Anthem (N-Joi song)

"Anthem (AKA The New Anthem)"
Single by N-Joi
from the album Adrenlin (1990 EP)
Released 1990 (As Anthem)
1996 (As New Anthem)
Format 12", Cassette, CD Maxi
Recorded 1990 (original)
1996 (new recordings)
Genre House, techno
Length 4:05 (Original recording)
Label Deconstruction Records/Logic/RCA
Writer(s) Nigel Champion
Mark Franklin
Beresford Romeo
Darlene Davis
Elai Tubo
Sly Dunbar
Producer(s) Mark Ryder
N-Joi singles chronology
Bad Things (1995) Anthem (1990)
New Anthem (1996)
Malfunction (1990)

"Anthem," is a song by the British electronic music group N-Joi. The piano-heavy driven single, which also serves as their debut track, has gone on to become one of their most famous signature songs in the act's career, as well as seeing it chart numerous times since its 1990 release.

Background

The track, which was originally released in 1990, has charted on both the UK and US charts. In its first release, it peaked at number 45 on the UK Pop Chart, but in the United States it had better success on Billboard's Hot Dance Club Play Chart, where it made two trips to the top 5, reaching number 4 in 1991 with the original mixes, and again in 1996, where it was rereleased with new remixes as "The New Anthem" (under the expanded credited "N-Joi featuring Mark Franklin and Nigel Champion"). The updated version would be their second number one in the US, following "Mindflux."

Although the single and the video also features Nigerian singer/actress Saffron, who did the live performances for the act (and whose career would take off after this track), "Anthem" actually features samples of three songs: "Peanut Butter" by Gwen Guthrie (using the lyrics "I'm In Love With You, Want You to Love Me, Too"; Saffron performs the same lyrics in the act's live shows), "I Found Love" by Darlene Davis (using the lyrics "True Love Can Be Hard To Find") and "Back to Life (However Do You Want Me)" by Soul II Soul. Because of this, the artists (and their writers) also receive credits on the single.[1]

The original version of "Anthem" is featured in the 2013 video game Grand Theft Auto V and its accompanied soundtrack in the radio station Non-Stop-Pop FM, programmed by Cara Delevingne.

Track listings

1990 version

12" CD (UK)[2]
12" Promo (US)[3]
12" Commercial EP (US)

1996 version (As "The New Anthem")

12 CD Maxi (US)[4]

Charts

Chart (1990–91) Peak
position
UK Singles (The Official Charts Company)[5] 8
US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play 4

"The New Anthem"

Chart (1996) Peak
position
US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play 1

References

  1. "Anthem" from WhoSampled
  2. UK track listing from Discogs
  3. US promo listing from Discogs
  4. Track listing at discogs.com
  5. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 386. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.

External links

Preceded by
"Who Do U Love" by Deborah Cox
Billboard Hot Dance Club Play number-one single (As "The New Anthem")
March 9–16, 1996
Succeeded by
"Lucky Love" by Ace of Base