Back to Life (However Do You Want Me)

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"Back to Life (However Do You Want Me)"
Single by Soul II Soul featuring Caron Wheeler
from the album Club Classics Vol. One
Released 29 May 1989
Format 7" single
12" maxi single
Cassette
CD single
Recorded May 1989
Genre R&B
Length 3:52
Label Virgin[1]
Writer(s) Jazzie B
Caron Wheeler
Nellee Hooper
Simon Law[1]
Producer(s) Jazzie B
Nellee Hooper[1]
Soul II Soul singles chronology
"Keep On Movin'"
(1989)		 "Back to Life (However Do You Want Me)"
(1989)		 "Jazzie's Groove"
(1989)

"Back to Life (However Do You Want Me)" is a song by British R&B band Soul II Soul. It appeared on their debut album Club Classics Vol. One ("Keep on Movin'" in the United States) and was released as its second single on 29 May 1989. "Back to Life" was one of two songs on the album featuring British R&B singer Caron Wheeler and gained success in both the United Kingdom and in the United States.

The album version of the song was an a cappella which was remixed and re-recorded before being released as a single. Two new versions were produced — the first taking the original recording with instrumentation added, and the second was a re-working of the song with new lyrics and chorus (also adding "However Do You Want Me" to the title).

It was the second version that became most popular. "Back to Life (However Do You Want Me)" peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming one of Soul II Soul's most successful singles in the United States (and the only one to enter in the top 10). In the United Kingdom it performed even better, reaching number one in the UK Singles Chart for four weeks in June 1989.[2] For a time, the album was packaged together with a CD3 single including the new versions of the song. In 2006, Slant Magazine ranked the song at number 57 in their list of the "100 Greatest Dance Songs".[3] In 2015 the song was voted by the British public as the nation's 18th favourite 1980s number one in a poll for ITV.[4]

Cover versions

  • The song was covered live by Lynn Mabry and George Michael at the Rock in Rio 2 music festival in 1991 as well as certain shows during his Cover To Cover tour in 1991. A version of George Michael's "Freedom 90" (Back to Reality Mix) features an interpolation of the song.
  • English powerpop trio Dodgy included a cover of the song on the CD single for their 1994 song "Staying Out for the Summer".
  • DJ Clue produced a version featuring Mary J. Blige & Jadakiss called "Back to Life 2001" which was on his sophomore album The Professional 2.

Chart performance

Preceded by UK number-one single
18 June 1989 – 16 July 1989 (4 weeks)		 Succeeded by
"You'll Never Stop Me Loving You" by Sonia
Preceded by Billboard Hot Dance Club Play number-one single
26 August 1989 – 9 September 1989		 Succeeded by
"It's Time to Get Funky" by D Mob featuring LRS
Preceded by Billboard's Hot R&B Songs number-one single
7 October 1989		 Succeeded by
"Miss You Much" by Janet Jackson

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ http://www.slantmagazine.com/features/article/100-greatest-dance-songs/P5
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

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