Situation (song)
Encyclopedia
"Situation" is the title of a 1982 single by the British
synthpop band Yazoo
. The song was originally released in the UK as the B-side to Yazoo's debut single, "Only You
", which went to number two on the UK Singles Chart
. Released as a single in its own right in the U.S., the song peaked at number 73 on the Billboard Hot 100
chart. However, it became Yazoo's first song to top the Billboard
Hot Dance Club Play
chart in the late summer of 1982, and it remained at number one on this chart for four weeks, and even crossed over to the R&B chart, peaking at #31 there.
The song features a memorable synthesizer
hook
by Vince Clarke
(similar to the work he had done with his previous band, Depeche Mode
) combined with the vocals by Alison Moyet
(including her laughter, which has since been sampled
in countless other songs including the international dance hit "Macarena
"). The song has been featured on various 1980s compilation albums, as well as an appearance in a commercial for Classic NES Series
.
Its most famous version is the American 12-inch remix
by François Kevorkian
. This version was included on the U.S. version of Yazoo's album Upstairs at Eric's
, and is the version of the song which receives the most radio airplay in the United States (where the song, despite its modest showing on the Hot 100, is still played on alternative, variety-hits, and dance-oriented radio stations).
It was covered by welsh singer Tom Jones
in 1994 on his album The Lead and How To Swing It.
The song was featured in the 2002 film The Rules of Attraction
.
In 1990 and again in 1999, the song was remixed by various noted DJs, including Peter Rauhofer
and Richard "Humpty" Vission
. The 1999 remixes were released to dance clubs, and this renewed interest in the song sent "Situation" to #1 on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart for a second time in October of that year.
UK 12" single (Mute 12MUTE020)
US 7" single (Sire Records 7-29953)
US 12" single (Sire 0-29950)
12" single (Mute 12YAZ4 / Sire/Warner Bros. 21812-0)
CD single (Mute CDYAZ4 / Sire/Warner Bros. 21812-2)
12" single (Mute L12YAZ6)
CD single (Mute CD YAZ 6)
1 Remix
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...
synthpop band Yazoo
Yazoo (band)
Yazoo are a British synthpop duo from Basildon, Essex. They had a number of Top 10 hits in the UK charts in the early 1980s...
. The song was originally released in the UK as the B-side to Yazoo's debut single, "Only You
Only You (Yazoo song)
-Track listing:7": Mute/7 MUTE 20 # "Only You" - 3:10# "Situation" - 3:447": Sire/9 2-98447 # "Only You" - 3:10# "Winter Kills" - 4:0112": Mute/12 MUTE 20 # "Only You" - 3:10# "Situation" - 5:20CD: Mute/CD MUTE 20...
", which went to number two on 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 ...
. Released as a single in its own right in the U.S., the song peaked at number 73 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
chart. However, it became Yazoo's first song to top the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
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...
chart in the late summer of 1982, and it remained at number one on this chart for four weeks, and even crossed over to the R&B chart, peaking at #31 there.
The song features a memorable synthesizer
Synthesizer
A synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
hook
Hook (music)
A hook is a musical idea, often a short riff, passage, or phrase, that is used in popular music to make a song appealing and to "catch the ear of the listener". The term generally applies to popular music, especially rock music, hip hop, dance music, and pop. In these genres, the hook is often...
by Vince Clarke
Vince Clarke
Vince Clarke is an English synthpop musician and songwriter. Clarke has been involved with a number of successful groups, including Depeche Mode, Yazoo, The Assembly and Erasure....
(similar to the work he had done with his previous band, Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode are an English electronic music band formed in 1980 in Basildon, Essex. The group's original line-up consisted of Dave Gahan , Martin Gore , Andy Fletcher and Vince Clarke...
) combined with the vocals by Alison Moyet
Alison Moyet
Alison Moyet , is an English singer, songwriter and performer noted for her bluesy voice.Her UK album sales have reached a certified 2.3 million, with 800,000 singles sold, all in the UK, where all seven of her studio albums and three compilation albums have charted in the Top 40 UK Album Chart,...
