The Power (Snap! song)

"The Power"
Single by Snap!
from the album World Power
B-side Remix
Released 3 January 1990
Format CD maxi, 7" single, 12" maxi
Recorded 1989
Genre Eurodance[1]
Length 3:47
Label Ariola, Arista
Writer(s) Benito Benites/John "Virgo" Garrett III/Toni C.
Producer(s) Snap!
Certification See certifications
Snap! singles chronology
"The Power"
(1990)		 "Ooops Up"
(1990)
Music sample
"The Power"

"The Power" is a song by the German music group Snap! from their album World Power. It was released in January 1990 and reached number one in the Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom, as well as on the US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play and Hot Rap charts. On the Billboard Hot 100, "The Power" managed to reach number two for one week, behind "Vision of Love" by Mariah Carey.[2] It is particularly known for its hook "I've got the power!"

Background

Written by Michael Münzing and Luca Anzilotti (under the pseudonyms Benito Benites and John "Virgo" Garrett III) and produced by Snap!, it was the group's third single. Featuring a rap by Turbo B and vocals by Penny Ford (lip-synced in the music video by Jackie Harris), the single became a massive international hit.

The song opens with the somewhat enigmatic line in Russian: “Американская фирма Transceptor Technology приступила к производству компьютеров «Персональный спутник»” (meaning “The American company Transceptor Technology has started production of the ‘Personal Companion’ computer”). “Personal Companion” was a computer-like device for the blind and visually impaired. Released in 1990, it was controlled by voice and could, among other functions, automatically download articles from USA Today by a built-in modem. It was made by Transceptor Technologies of Ann Arbor, Michigan.[3]

The song contains samples from "Let the Words Flow" by Chill Rob G, "Love's Gonna Get You" by Jocelyn Brown,[4] and "King Of The Beats" by Mantronix.

Power Jam was the first name under which German producers Michael Münzing (Benito Benites) and Luca Anzilotti (John Virgo Garrett III) were noticed for their 1990 Hit "The Power".

The first version of "The Power" was an amalgam of many samples. The beats were taken from Mantronix's "King Of The Beats Lesson #1" (from their 1990 album "This Should Move Ya"), the vocals were taken from "Let The Words Flow" by rapper Chill Rob G and from "Love's Gonna Get You" by Jocelyn Brown. The record became instantly popular in both Europe and North America. However, all of the samples used were unauthorized. In Germany, Arista Records had a deal with Stu Fine, former owner of Wild Pitch Records, but Arista did not have the same type of deal for a legal US release. Chill Rob G consented to a US release (which he thought could be lucrative) and consequently Arista Records was pressured to prepare the song for release in the US. Because it was not legally possible for Arista to simply reissue the European single, it was decided to re-record the entire track with new lyrics by rapper Durron Butler AKA Turbo B. and additional vocals by Penny Ford. The samples were then all legally cleared and the song was finally re-released under the new name Snap!, despite the fact that Jocelyn Brown had commenced legal action because of the unauthorized sampling of her vocals.[4]

Covers and remixes

In 1990, the American act Deff Boyz sampled the track for their single "Swing."

In 1992 German Studio project MVT (Musical Voyage Target) used "The Power" sample for their single "Hype the Bass".

The song was covered in 2002 by the German band H-Blockx. Turbo B featured in the song taking turns to rap lyrics with H-Blockx's then frontman Dave Gappa. Of note, Turbo B replaces the word 'Snap!' with 'H-blockx' in the line "If they are Snap! don't need the police to try to save them". The single charted at number 48 in Germany, number 51 in Austria and number 34 in Australia.[5]

In 2003, the song was remixed by Motivo, with added Indian vocals from Joshilay and released as Snap! Vs. Motivo – The Power (of Bhangra).

In 2010, Swizz Beatz sampled the song on the second half of Kanye West's official remix to his single Power featuring Jay-Z.

In 2013, Lena Philipsson covered the song during the 70th birthday celebration of Queen Silvia of Sweden.

