"Listen to Your Heart" is a song written, arranged and produced by Stock Aitken Waterman (SAW) for Sonia's debut studio album, Everybody Knows (1990). Released in November 1989 as the album's third single, it reached number ten on the UK Singles Chart and number 22 in Ireland. The B-side was Sonia's version of "Better Than Ever" which was originally recorded by Lisa Fabien and was not included on the original release of her debut album.[1]
| "Listen to Your Heart" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Sonia | ||||
| from the album Everybody Knows | ||||
| B-side | "Better Than Ever" | |||
| Released | 27 November 1989 | |||
| Recorded | 1989 | |||
| Genre | Dance-pop | |||
| Length | 3:26 | |||
| Label | Chrysalis | |||
| Songwriter(s) | ||||
| Producer(s) | Stock Aitken Waterman | |||
| Sonia singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Music video | ||||
| "Listen to Your Heart" on YouTube | ||||
Music video
editThe song's video features an uncredited appearance by fellow SAW act Big Fun, who appear as faceless dancers. The video also features Sonia dancing in front of a red and a blue background. The track and the singer were later parodied by comedian Dawn French on her sketch comedy show, French and Saunders, a moment Sonia later described as the most embarrassing of her life.[1]
Critical reception
editGenerally critical of SAW-produced singles, David Giles of Music Week praised "Listen to Your Heart", calling it a "fine song" which he considered "a hundred times better than ["You'll Never Stop Me Loving You"]", adding: "The chorus is standard fare, but the verse simmers nicely".[2] In 2017, Christian Guiltenane of British magazine Attitude praised this Sonia song as being "by far her best, with its infectious euphoric sing-song chorus".[3]
Chart performance
edit"Listen to Your Heart" entered the UK Singles Chart in early December 1989 at number 42 and, peaked at number ten five weeks later, thus becoming Sonia's second UK top ten hit after her debut single "You'll Never Stop Me Loving You", and charted for a total of ten weeks.[4] The track was Sonia's last collaboration with SAW to make the UK singles top ten, preceding the broader collapse in the producers' chart fortunes in 1990.[1] Despite its good chart performances in the UK and a peak at number 16 in Finland,[5] it missed the top 20 in all other countries where it was released. In Ireland, it charted for one week in January 1990, at number 22.[6] In France, it barely made the top 40, reaching number 39 in the fourth week out of a six-week chart run,[7] while in Germany, it stalled at number 72 and was present in the top 100 for six weeks.[8] On the Pan-European Hot 100 singles compiled by Music & Media, it debuted at a peak of number 27,[9] while it reached number 17 on the European Airplay chart in its second week;[10] on both charts, it charted for four weeks. Outside Europe, "Listen to Your Heart" peaked at number 119 in March 1990 in Australia, spending nine weeks on the chart.[11]
Appearances in other media
editIn Brazil, "Listen to Your Heart" was included in the international soundtrack of Rainha da Sucata becoming a big hit there.[12] Similarly, in the Philippines, the song was used in the show It's a Date, a dating comedy game hosted by Plinky Recto and Tom Lupton, formerly aired on CNN Philippines (Formerly RPN 9) in 1989, and thus became popular in the country.
Track listings
edit- "Listen to Your Heart" – 3:25
- "Better than Ever" – 3:26
- "Listen to Your Heart" (Extended Mix) – 5:58
- "Better than Ever" – 3:26
- "Listen to Your Heart" (Instrumental) – 3:27
Credits and personnel
editThe following people contributed to "Listen to Your Heart":
- Sonia – lead vocals
- Mae McKenna, Miriam Stockley – backing vocals
- Mike Stock – keyboards, backing vocals
- Matt Aitken – guitars, keyboards
- A Linn – drums
- Dave Ford – mixing
Charts
edit| Chart (1989–1990) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA Charts)[11] | 119 |
| Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[9] | 27 |
| Europe (European Airplay Top 50)[10] | 17 |
| Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[5] | 16 |
| France (SNEP)[7] | 39 |
| Ireland (IRMA)[6] | 22 |
| UK Singles (OCC)[4] | 10 |
| UK Dance (Music Week)[18] | 34 |
| UK (Airplay Top 20)[19] | 4 |
| West Germany (GfK)[8] | 72 |
References
edit- ^ a b c "A Journey Through Stock Aitken Waterman: Ep 52: Listen To Your Heart to Do They Know It's Christmas? on Apple Podcasts". Apple Podcasts. Retrieved 15 May 2023.
- ^ Giles, David (16 December 1989). "Singles" (PDF). Music Week. p. 23. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
- ^ Guiltenane, Christian (7 September 2017). "The very best hits (and misses) of Stock Aitken Waterman". Attitude. London. ISSN 1353-1875. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
- ^ a b "Sonia: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 17 October 2023.
- ^ a b Pennanen, Timo (2021). "Sonia". Sisältää hitin - 2. laitos Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla 1.1.1960–30.6.2021 (PDF). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. p. 241. Retrieved 22 June 2022.
- ^ a b "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Listen to Your Heart". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 17 October 2023.
- ^ a b "Sonia – Listen to Your Heart" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 17 October 2023.
- ^ a b "Offiziellecharts.de – Sonia – Listen to Your Heart" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 17 October 2023.
- ^ a b "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. 20 January 1990. OCLC 29800226. Retrieved 18 June 2021 – via World Radio History.
- ^ a b "European Airplay Top 50" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 7, no. 3. 20 January 1990. p. III. OCLC 29800226. Retrieved 30 May 2022 – via World Radio History.
- ^ a b "Response from ARIA re: chart inquiry, received 17 June 2014". Imgur.com. Archived from the original on 29 November 2014. Retrieved 16 November 2014.
- ^ "Teledramaturgia". teledramaturgia.com.br. Archived from the original on 6 July 2011. Retrieved 20 October 2010.
- ^ Listen to Your Heart (UK & Irish 7-inch single and cassette sleeve). Sonia. Chrysalis. 1989. CHS 3465.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Listen to Your Heart (Continental European 7-inch single sleeve). Sonia. Chrysalis. 1989. 112 924.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Listen to Your Heart (UK & Irish 12-inch maxi sleeve). Sonia. Chrysalis. 1989. CHS 12 3465.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Listen to Your Heart (Continental European CD maxi sleeve). Sonia. Chrysalis. 1989. 662 924.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Listen to Your Heart (Philippian 12-inch single sleeve). Sonia. Dyna Products. 1989. EP-CHR-32-3465-6.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ "Top Dance Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 6 January 1990. p. 11. Retrieved 2 August 2023 – via World Radio History.
- ^ "Playlist Report - The most played records in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 7, no. 3. 20 January 1990. p. II. OCLC 29800226. Retrieved 30 May 2022 – via World Radio History.
