Shut Up (and Sleep with Me) explained

Shut Up (and Sleep with Me)
Cover:Shut-up-and-sleep-with-me.jpg
Type:single
Artist:Sin With Sebastian
Album:Golden Boy
Released:1 May 1995
Recorded:1995
Length:3:47
Label:Sing Sing
Producer:
  • Inga Humpe
  • Sebastian Roth
Next Title:Golden Boy
Next Year:1995

"Shut Up (and Sleep with Me)" is a song by German Eurodance artist Sin With Sebastian,[1] released in May 1995 by the Sing Sing label as the lead single from his debut album, Golden Boy (1995). The song features classic opera vocals by singer Donna Lynn Bowers aka Steve.[2] Co-produced by Inga Humpe and Sebastian Roth (real name of SWS), who also wrote it, the song became a Europe-wide hit, reaching number-one in Austria, Finland, Lithuania and Spain. Outside Europe, it also reached number-one in Mexico. It was nominated to the 1996 Echo Awards for the best German dance single[3] and the accompanying music video was directed by Matthias Schweger. The song was included on the soundtrack to the 1997 German film Silvester Countdown and featured in a commercial for Tulipan Condoms.

Chart performance

"Shut Up (and Sleep with Me)" was very successful on the charts all over Europe, peaking at number-one in Austria (7 weeks), Finland, Lithuania and Spain, where it spent five weeks at the top position.[4] [5] In Belgium, the single was a number two hit for four weeks, and entered the top 10 also in Denmark (5),[6] Germany (4), Italy (10),[7] the Netherlands (3), Sweden (3), and Switzerland (6), as well as on the Music & Media Eurochart Hot 100 and MTV's European Top 20, where it reached numbers ten and three, respectively.[8]

In Sin With Sebastian's native Germany, it spent 23 weeks within the German Singles Chart between June and November 1995. Additionally, "Shut Up (and Sleep with Me)" was a top-50 hit in Scotland (49) and the UK. In the latter, it peaked at number 44 in its first week at the UK Singles Chart, on 10 September 1995.[9] On the UK Dance Singles Chart, the song fared better, reaching number 36. Outside Europe, it peaked at number-one in Mexico, number two on the RPM Dance/Urban chart in Canada and number 26 on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart in the US.[10]

Critical reception

Larry Flick from Billboard wrote, "Here is a novelty number for the Euro-pop twirler in all of us. The vocals are utter camp, lying somewhere between Marc Almond and Jimmy Somerville in style, and the groove is springy and fun."[11] Matthew J. Palm from The Ithaca Journal complimented it as a "stellar example" of the synthesized Europop sound and said it is "almost hypnotic".[12] Simon Price from Melody Maker named it Single of the Week, noting that it "evokes distilled essence of Army of Lovers/'I'm Too Sexy'/Sexus/'Tainted Love'". He concluded, "Exploding, plastic, inevitable."[13] In a separate review, Price praised it as "four minutes of butt-slapping, operatic, Hi-NRG Euro-genius, and an instant Number One in every region of the EU from the naughty north to the sexy south...with the bizarre irony that many millions of our continental comraded didn't even realise what the lyrics were prodding towards."[14]

A reviewer from Music Week gave it four out of five, saying, "This year's red hot record in the European holiday resorts is a feast of sleazy camp. Once heard, never forgotten and, hence, a huge UK hit."[15] James Hyman from the Record Mirror Dance Update commented, "Prize candidate for novelty pop record of the year. With the camp, male monotone title hook added to female operatic vocals of you are young, you are free; why don't you sleep with me?, this record's simplicity is further reinforced with a gentle tinkling piano." He also added that the George Morel remix "wisely keeps the vocals and whoops things up into a tamer version of Armand van Helden's 'Witch Doctor'."[16] Another Record Mirror editor, James Hamilton, described it as a "ambivalent sexual proposition lisped through Somerville'ish whinnying".[17]

Music video

The music video for "Shut Up (and Sleep with Me)" was directed by Austrian director Matthias Schweger.[18] Simon Price from Melody Maker said, "You've seen the video. A skinny Romosexual, electric blue, no, shocking pink, no, custard blond hair smeared in the style of the Twenties around a face of bone china, gazing into the camera with kohled eyes and, in perfect TEFL-elocuted Euro-English, imploring you: SHUT UP...AND SLEEP WITH ME."[14] There was also made a similar video for the remix by American DJ and record producer George Morel. It was later made available on YouTube in 2018, and had generated almost four million views as of early 2024.[19]

Track listing

  1. "Shut Up (and Sleep with Me)" (George Morel's Club Mix) – 7:17
  2. "Shut Up (and Sleep with Me)" (Gym Shower Mix) – 6:28
  3. "Shut Up (and Sleep with Me)" (Ian Levine Mix) – 5:13
  1. "Shut Up (and Sleep with Me)" (Airplay Mix) – 3:45
  2. "Shut Up (and Sleep with Me)" (George Morel's Dub Mix) – 7:17
  1. "Shut Up (and Sleep with Me)" (Airplay Mix) – 3:45
  2. "Shut Up (and Sleep with Me)" (YMCA Mix) – 5:25
  3. "Shut Up (and Sleep with Me)" (Kaspar's Camp Mix) – 5:12
  4. "Shut Up (and Sleep with Me)" (Gym Shower Mix) – 6:28
  1. "Shut Up (and Sleep with Me)" (George Morel's Club Mix) – 7:17
  2. "Shut Up (and Sleep with Me)" (George Morel's Dub Mix) – 7:17
  3. "Shut Up (and Sleep with Me)" (George Morel's Video Edit) – 3:55
  4. "Shut Up (and Sleep with Me)" (Gym Shower Mix) – 6:33
  5. "Shut Up (and Sleep with Me)" (Kaspar's Camp Mix) – 5:08
  6. "Shut Up (and Sleep with Me)" (Ian Levine Mix) – 5:13
  7. "Shut Up (and Sleep with Me)" (YMCA Mix) – 5:25
  8. "Shut Up (and Sleep with Me)" (George Morel's Alternative Club Mix) – 6:33

