"Sweet Harmony" is a song by British band the Beloved, released on 11 January 1993 as the first and lead single from their second studio album, Conscience (1993). It remains the band's biggest hit, peaking at number eight in the UK and becoming a club staple. The single was followed by a much talked about music video, directed by Big TV, consisting of the band's singer Jon Marsh nude and surrounded by nude women in a heaven-like setting. The video was based on the record sleeve on the Jimi Hendrix album Electric Ladyland from 1968.[2]
"Sweet Harmony" was also included on the band's compilation albums Single File in 1997, The Sun Rising in 2005, and Sweet Harmony: The Very Best of the Beloved in 2011.
"Sweet Harmony" was written and produced by founder member of the Beloved and singer Jon Marsh and his wife, Helena Marsh. It was also the first single after the departure of Steve Waddington and was recorded at Sarm West Studios in London. It was used to promote the second season of the American soap operaMelrose Place in several European countries.
The single was released on 11 January 1993. It peaked at number three in Austria, number six in Germany and Switzerland, number seven in Greece and Italy, and number eight in the United Kingdom. In the latter, it peaked in its second week at the UK Singles Chart, on 24 January 1993.[3] It stayed at that position for two weeks. The song was also a top-20 hit in Denmark, France, Ireland, and Sweden. On the Eurochart Hot 100, "Sweet Harmony" reached number 20 in May 1993. Outside Europe, it was a top-10 hit in Israel and peaked at number 23 on the BillboardDance Club Play chart in the United States.
Critical receptionedit
AllMusic editor Jon O'Brien complimented the song as a "glorious slice of ice-cool synth pop which manages to be both brooding and euphoric at the same time".[4]Larry Flick from Billboard described it as a "thumping dance ditty" with "slight techno nuances, an uplifting lyrical message, and singer Jon Marsh's warm, soothing tones [that] add up to a delightful jam."[5] He added that "lyrically, "Sweet Harmony" is typical Beloved fare: spiritually uplifting and philosophical."[6] Marisa Fox from Entertainment Weekly said that "whereas Bryan Ferry infused rock with sensuality, Marsh and his wife-partner, Helena, lace their ethereal mix with house grooves that seduce and hypnotize." She noted that the video "features a nude Marsh humming amidst a bevy of bare bohemian babes, all seated in a swirling mist. Music to steam by indeed."[7]
Dave Sholin from the Gavin Report felt that "doing their part to end the divisiveness around the globe, the Beloved do some positive preaching backed by the catchy dance/pop that's their trademark. Nothing like a positive message to inspire hope and encourage unity."[8] Caroline Sullivan from The Guardian felt that Marsh had concocted a "pretty single" in "Sweet Harmony", "which married house rhythms to sinuous pop melodies."[9] Derek Weiler from Kitchener-Waterloo Record named the song a "highlight" of Conscience, complimenting it as "highly enjoyable indeed."[10] In his weekly UK chart commentary, James Masterton noted that "the new Beloved single crashes in at 9 and has to be favoured for a possible No. 1."[11] Paul Lester from Melody Maker viewed it as "a wishy-washy electro-ditty with pure essence-of-fey vocals and a spiritual bleedin' New sodding Year piggin' message of global f*** peace."[12]
Pan-European magazine Music & Media found that the "synth-dominated tune is a traditional verse-chorus pop song, which means very melodic and radio friendly."[13] Alan Jones from Music Week described it as "slowly throbbing".[14] Rune Slyngstad from Norwegian Nordlandsposten viewed it as "catchy, synth-oriented pop not far from Pet Shop Boys at their best."[15] Anita Naik from Smash Hits felt the song is "wonderful" and "heartfelt stuff".[16] Another editor, Tom Doyle, praised it as "brilliant", saying, "Jon Marsh is a diamond geezer and so it was heartwarming to witness his safe return to the charts with the brilliant "Sweet Harmony"."[17] Richard Riccio from St. Petersburg Times wrote, "Yes, there is the consistent beat. The lilting 4/4 bounce of the first single [...] tickles the spine as well as the ear. Marsh purrs the vocals like a well-fed feline, the cool detachment of the verse compensated by the singalong chorus and warm saxophone."[18]
Music videoedit
The accompanying music video for "Sweet Harmony" was directed by Big TV.[19] It consisted of a nude and seated Jon Marsh surrounded by nude women - including Tess Daly - lipsynching the lyrics. It is based on the record sleeve on Jimi Hendrix' 1968 album Electric Ladyland, which was taken by photographer David Montgomery. Clouds, fog, and white-out effects were used to create a high contrast, while the participants used their arms, legs and hair to cover themselves. In an interview, Marsh said the video was "not intended to be sexual" and was "as asexual as you can get".[20] The video is supposed to represent unity between humans. It was nominated for the International Viewer's Choice Award for MTV Europe at MTV Europe Music Awards in 1993.
