Make It Happen (Electronic song)
Encyclopedia
"Make It Happen" is a dance
/rock
song written and performed by the Bernard Sumner
/Johnny Marr
band Electronic
. Produced by Electronic with Arthur Baker
, it is the first track on their third album Twisted Tenderness
.
Sumner and Marr both contribute vocals and guitar
, while Jimi Goodwin
from Doves provides bass
and Jed Lynch
plays drums
and percussion
. Merv de Peyer is credited with programming
and keyboards plus audio mixing
. Arthur Baker with scratching
.
Intended as the first single
from the album (an honour which went to "Vivid
"), "Make It Happen" was eventually issued as a promotional
10" single on clear vinyl, like the previous promo "Prodigal Son
". This featured an Ice T
sample
that was cut from the album version due to a clearance problem. Around eleven seconds longer, it had been released on promo versions of the album but the legal issues had prevented its inclusion on the commercial edition. The version with the sample did appear on Electronic's last single "Late at Night
", however.
Copies of the album with the Ice T sample were reviewed in the music press. Pat Gilbert in Mojo
magazine wrote: "The opener, 'Make It Happen', lurches in with a grinding, fucked-up, hip hop beat, and the portentous promise that, 'This is not a pop album'". Andrew Collins
described its production as "so old-fashioned it’s instantly refreshing".
Electronic dance music
Electronic dance music is electronic music produced primarily for the purposes of use within a nightclub setting, or in an environment that is centered upon dance-based entertainment...
/rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
song written and performed by the Bernard Sumner
Bernard Sumner
Bernard Sumner , also known as Bernard Dickin, Bernard Dicken and Bernard Albrecht is an English singer-songwriter, guitarist, keyboard player and producer....
/Johnny Marr
Johnny Marr
Johnny Marr is an English musician and songwriter. Marr rose to fame in the 1980s as the guitarist in The Smiths, with whom he formed a prolific songwriting partnership with Morrissey. Marr has been a member of Electronic, The The, and Modest Mouse...
band Electronic
Electronic (band)
-Albums:-Singles:-Music videos:-External links:* *...
. Produced by Electronic with Arthur Baker
Arthur Baker (musician)
Arthur Baker is an American record producer and DJ best known for his work with hip hop artists like Afrika Bambaataa, Planet Patrol, and the British group New Order.-Early career:...
, it is the first track on their third album Twisted Tenderness
Twisted Tenderness
Twisted Tenderness is the third album by English supergroup Electronic, released in 1999 by Parlophone in the UK and eighteen months later by Koch Records in the USA...
.
Sumner and Marr both contribute vocals and guitar
Electric guitar
An electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
, while Jimi Goodwin
Jimi Goodwin
Jimi Goodwin is the bassist, vocalist and guitarist for Doves. Before their incarnation as Doves, the three members were a dance-club music trio called Sub Sub....
from Doves provides bass
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
and Jed Lynch
Jed Lynch
Ged Lynch is an English percussionist and composer.Lynch had early commercial success drumming with the Ruthless Rap Assassins, which included Kermit. In 1989 he joined The Icicle Works. He and Kermit joined Shaun Ryder and Bez in Black Grape in 1993. They had a No...
plays drums
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
and percussion
Percussion instrument
A percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
. Merv de Peyer is credited with programming
Programming (music)
Programming is a form of music production and performance using electronic devices, often sequencers or computer programs, to generate music. Programming is used in nearly all forms of electronic music and in most hip hop music since the 1990s. It is also frequently used in modern pop and rock...
and keyboards plus audio mixing
Audio mixing (recorded music)
In audio recording, audio mixing is the process by which multiple recorded sounds are combined into one or more channels, most commonly two-channel stereo. In the process, the source signals' level, frequency content, dynamics, and panoramic position are manipulated and effects such as reverb may...
. Arthur Baker with scratching
Scratching
Scratching is a DJ or turntablist technique used to produce distinctive sounds by moving a vinyl record back and forth on a turntable while optionally manipulating the crossfader on a DJ mixer. While scratching is most commonly associated with hip hop music, since the late 1980s, it has been used...
.
Intended as the first single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
from the album (an honour which went to "Vivid
Vivid (Electronic song)
"Vivid" is a song by Electronic, the eighth single released by the group. It was released in April 1999 by Parlophone in Britain and by Virgin in Germany. "Vivid" reached #17 on the UK Singles Chart.-Recording:...
"), "Make It Happen" was eventually issued as a promotional
Promotional recording
A promotional recording, or promo, is an audio or video recording distributed for free, usually in order to promote a recording that is or soon will be commercially available...
10" single on clear vinyl, like the previous promo "Prodigal Son
Prodigal Son (Electronic song)
"Prodigal Son" is a rock song by the English band Electronic. It was written by Bernard Sumner and Johnny Marr and co-produced with Arthur Baker. The song was first released as a promotional single of four remixes in March 1999, and appeared in the following month on their third album Twisted...
". This featured an Ice T
Ice T
Tracy Marrow , better known by his stage name Ice-T, is an American musician and actor.He was born in Newark, New Jersey and moved to the Crenshaw district of Los Angeles when he was in the 7th grade. After graduating from high school he served in the United States Army for four years...
sample
Sampling (music)
In music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or a different sound recording of a song or piece. Sampling was originally developed by experimental musicians working with musique concrète and electroacoustic music, who physically...
that was cut from the album version due to a clearance problem. Around eleven seconds longer, it had been released on promo versions of the album but the legal issues had prevented its inclusion on the commercial edition. The version with the sample did appear on Electronic's last single "Late at Night
Late at Night (Electronic song)
"Late at Night" is a rock song by the English band Electronic. It was written and produced by its members Bernard Sumner and Johnny Marr, and co-produced with Arthur Baker...
", however.
Copies of the album with the Ice T sample were reviewed in the music press. Pat Gilbert in Mojo
Mojo (magazine)
MOJO is a popular music magazine published initially by Emap, and since January 2008 by Bauer, monthly in the United Kingdom. Following the success of the magazine Q, publishers Emap were looking for a title which would cater for the burgeoning interest in classic rock music...
magazine wrote: "The opener, 'Make It Happen', lurches in with a grinding, fucked-up, hip hop beat, and the portentous promise that, 'This is not a pop album'". Andrew Collins
Andrew Collins (broadcaster)
Andrew Collins is the creator and writer of Radio 4 sitcom Mr Blue Sky. His TV writing work includes EastEnders and the sitcoms Grass and Not Going Out .-Personal life:Collins was a member of the Labour Party between the late 1980s and early 1990s, leaving after Labour's...
described its production as "so old-fashioned it’s instantly refreshing".
Tracklisting
- "Make It Happen (Original Mix)" (7:48)
- "Make It Happen (Darren Price Mix)" (5:58)
- "Prodigal Son (Cevin Fisher Mix)" (8:20)