Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)
Encyclopedia
"Gonna Make You Sweat" was C+C Music Factory
's first hit. It was released in late 1990 in many countries and achieved a great success in U.S., Austria
, Germany
and Switzerland
where it reached number one on the charts.
and the vocal "Everybody Dance Now" by disco/house music artist Martha Wash
.
The official music video features Zelma Davis lip-synching to the actual Martha Wash vocal parts.
Wash, perturbed by the fact that her image had been labeled "unmarketable" due to her girth
, successfully sued to receive proper credit (and royalties). Wash's courtroom efforts spurred legislation making vocal credits mandatory on CDs and music videos.
It ranked #36 on "VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of the 90s".
movement of the early '90s. Topping charts in several countries, the song dominated the airwaves while its accompanying music video received constant rotation on MTV
. Music critics praised "Gonna Make You Sweat" for Freedom Williams' Ice-T
-like rap delivery in conjunction with Martha Wash's powerful, exuberant, post-disco
vocals and deemed the song as a bona fide classic. However, over the years, the song came to be used and/or referenced an innumerable amount of times by entertainment industry, to the point were it became something of a musical, pop culture cliché
. By 2007, the song was criticized by Allmusic as "the lazy Hollywood 'go-to' song for supposed laugh-filled, irony-fueled dance numbers."
music world as it crossed over to the R&B charts where it reached number-one for a week.
It was covered in a remixed version by French DJ Bob Sinclar
's 2006 song "Rock This Party (Everybody Dance Now)
" which became a huge hit in many countries.
. A short clip of Double Dutch
is shown near the end.
7" single
12" maxi
C+C Music Factory
C+C Music Factory is a dance-pop and hip hop group formed in 1989 by David Cole and Robert Clivillés which stopped recording 1996, following Cole's death...
's first hit. It was released in late 1990 in many countries and achieved a great success in U.S., Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
where it reached number one on the charts.
Background and writing
The rap was performed by Freedom WilliamsFreedom Williams
Frederick Brandon Williams , better known by his stage name Freedom Williams is an American hip hop and dance music performer, who gained fame as the lead vocalist on C+C Music Factory's biggest hits.-Career:...
and the vocal "Everybody Dance Now" by disco/house music artist Martha Wash
Martha Wash
Martha Wash is an American R&B, Pop, Soul, House singer/songwriter known for her distinctive and powerful voice.-Early career:...
.
The official music video features Zelma Davis lip-synching to the actual Martha Wash vocal parts.
Wash, perturbed by the fact that her image had been labeled "unmarketable" due to her girth
Obesity
Obesity is a medical condition in which excess body fat has accumulated to the extent that it may have an adverse effect on health, leading to reduced life expectancy and/or increased health problems...
, successfully sued to receive proper credit (and royalties). Wash's courtroom efforts spurred legislation making vocal credits mandatory on CDs and music videos.
It ranked #36 on "VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of the 90s".
Reception
When it was first released, "Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)" was met by widespread commercial recognition, initiating the houseHouse music
House music is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in Chicago, Illinois, United States in the early 1980s. It was initially popularized in mid-1980s discothèques catering to the African-American, Latino American, and gay communities; first in Chicago circa 1984, then in other...
movement of the early '90s. Topping charts in several countries, the song dominated the airwaves while its accompanying music video received constant rotation on MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
. Music critics praised "Gonna Make You Sweat" for Freedom Williams' Ice-T
ICE-T
* Ice-T, an American rapper and actor* ICE T , a tilting model of the German InterCityExpress series of high-speed trains...
-like rap delivery in conjunction with Martha Wash's powerful, exuberant, post-disco
Post-disco
Post-disco refers to a historically significant period in popular music history beginning with the commercial death of disco music in the late 1970s and ending with the mainstream appearance of house music in late 1980s.The stripped-down musical trends followed from the DJ- and producer-driven,...
vocals and deemed the song as a bona fide classic. However, over the years, the song came to be used and/or referenced an innumerable amount of times by entertainment industry, to the point were it became something of a musical, pop culture cliché
Cliché
A cliché or cliche is an expression, idea, or element of an artistic work which has been overused to the point of losing its original meaning or effect, especially when at some earlier time it was considered meaningful or novel. In phraseology, the term has taken on a more technical meaning,...