^O'Brien, Jon. "The Beloved - Sweet Harmony: The Very Best of the Beloved". AllMusic. Retrieved 19 March 2020.
^Flick, Larry (3 April 1993). "New & Noteworthy" (PDF). Billboard. Retrieved 23 January 2018.
^Flick, Larry (27 February 1993). "DanceTRAX" (PDF). Billboard. p. 33. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
^Fox, Marisa (9 April 1993). "Conscience". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 25 February 2020.
^Sholin, Dave (26 March 1993). "Singles" (PDF). Gavin Report. Retrieved 15 April 2018.
^Sullivan, Caroline (12 April 1996). "This week's pop cd releases". The Guardian.
^Weiler, Derek (15 April 1993). "Cynical Lyrics' : Double bass gives album unique sound". Kitchener-Waterloo Record.
^Masterton, James (17 January 1993). "Week Ending January 23rd 1993". Chart Watch UK. Retrieved 10 September 2021.
^Lester, Paul (9 January 1993). "Singles". Melody Maker. p. 25. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
^"The Beloved Still Loved After Long Absence" (PDF). Music & Media. 30 January 1993. p. 27. Retrieved 22 February 2020.
^Jones, Alan (13 February 1993). "Market Preview: Mainstream - Albums" (PDF). Music Week. p. 20. Retrieved 24 March 2021.
^Slyngstad, Rune (17 February 1993). "Nye Album". Nordlandsposten (in Norwegian). p. 34. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
^Naik, Anita (17 February 1993). "New Albums". Smash Hits. p. 52. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
^Doyle, Tom (17 March 1993). "New Singles". Smash Hits. p. 51. Retrieved 15 December 2022.
^Riccio, Richard (16 April 1993). "The Beloved Take To The Dance Floor". St. Petersburg Times.
^"Beloved Sweet harmony VIVA VHS". YouTube. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021. Retrieved 21 October 2019.
^John Marsh (interview) (22 December 2006). "Youtube: The Beloved - (Making of) Sweet Harmony MV". Archived from the original on 21 December 2021. Retrieved 12 April 2016.
^. Archived from the original on 16 July 2015. Retrieved 24 July 2015 – via Imgur.
^"The Beloved – Sweet Harmony" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 30 September 2019.
^"The Beloved – Sweet Harmony" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 30 September 2019.
^"Top 60 Dance Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 23 January 1993. p. 22. Retrieved 8 April 2021.
^"The RM Club Chart" (PDF). Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental insert). 6 February 1993. p. 4. Retrieved 30 October 2021.
^"Bubbling Under Hot 100". Billboard. 8 May 1993. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
^"Dance Club Songs". Billboard. 19 June 1993. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
^"Alternative Airplay". Billboard. 1 May 1993. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
^"1993 Year-End Sales Charts: Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 10, no. 51/52. 18 December 1993. p. 15. Retrieved 27 November 2019.
^"Top 100 Singles–Jahrescharts 1993" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 30 September 2019.
^"Jaarlijsten 1993" (in Dutch). Stichting Nederlandse Top 40. Retrieved 1 December 2019.
^"Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1993" (in German). Retrieved 30 September 2019.
