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Strike It Up

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"Strike It Up"
Single by Black Box
from the album Dreamland
Released6 February 1991 (1991-02-06)
StudioThe Record Classics (Italy)
GenreHouse,[1] Eurodance[2]
Length
  • 3:22 (DJ Lelewel remix edit)
  • 3:30 (original remix edit)
  • 5:15 (album version)
Label
Songwriter(s)
  • Daniele Davoli
  • Mirko Limoni
  • Valerio Semplici
Producer(s)Groove Groove Melody
Black Box singles chronology
"The Total Mix"
(1991) 		"Strike It Up"
(1991) 		"Open Your Eyes"
(1991)
Music video
"Strike It Up" on YouTube
Alternative cover
CD maxi - Megaremix

"Strike It Up" is a song by Italian music group Black Box. It was the fifth single from their debut studio album, Dreamland (1990), and was released on 6 February 1991 in many countries worldwide by Polydor and Deconstruction. The single was a success on many charts, including the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States, where it peaked at number eight. It also topped the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart in June 1991 for one week. In the United Kingdom, it peaked at number 16 on the UK Singles Chart.[3] "Strike It Up" also was a top-10 hit in Denmark, Greece, Ireland, and the Netherlands. And on the Eurochart Hot 100, the track reached number 38. The accompanying music video was directed by Neil Thompson.[4]

In 2020, Slant Magazine ranked the song number 35 in its list of "The 100 Best Dance Songs of All Time".[5]

Background

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The song features an un-credited Martha Wash on lead vocals. However, Wash was not featured in the music video or singles cover art as it was customary for Katrin Quinol, a French model, of Guadelope descent, to be used as the 'face' of the group, and it was her that was featured lip-synching the lyrics sung by Wash.[6] In 1990, after suing over false advertising, Wash reached an out-of-court settlement with Black Box record label RCA, with financial compensation and a guarantee of proper credit in the future.[7]

Critical reception

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Larry Flick from Billboard wrote, "Not even the litigation alleging Martha Wash is the actual singer of group's hits can cool interest in this Italo-house act. Busy rave bears marks similar to previous hits, with a cute (and uncredited) rap adding a street vibe."[8] The Daily Vault's Michael R. Smith wrote in his retrospective review of Dreamland, that "Strike It Up" and "Everybody Everybody" "are definitely the best of the album. These are gay disco anthems that still resonate today, even though the words aren't always easy to comprehend."[9] Dave Sholin from the Gavin Report reported, "Back in the batter's box with a dynamic dance entry featuring the exceptional vocals of Martha Wash, they jump 24-15 at HOT 97 New York where APD/MD Kevin McCabe proclaims it, "one of our secret weapon records."[10]

Andrew Smith from Melody Maker called it "a commendably rootsy house pumper".[11] Alan Jones from Music Week named it Pick of the Week, stating that it has the "usual enrgetic vocal delivery from Martha Wash nicely counterpointed by Stepz's rap. Should strike deep into the Top 40."[12] Davydd Chong from Record Mirror said, "Needless to say, this is hedonism-a-go-go, slapped onto a seven-inch lump of plastic by the Italian mob. Dead groovy, though not as smart as 'Everybody'. I like it lots."[13] Marc Andrews from Smash Hits declared the song as "pure disco magic".[14]

Impact and legacy

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This song has been played during the final TV timeout in the third period at every New York Rangers home game since at least 1996. It is during this song that Rangers fan Larry Goodman, also known as "Dancing Larry," performs his signature dance, to energize the crowd.[15] In 2010, Pitchfork included the song in their list of "Ten Actually Good 90s Jock Jams".[16] In 2017, BuzzFeed ranked "Strike It Up" number 57 in its list of "The 101 Greatest Dance Songs of the '90s".[17] In 2020, Slant Magazine ranked the song at number 35 in its list of "The 100 Best Dance Songs of All Time". It added that "it can be guiltlessly admitted that 'Strike It Up' is a masterpiece, and it's hard to imagine anyone else's voice [than Martha Wash] rising above the song's battalion of piano house, synth stabs, and, yes, one gigantic 4/4 beat."[5] In 2024, Billboard ranked "Strike It Up" number 29 in their "The 100 Greatest Jock Jams of All Time", naming it "an early-’90s diva-house classic with a fantastic Martha Wash vocal".[18]

