You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)

"You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)"
Single by Dead or Alive
from the album Youthquake
B-side	"Misty Circles" (7") Remixes (12")
Released	5 November 1984
Format	7" 12"
Recorded	1984
Genre	Hi-NRG[1][2] synthpop[3][4] new wave[4]
Length	3:19 (original) 8:00 (Murder mix)
Label	Epic
Writer(s)	Pete Burns Steve Coy Wayne Hussey Tim Lever Mike Percy
Producer(s)	Stock Aitken Waterman
Certification	Gold (BPI, CRIA)
Dead or Alive singles chronology
"That's the Way (I Like It)" (1984) "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" (1984) "Lover Come Back to Me" (1985) Audio sample file info · help

"You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" is a song by British band Dead or Alive on their 1985 album Youthquake. The song was the first UK number-one hit by the Stock Aitken Waterman production trio. Released in November 1984, the record reached number one in March 1985, taking 17 weeks to get there. On the US Billboard Hot 100, it peaked at no. 11 on 17 August of that year.^[5] In 2015 the song was voted by the British public as the nation's 17th favourite 1980s number one in a poll for ITV.^[6]

The video, which features a disco ball, waving gold flags and an evocation of the six-armed Vishnu, was directed by Vaughan Arnell and Anthea Benton.

The strings were based on Richard Wagner's classical piece "Ride of the Valkyries".^[7]

Background and composition

Dead or Alive's vocalist Pete Burns states in his autobiography that he composed "You Spin Me Round" by using two existing songs as inspiration for creating something new:

How did I write "Spin Me"? I listened to Luther Vandross's 'I Wanted Your Love'. It's not the same chord structure, but then that's the way I make music – I hear something and I sing another tune over it. I didn't sit and study the Luther Vandross album – I heard the song and it locked. [...] I'm trying to structure the music and I know what I want. [...] It's like do this, do this, do this - and suddenly it hits. I don't want to do Luther Vandross's song, but I can still sing the same pattern over it. And there was another record, by Little Nell, called "See You 'Round Like A Record". [...] So I had those two, Van Dross [sic] and Little Nell and – bingo! – done deal.

— Pete Burns, Freak Unique (2007)

According to Burns, the record company was unenthusiastic about "You Spin Me Round", to such an extent that Burns had to take out a £2,500 loan to record it, then once it had been recorded "the record company said it was awful. It was unanimous – it was awful, it was rubbish." Burns states that the band had to fund production of the song's video themselves.^[8]

Interviewed for BBC Radio 4's The Reunion: The Hit Factory, in April 2015, Burns said that the confrontational attitude of the producers was met with an equally confrontational attitude from the band and that this led to "quite a bad vibe" for the entirety of the studio time, describing the experience as "a time of intense friction".^[9]

Re-releases

A remix version of "You Spin Me Round" was released in 2003 at the same time Dead or Alive's greatest hits album Evolution was released. The song reached no. 23 in the UK Singles Chart. The original 1984 recording was re-released on 30 January 2006 because of lead singer Pete Burns's controversial time as a contestant on television series Celebrity Big Brother and reached no. 5.

Earlier remixes were in 1996 and 1997 (some are included on the US, European and Australian releases of Nukleopatra). In 1999 these mixes were issued in the US as a 2-CD set. The first disc held seven mixes of "You Spin Me Round" while disc two has five mixes of "Sex Drive". In 2000, new mixes appeared on Fragile and in 2001, on Unbreakable: The Fragile Remixes. No videos were made for these.

Chart performance

The song has been re-released three times since its original release in 1984. Each time of its release, it achieved success, but failed to match the success of the original. However, after lead-singer Pete Burns's appearance on UK Celebrity Big Brother, the single was re-released and managed a Top 5 peak on the UK Singles Chart in 2006.

Chart (1985) Peak position Australia (Kent Music Report)[10] 3 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[11] 10 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[12] 3 Belgium (VRT Top 30 Flanders)[13] 3 Canada (CHUM)[14] 1 Canada Top Singles (RPM)[15] 1 France (SNEP)[16] 29 Germany (Official German Charts)[17] 2 Ireland (IRMA)[18] 1 Italy (FIMI)[19] 3 Japan (Oricon)[20] 54 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[21] 6 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[22] 4 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[23] 6 Norway (VG-lista)[24] 6 Poland (LP3)[25] 6 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[26] 1 UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[27] 1 US Billboard Hot 100[28] 11 US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play[28] 4 US Billboard Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales[28] 4 US Cash Box[29] 13

Chart (1996) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[30] 28 Chart (2003) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[31] 62 Germany (Media Control Charts)[32] 96 UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[33] 23 US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play[28] 21 Chart (2006) Peak position Ireland (IRMA)[18] 26 UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[34] 5 Sales and certifications Region Certification Sales/shipments Canada (Music Canada)[35] Gold 50,000 United Kingdom (BPI)[36] Gold 500,000 ^*sales figures based on certification alone ^^shipments figures based on certification alone ^xunspecified figures based on certification alone

Dope version

Nu metal band Dope covered the song on their 2005 album American Apathy. The band's version became their first chart entry on any Billboard chart, reaching no. 37 on the Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.

