Situation (song) explained

Situation
Cover:	YazooSituation.jpg
Caption:	Artwork for 1982 US release
Type:	single
Artist:	Yazoo
A-Side:	Only You
B-Side:	Remix (12-inch)
Album:	Upstairs at Eric's
Released:	1982
Prev Title:	Don't Go
Prev Year:	1982
Next Title:	The Other Side of Love
Next Year:	1982

"Situation" is a 1982 single by British synth-pop band Yazoo. The song was released in the UK as the B-side to Yazoo's debut single "Only You", which went to number two on the UK Singles Chart. Released as a single in North America, the song peaked at number 73 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the US, and hit the top 40 in Canadian charts, peaking at number 31. In late-summer 1982 it became Yazoo's first song to top the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart, remaining at number one on this chart for four weeks. It also crossed over to the Black Singles chart, peaking at number 31.

Its most well-known version is the U.S. 12-inch remix by François Kevorkian. This version was included on the U.S. version of Yazoo's debut album Upstairs at Eric's (1982), and it is the version of the song which receives the most radio airplay in the United States (where the song, despite its modest showing on the Hot 100, is still played on alternative, variety-hits and dance-oriented radio stations).

In 1990, and again in 1999, the song was remixed by several noted DJs, including Peter Rauhofer and Richard "Humpty" Vission. The 1999 remixes were released to dance clubs. In October of the same year, this renewed interest in the song sent "Situation" to number one on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart for a second time.

In 2006, Slant ranked the song at number 64 in its list of the "100 Greatest Dance Songs".

The song was heavily sampled in the Saturdays' 2008 debut single "If This Is Love". Moyet's laugh at the start of the track has been sampled on several different recordings, including the 1995 smash dance hit "Macarena" by Los del Río.

Versions

The original version's first chorus does not have the response lyrics. The 7-inch version skips to the verses before the first chorus with response lyrics.

Track listings

1982 release

• UK 7-inch single (Mute Records 7MUTE020)

1. "Only You" – 3:11
2. "Situation" – 2:22

• UK 12-inch single (Mute 12MUTE020)

1. "Only You" – 3:11
2. "Situation (Extended Version)" – 5:18

• US 7-inch single (Sire Records 7-29953)

1. "Situation" – 3:44
2. "Situation (Dub Version) – 3:13

• US 12-inch single (Sire 0-29950)

1. "Situation" – 5:40
2. "Situation (Dub Version)" – 5:45

1990 remixes

• 7-inch single (Mute Records YAZ4)

1. "Situation (Deadline Mix Edit)"
2. "State Farm (Madhouse Mix Edit)"

• 12-inch single (Mute 12YAZ4 / Sire/Warner Bros. 21812-0)

1. "Situation (The Aggressive Attitude Mix)"
2. "Situation (Deadline Mix)"
3. "State Farm (Madhouse Mix)"

• CD single (Mute CDYAZ4 / Sire/Warner Bros. 21812-2)

1. "Situation (Single Remix)"
2. "State Farm (Madhouse Mix Edit)"
3. "Situation (The Aggressive Attitude Mix)"
4. "Situation (Space Dub)"

1999 remixes

• 12-inch single (Mute 12YAZ6)

1. "Situation (Club 69 Speed Mix)"
2. "Situation (Richard "Humpty" Vission Visits The Dub)"
3. "Situation (Richard "Humpty" Vission Instrumental)"

• 12-inch single (Mute L12YAZ6)

1. "Situation (Dave Ralph's Tea Freaks English Breakfast Mix)
2. "Situation (Club 69 Speed Dub)"

• CD single (Mute CD YAZ 6)

1. "Situation (Club 69 Radio Mix)"
2. "Situation (Club 69 Speed Mix)"
3. "Situation (Richard 'Humpty' Vission Visits the Dome Mix)"
4. "Situation (Dave Ralph's Tea Freaks English Breakfast Mix)"
5. "Situation (Deadline Mix)"
6. "State Farm (Madhouse Mix)"
7. "Situation (Daniel Miller/Mark Saunders 12-inch Mix)"
8. "State Farm (Play-Doh Dub)"
9. "Situation (Original US Dub)"

Accolades

Year	Publisher	Country	Accolade	Rank
1982	The Village Voice	United States	"Singles of the Year" (26)^[1]	20
2005	Blender	United States	"Top 500 Songs of the 80s-00s"	417
2006	Slant Magazine	United States	"100 Greatest Dance Songs"^[2]	64
2011	Robert Dimery	United Kingdom	"1001 Songs You Must Hear Before You Die"^[3]
2011	Treble	United States	"Top 200 Songs of the '80s"^[4]	168

(*) indicates the list is unordered.

Charts

Original version

Weekly charts

Chart (1982)	Peak position
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)^[5]	16
US Billboard Hot 100^[6]	73
US Hot Black Singles (Billboard)	31
US Hot Dance Club Play (Billboard)	1

Year-end charts

Chart (1982)	Position
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)^[7]	88
US Top Disco/Dance Singles/Albums (Billboard)^[8]	6

Situation '90

Chart (1990–1991)	Peak position
US Hot Dance Club Play (Billboard)	46
US Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales (Billboard)	28

1999 remixes

Chart (1999)	Peak position
U.S. Hot Dance Club Play (Billboard)	1
U.S. Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales (Billboard)	8

See also

• List of number-one dance singles of 1982 (U.S.)
• List of number-one dance singles of 1999 (U.S.)

Notes and References

1. Web site: Village Voice - Pazz & Jop Lists > Singles - 1982 . The Village Voice . Rocklist.net . 27 March 2014 .
2. Web site: Slant Staff . 100 Greatest Dance Songs . Slant . 30 January 2006 . 27 March 2014 .
3. Book: Dimery, Robert . 2011 . 1001 Songs You Must Hear Before You Die . Octopus Publishing Group . 978-1-8440-3717-9 .
4. Web site: Anthony . Strain . The Top 200 Songs of the '80s: Part One . Treble . 13 February 2011 . 27 March 2014 .
5. Book: Pennanen, Timo. Sisältää hitin - 2. laitos Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla 1.1.1960–30.6.2021. 2021. Yazoo. 285. Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. Helsinki. 12 July 2022. fi.
6. Web site: Yazoo – Awards . AllMusic . 19 July 2013 .
7. Web site: Jaaroverzichten 1982 . Ultratop. Hung Medien . 2 June 2014 . nl.
8. Top Disco/Dance Singles/Albums . Billboard . 25 December 1982 . 94 . 51 . 36 . 0006-2510 .