| Let the Beat Control Your Body | |
| Cover: | 2 Unlimited Let The Beat Single Euro Cover.jpg |
| Alt: | cover art |
| Caption: | Artwork for continental European releases |
| Type: | single |
| Artist: | 2 Unlimited |
| Album: | No Limits |
| Length: |
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| Label: | |
| Producer: |
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| Prev Title: | Maximum Overdrive |
| Prev Year: | 1993 |
| Next Title: | The Real Thing |
| Next Year: | 1994 |
"Let the Beat Control Your Body" is a song by Belgian/Dutch Eurodance band 2 Unlimited. It was released in January 1994 by Byte, ZYX and PWL as the fifth and final single from the band's second album, No Limits (1993).[1] The album version is largely instrumental and contains just a few spoken words from bandmembers Ray Slijngaard and Anita Doth. The single version contains full verses rapped by Slijngaard and a new chorus sung by Doth, which were co-written by them both. The song enjoyed chart success in many European countries, peaking at number two in the Netherlands and within the top 10 in Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Spain and the United Kingdom. It was nominated in the category for Best Song on MTV Awards.[2] Nigel Simpkiss directed the music video for "Let the Beat Control Your Body", which received heavy rotation on both MTV Europe and VIVA.
Miranda Sawyer from The Guardian wrote, "The result is a hectic fusion of marching techno beat, catchy tune, and marvellously bossy lyrics: Speed up the pace./ Take it to the maximum./ Let the beat control your body."[3] Simon Price from Melody Maker commented, "Try listening to the intros to "No Limit" and "Let the Beat Control Your Body" without going at it like a woodpecker on poppers."[4] James Hamilton from Music Weeks RM Dance Update described the song as a "techno-pop galloper".[5] Stephen Dalton from NME wrote that songs like this "are about clean, controlled fun and strict discipline booted along by stormtrooper hardcore beats designed to encourage Eurokids to work hard and use leisure time constructively."[6] Scottish Perthshire Advertiser stated, "You know what to expect and, yes, they deliver it!"[7] Mark Frith from Smash Hits described it as "buzzy" in his review of the No Limits album, complimenting it as a song "that stands out individually."[8] Another Smash Hits editor, Tony Cross, gave it two out of five, saying, "It's still techno, techno, techno with a dash of techno for good measure."[9]
"Let The Beat Control Your Body" entered the European airplay chart Border Breakers at number 16 on 4 February due to crossover airplay in Central-, North West- and North-Europe and peaked at number four on 19 March.[10]
"Let the Beat Control Your Body" was a sizeable hit all over Europe, entering the top 10 in Belgian Flanders (4), Finland (3), Germany (8), Ireland (6), the Netherlands (2), Scotland (7), Spain (10) and the United Kingdom. In the Netherlands, the single was held off reaching the number-one position for two weeks by "Ik wil niet dat je liegt/Waarheen waarvoor" by Paul de Leeuw/Annie de Rooy in February and March 1994. In the UK, it peaked at number six on 27 February 1994, its third week on the UK Singles Chart. It also charted on the UK Dance Singles Chart, peaking at number 14. On the Eurochart Hot 100, "Let the Beat Control Your Body" made it to number five,[11] entering the chart on 12 February at 87 and soaring up to peak at five within three weeks. It also reached number-one on the European Dance Radio Chart[12] and number three on MTV's European Top 20. Additionally, the song was a top-20 hit in Austria (11), Denmark (16), Sweden (11) and Switzerland (11).
Outside Europe, "Let The Beat Control Your Body" peaked at number six in Israel, number 29 in New Zealand and number 39 in Australia.
The accompanying music video for "Let The Beat Control Your Body" was directed by Nigel Simpkiss, produced by Swivel Films[13] and released in the UK in January 1994. It received heavy rotation on MTV Europe[14] and was A-listed on Germany's VIVA.[15] In the video, Anita Doth and Ray Slijngaard performs in front of a wall consisting of vibrating speakers. In between, several gymnasts and dancers are performing, mixed with computer generated images. In the rap part, Slijngaard trains bare-chested with weights. Tom Sheehan from Melody Maker felt the 2 Unlimited look in the video was very provocative: "Head-to-toe PVC suffocation gear. It was very S&M. Stephen Milligan would have loved it."[16]
"Let the Beat Control Your Body" was later made available on 2 Unlimited's official YouTube channel in 2013, and as of September 2023, it had generated almost five million views. Simpkiss would also be directing the video for the duo's next single, "The Real Thing".
Dance music artist Chaah (aka Susanne Jark) uses the melody from "Let the Beat Control Your Body" in her 1999 release titled "The Funkiness of You".[17]
It also became famous again because of Britain's Got Talent when act DJ John performed the song in the auditions.
| Chart (1994–1995) | Peak position | |
|---|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[18] | 39 | |
| Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40) | 11 | |
| Denmark (IFPI) | 16 | |
| Europe (Eurochart Hot 100) | 5 | |
| Europe (MTV European Top 20)[19] | 3 | |
| Europe (European Dance Radio) | 1 | |
| Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[20] | 3 | |
| France (SNEP) | 10 | |
| Ireland (IRMA)[21] | 6 | |
| Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[22] | 2 | |
| New Zealand (RIANZ) | 29 | |
| Scotland (OCC)[23] | 7 | |
| Spain (AFYVE)[24] | 10 | |
| Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[25] | 11 | |
| Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) | 11 | |
| UK Dance (Music Week)[26] | 14 |
| Chart (1994) | Position | |
|---|---|---|
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[27] | 50 | |
| Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[28] | 34 | |
| Europe (European Dance Radio)[29] | 12 | |
| Germany (Official German Charts)[30] | 57 | |
| Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) | 39 | |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100)[31] | 30 | |
| Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[32] | 46 | |
| UK Singles (OCC)[33] | 70 |
| Region | Date | Format(s) | Label(s) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Germany | 21 January 1994 | ZYX | |||
| United Kingdom | 7 February 1994 | PWL | [34] |