| Look Who's Talking! | |
| Cover: | Look_who's_talking.jpg |
| Type: | single |
| Artist: | Dr. Alban |
| Album: | Look Who's Talking |
| Released: | February 1994 |
| Genre: | |
| Length: | Cheiron
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| Producer: |
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| Prev Title: | Sing Hallelujah |
| Prev Year: | 1993 |
| Next Title: | Away from Home |
| Next Year: | 1994 |
"Look Who's Talking!" is a song by Sweden-based musician and producer Dr. Alban, featuring vocals from Swedish singer Nana Hedin. It was released in February 1994 as the first single from his third studio album, Look Who's Talking (1994). Co-written by Alban with Denniz PoP, the song was co-produced by Kristian Lundin and reached number-one in Denmark and Finland. It became a top-10 in almost all other European countries, except France and the UK. The song entered the Eurochart Hot 100 on 12 March 1994 at number 61 and went on to peak at the second position four weeks later. In the US, it peaked at number 11 on Billboard's Hot Dance Club Play chart. Its music video was directed by Jonathan Bate. A CD maxi containing four remixes was also released, particularly devoted to the dance floors.
AllMusic editor John Bush noted that Dr. Alban "uses elements of worldbeat to mix up" the song.[1] Larry Flick from Billboard felt that it follows the Euro-disco/world-beat thread" of 1993's "It's My Life", "sewing in several intriguing new creative colors."[2] Pan-European magazine Music & Media wrote that "his instantly recognisable coffee brown rap sets the bush doctor apart from the rest in the Euro dance field with standard synth riffs and one-line choruses sung by anonymous ladies."[3] Alan Jones from Music Week declared it as a "simple and maddeningly familiar song [that] relies on a hooky refrain, while Alban adds his odd African-accented rap in a style reminiscent of his early "No Coke" single."[4]
Wendi Cermak from The Network Forty said it as "a must-purchase".[5] A reviewer from Reading Evening Post described it as "an inane but insistent tune."[6] James Hamilton from the RM Dance Update called it a "Afro-ish choppily chanted and girls chorused breezy Euro romper".[7] Pete Stanton from Smash Hits gave "Look Who's Talking!" two out of five, noting "its pacy Euro beats and singalong chorus".[8] James Hunter from Vibe declared it as "superefficient disco glued down with dancehall toasting, answered by streaming female vocals."[9]
"Look Who's Talking!" peaked at number one in Denmark and Finland and was a top-five hit in Austria, Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain and Sweden. In addition, the single entered the top 20 in France, Ireland and Italy and was a top-30 hit in Iceland. On the UK Singles Chart, it reached number 55 on 20 March 1994, but on the UK Dance Singles Chart, it peaked at number 20. On the Eurochart Hot 100, "Look Who's Talking!" entered the top five, peaking at number three. Outside Europe, the song peaked at number four in Israel and number 10 in Zimbabwe. In the United States, the song charted at number 11 on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart and number 50 on the Billboard Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales chart.
"Look Who's Talking!" entered the European airplay chart Border Breakers at number nine on 12 March 1994 due to crossover airplay in West Central-, North West-, North- and South-Europe. It peaked at number four on 26 March.[10]
The accompanying music video for "Look Who's Talking!" was directed by Jonathan Bate.[11] In the video, Dr. Alban performs the song at a movie set, surrounded by four ladies singing the choruses. It doesn't feature Nana Hedin. The video also features Asian shadow theatre figures and has a sepia tone. It received heavy rotation on MTV Europe[12] and was A-listed on Germany's VIVA.[13] Bate would also direct the videos for Dr. Alban's next two singles, "Away from Home" and "Let the Beat Go On".
| Chart (1993–1994) | Peak position | |
|---|---|---|
| Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[14] | 3 | |
| Belgium (Ultratop Flanders)[15] | 5 | |
| Belgium (VRT Top 30 Flanders)[16] | 4 | |
| Denmark (IFPI)[17] | 1 | |
| Europe (Eurochart Hot 100) | 3 | |
| Europe (European Dance Radio)[18] | 12 | |
| Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[19] | 1 | |
| France (SNEP) | 17 | |
| Germany (Media Control Charts) | 3 | |
| Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)[20] | 23 | |
| Ireland (IRMA)[21] | 17 | |
| Italy (Musica e dischi)[22] | 11 | |
| Italy Airplay (Music & Media)[23] | 7 | |
| Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[24] | 4 | |
| Norway (VG-lista) | 4 | |
| Scotland (OCC)[25] | 47 | |
| Spain (AFYVE)[26] | 2 | |
| Sweden (Sverigetopplistan) | 2 | |
| Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) | 6 | |
| UK Singles (OCC)[27] | 55 | |
| UK Dance (Music Week)[28] | 20 | |
| UK Club Chart (Music Week)[29] | 20 | |
| US Hot Dance Club Play (Billboard)[30] | 11 | |
| US Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales (Billboard) | 50 | |
| Zimbabwe (ZIMA)[31] | 10 |
| Chart (1994) | Position | |
|---|---|---|
| Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[32] | 17 | |
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[33] | 26 | |
| Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[34] | 22 | |
| Germany (Official German Charts)[35] | 26 | |
| Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) | 27 | |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100)[36] | 54 | |
| Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[37] | 12 | |
| Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[38] | 29 |
| Region | Date | Format(s) | Label(s) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Europe | February 1994 | Cheiron | |||
| United Kingdom | 14 March 1994 | Logic | [39] |