"The Real Thing"
Single by 2 Unlimited
from the album Real Things
Released9 May 1994 (1994-05-09)[1]
Length3:40
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Phil Wilde
  • Jean-Paul De Coster
2 Unlimited singles chronology
"Let The Beat Control Your Body"
(1993)		 "The Real Thing"
(1994)		 "No One"
(1994)
Music video
"The Real Thing" on YouTube
UK cover

"The Real Thing" is a song recorded by Belgian/Dutch Eurodance band 2 Unlimited, released in May 1994 as the first single from their third album, Real Things (1994). The song is co-written by bandmembers Ray Slijngaard and Anita Dels, and scored chart success in many European countries. It topped the charts in Finland and the Netherlands, while peaking at number two in Denmark, Sweden, Belgium and Switzerland. The song also was a top 10 hit in Austria, France, Germany, Norway, Scotland, Spain and the UK. It entered the Eurochart Hot 100 on 28 May at 30 and peaked at number-one three weeks later. Outside Europe, it peaked at number two in Israel and number 39 in Australia. A music video was produced to promote the single, directed by Nigel Simpkiss.

Composition

"The Real Thing" contains samples of Toccata and Fugue in D minor by German composer and musician Johann Sebastian Bach.[2] According to classicfm.com, it is considered one of the biggest pop songs to sample classical music in the last 25 years."[3]

Critical reception

In his weekly UK chart commentary, James Masterton wrote that this "is just what you would expect from 2 Unlimited. Fast, frantic and fatuous it's still enough to give them an eighth Top 10 hit out of 10 chart singles".[4] A reviewer from Music & Media commented, "In no time, chart positions are reported from the UK, Ireland, Holland, Belgium, Germany and Denmark. With this ABBAesque pop dance chorus many territories will follow."[5] Alan Jones from Music Week gave the song four out of five, adding that here, "[2 Unlimited] plough their usual frantic and bouncy techno furrow. The male rap/female singing combination still serves them well and, as usual, this is Top 10 bound."[6] Stuart Bailie from NME commented, "Imagine Bach writing his 'Toccata and Fugue in D minor' if he was rammed to the gills on turbo-power disco biscuits and allowed access to every crap rave slogan of the last five years."[7]

Scottish Perthshire Advertiser said, "They've found a new formula yet, but it'll still be a smash!"[8] In an retrospective review, Pop Rescue noted that "it's clear here that 2 Unlimited were packing a punch with this song 'and we're not gonna stop until we reach the highest top', sings Anita."[9] James Hamilton from the Record Mirror Dance Update declared it as a "typically cheesy frantic pop galloper".[10] Tim Marsh from Select stated that it "has a funky key riff".[11] Tom Doyle from Smash Hits gave it three out of five, commenting, "ditching their heavy heavy techno techno for a bit of a housey classical vibe, the 'Limited look set to continue their near unblemished run of chart hits."[12]

Chart performance

"The Real Thing" peaked at number one in Finland, Lithuania and the Netherlands, as well as on the Eurochart Hot 100. The single reached number two in Belgium, Denmark, Sweden and Switzerland, and it was also a top-10 hit in Austria, France, Germany, Norway, Spain, and the United Kingdom. In the latter, it reached to number six on 22 May 1994, during its second week on the UK Singles Chart,[13] while peaking at number 12 on the UK Dance Singles Chart. In addition, the song was a top-20 hit in Iceland, reaching number 14. Outside Europe, "The Real Thing" peaked at number two in Israel, number 22 in New Zealand and number 39 in Australia. The single has sold 633,000 copies worldwide.[14]

Airplay

"The Real Thing" entered the European airplay chart Border Breakers at number 12 on 4 June due to crossover airplay in East Central-, West-, Central-, Northwest- and North-European regions, and peaked at the third position on 2 July.[15]

Music video

The accompanying music video for "The Real Thing" was directed by Nigel Simpkiss and produced by Swivel Films.[16] It was released in the UK in May 1994, receiving heavy rotation on MTV Europe[17] and Germany's VIVA, where it was A-listed.[18] Slijngaard told Melody Maker, "The new look's a bit 'Terminator'. There's a guy on skates with, uh, all computer things and lights, and those two [Steve and Claire, the 2U dancers] are just boogieing away. It's gonna be fast, you know?"[19]

