"Be My Lover"
Single by La Bouche
from the album Sweet Dreams
B-side"Do You Still Need Me"
ReleasedMarch 8, 1995
RecordedSeptember 1994
GenreEurodance
Length4:01
3:44 (European video edit)
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
La Bouche singles chronology
"Sweet Dreams"
(1994)		 "Be My Lover"
(1995)		 "Fallin' in Love"
(1996)
Music video
"Be My Lover" on YouTube

"Be My Lover" is a song recorded by German Eurodance group La Bouche and released in March 1995 as the second single from their debut album, Sweet Dreams (1995). The song was written by group members Melanie Thornton and Lane McCray with Uli Brenner and Gerd Amir Saraf, who co-produced it with Frank Farian. It remains their most successful song, alongside "Sweet Dreams", and was a worldwide hit. In Europe, it was a number-one hit in the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Romania, and Sweden, as well as on the Eurochart Hot 100. In the US, the single reached number five on the Cash Box Top 100, number six on the Billboard Hot 100 and also topped the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart for two weeks in December 1995. To date, it has sold six million copies worldwide. La Bouche won the 1996 Echo award in Germany in the category for Best Dance Single with "Be My Lover", and the ASCAP award in the US for the 'Most Played Song in America'. It was dubbed into many megamix tracks and has had several remix versions.

In 2000, when Melanie Thornton left the group to start with her solo career, La Bouche released a new version of "Be My Lover" with vocals by Natascha Wright, who replaced Thornton as the female singer of the group.

Background

American rapper Lane McCray met American singer Melanie Thornton in Saarbrücken, Germany while he was on active duty in the US Air Force. Thornton had moved from the US to Germany, where she performed as guest vocalist on dance-pop recordings.[1]

""Be My Lover" no one liked. I kept trying to find words for the "la da da dee" part of the song. We couldn't find any words so we just left it in the song."

—Lane McCray talking to Jerry Nunn about the song.[2]

They went together in a band called Groovin' Affairs and were discovered by German record producer Frank Farian, the mastermind and voice behind the duo Milli Vanilli and prior Boney M. Then they founded the Eurodance duo La Bouche. McCray and Thornton wrote "Be My Lover" together and started recording in the spring of 1994. Because of McCray's duty in the US Air Force, La Bouche's success faced one minor challenge.[3] But the duo went on becoming one of the most popular Eurodance acts of the mid-90s.

Composition

La Bouche's Melanie Thornton and Lane McCray co-wrote the song with Uli Brenner and Gerd Amir Saraf. It is written in the key of C♯ minor[4] and follows a tempo of 134 beats per minute. "Be My Lover" follows a basic chord progression of C♯m–A–B, and the vocals span from G♯3 to F♯5.[5]

Chart performance

"Be My Lover" topped both the US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart and the Canadian RPM Dance/Urban chart, and reached the top 10 of the US Cash Box Top 100 and the US Billboard's Hot 100. It also peaked at number-one in Germany, Hungary,[6] the Czech Republic,[6] Mexico,[6] Romania,[6] and Sweden. On the Eurochart Hot 100, the single reached number-one on May 27, 1995. Additionally, it peaked at the number two position in Australia, Iceland, Italy, the Netherlands and Norway. "Be My Lover" was a top 10 hit in at least 16 countries, like Belgium (6), Brazil,[6] Denmark (9), France (7), Greece,[6] Ireland (8), Spain (6), and Switzerland (5). In the United Kingdom, it peaked at number 25 on the UK Singles Chart on February 25, 1996,[7] while reaching number 20 on the UK Dance Chart. The single also reached number two on the UK on a Pop Tip Club Chart by Music Week.[8]

"Be My Lover" has sold six million copies worldwide to date. It earned a gold record in Austria (25,000), France (250,000), Germany (250,000), Norway and the US (500,000), a silver record in the UK (200,000), and a platinum record in Australia (70,000). La Bouche won the 1996 Echo award in Germany for Best Dance Single with "Be My Lover", and the ASCAP award in the US for the "Most Played Song in America". The song was also nominated for Best Dance Video at the 1996 MTV Video Music Awards while La Bouche was nominated in the category for Best Dance at the 1995 MTV Europe Music Awards.

