Strike It Up

"Strike It Up"
Single by Black Box
from the album Dreamland
B-side	Remix
Released	6 February 1991
Format	CD maxi 7" single 12" maxi
Recorded	The Record Classics, Italy October 1990
Genre	Eurodance[1]
Length	5:17 (album version) 3:29 (radio edit)
Label	Polydor
Writer(s)	Mirko Limoni Daniele Davoli Valerio Semplici
Producer(s)	Groove Groove Melody
Black Box singles chronology
"The Total Mix" (1991) "Strike It Up" (1991) "Open Your Eyes" (1991)
Alternative cover CD maxi - Megaremix

"Strike It Up" is a 1990 song recorded by the Italian band Black Box. It was the sixth single from their debut album Dreamland and was released in 1991 in many countries worldwide.

The song was a success on many charts, including the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States, where it peaked at number 8. It also topped the Hot Dance Club Play in June 1991 for one week. In the UK, it peaked at number 16 on the UK Singles Chart.^[2]

Song controversy

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, to be used as the 'face' of the group and it was her that was featured lip-synching the lyrics sung by Wash.^[3] 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.^[4]

Track listings

7" single

1. "Strike It Up" (DJ Lelwel mix) – 5:05
2. "Strike It Up" (sensitive mix) – 3:35

12" maxi

1. "Strike It Up" (original mix) – 5:58
2. "Strike It Up" (DJ Lelewel mix) – 5:05
3. "Strike It Up" (hardcore remix) – 3:20

CD maxi

1. "Strike It Up" (radio edit) – 3:30
2. "Strike It Up" (sensitive mix) – 3:35
3. "Strike It Up" (original mix) – 5:58
4. "Strike It Up" (hardcore remix) – 3:20

12" maxi - Megaremix

1. "Strike It Up" (DJ Lelewel mix) – 5:05
2. "Strike It Up" (hardcore mix) – 3:18
3. "Ride on Time" (the bright on mix) – 4:28
4. "Strike It Up" (sensitive mix) – 3:35

CD maxi - Megaremix

1. "Strike It Up" (DJ Lelewel mix)
2. "Ride on Time" (bright on mix)
3. "Strike It Up" (hardcore mix)
4. "Strike It Up" (sensitive mix)

Chart performance

Weekly charts Chart (1991) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[5] 20 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[6] 27 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[7] 13 Belgium (VRT Top 30 Flanders)[8] 13 Canada Dance/Urban (RPM)[9] 1 Canada Top Singles (RPM)[10] 35 France (SNEP)[11] 26 Germany (Official German Charts)[12] 26 Ireland (IRMA)[13] 8 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[14] 7 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[15] 4 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[16] 29 UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[2] 16 US Billboard Hot 100[17] 8 US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play[17] 1 US Billboard Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales[17] 2 US Billboard Hot R&B Singles[17] 16 US Cash Box[18] 14

Year-end charts Chart (1991) Position Canada (RPM Dance Tracks)[19] 6 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[20] 51 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[21] 50 US Billboard Hot 100[22] 88

Chart successions

References

1. Birchmeier, Jason. "Culture Beat – Artist Biography". AllMusic. All Media Network. 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. "Archive Chart: 1991-04-20" UK Singles Chart. Retrieved 16 February 2014.
3. Whitburn, Joel (2009). Top Pop Singles 1955-2008 (12th ed.). Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research Inc. p. 97. ISBN 0-89820-180-2.
4. Pareles, Jon (6 December 1990). "Lawsuits Seek Truth In Music Labeling". The New York Times. Retrieved 2 January 2015.
5. "Australian-charts.com – Black Box – Strike It Up". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 16 February 2014.
6. "Austriancharts.at – Black Box – Strike It Up" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 16 February 2014.
7. "Ultratop.be – Black Box – Strike It Up" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 16 February 2014.
8. "Radio 2 Top 30 : 29 juni 1991" (in Dutch). Top 30. Retrieved 16 February 2014.
9. "Top RPM Dance/Urban: Issue 1525." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 12 May 2015.
10. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 1564." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 12 May 2015.
11. "Lescharts.com – Black Box – Strike It Up" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 16 February 2014.
12. "Offiziellecharts.de – Black Box – Strike It Up". GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 16 February 2014.
13. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Strike It Up". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 16 February 2014.
14. "Nederlandse Top 40 – Black Box - Strike It Up search results" (in Dutch) Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 16 February 2014.
15. "Dutchcharts.nl – Black Box – Strike It Up" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 16 February 2014.
16. "Charts.org.nz – Black Box – Strike It Up". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 16 February 2014.
17. "Black Box – Awards". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved 16 February 2014.
18. CASH BOX Top 100 Pop Singles – Week ending JUNE 29, 1991 at the Wayback Machine (archived 27 August 2012). Cash Box magazine. Retrieved 16 February 2014.
19. "Dance/Urban – Volume 55, No. 3, December 21, 1991". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 16 February 2014.
20. "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1991" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 16 February 2014.
21. "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1991" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Hung Medien. Retrieved 16 February 2014.
22. "Top 100 Hits for 1991". The Longbored Surfer. Retrieved 16 February 2014.

External links

• Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics