Renaissance (song)
Encyclopedia
Renaissance
is the ninth overall single from British band M People
and is the fourth and final single from their second album Elegant Slumming
(1993). Written by Mike Pickering
and Paul Heard. Produced by M People
. It was released on 28 February 1994. The song peaked at number five on the UK Singles Chart
following their first win for Best British Dance Act at the 1994 BRIT Awards
.
’s release they were touring the second leg of their 15-date Elegant Slumming
UK Tour and riding the height of their musical fortunes with their double platinum album. How Can I Love You More (Mixes), One Night in Heaven
, Moving on Up
and Don't Look Any Further had already provided them with four consecutive singles and this became their fifth.
to looking forward to coming home to one glorious night when Heather promises to "make you scream aloud with joy" – but "there’ll be no day there’ll be no night".
previous single releases at that point, this single was only the second to chart and peak in its first week (the only other single to do so at that point was predecessor Don't Look Any Further).
Renaissance
entered the chart and peaked in its first week at number 5 with sales of 89,000 copies in its first week, but made a steady descent out of the chart within seven weeks. When Renaissance
left the chart, it had sold in total 179,000 copies.
In the two weeks prior to Renaissance
’s release, Elegant Slumming
climbed back into the Top Ten at eight climbing to six once the song had been released, then rising further once again to peak at number four weeks later. For the second time, M People recorded simultaneous single and album Top 10s for two weeks, being at numbers 5 and 6, respectively and the at 6 and 5, respectively the week after in March 1994.
"Renaissance" was also used as the theme tune to the BBC2 show The Living Soap
which helped the single sales.
There are also some internal scenes in a studio with Heather dancing and singing to camera with her three bandmates dancing behind her. There are also close-ups on Paul’s hands playing chords on the piano and Shovell’s drumming.
have continued to perform this song as their show opener for all their tours to this day, and the refrain "I’m coming..." is what Heather sings off-stage before making her entrance to the instrumental.
, Macready, Da Silva and John Digweed
and M People
themselves who also included the original Album mix of the single alongside the Radio Edit and Master Mix.
"Renaissance" has the distinction of being the only ever M People
single to be written and recorded in just one day. This was partly because the band were under pressure from their record label, DeConstruction, to have finished and finalised the album by the end of the Summer 1993. There the tweaking of the single was essential to become a carefree dance tune.
CD Maxi
Renaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
is the ninth overall single from British band M People
M People
M People are a British house music act from Manchester, who formed in 1990 and achieved success throughout most of the 1990s. The name M People is from the initials of Mike Pickering, who formed the group.-Career:...
and is the fourth and final single from their second album Elegant Slumming
Elegant Slumming
Elegant Slumming is the second album by British house music band M People. It was released on 4 October 1993 charting and peaking at number 2 on the UK Album Chart and spent 87 weeks in the Top 75...
(1993). Written by Mike Pickering
Mike Pickering
Michael "Duncan" Pickering has DJed at The Haçienda's infamous "Nude" and "Hot" nights and later "Shine". He worked for Factory Records where he signed Happy Mondays, To Hell With Burgundy and James amongst others...
and Paul Heard. Produced by M People
M People
M People are a British house music act from Manchester, who formed in 1990 and achieved success throughout most of the 1990s. The name M People is from the initials of Mike Pickering, who formed the group.-Career:...
. It was released on 28 February 1994. The song peaked at number five on the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
following their first win for Best British Dance Act at the 1994 BRIT Awards
Brit Awards
The Brit Awards are the British Phonographic Industry's annual pop music awards. The name was originally a shortened form of "British", "Britain" or "Britannia", but subsequently became a backronym for British Record Industry Trust...
.
Background
At the time of RenaissanceRenaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
’s release they were touring the second leg of their 15-date Elegant Slumming
Elegant Slumming
Elegant Slumming is the second album by British house music band M People. It was released on 4 October 1993 charting and peaking at number 2 on the UK Album Chart and spent 87 weeks in the Top 75...
UK Tour and riding the height of their musical fortunes with their double platinum album. How Can I Love You More (Mixes), One Night in Heaven
One Night in Heaven
One Night in Heaven is the sixth overall single from British band M People and the first single from their second album Elegant Slumming . Written by Mike Pickering and Paul Heard. Produced by M People. It was released on 14 June 1993. The song peaked at number six on the UK Singles...
, Moving on Up
Moving on Up
Moving on Up is the seventh overall single from British band M People and the second single from their second album Elegant Slumming . Written by Mike Pickering and Paul Heard. Produced by M People. It was released on 13 September 1993...
and Don't Look Any Further had already provided them with four consecutive singles and this became their fifth.
Composition
The song features pounding italo-piano chords and is laden with synths alongside an insistent bassline and classic house beat. Lyrically, it is in total contrast to the angry "breaking free" sung in Moving on UpMoving on Up
Moving on Up is the seventh overall single from British band M People and the second single from their second album Elegant Slumming . Written by Mike Pickering and Paul Heard. Produced by M People. It was released on 13 September 1993...
to looking forward to coming home to one glorious night when Heather promises to "make you scream aloud with joy" – but "there’ll be no day there’ll be no night".
Chart Performance
Out of the nine M PeopleM People
M People are a British house music act from Manchester, who formed in 1990 and achieved success throughout most of the 1990s. The name M People is from the initials of Mike Pickering, who formed the group.-Career:...
previous single releases at that point, this single was only the second to chart and peak in its first week (the only other single to do so at that point was predecessor Don't Look Any Further).
Renaissance
Renaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
entered the chart and peaked in its first week at number 5 with sales of 89,000 copies in its first week, but made a steady descent out of the chart within seven weeks. When Renaissance
Renaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
left the chart, it had sold in total 179,000 copies.
In the two weeks prior to Renaissance
Renaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
’s release, Elegant Slumming
Elegant Slumming
Elegant Slumming is the second album by British house music band M People. It was released on 4 October 1993 charting and peaking at number 2 on the UK Album Chart and spent 87 weeks in the Top 75...
climbed back into the Top Ten at eight climbing to six once the song had been released, then rising further once again to peak at number four weeks later. For the second time, M People recorded simultaneous single and album Top 10s for two weeks, being at numbers 5 and 6, respectively and the at 6 and 5, respectively the week after in March 1994.
"Renaissance" was also used as the theme tune to the BBC2 show The Living Soap
The Living Soap
The Living Soap was a BBC North fly on the wall documentary series broadcast in 1993, which set out to show the everyday lives of six students sharing a house in Manchester. The six chosen students gave up their privacy for one year in return for free rent and the chance to be on television...
which helped the single sales.
Music Video
The video was filmed in Michigan in January 1994 while the band promoted the launch of the US version of the album on the Sony label. Directed by Award winning Director of Photography Jeff Baynes for 'Eye Eye Ltd'/'Tatooist International' Production companies; Heather, Mike, Paul and Shovell were filmed together during the choruses with Heather in the driving seat of a classic black convertible American Cadillac with her bandmates as passengers all singing along or in a variety of places such riding in a classic Jag with Heather in the driving seat around the bustling American streets, driving past trams, and along a freeway. Heather has since admitted that at the time she was not qualified to drive and kept turning the wheel in the wrong direction. Other notable Michigan landmarks seen include the Park Bowl and Xing seen on the road.There are also some internal scenes in a studio with Heather dancing and singing to camera with her three bandmates dancing behind her. There are also close-ups on Paul’s hands playing chords on the piano and Shovell’s drumming.
Live Performances
Since its release, M PeopleM People
M People are a British house music act from Manchester, who formed in 1990 and achieved success throughout most of the 1990s. The name M People is from the initials of Mike Pickering, who formed the group.-Career:...
have continued to perform this song as their show opener for all their tours to this day, and the refrain "I’m coming..." is what Heather sings off-stage before making her entrance to the instrumental.
Remixes
Remixes of the single were provided by Roger S.Roger Sanchez
Roger Sanchez, also known as Roger S. and The S Man, is a Grammy award-winning American House music DJ who has scored many hits in the European and World Charts...
, Macready, Da Silva and John Digweed
John Digweed
John Digweed is an English DJ, record producer and acclaimed actor.-Biography:John Digweed began DJing around age 4...
and M People
M People
M People are a British house music act from Manchester, who formed in 1990 and achieved success throughout most of the 1990s. The name M People is from the initials of Mike Pickering, who formed the group.-Career:...
themselves who also included the original Album mix of the single alongside the Radio Edit and Master Mix.
Airplay
"Renaissance" was serviced to radio three weeks before physical release when Don't Look Any Further was still in the Airplay Top 30 from two months earlier. It entered the Top 50 at number 45 then moved up 26 places in its second week to number 19, finally peaking at number 6. The new instrumental, tighter verses and stronger structure plus its use as a theme tune of a popular BBC show all propelled the songs success very quickly."Renaissance" has the distinction of being the only ever M People
M People
M People are a British house music act from Manchester, who formed in 1990 and achieved success throughout most of the 1990s. The name M People is from the initials of Mike Pickering, who formed the group.-Career:...
single to be written and recorded in just one day. This was partly because the band were under pressure from their record label, DeConstruction, to have finished and finalised the album by the end of the Summer 1993. There the tweaking of the single was essential to become a carefree dance tune.
Track listings
12" Maxi- “Renaissance” (M People master mix)
- “Renaissance” (John DigweedJohn DigweedJohn Digweed is an English DJ, record producer and acclaimed actor.-Biography:John Digweed began DJing around age 4...
's full on mix) - “Renaissance” (Roger S.Roger SanchezRoger Sanchez, also known as Roger S. and The S Man, is a Grammy award-winning American House music DJ who has scored many hits in the European and World Charts...
uplifting club mix)
CD Maxi
- “Renaissance” (Radio mix)
- “Renaissance” (M People master mix)
- “Renaissance” (John DigweedJohn DigweedJohn Digweed is an English DJ, record producer and acclaimed actor.-Biography:John Digweed began DJing around age 4...
's full on mix) - “Renaissance” (Roger S.Roger SanchezRoger Sanchez, also known as Roger S. and The S Man, is a Grammy award-winning American House music DJ who has scored many hits in the European and World Charts...
uplifting club mix) - “Renaissance” (Album mix)