"You Got the Love" is a 1986 single by Candi Staton. It was then remixed by The
Source and re-released in 1991 as 'The Source and Candi Staton' In 2008, the
song was covered by English soul singer Joss Stone for her fourth studio album,
Colour Me Free!, released in October 2009. In November 2009, another cover
version was released as a single by English indie rock band Florence and the
Machine. The Now Voyager Remix of the song was used for the theme tune of live
Football League coverage on Sky Sports until the start of the 2014-15 season.
Details The original version is a soulgospel
track written by Anthony B. Stephens, Arnecia Michelle Harris and John
Bellamy. It featured an a cappella version utilised by Paul Simpson for a
remix of the Adeva song "Musical Freedom" in 1989. The original Candi
Staton track had been recorded for a video-only 1980s documentary about an
obese man who was trying to lose weight. When approached by The Source, Candi
said she couldn't remember having recorded a song called "You Got the
Love". It was only later that she realised she had performed the song
years earlier for the documentary. The producers of the video had selected the
song for her to sing, but as they had no funds to pay her, they donated half of
the copyright and publishing to Candi. The Candi Staton a cappella was
originally mixed over an instrumental version of the Frankie Knuckles/Jamie
Principle house song "Your Love"," by Electra) by John Truelove on his 1989
release 'Love/Rock' on a track titled 'Untitled'. This bootleg release was a
recording of John mixing the two pieces of vinyl together. A more polished
version was re-released 2 years later, again by John Truelove, called 'You Got
The Love'. This version was mixed in the studio by Eren Abdullah. Another popular
remix is the Now Voyager Mix from 1996. This version of the track was used on
the series finale of the HBO drama series Sex and the City "An American
Girl in Paris: Part Deux". The DJ Eren re-release reached number 4
in the UK Singles Chart. It was remixed and re-issued in 1996, this time
reaching number 3, the song's highest position, and then re-issued again in
2006 with new mixes by the Shapeshifters among others, reaching number 7. The
2006 mix also featured more lyrics than the first two versions.
The Original Bootleg Radio Mix of the track was featured in the film Layer
Cake in the club where Sidney talks to the film's protagonist as he looks on at
Sidney's girlfriend. The "Now Voyager mix" of the track was
used on the 3rd season finale of the HBO comedy dramedy series Sex and the City
"Cock-a-Doodle-Do". In 2007, Manchester band The Longcut
recorded a version as part of their double A-Side release on Melodic Records
"Florence and the Machine" version was released 16 November 2009, from the
acclaimed album "Lungs". This version of the track was used on the series finale
of the CW drama series Gossip Girl "New York, I Love You XOXO".
Music videos The 1991 video shows silhouettes of men
and women dancing on a white background, sometimes as individuals, couples or in
groups, intercut with a sequence of close-ups of different faces miming to
the lyrics. Grainy footage of a Northern line London Underground train entering a
station also appears. The 1997 video features the "Now Voyager
mix" and portrays a man dressed like a friar carrying a cross being guided by
an angel and tempted by the Devil. The 2006 version features the "New
Voyager mix" in a black and white video. Set in London, it portrays an angelic
young man played by Neil Newbon watching out for the poor, lonely and vulnerable
in the streets, subways and gardens. Single listings
1989 version Untitled
1991 version "You Got the Love"
"You Got the Love" "You Got the Love"
"You Got the Love" "Untitled"
"You Got the Love" "You Got the Love"
1997 UK version "You Got the Love"
"You Got the Love" 2006 UK version
"You Got the Love" "You Got the Love"
Enhanced video Australian version
"You Got the Love" "You Got the Love"
"You Got the Love" 2012 Hungarian version
"You've Got The Love 2k12" Florence and the Machine version
The song was covered by English indie rock band Florence and the Machine as
"You've Got the Love" and released as the fifth single from their debut album,
Lungs. It was first released on 1 December 2008 as the B-side to their
second single "Dog Days Are Over". It was then later released as a digital
download only single on 5 January 2009 in the United Kingdom only, after the
mass praise it received during the release of "Dog Days Are Over". After
being released well before Lungs was finally recorded and released, it was
later featured on the album as its bonus track.
The single was given a re-release on physical format on 16 November 2009 in
the United Kingdom. For the reissue a music video was shot.
= Background= The track, which is significantly
shorter than the original, was produced by Charlie Hugall, who also produced
three other tracks on Lungs. Hugall was also involved in the bass and percussion
development of the song. The track features Isabella Summers on piano,
Christopher Lloyd Hayden on drums, Tom Moth on harp, Rob Ackroyd on guitar and
Florence Welch on vocals. Florence Welch explained her inspiration
behind covering "one of her favourite songs ever":
As a kid, going to clubs and raves, this song made me feel love. At Bestival last
year we were top of the bill on that stage, so we were thinking of an amazing
cover we could do, and I thought of Candi Staton. Even in rehearsals,
playing it was just the most euphoric feeling. Then playing it live and seeing
everyone's arms in the air, and the faces – it was the best feeling ever! I
was dressed as a genie sea-monster, and I remember looking at my guitarist as we
played the first chords, and then there was the reaction and it was like tearing
ourselves open and just exploding on the crowd, and then all did it back. It's a
feeling you couldn't express. I'm really excited that now in our live shows I'm
going to be playing one of my favourite songs ever, loads.
"You've Got the Love" is a fan favourite of the band and has been played at
numerous festivals around the United Kingdom during 2008 and 2009. Including
the Bestival, Glastonbury, Way Out West, Brighton, Electric Picnic, Leeds, Smash
& Grab and with an acoustic version being performed at a festival in
Reading. It's also been performed Live In Ibiza on BBC Radio 1 and at the BBC
Live Big Weekend. Florence also made a guest appearance during The xx's 2010
Glastonbury Festival performance, where they played their remix of the track. In
2013, a children's choir rendition of the song was used in TV spots for
Coca-Cola. = Critical reception=
"You've Got the Love" received positive reviews who notably commented on the
song in reviews of "Dog Days Are Over". MusicOMH commented on the song by saying
that "Following with her tradition of some finely chosen cover versions,
there's even an excellent rendition of The Source's You Got the Love."
Altsounds.com reviewed the track, writing, "You've Got the Love" is a
standard pop number that does something in a non-standard fashion – it isn't
afraid of looking at its simplistic melodic hooks and accepting it with a
touch of lyrical honesty and contemplative imprint."
Contactmusic.com also commented on the song by saying that "The B-side cover of
The Source ft. Candi Staton's "You Got the Love" is equally strong."
Dailymusicguide.com also positively reviewed the single, writing, "Florence
+ The Machine have used the format of the original remix but have certainly
breathed new life into this old classic. With Florence Welch's distinctive voice
she makes this song her own. The inclusion of a harp only adds to the
gentle sway effect produced by the track, bursting gently in without malice
at around eighteen seconds in. The song's lyrics are empowering: Florence's
heavenly voice has a vulnerable quality which, as it has with relatively short
career so far, grows stronger through You've Got The Love's verse and chorus.
It's empowering, liberating and moving all at the same time, not least conveyed
by the emotion in Welch's vocals. Rating: 4/5"
= Commercial performance= Upon the original release of "You've Got
the Love" it peaked at #158 on the UK Singles Chart. The song later re-entered
the singles chart at #124 and moved up to #68 in the next weeks chart. The
following week it fell seven places to #75 before dropping out of the Top 100.
It then re-entered the chart, two weeks later on 22 August 2009 at #59, where it
peaked before dropping out the Top 100 again. Its re-entry pattern then
continued when it re-entered three weeks later on 12 September 2009 at #88. The
song peaked at #16, after the single's actual release in 2009.
It spent a total of eight weeks within the top 100, longer than both previous
singles "Kiss with a Fist" and "Dog Days Are Over".
On 3 January 2010, "You've Got the Love" climbed 18 places to a new peak of #13
in the UK singles chart and on 31 December 2009 and its use in the last
episode of Gavin & Stacey on the 1 January 2010. One week later on 10
January 2010, the song peaked at #5 in its 34th week in the UK singles chart,
becoming Florence's most successful song and first ever top ten hit. Following
her BRIT Performance in February 2010, "You've Got The Love" climbed to #12,
just missing out on the Top 10. It has spent 30 weeks in the UK Top 40 Singles
Chart. On 8 January 2010, "You've Got the Love"
climbed up the Irish Singles Chart, reaching a peak of #21, whereas before
it had only reached #30. After falling out of the charts, on 26 February 2010,
"You've Got The Love" re-entered the Irish Singles Chart, reaching a new
current peak of #16. In January, You've got the Love entered
the Australian singles ARIA Charts at number 50, and remained within the top
50 for a large amount of time. In February and March, it was consistently
increasing positions, where it eventually reached a peak of number 30.
Due to popular T.V shows like Domestic Blitz and MasterChef Australia using it
in commercials, the song rapidly climbed to number 17, on the 4th of April, and
to its highest peak of number 9 on the 11th of April. It hasn't been released
as a physical single, and has relied solely on digital sales, where it has
peaked at number 5. In New Zealand the single began
receiving mainstream radio airplay causing it to rise to 50 on the airplay
chart, however the airplay has since dropped. In Australia the track has
reached the top ten, currently peaking at number nine. The song was also used
in MasterChef Australia promos. = Music video=
Despite originally being released as a single almost nine months earlier, the
band announced on 18 September 2009 that a music video would be made for the song
and would be shot on 21 September 2009 in London. It features Welch in a white,
sparkly leotard dancing on a large moon-shaped platform suspended over a
nightclub, an homage to Studio 54. The video later shows many people beneath
her dancing to the song. The video that will air on United Kingdom television
has a different version of the song to the one on the album.
= Track listings= Original release
"You've Got the Love" – 2:58 UK CD single
"You've Got the Love" – 2:49 "You've Got the Love" – 7:51
"Addicted to Love" – 3:20 UK 7" single
"You've Got the Love" – 2:40 "You've Got the Love" – 5:36
Digital EP "You've Got the Love" – 2:48
"You've Got the Love" – 7:53 "You've Got the Love" – 6:21
"You've Got the Love" – 3:45 = Charts and certifications=
Certifications You Got the Dirtee Love
At the 2010 BRIT Awards on 16 February 2010, Florence and the Machine and
Dizzee Rascal performed a mashup of "You Got the Love" and Dizzee's song "Dirtee
Cash", entitled "You Got the Dirtee Love".
The single was released on 17 February 2010 exclusively to iTunes, one day
after the BRITs performance. On 21 February 2010, the single entered the UK
Singles Chart at number two. As of May 2010, the single had sold more than
280,000 copies in the UK. "You Got the Dirtee Love" is featured on the Dirtee
Deluxe Edition of Dizzee Rascal's Tongue n' Cheek album; the track charted in
Ireland following the album's release. It also appears on the Between Two Lungs
reissue of Florence and the Machine's album Lungs.
The song was performed at Radio 1's Big Weekend in North Wales on 22 May 2010,
and again at the Glastonbury Festival 2010 on 25 June. The song was also
performed at Capital's Summertime Ball 2010, where Florence Welch appeared as a
special guest during Dizzee's set. = Charts=
References External links
The Source Now Voyager
Sound on Sound article on the recording and mixing of Florence & The Machine's
version Video
Full lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics