Open Your Mind (song)

"Open Your Mind" is the debut single of Italian electronic music group U.S.U.R.A. It samples the song "New Gold Dream (81–82–83–84)" by Scottish band Simple Minds.[3] The track was released in 1993 through Italian Style in Italy and through Deconstruction Records across the rest of Europe and Australia.

"Open Your Mind"
Deconstruction Records cover
Single by U.S.U.R.A.
from the album Open Your Mind
B-side	"Open Your Mind" remixes
Released	1993
Recorded	1992
Genre	Techno[1][2]
Length	5:16 (Classic Mix) 3:40 (Radio Mix)
Label	Italian Style Deconstruction
Songwriter(s)	Charlie Burchill Jim Kerr Walter Cremonini Derek Forbes Michael McNeil Claudia Varola Michele Comis Elisa Spreafichi Claudio Calvello
Producer(s)	Walter Cremonini (original) Giacomo Maiolini ("Open Your Mind '97")
U.S.U.R.A. singles chronology
"Open Your Mind" (1993) "Sweat" (1993)
"In the Bush" (1996) "Open Your Mind '97" (1997) "Trance Emotions" (1998)
Music video
"Open Your Mind" on YouTube

Following a period of underground popularity,[4] "Open Your Mind" became a mainstream hit in early 1993, reaching the top five in Austria, Belgium, Finland, Italy, the Netherlands, and Switzerland. A remix by DJ Quicksilver was released in 1997 but failed to replicate the success of the original.

Critical reception

Larry Flick of Billboard magazine called the track a "fast'n'furious romp, overflowing with stately strings, shoulder-shaking percussion, and more than a few imaginative vocal samples", citing the song's melody as the most productive component.[4] In a later review, Flick doubted the song's commercial potential because of the lack of additional remixes, but he went on the write that "Open Your Mind" was "strong enough to merit a recurrent spin or two".[2] On the 1997 release, he described it as a "disco-splashed twirler that is light on lyrics (think "open your mind" over and over and over) but heavy on rubbery rhythms and keyboard loops that permanently stick to the brain upon impact." He added, "Not likely to be a long-lasting entry but certainly a memorable one."[5] Music & Media magazine described the song as having a "pace worth keeping up" and characterised it as a "stomper".[1]

Track listings

"Open Your Mind"

Australian CD/maxi-single[3]

1. "Open Your Mind" (Restricted Mix Edit) – 3:40
2. "Open Your Mind" (Classic Mix) – 5:16
3. "Open Your Mind" (Fishpop Mix) – 5:14
4. "Open Your Mind" (Tatata Mix) – 5:18

"Open Your Mind '97"

European maxi-CD[6]

1. "Open Your Mind '97" (DJ Quicksilver Radio Edit) – 3:02
2. "Open Your Mind '97" (Original Radio Cut) – 3:01
3. "Open Your Mind '97" (DJ Quicksilver Remix) – 6:07
4. "Open Your Mind '97" (De Donatis Remix) – 7:45

Australian maxi-CD[6]

1. "Open Your Mind '97" (DJ Quicksilver Radio Mix) – 3:57
2. "Open Your Mind '97" (Original Radio Cut) – 3:01
3. "Open Your Mind '97" (T.S. Triponphunky Remix) – 6:53
4. "Open Your Mind '97" (De Donatis Remix) – 7:46
5. "Open Your Mind '97" (M.U.T.E. Remix) – 4:50
6. "Open Your Mind" (Original Classic Mix) – 5:18

Charts

Weekly charts Original version Chart (1993) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[3] 29 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[7] 3 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[8] 4 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[9] 10 Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[10] 4 Germany (Official German Charts)[11] 8 Ireland (IRMA)[12] 6 Italy (Musica e dischi)[13] 4 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[14] 12 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[15] 5 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[16] 19 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[17] 3 UK Singles (OCC)[18] 7 "Open Your Mind '97" Chart (1997–1998) Peak position Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[19] 34 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[20] 56 Germany (Official German Charts)[6] 64 Scotland (OCC)[21] 14 UK Singles (OCC)[22] 21 UK Dance (OCC)[23] 3 UK Indie (OCC)[24] 1 US Dance Club Songs (Billboard)[25] 41

Year-end charts Chart (1993) Position Australia (ARIA)[26] 94 Belgium (Ultratop)[27] 19 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[28] 37 Germany (Official German Charts)[29] 43 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[30] 57

References

1. "Groove Mix – New Grooves" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 10 no. 5. 30 January 1993. p. 8. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
2. Flick, Larry (10 April 1993). "Single Reviews – Dance" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 105 no. 13. p. 72. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
3. "Australian-charts.com – USURA – Open Your Mind". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
4. Flick, Larry (16 January 1993). "Anderson At 'Work'; Pop Tarts Toast New Release" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 105 no. 3. p. 25. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
5. Flick, Larry (31 January 1998). "Reviews & Previews: Singles" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 110 no. 5. p. 26. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
6. "Offiziellecharts.de – USURA – Open Your Mind '97". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
7. "Austriancharts.at – USURA – Open Your Mind" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
8. "Ultratop.be – USURA – Open Your Mind" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
9. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 10 no. 13. 27 March 1993. p. 27. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
10. Nyman, Jake (2005). Suomi soi 4: Suuri suomalainen listakirja (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN 951-31-2503-3.
11. "Offiziellecharts.de – USURA – Open Your Mind". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
12. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Open Your Mind". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
13. "Top 10 Sales in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 10 no. 10. 6 March 1993. p. 20. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
14. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 13, 1993" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40 Retrieved 2 September 2020.
15. "Dutchcharts.nl – USURA – Open Your Mind" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
16. "Swedishcharts.com – USURA – Open Your Mind". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
17. "Swisscharts.com – USURA – Open Your Mind". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
18. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
19. "Austriancharts.at – USURA – Open Your Mind '97" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
20. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 14 no. 50. 13 December 1997. p. 17. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
21. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
22. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
23. "Official Dance Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
24. "Official Independent Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
25. "USURA Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
26. Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010. Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.
27. "Jaaroverzichten 1993" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
28. "1993 Year-End Sales Charts – Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 10 no. 51/52. 18 December 1993. p. 15. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
29. "Top 100 Singles–Jahrescharts 1993" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
30. "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1993" (in Dutch). MegaCharts. Retrieved 2 September 2020.