^"Top 100 Singles 1993". Music Week. 15 January 1994. p. 24.
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Sweet Harmony is a song by British band the Beloved released on 11 January 1993 as the first and lead single from their second studio album Conscience 1993 It remains the band s biggest hit peaking at number eight in the UK and becoming a club staple The single was followed by a much talked about music video directed by Big TV consisting of the band s singer Jon Marsh nude and surrounded by nude women in a heaven like setting The video was based on the record sleeve on the Jimi Hendrix album Electric Ladyland from 1968 2 Sweet Harmony Single by the Belovedfrom the album ConscienceB side Motivation Released11 January 1993 1993 01 11 1 StudioSarm West London England GenreElectronica house synth popLength5 02LabelEast WestSongwriter s Jon Marsh Helena MarshProducer s Jon Marsh Helena MarshThe Beloved singles chronology It s Alright Now 1990 Sweet Harmony 1993 Celebrate Your Life You ve Got Me Thinking 1993 Music video Sweet Harmony on YouTube Sweet Harmony was also included on the band s compilation albums Single File in 1997 The Sun Rising in 2005 and Sweet Harmony The Very Best of the Beloved in 2011 Contents 1 Background and release 2 Critical reception 3 Music video 4 Track listings 5 Charts 5 1 Weekly charts 5 2 Year end charts 6 Certifications 7 ReferencesBackground and release edit Sweet Harmony was written and produced by founder member of the Beloved and singer Jon Marsh and his wife Helena Marsh It was also the first single after the departure of Steve Waddington and was recorded at Sarm West Studios in London It was used to promote the second season of the American soap opera Melrose Place in several European countries The single was released on 11 January 1993 It peaked at number three in Austria number six in Germany and Switzerland number seven in Greece and Italy and number eight in the United Kingdom In the latter it peaked in its second week at the UK Singles Chart on 24 January 1993 3 It stayed at that position for two weeks The song was also a top 20 hit in Denmark France Ireland and Sweden On the Eurochart Hot 100 Sweet Harmony reached number 20 in May 1993 Outside Europe it was a top 10 hit in Israel and peaked at number 23 on the Billboard Dance Club Play chart in the United States Critical reception editAllMusic editor Jon O Brien complimented the song as a glorious slice of ice cool synth pop which manages to be both brooding and euphoric at the same time 4 Larry Flick from Billboard described it as a thumping dance ditty with slight techno nuances an uplifting lyrical message and singer Jon Marsh s warm soothing tones that add up to a delightful jam 5 He added that lyrically Sweet Harmony is typical Beloved fare spiritually uplifting and philosophical 6 Marisa Fox from Entertainment Weekly said that whereas Bryan Ferry infused rock with sensuality Marsh and his wife partner Helena lace their ethereal mix with house grooves that seduce and hypnotize She noted that the video features a nude Marsh humming amidst a bevy of bare bohemian babes all seated in a swirling mist Music to steam by indeed 7 Dave Sholin from the Gavin Report felt that doing their part to end the divisiveness around the globe the Beloved do some positive preaching backed by the catchy dance pop that s their trademark Nothing like a positive message to inspire hope and encourage unity 8 Caroline Sullivan from The Guardian felt that Marsh had concocted a pretty single in Sweet Harmony which married house rhythms to sinuous pop melodies 9 Derek Weiler from Kitchener Waterloo Record named the song a highlight of Conscience complimenting it as highly enjoyable indeed 10 In his weekly UK chart commentary James Masterton noted that the new