Critical reception

An editor from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution declared the song as a "high-energy hit".[9] J.D. Considine from The Baltimore Sun described it as "searing".[10] Larry Flick from Billboard viewed it as "tirelessly giddy".[11] Michael Saunders from Boston Globe praised it as a "glorious" and "twinkly" cut.[12] Gil L. Robertson IV from Cash Box named "Be My Lover" a "standout track" from Sweet Dreams.[13] Beth D'Addono from Delaware County Daily Times commented, "La da da dee da da da dah... Then that infectious disco beat kicks in, and "Be My Lover" blares from the car radio, takes over the dance floor, reverberates through the health club, inspiring step classes to even greater heights."[14] Lynn Dean Ford from Indianapolis Star compared the song to Snap! and Real McCoy, with "their relentless energy steeped in tension and computerization."[15]

Connie Johnson from Los Angeles Times wrote, "Sounding like a black ABBA crossed with the C+C Music Factory, Melanie Thornton and Lane McCray invest attitude into such tracks as “Be My Lover”, but you’d have to be a die-hard Euro-dance fan to appreciate it."[16] Chuck Campbell from Knoxville News Sentinel commented, "How does La Bouche's Top 10 hit "Be My Lover" distinguish itself from the scores of other similar dance songs to be Flavor of the Month? It must be the opening la-da-da-di-da-da-da-da of vocalist Melanie Thornton (who then goes on a spree of la's, da's and di's). Otherwise it's an ordinary, albeit invigorating, dance track."[17] In his weekly UK chart commentary, James Masterton stated that it "could well turn out to be one of the pop smashes of the year. Right from the 'La Da Da De Dah' introduction and hook this is one Euro-hit that has 'floor-filler' written all over it. Top 10 within a fortnight, just watch."[18]

A reviewer from Music Week gave it three out of five, adding further that "this fairly standard piece of Europop is unlikely to top labelmates Real McCoy in the UK."[19] An editor, Alan Jones, remarked its "accomplished diva vocals" and "acute commercial nature".[20] Jim Farber from New York Daily News deemed it as a "Euro-disco plea", that "sounds so freakishly retro."[21] People Magazine wrote that the song "underscore buoyant vocals with dark minor-key arrangements".[22] Richmond Times-Dispatch's reviewer said, "I am insanely jealous of the lead female vocal, Melanie Thornton. She has a wonderful, flexible voice."[23] The Tampa Tribune stated that her vocals "are a little better than those of the average disco songstress."[24] James Hamilton from the RM Dance Update described it as a "infectiously 'la de dah'-ed German smash by a Frankfurt based US duo in the usual Euro style".[25]

Music video

Two different music videos were made for this song, a European version and an American version.

The European version was filmed at the beginning of 1995, in the city at night. Melanie Thornton appears as a dominatrix wearing a black outfit. She is driving a van, abducting McCray to an underground club, where several men are being held captive. They are hanging upside down from hooks in the ceiling. Thornton walks around these men while she sings. Suddenly McCray manages to break free and raps toward Thornton. An edited version doesn't show McCray being captured and almost all the scenes with the men being hanging upside down were cut. The uncensored music video was later published on La Bouche's official YouTube channel in 2016, and had generated more than 108 million views as of January 2023.[26]

The American version was filmed in a studio, at the beginning of 1996 with Thornton singing into a microphone and wearing a purple dress. It was directed by Andras Mahr.[27] This version was later published on YouTube in 2014.[28]

Retrospective response

American entertainment company BuzzFeed ranked "Be My Lover" number six in their list of "The 101 Greatest Dance Songs of the '90s" in 2017. Matt Stopera and Brian Galindo stated that "when you think of a '90s dance artist or group, La Bouche is on that list. A legend."[29] In 2015, it was ranked one of "The 50 Best Pop Singles of 1995" by Idolator. Bianca Gracie declared it as a "blood-pumping" tune "that combined energetic waves of synths with incredibly soulful vocals that kept bodies moving way longer than those endless rounds of Sex On The Beach cocktails ever could!". She added that "Be My Lover" "still provides a sense of euphoric escape that continues to refuel the spirit."[30] James Arena, the writer of Stars of '90s Dance Pop: 29 Hitmakers Discuss Their Careers called the song "blistering", adding that it, with "Sweet Dreams", "are widely regarded today as indispensable classics of the decade."[31] Vibe included "Be My Lover" in their list of "30 Dance Tracks From The '90s That Changed The Game" in 2013.[32]

