I Melt with You: Difference between revisions
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{{Short description|1982 single by Modern English}} |
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{{About||the film|I Melt with You (film)}} |
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{{About||the 2011 film|I Melt with You (film)}} |
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{{Use American English|date=July 2016}} |
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{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2016}} |
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{{Infobox song |
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| name = I Melt with You |
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| cover = I Melt with You by Modern English 1982 original release.jpeg |
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| caption = Artwork for original 1982 release |
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| alt = |
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| type = single |
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| artist = [[Modern English (band)|Modern English]] |
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| album = [[After the Snow]] |
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| B-side = {{flat list| |
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*"The Prize" |
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*"After the Snow" |
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*"Someone's Calling" |
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}} |
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| released = August 1982 |
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| recorded = 1982 |
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| studio = |
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| genre = {{flat list| |
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*[[New wave music|New wave]]<ref name="am"/><ref name= "Molanphy 2022">{{Cite podcast|url=https://slate.com/podcasts/hit-parade/2022/09/pop-chart-flops-can-turn-into-latter-day-classics|title=At Last, My Legacy Has Come Along Edition|website=Hit Parade {{!}} Music History and Music Trivia|publisher=[[Slate (magazine)|Slate]]|last=Molanphy|first=Chris|date=September 16, 2022|access-date=April 8, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://ultimateclassicrock.com/new-wave-songs/|title=Top 50 New Wave Songs|first=Michael|last=Gallucci|date=November 7, 2024|website=Ultimate Classic Rock|access-date=November 8, 2024}}</ref> |
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*[[post-punk]]<ref name="westword"/> |
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}} |
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| length = {{plainlist| |
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* {{Duration|m=3|s=50}} (7-inch mix) |
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* {{Duration|m=4|s=11}} (album version) |
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}} |
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| label = {{flat list| |
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*[[4AD]] |
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*[[Sire Records|Sire]] |
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}} |
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| writer = {{flat list| |
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*Robbie Grey |
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*Gary McDowell |
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*Richard Brown |
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*Michael Conroy |
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*Stephen Walker<ref name="imeltwithyouwriters">{{cite web|url=http://repertoire.bmi.com/title.asp?blnWriter=True&blnPublisher=True&blnArtist=True&page=1&keyid=669528&ShowNbr=0&ShowSeqNbr=0&querytype=WorkID|archive-url=https://archive.today/20150921043359/http://repertoire.bmi.com/title.asp?blnWriter=True&blnPublisher=True&blnArtist=True&page=1&keyid=669528&ShowNbr=0&ShowSeqNbr=0&querytype=WorkID|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 21, 2015|title=BMI Repertoire Search|publisher=[[Broadcast Music, Inc.|BMI]]|access-date=July 27, 2015}}</ref>}} |
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| producer = [[Hugh Jones (producer)|Hugh Jones]] |
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| prev_title = Life in the Gladhouse |
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| prev_year = 1982 |
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| next_title = Someone's Calling |
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| next_year = 1983 |
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| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|LuN6gs0AJls|"I Melt with You"}}}} |
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}} |
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"'''I Melt with You'''" is a song by the British [[New wave music|new wave]] band [[Modern English (band)|Modern English]]. The song, produced by [[Hugh Jones (producer)|Hugh Jones]], was the second single from their 1982 album ''[[After the Snow]]''. |
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{{refimprove|date=December 2009}} |
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It became the band's most successful single, largely in the United States, where it was featured in the film ''[[Valley Girl (1983 film)|Valley Girl]]'' and on [[MTV]]. It reached number seven on ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]''{{'}}s [[Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks|Mainstream Rock]] chart in 1983 and a re-release reached number 76 on its [[Hot 100]] chart in 1990 (after reaching number 78 in 1983). |
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==Background== |
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{{Infobox single | |
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Modern English formed in 1979 in [[Colchester]], [[Essex]], [[England]].<ref name="westword">{{cite news|url=http://www.miaminewtimes.com/music/modern-englishs-robbie-grey-on-i-melt-with-you-fame-it-was-literally-thrust-upon-us-6437833|title=Modern English Is Getting Even Wilder|date=July 24, 2017|work=[[Westword]]|first=Tom|last=Murphy|access-date=January 7, 2018}}</ref> The group signed with [[4AD]], a British [[independent record label]], in 1980. |
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| Name = I Melt with You |
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| Cover = IMeltWithYou.jpg |
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| Artist = [[Modern English (band)|Modern English]] |
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| from Album = [[After the Snow]] |
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| B-side = |
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| Released = May 4th, 1982 |
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| Format = [[7"]], [[CD Single]] |
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| Recorded = 1982 |
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| Genre = [[New wave music|New wave]], [[post-punk]] |
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| Length = 3:54<br/>4:10<br/>4:38 |
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| Label = [[4AD]], [[Sire Records|Sire]], [[TVT Records|TVT]] |
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| Writer = Modern English (Robbie Grey, Gary McDowell, Richard Brown, Michael Conroy, Stephen Walker)<ref name="imeltwithyouwriters">{{cite web|url=http://repertoire.bmi.com/title.asp?blnWriter=True&blnPublisher=True&blnArtist=True&page=1&keyid=669528&ShowNbr=0&ShowSeqNbr=0&querytype=WorkID|title=BMI Repertoire Search|publisher=[[Broadcast Music, Inc.|BMI]]|accessdate=2015-07-27}}</ref> |
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| Producer = [[Hugh Jones (producer)|Hugh Jones]] |
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| Certification = |
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| Last single = "Life in the Gladhouse"<br/>(1982) |
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| This single = "'''I Melt with You'''"<br/>(1982) |
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| Next single = "Someone's Calling"<br />(1983) |
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| Misc = |
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}} |
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The band's vocalist, Robbie Grey, described England at the time of the song's writing to be a bleak place, due to an [[Early 1980s recession#United Kingdom|ongoing economic downturn]]: "There was no money. There'd be no power—you'd be at home with candles."{{sfn|Bernstein|Majewski|2014|p=206}} These conditions and his fears of a [[nuclear war]] inspired "I Melt with You". The song depicts a couple making love while an [[atomic bomb]] is dropped.<ref>Interview with vocalist Robbie Grey on ''Valley Girl'' 20th anniversary DVD special features, MGM Home Entertainment, 2003.</ref><ref name="latimes">{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-nov-13-ca-53120-story.html|title=A One-Hit Legacy : Robbie Grey wants to take his reassembled Modern English group beyond its 'Melt' anthem.|date=November 13, 1997|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|first=Sara|last=Scribner|access-date=January 7, 2018}}</ref> In an interview, he described the song as a "love song", but more about the "good and bad in people ... The last thing we wanted was to write a song where boy meets girl, they go to the cinema and make love, and that's the end of it."{{sfn|Bernstein|Majewski|2014|p=207}} |
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"'''I Melt with You'''" is a song by the British [[post-punk]]/[[New wave music|new wave]] band [[Modern English (band)|Modern English]]. The song, produced by [[Hugh Jones (producer)|Hugh Jones]], was a single from the 1982 album ''[[After the Snow]]''. |
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Musically, the song came together in the band's rehearsal space in London while recording their second album, ''[[After the Snow]]''. Producer Hugh Jones encouraged Grey to softly sing the vocal track, as opposed to his natural inclination to shout. He subsequently employed a softer vocal technique on the rest of the album.{{sfn|Bernstein|Majewski|2014|p=207}} |
