Soul Survivor (Beverley Knight song)
Encyclopedia
"Soul Survivor" is the third single release from British singer-songwriter
Beverley Knight's
sixth studio album
, 100%. The song is a duet with soul
singer Chaka Khan
. The song received a full digital download
single release on 8 March 2010. There are two versions of the song, the album version and the radio edit, which halves verse one of the song.
On 10 February 2010, the radio edit of the single was added to the BBC Radio 2
playlist, entering on the B-list. On 24 February 2010, it was announced that "Soul Survivor" had climbed to the Radio 2 A-list, Knight's first single to be placed there since the single "After You
" was released in 2007 .
and Chaka Khan with production by Kevin Bacon and Jonathan Quarmby . The song was originally written with Tina Turner
in mind, as a testament to her longevity. However, upon recording it Beverley loved it so much that she decided to keep it and record it with Chaka Khan. Knight says "We both see ourselves as soul survivors, we have rode through the ups and downs of our musical careers, and we are both still here and loving it" .
Knight also commented:
stated:
page on 3 February 2010. It is a live performance video taken from the Sheffield
date of her 100% UK Tour. It features Knight's backing singer Mary Pearce performing Chaka Khan's
parts of the song as Khan was touring herself, alongside Lulu
and Anastacia on the Here Come the Girls Tour
. Pearce was featured on the Calvin Harris
single "Ready for the Weekend
" .
and Wyda Productions
iTunes Exclusive single EP (released 8 March 2010 - iTunes, released 15 March 2010 - other digital sites)
Remix EP (released 15 March 2010)
Note: Initial copies of the Remix EP were sold with the songs labeled incorrectly, with the remixer being incorrect as well as the version (radio edit/extended). This error has since been resolved by iTunes.
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
Beverley Knight's
Beverley Knight
Beverley Knight MBE is a British soul and R&B singer, songwriter, and record producer who released her debut album in 1995. Heavily influenced by soul greats such as Sam Cooke and Aretha Franklin, Knight has released six studio albums to date...
sixth studio album
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
, 100%. The song is a duet with soul
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
singer Chaka Khan
Chaka Khan
Chaka Khan , frequently known as the Queen of Funk, is a 10-time Grammy Award winning American singer-songwriter who gained fame in the 1970s as the frontwoman and focal point of the funk band Rufus. While still a member of the group in 1978, Khan embarked on a successful solo career...
. The song received a full digital download
Music download
A music download is the transferral of music from an Internet-facing computer or website to a user's local computer. This term encompasses both legal downloads and downloads of copyright material without permission or payment...
single release on 8 March 2010. There are two versions of the song, the album version and the radio edit, which halves verse one of the song.
On 10 February 2010, the radio edit of the single was added to the BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 2 is one of the BBC's national radio stations and the most popular station in the United Kingdom. Much of its daytime playlist-based programming is best described as Adult Contemporary or AOR, although the station is also noted for its specialist broadcasting of other musical genres...
playlist, entering on the B-list. On 24 February 2010, it was announced that "Soul Survivor" had climbed to the Radio 2 A-list, Knight's first single to be placed there since the single "After You
After You (song)
"After You" is the second single released from British singer-songwriter Beverley Knight's fifth studio album, Music City Soul. The radio edit of the song was produced by Pete Vale and has different production and vocals to the original album version, which was produced by Mark Nevers...
" was released in 2007 .
Background and Production
"Soul Survivor" was co-written by Knight, Guy ChambersGuy Chambers
Guy Chambers is an English songwriter and record producer, perhaps best known for his long partnership with Robbie Williams.- Biography :...
and Chaka Khan with production by Kevin Bacon and Jonathan Quarmby . The song was originally written with Tina Turner
Tina Turner
Tina Turner is an American singer and actress whose career has spanned more than 50 years. She has won numerous awards and her achievements in the rock music genre have led many to call her the "Queen of Rock 'n' Roll".Turner started out her music career with husband Ike Turner as a member of the...
in mind, as a testament to her longevity. However, upon recording it Beverley loved it so much that she decided to keep it and record it with Chaka Khan. Knight says "We both see ourselves as soul survivors, we have rode through the ups and downs of our musical careers, and we are both still here and loving it" .
