More, More, More Explained

More, More, More
Type:single
Artist:Andrea True Connection
Album:More, More, More
Released:February 1976
Recorded:November 1975
Studio:
Genre:Disco
Length: (single version)
(album version)
Label:Buddah
Producer:Gregg Diamond
Next Title:Party Line
Next Year:1976

"More, More, More" is a song written by Gregg Diamond and recorded by American artist Andrea True (credited to her recording project Andrea True Connection). It was released in February 1976 as the first single from her debut album by same name (1976), becoming her signature track and one of the most popular songs of the disco era. In the US, it reached number four on the Billboard Hot 100 and spent three weeks at number three on the Cash Box Top 100 in July of that year. In Canada it was a number one hit, and reached number five in the UK.

Background

The song was originally recorded in 1975 in Jamaica where True, a porn star, had been appearing in a TV commercial. Unable to return to the United States due to a government ban on asset transfers, she opted to invest the money in a studio recording to advance her career as a singer. True called on Gregg Diamond to come to Jamaica and record it with her and other studio musicians, which formed the backbone of the "Connection" project.[1] Diamond had begun work on compositions that would ultimately evolve into "More, More, More". He decided to have True perform vocals in part due to her career as an adult film actor.[2] Although Diamond is officially credited as the sole author of the track, True has claimed that she wrote the song's lyrics, while he composed the music.[3] When asked about True's limited vocal ability, Diamond commented: "[Y]ou can do marvelous things with tape delay."[2]

Release

The original take of the song was first released in Jamaica by Federal Records in 1975, after True and Diamond, having run out of money and unable to pay session musicians for their work, handed in the master tapes to them.[4] Buddah Records subsequently released the song only to discos in the winter of 1975/1976. The popularity of "More, More, More" was immense. Widespread listener interest convinced Buddah to release the single commercially in May, newly remastered by Tom Moulton.[4] The song rose to number four on the Billboard Hot 100 and number twenty three on the soul singles chart.[5] The single was a successful disco hit peaking at number two.[6] In Canada, it topped the RPM Top Singles chart for one week in July 1976. Overseas, the song peaked at number five on the UK Singles Chart. Following the track's popularity in Latin America, True recorded a Spanish language version, "Más, Más, Más".[7] [4]

In 1976, the Andrea True Connection sang "More, More, More", "Party Line", and "Fill Me Up (Heart to Heart)" live on Don Kirshner's Rock Concert. It was also performed on American Bandstand and on Top of the Pops, as well as on the West German TV shows Musikladen and Disco.

Track listings and formats

  1. "More, More, More" (Part 1) – 3:02
  2. "More, More, More" (Part 2) – 6:15
  1. "More, More, More"
  2. "More, More, More" (Instrumental)

Credits and personnel

Credits and personnel are adapted from the More, More, More album liner notes.[9]

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1976)Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[10] [11] 19
Belgium (Ultratop Wallonia)[12] 49
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[13] 1
Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[14] 11
Italy (Musica e dischi)[15] 24
US Dance Music/Club Play (Billboard)[16] 1
US R&B Singles (Billboard)23
US Cash Box Top 100[17] 3

Year-end charts

Chart (1976)Position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[18] 99
Canada[19] 23
US Billboard[20] 17
US Cash Box Top 100[21] 29

Bananarama version

More, More, More
Cover:Banana_mmm.jpg
Type:single
Artist:Bananarama
Album:Please Yourself
B-Side:Give It All Up for Love
Released:March 8, 1993
Genre:Dance-pop
Length:
  • 3:07
  • 3:21 (Dave Ford Single Mix)
Label:London
Producer:
  • Mike Stock
  • Pete Waterman
Prev Title:Last Thing on My Mind
Prev Year:1992
Next Title:Every Shade of Blue
Next Year:1995

In 1993, "More, More, More" was covered by English group Bananarama for their sixth album, Please Yourself (1993). It was produced by Mike Stock and Pete Waterman of Stock Aitken Waterman fame and released in March 1993 by London Records. Their version retained the disco feel of the original and also incorporated elements of ABBA-like production, as was the case with the entire Please Yourself album. Sara Dallin, Keren Woodward, Stock and Waterman added a second verse to their version of the song.

Bananarama's single version (which was remixed from their album version) climbed to number 24 in the UK Singles Chart. It also peaked at number eight in Portugal, number 16 in Ireland and number 65 in Germany. It was their last single to be released by London Records, their label since 1983. The duo would not see another single-release in the UK until "Move in My Direction" in 2005.