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The original 4:11 album version features no call-and-response vocals in the second verse, and features a synthesizer break that begins at the second chorus. The more commonly known version of the song is the 3:50 single mix, in which the synthesizer riff is audible during the first chorus, an octave lower than on subsequent choruses, along with contrasting background vocals in the second verse - "You should know better" sung before "Dream of better lives...," etc. Eight bars from the instrumental break after the second chorus are cut in the single version, such that only the second rendering of the line "the future's...open wide" (lyrics sung twice on the album version) is present and the guitar riff leading up to this line thus fades in a bit more abruptly, accounting for the time difference between the album and single versions. The latter version was mixed down to mono from its original stereo recording. While both the album and single versions have circulated on radio, the true stereo mix of the single version has rarely been available since. |
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==Commercial performance== |
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The song was released in the United Kingdom in August 1982, by label 4AD. Though it failed to reach the [[UK singles chart]], it became their fifth single to reach the [[UK Independent Singles and Albums Charts]], peaking at number 18. The song was mainly a success in the United States,{{sfn|Bernstein|Majewski|2014|p=207}} gaining attention over a long incubation period before becoming Modern English's and 4AD's first chart hit.<ref name="hsin">{{cite book|title=How Soon is Now?|first=Richard|last=King|page=95|year=2012|publisher=Faber & Faber|isbn=978-0571243907}}</ref> It first began receiving [[radio airplay]] as an import single, and bounced from station to station, gaining momentum.<ref name="miami">{{cite news |url=http://www.miaminewtimes.com/music/modern-englishs-robbie-grey-on-i-melt-with-you-fame-it-was-literally-thrust-upon-us-6437833 |title=Modern English's Robbie Grey on "I Melt With You" Fame: "It Was Literally Thrust Upon Us" |date=September 26, 2012 |work=[[Miami New Times]] |first=Arielle |last=Castillo |access-date=January 7, 2018}}</ref> In April 1983, the song peaked at number 7 on the US ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' [[Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks|Mainstream Rock]] chart<ref name="rock 1983"/> and number 78 on the main [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]].<ref name="hot 100 1983"/> "I Melt with You" was particularly popular in dance clubs and on MTV,<ref name="latimes"/><ref name="bb1">{{cite news|title=''Billboard''{{'s}} Top Album Picks|page=65|date=March 12, 1983|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|volume=95|issue=10|issn=0006-2510|publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc.}}</ref> peaking at number 60 on ''Billboard''{{'s}} [[Dance/Disco Top 80]] in March 1983.<ref name="dance 1983"/> The single's success drastically altered the band's experience, according to Grey: "Someone picked up an import from England and started playing it on mainstream radio in America, and it just went like wildfire. We used to play to 200 people in [[art college]]; the next thing we knew, we were in [[Daytona Beach]] playing to 5,000 people who knew all the words [to the song]."{{sfn|Bernstein|Majewski|2014|p=207}} |
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Modern English re-recorded the song for their 1990 album ''Pillow Lips''. The song re-appeared on the Hot 100, peaking at number 76 in July,<ref name="hot 100 1990"/> and re-appeared on the Dance charts, peaking at number 25 in August.<ref name="dance 1990"/> The reformed original line up of the band re-recorded it again in 2010 in a completely reworked style for inclusion in the movie ''[[I Melt with You (film)|I Melt With You]]''. |
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The song is among the top 500 songs ever played on U.S. radio.<ref name="hsin"/> The group received a lifetime achievement award at the [[BMI Awards]] in 2017, celebrating 3 million plays of the song.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bmi.com/news/entry/2017-bmi-london-awards|title=Jay Kay and Top Songwriters Honored at 2017 BMI London Awards|date=October 9, 2017|access-date=January 7, 2018|publisher=[[Broadcast Music, Inc.|BMI]]}}</ref> It is ranked #39 on [[VH1]]'s [[The Greatest (TV series)|''100 Greatest Songs of the 80s'']].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cs.ubc.ca/~davet/music/list/Best10.html|title=VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of the 80s|access-date=October 21, 2017}}</ref> As Modern English's only major hit song, they are generally considered [[one-hit wonder]]s, despite not reaching the Top 40 of the U.S. Hot 100 during either of its runs on that chart.<ref name="westword"/><ref name="latimes"/> It was ranked #7 on VH1's [[The Greatest (TV series)|''100 Greatest One Hit Wonders of the 80s'']].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.vh1.com/news/58qjan/100-greatest-one-hit-wonders-of-the-80s|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220628182745/https://www.vh1.com/news/58qjan/100-greatest-one-hit-wonders-of-the-80s|url-status=live|archive-date=June 28, 2022|title=VH1's 100 Greatest One Hit Wonders of the 80s|publisher=[[VH1]]|access-date=October 21, 2017}}</ref> |