Chart (2000)	Peak position
US Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks[37]	37

Jessica Simpson version

Jessica Simpson's version of the song was released as a promo single from her fifth studio album A Public Affair in 2006. Her version of the song failed to break into the Billboard Hot 100 (though it did reach number 20 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles). Simpson's version has new lyrics and only preserves the chorus of the song.

Chart (2007)	Peak position
US Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100[38]	20
US Billboard Pop 100[39]	95

Other cover versions

Other notable cover versions include recordings by Thalía on her 2002 self-titled album. In 2008 Thea Gilmore recorded a cover called "You Spin Me Right Round" featuring Mike Cave. After its initial release as a single, it was included in newer pressings of her album Liejacker. Crystal Waters recorded an interpolation of the song's chorus for the track "Spin Me" from her 1997 self-titled album.

Adam Sandler performed the song to open the film The Wedding Singer. There is also another version featured in the red-band trailer of Hot Tub Time Machine. The song was included in the 2009 film, Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel and is a part of its' soundtrack. A cover was featured in Konami's 2009 video game Dance Dance Revolution Hottest Party. The song's chorus was used as the basis for Flo Rida's 2009 number one single, "Right Round", which was prominently featured in the 2009 movie The Hangover. Danzel and Gigi D'Agostino^[40] have also done remixes. Danzel's version peaked at no. 32 in Belgium.^[41]

The French band Indochine also covered the song on their 2009 album La République des Meteors. In 2000, British death metal cover band Ten Masked Men covered the song on their album Return of the Ten Masked Men. A version of the song is also played, and danced to, by the RoboSapien robot that rose to popularity in 2004. In 2015, the song was covered on the television show Glee in the episode "The Hurt Locker, Part Two".

Track listing

JP You Spin Me Round (Murder Mix) – 1984, Epic-Japan (12.3P-625)

1. "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" (Murder Mix)
2. "Misty Circles" (Extended Version)

US You Spin Me Round / Sex Drive remixes – 1999, Cleopatra (CLP 0533-2)

CD1

1. "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" (Sugar Pumpers Radio Edit) – 3:38
2. "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" (Cleopatra Radio Edit) – 4:13
3. "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" (Marc Antonine Radio Edit) – 3:21
4. "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" (Sugar Pumpers Extended Mix) – 5:11
5. "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" (Sugar Pumpers Pumpin Mix) – 7:05
6. "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" (Vicious Mix) – 8:10
7. "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" (Marc Antonine Club Mix) – 7:00

CD2

1. "Sex Drive" (Radio Edit) – 2:52
2. "Sex Drive" (Scream Driven Edit) – 3:54
3. "Sex Drive" (Dead or Alive Original Mix) – 6:39
4. "Sex Drive" (Scream Driven Mix) – 6:59
5. "Sex Drive" (Pee Wee Remix) – 5:56

AUS CD Remix Single – 2003, Epic (673578-2)

1. "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" (Metro 7" Edit) – 3:46
2. "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" (Metro 12" Extended Mix) – 6:55
3. "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" (Mark Moore & Mr. Motion Remix) – 6:20
4. "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" (Punx Soundcheck Vs Princess Julia) – 5:47
5. "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" (D Bop Club Mix) – 7:16
6. "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" (Original 7" Mix) – 3:16

UK CD1 – 2003, Epic (673578-2)

1. "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" (Metro 7" Edit) – 3:46
2. "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" (Metro 12" Extended Mix) – 6:55
3. "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" (Punx Soundcheck Vs Princess Julia) – 5:47
4. "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" (Original 7" Mix) – 3:16

UK CD2 – 2003, Epic (673578-5)

1. "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" (Metro 7" Edit) – 3:46
2. "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" (Mark Moore & Mr. Motion Remix) – 6:17
3. "Isn't It a Pity" – 4:43

UK CD single – 2006, Epic (82876 806212)

1. "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" (Original 7" Mix) – 3:16
2. "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" (Murder Mix) – 7:27 *
3. "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" (Metro 7" Edit) – 3:46
4. "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" (Video 2003 Version) – 3:44

(*) There was also a second version of the 12" release. The original was the Murder Mix, the second version was called the Performance Mix. These were different versions, and there's a quick way to tell them apart: the Murder Mix begins with a sample of breaking glass, and the Performance Mix begins with the lyrics 'Watch out here I come' with the word 'come' repeating and in stereo switching from left to right speaker as it fades out.