Track listing and formats

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Charts

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Release history

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Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
Germany 6 February 1991
  • 7-inch vinyl
  • 12-inch vinyl
  • CD
 Polydor [21]
United Kingdom 25 March 1991
  • 7-inch vinyl
  • 12-inch vinyl
  • CD
  • cassette
 Deconstruction [41]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Birchmeier, Jason. "Culture Beat – Artist Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved 16 February 2014. Along with other Euro-dance hits from the early '90s -- Snap's "Rhythm Is a Dancer," 2 Unlimited's "Get Ready for This," Black Box's "Strike It Up" -- it took some time before "Mr. Vain" broke in the U.S.
  2. ^ {{ Discogs |url= https://www.discogs.com/master/135958-Black-Box-Strike-It-Up}}
  3. ^ a b "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 16 February 2014.
  4. ^ "Strike It Up (1990) by Black Box". IMVDb. Retrieved 21 October 2019.
  5. ^ a b "The 100 Best Dance Songs of All Time". Slant Magazine. 15 June 2020. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  6. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2009). Top Pop Singles 1955-2008 (12th ed.). Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research Inc. p. 97. ISBN 978-0-89820-180-2.
  7. ^ Pareles, Jon (6 December 1990). "Lawsuits Seek Truth In Music Labeling". The New York Times. Retrieved 2 January 2015.
  8. ^ Flick, Larry (2 March 1991). "Single Reviews > Dance" (PDF). Billboard. p. 77.
  9. ^ Smith, Michael R. (21 June 2009). "Black Box – Dreamland". Daily Vault. Retrieved 25 February 2020.
  10. ^ Sholin, Dave (29 March 1991). "Personal Picks > Singles" (PDF). Gavin Report. No. 1849. p. 60. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
  11. ^ Smith, Andrew (21 April 1990). "Albums". Melody Maker. Retrieved 24 February 2023.
  12. ^ Jones, Alan (30 March 1991). "Mainstream > Singles > Pick of the Week" (PDF). Music Week. p. 14. Retrieved 3 October 2020.
  13. ^ Chong, Davydd (30 March 1991). "Singles". Record Mirror. p. 16. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
  14. ^ Andrews, Marc (20 March 1991). "Review: Singles". Smash Hits. No. 321. p. 43. Retrieved 8 March 2020.
  15. ^ Monti, Michael (9 September 2016). "New York Rangers: The Story of Dancing Larry". Blueline Station. Retrieved 30 April 2022.
  16. ^ "A Feature About Nothing > The 1990s in Lists > Ten Actually Good 90s Jock Jams". Pitchfork. 2010. Retrieved 8 December 2022.
  17. ^ Stopera, Matt; Galindo, Brian (11 March 2017). "The 101 Greatest Dance Songs of the '90s". BuzzFeed. Retrieved 31 March 2020.
  18. ^ Billboard Staff (8 February 2024). "The 100 Greatest Jock Jams of All Time". Billboard. Retrieved 26 May 2024.
  19. ^ "Black Box – Strike It Up". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 16 February 2014.
  20. ^ "Black Box – Strike It Up" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 16 February 2014.
  21. ^ a b "Black Box – Strike It Up" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 16 February 2014.
  22. ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 1564." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 12 May 2015.
  23. ^ "Top RPM Dance/Urban: Issue 1525." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 12 May 2015.
  24. ^ "Top 10 Sales in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 8, no. 19. 11 May 1991. p. 19. Retrieved 26 May 2024.
  25. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 8, no. 16. 20 April 1991. p. 29. Retrieved 20 March 2018.
  26. ^ Pennanen, Timo (2021). "Black Box". Sisältää hitin - 2. laitos Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla 1.1.1960–30.6.2021 (PDF) (in Finnish). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. p. 31. Retrieved 22 June 2022.
  27. ^ "Black Box – Strike It Up" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 16 February 2014.
  28. ^ "Black Box – Strike It Up" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 20 March 2019.
  29. ^ "European Airplay Top 50" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 8, no. 31. 3 August 1991. p. 20. Retrieved 20 March 2018.
  30. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Strike It Up". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 16 February 2014.
  31. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Black Box - Strike It Up" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 16 February 2014.
  32. ^ "Black Box – Strike It Up" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 16 February 2014.
  33. ^ "Black Box – Strike It Up". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 16 February 2014.
  34. ^ "Top 60 Dance Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 6 April 1991. p. 20. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
  35. ^ a b c d "Black Box – Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 16 February 2014.
  36. ^ "Cash Box Top 100 Pop Singles – Week ending June 29, 1991". Cash Box. 27 August 2012. Archived from the original on 27 August 2012.
  37. ^ "RPM Dance Tracks of 1991". RPM. Vol. 55, no. 3. Library and Archives Canada. 21 December 1991. Retrieved 6 June 2018.
  38. ^ "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1991" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 16 February 2014.
  39. ^ "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1991" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Hung Medien. Retrieved 16 February 2014.
  40. ^ "Top 100 Hits for 1991". The Longbored Surfer. Retrieved 16 February 2014.
  41. ^ "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. 23 March 1991. p. 25.
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