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==Reception== |
==Reception== |
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A reviewer for ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' commended the song as "classy", describing it as a "dreamy, acoustic-edged rocker."<ref name="bb1"/> The re-recorded edition of the song for the band's 1990 album ''Pillow Lips'' was received negatively by the ''[[Los Angeles Times]]''{{'s}} Chris Willman, who dubbed it "nearly identical yet markedly inferior."<ref name="latimes1">{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-08-09-ca-175-story.html|title=POP MUSIC REVIEW : Modern English Melts Down|date=August 9, 1990|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|first=Chris|last=Willman|access-date=January 7, 2018}}</ref> |
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The song reached No. 7 on Billboard's [[Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks|Top Tracks]] chart and No. 78 on the [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]] in 1983.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.billboard.com/artist/311622/modern-english/chart |title=Modern English - Chart history |publisher=Billboard |date= |accessdate=2014-03-15}}</ref> The song gained popularity due to its airplay on [[MTV]] in early 1983 and its use in the ending titles and in a "falling in love" [[Montage (film making)|montage sequence]] in ''[[Valley Girl (film)|Valley Girl]]'' the same year. It is ranked No. 39 on VH1's 100 greatest songs of the 80's and No. 7 on VH1's ''100 Greatest One Hit Wonders of the 80s''. |
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The song has remained popular over the years. Tom Demalon [[AllMusic]] called it "one of the most enduring songs of the new wave era."<ref name="am">{{cite book|title=All Music Guide to Rock: The Definitive Guide to Rock, Pop, and Soul|first=Demalon|last=Tom|page=749|isbn=978-0879306533|year=2002|publisher=Backbeat Books|edition=3rd}}</ref> ''Los Angeles Times'' contributor Sara Scriber wrote in 1997 that the song endured because it "struck a chord for its gothic, escapist undercurrent and danceable rhythm."<ref name="latimes"/> In 2017, Chrissie Dickinson of the ''[[Chicago Tribune]]'' wrote that "with its irresistible guitar melody, danceable beat and heartfelt call and response vocals, it was a piece of work that fit snugly into the era."<ref name="ct">{{cite news|url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/music/ct-ott-modern-english-1103-story.html|title=Modern English has found its somewhat nostalgic happy place|date=November 2, 2017|work=[[Chicago Tribune]]|first=Chrissie|last=Dickinson|access-date=January 7, 2018}}</ref> |
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==Subsequent recordings== |
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The band re-recorded it in 1990 for their album ''Pillow Lips'', the re-released version peaking at No. 76 on the [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]]. The reformed original line up of the band re-recorded it again in 2010 in a completely reworked style for inclusion in the movie [[I Melt with You (film)|''I Melt With You'']]. |
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==In popular culture and cover versions== |
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==Meaning of lyrics== |
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"I Melt with You" has been covered by a variety of artists, with several different versions being licensed for film and television worldwide. The original version by Modern English was largely popularized by its appearance in the 1983 film ''[[Valley Girl (1983 film)|Valley Girl]]'', in which it features in both the ending titles and in a "falling in love" [[Montage (filmmaking)|montage sequence]].<ref name="ct"/> |
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According to vocalist Robbie Grey, the song is about a gay couple having anal sex, and fisting each others buttholes. |
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A cover by American singer-songwriter [[Jason Mraz]] was included on the soundtrack to the 2004 film ''[[50 First Dates]]''.<ref name="wdif">{{cite book|title=Who Did It First?: Great Rock and Roll Cover Songs and Their Original Artists|first=Bob|last=Leszczak|year=2014|page=95|isbn=978-1442233218|publisher=Rowman & Littlefield Publishers}}</ref> |
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==External links== |
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*[http://www.modernenglish.me Official Web Site] |
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French group [[Nouvelle Vague (band)|Nouvelle Vague]]'s rendition found placement in ''[[Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005 film)|Mr. and Mrs. Smith]]'' (2005).<ref name="bb">{{cite news|title=Selling In|first=Josh|last=Rabinowitz|page=13|date=March 15, 2008|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|volume=120|issue=11|issn=0006-2510|publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc.}}</ref> |
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* {{MetroLyrics song|modern-english|i-melt-with-you}}<!-- Licensed lyrics provider --> |