Tremors at Techno-Mart

On 5 July 2011, a 39-story shopping mall called the "Techno-Mart" in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, shook violently for 10 minutes and was evacuated for two days.[6] After study, it was determined that about 20 people performing Tae Bo exercises to "The Power" caused the building to vibrate by creating a mechanical resonance. The tentative conclusion was the consensus among the six professors from an architectural institute and vibration measurement experts who participated in a recreation of the event. The Architectural Institute of Korea was scheduled to release the final results of the safety inspection later in 2011.[7]

Pop culture

The song was featured in Bruce Almighty,The Pacifier, The Fisher King, Under Siege, Hudson Hawk, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie, Three Kings, Coyote Ugly, Made of Honor and The Perfect Weapon.

Since 2013, the song is being used in the British TV advert B&Q, a home improvement store.

Track listings

1990 version
12" maxi
  1. "The Power" (ful mix) (6:00)
  2. "The Power" (switch mix) (6:21)
  3. "The Power" (potential mix) (5:42)
7" single
  1. "The Power" (3:47)
  2. "The Power" (dub) (5:35)
CD version
  1. "The Power" (ful mix) (6:00)
  2. "The Power" (jungle fever mix) (7:23)
  3. "The Power" (potential mix) (5:42)
  4. "The Power" (7" version) (3:44)
1996 version
  1. "The Power '96" (silk 7") (3:53)
  2. "The Power '96" (E=mc2 12") (6:44)
  3. "The Power '96" (original dub 12") (4:57)
  4. "Ex-Terminator" (from the class 'X) (5:21)

Charts and certifications

Weekly charts

Chart (1990) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[8] 13
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[9] 3
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[10] 3
Belgium (VRT Top 30 Flanders)[11] 2
Canada (RPM 100 Hit Tracks)[12] 16
Canada (RPM Dance)[13] 1
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[14] 1
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[15] 3
France (SNEP)[16] 15
Germany (Media Control Charts)[17] 2
Ireland (IRMA)[18] 5
Italy (FIMI)[19] 4
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[20] 1
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[21] 1
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[22] 6
Norway (VG-lista)[23] 3
Spain (AFYVE)[24] 1
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[25] 3
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[26] 1
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[27] 1
US Billboard Hot 100[28] 2
US Billboard Hot Black Singles[28] 4
US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play[28] 1
US Billboard Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales[28] 1
US Billboard Hot Rap Singles[28] 1
US Cash Box[29] 2
Chart (1996) (The Power '96) Peak
position
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[30] 12
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[31] 40

Year-end charts

Chart (1990) Position
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[32] 13
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[33] 27
Canada (RPM Top 50 Dance Tracks)[34] 3
Italy (FIMI)[19] 18
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[35] 7
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[36] 5
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[37] 9
US Billboard Hot 100[38] 26
US Cash Box[39] 31

Certifications

Region Certification Sales/shipments
Germany (BVMI)[40] Gold 250,000^
Netherlands (NVPI)[41] Gold 75,000^
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[42] Platinum 50,000^
Sweden (GLF)[43] Gold 25,000x
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[44] Gold 25,000x
United Kingdom (BPI)[45] Silver 200,000^
United States (RIAA)[46] Platinum 1,000,000^

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone
xunspecified figures based on certification alone

Order of precedence
Preceded by
"U Can't Touch This" by MC Hammer		 Canadian RPM Dance number-one single
7 July 1990 – 28 July 1990 (4 weeks) 		Succeeded by
"U Can't Touch This" by MC Hammer
Preceded by
"Dub Be Good to Me" by Beats International		 UK Singles Chart number-one single
31 March 1990 – 7 April 1990 (2 weeks) 		Succeeded by
"Vogue" by Madonna
Preceded by
"Nothing Compares 2 U" by Sinéad O'Connor		 Eurochart Hot 100 number-one single
31 March 1990 – 14 April 1990 (3 weeks)
Dutch Top 40 number-one single
14 April 1990 – 5 May 1990 (4 weeks) 		Succeeded by
"Kingston Town" by UB40
Single Top 100 number-one single
14 April 1990 – 12 May 1990 (5 weeks) 		Succeeded by
"Paint It Black" by The Rolling Stones
Swiss number-one single
6 May 1990 – 27 May 1990 (4 weeks) 		Succeeded by
"Black Velvet" by Alannah Myles
Preceded by
"Infinity" by Guru Josh		 Spanish number-one single
16 June 1990 (1 week) 		Succeeded by
"Infinity" by Guru Josh
Preceded by
"Amerikkka's Most Wanted" by Ice Cube		 US Billboard Hot Rap Singles number-one single
30 June 1990 – 14 July 1990 (3 weeks) 		Succeeded by
"We're All in the Same Gang"
by The West Coast Rap All-Stars
Preceded by
"Vogue" by Madonna		 US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play number-one single
2 June 1990 (1 week) 		Succeeded by
"Dub Be Good to Me" by Beats International