Critical reception

In an retrospective review, Quentin Harrison from Albumism wrote that "Bananarama retrofits it cunningly to early '90s house vibes and just like that, Bananarama have convincingly recast the song as their own."[22] Upon the release, James Masterton" deemed it "a fairly faithful cover" in his UK chart commentary. He added, "With the 70s disco revival well underway it is a timely release and may yet see Sarah and Keren scaling the heights of "Love in the First Degree" again, surely amongst the greatest moments of 1980s pop."[23] Ian McCann from NME felt it "still sounds remarkably like Bananarama, though."[24]

Music video

A music video was produced to promote the single, directed by Saffie Ashtiany. It features Bananarama performing the song and dancing (in one of their few unchoreographed videos) in a cabaret-style club with several male dancers backing them up. The video was later made available on YouTube in 2017.[25]

Track listings

  1. "More, More, More" (Dave Ford Mix) – 3:24
  2. "Love in the First Degree" – 3:31
  3. "I Want You Back" – 3:47
  4. "I Heard a Rumour" – 3:24
  1. "More, More, More" (Dave Ford Mix) – 3:24
  2. "More, More, More" (12-inch mix) – 5:18
  3. "Give It All Up for Love" – 3:57
  4. "More, More, More" (I Can't Techno More Mix) – 5:01

Charts

Chart (1993)Peak
position
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[26] 49
Germany (Official German Charts)[27] 65
Ireland (IRMA)16
Portugal (AFP)[28] 8
UK Singles (OCC)24
UK Airplay (Music Week)[29] 42

Rachel Stevens version

More, More, More
Cover:Rachelmoremoremore.jpg
Type:single
Artist:Rachel Stevens
B-Side:
Released:[30]
Genre:Pop[31]
Length:
  • 3:33 (album version)
  • 2:47 (single mix)
Label:
Producer:
  • Wild Oscar
  • Jewels & Stone (single mix)
Prev Title:Some Girls
Prev Year:2004
Next Title:Negotiate with Love
Next Year:2005

English singer Rachel Stevens recorded a cover of "More, More, More" for a reissue of her debut album, Funky Dory (2004). The song was released as the final single from the album. Released on October 4, 2004, her version reached number three in the United Kingdom, charting higher than any other recording of the song there. The recording also reached number five in Ireland. The song was featured in an advertising campaign for Sky Sports' football coverage for the 2004–2005 season and in adverts for sofa retailer ScS.

Track listings

  1. "More, More, More" (single mix) – 2:47
  2. "Shoulda Thought of That" (Howard New, Lucie Silvas) – 3:14
  1. "More, More, More" (single mix) – 2:47
  2. "Fools" (Princess Diaries 2 version) – 3:13
  3. "More, More, More" (The Sharp Boys Sky's the Limit Club Remix) – 7:43
  4. "More, More, More" (video enhancement)

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2004)Peak
position
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[34] 8
Romania (Romanian Top 100)[35] 80

Year-end charts

Samplings

In 1999, Canadian band Len sampled the instrumental break in "More, More, More" and used it as the backdrop for their top-ten single "Steal My Sunshine".[37]

In popular culture

The Andrea True Connection's version of "More, More, More" has appeared in Whit Stillman's movie The Last Days of Disco (1998) during scenes between Alice (Chloe Sevigny) and Tom (Robert Sean Leonard) at the disco and then back at Tom's place. The song is also part of the movie's soundtrack album. On the show The King of Queens, the 2001 episode "Hi-Def Jam" opened with Doug Heffernan singing a parody version, "Doug, Doug, Doug". The song then appeared in the 2002 film Dahmer during a nightclub montage.

The Andrea True Connection's version of "More, More, More" has also appeared in two episodes of The Simpsons. In the 2003 episode "Dude, Where's My Ranch?", after Moe Szyslak kidnaps David Byrne (who guest-starred in the episode as himself), a parody version of the song plays on the radio featuring Moe singing, "Moe, Moe, Moe! How do you like me? How do you like me? Moe, Moe, Moe! Why don't you like me? Nobody likes me!" The song is credited to "The Moe Szyslak Connection". The song also appears in the episode "Sweets and Sour Marge", in which Disco Stu plays the song after "snorting" lines of sugar.

"More, More, More" was also used in the 2005 documentary Inside Deep Throat. In 2006, the song appeared in Click and was used during one of the flashback scenes. The song was featured in American Dad!, Season 3, Episode 2, "Meter Made" in 2006. The track was used by HBO to promote their series Sex and the City and later in two parodies of that promo for The Chris Rock Show, which featured rapper Biz Markie on the lead vocals and Mad TV for their "Sluts and the City" parody, changing the chorus to "Whore, Whore, Whore".[38]

The late professional wrestler Larry Sweeney formerly used the song as his entrance theme.

Stevens' version of the song is used in adverts for the UK sofa company ScS. A version of the song by Dagny was used by Target in a commercial campaign introducing its line of new products in the fall of 2017.[39] Andrea True Connection's version appears in a 2004 commercial for New York & Company and 2019 commercial for Applebee's.

Save-On-Foods, a popular chain of grocery stores owned by the Jim Pattison Group of British Columbia, Canada, used a chorus sample in their television and radio commercials in the late 2000s. This was to promote their in-house rewards program known as Save-On-More rewards. Later shortened to More Rewards.

