I Found Heaven Explained

I Found Heaven
Cover:Take-That-I-Found-Heaven.jpg
Type:single
Artist:Take That
Album:Take That & Party
B-Side:I'm Out
Recorded:Southlands (London, England)
Length:4:02
Prev Title:It Only Takes a Minute
Prev Year:1992
Next Title:A Million Love Songs
Next Year:1992

"I Found Heaven" is a song by English boy band Take That from their debut studio album, Take That & Party. It was released as the album's fifth single on 3 August 1992.

Background

Written and produced by American singer Billy Griffin and English producer Ian Levine, it was released on 3 August 1992 as the fifth single from the band's debut album, Take That & Party (1992).[1] It became the group's second top-20 single, charting at number fifteen on the UK Singles Chart.[2] "I Found Heaven" is the first song by Take That to feature both Gary Barlow and Robbie Williams on lead vocals, and also the only non-cover written by someone else than the band.

In Gary Barlow's autobiography My Take, he states that the band hates the song: "The song Ian made us sing was truly fucking awful. I still hate it to this day. In fact, we all hate it and absolutely refuse to perform it on stage. It is, by a huge margin, the worst song of Take That's and my career. At the time I said nothing because I felt I didn't have a leg to stand on."

Although often considered Robbie Williams' debut song on lead vocals, certain sections of the track were supplemented with vocals by Billy Griffin due to Williams' inability to reach the high notes. Williams reportedly walked out of the session after an argument with Ian Levine regarding the matter.[3] Also Ian Levine claimed that Jason Orange did not sing on the song because he felt that Orange did not have the needed vocal abilities at the time.

Critical reception

Music & Media commented, "These newcomers in the rich British tradition of teeny hoppers—from the Bay City Rollers to Wham! and Bros—try the now popular close harmony pop style. Judging by their current hit status, it is already widely recognized in the UK."[4]

Music video

The music video for the single was filmed on Sandown Beach on the Isle of Wight, and the yellow car featured is owned by a local resident, and is fairly well known amongst the islanders. The band perform the song on the beach whilst clips of the band relaxing on the beach are intercut with the video. In Gary Barlow's autobiography: 'My Take', he expressed that the band were disappointed with the location on which the video was filmed. They apparently hoped for the video to be shot in an exotic continent.

Personnel

Charts

Chart (1992–1993)Peak
position
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)38
Germany (Media Control AG)[5] 56
Israel (IBA)[6] 25
UK Singles (Official Charts)15

Notes and References

  1. New Releases: Singles. Music Week. 19. 1 August 1992.
  2. http://www.everyhit.co.uk/ "UK Top 40 Hit Database"
  3. Web site: "I think I'd be the Chuffinator... you have been chuffed!". Robbiewilliams.com. 5 December 2013. 12 July 2011.
  4. 【New Releases: Singles】&【Eurochart Hot 100 ® Singles】. . 29 August 1992 . 6,17 . 22 October 2020 . pdf . 【Eurochart Hot 100 ® Singles】 - 【38】 - I Found Heaven - Take That - RCA.
  5. http://www.charts-surfer.de/index2.htm "German Single Charts"
  6. 25 August 1992