References

1. Barron, Lee (2010). "Camp Transitions: Genre Adaptation and the Hi-NRG/Dance Cover Version". In Plasketes, George. Play it Again: Cover Songs in Popular Music. Ashgate Publishing. p. 214. ISBN 978-0-7546-6809-1.
2. Ankeny, Jason. "Dead or Alive – Artist Biography". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
3. Weisbard, Eric; Marks, Craig (1996). Spin Alternative Record Guide. Vintage Books. ISBN 978-0-6797-5574-6. Stock-Aitken-Waterman, the British schlock-disco maestros who took the trance-like beats of '80s synth-pop to their dancefloor extreme, most famously on Dead or Alive's drag opus "You Spin Me Round (Like A Record)."
4. Pini, Gary (11 November 2011). "Dead or Alive's "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" Is Our Music Video of the Day". Paper. Retrieved 16 February 2016.
5. "The Hot 100". Billboard. 17 August 1985. Retrieved 15 August 2015.
6. Westbrook, Caroline (25 July 2015). "The Nation's Favourite 80s Number One: 12 more classic 80s chart-toppers which didn’t make the cut". Metro. Retrieved 27 July 2015.
7. Dimery, Robert (2011). 1001 Songs: You Must Hear Before You Die. Cassell Illustrated. ISBN 978-1-8440-3684-4. You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)"—with its whirlwind groove, new wave vocals, and string arrangements modeled on Wagner's "Ride of the Valkyries"—was a slam-dunk choice for the first single.
8. Burns, Pete (2007). Freak Unique: My Autobiography. John Blake Publishing. pp. 95–97. ISBN 978-1-8445-4438-7.
9. "The Reunion: The Hit Factory". BBC Online. 24 April 2015. Retrieved 25 April 2015.
10. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 85. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
11. "Austriancharts.at – Dead Or Alive – You Spin Me Round (Like A Record)" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 20 June 2013.
12. "Ultratop.be – Dead Or Alive – You Spin Me Round (Like A Record)" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 20 June 2013.
13. "Radio 2 Top 30 : 13 april 1985" (in Dutch). Top 30. Retrieved 20 January 2014.
14. CHART NUMBER 1493 – Saturday, August 03, 1985 at the Wayback Machine (archived 7 November 2006). CHUM. Retrieved 20 January 2014.
15. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 0560." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 20 January 2014.
16. "Lescharts.com – Dead Or Alive – You Spin Me Round (Like A Record)" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 20 June 2013.
17. "Offiziellecharts.de – Dead Or Alive – You Spin Me Round (Like A Record)". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 20 June 2013.
18. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – You Spin Me Round". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 20 June 2013.
19. "I singoli più venduti del 1985" (in Italian). Hit Parade Italia. Creative Commons. Retrieved 20 June 2013.
20. "Discography – Singles". Mikestockmusic.com. Retrieved 20 June 2013.
21. "Nederlandse Top 40 – Dead Or Alive - You Spin Me Round search results" (in Dutch) Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 20 June 2013.
22. "Dutchcharts.nl – Dead Or Alive – You Spin Me Round (Like A Record)" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 20 June 2013.
23. "Charts.org.nz – Dead Or Alive – You Spin Me Round (Like A Record)". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 20 June 2013.
24. "Norwegiancharts.com – Dead Or Alive – You Spin Me Round (Like A Record)". VG-lista. Retrieved 20 June 2013.
25. "YOU SPIN ME ROUND (LIKE A RECORD) – Dead Or Alive" (in Polish). LP3. Retrieved 20 January 2014.
26. "Swisscharts.com – Dead Or Alive – You Spin Me Round (Like A Record)". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 20 June 2013.
27. "Archive Chart: 1985-03-09" UK Singles Chart. Retrieved 20 June 2013.
28. "Dead or Alive – Awards". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved 20 June 2013.
29. CASH BOX Top 100 Singles – Week ending AUGUST 24, 1985 at the Wayback Machine (archived 1 October 2012). Cash Box magazine. Retrieved 20 January 2014.
30. "Australian-charts.com – Dead Or Alive – You Spin Me Round (Like A Record) ('96 Remix)". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 20 June 2013.
31. Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010. Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.
32. "Dead Or Alive – You Spin Me Round 2003". Officialcharts.de. GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 9 May 2015.
33. "Archive Chart: 2003-05-17" UK Singles Chart. Retrieved 20 January 2014.
34. "Archive Chart: 2006-02-11" UK Singles Chart. Retrieved 20 January 2014.
35. "Canadian single certifications – Dead or Alive – You Spin Me Round (Like A Record)". Music Canada.
36. "British single certifications – Dead or Alive – You Spin Me Round (Like A Record)". British Phonographic Industry. Enter You Spin Me Round (Like A Record) in the field Keywords. Select Title in the field Search by. Select single in the field By Format. Select Gold in the field By Award. Click Search
37. "Dope – Awards". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved 20 January 2014.
38. ""Right Round" No.1 on Hot 100". American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. 19 March 2009. Retrieved 30 June 2015.
39. "A Public Affair – Awards". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved 20 January 2014.
40. Birchmeier, Jason. "Gigi D'Agostino – Tecno Fes, Vol. 2". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved 20 January 2014.
41. "Ultratop.be – Danzel – You Spin Me Round (Like A Record)". Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved 20 January 2014.

External links

• Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics