"Let Your Heart Dance with Me" is a song by Swedish pop music duo Roxette, released on 2 October 2020 as the second single from their compilation album Bag of Trix. The song was written by Per Gessle, and contains vocals by Marie Fredriksson. The track was released on a limited edition gold-coloured 7" vinyl, which was limited to 1,500 copies worldwide and contained their previous single – a cover of the Beatles song "Help!", recorded live at Abbey Road Studios on 15 November 1995 – as the b-side. A music video was also released for the song, featuring previously unseen footage from both Gessle and Fredriksson's private archives.
| "Let Your Heart Dance with Me" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Roxette | ||||
| from the album Bag of Trix | ||||
| Released | 2 October 2020[1] | |||
| Recorded | 2016 | |||
| Studio | Aerosol Grey Machine, Scania | |||
| Genre | Pop[2] | |||
| Length | 3:07 | |||
| Label |
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| Songwriter(s) | Per Gessle | |||
| Producer(s) |
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| Roxette singles chronology | ||||
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| Music video | ||||
| "Let Your Heart Dance with Me" on YouTube | ||||
Background and recording
editThe track was originally recorded in 2016 for Roxette's tenth studio album Good Karma, with songwriter Per Gessle saying it was his intention to compose a "classic and simple 'clap your hands and stomp your feet' song" while writing the track.[3] However, the song was not finished in time to be included on Good Karma.[4] Gessle said that "as usual we already had so many strong contenders that [the song] had to wait for a second chance. And when the idea for [Bag of Trix] came up, it was a given."[3] Bag of Trix, a 3-disc compilation of previously unreleased material, also features a second track originally recorded for Good Karma, "Piece of Cake".[5][6]
"Let Your Heart Dance With Me" was one of the final vocals Marie Fredriksson recorded for Roxette,[7] in 2016, before her death in December 2019.[8] She was advised by her doctors to cease all touring activity due to poor health two months before Good Karma was released.[9] Gessle said: "We cancelled the [2016] summer tour and all future commitments. But even a studio recording was demanding for her. She wanted so much, but really had to fight to get it out. And she did. Marie was a real trooper to the very end."[3][7] The track was mixed by Ronny Lahti, who also mixed Roxette's 2001 album Room Service.[10]
Release and promotion
editA music video for the track was created using footage from Gessle and Fredriksson's private archives.[5][11] The video premiered on 1 October 2020 on YouTube.[3] Immediately following the broadcast, Roxette's YouTube channel hosted a live Q&A session with Gessle, where he answered questions submitted by fans.[12] "Let Your Heart Dance with Me" was released as a limited edition 7" vinyl on 9 October 2020.[13] This vinyl was gold-coloured and limited to 1,500 copies worldwide, and contained their previous single – a cover of the Beatles song "Help!" that Roxette recorded live at Abbey Road Studios on 15 November 1995 – as the b-side.[14]
Critical reception
editA writer for Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet described the song as "light-hearted and optimistic", but said it was inappropriate for inclusion on Good Karma. Their writer elaborated that although the track was an "easy listen, at first", each subsequent listen revealed it to be "more and more a tribute to Marie Fredriksson." They complimented the "acoustic guitars and carefree whistles", saying that these elements gave the song the impression of a "duo that took a last-minute burst of heat, settled down on a sandy beach and talked about old memories until sunset. But if you listen carefully, you are still struck by a strong melancholy." They went on to describe the song as a fitting tribute to Fredriksson, complimenting Gessle for making it "feel like a tribute to their friendship and a thank you to Marie: 'You made it possible / By being beautiful / And so incredible'; he sings but then turns to a more melancholy appeal: 'Let your heart dance with me / Let me see you smile again'."[2] The German edition of Rolling Stone called it a "strikingly optimistic song, although it was recorded at a time when Marie Fredriksson's health problems were being intensified as a result of ten years of recurrent cancer treatment."[10] Similarly, Classic Pop described it as a track that "radiates summer, sun and optimism", despite Fredriksson's health status at the time of its recording.[3]
Formats and track listing
edit"Let Your Heart Dance with Me" written by Per Gessle; "Help!" written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney
- Digital download
- "Let Your Heart Dance with Me" – 3:07
- 7" vinyl (50541 970802–1 9)
- "Let Your Heart Dance with Me" – 3:07
- "Help!" (Abbey Road Sessions, 15 November 1995) – 2:56
Credits and personnel
editCredits adapted from the liner notes of the 7" single and Tidal.[14][15]
- "Let Your Heart Dance With Me" recorded at Aerosol Grey Machine, Vallarum, Scania in 2016
- "Help!" recorded at Abbey Road Studios on 15 November 1995
Musicians
- Marie Fredriksson – lead and background vocals
- Per Gessle – lead and background vocals and production
- Jonas Isacsson – guitar (track 2)
- Christoffer Lundquist – background vocals, programming, engineering and production
- Clarence Öfwerman – keyboards, programming, production and mixing
Technical
- Addeboy vs. Cliff – production (track 1)
- Wickholm Formavd. – sleeve design
- Emmelie Hedenström – photography
- Ronny Lahti – mixing (track 1)
- Alar Suurna – engineering and mixing (track 2)
Charts
edit| Chart (2020–2021) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Croatian Airplay (HRT)[16] | 85 |
| Slovakia (Rádio Top 100)[17] | 87 |
References
edit- ^ "Let Your Heart Dance with Me". Apple Music. 2 October 2020. Retrieved 29 October 2020.