Beloved single crashes in at 9 and has to be favoured for a possible No 1 11 Paul Lester from Melody Maker viewed it as a wishy washy electro ditty with pure essence of fey vocals and a spiritual bleedin New sodding Year piggin message of global f peace 12 Pan European magazine Music amp Media found that the synth dominated tune is a traditional verse chorus pop song which means very melodic and radio friendly 13 Alan Jones from Music Week described it as slowly throbbing 14 Rune Slyngstad from Norwegian Nordlandsposten viewed it as catchy synth oriented pop not far from Pet Shop Boys at their best 15 Anita Naik from Smash Hits felt the song is wonderful and heartfelt stuff 16 Another editor Tom Doyle praised it as brilliant saying Jon Marsh is a diamond geezer and so it was heartwarming to witness his safe return to the charts with the brilliant Sweet Harmony 17 Richard Riccio from St Petersburg Times wrote Yes there is the consistent beat The lilting 4 4 bounce of the first single tickles the spine as well as the ear Marsh purrs the vocals like a well fed feline the cool detachment of the verse compensated by the singalong chorus and warm saxophone 18 Music video editThe accompanying music video for Sweet Harmony was directed by Big TV 19 It consisted of a nude and seated Jon Marsh surrounded by nude women including Tess Daly lipsynching the lyrics It is based on the record sleeve on Jimi Hendrix 1968 album Electric Ladyland which was taken by photographer David Montgomery Clouds fog and white out effects were used to create a high contrast while the participants used their arms legs and hair to cover themselves In an interview Marsh said the video was not intended to be sexual and was as asexual as you can get 20 The video is supposed to represent unity between humans It was nominated for the International Viewer s Choice Award for MTV Europe at MTV Europe Music Awards in 1993 Track listings edit7 inch single Sweet Harmony 5 02 Motivation Energised 12 inch single Sweet Harmony Live The Dream Mix 7 15 Sweet Harmony 5 02 Motivation Empathised 6 44 Sweet Harmony Fertility Dance Mix 5 56CD single Sweet Harmony 5 02 Motivation Energised CD maxi Sweet Harmony 5 04 Sweet Harmony Live The Dream Mix 7 15 Motivation Exercised 7 11 Sweet Harmony Love The Dub Mix 5 14EP For the 7 track Sweet Harmony EP see the Conscience album Charts editWeekly charts edit Chart 1993 PeakpositionAustralia ARIA 21 147Austria O3 Austria Top 40 22 3Belgium Ultratop 50 Flanders 23 40Denmark IFPI 24 13Europe Eurochart Hot 100 25 20France SNEP 26 16Germany Official German Charts 27 6Greece Pop Rock 28 7Iceland Islenski Listinn Topp 40 29 24Ireland IRMA 30 14Italy Musica e dischi 31 7Netherlands Dutch Top 40 32 22Netherlands Single Top 100 33 21Sweden Sverigetopplistan 34 14Switzerland Schweizer Hitparade 35 6UK Singles OCC 3 8UK Dance Music Week 36 11UK Club Chart Music Week 37 51US Bubbling Under Hot 100 Billboard 38 14US Dance Club Play Billboard 39 23US Modern Rock Tracks Billboard 40 23 Year end charts edit Chart 1993 PositionEurope Eurochart Hot 100 41 47Germany Official German Charts 42 31Netherlands Dutch Top 40 43 176Switzerland Schweizer Hitparade 44 36UK Singles OCC 45 70Certifications editRegion Certification Certified units salesUnited Kingdom BPI 46 Silver 200 000 Sales streaming figures based on certification alone References edit New Releases Singles PDF Music Week 9 January 1993 p 6 Retrieved 21 June 2021 The Beloved Still Loved After Long Absence PDF Music amp Media 30 January 1993 p 27 Retrieved 22 February 2020 a b Official Singles Chart Top 100 Official Charts Company Retrieved 30 September 2019 O Brien Jon The Beloved Sweet Harmony The Very Best of the Beloved AllMusic Retrieved 19 March 2020 Flick Larry 3 April 1993 New amp Noteworthy PDF Billboard