See also

References

  1. ↑ Amter, Charlie (9 November 2010). "'Euro-hop' music invades America". CNN. Retrieved 23 May 2014. Eurodance ruled the airwaves in the 1980s and early 1990s, when acts like Germany's Snap! stormed the upper echelons of U.S. pop charts with hits such as "The Power" and "Rhythm Is A Dancer."
  2. ↑ "August 11, 1990 – The Hot 100". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 24 August 2014.
  3. ↑ "Personal Companion". AbleData. National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Jocelyn Brown discusses her voice behind SNAP's record "The Power" on BBC1 TV Interview". YouTube. 13 August 2009. Retrieved 30 March 2014.
  5. ↑ "australian-charts.com – H Blockx feat. Turbo B – The Power". Australian-charts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
  6. ↑ Moffie, Mike (5 July 2011). "Korea solves mystery of shaking skyscraper". San Francisco Chronicle (Hearst Communications, Inc.). Retrieved 19 July 2011.
  7. ↑
  8. ↑ "Australian-charts.com – Snap! – The Power". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
  9. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Snap! – The Power" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
  10. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Snap! – The Power" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
  11. ↑ "The Power – SNAP!" (in Dutch). Top 30. Retrieved 23 May 2014. Hoogste notering in de top 30 : 2
  12. ↑ "Top Singles – Volume 52, No. 15, August 25 1990". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
  13. ↑ "Dance/Urban – Volume 52, No. 8, July 07 1990". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
  14. ↑ "Song artist 172 – Snap". TsorT. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
  15. ↑ Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin - levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN 978-951-1-21053-5.
  16. ↑ "Lescharts.com – Snap! – The Power" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
  17. ↑ "Officialcharts.de – Snap! – The Power". GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
  18. ↑ "The Irish Charts – All there is to know". Irishcharts.ie. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 "I singoli più venduti del 1990" (in Italian). Hit Parade Italia. Creative Commons. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
  20. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Snap - The Power search results" (in Dutch) Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
  21. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Snap! – The Power" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
  22. ↑ "Charts.org.nz – Snap! – The Power". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
  23. ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – Snap! – The Power". VG-lista. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
  24. ↑ Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (in Spanish) (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  25. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Snap! – The Power". Singles Top 60. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
  26. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Snap! – The Power". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
  27. ↑ "Archive Chart: 1990-03-31" UK Singles Chart. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
  28. ↑ 28.0 28.1 28.2 28.3 28.4 "Snap! – Awards". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved 1 May 2014.
  29. ↑ CASH BOX Top 100 Pop Singles – Week ending AUGUST 18, 1990 at the Wayback Machine (archived 7 October 2012). Cash Box magazine. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
  30. ↑ "Snap: The Power 96" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
  31. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Snap! feat. Einstein – The Power '96". Singles Top 60. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
  32. ↑ "Jahreshitparade 1990" (in German). Austriancharts.at. Hung Medien. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
  33. ↑ "Jaaroverzichten 1990" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
  34. ↑ "Dance/Urban – Volume 53, No. 6, December 22 1990". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
  35. ↑ "Single Top 100 over 1990" (PDF) (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
  36. ↑ "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1990" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Hung Medien. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
  37. ↑ "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1990" (in German). Hitparade.ch. Hung Medien. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
  38. ↑ "Top 100 Hits for 1990". The Longbored Surfer. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
  39. ↑ The CASH BOX Year-End Charts: 1990 at the Wayback Machine (archived 23 September 2012). Cash Box magazine. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
  40. ↑ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Snap; 'The Power')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
  41. ↑ "Dutch single certifications – Snap – The Power" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers.
  42. ↑ Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  43. ↑ "Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 1987−1998" (PDF) (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden.
  44. ↑ "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards (Snap; 'The Power')". Hung Medien.
  45. ↑ "British single certifications – Snap – Rehab". British Phonographic Industry. Enter Rehab in the field Keywords. Select Title in the field Search by. Select single in the field By Format. Select Silver in the field By Award. Click Search
  46. ↑ "American single certifications – Snap – The Power". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH