Connected (Stereo MC's song)

"Connected" is the title track and first single from the British group Stereo MC's third studio album, released on 5 October 1992. The song samples "Let Me (Let Me Be Your Lover)" by Jimmy "Bo" Horne.[1]

"Connected"
Single by Stereo MC's
from the album Connected
B-side
  • "Disconnected"
  • "Fever"
Released
  • September 1992 (UK)
  • March 1993 (US)
Length3:59
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Stereo MC's
Stereo MC's singles chronology
"Lost in Music"
(1991)		 "Connected"
(1992)		 "Step It Up"
(1992)
Music video
"Connected" (audio) on YouTube
Audio sample
  • file
  • help

"Connected" peaked at number 18 on the UK Singles Chart. Internationally, it peaked within the Top 10 of the charts in Austria, Sweden and Switzerland, and peaked within the Top 20 of the charts in Belgium, Finland and the United States. The song appeared in the movie Hackers starring Angelina Jolie and Jonny Lee Miller. Rob Lowe personally chose the song to be the theme to his programme Dr. Vegas (2004).

Production

The song uses a bassline sampled from Jimmy "Bo" Horne's song "Let Me (Let Me Be Your Lover)". Vocalist Rob Birch told about how the song was made in an interview with Chaos Control: "We ended up taking the music several stages further than we had gone before and playing things ourselves on bass and keyboards, and getting other people in to play things like the horns."[2]

Critical reception

Larry Flick from Billboard described the song as "an instantly insinuating hiphop/funk workout. A shuffling groove supports cool horns and a contagious chorus that is phattened by nifty femme vocal chants. In its current form, "Connected" is a sturdy precursor to an evening or a fine way to wind down into daylight."[3] In 1993, Flick commented that the track, a "mid-tempo retro-funk affair", "has been making inroads with urban-minded DJs for several weeks now. "The song 'Connected' is about human beings and the lack of connection there is between anything today," [band member Nick] Hallam says. "It's about the way everyone tries to categorize everything. The way every race is trying to separate from each other."[4] Per Reinholdt Nielsen from Gaffa wrote that the song "is a clever lesson in funk. The number is extremely simple. A great sound sampled from half a beat KC and the Sunshine Band pulls back, while Owen If whips the drums forward. Three chorus girls, rapper Rob Birch and various samples decorate the landscape, but it is the sucks of the "two rhythm groups" that lock Connected into the memory and body of the defenseless listener."[5]

Music & Media stated that it is a "sure hit" and noted further "the new female vocalists shining over expressive rich grooves."[6] Bill Lamb from ThoughtCo said the song "is propelled by a catchy but downbeat atmospheric brand of hip-hop."[7] Music Week said in their review of the Connected album, that "the introductory single Connected, with its pulsing bass, and slick femme harmonies is fairly typical of the fare here, with what raps there are well-couched and friendly."[8] Victor Haseman from The Stanford Daily commented that the Stereo MC's "have made stitching their patchwork quilt of Euro-electro pop, hip-hop and house their top priority, tirelessly pushing it in new directions".[9]

Chart performance

"Connected" went on becoming a major hit on the charts in several countries, remaining the group's most successful song to date. In Europe, it climbed into the Top 10 in Austria, Sweden and Switzerland, and the Top 20 in Belgium, Finland and the United Kingdom. In the latter, the single peaked at number 18 in its second week at the UK Singles Chart on September 27, 1992.[10] It stayed at that position for two weeks. Additionally, "Connected" went to the Top 30 in France, and on the Eurochart Hot 100, it reached the Top 40, at number 36 in January 1993. Outside Europe, the song managed to peak at number 7 on the Canadian RPM Dance/Urban Chart, number 15 on the US Cash Box Pop Singles Chart, number 20 on the Billboard Hot 100, number 24 in New Zealand and number 47 in Australia.

Impact and legacy

Paste placed the song at number 8 in their list of "25 Awesome One-Hit Wonders of the 1990s" in 2011.[11]

In 2014, the track was listed as number 322 in the German magazine Musikexpress ranking of the 700 best songs of all-time.[12]

The Daily Telegraph ranked "Connected" at number 34 in their "Top 50 Dance Songs" list in 2015.[13]

BuzzFeed put the song at number 82 in their list of "The 101 Greatest Dance Songs of the '90s" in 2017.[14]

ThoughtCo listed the song at number 65 in their list of "The Best 100 Songs from the 1990s" list in 2018.[7]

Use in other media

The song appears in the movie, Saving Silverman. It has also been used in commercials promoting the USA Network's program Burn Notice, and by The Carphone Warehouse.[15] "I remember performing the track in late 1992," vocalist Rob Birch told Q. "The Brixton Academy was just around the corner from our neighbourhood in London, near where we recorded the album. We were supporting the Happy Mondays for their tour in the United Kingdom, and at that venue it was just amazing.

The Connected album had only been out for a while, and we thought people were just starting to get into it. When we came on to the intro of the track, the whole audience was singing along to the tune and there was just an amazing vibe and energy. Everyone connected, basically."[16]

Music video

The music video for "Connected" was directed by Matthew Amos.[17]

Track listings
CD maxi – Germany, United Kingdom
  1. "Connected" (edit) – 4:05
  2. "Connected" (full length) – 5:16
  3. "Disconnected" – 6:06
  4. "Fever" – 3:15
7" single
  1. "Connected" (edit) – 3:59
  2. "Fever" – 3:15
12" maxi – Germany, United Kingdom
  1. "Connected" (full length) – 5:12
  2. "Connected" (reprise) – 1:43
  3. "Disconnected" – 6:04
  4. "Fever" – 3:15
12" maxi – Promo – France
  1. "Connected" (Future Sound of London mix) – 6:19
  2. "Disconnected" – 6:04
US promo cassette
Side A
  1. "Connected" (edit)
Side B
  1. "Step It Up"
  2. "Don't Let Up"
  3. "Ground Level"

Charts
Chart (1992–1993) Peak
position
Peak chart performance for "Connected"
Australia (ARIA)[18] 47
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[19] 5
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[20] 19
Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[21] 7
Canada Dance/Urban (RPM)[22] 7
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[23] 32
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[24] 36
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[25] 14
France (SNEP)[26] 27
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[27] 54
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[28] 24
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[29] 8
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[30] 6
UK Singles (OCC)[10] 18
UK Music Week Dance Singles[31] 7
US Billboard Hot 100[32] 20
US Billboard Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales[32] 26
US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks[32] 5
US Billboard Rhythmic Top 40[32] 38
US Billboard Top 40 Mainstream[32] 11
US Cash Box[33] 15

References
  1. Cromelin, Richard (13 May 1993). "Stereo MC's: Rapping to the Top With an English Beat : Pop music: One of the few U.K. rap acts to gain a foothold in the United States, the band's 'Connected' is moving up the singles charts". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 14 May 2016.
  2. Dimery, Robert, ed. (2011) [2010]. "Connected – Stereo MC's (1992)". 1001 Songs You Must Hear Before You Die. Octopus Publishing Group. ISBN 978-1-84403-684-4.
  3. Flick, Larry (12 December 1992). "Dance Trax: Roc & Kato Shaking Up The Deep-House Sound" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 104 no. 51. p. 26. Retrieved 8 October 2020.
  4. Flick, Larry (23 January 1993). "Dance Trax: Plugging In To Stereo MC's; Bobby In The Mix" (PDF). Billboard. p. 27. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
  5. Reinholdt Nielsen, Per (1 September 1993). "Kød, blod og teknologi". Gaffa (in Danish). p. 8. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
  6. "New Releases: Albums" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 9 no. 41. 10 October 1992. p. 8. Retrieved 21 February 2020.
  7. Lamb, Bill (23 September 2018). "The Best 100 Songs from the 1990s". ThoughtCo. Archived from the original on 7 May 2019.
  8. "Mainstream > Albums" (PDF). Music Week. 3 October 1992. p. 22. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
  9. Haseman, Victor (7 October 1993). "Rap That Is Something Different". The Stanford Daily. p. 7. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
  10. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 11 July 2013.
  11. Barrett, John (28 September 2011). "25 Awesome One-Hit Wonders of the 1990s". Paste. Retrieved 7 October 2018.
  12. "Die 700 besten Songs aller Zeiten". Musikexpress (in German). 21 March 2014. Retrieved 4 November 2019.
  13. "Top 50 dance songs". The Daily Telegraph. 8 April 2015. Retrieved 7 March 2017.
  14. Stopera, Matt; Galindo, Brian (11 March 2017). "The 101 Greatest Dance Songs of the '90s". BuzzFeed. Retrieved 31 March 2020.
  15. Lynskey, Dorian (25 July 2008). "Pop review: Stereo MCs, Double Bubble". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 13 April 2009.
  16. Q, May 2001
  17. "Connected (1992) by Stereo MCs". IMVDb.com. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
  18. "Australian-charts.com – Stereo MC's – Connected". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
  19. "Austriancharts.at – Stereo MC's – Connected" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
  20. "Ultratop.be – Stereo MC's – Connected" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
  21. "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 1787." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 12 May 2015.
  22. "Top RPM Dance/Urban: Issue 1787." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 10 March 2018.
  23. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 0986." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 12 May 2015.
  24. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 10 no. 2. 9 January 1993. p. 11. Retrieved 23 March 2018.
  25. Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin - levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN 978-951-1-21053-5.
  26. "Lescharts.com – Stereo MC's – Connected" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
  27. "Dutchcharts.nl – Stereo MC's – Connected" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
  28. "Charts.nz – Stereo MC's – Connected". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
  29. "Swedishcharts.com – Stereo MC's – Connected". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
  30. "Swisscharts.com – Stereo MC's – Connected". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
  31. "Top 60 Dance Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 26 September 1992. p. 26. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
  32. "Stereo MC's – Awards". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 4 April 2016. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
  33. "CASH BOX Top 100 Pop Singles – Week ending MAY 29, 1993". Cash Box. Archived from the original on 10 October 2012.
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