Knight also commented:
"When me and Guy first wrote this song I recorded it alone initially, but I knew there was another dimension to it - and Chaka was that dimension! She's incredible. Everyone knows there are ebbs and flows in a career in the music industry. That's what this song is about. People fall in and out of favour all the time. The thing that gets you through is the love of what you do." .
Critical reception
In a review of "100%", David Quantick of the BBCBBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
stated:
And the stand-out moment, Soul Survivor, is built to resemble the Big Song from an 80s movie (so much that it even has big chunky synths and the presence of the great Chaka Khan) before working its way through most genres of soul (there’s even a great Fauxtown bridge).
Music video
The music video for "Soul Survivor" premiered on Knight's YouTubeYouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
page on 3 February 2010. It is a live performance video taken from the Sheffield
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
date of her 100% UK Tour. It features Knight's backing singer Mary Pearce performing Chaka Khan's
Chaka Khan
Chaka Khan , frequently known as the Queen of Funk, is a 10-time Grammy Award winning American singer-songwriter who gained fame in the 1970s as the frontwoman and focal point of the funk band Rufus. While still a member of the group in 1978, Khan embarked on a successful solo career...
parts of the song as Khan was touring herself, alongside Lulu
Lulu (singer)
Lulu Kennedy-Cairns, OBE , best known by her stage name Lulu, is a Scottish singer, actress, and television personality who has been successful in the entertainment business from the 1960s through to the present day...
and Anastacia on the Here Come the Girls Tour
Here Come the Girls Tour
Here Come the Girls is a co-headling concert tour by American recording artists Anastacia and Chaka Khan and Scottish recording artist Lulu. The tour, primarily reaching Europe, began in November 2009. Described as a music extravaganza that mixes high octane, high camp, get up and dance songs,...
. Pearce was featured on the Calvin Harris
Calvin Harris
Calvin Harris is a Scottish singer-songwriter, record producer and DJ. His gold-selling debut album, I Created Disco, was released in 2007 and contained the top ten singles "Acceptable in the 80s" and "The Girls"...
single "Ready for the Weekend
Ready for the Weekend (song)
"Ready for the Weekend" is a song by Scottish recording artist Calvin Harris, released as the second single from his second studio album, Ready for the Weekend.-Background:...
" .
Track listings
The EP release of "Soul Survivor" will contain "Soul Survivor", album track "Turned to Stone" along with live tracks taken from Knight's 2009 live UK tour . A remix single of "Soul Survivor" will also be released, containing remixes from Bimbo JonesBimbo Jones
Bimbo Jones is a UK dance music group comprising producers Lee Dagger and Marc JB and vocalist Katherine Ellis. Known for their remix work and white label releases, they produced a remix of Meck's 2006 UK number-one single "Thunder in My Heart Again"...
and Wyda Productions
iTunes Exclusive single EP (released 8 March 2010 - iTunes, released 15 March 2010 - other digital sites)
- "Soul Survivor" (with Chaka KhanChaka KhanChaka Khan , frequently known as the Queen of Funk, is a 10-time Grammy Award winning American singer-songwriter who gained fame in the 1970s as the frontwoman and focal point of the funk band Rufus. While still a member of the group in 1978, Khan embarked on a successful solo career...
) (Radio Edit) - "Turned to Stone"
- "Gold Chain" (live from the "100%" tour)
- "100%" (live from the "100%" tour)
- "Bare" (live from the "100% tour)
Remix EP (released 15 March 2010)
- "Soul Survivor" (Bimbo Jones Radio Edit)
- "Soul Survivor" (Bimbo Jones Extended)
- "Soul Survivor" (Wyda Productions Radio Edit)
- "Soul Survivor" (Wyda Productions Extended)
Note: Initial copies of the Remix EP were sold with the songs labeled incorrectly, with the remixer being incorrect as well as the version (radio edit/extended). This error has since been resolved by iTunes.
Chart performance
| Chart (2010) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| 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 ... |
183 |