Accolades

Year Publisher Country Accolade Rank
1996 Echo Award Germany "Best National Dance Single"[33] 1
1996 ASCAP Award United States "Most Played Song in America" 1
1996 MTV Video Music Awards United States Nomination for "Best Dance Video"
2012 Porcys Poland "100 Singli 1990-1999"[34] 70
2013 Vibe United States "Before EDM: 30 Dance Tracks From The '90s That Changed The Game"[32] 16
2015 Idolator United States "The 50 Best Pop Singles of 1995"[35] 30
2017 BuzzFeed United States "The 101 Greatest Dance Songs Of the '90s"[36] 6
2019 Billboard United States "Billboard's Top Songs of the '90s"[37] 344

Track listings

These are the formats and track listings of major single releases of "Be My Lover".[38]

Charts

Certifications

Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[79] Platinum 70,000^
Austria (IFPI Austria)[81] Gold 25,000*
France (SNEP)[82] Gold 250,000*
Germany (BVMI)[83] Gold 250,000^
Norway (IFPI Norway)[84] Gold  
United Kingdom (BPI)[85] Silver 200,000‡
United States (RIAA)[86] Gold 500,000^

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Usage in media

The song was played in the 1995 Brazilian soap opera A Próxima Vítima, in an episode of the American TV series Beverly Hills 90210 in 1996, in the 1997 movie Romy and Michele's High School Reunion, in the 1998 movie A Night at the Roxbury, in the 1999 movie Earthly Possessions, and in an episode of the sitcom Step by Step. It was also spoofed as "One Zero 001" on a computer-themed episode of Bill Nye the Science Guy and used in Audition Online Dance Battle as a song. It can be vaguely heard in the background in the "World's Greatest Dick" episode of 3rd Rock from the Sun, in the gay bar that Sally and Harry walk into at the beginning of the episode. It was played during the second episode of The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story, as Gianni (played by Édgar Ramírez) and his boyfriend Antonio (played by Ricky Martin) enter a gay bar.

The song was featured in a ad for Downy Unstoppables.

Cover versions, samples and remixes

  • The song was covered by Hysterie in 2003.
  • Romanian dance pop singer Inna sampled the song for her third studio album Party Never Ends and released it as an official single in 2013.
  • Dutch DJ and producer Sam Feldt made a cover of this track with Alex Schulz in 2017.
  • Akina Nakamori covered the song in her 2017 cover album Cage.[87]
  • In 2018, Austrian Rapper Raf Camora & German Rapper Bonez MC have used a sample of the song for their Hit single “Kokain.”
  • Additionally in 2018, two Norwich City footballers (Onel Hernandez and Tom Trybull) were recorded dancing to the song after a win.
  • In 2019, Italian artist Achille Lauro sampled the song for his hit single "1990"
  • Hypaton and David Guetta released a future rave edit in 2023.