(including her laughter, which has since been sampled
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...
in countless other songs including the international dance hit "Macarena
Macarena (song)
"Macarena" is a Spanish dance song by Los del Río about a woman of the same name. Appearing on the 1994 album A mí me gusta, it was an international hit between 1995 and 1996, and continues to have a cult following. It was ranked the "#1 Greatest One-Hit Wonder of all Time" by VH1 in 2002.The song...
"). The song has been featured on various 1980s compilation albums, as well as an appearance in a commercial for Classic NES Series
Classic NES Series
The Classic NES Series in North America are a series of Game Boy Advance games that were originally released on the Nintendo Entertainment System emulated on the Game Boy Advance...
.
Its most famous version is the American 12-inch remix
Remix
A remix is an alternative version of a recorded song, made from an original version. This term is also used for any alterations of media other than song ....
by François Kevorkian
François Kevorkian
François Kevorkian, alias François K, is a French DJ of Armenian origin, remixer, producer and record label owner. Having started his career in renowned clubs such as the Paradise Garage and Studio 54, the New York City resident is widely considered as one of the forefathers of house...
. This version was included on the U.S. version of Yazoo's album Upstairs at Eric's
Upstairs at Eric's
Upstairs at Eric's is Yazoo's first album produced by the band and E.C. Radcliffe with assistance from Daniel Miller. It reached # 2 in UK and # 92 in US...
, and is the version of the song which receives the most radio airplay in the United States (where the song, despite its modest showing on the Hot 100, is still played on alternative, variety-hits, and dance-oriented radio stations).
It was covered by welsh singer Tom Jones
Tom Jones (singer)
Sir Thomas John Woodward, OBE , known by his stage name Tom Jones, is a Welsh singer.Since the mid 1960s, Jones has sung many styles of popular music – pop, rock, R&B, show tunes, country, dance, techno, soul and gospel – and sold over 100 million records...
in 1994 on his album The Lead and How To Swing It.
The song was featured in the 2002 film The Rules of Attraction
The Rules of Attraction (film)
The Rules of Attraction is a 2002 satirical dark comedy film directed by Roger Avary, based on the novel of the same name by Bret Easton Ellis. It stars James van der Beek, Shannyn Sossamon, Ian Somerhalder, Jessica Biel, and Kip Pardue.-Plot:...
.
In 1990 and again in 1999, the song was remixed by various noted DJs, including Peter Rauhofer
Peter Rauhofer
Peter Rauhofer is a DJ, remixer and producer who formerly went under the moniker Club 69 as well as Size Queen. A native of Vienna, Austria, he is famous for his remixes of a number of Madonna's songs including "Nothing Really Matters", "American Life", "Nothing Fails, "Nobody Knows Me", "Get...
and Richard "Humpty" Vission
Richard Vission
Richard "Humpty" Vission is a house music producer, remixer and DJ born Richard Gonzalez in Toronto, Ontario. He was raised in the San Fernando Valley, in Los Angeles, California....
. The 1999 remixes were released to dance clubs, and this renewed interest in the song sent "Situation" to #1 on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart for a second time in October of that year.
Sampling
The song has been sampled numerous times for its synthesized beat. The following artists have sampled "Situation" :- The SaturdaysThe SaturdaysThe Saturdays are a British and Irish pop girl group based in London, United Kingdom. The group consists of five members Una Healy, Mollie King, Frankie Sandford, Vanessa White and Rochelle Wiseman. In 2007 the band were formed through Fascination Records which gave them an instant record deal with...
- "If This Is LoveIf This Is Love"If This Is Love" is a song performed by British-Irish recording girl group The Saturdays from their debut studio album, Chasing Lights . It was co-written by Joe Belmaati, Michaela Breen, Vince Clarke, Mich Hansen, Alison Moyet, John Reid, Remee and Ina Wroldsen. The song was produced by Belmaati...