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1995)Peak
position
Denmark (IFPI)5
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)10
Europe (European Dance Radio)[20] 17
Italy (Musica e dischi)10
Lithuania (M-1)1
Mexico (Mexican Singles Chart)1
Spain (AFYVE)1
UK Club Chart (Music Week)[21] 49
UK on a Pop Tip Club Chart (Music Week)[22] 38
US Hot Dance Club Play (Billboard)26

Year-end charts

Chart (1995)Position
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[23] 5
Belgium (Ultratop Flanders)[24] 19
Belgium (Ultratop Wallonia)[25] 49
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[26] 26
Europe (European Dance Radio)[27] 24
Germany (Official German Charts)[28] 21
Italy (Hit Parade Italia)[29] 83
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[30] 47
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[31] 59
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[32] 39
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[33] 54

Notes and References

  1. http://www.discogs.com/Sin-With-Sebastian-Shut-Up-And-Sleep-With-Me-Remixes/release/184131 Discogs: "Shut Up (And Sleep With Me)" page
  2. Web site: Sin With Sebastian – Shut Up (And Sleep With Me). December 1995. 27 March 2022. Discogs.
  3. Echo Awards Nominations. 3 February 1996. 5. 24 September 2020. Music & Media.
  4. Web site: M-1 Top 40 . M-1.fm . 27 March 2022 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20150402105653/http://m-1.fm/top40/?topid=1326 . 27 August 1995 . 2 April 2015 . See LW column.
  5. https://books.google.com/books?id=rA4EAAAAMBAJ&dq=spain+shut+up+and+sleep+with+me&pg=PA59 Billboard: Hits of the World, 28 October 1995
  6. https://books.google.com/books?id=mw4EAAAAMBAJ&dq=shut+up+and+sleep+with+me+denmark&pg=PA57 Danish peak
  7. Web site: Classifiche. Musica e dischi. it. 4 June 2022. Set "Tipo" on "Singoli". Then, in the "Artista" field, search "Sin With Sebastian".
  8. Eurochart Hot 100. Music & Media. 12. 34. 26 August 1995. 12. 2 September 2021.
  9. Web site: Official Singles Chart Top 100 10 September 1995 - 16 September 1995. Official Charts Company. 17 September 2020.
  10. Web site: AllMusic USA Peaks. AllMusic. 21 December 2011.
  11. Larry . Flick . Single Reviews . . 16 December 1995 . 23 January 2018 . Larry Flick.
  12. J. Palm, Matthew (31 July 1997). "This music's gonna make you sweat". p. 16. The Ithaca Journal.
  13. Simon. Price. Singles. Melody Maker. 23 September 1995. 34. 11 March 2024. Simon Price.
  14. Simon. Price. Shut Up!. Melody Maker. 3 February 1996. 6. 17 May 2024. Simon Price.
  15. Reviews: Singles . . 26 August 1995 . 16 . 11 May 2021 .
  16. James . Hyman . Hot Vinyl . Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert) . 19 August 1995 . 33 . 11 May 2021 . James Hyman.
  17. James . Hamilton . Dj directory . Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert) . 23 December 1995 . 15 . 15 May 2021 . James Hamilton (DJ and journalist).
  18. Web site: sin with sebastian - shut up (remix) (viva tv). https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211215/hAb9Qyf2_Mo . 15 December 2021 . live. YouTube. 9 December 2018.
  19. Web site: sin with sebastian - Shut up (and Sleep with Me). https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211215/KTfXUXqtkQw . 15 December 2021 . live. YouTube. 15 March 2018. 2 September 2021.
  20. European Dance Radio Top 25. Music & Media. 12. 48. 2 December 1995. 14. 25 April 2023.
  21. The RM Club Chart . Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert) . 14 January 1995 . 6 . 2 September 2021.
  22. The RM on a Pop Tip Club Chart . Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert) . 20 May 1995 . 8 . 2 September 2021.
  23. Web site: JAHRESHITPARADE 1995. German. austriancharts.at. 4 December 2019.
  24. Web site: jaaroverzichten 1995. 4 December 2019. ultratop.be.
  25. Web site: Ultratop rapports annuels 1995. 4 December 2019. ultratop.be.
  26. 1995 Year-End Sales Charts: Eurochart Hot 100 Singles. Music & Media. 12. 51/52. 23 December 1995. 14. 2 December 2019.
  27. 1995 in Review: European Dance Radio 1995. Music & Media. 12. 51/52. 23 December 1995. 23. 8 March 2024.
  28. Web site: Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts. German. GfK Entertainment. 26 November 2019.
  29. Web site: I singoli più venduti del 1995. It. hitparadeitalia.it. 7 December 2019.
  30. Web site: Jaarlijsten 1995. Dutch. Stichting Nederlandse Top 40. 2 December 2019.
  31. Web site: JAAROVERZICHTEN - Single 1995. 2 December 2019. dutchcharts.nl.
  32. Web site: Årslista Singlar, 1995. Sverigetopplistan. Swedish. 24 November 2019.
  33. Web site: SCHWEIZER JAHRESHITPARADE 1995. 4 December 2019. hitparade.ch.