References

  1. ↑ "Singer Melanie Thornton paved her own path". greenvilleonline.com. Retrieved February 14, 2018.
  2. ↑ "Sweet dreams: An interview with La Bouche". chicago.gopride.com. Archived from the original on November 2, 2020. Retrieved February 14, 2018.
  3. ↑ "Sweet Dreams of La Bouche". outinperth.com. July 26, 2016. Retrieved February 14, 2018.
  4. ↑ Amir, Saraf, Gerd; Melanie, Thornton; Andy, Brenner; Lane, McCray; Bouche, La (May 4, 2015). "Be My Lover". Musicnotes.com. Retrieved April 11, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  5. ↑ Amir, Saraf, Gerd (May 4, 2015). "La Bouche "Be My Lover" Sheet Music (Leadsheet) in C# Minor - Download & Print". Musicnotes.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Reed, Claude (6 January 1996). "European-based 'La Bouche' puckers up for America". New York Amsterdam News.
  7. ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100 25 February 1996 - 02 March 1996". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 15, 2020.
  8. 1 2 "The RM on a Pop Tip Club Chart" (PDF). Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental insert). June 10, 1995. p. 8. Retrieved September 2, 2021.
  9. ↑ "Weekend At Home The Latest In Music, Videos And Books Sugary to cerebral: Angelique, La Bouche rule dance floor". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. 2 July 1998.
  10. ↑ Considine, J.D. (1 February 1996). "CD Reviews". The Baltimore Sun.
  11. ↑ Flick, Larry (December 28, 1996). "Dance Trax: Kristine W. Shows Extent Of Dance's Inroads In '96" (PDF). Billboard. p. 34. Retrieved December 7, 2022.
  12. ↑ Saunders, Michael (26 April 1996). "The sun shines on Carey & co". Boston Globe.
  13. ↑ Robertson IV, Gil L. (January 27, 1996). "Urban" (PDF). Cash Box. p. 11. Retrieved November 11, 2022.
  14. ↑ D'Addono, Beth. (12 January 1996). "La Bouche has "Sweet Dreams'". Delaware County Daily Times.
  15. ↑ Dean Ford, Lynn (1 February 1996). "There's both Sting and balm in Sumner". Indianapolis Star.
  16. ↑ Johnson, Connie (February 17, 1996). "La Bouche, "Sweet Dreams", RCA". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved January 20, 2023.
  17. ↑ Campbell, Chuck (9 February 1996). "Amos Losing Touch With 'Boys For Pele'". Knoxville News Sentinel.
  18. ↑ Masterton, James (July 9, 1995). "Week Ending July 15th 1995". Chart Watch UK. Retrieved September 24, 2021.
  19. ↑ "Reviews: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. June 10, 1995. p. 10. Retrieved May 9, 2021.
  20. ↑ Jones, Alan (January 13, 1996). "Talking Music" (PDF). Music Week. p. 24. Retrieved May 26, 2021.
  21. ↑ Farber, Jim (12 February 1996). "German-ating A Dance Revival". p. 32. New York Daily News.
  22. ↑ "Picks and Pans Review: Land of the Living". People. July 29, 1996. Retrieved March 9, 2020.
  23. ↑ "La Bouche". Richmond Times-Dispatch. 15 March 1996.
  24. ↑ "La Bouche, Sweet Dreams". The Tampa Tribune. 16 February 1996.
  25. ↑ Hamilton, James (July 1, 1995). "Dj directory" (PDF). Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental insert). p. 15. Retrieved May 10, 2021.
  26. ↑ "La Bouche - Be My Lover (Official Video) (VOD)". YouTube. February 25, 2016. Retrieved January 21, 2023.
  27. ↑ "Andras Mahr". IMDb.com. Retrieved October 16, 2018.
  28. ↑ "La Bouche - Be My Lover". YouTube. February 14, 2014. Retrieved September 2, 2021.
  29. ↑ Stopera, Matt; Galindo, Brian (March 11, 2017). "The 101 Greatest Dance Songs of the '90s". BuzzFeed. Retrieved March 31, 2020.
  30. ↑ Gracie, Bianca (December 9, 2015). "The 50 Best Pop Singles Of 1995 (Featuring New Interviews With Alanis Morissette, Garbage, Kylie Minogue, Monica, Ace Of Base & More!)". Idolator. Retrieved April 8, 2020.
  31. ↑ James Arena (December 6, 2016). Stars of '90s Dance Pop: 29 Hitmakers Discuss Their Careers. McFarland. p. 123. ISBN 9781476626611. Retrieved March 18, 2020.
  32. 1 2 "Before EDM: 30 Dance Tracks From The '90s That Changed The Game". Vibe. October 9, 2018.
  33. ↑ "Echo 1996 - The Winners" (PDF). Music & Media. March 9, 1996. p. 15. Retrieved March 7, 2018.
  34. ↑ "100 Singli 1990-1999". Porcys (in Polish). August 20, 2012. Retrieved October 31, 2019.
  35. ↑ "The 50 Best Pop Singles Of 1995 (Featuring New Interviews With Alanis Morissette, Garbage, Kylie Minogue, Monica, Ace Of Base & More!)". idolator.com. December 9, 2015. Retrieved October 5, 2018.
  36. ↑ "The 101 Greatest Dance Songs Of the '90s". BuzzFeed. March 11, 2017. Retrieved October 5, 2018.
  37. ↑ "Greatest of All Time: Billboard's Top Songs of the '90s". Billboard. 2019. Retrieved April 21, 2022.
  38. ↑ "La Bouche — "Be My Lover"". Discogs. November 8, 1995. Retrieved July 1, 2009.
  39. ↑ "La Bouche – Be My Lover". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
  40. ↑ "La Bouche – Be My Lover" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  41. ↑ "La Bouche – Be My Lover" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  42. ↑ "La Bouche – Be My Lover" (in French). Ultratop 50.
