You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)

"You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" is a song by British band Dead or Alive on their 1985 album Youthquake. The song was the first UK number-one hit by the Stock Aitken Waterman production trio. Released in November 1984, the record reached number one in March 1985, taking seventeen weeks to get there. In the US, it peaked at #11 in September of that year.

The video was directed by Vaughan Arnell and Anthea Benton.

The strings were based on Richard Wagner's classical piece Ride of the Valkyries.^[1] The song is in 4/4 time and in the key of F# minor.

Re-releases

"You Spin Me Round" was re-released in 2003 at the same time as the Dead or Alive greatest hits album Evolution was released. The song reached #23 in the UK singles chart. It was re-released again on 30 January 2006 because of lead singer Pete Burns' controversial time as a contestant on television series Celebrity Big Brother and reached #5.

Earlier remixes were in 1996 and 1997 (some are included on the US, European and Australian releases of Nukleopatra). In 1999 these mixes were issued in the US as a 2CD set. The first disc held seven mixes of "You Spin Me Round" while disc two has five mixes of "Sex Drive". In 2000, new mixes appeared on Fragile and in 2001, on Unbreakable: The Fragile Remixes. No videos were made for these.

Chart performance

Dead or Alive version

The song has been re-released three times since its original release in 1984. Each time of its release, it achieved success, but failed to match the success of the original. However, after lead-singer Pete Burns' appearance on UK Celebrity Big Brother, the single was re-released and managed a Top 5 peak on the UK Singles Chart in 2006.

Dope version

Dope's version of the song became their first chart entry on any Billboard chart, reaching #37 on the Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. Their version is often misattributed to Marilyn Manson.

Jessica Simpson version

Jessica Simpson's version of the song was released as a promo single from her fourth studio album A Public Affair in 2006. Her version of the song barely made the Pop 100, and failed to make the Billboard Hot 100 chart, however, it charted to #20 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100, which is equivalent to #120. Simpson's version has new lyrics and only preserves the chorus of the song.

Other versions

Notable cover versions include recordings by Thalía on her 2002 self-titled album. A cover was featured in Konami's 2009 video game Dance Dance Revolution Hottest Party. The song's chorus was used as the basis for Flo Rida's 2009 number one single, "Right Round". Danzel and Gigi D'Agostino have also done remixes. Alvin and the Chipmunks covered the song for the film Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel and its soundtrack. In 2008, Thea Gilmore did a cover called "You Spin Me Right Round" alongside with Mike Cave, giving the song a more folk pop touch. After its initial release as a separate single, it was included in newer pressings of her album Liejacker. Adam Sandler performed the song to open the film The Wedding Singer. There is also another version featured in the red-band trailer of Hot Tub Time Machine. The French band Indochine also covered the song on their 2009 album La République des Meteors. Pop singer Dannii Minogue bootlegged the song with her signature song "I Begin to Wonder".

Track listing

JP You Spin Me Round (Murder Mix) - 1984, Epic-Japan (12.3P-625)

1. "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" (Murder Mix)
2. "Misty Circles" (Extended Version)

US You Spin Me Round / Sex Drive remixes - 1999, Cleopatra (CLP 0533-2)

CD1

1. "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" (Sugar Pumpers Radio Edit) - 3:38
2. "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" (Cleopatra Radio Edit) - 4:13
3. "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" (Marc Antonine Radio Edit) - 3:21
4. "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" (Sugar Pumpers Extended Mix) - 5:11
5. "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" (Sugar Pumpers Pumpin Mix) - 7:05
6. "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" (Vicious Mix) - 8:10
7. "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" (Marc Antonine Club Mix) - 7:00

CD2

1. "Sex Drive" (Radio Edit) - 2:52
2. "Sex Drive" (Scream Driven Edit) - 3:54
3. "Sex Drive" (Dead or Alive Original Mix) - 6:39
4. "Sex Drive" (Scream Driven Mix) - 6:59
5. "Sex Drive" (Pee Wee Remix) - 5:56

AUS CD Remix Single - 2003, Epic (673578-2)

1. "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" (Metro 7" Edit) - 3:46
2. "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" (Metro 12" Extended Mix) - 6:55
3. "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" (Mark Moore & Mr. Motion Remix) - 6:20
4. "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" (Punx Soundcheck Vs Princess Julia) - 5:47
5. "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" (D Bop Club Mix) - 7:16
6. "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" (Original 7" Mix) - 3:16

UK CD1 - 2003, Epic (673578-2)

1. "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" (Metro 7" Edit) - 3:46
2. "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" (Metro 12" Extended Mix) - 6:55
3. "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" (Punx Soundcheck Vs Princess Julia) - 5:47
4. "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" (Original 7" Mix) - 3:16

UK CD2 - 2003, Epic (673578-5)

1. "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" (Metro 7" Edit) - 3:46
2. "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" (Mark Moore & Mr. Motion Remix) - 6:17
3. "Isn't It a Pity" - 4:43

UK CD single - 2006, Epic (82876 806212)

1. "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" (Original 7" Mix) - 3:16
2. "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" (Murder Mix) - 7:27 *
3. "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" (Metro 7" Edit) - 3:46
4. "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" (Video 2003 Version) - 3:44

(*) There was also a second version of the 12" release. The original was the Murder Mix, the second version was called the Performance Mix. These were different versions, and there's a quick way to tell them apart: the Murder Mix begins with a sample of breaking glass, and the Performance Mix begins with the lyrics 'Watch out here I come' with the word 'come' repeating and in stereo switching from left to right speaker as it fades out.

References