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Andrea True, Singer of Disco Hit, Dies at 68 . The New York Times . November 24, 2011 . November 28, 2018. Vitello . Paul.
  2. George . Nelson . Technology Basis Of Creativity . . 91 . 26 . 55 . June 30, 1979.
  3. Web site: Andrea True: Her Last Interview – Podcast 70. June 11, 2017. The Rialto Report. October 8, 2022.
  4. Web site: 'More, More, More': The Search for Andrea True, and the Creation of a Disco Sensation – Podcast 69. May 21, 2017. The Rialto Report. October 8, 2022.
  5. Book: Whitburn, Joel . Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942–2004 . Joel Whitburn . 2004 . Record Research . 591.
  6. Book: Whitburn, Joel . Hot Dance/Disco: 1974–2003 . Joel Whitburn . 2004 . Record Research . 264.
  7. It's True: Mexicans Hail Andrea More, More, More. Fisher, Marv. Billboard. 80. 1976-08-28. World Radio History. 2022-10-16.
  8. More, More, More. Andrea True Connection. 1976. European 7-inch vinyl liner notes. Buddha Records. 20 11 291.
  9. Andrea True Connection. More, More, More. 1976. Vinyl liner notes. Buddha Records. 67.001.
  10. Book: Kent, David. David Kent (historian). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. Illustrated. Australian Chart Book. St Ives, N.S.W.. 202. 1993. 0-646-11917-6. N.B. The Kent Report chart was licensed by ARIA between 1983 and June 19, 1988.
  11. Web site: National Top 100 Singles for 1976. . 131 . . December 27, 1976 . January 15, 2022 .
  12. Web site: Andrea True Connection - More More More . ultratop.be . French . 2022-10-16.
  13. RPM Top Singles. RPM. 25. 16. 31. July 17, 1976. Library and Archives Canada. March 6, 2016.
  14. RPM MOR Playlist. RPM. 25. 15. 35. July 10, 1976. Library and Archives Canada. June 25, 2018.
  15. Web site: M&D: Classifiche . musicaedischi.it . 2023-01-29 . Italian.
  16. Web site: Andrea True - Awards : Billboard Singles . . 2013-05-19 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130408233931/http://www.allmusic.com/artist/andrea-true-mn0000029638/awards . 2013-04-08.
  17. Web site: Top 100 1976-07-17 . . November 9, 2014.
  18. Web site: Steffen Hung . Forum – 1970 (ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts) . Australian-charts.com . October 11, 2016 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20160602084720/http://australian-charts.com/forum.asp?todo=viewthread&id=35092 . June 2, 2016.
  19. Top 200 singles of '76 . . 26 . 14 & 15 . 12 . January 8, 1977. . October 11, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160123142822/http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?&file_num=nlc008388.5173a&type=1&interval=50&PHPSESSID=tbic14a4kgbgvqfqi1chsi9h32 . January 23, 2016 . dead.
  20. Web site: Top 100 Hits of 1976/Top 100 Songs of 1976 . Musicoutfitters.com . October 11, 2016.
  21. Web site: Top 100 Year End Charts: 1976 . . June 5, 2016 . December 28, 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121228113105/http://cashboxmagazine.com/archives/70s_files/1976YESP.html . dead .
  22. Web site: Quentin . Harrison . Bananarama's 'Please Yourself' Turns 25: An Anniversary Retrospective . Albumism . April 25, 2018 . November 17, 2020 .
  23. Web site: Masterton. James. Week Ending March 20th 1993. Chart Watch UK. March 14, 1993. September 10, 2021. James Masterton.
  24. Ian. McCann. Singles. NME. March 20, 1993. 19. May 5, 2023.
  25. Web site: Bananarama - More, More, More (Official Video). YouTube. September 26, 2017. September 10, 2021.
  26. Eurochart Hot 100. Music & Media. 10. 15. April 10, 1993. 21. February 22, 2020.
  27. Web site: Bananarama - More, More, More (song). swedishcharts.com. February 22, 2020.
  28. Top 10 Sales in Europe. Music & Media. 10. 16. April 17, 1993. 28. March 20, 2018.
  29. Top 50 Airplay Chart. Music Week. March 27, 1993. 22. April 29, 2024.
  30. New Releases: Singles. Music Week. 33. October 2, 2004.
  31. Music Week. Music Week. October 2, 2004. 47.
  32. More, More, More. Rachel Stevens. 2004. UK CD1 liner notes. Polydor Records, 19 Recordings. 9868324.
  33. More, More, More. Rachel Stevens. 2004. UK CD2 liner notes. Polydor Records, 19 Recordings. 9868325.
  34. Hits of the World – Eurocharts. Billboard. 116. 43. October 23, 2004. 59. March 31, 2020.
  35. Web site: Arhiva romanian top 100 – Editia 43, saptamina 25.10 – 31.10, 2004. Romanian Top 100. ro. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20050222111046/http://www.rt100.ro/editie-top-100_x10142.html. February 22, 2005. May 18, 2020.
  36. Web site: 2004 UK Singles Chart. UKChartsPlus. May 26, 2015.
  37. Brunner, Rob. "'Steal' this hook". Entertainment Weekly, issue 501, page 69. September 3, 1999. Retrieved October 2, 2008.
  38. Web site: MAD TV - Sluts and the City ("Sex and the City" parody) (Best quality on youtube!) . . May 24, 2015 .
  39. Web site: Target TV Commercial, 'More in Store' Song by Dagny. iSpot.tv. en. October 25, 2017.