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The song was covered by the cast of ''[[Glee (TV series)|Glee]]'' in the 2014 episode "[[Old Dog, New Tricks]]".<ref name="GTM">{{cite web|url=http://www.gleethemusic.com/us/news/audio-premiere-trio |title=Old Dog New Tricks |publisher=gleethemusic.com |access-date=May 5, 2014}}</ref> |
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==Charts== |
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{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |
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|- |
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!scope="col"| Chart (1983) |
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!scope="col"| Peak<br />position |
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|- |
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!scope="row" | US [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]]<ref name="hot 100 1983">{{cite magazine |url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-100/1983-04-16 |title=The Hot 100 – The week of April 16, 1983 |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |access-date=2018-10-14}}</ref> |
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| style="text-align:center;"|78 |
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|- |
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!scope="row" | US [[Dance Club Songs|Dance/Disco Top 80]] (''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'')<ref name="dance 1983">{{cite magazine |url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/dance-club-play-songs/1983-03-12 |title=Dance Club Songs – The week of March 12, 1983 |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |access-date=2018-10-14}}</ref> |
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| style="text-align:center;"|60 |
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|- |
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!scope="row" | US [[Mainstream Rock (chart)|Rock Albums & Top Tracks]] (''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'')<ref name="rock 1983">{{cite magazine | |
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url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-mainstream-rock-tracks/1983-04-02 |title=Mainstream Rock Songs – The week of April 2, 1983 |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |access-date=2018-10-14}}</ref> |
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| style="text-align:center;"|7 |
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|} |
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{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |
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|- |
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!scope="col"| Chart (1990) |
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!scope="col"| Peak<br />position |
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|- |
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!scope="row" | US [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]]<ref name="hot 100 1990">{{citation|url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-100/1990-07-28 |title=The Hot 100 – The week of July 28, 1990 |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |date=January 2, 2013 |access-date=2018-10-14}}</ref> |
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| style="text-align:center;"|76 |
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|- |
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!scope="row" | US [[Dance Club Songs|Hot Dance Music – Club Play]]<ref name="dance 1990">{{citation|url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/dance-club-play-songs/1990-08-11|title=Dance Club Songs – The week of August 11, 1990 |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |date=January 2, 2013 |access-date=2018-10-14}}</ref> |
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| style="text-align:center;"|25 |
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|} |
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==Certifications== |
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{{Certification Table Top}} |
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{{Certification Table Entry|region=Canada|type=single|award=Platinum|artist=Modern English|title=I Melt With You|relyear=1982|certyear=2020|access-date=June 25, 2022}} |
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{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|type=single|award=Gold|artist=Modern English|title=I Melt With You|relyear=1982|certyear=2024|access-date=January 16, 2024}} |
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{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true|noshipments=true|streaming=true}} |
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==References== |
==References== |
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===Footnotes=== |
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{{reflist}} |
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{{Reflist}} |
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===Sources=== |
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{{Refbegin}} |
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* {{cite book |first1= Jonathan|last1=Bernstein |first2= Lori|last2=Majewski|author-link2=Lori Majewski | title=Mad World: An Oral History of New Wave Artists and Songs That Defined the 1980s |publisher=Harry N. Abrams |year=2014 |isbn=978-1419710971}} |