. By 2007, the song was criticized by Allmusic as "the lazy Hollywood 'go-to' song for supposed laugh-filled, irony-fueled dance numbers."
Chart performances and cover versions
The song held the top spot in the Billboard Magazine list of popular dance club tunes for five weeks in December 1990, and topped Billboard Hot 100 Singles list for two weeks in 1991 (February 9 and February 16.) It reached #3 in the UK in January, a full month before its American pop success. It even found success in the urban contemporaryUrban contemporary
Urban contemporary is a music radio format. The term was coined by the late New York DJ Frankie Crocker in the mid 1970s. Urban contemporary radio stations feature a playlist made up entirely of hip hop/rap, contemporary R&B, pop, electronica such as dubstep and drum and bass and Caribbean music...
music world as it crossed over to the R&B charts where it reached number-one for a week.
It was covered in a remixed version by French DJ Bob Sinclar
Bob Sinclar
Bob Sinclar, originally spelled "Sinclair" - , is a French record producer, House music DJ, remixer and owner of the label Yellow Productions.- Career history :...
's 2006 song "Rock This Party (Everybody Dance Now)
Rock This Party (Everybody Dance Now)
"Rock This Party " is a song by Bob Sinclar, co-produced by regular partner Cutee B and featuring Dollarman and Big Ali on vocals...
" which became a huge hit in many countries.
Music video
The video featured dancers performing in front of a white back drop. Zelma Davis lip-synchs to the recorded vocals of Martha WashMartha Wash
Martha Wash is an American R&B, Pop, Soul, House singer/songwriter known for her distinctive and powerful voice.-Early career:...
. A short clip of Double Dutch
Double Dutch (jump rope)
Double dutch is a game in which two long jump ropes turning in opposite directions are jumped by one or more players jumping simultaneously.While double dutch began in the inner cities of America, it is growing in popularity throughout the US and the world...
is shown near the end.
Track listings
CD single- "Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)" (radio version) – 4:06
- "Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)" (in your face mix instrumental) – 4:54
7" single
- "Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)" (radio version) – 4:06
- "Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)" (in your face mix instrumental) – 4:54
12" maxi
- "Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)" (the slammin' vocal club mix) – 6:50
- "Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)" (Clivilles & Cole DJ's choice mix) – 5:00
- "Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)" (the master mix instrumental) – 4:54
Peak positions
| Chart (1990/91) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian ARIA ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June... Singles Chart |
3 |
| Austrian Singles Chart | 1 |
| Dutch Top 40 Dutch Top 40 The Dutch Top 40 is a weekly music chart, which started as the "Veronica Top 40", because the offshore radio station Radio Veronica was the first to introduce it. It remained "The Veronica Top 40" until 1974, when the station was forced to stop broadcasting... |
2 |
| French SNEP Singles Chart | 43 |
| German Singles Chart | 1 |
| Irish Singles Chart Irish Singles Chart The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured... |
13 |
| New Zealand RIANZ Singles Chart | 2 |
| Norwegian Singles Chart | 5 |
| Swedish Singles Chart | 5 |
| Swiss Singles Chart | 1 |
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
3 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 1 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play Hot Dance Club Play The Hot Dance Club Songs chart is a weekly national survey of the songs that are most popular in U.S. dance clubs... |
1 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs | 1 |
End of year charts
| End of the year chart (1991) | Position |
|---|---|
| Australian Singles Chart | 26 |
| Austrian Singles Chart | 30 |
| Dutch Top 40 | 17 |
| Swiss Singles Chart | 13 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 3 |
Certifications
| Country | Certification | Date | Sales certified |
|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. | Platinum | January 16, 1991 | 1,000,000 |
See also
- Number-one dance hits of 1990 (USA)Number-one dance hits of 1990 (USA)These are the Billboard magazine Hot Dance Club Play number one hits of 1990.-See also:*1990 in music*List of number-one dance hits *List of artists who reached number one on the U.S. Dance chart...
- Hot 100 number-one hits of 1991 (United States)
- Number-one hits of 1991 (Germany)Number-one hits of 1991 (Germany)This is a list of the German Media Control Top100 Singles Chart number-ones of 1991.-References:* * ----...
- List of Swiss number-one hits of 1991
- List of number-one R&B singles of 1991 (U.S.)
- List of number-one hits of 1991 (Austria)