"Lost in Music" is a song by American vocal group Sister Sledge, released in July 1979[1] as the third single from their third studio album, We Are Family (1979), an album entirely written, produced, and arranged by Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards (of the group Chic). The "intoxicating" song was a No. 35 hit on the American R&B chart.[2] In 1984 and 1993, "Lost in Music" was re-released in new remixes.
| "Lost in Music" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Sister Sledge | ||||
| from the album We Are Family | ||||
| B-side | "Thinking of You" | |||
| Released | July 11, 1979 | |||
| Recorded | 1978 | |||
| Studio | Power Station, New York City, New York, US | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length |
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| Songwriter(s) | ||||
| Producer(s) |
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| Sister Sledge singles chronology | ||||
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Chart performance
edit"Lost in Music" was one of the group's biggest hits, charting at No. 35 on the US Billboard R&B chart (then called the Hot Soul Singles chart).[3] It also reached the UK top twenty in three separate decades. The original version reached No. 17 in 1979,[1] a remixed version[4] reached No. 4 in 1984,[1] and another remix reached No. 14 in 1993.
Reception
editCash Box described the song as a "very Chic tune" with "sparse, elegant instrumentation and a "fascinating" hook.[5] Richard Smith from Melody Maker wrote, "'Lost in Music' was a slice of pure pop heaven. A song about the simple thrill of going out dancing, every bit as thrilling as the feeling it was trying to describe."[6] Alan Jones from Music Week gave the 1993 remix three out of five, adding that "once again the original Chic hallmarks are ditched to turn the track into an edgy, percussive rattling slab of Nineties dance music."[7] Record World said that the "clear clean production, snappy percussion, & choir-like vocals are overwhelming."[8]
Charts
edit| Chart (1979) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Belgium (Ultratop) | 14 |
| Ireland (IRMA) | 30 |
| Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) | 15 |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100) | 12 |
| UK Singles (OCC) | 17 |
| US Hot Soul Singles (Billboard) | 35 |
1984 Nile Rodgers remix
| Chart (1984) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Ireland (IRMA) | 6 |
| Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) | 6 |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100) | 4 |
| UK Singles (OCC) | 4 |
1993 Sure Is Pure remix
| Chart (1993) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[9] | 48 |
| Europe (European Dance Radio)[10] | 4 |
| Ireland (IRMA) | 10 |
| UK Singles (OCC) | 14 |
| UK Airplay (Music Week)[11] | 24 |
| UK Dance (Music Week)[12] | 2 |
Certifications
edit| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom (BPI)[13] | Gold | 400,000‡ |
|
‡ Sales streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
Cover versions
editA cover version of the song appeared on British post-punk band the Fall's 1993 album The Infotainment Scan;[14][15] their "radically different" version has been read as a critique of the "unfair derision of the disco genre".[16]
Anita Lane also covered the song on her album Dirty Pearl.
References
edit- ^ a b c "Sister Sledge". The Official Charts Company.
- ^ Bogdanov, Vladimir, ed. (2003). All Music Guide to Soul: The Definitive Guide to R&B and Soul. Hal Leonard Corporation. p. 620. ISBN 9780879307448.
- ^ "Sister Sledge". Allmusic.
- ^ Davis, Sharon (2012). 80s Chart-Toppers: Every Chart-Topper Tells a Story. Random House. p. 307. ISBN 9781780574110.
- ^ "CashBox Singles Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. July 28, 1979. p. 13. Retrieved 2022-01-01.
- ^ Smith, Richard (1993-01-30). "Albums". Melody Maker. p. 35. Retrieved 2023-05-05.
- ^ Jones, Alan (1993-02-20). "Market Preview: Mainstream - Singles" (PDF). Music Week. p. 22. Retrieved 2022-10-01.
- ^ "Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. July 28, 1979. p. 1. Retrieved 2023-02-11.
- ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 10, no. 12. March 20, 1993. p. 23. Retrieved March 23, 2018.
- ^ "European Dance Radio Top 25" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 10, no. 15. April 10, 1993. p. 9. Retrieved November 3, 2021.
- ^ "Top 50 Airplay Chart" (PDF). Music Week. March 27, 1993. p. 22. Retrieved April 27, 2024.
- ^ "Top 60 Dance Singles" (PDF). Music Week. March 13, 1993. p. 18. Retrieved April 9, 2021.
- ^ "British single certifications – Sister Sledge – Lost In Music". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved October 17, 2024.
- ^ Simpson, Dave (2008). The Fallen: Life In and Out of Britain's Most Insane Group. Canongate. p. 186. ISBN 9781847676405.
- ^ Macdonald, Neil (15 April 2013). "A Past Gone Rad: The Fall's Infotainment Scan 20 Years On". The Quietus. Retrieved 27 October 2014.
- ^ Curran, Kieran (2014). Cynicism in British Post-War Culture: Ignorance, Dust and Disease. Springer. p. 188. ISBN 9781137444356.