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{{Refend}} |
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==External links== |
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* {{YouTube|tzHS9r6y0KA|Review with retrospective on the band}} |
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{{Modern English|state=autocollapse}} |
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{{Authority control}} |
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{{DEFAULTSORT:I Melt With You}} |
{{DEFAULTSORT:I Melt With You}} |
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[[Category:1982 songs]] |
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[[Category:1982 singles]] |
[[Category:1982 singles]] |
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[[Category:1983 singles]] |
[[Category:1983 singles]] |
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[[Category:1990 singles]] |
[[Category:1990 singles]] |
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[[Category:Modern English (band) songs]] |
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[[Category:1982 songs]] |
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[[Category:Songs about sexuality]] |
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[[Category:4AD singles]] |
[[Category:4AD singles]] |
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[[Category: |
[[Category:Modern English (band) songs]] |
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[[Category:Bowling for Soup songs]] |
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[[Category:Sire Records singles]] |
[[Category:Sire Records singles]] |
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[[Category:Song recordings produced by Hugh Jones (producer)]] |
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[[Category:Songs about nuclear war and weapons]] |
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[[Category:TVT Records singles]] |
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Latest revision as of 06:14, 24 December 2024
| "I Melt with You" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Artwork for original 1982 release | ||||
| Single by Modern English | ||||
| from the album After the Snow | ||||
| B-side |
| |||
| Released | August 1982 | |||
| Recorded | 1982 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length |
| |||
| Label | ||||
| Songwriter(s) |
| |||
| Producer(s) | Hugh Jones | |||
| Modern English singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Music video | ||||
| "I Melt with You" on YouTube | ||||
"I Melt with You" is a song by the British new wave band Modern English. The song, produced by Hugh Jones, was the second single from their 1982 album After the Snow. It became the band's most successful single, largely in the United States, where it was featured in the film Valley Girl and on MTV. It reached number seven on Billboard's Mainstream Rock chart in 1983 and a re-release reached number 76 on its Hot 100 chart in 1990 (after reaching number 78 in 1983).
Background
[edit]Modern English formed in 1979 in Colchester, Essex, England.[4] The group signed with 4AD, a British independent record label, in 1980.
The band's vocalist, Robbie Grey, described England at the time of the song's writing to be a bleak place, due to an ongoing economic downturn: "There was no money. There'd be no power—you'd be at home with candles."[6] These conditions and his fears of a nuclear war inspired "I Melt with You". The song depicts a couple making love while an atomic bomb is dropped.[7][8] In an interview, he described the song as a "love song", but more about the "good and bad in people ... The last thing we wanted was to write a song where boy meets girl, they go to the cinema and make love, and that's the end of it."[9]
Musically, the song came together in the band's rehearsal space in London while recording their second album, After the Snow. Producer Hugh Jones encouraged Grey to softly sing the vocal track, as opposed to his natural inclination to shout. He subsequently employed a softer vocal technique on the rest of the album.[9]
The original 4:11 album version features no call-and-response vocals in the second verse, and features a synthesizer break that begins at the second chorus. The more commonly known version of the song is the 3:50 single mix, in which the synthesizer riff is audible during the first chorus, an octave lower than on subsequent choruses, along with contrasting background vocals in the second verse - "You should know better" sung before "Dream of better lives...," etc. Eight bars from the instrumental break after the second chorus are cut in the single version, such that only the second rendering of the line "the future's...open wide" (lyrics sung twice on the album version) is present and the guitar riff leading up to this line thus fades in a bit more abruptly, accounting for the time difference between the album and single versions. The latter version was mixed down to mono from its original stereo recording. While both the album and single versions have circulated on radio, the true stereo mix of the single version has rarely been available since.