- ^ a b Azarmi, Natasha (2 October 2020). "Roxette: "Let Your Heart Dance With Me" - Recension" ["Roxette: 'Let Your Heart Dance With Me' - Review"]. Aftonbladet (in Swedish). Retrieved 22 October 2020.
- ^ a b c d e "Roxette to issue previously unreleased song". Classic Pop. 1 October 2020. Retrieved 22 October 2020.
- ^ "Nach Tod von Frontfrau: Roxette veröffentlicht am Freitag neuen Song" [After the front woman died: Roxette release a new song on Friday]. Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (in German). 1 October 2020. Retrieved 23 October 2020.
- ^ a b Garrán, Daniel (8 October 2020). "Sale a la luz una canción inédita de Roxette con la voz de Marie Fredriksson" [An unreleased song by Roxette with the voice of Marie Fredriksson comes to light]. Los 40 (in Spanish). Retrieved 23 October 2020.
- ^ "Roxette: Neues Lied mit Stimme der verstorbenen Sängerin" [Roxette: New Song with the Voice of the Late Singer]. Bild der Frau (in German). 1 October 2020. Retrieved 23 October 2020.
- ^ a b Helman, Peter (2 October 2020). "Hear Roxette's Previously Unreleased "Let Your Heart Dance With Me"". Stereogum. Retrieved 22 October 2020.
- ^ Edwards, Gavin; Magra, Iliana (10 December 2019). "Roxette Singer Marie Fredriksson Is Dead at 61". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 15 December 2019. Retrieved 3 January 2020.
- ^ Brandle, Lars (21 April 2016). "Roxette Calls Time on Touring". Billboard. Archived from the original on 12 June 2017. Retrieved 24 January 2018.
- ^ a b "Let Your Heart Dance With Me: Neuen Song von Roxette im Stream" ["'Let Your Heart Dance With Me': New song by Roxette [available] to stream"]. Rolling Stone (in German). 2 October 2020. Archived from the original on 22 October 2020. Retrieved 22 October 2020.
- ^ Jayne, Kara (7 October 2020). "Interview: Roxette's Per Gessle Talks About Upcoming Bag of Trix Box Set". I Like Your Old Stuff. Retrieved 23 October 2020.
- ^ "Roxette : Neuer Song erscheint am Freitag - Unterhaltung" [Roxette : New Song Out on Friday - Entertainment]. Stuttgarter Nachrichten (in German). 1 October 2020. Retrieved 23 October 2020.
- ^ Frank, Tine (1 October 2020). "Roxette udgiver ny single: "Marie var en ægte fighter til det sidste"" ["Roxette releases new single: 'Marie was a real fighter to the very end'"]. Gaffa (in Danish). Archived from the original on 24 October 2020. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
- ^ a b Let Your Heart Dance With Me (7" gold vinyl liner notes). Roxette. Roxette Recordings/Parlophone. 2020. 50541 970802–1 9.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ "Bag Of Trix Vol. 1 (Music From The Roxette Vaults)". Tidal. Retrieved 1 November 2020.
- ^ "ARC 100 – datum: 19. listopada 2020" [ARC 100 – Date: 19 October 2020] (in Croatian). HRT. 19 October 2020. Retrieved 2 December 2020.
- ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select 7. týden 2021 in the date selector. Retrieved 22 February 2021.