Track listings

Charts

References

  1. ↑ "Single Releases". Music Week. 7 May 1994. p. 25.
  2. ↑ Alpha Archived 12 May 2008 at the Wayback Machine
  3. ↑ "17 pop songs you didn't know were directly inspired by classical music".
  4. ↑ Masterton, James (15 May 1994). "Week Ending May 21st 1994". Chart Watch UK. Retrieved 8 September 2021.
  5. ↑ "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. 4 June 1994. p. 8. Retrieved 26 February 2018.
  6. ↑ Jones, Alan (14 April 1994). "Market Preview: Mainstream - Singles" (PDF). Music Week. p. 18. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
  7. ↑ Bailie, Stuart (14 May 1994). "Singles". NME. p. 20. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
  8. ↑ "Record Reviews". Perthshire Advertiser. 17 May 1994. page 22.
  9. ↑ "Review: "Real Things" by 2 Unlimited (CD, 1994)". Pop Rescue. 7 November 2014. Retrieved 27 March 2020.
  10. ↑ Hamilton, James (21 May 1994). "Dj directory" (PDF). Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert). p. 7. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
  11. ↑ Marsh, Tim (1 August 1994). "Reviews: New Singles". Select. p. 89. Retrieved 3 March 2020.
  12. ↑ Doyle, Tom (11 May 1994). "New Singles". Smash Hits. p. 47. Retrieved 14 May 2019.
  13. 1 2 "The Real Thing", UK Singles Chart Official Charts Company (Retrieved 10 April 2008)
  14. ↑ "Hits Unlimited". Billboard. Vol. 108, no. 10. 13 March 1996. p. 29. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 16 September 2022 – via Google Books.
  15. ↑ "Border Breakers: Monitoring The Impact Of Euro Talent" (PDF). Music & Media. 19 November 1994. Retrieved 2 April 2018.
  16. ↑ "2 Unlimited - The Real Thing Music Video". Eurokdj.com. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
  17. ↑ "Station Reports > MTV Europe/London" (PDF). Music & Media. 25 June 1994. p. 30. Retrieved 18 December 2022.
  18. ↑ "Station Reports > VIVA TV/Cologne" (PDF). Music & Media. 25 June 1994. p. 30. Retrieved 18 December 2022.
  19. ↑ Sheehan, Tom (14 May 1994). "Double Dutch". Melody Maker. p. 26. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
  20. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "The Real Thing", in various singles charts Lescharts.com (Retrieved 10 April 2008)
  21. ↑ "2 Unlimited – The Real Thing" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  22. ↑ "Top 10 Sales in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media. 18 June 1994. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
  23. ↑ Musik-Charts durchsuchen
  24. ↑ "European Dance Radio Top 25" (PDF). Music & Media. 9 July 1994. p. 25. Retrieved 26 May 2023.
  25. ↑ Billboard: Hits of the World, 18 June 1994
  26. ↑ "2 Unlimited singles, German Singles Chart" (in German). musicline. Retrieved 17 April 2010.
  27. ↑ "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 23.06.1994 - 29.06.1994" (PDF). Dagblaðið Vísir - Tónlist. Retrieved 1 February 2018.
  28. ↑ 31 May 1994
  29. ↑ "Top 10 Sales in Europe: Ireland". Music & Media. Vol. 11, no. 23. 4 June 1994. p. 14.
  30. ↑ "Classifiche". Musica e Dischi (in Italian). Retrieved 29 May 2022. Set "Tipo" on "Singoli". Then, in the "Artista" field, search "2 Unlimited".
  31. ↑ "M-1 TOP 40". M-1.fm. 12 June 1994. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 27 March 2022.
  32. 1 2 "Single top 100 over 1994" (PDF) (in Dutch). Top40. Retrieved 17 April 2010.
  33. ↑ "2 Unlimited – The Real Thing" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  34. ↑ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100 (24 April 1994-28 May 1994)". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 7 February 2018.
  35. ↑ Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  36. ↑ "Dance Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 21 May 1994. p. 28. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  37. ↑ "jaaroverzichten 1994" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 7 December 2019.
  38. ↑ "1994 Year-End Sales Charts: Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. 24 December 1994. Retrieved 28 November 2019.
  39. ↑ 1994 French Singles Chart Disqueenfrance.com Archived 20 August 2011 at the Wayback Machine (Retrieved 30 January 2009)
  40. ↑ "Top 100 Singles – Jahrescharts 1994" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
  41. ↑ "JAAROVERZICHTEN - Single 1994" (in Dutch). dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 12 December 2019.
  42. ↑ "Årslista Singlar, 1994" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 23 November 2019.
  43. ↑ "1994 Swiss Singles Chart" (in German). Swisscharts. Retrieved 17 April 2010.
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