Commercial performance
[edit]The song was released in the United Kingdom in August 1982, by label 4AD. Though it failed to reach the UK singles chart, it became their fifth single to reach the UK Independent Singles and Albums Charts, peaking at number 18. The song was mainly a success in the United States,[9] gaining attention over a long incubation period before becoming Modern English's and 4AD's first chart hit.[10] It first began receiving radio airplay as an import single, and bounced from station to station, gaining momentum.[11] In April 1983, the song peaked at number 7 on the US Billboard Mainstream Rock chart[12] and number 78 on the main Billboard Hot 100.[13] "I Melt with You" was particularly popular in dance clubs and on MTV,[8][14] peaking at number 60 on Billboard's Dance/Disco Top 80 in March 1983.[15] The single's success drastically altered the band's experience, according to Grey: "Someone picked up an import from England and started playing it on mainstream radio in America, and it just went like wildfire. We used to play to 200 people in art college; the next thing we knew, we were in Daytona Beach playing to 5,000 people who knew all the words [to the song]."[9]
Modern English re-recorded the song for their 1990 album Pillow Lips. The song re-appeared on the Hot 100, peaking at number 76 in July,[16] and re-appeared on the Dance charts, peaking at number 25 in August.[17] The reformed original line up of the band re-recorded it again in 2010 in a completely reworked style for inclusion in the movie I Melt With You.
The song is among the top 500 songs ever played on U.S. radio.[10] The group received a lifetime achievement award at the BMI Awards in 2017, celebrating 3 million plays of the song.[18] It is ranked #39 on VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of the 80s.[19] As Modern English's only major hit song, they are generally considered one-hit wonders, despite not reaching the Top 40 of the U.S. Hot 100 during either of its runs on that chart.[4][8] It was ranked #7 on VH1's 100 Greatest One Hit Wonders of the 80s.[20]
Reception
[edit]A reviewer for Billboard commended the song as "classy", describing it as a "dreamy, acoustic-edged rocker."[14] The re-recorded edition of the song for the band's 1990 album Pillow Lips was received negatively by the Los Angeles Times's Chris Willman, who dubbed it "nearly identical yet markedly inferior."[21]
The song has remained popular over the years. Tom Demalon AllMusic called it "one of the most enduring songs of the new wave era."[1] Los Angeles Times contributor Sara Scriber wrote in 1997 that the song endured because it "struck a chord for its gothic, escapist undercurrent and danceable rhythm."[8] In 2017, Chrissie Dickinson of the Chicago Tribune wrote that "with its irresistible guitar melody, danceable beat and heartfelt call and response vocals, it was a piece of work that fit snugly into the era."[22]
In popular culture and cover versions
[edit]"I Melt with You" has been covered by a variety of artists, with several different versions being licensed for film and television worldwide. The original version by Modern English was largely popularized by its appearance in the 1983 film Valley Girl, in which it features in both the ending titles and in a "falling in love" montage sequence.[22]
A cover by American singer-songwriter Jason Mraz was included on the soundtrack to the 2004 film 50 First Dates.[23]
French group Nouvelle Vague's rendition found placement in Mr. and Mrs. Smith (2005).[24]
The song was covered by the cast of Glee in the 2014 episode "Old Dog, New Tricks".[25]
Charts
[edit]| Chart (1983) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard Hot 100[13] | 78 |
| US Dance/Disco Top 80 (Billboard)[15] | 60 |
| US Rock Albums & Top Tracks (Billboard)[12] | 7 |
| Chart (1990) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard Hot 100[16] | 76 |
| US Hot Dance Music – Club Play[17] | 25 |
Certifications
[edit]| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Canada (Music Canada)[26] | Platinum | 80,000‡ |
| United States (RIAA)[27] | Gold | 500,000‡ |
|
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
References
[edit]Footnotes
[edit]- ^ a b Tom, Demalon (2002). All Music Guide to Rock: The Definitive Guide to Rock, Pop, and Soul (3rd ed.). Backbeat Books. p. 749. ISBN 978-0879306533.
