and produced by Torsten Fenslau. Tania Evans is the lead vocalist and Supreme is the rapper. The female part of the lyrics describes the narcissist title character Mr. Vain, while the rap embodies his selfish desires.
"Out of Space" is the fourth EP/single released by English electronic music group the Prodigy in 1992. The song is also featured on their debut album, Experience (1992), and is the fourth single from it. The song samples the 1976 song "Chase the Devil" by Max Romeo as well as some lines by rapper Kool Keith on the 1988 track "Critical Beatdown" by Ultramagnetic MCs.
"Open Sesame" is a song by Swedish Eurodance artist Leila K, released in October 1992 by Coma label as the lead single from the artist's second album, Carousel (1993). Co-written and co-produced by Denniz PoP, the song was a huge success in many European countries in 1993. It reached number-one in Belgium and peaked within the top 10 in at least nine other countries. Its music video was directed by Matt Broadley. In 1999, the song was released in a new remix as "Open Sesame '99". Dutch singer Daisy Dee released a cover in 2000, which reached number 78 in Germany.
"Life" (known as "Life (Everybody Needs Somebody to Love)" in the US) is a song by Trinidadian-German Eurodance artist Haddaway. Written and produced by Dee Dee Halligan (Tony Hendrik) and Junior Torello (Karin Hartmann-Eisenblätter), the song was released in July 1993 by Coconut Records as the second single from Haddaway's debut album, The Album (1993), and the follow-up to his successful debut single, "What Is Love". The song peaked at number one in Finland, Israel, Spain and Sweden, as well as on the RPM Dance chart and the Eurochart Hot 100, and was a top-10 hit in at least 13 countries. The music video for "Life", partly inspired by the 1927 film Metropolis, was directed by Angel Gracia and filmed in Frankfurt, Germany. By March 1994, the single had sold 1.5 million copies worldwide.
"Got to Get It" is a song by German group Culture Beat from their second studio album, Serenity (1993). The song was written by Nosie Katzmann, Jay Supreme, Torsten Fenslau and Peter Zweier, and produced by Fenslau. The lyrics describes the feeling of not getting over someone you once were in love with, hence the refrain Got to get it, got to get it out of my head. It was released as the second single from the album on 13 September 1993 by German label Dance Pool and was a hit in most European countries, peaking at number-one in both Belgium and Finland. The single was also a top-five hit in Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Spain, Sweden, the Netherlands and the UK. In the UK, the US and Canada, the song peaked at number one on the dance music charts. Its music video was directed by Martin Person and filmed in Denmark and Portugal, telling the story of two lovers breaking up.
"U Got 2 Let the Music" is a song by Italian Eurodance group Cappella, released in September 1993 by label Media as the fourth single from their second studio album, U Got 2 Know (1994). The track samples "Sounds Like a Melody" by German musical group Alphaville and charted in various countries around the world, including the UK, where it reached number two on the UK Singles Chart, becoming the 36th-best-selling single of 1993 in the UK. In Austria, Finland and Switzerland, it peaked at number one. Its accompanying music video received heavy rotation on MTV Europe in January 1994. "U Got 2 Let the Music" was re-released in 1998, 2004 and 2006, in remixed versions.
"Night in Motion" is a song recorded by German act U96, released in 1993 by label Urban as the second single from their second album, Replugged (1993). It was written by its co-producer Alex Christensen with Ingo Hauss, Helmut Hoinkis, Hayo Panarinfo. The single was a hit on the charts in Europe, peaking within the top-10 in Austria, Finland, Germany, Lithuania and Sweden. Outside Europe, the song was a huge hit in Israel, peaking at number-one.
"Inside Your Dreams" is a song recorded by German act U96, released in 1994 by various labels as a non-album track. It was a major hit on the charts in Europe, peaking at number-one in Finland. Additionally, it was a top 10 hit in Austria and Switzerland, and a top 20 hit in Denmark and Germany. On the Eurochart Hot 100, it reached number 29 in May 1994. Outside Europe, the single was a huge hit in Israel, peaking at number four. The accompanying music video was directed by Swedish director Fredrik Boklund, known for his videos for Army of Lovers. It was A-listed on Germany's VIVA in April 1994.
"Power of American Natives" is a song by German techno duo Dance 2 Trance featuring vocals by USA-born, Germany-based singer Linda Rocco. Released in 1992 by Blow Up, Dance Pool and Logic Records as the third single from the duo's first album, Moon Spirits (1992), it is their most commercially successful single, and now widely considered as a classic of its genre. It peaked within the top 10 in Austria, Belgium, Finland, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway and Spain. In the UK, it was a top-30 hit, peaking at number 25, but fared even better on the UK dance and club charts, peaking at number three. The single sold 250,000 records and was awarded a gold disc. Its accompanying music video reached the mainstream networks such as MTV.
the eurodance cheese of 2 Unlimited's "No Limit"
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