Strike It Up

"Strike It Up" is a song by the Italian music group Black Box. It was the fifth single from their debut studio album Dreamland (1990), and was released on 6 February 1991 in many countries worldwide.

"Strike It Up"
Single by Black Box
from the album Dreamland
Released6 February 1991[1]
Recorded1990
StudioThe Record Classics
(Italy)
GenreEurodance[2]
Length5:15
LabelPolydor (US)
Songwriter(s)
  • Daniele Davoli
  • Mirko Limoni
  • Valerio Semplici
Producer(s)Groove Groove Melody
Black Box singles chronology
"The Total Mix"
(1991)		 "Strike It Up"
(1991)		 "Open Your Eyes"
(1991)
Music video
"Strike It Up" on YouTube
Alternative cover
CD maxi - Megaremix

The single was a success on many charts, including the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States, where it peaked at number eight. It also topped the Dance Club Songs chart in June 1991 for one week. In the United Kingdom, it peaked at number 16 on the UK Singles Chart.[3] "Strike It Up" also was a top-10 hit in Denmark, Greece, Ireland and the Netherlands. And on the Eurochart Hot 100, the track reached number 38.

In 2020, Slant Magazine ranked the song at number 35 in their list of "The 100 Best Dance Songs of All Time".[4]

Critical reception

Larry Flick from Billboard wrote, "Not even the litigation alleging Martha Wash is the actual singer of group's hits can cool interest in this Italo-house act. Busy rave bears marks similar to previous hits, with a cute (and uncredited) rap adding a street vibe."[5] In 2017, BuzzFeed listed the song at number 57 in their list of "The 101 Greatest Dance Songs of the '90s".[6] The Daily Vault's Michael R. Smith wrote in his review of Dreamland that "Strike It Up" and "Everybody Everybody" "are definitely the best of the album. These are gay disco anthems that still resonate today, even though the words aren't always easy to comprehend."[7] Dave Sholin from the Gavin Report commented that "their first international hit, "Everybody Everybody", crept up and took everybody by surprise. Back in the batter's box with a dynamic Dance entry featuring the exceptional vocals of Martha Wash, they jump 24-15 at HOT 97 New York where APD/MD Kevin McCabe proclaims it, "one of our secret weapon records."[8] Alan Jones from Music Week stated that it has the "usual enrgetic vocal delivery from Martha Wash nicely counterpointed by Stepz's rap. Should strike deep into the Top 40."[9] Marc Andrews from Smash Hits described the song as "pure disco magic".[10]

Music video

The music video for "Strike it Up" was directed by Neil Thompson.[11] Thompson also directed the music video for "Fantasy".

Background

The song features an un-credited Martha Wash on lead vocals. However, Wash was not featured in the music video or singles cover art as it was customary for Katrin Quinol, a French model, to be used as the 'face' of the group, and it was her that was featured lip-synching the lyrics sung by Wash.[12] In 1990, after suing over false advertising, Wash reached an out-of-court settlement with Black Box record label RCA, with financial compensation and a guarantee of proper credit in the future.[13]

Impact and legacy

In 2020, Slant Magazine ranked the song at number 35 in their list of "The 100 Best Dance Songs of All Time". They added that "it can be guiltlessly admitted that "Strike It Up" is a masterpiece, and it's hard to imagine anyone else's voice [than Martha Wash] rising above the song's battalion of piano house, synth stabs, and, yes, one gigantic 4/4 beat."[4]

Track listing and formats
7" single
  1. "Strike It Up" (DJ Lelewel mix) – 5:05
  2. "Strike It Up" (Sensitive Mix) – 3:35
12" maxi
  1. "Strike It Up" (Original Mix) – 5:58
  2. "Strike It Up" (DJ Lelewel Mix) – 5:05
  3. "Strike It Up" (Hardcore Remix) – 3:20
CD maxi
  1. "Strike It Up" (Radio Edit) – 3:30
  2. "Strike It Up" (Sensitive Mix) – 3:35
  3. "Strike It Up" (Original Mix) – 5:58
  4. "Strike It Up" (Hardcore Remix) – 3:20
12" maxi - Megaremix
  1. "Strike It Up" (DJ Lelewel Mix) – 5:05
  2. "Strike It Up" (Hardcore Remix) – 3:20
  3. "Ride on Time" (The Bright On Mix) – 4:28
  4. "Strike It Up" (Sensitive Mix) – 3:35
CD maxi - Megaremix
  1. "Strike It Up" (DJ Lelewel Mix) – 5:05
  2. "Ride on Time" (The Bright On Mix) – 4:28
  3. "Strike It Up" (Hardcore Remix) – 3:20
  4. "Strike It Up" (Sensitive Mix) – 3:35

Charts

See also

References
  1. "Ultratop.be – Black Box – Strike It Up" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 16 February 2014.
  2. Birchmeier, Jason. "Culture Beat – Artist Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved 16 February 2014. Along with other Euro-dance hits from the early '90s -- Snap's "Rhythm Is a Dancer," 2 Unlimited's "Get Ready for This," Black Box's "Strike It Up" -- it took some time before "Mr. Vain" broke in the U.S.
  3. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 16 February 2014.
  4. "The 100 Best Dance Songs of All Time". Slant Magazine. 15 June 2020. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  5. Flick, Larry (2 March 1991). "Single Reviews > Dance" (PDF). Billboard. p. 77.
  6. Stopera, Matt; Galindo, Brian (11 March 2017). "The 101 Greatest Dance Songs of the '90s". BuzzFeed. Retrieved 31 March 2020.
  7. Smith, Michael R. (21 June 2009). "Black Box – Dreamland". Daily Vault. Retrieved 25 February 2020.
  8. Sholin, Dave (29 March 1991). "Personal Picks > Singles" (PDF). Gavin Report. No. 1849. p. 60. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
  9. Jones, Alan (30 March 1991). "Mainstream > Singles > Pick of the Week" (PDF). Music Week. p. 14. Retrieved 3 October 2020.
  10. Andrews, Marc (20 March 1991). "Review: Singles". Smash Hits. No. 321. p. 43. Retrieved 8 March 2020.
  11. "Strike It Up (1990) by Black Box". IMVDb. Retrieved 21 October 2019.
  12. Whitburn, Joel (2009). Top Pop Singles 1955-2008 (12th ed.). Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research Inc. p. 97. ISBN 0-89820-180-2.
  13. Pareles, Jon (6 December 1990). "Lawsuits Seek Truth In Music Labeling". The New York Times. Retrieved 2 January 2015.
  14. "Australian-charts.com – Black Box – Strike It Up". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 16 February 2014.
  15. "Austriancharts.at – Black Box – Strike It Up" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 16 February 2014.
  16. "Top RPM Dance/Urban: Issue 1525." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 12 May 2015.
  17. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 1564." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 12 May 2015.
  18. "Top 10 Sales in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 8 no. 19. 11 May 1991. p. 19.
  19. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 8 no. 16. 20 April 1991. p. 29. Retrieved 20 March 2018.
  20. "Lescharts.com – Black Box – Strike It Up" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 16 February 2014.
  21. "Offiziellecharts.de – Black Box – Strike It Up". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 20 March 2019.
  22. "European Airplay Top 50" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 8 no. 31. 3 August 1991. p. 20. Retrieved 20 March 2018.
  23. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Strike It Up". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 16 February 2014.
  24. "Nederlandse Top 40 – Black Box - Strike It Up" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 16 February 2014.
  25. "Dutchcharts.nl – Black Box – Strike It Up" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 16 February 2014.
  26. "Charts.nz – Black Box – Strike It Up". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 16 February 2014.
  27. "Top 60 Dance Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 6 April 1991. p. 20. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
  28. "Black Box – Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 16 February 2014.
  29. "CASH BOX Top 100 Pop Singles – Week ending JUNE 29, 1991". Cash Box. 27 August 2012. Archived from the original on 27 August 2012.
  30. "RPM Dance Tracks of 1991". RPM. Vol. 55 no. 3. Library and Archives Canada. 21 December 1991. Retrieved 6 June 2018.
  31. "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1991" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 16 February 2014.
  32. "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1991" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Hung Medien. Retrieved 16 February 2014.
  33. "Top 100 Hits for 1991". The Longbored Surfer. Retrieved 16 February 2014.
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