" - Heidi MontagHeidi MontagHeidi Blair Pratt is an American media personality and singer. She came to prominence with her starring role on the MTV reality series The Hills from 2006 to 2010. Montag has also appeared on I'm a Celebrity.....
- "Body Language" - Flying StepsFlying StepsThe B-Boy crew Flying Steps was formed in 1993 by Kadir Memis and Vartan Bassil in Berlin. The crew has 9 members. They specialise in B-Boying , Popping and Locking and were world champions in these dance styles several times by winning the international Battle of the Year and the Red Bull Beat...
- "In Da Arena (Situation)" - Charli BaltimoreCharli BaltimoreTiffany "Charli Baltimore" Lane is an American Grammy Award nominated female rapper. Her stage name is taken from Geena Davis's character in the film The Long Kiss Goodnight.-Musical career:...
- "Lose It" - Snoop DoggSnoop DoggCalvin Cordozar Broadus, Jr. , better known by his stage name Snoop Dogg, is an American rapper, record producer, and actor. Snoop is best known as a rapper in the West Coast hip hop scene, and for being one of Dr. Dre's most notable protégés. Snoop Dogg was a Crip gang member while in high school...
- "BoomBoom (Snoop Dogg song)"Boom" is a song by West Coast rapper Snoop Dogg and serves as the second official single from his eleventh studio album Doggumentary. The song features Grammy-winning artist T-Pain and was produced by Scott Storch...
"
1982 release
UK 7" single (Mute Records 7MUTE020)- "Only You" — 3:11
- "Situation" — 2:22
UK 12" single (Mute 12MUTE020)
- "Only You" - 3:11
- "Situation (Extended Version)" - 5:18
US 7" single (Sire Records 7-29953)
- "Situation" - 3:44
- "Situation (Dub Version) - 3:13
US 12" single (Sire 0-29950)
- "Situation" — 5:40
- "Situation (Dub Version)" — 5:45
1990 remixes
7" single (Mute Records YAZ4)- "Situation (Deadline Mix Edit)"
- "State Farm (Madhouse Mix Edit)"
12" single (Mute 12YAZ4 / Sire/Warner Bros. 21812-0)
- "Situation (The Aggressive Attitude Mix)"
- "Situation (Deadline Mix)"
- "State Farm (Madhouse Mix)"
CD single (Mute CDYAZ4 / Sire/Warner Bros. 21812-2)
- "Situation (Single Remix)"
- "State Farm (Madhouse Mix Edit)"
- "Situation (The Aggressive Attitude Mix)"
- "Situation (Space Dub)"
1999 Remixes
12" single (Mute 12YAZ6)- "Situation (Club 69 Speed Mix)"
- "Situation (Richard "Humpty" Vission Visits The Dub)"
- "Situation (Richard "Humpty" Vission Instrumental)"
12" single (Mute L12YAZ6)
- "Situation (Dave Ralph's Tea Freaks English Breakfast Mix)
- "Situation (Club 69 Speed Dub)"
CD single (Mute CD YAZ 6)
- "Situation (Club 69 Radio Mix)"
- "Situation (Club 69 Speed Mix)"
- "Situation (Richard 'Humpty' Vission Visits The Dome Mix)"
- "Situation (Dave Ralph's Tea Freaks English Breakfast Mix)"
- "Situation (Deadline Mix)"
- "State Farm (Madhouse Mix)"
- "Situation (Daniel Miller/Mark Saunders 12" Mix)"
- "State Farm (Play-Doh Dub)"
- "Situation (Original US Dub)"
Charts
| Chart (1982) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Dutch Mega Top 100 | 18 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play | 1 |
| U.S. Billboard Black Singles | 31 |
| Chart (1990–1991) 1 | Peak position |
| French SNEP Singles Chart | 40 |
| German Singles Chart | 36 |
| UK Singles Chart | 14 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play | 46 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales | 28 |
| Chart (1999) | Peak position |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play | 1 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales | 8 |
1 Remix