Wikipedia

Live Together

"Live Together" is a song recorded by British singer, songwriter and actress Lisa Stansfield for her debut album, Affection (1989). It was written by Stansfield, Ian Devaney and Andy Morris, and produced by Devaney and Morris. It was released as the third European single on 29 January 1990, and included previously unreleased song "Sing It" and remixes of "Live Together" created by Massive Attack and Steve Anderson. It became a hit in Europe, reaching top ten in the Netherlands, Belgium, the UK and Italy, and top forty in other European countries.

"Live Together"
Single by Lisa Stansfield
from the album Affection
B-side"Sing It"
Released29 January 1990 (1990-01-29)[1]
Recorded1989
Genre
Length4:37 (7")
6:10 (album version)
LabelArista
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Ian Devaney
  • Andy Morris
Lisa Stansfield singles chronology
"All Around the World"
(1989) 		"Live Together"
(1990) 		"What Did I Do to You?"
(1990)
Music video
"Live Together" on YouTube

In 2003, it was included on Biography: The Greatest Hits. In 2014, the remixes of "Live Together" and "Sing It" were included on the deluxe 2CD + DVD re-release of Affection and on People Hold On ... The Remix Anthology (also on The Collection 1989–2003).

Chart performance

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"Live Together" was quite successful on the charts in Europe, entering the top 10 in Belgium (7), Italy (10), the Netherlands (5) and the UK (10). In the latter, the song peaked at that position in its second week on the UK Singles Chart on 11 February 1990, after having debuted at number 19 the week before.[2] It reached the top 20 in Finland (16), Ireland (11), Spain (17) and Switzerland (15), as well as on the Eurochart Hot 100, peaking at number 19 in March same year. Additionally, it was a top 30 hit in Austria (30) and West Germany (23). Outside Europe, "Live Together" peaked at number 23 and 62 in New Zealand and Australia, respectively.

Critical reception

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Upon the album release, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution wrote that Stansfield's voice "alternately soars, sobs and adds over-dubbed backup vocals" on self-penned tunes such as "Live Together".[3] J.D. Considine from The Baltimore Sun praised her "warm, emotive voice", "seeming soulfully insinuating" through the song.[4] A reviewer from Billboard described it as "Gloria Gaynor-ish" and said the singer "shows just what powerful potential she has".[5] Bob Stanley from Melody Maker viewed it as "a lacklustre follow-up by the girl with the Subbutea painted haircut". He added, "How does it compare to Lisa's other singles? More of the same only less so."[6]

Pan-European magazine Music & Media stated that the re-recorded version of the track from Stansfield's debut LP is a good follow-up to "All Around the World". The reviewer noted further that the Philadelphia soul-type orchestration "helps to make this song an undoubted hit".[7] David Giles from Music Week commented, "Another homage to the sound of Seventies soul which has got the orchestral parts exactly right. As a song, it's the equal of 'All Around the World', even if the lyrics are a bit drippy."[8] Paul Simper from Number One felt that there's a bit in the midst of "Live Together" "which oddly reminds one" of Eurythmics' "You Have Placed a Chill in My Heart".[9]

Retrospective response

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In a 2020 retrospective review, Matthew Hocter from Albumism described "Live Together" as "‘70s inspired soul".[10]

Music video

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The accompanying music video for "Live Together" was directed by Philip Richardson.[11] He had previously directed the video for "All Around the World".

In the video, Stansfield stands at a train station. She sings in front of the train tracks. The video has a blue tone. Stansfield is wearing a big cap and a long coat. Her kiss curls are visible. Some scenes also see her singing on the bridge over the railroad tracks. Several trains come and go throughout the video. In the end, she runs towards a young man standing on the station and throws himself over him. They embrace each other. As the video ends, they walk away while holding each other around.[12]

"Live Together" was later published on Stansfield's official YouTube channel in September 2010, and had generated almost 800,000 views as of January 2023.[13]

Track listings

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Charts

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References

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  1. ^ Smith, Robin (27 January 1990). "This Week - The next seven days in view". Record Mirror. p. 28.
  2. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100 11 February 1990 - 17 February 1990". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 19 March 2023.
  3. ^ "Blue-Eyed Soul Lisa Stansfield's voice gets her 'All Around the World'". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. 11 May 1990.
  4. ^ Considine, J.D. (1990). "Lisa Stansfield – Affection". Baltimore Sun – via St. Louis Post-Dispatch. (4 March 1990).
  5. ^ "Album Reviews" (PDF). Billboard. 24 February 1990. p. 78. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  6. ^ Stanley, Bob (10 February 1990). "Singles". Melody Maker. Retrieved 24 February 2023.
  7. ^ "Previews: Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. 10 February 1990. p. 15. Retrieved 19 February 2020.
  8. ^ Giles, David (3 February 1990). "Singles" (PDF). Music Week. p. 25. Retrieved 29 October 2020.
  9. ^ Simper, Paul (22 November 1989). "Albums". Number One. p. 43. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
  10. ^ Hocter, Matthew (17 November 2019). "Lisa Stansfield's Debut Album 'Affection' Turns 30: Anniversary Retrospective". Albumism. Retrieved 3 May 2020.
  11. ^ "Live Together (1990) by Lisa Stansfield". IMVDb. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
  12. ^ "Lisa Stansfield - Live Together (Original Version)". YouTube. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
  13. ^ "Lisa Stansfield - Live Together (Original Version)". YouTube. 10 September 2010. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
  14. ^ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 265.
  15. ^ "Lisa Stansfield – Live Together" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
  16. ^ "Lisa Stansfield – Live Together" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
  17. ^ "Hits of the World" (PDF). Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
  18. ^ Pennanen, Timo (2021). "Lisa Stansfield". Sisältää hitin - 2. laitos Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla 1.1.1960–30.6.2021 (PDF) (in Finnish). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. p. 245. Retrieved 7 July 2022.
  19. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Live Together". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
  20. ^ "Classifiche". Musica e Dischi (in Italian). Retrieved 2 June 2022. Set "Tipo" on "Singoli". Then, in the "Artista" field, search "Lisa Stansfield".
  21. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 11, 1990" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
  22. ^ "Lisa Stansfield – Live Together" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
  23. ^ "Lisa Stansfield – Live Together". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
  24. ^ Fernando Salaverri (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  25. ^ "Lisa Stansfield – Live Together". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
  26. ^ "Lisa Stansfield: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
  27. ^ "Lisa Stansfield - Live Together" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
  28. ^ "Single Top 100 Over 1990" (PDF). Stichting Nederlandse Top 40. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
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