  43. ↑ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 2926." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 29 September 2018.
  44. ↑ "Top RPM Dance/Urban: Issue 2731." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 29 September 2018.
  45. ↑ "Top National Sellers" (PDF). Music & Media. July 15, 1995. Retrieved February 28, 2018.
  46. ↑ "Eurochart Hot 100" (PDF). Music & Media. May 27, 1995. Retrieved January 15, 2018.
  47. ↑ "European Dance Radio" (PDF). Music & Media. May 13, 1995. p. 26. Retrieved April 20, 2023.
  48. ↑ Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin - levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN 978-951-1-21053-5.
  49. ↑ "La Bouche – Be My Lover" (in French). Les classement single.
  50. ↑ "La Bouche – Be My Lover" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts.
  51. ↑ "Top National Sellers" (PDF). Music & Media. September 23, 1995. Retrieved March 5, 2018.
  52. ↑ "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (18.06.1995 - 24.06.1995)" (PDF). Dagblaðið Vísir - Tónlist. Retrieved February 1, 2018.
  53. ↑ Irish Singles Chart Irishcharts.ie Archived 2009-06-02 at the Wayback Machine (Retrieved 28 July 2008)
  54. ↑ "Top National Sellers" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 12, no. 16. April 22, 1995. p. 18. Retrieved November 25, 2019.
  55. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – La Bouche" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
  56. ↑ "La Bouche – Be My Lover" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  57. ↑ "La Bouche – Be My Lover". Top 40 Singles.
  58. ↑ "La Bouche – Be My Lover". VG-lista.
  59. ↑ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100 (09 July 1995 - 15 July 1995)". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 8, 2018.
  60. ↑ Inc, Nielsen Business Media (May 7, 1994). "Billboard". Nielsen Business Media, Inc. – via Google Books. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  61. ↑ "La Bouche – Be My Lover". Singles Top 100.
  62. ↑ "La Bouche – Be My Lover". Swiss Singles Chart.
  63. ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  64. ↑ "Official Dance Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company.
  65. 1 2 3 4 Billboard Allmusic.com (Retrieved 28 July 2008)
  66. ↑ "Cash Box Top 100 Pop Singles" (PDF). Cash Box. February 24, 1996. Retrieved February 20, 2018.
  67. ↑ "1995 Austrian Singles Chart" (in German). Austriancharts. Archived from the original on 24 September 2010. Retrieved 19 April 2010.
  68. ↑ 1995 Belgian (Flanders) Singles Chart Ultratop.be Archived 30 March 2014 at the Wayback Machine (Retrieved 11 February 2008)
  69. ↑ 1995 Belgian (Wallonia) Singles Chart Ultratop.be Archived 14 April 2014 at the Wayback Machine (Retrieved 11 February 2008)
  70. ↑ "RPM Top 50 Dance Tracks of '95". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved May 31, 2020.
  71. ↑ "1995 Year-End Sales Charts: Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. December 23, 1995. Retrieved December 2, 2019.
  72. ↑ 1995 French Singles Chart Disqueenfrance.com Archived 14 February 2009 at the Wayback Machine (Retrieved 30 January 2009)
  73. ↑ "Top 100 Single–Jahrescharts 1995" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved November 26, 2019.
  74. ↑ "Árslistinn 1995". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). January 2, 1996. p. 25. Retrieved May 31, 2020.
  75. ↑ "Single top 100 over 1995" (PDF) (in Dutch). Top40. Retrieved April 19, 2010.
  76. ↑ "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1995". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved December 4, 2019.
  77. ↑ "Årslista Singlar, 1995" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved November 24, 2019.
  78. ↑ "1995 Swiss Singles Chart" (in German). Swisscharts. Retrieved April 19, 2010.
  79. 1 2 "The ARIA Australian Top 100 Singles 1996". ARIA. Archived from the original on November 2, 2015. Retrieved February 2, 2016.
  80. ↑ "Billboard Top 100 – 1996". Archived from the original on 1 March 2009. Retrieved 27 August 2010.
  81. ↑ "Austrian single certifications – La Bouche – Be My Lover" (in German). IFPI Austria.
  82. ↑ "French single certifications – La Bouche – Be My Lover" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique.
  83. ↑ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (La Bouche; 'Be My Lover')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
  84. ↑ "IFPI Norsk platebransje Trofeer 1993–2011" (in Norwegian). IFPI Norway.
  85. ↑ "British single certifications – La Bouche – Be My Lover". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved January 27, 2023.
  86. ↑ "American single certifications – La Bouche – Be My Lover". Recording Industry Association of America.
  87. ↑ "Cage | 中森明菜". Universal Music Japan. Retrieved September 11, 2020.
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