Retrieved 23 January 2018 Flick Larry 27 February 1993 DanceTRAX PDF Billboard p 33 Retrieved 22 November 2019 Fox Marisa 9 April 1993 Conscience Entertainment Weekly Retrieved 25 February 2020 Sholin Dave 26 March 1993 Singles PDF Gavin Report Retrieved 15 April 2018 Sullivan Caroline 12 April 1996 This week s pop cd releases The Guardian Weiler Derek 15 April 1993 Cynical Lyrics Double bass gives album unique sound Kitchener Waterloo Record Masterton James 17 January 1993 Week Ending January 23rd 1993 Chart Watch UK Retrieved 10 September 2021 Lester Paul 9 January 1993 Singles Melody Maker p 25 Retrieved 5 May 2023 The Beloved Still Loved After Long Absence PDF Music amp Media 30 January 1993 p 27 Retrieved 22 February 2020 Jones Alan 13 February 1993 Market Preview Mainstream Albums PDF Music Week p 20 Retrieved 24 March 2021 Slyngstad Rune 17 February 1993 Nye Album Nordlandsposten in Norwegian p 34 Retrieved 10 May 2020 Naik Anita 17 February 1993 New Albums Smash Hits p 52 Retrieved 6 October 2020 Doyle Tom 17 March 1993 New Singles Smash Hits p 51 Retrieved 15 December 2022 Riccio Richard 16 April 1993 The Beloved Take To The Dance Floor St Petersburg Times Beloved Sweet harmony VIVA VHS YouTube Archived from the original on 21 December 2021 Retrieved 21 October 2019 John Marsh interview 22 December 2006 Youtube The Beloved Making of Sweet Harmony MV Archived from the original on 21 December 2021 Retrieved 12 April 2016 Response from ARIA re chart inquiry submitted to charts mail aria com au received 2015 07 15 Archived from the original on 16 July 2015 Retrieved 24 July 2015 via Imgur The Beloved Sweet Harmony in German O3 Austria Top 40 Retrieved 30 September 2019 The Beloved Sweet Harmony in Dutch Ultratop 50 Retrieved 30 September 2019 Danish Singles Chart 19 November 1993 Eurochart Hot 100 PDF Music amp Media Vol 10 no 19 8 May 1993 p 23 Retrieved 25 March 2018 The Beloved Sweet Harmony in French Les classement single Retrieved 30 September 2019 The Beloved Sweet Harmony in German GfK Entertainment charts Retrieved 30 September 2019 Top 10 Sales in Europe PDF Music amp Media Vol 10 no 18 1 May 1993 p 24 Retrieved 20 March 2018 Islenski Listinn Topp 40 15 04 1993 21 04 1993 Dagbladid Visir in Icelandic 15 April 1993 p 29 Retrieved 4 February 2018 The Irish Charts Search Results Sweet Harmony Irish Singles Chart Retrieved 30 September 2019 Top 10 Sales in Europe PDF Music amp Media Vol 10 no 20 15 May 1993 p 24 Retrieved 21 November 2019 Nederlandse Top 40 The Beloved in Dutch Dutch Top 40 The Beloved Sweet Harmony in Dutch Single Top 100 The Beloved Sweet Harmony Singles Top 100 The Beloved Sweet Harmony Swiss Singles Chart Top 60 Dance Singles PDF Music Week 23 January 1993 p 22 Retrieved 8 April 2021 The RM Club Chart PDF Music Week in Record Mirror Dance Update Supplemental insert 6 February 1993 p 4 Retrieved 30 October 2021 Bubbling Under Hot 100 Billboard 8 May 1993 Retrieved 7 July 2023 Dance Club Songs Billboard 19 June 1993 Retrieved 7 July 2023 Alternative Airplay Billboard 1 May 1993 Retrieved 7 July 2023 1993 Year End Sales Charts Eurochart Hot 100 Singles PDF Music amp Media Vol 10 no 51 52 18 December 1993 p 15 Retrieved 27 November 2019 Top 100 Singles Jahrescharts 1993 in German GfK Entertainment Retrieved 30 September 2019 Jaarlijsten 1993 in Dutch Stichting Nederlandse Top 40 Retrieved 1 December 2019 Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1993 in German Retrieved 30 September 2019 Top 100 Singles 1993 Music Week 15 January 1994 p 24 British single certifications Beloved Sweet Harmony British Phonographic Industry Retrieved 7 July 2023 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Sweet Harmony The Beloved song amp oldid 1209659725, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
