Shut Up And Dance
Encyclopedia
Shut Up and Dance are an English
music
duo
that fused hip hop
, house
and hardcore
, and are best known for their single
"Raving I'm Raving", which reached No. 2 in the UK Singles Chart
in May 1992.
, London
, England
by Philip 'PJ' Johnson and Carl 'Smiley' Hyman. In 1990, they made the lower end of the UK
chart
with two singles, "£20 To Get In" and "Lamborghini", both released on their own Shut Up and Dance record label
.
In 1992, they reached No. 43 with their double A-side
single "Autobiography Of A Crackhead" / "The Green Man", before hitting the headlines in May of that year when they released "Raving I'm Raving". The track is based on Marc Cohn
's hit single "Walking in Memphis
", but the sample
had not been given clearance. The single soared to No. 2 in the UK Singles Chart, but was then quickly banned, causing the single to plummet to No. 15 the following week, before leaving the chart completely. Proceeds from the single were ordered to be given to charity
. The German
dance
group
, Scooter
reached No. 33 in 1996 when they covered
the track as "I'm Raving".
Shut Up and Dance released one further single from their Death Is Not The End album
, "The Art Of Moving Butts". The album itself reached No. 38 in the UK Albums Chart
in June 1992. In 1995, they made the chart with two further singles, including the No. 25 hit "Save It 'Til The Mourning After", sampling Duran Duran
's "Save a Prayer
" whilst retaining its original chorus
. The success brought copyright
lawyer
s from at least six major labels, responding to obvious transgressions against their artists
. Shut Up & Dance spent two years of legal wrangling, in similar fashion to their American
hip hop contemporaries like Biz Markie
and De La Soul
; the hassles eventually bankrupted
their label. After re-emerging in 1994 with their response (an EP
entitled Phuck the Biz), the duo recorded
a third album, Black Men United for Pulse 8 in 1995.
Heiner Kruse, one of the best known German drum and bass
record producer
s, took his moniker 'The Green Man' from the Shut Up and Dance single of the same name.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
duo
Duet (music)
A duet is a musical composition for two performers. In classical music, the term is most often used for a composition for two singers or pianists; with other instruments, the word duo is also often used. A piece performed by two pianists performing together on the same piano is referred to as...
that fused hip hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
, house
House 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...
and hardcore
Hardcore techno
Hardcore techno is a type of electronic music typified by the rhythmic use of distorted and atonal industrial-like beats and samples...
, and are best known for their 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...
"Raving I'm Raving", which reached No. 2 in the 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 ...
in May 1992.
Career
The group was formed in 1988 in Stoke NewingtonStoke Newington
Stoke Newington is a district in the London Borough of Hackney. It is north-east of Charing Cross.-Boundaries:In modern terms, Stoke Newington can be roughly defined by the N16 postcode area . Its southern boundary with Dalston is quite ill-defined too...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
by Philip 'PJ' Johnson and Carl 'Smiley' Hyman. In 1990, they made the lower end of the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
chart
Record chart
A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
with two singles, "£20 To Get In" and "Lamborghini", both released on their own Shut Up and Dance record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
.
In 1992, they reached No. 43 with their double A-side
A-side and B-side
A-side and B-side originally referred to the two sides of gramophone records on which singles were released beginning in the 1950s. The terms have come to refer to the types of song conventionally placed on each side of the record, with the A-side being the featured song , while the B-side, or...
single "Autobiography Of A Crackhead" / "The Green Man", before hitting the headlines in May of that year when they released "Raving I'm Raving". The track is based on Marc Cohn
Marc Cohn
Marc Craig Cohn is an American folk rock singer-songwriter and musician.- Personal life :Cohn was born in Cleveland, Ohio. He graduated from Beachwood High School in Beachwood, a Cleveland suburb. He then attended Oberlin College....
's hit single "Walking in Memphis
Walking in Memphis
-Cher version:"Walking in Memphis" is the first European single by American singer-actress Cher from her twenty-second studio album, It's a Man's World. It was released in the end of 1995 by WEA. The song was performed in some shows in Europe, and in her tours since the Do You Believe? Tour.-Song...
", but the 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...
had not been given clearance. The single soared to No. 2 in the UK Singles Chart, but was then quickly banned, causing the single to plummet to No. 15 the following week, before leaving the chart completely. Proceeds from the single were ordered to be given to charity
Charitable organization
A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...
. The German
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...
dance
Dance music
Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement...
group
Musical ensemble
A musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
, Scooter
Scooter (band)
Scooter are a German hard dance band founded in Hamburg, who have sold over 25 million records and earned over 80 gold and platinum awards. Scooter are considered the most successful single-record German act with 23 top ten hits. The band is currently composed of members H.P. Baxxter, Rick J....
reached No. 33 in 1996 when they covered
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
the track as "I'm Raving".
Shut Up and Dance released one further single from their Death Is Not The End album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
, "The Art Of Moving Butts". The album itself reached No. 38 in the UK Albums Chart
UK Albums Chart
The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
in June 1992. In 1995, they made the chart with two further singles, including the No. 25 hit "Save It 'Til The Mourning After", sampling Duran Duran
Duran Duran
Duran Duran are an English band, formed in Birmingham in 1978. They were one of the most successful bands of the 1980s and a leading band in the MTV-driven "Second British Invasion" of the United States...
's "Save a Prayer
Save A Prayer
"Save a Prayer" is the sixth single by Duran Duran, released on 9 August 1982.The song was the third single from the band's second album Rio...
" whilst retaining its original chorus
Refrain
A refrain is the line or lines that are repeated in music or in verse; the "chorus" of a song...
. The success brought copyright
Copyright
Copyright is a legal concept, enacted by most governments, giving the creator of an original work exclusive rights to it, usually for a limited time...
lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
s from at least six major labels, responding to obvious transgressions against their artists
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
. Shut Up & Dance spent two years of legal wrangling, in similar fashion to their American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
hip hop contemporaries like Biz Markie
Biz Markie
Marcel Theo Hall better known by his stage name, Biz Markie, is an American rapper, beatboxer, DJ, comedian, singer, reality television personality, and commercial spokesperson. He is best known for his single "Just a Friend", an American Top 10 hit in 1989...
and De La Soul
De La Soul
De La Soul is an American hip hop trio formed in 1987 on Long Island, New York. The band is best known for their eclectic sampling, quirky lyrics, and their contributions to the evolution of the jazz rap and alternative hip hop subgenres...
; the hassles eventually bankrupted
Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....
their label. After re-emerging in 1994 with their response (an EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
entitled Phuck the Biz), the duo recorded
Sound recording and reproduction
Sound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...
a third album, Black Men United for Pulse 8 in 1995.
Heiner Kruse, one of the best known German drum and bass
Drum and bass
Drum and bass is a type of electronic music which emerged in the late 1980s. The genre is characterized by fast breakbeats , with heavy bass and sub-bass lines...
record producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
s, took his moniker 'The Green Man' from the Shut Up and Dance single of the same name.