- ^ Molanphy, Chris (September 16, 2022). "At Last, My Legacy Has Come Along Edition". Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia (Podcast). Slate. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
- ^ Gallucci, Michael (November 7, 2024). "Top 50 New Wave Songs". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved November 8, 2024.
- ^ a b c Murphy, Tom (July 24, 2017). "Modern English Is Getting Even Wilder". Westword. Retrieved January 7, 2018.
- ^ "BMI Repertoire Search". BMI. Archived from the original on September 21, 2015. Retrieved July 27, 2015.
- ^ Bernstein & Majewski 2014, p. 206.
- ^ Interview with vocalist Robbie Grey on Valley Girl 20th anniversary DVD special features, MGM Home Entertainment, 2003.
- ^ a b c d Scribner, Sara (November 13, 1997). "A One-Hit Legacy : Robbie Grey wants to take his reassembled Modern English group beyond its 'Melt' anthem". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved January 7, 2018.
- ^ a b c d Bernstein & Majewski 2014, p. 207.
- ^ a b King, Richard (2012). How Soon is Now?. Faber & Faber. p. 95. ISBN 978-0571243907.
- ^ Castillo, Arielle (September 26, 2012). "Modern English's Robbie Grey on "I Melt With You" Fame: "It Was Literally Thrust Upon Us"". Miami New Times. Retrieved January 7, 2018.
- ^ a b "Mainstream Rock Songs – The week of April 2, 1983". Billboard. Retrieved October 14, 2018.
- ^ a b "The Hot 100 – The week of April 16, 1983". Billboard. Retrieved October 14, 2018.
- ^ a b "Billboard's Top Album Picks". Billboard. Vol. 95, no. 10. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. March 12, 1983. p. 65. ISSN 0006-2510.
- ^ a b "Dance Club Songs – The week of March 12, 1983". Billboard. Retrieved October 14, 2018.
- ^ a b "The Hot 100 – The week of July 28, 1990", Billboard, January 2, 2013, retrieved October 14, 2018
- ^ a b "Dance Club Songs – The week of August 11, 1990", Billboard, January 2, 2013, retrieved October 14, 2018
- ^ "Jay Kay and Top Songwriters Honored at 2017 BMI London Awards". BMI. October 9, 2017. Retrieved January 7, 2018.
- ^ "VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of the 80s". Retrieved October 21, 2017.
- ^ "VH1's 100 Greatest One Hit Wonders of the 80s". VH1. Archived from the original on June 28, 2022. Retrieved October 21, 2017.
- ^ Willman, Chris (August 9, 1990). "POP MUSIC REVIEW : Modern English Melts Down". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved January 7, 2018.
- ^ a b Dickinson, Chrissie (November 2, 2017). "Modern English has found its somewhat nostalgic happy place". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved January 7, 2018.
- ^ Leszczak, Bob (2014). Who Did It First?: Great Rock and Roll Cover Songs and Their Original Artists. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. p. 95. ISBN 978-1442233218.
- ^ Rabinowitz, Josh (March 15, 2008). "Selling In". Billboard. Vol. 120, no. 11. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. p. 13. ISSN 0006-2510.
- ^ "Old Dog New Tricks". gleethemusic.com. Retrieved May 5, 2014.
- ^ "Canadian single certifications – Modern English – I Melt With You". Music Canada. Retrieved June 25, 2022.
- ^ "American single certifications – Modern English – I Melt With You". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved January 16, 2024.
Sources
[edit]- Bernstein, Jonathan; Majewski, Lori (2014). Mad World: An Oral History of New Wave Artists and Songs That Defined the 1980s. Harry N. Abrams. ISBN 978-1419710971.
